5 Wood vs 7 Wood vs 3 Hybrid – What’s The Difference & What To Use
When it comes to your longer clubs it is incredibly important to have the correct ones for your own particular game in your bag.
Because of the nature of these clubs if it is incorrect for you the results can be devastating.
All three are ideal for anyone looking for a club to help them get the ball up into the air.
They are ideal for mid and high handicap golfers as well as beginners, seniors and ladies.
Let’s dive into some detail to help your decision on whether you should have one in your bag or not.
Main Differences Between A 5 Wood vs 7 Wood vs 3 Hybrid
Loft: The 5 wood will generally have 18 degrees of loft, the 7 wood 21 degrees and the 3 hybrid will have 19 degrees.
These all depend on the manufacturer, but in most cases these will be the lofts.
Shaft Length: A 3 hybrid shafts will be the shortest of the three clubs, with the 7 wood being slightly longer, and the 5 wood being longer than the 7 wood.
Head Design: A 5 and 7 wood have a larger head shape compared to the 3 hybrid, which has a smaller modern design.
Versatility: A hybrid can be used in more situations on the course, making it more versatile compared to the 5 and 7 wood.
Forgiveness: Hybrids are much more forgiving than fairway woods, this will make you launch the ball easier into the air.
Distance: Because the length of the 3 hybrid is shorter it will go shorter than the 5 wood, however even though the 7 wood shaft is longer, the loft is weaker, so you will find the distances of the 7 wood and 3 hybrid will be similar.
Price: Hybrids are generally cheaper than fairway woods, however the price also depends on the brand and quality of the club.
5 Wood vs 7 Wood vs 3 Hybrid In Detail
All three clubs are designed to get the ball up into the air easier than a long iron.
Manufactures have done this by making the club head bigger and moving the weight further back in the head. This makes it more forgiving and easier to hit.
The 5 wood will generally have 18 degrees of loft, the 7 wood 21 degrees and the 3 hybrid will have 19 degrees. These all depend on the manufacturer, but in most cases these will be the lofts.
The 5 and 7 wood will generally give you a straighter flight as the weight is far from the face, this makes the head really stable, promoting the clubface to come through square to the ball.
The 3 hybrid has a smaller head design, making the weight closer to the face, this will give you the ability to shape the ball easier.
All in all the three are much easier to hit compared to your 3 or 4 iron.
When To Use A 5 Or 7 Wood?
A 5 wood can be used from many situations on the course, from the tee box, fairway and light rough.
Try to avoid using it in thicker rough as the club may get stuck.
A 7 wood can be used from the fairway, rough and when you play par 3’s.
I would suggest staying away from them on the tee box of par 4’s and 5’s as you won’t get enough distance with them.
Who Should Carry A 5 Or 7 Wood?
The 7 wood should only be used by high handicap players, ladies, seniors or beginners.
This is because it has a lot of loft, which is great if you have a slower swing speed, as soon as your swing speed increases you will tend to launch the ball way too high causing you to lose control of the ball.
All levels of golfers should try out a 5 wood, it is a very versatile club, and with the technology these days it is much easier for players with high swing speeds to control the flight,
previously higher swing speed players would struggle with hitting it too high just like the 7 wood, however technology has improved and with that the ability to work the ball is now possible.
7 Wood Shaft Flex Vs Swing Speed Comparison Table
| 7 Wood Swing Speed | <67 mph | 67 – 77 mph | 77 – 87 mph | 87 – 102 mph | > 102 mph |
| Flex | Ladies | Senior | Regular | Stiff | X-Stiff |
5 Wood Shaft Flex Vs Swing Speed Comparison Table
| 5 Wood Swing Speed | <69 mph | 69 – 79 mph | 79 – 89 mph | 89 – 104 mph | > 104 mph |
| Flex | Ladies | Senior | Regular | Stiff | X-Stiff |
When To Use A 3 Hybrid?
The hybrid club is your most versatile club in your bag.
It can be used from many situations such as the tee, fairway, short and long rough, as well as on par 3’s.
So basically you can use it from anywhere. The hybrid has been an absolute game changer for golfers, especially golfers that struggle to hit their longer irons.
The only time I would suggest avoiding using a 3 hybrid is when you need to hit the ball low, the club is designed to get the ball up in the air, rather try using a 4 or 5 iron, it will be much easier to keep the ball low.
Who Should Carry A 3 Hybrid?
The main factor to consider is how far you hit your longest iron. You want your gapping to be between 12 to 15 yards.
If the gap between your longest iron and 3 hybrid is more than that you can consider adding a 4 hybrid to your bag, or going with a 4 hybrid instead of a 3 hybrid.
All mid to high handicap golfers, as well as seniors, ladies and beginners should have at least one hybrid in their bags.
How Do I Choose A 3 Hybrid?
Knowing how far you hit your longest iron will help you determine what hybrid you will need.
Hybrids tend to go further than irons, so just because you have a 4 iron doesn’t mean you should have a 3 hybrid, sometimes the 4 iron will give you the right gapping.
Once you have determined which loft you need, choosing a manufacturer and price point is your next step.
Some hybrids are more forgiving than others and this tends to come with price point.
You could also have a 5, 4 and 3 hybrid in your bag. It all just depends on what distance you want to hit and how well you hit your longest iron.
Going to a professional fitter or your local pro is going to be extremely beneficial, they will be able to give you the right advice for your game.
If you don’t have access to this, the best way to choose would be; find out how far you hit your longest iron and choose your price point, it is that easy.
| 3 Hybrid Swing Speed | <68 mph | 68 – 78 mph | 78 – 88 mph | 88 – 103 mph | > 103 mph |
| Flex | Ladies | Senior | Regular | Stiff | X-Stiff |
Do You Really Need A 3 Hybrid?
No not necessarily, however if you are a mid, high, lady, senior or beginner golfer I would highly recommend having at least one hybrid in your bag.
Which one should you have? Well that all depends on how far you hit your longest iron, and which woods you carry, just make sure there is a 12 to 15 yard gapping between your clubs.
How Many Woods and Hybrids Overall?
I am going to tell you my ideal set up for low, mid and high handicap, ladies and senior as well as beginners below.
You can alter it slightly, but in my experience this is the best combo.
Low Handicap – 3 wood and/or 5 wood, no hybrid
Mid Handicap – 3 or 5 wood, 3 or 4 hybrid
High Handicap – 5 wood, 4 and 5 hybrid
Senior – 5 and/or 7 wood, 5 and/or 6 hybrid
Ladies – 5 and/or 7 wood, 5 and/or 6 hybrid
Beginners – 5 wood and/or 3 hybrid, 4 hybrid
Conclusion
In the modern game you will be silly not to have a fairway wood or hybrid in your bag.
For high handicap golfers, ladies, seniors and beginners having a 5 or 7 wood is a great option, I would stay away from a 3 hybrid and use a 4 hybrid instead.
Mid to low handicap golfers can use either a 5 wood or 3 hybrid, the 7 wood may be too difficult to control as it will launch too high.
I hope this article helped, at the end of the day it also comes down to trail and error, what works for some may not work for others.
Hi, I am Matthew, a mid handicap golfer who likes to play as much as possible. I love trying out new gear and this blog is where you can find all the gear I have tested over the years!
