7 Wood Vs. 9 Wood – Which Club Should I Use & When?

7 Wood Vs. 9 Wood – Which Club Should I Use & When?

Which golf club should you put in your bag? There are so many to choose from but regulations only allow for 14 clubs.

While 14 may seem like a lot, when you start narrowing them down and making decisions, you will inevitably have to choose between some and eliminate some as well.

When you’re choosing your woods, should you go with a 7 wood or a 9 wood? We’ve got all the details here to help you make an informed decision!

7 Wood Vs. 9 Wood – An Overview

The 7 wood and the 9 wood are similar in some ways but also different in a lot of ways as well.

Many golfers take the 9 wood for granted and assume that it’s designed for beginners when really, it’s a great club. Check out this quick demonstration video of a 9 wood golf club in action!

 

 
A 9 wood gives you all of the height and distance of a club like a 4 iron but also offers a lot of forgiveness as well. The 7 wood gives you great distance but has a lesser loft design so it might not give you the height when you need it.

7 Wood Vs. 9 Wood – What’s The Difference

With these two clubs being seemingly close together in the lineup, you would think they are nearly the same but they really aren’t.

What you will find is that while they have a similar build, the loft angle and the head weight are different, which makes a significant difference when you swing or use the club. These clubs really are used for different purposes.

The 7 wood is just slightly longer than the 9 wood and sports a lower loft of about 22 degrees. The 7 swings smoothly and gives you great distance but it is not always forgiving and won’t always give you the height you need either.

The 9 wood, on the other hand, has a loft angle of about 26 inches and is slightly shorter than the 7 wood. The head wood is also just a touch heavier.

The combination of these features leads the 9 wood to be slightly more forgiving with your swing but also gets you both height and distances as well.

When Does It Make Sense To Carry A 7 Or 9 Wood?

Ultimately, it will be a matter of preference. If you have room in your bag, you might decide to carry both a 9 and a 7 wood rather than choosing one or the other.

We definitely recommend the 9 wood for beginners but I also think if you have a sweeping swing or maybe you struggle with using your iron, the 9 can be a great option! Remember that it is forgiving but also very effective and easy to hit with.

The 7 wood is perfect if you don’t want to use a low iron or perhaps a hybrid. Some golfers really don’t care for hybrid clubs. The 7 wood is larger than an iron or hybrid and can help you have better accuracy in comparison.

The 7 wood tends to be a comfortable club for most golfers, both beginners and advanced and it is easier to use than a 5 wood. It can give you flexibility in your shots and help you get over obstacles on the course as well when finding the green with minimal roll is important.

It’s ideal for long shots on the course.

Pros & Cons Of A 7 Wood

Just as with any other club, there are pros and cons to using a 7 wood.

It’s a really great fairway wood, according to Golf Info Guide but it isn’t as forgiving as the 9 wood.

Pros:

• Ideal replacement for 3 iron or 3 hybrid
• Perfect for high launching fairway shots
• Comfortable and easy to use
• Covers distance well
• Shorter length makes consistency easier
• Flexibility to make quality shots

Cons:

• May not hit as easily in rough or over obstacles as a hybrid or iron
• Slightly longer than the 9 wood
• Doesn’t get quite as much height as the 9 wood

Pros & Cons of a 9 Wood

According to Golf Info Guide, a 9 wood can be a great replacement for a 4 iron and is ideal for those lofty fairway shots.

Pros:

• Suitable replacement for a 4 iron or a 4 hybrid
• Larger head is more forgiving
• 26-degree loft gives you height and distance
• Great For Green Hunting
• Easier to hit the ball with
• Great for distance and height
• Suitable for sweeping swings
• Easy to hit consistently and efficiently

Cons:

• Often viewed as a beginner’s club
• May not hit as much distance as a hybrid or iron
• Not a top choice among professional players

What Club Does A 7 Wood Replace?

Ideally, your 7 wood will replace either the 3 iron or the 3 hybrid. 3 irons happen to be among some of the most difficult clubs to use, according to Daily Birdie.

The shots that a 3 iron are used for can be incredibly challenging shots and you need really good skill to make this club work for you.

A 7 wood can make the same distance and the same height but it far easier to swing and hit the ball if you just can’t seem to get the hang of using the 3 iron or even the 3 hybrid. With a larger head and a low loft, the 7 wood does the work but does it with less expertise required.

 

Hybrid Vs 7 Wood

The hybrid is intended to be a cross between a wood and an iron. It typically is designed to look more like the iron but have some of the plausible qualities that we all love about woods. In most cases, the hybrid will replace the like iron but not always.

For example, if you’re looking for a replacement for a 3 iron, you most likely are going to start with looking at a 3 hybrid. A 7 wood can replace one or both of these clubs. So, how do they compare?

The 7 wood is designed for fairway shots and long distances. It takes a little bit of skill to use but not a professional level. You’re looking at a loft of 21 degrees and the ability to gain distance between 140-175 yards.

In contrast, the 3 hybrid is great for distance and fairway but tends to be more precise. It also requires precision in your shot. Both are considered to require medium skill levels. The loft of a 3 hybrid can range from 18-27 degrees and it generally hits between 160-200 yards.

What Hybrid Does a 9 Wood Replace?

When it comes to replacing a club for the 9 wood, Golf Storage Guide tells us that you are most likely to replace a 4 iron with the 9 wood.

On the same note, you might also replace a 3 or 4 hybrid with the 9 wood. You might even be able to replace a 5 hybrid, depending on your skills.

The 9 wood club gives you a bit more flexibility as far as swapping out clubs and covers a broad range. Replace your 4 or 5 iron and replace your 3, 4, or maybe 5 hybrid club. That’s potentially 5 clubs that you can use the 9 wood in place of.

The 9 wood has a larger head, slightly more weight, and a lot more forgiveness than any of these clubs in comparison.

 

Hybrid Vs. 9 Wood

There are a lot of golfers out there who really don’t care for hybrids. What you should understand is this decision really needs to be about your preferences and skill levels.

I can tell you all day which one I prefer but that doesn’t make it right for you!

How does the 9 wood compare to a hybrid? The 4 hybrid is the most common interchangeable club with the 9 wood so our comparisons will be on this particular club for an example here. Your 9 wood club is ideal for shorter distances and is great on the fairway.

A 9 wood can help to avoid obstacles and gives you plenty of loft and height. It’s very forgiving overall and can still reach a reasonable distance, although not as far as many other clubs. 9 woods can pose a loft of anywhere from 28-28 degrees.

For the most part, you can plan on a 9 wood club reaching distances of approximately 100-150 yards in total, with an average being around 120 yards. It’s great for beginners and easy skill levels.

In contrast, a lot of professionals that have had time to build their skills prefer the 4 iron to the 9 wood. They also might go with the 4 hybrid instead. The hybrid and the iron both reach much higher distances of around 200 yards.

However, the hybrid clubs don’t do as well in the rough, as opposed to the 9 wood, which can be great when you’re up against an obstacle of some sort.

9 wood clubs typically have a loft close to 26 degrees while 3 or 4 hybrids typically have a loft of more like 28 degrees. They are both comparable in forgiveness and skill levels but the hybrid club can manage a higher distance and the wood club can manage rough grounds.

Conclusion

In closing, the 7 and 9 wood clubs are really quite different in comparison. If you’re trying to choose between one or the other, consider your skill level as well as your preferences.

7 woods do tend to hit farther but 9 woods tend to be able to get more height and are more forgiving.

Which club will you choose for your bag?