Isn’t it funny how our perspectives shift over time? Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near a 7-wood. Now, I can’t imagine my life without one. In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s comfortably the favourite club in my bag.
Given my current love affair, you’d be quite right to question why I had such an aversion to this club previously. I think there were probably three reasons.
As is often the case, amateur and club-golfer habits are influenced by what they see on the professional tours (not that they should be). And this doesn’t just relate to golf bag composition – think about elaborate pre-shot routines, slow play, AimPoint and more.
When I started watching professional golf religiously in the early 2000s, I can’t remember seeing many 7-woods in play. This clearly influenced me into thinking I shouldn’t put one in my bag, even though there’s no question I would have benefitted from one.
I assume this attitude also helped feed my perception that 5-wood was as high as a decent golfer should go. I don’t know where that viewpoint came from, but I suspect it was a combination of tour and a feeling that soldering on with a 3- and 4-iron was a right of passage; that giving up and moving to something easier to hit was defeatist.
I think I was also influenced by who I played with in my junior days. Most of my (average) golfing friends, as well as my dad, carried a 7-wood. Let’s just say they didn’t often set the world alight with their golfing ability.
Two summers ago, at the age of 35, I went for a Ping custom fitting at the brand’s national fitting centre in Lincolnshire. It was the first time I’d ever gone through such a process.
As part of it, I tried out the G430 Max 7-wood. It was so easy to hit and instantly instilled confidence. It went about the same distance as the i530 4-iron, but I was able to hit it much higher and create more draw and fade spin (and I’m not someone who is usually skilled enough to be able to produce different shot shapes on demand!)
Ever since then, it’s been a mainstay in my bag – one of those old reliables you just know will produce a solid strike when you need it to.
You can’t put a price on that pre-shot feeling. We all know how tough it is when you pull a club and start thinking ‘there’s no way this is going where I want it to’. It’s the exact opposite for me with my 7-wood.
Jack Of All Trades
It’s such a versatile club. In winter, when it’s all carry, I can use it on an 180-yard par 3 and know it has the stopping power to finish on the putting surface. In the summer, I can use it on one-shotters that are 200 yards or sometimes even slightly longer.
It really comes into its own on second shots into par 5s, too. If I have anywhere from 190-220 yards to the green, I won’t hesitate to pull it out, even if there’s trouble lurking ahead. I don’t feel like I need to hit the ball, either, like I sometimes do with a long-iron - a smooth swing will generally deliver the desired result.
It’s also useful on long par 5s. Historically, if I’ve had no chance of reaching the green, I’ve opted for the 8-iron, wedge approach – the logic being that I’m unlikely to really mess up either of those shots.
But now, I’m confident enough to hit 7-wood from 250-300 yards away, knowing I’ll be relatively near the green with a good strike. The stats tell us being closer to the hole is always better when it comes to getting the ball down in the fewest number of strokes.
Finally, it’s been a big help strategically on shorter par 4s. In the past, I’ve always pulled driver on these types of holes, even if they’re 320-350 yards. Why? Because I didn’t back myself to hit a clean 4-iron to put myself in position. There’s nothing more annoying in golf than taking the sensible option and then messing it up.
I don’t think like that anymore. I reach for my 7-wood and generally leave myself somewhere between an 8-iron and a wedge for my second shot. Of course, sometimes I will hit driver – golf is supposed to be fun, after all – but when it’s a tight drive, I now have a club I’m confident in. It allows me to make better decisions.
I’m not going to pretend I hit every shot perfectly – I’m a mid-handicapper after all – but every time I grab my 7-wood, I think I’m going to strike it well. In golf, that’s at least half the battle. If it’s good enough for Tommy Fleetwood, Scottie Scheffler and a host of other world-class golfers, it’s good enough for me.
