The 7 iron has been a staple in the bag of my golf bag. I know I’m not alone in saying that the 7 iron is a perfect loft for both distance and forgiveness. You need to be careful about how you position, set up, and position your 7-iron so that you can make the most of this fantastic club.
Once you have the basics of hitting a 7 iron down, it’s important to understand your distances. A 7 iron for me is a 150-155 yard club. This is not the case for everyone.
Here are some tips to help you determine how far your 7-iron should be hit and whether you can get a few more yards.
Table of Contents
How far you should be hitting a 7-iron
Your skill level will also affect how fast you can swing the golf club. The more skilled you are at golf the easier it will be to hit the 7-iron in the middle of the clubface.
For beginners
A 7-iron is a 7-iron that is used by a beginner golfer. It can travel between 135 and 140 yards. Most beginners have trouble with inconsistent distances. The backswing is not well-known for beginners and it can vary from one person to the next.
When you try and match the clubface up with the ball to get maximum distance, it’s hard for the beginner player to get a consistent distance. One shot may travel 125 yards, while another may travel 150.
Beginners should create some consistency in their setup before they take a swing. If your swing starts in the same way each time, youll notice that your shots end up in the exact same area.
High Handicap
High handicap golfers refer to those who have been playing the game for several years but still struggle with the 90s. High handicappers average 140 yards from their 7-iron. Many players who have changed to more game-improvement style golf irons may be able to hit the 7-iron closer to 145 yards.
These game improvement irons have lower lofts. This results in higher distance and a greater smash factor.
Mid Handicap
Mid handicap golfers typically hit the 7-iron in the 145 to 155 range. Mid handicap golfers see shots that are more consistent. This allows you to gain more distance and control on the green.
Mid-handicappers start to experience a lot of clubhead speed. You will see your golf ball travel a lot further, and possibly even higher, when this happens.
Mid handicappers may also notice a difference in the distances they hit their shots depending on the club they play. Players who use a more blade-style 7 iron will not get the same distance as those who use a cavity backiron.
There are so many options for golf equipment that golfers can choose from. This means that they need to think about how their choice of golf clubs will affect the length of their shots.
Low Handicap
Low handicap golfers tend have a lot more clubhead speed. The ability to hit the ball farther is one of the key factors that makes it easier to play lower handicap golf. If the golf ball travels a lot, you might only need a wedge and a short iron to reach the green.
Low handicappers will see 150-160 yards with their 7 iron.
Some low handicappers who are faster will hit the 160-170 yard mark. Low handicap golfers need a 7 iron that allows them to workability and control, not the total distance.
A shot that is only a few yards from the pin is preferred by most low handicappers. If that was a 155 or a 162 yard 7 iron, it doesn’t matter.
Pro
Professionals have a wide range of how far they can hit a 7 iron. Some professionals will hit the 7 iron for 170 yards while others may go over 200. The swing speed is what really makes the difference in the case of professionals.
Professional golfers hit the ball consistently with great consistency. They also hit the center of their clubface quite often.
However, professionals use clubs with higher lofts than the ones that amateurs use. This is a good indicator of how far they can hit it and the speed they generate.
When to Use Your 7 Iron
The 7 iron is a simple club to hit and versatile. If you want to hit the ball high, low, or average height, it’s usually quite easy to manipulate things with the 7 iron in your hand. Here are some ways I use my 7-iron on the course.
Approach Shot to the Green
The easiest way to use a 7-iron is to approach a green. The 7 iron is a club most people will use often, as it is close to many par 4 holes. The 7-iron should have a high ball flight and land softly on the green.
Full Swing on a Par 3
The par-3 hole is usually between 140-175 yards. This distance is common for golfers playing par 3, and many prefer the 7-iron.
I love the ability to use a 7 iron on a par 3 golf hole. I have a lot of confidence in this club, and I feel like I can get the ball to the pin.
How to Get out of Trouble
The 7 iron has a lot of loft so it is a great club to use when you want to get out of the fairway. It can be worth using a 7-iron to retrieve a golf ball that is too far away to use a fairway or longer iron.
Run and Bump
The 7 iron can also be used to bump-and-run around the greens. The ball will roll quite a lot when you take the 7-iron out of the bag. This extra roll will transport the ball to its pin.
When I hit a bump-and-run shot with the 7iron, I expect it to roll about halfway and sometimes a little more to the pin. It’s a great shot if you are in the front of the green and the pin is in the back.
Other clubs that could replace a 7 iron
There are many clubs that could replace the 7-iron. This isnt a club that golfers often take out of their bags.
The 7 iron is the only club youll see that can replace it. Most utility clubs dont have the loft necessary to replace the 7.
The 7-iron hybrid is very easy to hit from the rough, is extremely high-launching and has impressive distance. Some golfers find it less manageable.
Tips to Hit Your 7 Iron More
Now that you have some average distance for how far a 7 iron should go, it’s time to give you some insider tips on how to hit it further. I would not recommend hitting the maximum distance with a 7-iron. Mid-iron accuracy is definitely more important than total distance.
Here are some tips to help you hit your 7 iron harder and get closer the numbers that the pros are hitting.
- Always place the ball in the middle of your stance – it gives you the best chance of proper rotation and striking the ball in the exact spot that you need to.
- Pick a 7 iron that matches your game. – if you often miss the center of the clubface, go with a more forgiving higher, launching 7 iron.
- Increase club head speedUse weighted clubs or training aids to increase speed.
- You can achieve more distance by improving your swing efficiency and keeping your body stable during the swing. – sometimes, a bit of weight training can help golfers add a few extra yards to the 7 iron distance.
- Take into account the golf ball that you are using – some golf balls will have distances that are as much as 10 yards less than others; with a 7 iron, this can make a big difference.
- Consider the shaft of a club – graphite shafts tend to allow for higher swing speeds and longer distances than steel shafts.