7-wood’s greens-in-regula- tion percentage was higher in 28 of 40 instances (70 percent). Like many trends in golf equipment, adoption on the PGA Tour has helped accel- erate the momentum with amateurs. Five years ago only a handful of 7-woods were in play on the PGA Tour, but today some 30 per- cent of tour players have one in the bag. Although about a third of the field still uses a hybrid and another third of the field a 2- or 3-iron on any given week, the 7-wood is closing in fast, and regular golfers are noticing. “When people found out Dustin Johnson was using one, it took away a lot of the stigma and hesitation,” says Chris Marchini of Golf Galaxy. “It opened up the dialogue with a lot of our customers.”
Arne Thomas remem- bers the moment when he realised he had found a valuable addition to his bag. Playing Oakmont Coun- try Club where he carries a 2.4 index, Thomas stood 186 metres out on the slightly uphill par-5 ninth. The hole was playing into a breeze with the pin behind the front-right bunker. Lengthy shots into firm, undulating greens require two things seemingly at odds with each other. They need to be hit long and with sufficient height to stop quickly on the green. The club Thomas pulled from his bag: a 7-wood. “When that ball went up in the air and landed so soft- ly on the green, it amazed me,” says 56-year-old Thom- as. “I had never been able to go after that pin before. I had to play left of the sand and try to run it up with a 4-iron. I can scoot a long iron the same total distance, but the carry distance and height of
the 7-wood allows me to hold greens I would otherwise be rolling over. It has become my go-to club.” “Go-to club” is a seismic shift from the days when just about any male golfer daring to use one would be subjected to ridicule. Today, however, it is difficult to find a manufacturer of fairway woods that does not include an option at 21 degrees (the typical 7-wood loft) or high- er in its lineup. The club has gone from a novelty to a necessity for many golfers. Data collected by the golf-stat-tracking company Arccos reveals how much a 7-wood can benefit golfers of all abilities. The company measured the greens-in- regulation percentage for players using a 7-wood and a 3-hybrid (the most logi- cal comparison club) across handicap ranges (scratch to 25-handicap) and distances (130 to 200 metres). The
BY E. MICHAEL JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPH BY DOM FURORE HEADCOVER BY DORMIE WORKSHOP
MANY OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE WORLD
CARRY A 7-WOOD, SO WHY DON’T YOU?
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 41
MAY 2024
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