7 Iron Distance | How To Hit A 7 Iron

For many amateurs, the 7 iron is the go to club in their golf bag. It is the meeting point between a short and long iron and is a club with a variety of uses. As it is such and important club, golfers need to know how far they can and should be hitting their 7 iron.

I've crunched the numbers for you, and the average distance a 7 iron travels is around 120 yards for men and 80 yards for women.

Do you hit it longer or shorter than this average distance? You will most likely be in the ball park but there are a number of factors that can affect your total 7 iron distance and we're going to get into those in this article.

What Is A 7 Iron?

First things first! A 7 iron is a golf club that is a mid-iron and usually has between, 29-33 degrees of loft. As it sits in the middle of the golf bag, the 7 iron can be used for a few different types of shots:

• Stock shots and full swings
• Punch out from under trees
• Shots over trees and hazards
• Chipping - the bump and run
• Long fairway bunker shots

The length of a 7 iron feels very comfortable in the hands of most golfers and that's why it can be used in so many different situations.

7 Iron – Beginner's Guide

As a beginner, the 7 iron was my favourite club. This is mainly because it's the only club I owned to start with, but I found that it was easy to make contact with the ball and the flight was controllable. Most beginners hit a full 7 iron 100 yards (men) or 60 yards (women).

If you're struggling to get this kind of distance out of your 7 iron as a beginner, here are a few tips to help you out:

1. Play the ball from the middle of your stance
2. Lean the shaft "forward" at address. This will stop you scooping the ball.
3. Keep moving you hips through the swing, don't just use your arms!
4. Try and leave a scuff mark the size of a dollar bill after the ball.
5. Play a more forgiving iron - usually a game improvement iron or super game improvement (check out this guide)

7 Iron – Mid-handicapper Guide

The mid-handicap or intermediate golfer is someone who is trying to break 90. They play "bogey golf" - 18 over par or thereabouts.

An intermediate player usually hits their 7 iron 135 yards (men) and 75 yards (women).

A mid-handicapper will have a more confident swing than a beginner, and will be generating more swing speed. Basically, the more swing speed you have, the further the ball will fly. 

Consistency is what the mid-handicapper can sometimes be missing. They sometimes hit their 7 135 yards, then one will fly 150. This is because they are struggling to control the club face and loft angle of their 7 iron golf club through impact.

This can often be addressed with suitable golf clubs for a mid handicapper outlined in my guide.

To become more consistent with the 7 iron, use these tips to help you out:

• Feel like you are making a half swing. It will actually be longer but you are going to have more control.
• Check you grip. Is it too weak or strong?
• Play the ball slightly more towards you leading foot
• Hold your finish for three seconds looking down your target line

These tips will help a mid handicapper compress the golf ball more consistently and find the low point of their golf swing more regularly.

7 Iron – Low Handicap Guide (Advanced)

Low handicappers are trying to break 80 consistently and will have an index of 1-9.

These better players usually have superb distance control and can hit the ball a lot further, combining clubhead speed and consistent ball striking.

Low handicap golfers can hit their 7 iron 165 yards (men) or 140 yards (women).

Unless you're some kind of golfing prodigy, these kind of distances with a 7 irons take time and practice to achieve. Stick at it, but remember, distance isn't everything! Check out the most forgiving muscleback irons if you think you are at this level!

7 Iron - PGA Tour Professionals

The players on the PGA and LPGA tours are the best in the world. Professional men hit their 7 iron 185 yards. For women, they often hit their 7 iron 160 yards.

For these players golf is their job. They spend hours and hours hitting balls on the driving range, and have played countless rounds of golf. The average golfer shouldn't be thinking they can hit their 7 iron the same distance as these players. Everything is different for them, from the clubs they use to physical and psychological training they receive.

What we can learn from the Pros is consistency. In order to succeed under pressure, they make their golf swing as simple and repeatable as possible. Watch and learn.

Tiger Woods 7 iron distance

Tiger Woods is the GOAT and he can do things with a golf club that blow the minds of even the most seasoned players. In a recent tournament Tiger uses a 7 iron on a 210-yard par 3! He is able to manipulate the loft of the club to hit a wide variety of shots - I've also seen him hit a high faded 7 iron 150 into the wind. He's just that good.

7 iron - Senior golfers

Older golfers will naturally lose some distance as their swing speed decreases, but it's not the end of the world! The average male senior will hit their 7 iron 105-115 yards. The introduction of super game improvement irons from companies like Ping, Callaway and TaylorMade has meant that seniors can continue to hit the ball a respectable distance for much longer. Hybrids make the game even easier and some seniors will play a full bag of rescue clubs. Go with what works for you.  

7 iron distance chart

7 Iron Chipping Guide

I love to chip with a 7 iron. I think that a bump and run around the green is the lowest risk shot for nearly all standards of golfer - forget that 60 degree lob wedge. 

I have made a few videos on how to chip which you can find here, but for now here are a few key points to help you execute the 7 iron chip. 

7 iron bump and run

1. Look at the lie of the ball and assess if the 7 iron is the right club
2. If there is little trouble to carry between the ball and the green, pull the 7 iron. 
3. Narrow your golf stance and put more weight on your lead leg
4. Stand closer to the golf ball, raising the 7 iron more up on its toe. This will feel like a putting stroke.
5. Pick a landing spot short of the pin. The ball will roll out much more than with a lofted wedge.
6. Using the shoulders, make a controlled swing at the ball. Don't get the hands involved, imagine you're putting. 
7. Concentrate on keeping the hands low after impact and watch as the ball rolls to the hole

Why do I hit my 5 6 and 7 irons the same distance?

This is such a common issue for amateur and recreational golfers. They hit their 5, 6, and 7 irons the same distance no matter what they try! As irons get longer, players struggle to strike the golf ball with them consistently and end up losing distance. Here's why you might hit these three clubs a similar distance: 

• You're scooping the ball in the air - I see so many players do this. They don't trust the loft of the club and try to "scoop" the ball into the air, hitting up with their irons. This generates lots of excess spin and kills distance. Try hitting down on the ball or moving it back in your stance. If in doubt, see a PGA pro for lessons! 
• You don't generate enough swing speed - If you have a slow swing speed, you might not be able to get the ball airborne quick enough with the long irons. Consider using hybrids if this is the case as they are designed for this exact problem. 
• You're playing the wrong type of clubs - Are you a high handicapper using muscleback blades? These clubs only really "work" when you strike them consistently out of the middle and compress the golf ball. Try some game improvement irons to see if this increases your distance with the long irons. 

Final thoughts on 7 iron distances

How far should you hit your seven iron? I hope this article has given you a baseline understanding of 7 iron distances and you can see where you slot in. Remember that distances are relative, and the point of golf is getting the ball in the hole! Play golf not golf swing.

Average 7 Iron Distances recap:

• Beginner golfers - 100 yards (men) or 60 yards (women)
• Mid-handicappers - 135 yards (men) and 75 yards (women)
• Low handicappers - 165 yards (men) or 140 yards (women)
• PGA Tour Players - 185 yards (men) or 160 yards (women)

More information on how to hit irons and other clubs