Why the World's Best Player Put One in His Bag

Not long ago, a 7-wood was a club you'd find in a beginner's starter set — a "safe" alternative for players who couldn't hit long irons. That reputation is changing fast, and the biggest reason is the guy currently ranked No. 1 in the world.

Scottie Scheffler now carries a 7-wood, and he didn't add it as a gimmick or to chase a trend. He added it to solve a problem — and it's been working.

How Scheffler's 7-Wood Ended Up in the Bag

Scheffler first tested a 7-wood at Torrey Pines ahead of the Genesis Invitational, after his caddie, Ted Scott, noticed how other players were using high-lofted fairway woods to escape thick, wet rough. TaylorMade's team built him a strong-lofted version — bent to roughly 20 degrees, about half an inch shorter than standard — designed to fly higher and land softer than a long iron.

The number they were chasing was specific: a reliable 240-yard carry. According to TaylorMade, his 3-iron could occasionally get there, but not consistently, and not with the launch and spin Scheffler wanted. The 7-wood solved that gap.

The club has since become a regular fixture in his bag on courses that call for it. At the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow — where he won his third major title — Scheffler explained why the club made sense that week, noting that "the golf course is going to play really long, the rough is thick," and that the run-up areas were too soft for a low, running shot to work. He needed something that would carry all the way to the green and stop.

That approach paid off again at the American Express, where Scheffler leaned on the club to help gain nearly three strokes off the tee and hit roughly 82 percent of greens in regulation on his way to his 20th PGA Tour win. For a player who rarely changes what's already working, the fact that the 7-wood has stuck in the bag says a lot about how much value it adds.

Why It Works So Well

A 7-wood typically carries a loft between 20 and 22 degrees — similar to a 3- or 4-iron — but with a larger head, lower and more forward center of gravity, and more mass behind the ball. That combination makes it dramatically easier to launch the ball high and land it softly, even out of rough or off a tight lie.

Compare that to a long iron, which demands a shallow, precise strike to get the ball airborne at all. Miss it even slightly and the results can be ugly: low, weak shots that don't carry far enough to matter. The 7-wood is far more forgiving on mishits, and it still produces the steep, soft-landing trajectory that holds firm greens — exactly the shot shape today's firm, fast tour and club setups reward.

Why It's Not Just a Tour Trend

This isn't only a pro-golf story. The average recreational golfer struggles far more with long irons than tour players do — slower swing speeds and shallower angles of attack make it even harder to get a 3- or 4-iron airborne with any consistency. A 7-wood gives that same golfer a club that's easier to launch, more forgiving on off-center hits, and genuinely fun to hit from the fairway, the rough, or even off a tee on a tight par 4.

If you've been carrying a 3- or 4-iron you rarely trust, or you find yourself laying up short of greens you should be able to reach, a 7-wood is worth a real look. It won't replace your driver or your scoring irons — but for that awkward 200-to-240-yard gap, it may be the easiest club in your bag to hit well.

Curious whether a 7-wood belongs in your bag? Shop our full 7-wood collection and we'll help you find the right fit for your swing.

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Sources: PGA TOUR, Golf.com, Golfweek, Clarkes Golf