Why the number varies so much
- Loft: 7 irons are not built to a standard loft. Two sets on the same rack can differ by several degrees, which changes carry distance on its own.
- Speed and delivery: two golfers with the same clubhead speed can carry a 7 iron different distances depending on angle of attack and how much loft they present at impact.
- Strike: contact away from the centre of the face costs ball speed. If your strike moves around, your 7 iron carry moves with it.
- Conditions and ball: wind, temperature, altitude and the ball you play all shift the number, which is why range and course distances rarely match.
Carry, not total
When you plan a shot to a green, the number that matters is where the ball lands. Total distance includes roll, which changes with the season and the slope you land on. Use carry as your reference and treat roll as a bonus.
This is also why measuring on the course tells you something a range session does not: you see how the ball behaves on real turf, into real wind, with your own golf ball.
A better question to ask
Instead of asking whether your 7 iron is long enough, ask whether the clubs around it are evenly spaced. A 7 iron that sits 12 metres from the 6 iron and 4 metres from the 8 iron is telling you something useful about your set, your lofts or your strike.
If you know your 7 iron carry, you can estimate the rest of the bag from it and see where the steps are uneven before you measure everything.
How to find your own number
- Warm up, then hit six to ten balls with the 7 iron to a target you know the distance to.
- Note where the ball lands rather than where it stops.
- Drop the best and the worst, and use the typical result.
- Repeat on a calm day before you trust it for club selection.