In this article, we are examining the 9 wood loft. Once you have read this article, you will be able to make an educated decision on whether you should swap out a long iron or a hybrid for the lofted fairway wood.
Is the 9 wood right for you? Most mid to high-handicap golfers have a hard time hitting long irons. But the 9 wood is easier to hit than long irons which are often easier to shank. And if you could also use one if you have a sweeping swing, meaning your club travels low along the ground and catches the ball on the bottom.
But the 9 wood is not for every and you won’t see experienced or professional golfers use it much. To see if this club is right for you, read on.
Contents
Overview: 9 Wood
A 9-wood golf club is a fairway wood that is uncommon among professionals and amateurs.
You could compare its loft to a 4-iron, but it’s easier to hit, even out of thick rough.
Let’s examine the pros and cons of this fairway wood.
Pros
- Easy to launch
- High apex
- Consistent distance
- Forgiving
- Exceptional turf interaction
- Lands softly
Cons
- Erratic shot dispersion
- Faster swinging players risk ballooning shots
- Small face
- No roll
Read more: The Best Fairway Woods for High Handicappers
Who was the 9 Wood Meant For?
Most average golfers struggle to hit long irons, and that’s where the 9 wood comes in. The 9 wood is easier to hit than your long irons and will prevent the dreaded shanking problem.
And it’s good for golfers with a sweeping swing, meaning your club travels low along the ground and catches the ball on the bottom.
You could use a 9 wood to avoid shorter obstacles. It’s mainly meant for beginners to intermediates, and you won’t see experienced or professional golfers use it much. Although the women in the LPGA will use them with slightly more frequency.
9 Wood Distance: How Far Does It Hit the Ball?
How far does a 9 wood go? Let’s take a look at a 9 wood distance chart and see how it compares to the other clubs:
| Driver | Distance |
| 3-Wood | 210 to 250 yards |
| 4-Wood | 180 to 220 yards |
| 5-Wood | 210 to 250 yards |
| 2-Hybrid | 176 to 222 yards |
| 7-Wood | 180 to 200 yards |
| 3-Hybrid | 210 to 230 yards |
| 9-Wood | 100 to 150 yards |
| 4-Hybrid | 160 to 210 yards |
Hopefully, this shows you the average 9 wood golf club distance and how it might compare to the other most common golf clubs on the course. If you’d like to know how to hit longer drives, check out this article.
We also recommend checking What Are the Golf Club Distances for Each Club.
9 Wood Loft
What is the Average 9 Wood Loft?
Most 9-woods carry a loft of 24 degrees, as in the SIM Max 9 Wood. However, in some cases, the lofts may be strengthened up to 23 degrees or weakened to 26 degrees, which usually makes for the best 9 wood. Maybe you’re wondering, “Is the 9 iron the same as a 9 wood?” In fact, the 9 iron and the 9 wood differ greatly in loft and shaft length. 9 irons, for example, tend to be known as short irons, whereas the 9 wood normally has a shaft longer than 40 inches.
What Degree is a 9 Wood?
The 9 wood will usually have a loft of 26 degrees. Meanwhile, the 3 and 4 hybrids will have a loft of 28 degrees. Just remember how the 9 wood has more than one angle. They can range anywhere from 23 degrees to 28 degrees, but the most common and most popular is the 26-degree loft.
Read more: The Best Fairway Woods on the Market
9 Wood Reviews: Our Favorite 9 Woods
1. Callaway Big Bertha B21 Fairway
Pros
- Add extra distance to your swings
- Top-class performance
- Easy to hit
- Highly forgiving golf club
Cons
- Expensive compared to others
Key Features
- The easiest fairway to launch and gain extra yards
- Advanced A.I. design promotes faster ball speeds
- Offset added as a way to lower your slices
2. TaylorMade Sim Max
Pros
- The launch is effortless
- Reduced turf friction
- Promotes a straighter ball flight for improved accuracy
- Forgiving
- Delivers accelerated ball speed
Cons
- Straighter ball flight reduces workability
- The natural high launch will reduce the distance of some players
Key Features
- Ultra-low CG
- V-shaped soleplate
- Twist face architecture
- C300 steel face
- Thru-slot speed pocket
3. Founders Club Fresh Metal Golf Club Fairway Wood
Pros
- Highly affordable
- Great height with this club
- Straighter and more forgiving golf shots
- Great club for beginners
- Excellent forgiveness
Cons
- Longer golf club made more for men
- Distance comes up a bit short
Key Features
- Offset to increase your control
- Includes the head cover
- Uses a low torque graphite shaft
What is the Long Iron Equivalent of a 9 Wood Loft?
What iron does a 9 wood replace? Well, if the average 9-wood is 24 degrees, it bears the same loft as a 4-iron.
Therefore a 4-iron is a 9 wood iron equivalent. But it’s much easier to use.
Plus, we are beginning to see more companies release long irons with strengthened lofts and a lower CG.
They give you a combination of high launch and consistent distance. As a result, there are many 5-irons on the market with lofts of 24 or 25 degrees.
Read more: How to hit the ball consistently with a fairway wood
What is the Hybrid Equivalent of a 9 Wood Loft?
Hybrid lofts vary depending on the manufacturer. However,higher-lofted hybrids between 23 to 28 degrees are a substitute for a 9-wood, 4-iron, or 5-iron.
Data gathered from Arccos Golf shows that a 4-hybrid is comparable to a 4-iron. If we connect the dots, we can see that a 4-hybrid is the equivalent of a 9-wood.
Performance
Golf coach James Robinson tested the TaylorMade M6 9 wood against his Mizuno JPX919 4-iron to see which performed better. He found that the 9-wood delivered an apex almost 60 feet higher than a 4-iron and 7 yards more distance.
The 9-wood generated more spin rpm, which enabled it to land softly and sit quickly. That is ideal for the manicured courses that we often find in the United States country clubs like this may not make sense on a links layout, where you need to keep it low and maximize the roll.
Overall, the 9-wood is easy to launch and navigates through thick rough and challenging lies. It is baffling to think that so few amateur golfers keep this club in their bag.
FAQs
Do Any Pros Use 9 Wood?
You will rarely encounter PGA Tour professionals who use the 9 wood, but you do have a couple of examples of some who have used it, like Dustin Johnson, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Bubba Watson.
Are 9 Woods Easy to Hit?
The 9 wood, in fact, often performs better than the 7 wood because of better height and forgiveness, but you see fewer amateurs who take advantage of it. With the club length that’s 1 inch shorter than the 7 wood, this makes it easier to hit the ball in a consistent manner.
What Distance Does a 9 Wood Go?
9 woods will typically give you a distance of between 100 to 150 yards, and they become the perfect club to grab for those circumstances. In most cases, they will give you an average of 120 yards.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, a 9 wood is a versatile club that can help you launch a shot high and long while landing it soft. Although a 9 wood loft is equivalent to a 4-iron, it is a far easier club for the average golfer to play.
In conclusion, I would recommend trying a 9 fairway wood the next time the opportunity arises. But remember, the high launches and soft landings are best suited to manicured courses and will put you at a disadvantage on links or coastal golf courses.
If you are interested in testing out the best 9 wood golf club, I suggest taking the TaylorMade Sim Max to the range.
- What Are The Degree Lofts Of Golf Clubs?
- 5 of The Best Fairway Woods For High Handicappers
- Best Hybrid Golf Clubs for High Handicappers
Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
