Fairway woods/hybrids

[revkev]

I'm just curious what everyone is gaming at the top end of their bag currently.  I have two fairway woods (3,5) and two hybrids (5, 4 irons subs).  That set up worked well at my old golf course because I needed the 3 wood off the tee on at least 3 holes - each of those holes allowed room for my draw turned into a hook or block that doesn't turn over. 

 

My new course is quite different,  There is one hole where I might need a 3 wood off the tee but there is absolutely no room for anything but dead straight on that hole - get a 3 wood turning over too much and its in an hazard and a draw the size of the one that I hit with the three wood may not find the fairway because it lands in the right rough and stays there (thickest rough on the course, no sure thing that I can get it and keep it on the green from there even with a short iron.)  Additionally the course requires several approach shots in the 180 to 210 range.

 

I'm thinking that it might be better for me to go with a 3 hybrid/4 wood combo at this point.  The 4 wood is far easier to hit off the fairway and will go just as far as the 3 wood off the turf for me anyway.

 

What are you gaming in that part of your bag and why?

[MattF]

As you can see from my bag in my signature, I'm gaming a Cobra LD 3 wood and a 3, 4 and 5 Maltby hybrids.

 

Now to the why...I use the 3 wood off the tee every now and again if I need something shorter than my driver and need it relatively straight. The hybrids are because I really can't hit a fairway off the deck.

 

If I have a shot that needs to be longer than the 3 wood off the deck, I'll club down and go for the green in 2, unless I'm feeling muscular and try to stretch out the 3 hybrid.

 

But, this is me as a current hacking 18 hdcp.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I'm gaming a 15 degree 3 wood and either a 17* hybrid or a 17* utility iron, depending on how I'm hitting it. Was loving the utility iron this summer but have fell into a bit of a funk with it and went back to the hybrid. Can't hit that either 😁😁😁😁

 

Also keep a 13,5 3 wood around and I still have my 2Deep, but the above

Combo is long enough to for the courses I've been playing.

[JBones]

I have a Cobra Fly-Z+ FW that I'm playing at 14* and a 18* Nickent 7dt hybrid.  I still have a large carry gap between the 265 of the hybrid and 220 of the 4i; been thinking about either taking out the LW or pulling the FW and hybrid in favor of a shortened 14* hybrid, and adding my 3i.

[silver & black]

3w and 4.5w. I need to get a hybrid to replace my 4 iron. Problem is... I haven't used a hybrid I can hit off the deck, and I don't hit the 4 iron much better.

[Kenny B]

I am currently playing a 17* and 24* Sonartec fairway woods, plus an RBZ 25* 5H.  Why the 7W and 5H?  I'm not sure.  I'm still debating the pros and cons of each.  I have room in the bag, so I'm keeping both at the moment.

[revkev]

The 7 wood should be longer than a five hybrid even if the lofts are similar. 

[Kenny B]

The 7 wood should be longer than a five hybrid even if the lofts are similar. 

 

Distances are actually similar at my swing speed; maybe the 7W is a little longer because I get more roll.  The 5H is best out of rough.  

[wbealsd]

It looks like I'm finishing off the season with 16.5* & 18* fairway woods and a 22* hybrid.  I was gaming a 19* hybrid until I started having trouble with my hands and it's easier for me to swing and control the 18* fairway off the turf and the 22* hybrid was always more effective out of the rough for me than the 19*, anyway.

 

I need to update my signature line and take some pics for my "end of the season, WITB"...

[mbrodeur86]

TourEdge CB4 Tour 3 wood in 15 degree and TourEdge XCG6 19 degree 3 hybrid. Between the 2, they are all I need. I can hammer that 3 just as far as my driver on occasion where 2 of the par 5's on our local course run uphill and play longer than their 485 yard ratings. The hybrid I use off the deck again on a long par 3 215 yards that we have at the local course. I usually hit it towards the back of the green so I will use my 4 iron for a front pin location. No real reason to swap either one but as soon as those EX9 fairway woods and hybrids come down to my price range I will switch them out.

[Mr_Theoo]

At the moment it's a 17° hybrid and a 3i. But I strongly lean towards the 3i as the hybrid just gives me fits.

[revkev]

At the moment it's a 17° hybrid and a 3i. But I strongly lean towards the 3i as the hybrid just gives me fits.

What loft is your fairway wood?

[mizuno_lover]

I've got an adjustable JPX 850 3 wood that is set on 16 degrees.  It has been since I bought it and I love it.  Off the deck I hit it as far as I do a 15 degree and maybe not as far off the tee - probably around 5 yards.  I can hit it high or low and both ways.  I am seriously looking at getting the companion 5 wood and take the 22 hybrid out of my bag that I struggle to do anything with lately.  Plus its an excuse to buy a new club

[Kor.A.Door]

I have a 15* and an 18* xxg5 fairway wood, the it goes straight to 5i, I have a huge gap between 5 wood and 5i, I do have a 22* hybrid in the bag, but it doesn't ger used often, and I have a love hate relationship with it, I hit the 5 wood if the deck to about 235-240, and the 5 iron I can hit 195-200 yards, I am looking to get the 4 iron for my set, that will give me the 210-215 range I am missing. I really wsh I could find a 22-23* hybrid that u could hit consistently, that's the real need, but if I can get the 4i to match he set that will win as well, looking to use it off the tee as well.

[Kenny B]

I've got an adjustable JPX 850 3 wood that is set on 16 degrees.  It has been since I bought it and I love it.  Off the deck I hit it as far as I do a 15 degree and maybe not as far off the tee - probably around 5 yards.  I can hit it high or low and both ways.  I am seriously looking at getting the companion 5 wood and take the 22 hybrid out of my bag that I struggle to do anything with lately.  Plus its an excuse to buy a new club

 

 

Excuse?  We don't need stinkin' excuses!

[Mr_Theoo]

What loft is your fairway wood?

16° but it doesn't have a shaft in it right now. I'm going to put a paderson shaft in it just been busy.

[revkev]

16 or 17 with a shorter shaft sounds perfect to me

[wbealsd]

16° but it doesn't have a shaft in it right now. I'm going to put a paderson shaft in it just been busy.

I hope Paderson makes an appearance at the PGA Merchandise Show in January.  I'd love to see how the shafts feel in fairway woods, hybrids and irons.  I'm happier with my bag setup right now than I've probably ever been, but the Paderson is SO impressive for my driver, I can't help but wonder how it would be to have a complete set!

[fozcycle]

My bag has the Bio Cell 3-4 wood (14.5*)-185-195 yds , Bio Cell 5-7 wood(17.5*)-175 yds, Bio Cell 2-3 Hybrid(19*)-180 yds & Baffler 5 Hybrid(25*)-160-170 yds

 

The 3 wood goes into play on two Par fives. The other two need the 3 Hybrid for 180 yd layups.  The 5 wood is used when I have 170-175 approaches and on #14 dogleg left drive.

 

The 2-3 Hybrid is used to get out from under trees when my drive slips off the fairway and approaches for long Par 4's

 

The 5 Hynrid is used on two of the Par 3's and several appoaches on Par 5 7 4's.

 

So far, it is working okay....for an 18 Handicap.

[L.I. Rich]

I'm a public golfer and am fortunate that there are dozens and dozens of courses in my area of a wide variety of layouts.  I do think about the requirements of each when I finalize my club selection for the day, but lately I haven't made any changes at the top of the bag - not because I couldn't use a change, but because I don't feel that my options are good ones.

 

Over the summer I was fit for Ping G30 irons, and they quite changed my distances and gaps both at the top and bottom of the bag.  My 4i was a 195-205 club and is now a 210-220.  I have a Mizzy 3 FH in the bag, but I wasn't fit for it, and it's about the same distance as the G30 4i...  I have 13* 3w which is about a 60-40 proposition good vs. bad out to 235-245, so it rarely gets used, though it's in the bag.  I own a few hybrids, but they are even worse than the 3w, so don't make it in the bag.  Consequently, par 5s are almost always lay up holes.  Frankly my par 5 scoring has benefited from that approach.

 

When I got fit, I mentioned my hybrid woes to my fitter and he said folks with my swing type (in to out) typically have difficulty with hybrids going further to say that I would likely do better with a 5w.  My plan is to get fit for driver/fw/hybrid in the spring.

[RoverRick]

I have been working on this issue since 2011, as soon as I make up my mind I will let you know.

 

The only pattern I suspect is that when I am swinging well, it doesn't matter, and conversely, when I swing like crap, it does not seem to matter either. But I am sure, I just haven't found the right clubs. The quest continues.

[RoverRick]

After further thought on this matter, while the above comment is true. Right now, if I were going out to play a longer course where I was not going to hit my 3 wood off the tee, I would replace it with a 4 wood for better hits out of the fairway.

 

Most of the time, bag changes for me are based on course conditions. It has been very hot and dry lately but we have 6" of rain coming so I will have to consider what to put in the bag. That is unless that rain is still coming down, then it won't matter.

[revkev]

I would echo Rick's comments - this is clearly an issue created by playing a different course regularly.  My current set up works great on the old course.  I've already subbed in the 5 hybrid for the 5 iron because my current course requires far more station to station stuff (higher softer shots).  I hit 5 hybrid on 3/4 par 3's my last round.  I hit the green twice and the miss was hole high 30 right of the pin - not a bad result.

[RoverRick]

I for the most part have been gaming 2 fairway metals and 2 hybrids for the last year. The clubs themselves change from time to time. but I always seem to go back to my 980F's and 909H's on various shafts. I have newer clubs but they all seem to have an anti-slice bias (polite way of saying "Big A$$ left hook" for me.)

 

Yes  RevKev those are the same hybrids i had in the bag when you and I played several years ago. I have put them on different (shorter) shafts. They were a 2 & 3 iron equivalent then, and now are 3 & 4 iron lengths.

[BIG STU]

For me it has not changed much in years--- Cally Steelhead 3 wood 13*  V-Steel 7 wood 21* V-Steel 9 wood 24 * since I only carry 3 wedges I still carry and hit the 4 iron and 5 iron. Now if it is real windy here I will pull the 7 wood out and hit my KZG 2 iron because I can hit it quail high and run it up. I hit the 7 &9 woods too high for here in windy conditions

[NiftyNiblick]

14º modern minidriver

17,  20,  23º vintage fairway metals

19º dedicated driving iron

 

 

That's the top of the bag--no hybrids. Straight to middle irons from there.

 

If I were starting out new, it would still more likely be the 253cc mini-driver instead of a 460 cc monster, but...

only one fairway wood, two hybrids, no driving iron which is essentially a shot specific overlap club. A hybrid also serves as a driving iron, I would imagine.

 

Just four long clubs instead of five.  Youngsters bag a lot of wedges. But no need to change at this stage of the game.

[Mr_Theoo]

I hope Paderson makes an appearance at the PGA Merchandise Show in January. I'd love to see how the shafts feel in fairway woods, hybrids and irons. I'm happier with my bag setup right now than I've probably ever been, but the Paderson is SO impressive for my driver, I can't help but wonder how it would be to have a complete set!

The hybrid shaft is real good. I just can't seem to hit it right now. At the start of the season i was killing it but now I just seem to catch it out of the toe.

[hckymeyer]

I ditched the 3w at the start of last season and haven't looked back.  Currently bag 15, 17, 22, & 25 degree hybrids.  I play the 22 at 210yd and the 17 230ish so I do have a gap there but I can step on the 22 or choke down on the 17 as needed.  For me the 22 & 25 are 4i & 5i replacements.

 

I only really need the 15 on one hole and only if we are playing the tips which happens maybe twice a year.  I'm currently looking for a 62 degree wedge to put in the bag and then I'd pull out the 15 hybrid.  I figure if I'm going for a Par 5 from farther than 230 out I'm better off laying up and trying to hit a wedge close anyway.

[Kor.A.Door]

16° but it doesn't have a shaft in it right now. I'm going to put a paderson shaft in it just been busy.

So what kind of distance do you get with the unshafted 16* wood. Is it difficult to take full swings that way.

[Mr_Theoo]

So what kind of distance do you get with the unshafted 16* wood. Is it difficult to take full swings that way.

About the same I get with my hybrid the way I hit it at the moment lol