Fairway woods - chicken or the egg??

[tony@CIC]

As background, I had a problem hitting my fairway wood a few years ago. At the time I had a 36 index and so frustrated I ended up selling it. Today I'm shooting at a low 20 index and have broken 90 but find I still need the distance on those long par 5's. So I'm going to take another run at a 3/4 wood. So what would be the preferred approach:

 

1. Go for a dynamic fitting, buy the club and take a lesson or two.

 

2. Buy a used 3 wood, take a lesson, then go for a dynamic fitting and buy the 3 wood based on the fitting.

 

Any other choices? Your thoughts on the preferred approach

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[GolfSpy_APH]

Never hurts to get fit for one. I have found that finding the right fairway for you makes a huge difference. I went through a wide range of fairways before I found "the one" and now it's one of my favorite clubs in my bag. I did not get fit for this, however had a really good feeling it would be more suitable for me. 

What about fairways do you struggle with?

[Mr. 82]

I'm not really sure you are approaching this from the right angle.  Instead of thinking you need a specific club why not figure out the best way to get your index down with clubs that work for your game, as it is right now.

I'll give you my training approach for any new golfer, which is how my Dad taught me to play golf at 7 years old.  He handed me a 7 iron, and told me to hit it.  Then hit it again, and again, and again, until I got good enough hitting just the 7 iron.  Then he slowly introduced a few other clubs to me until I had about a 10 club set that I played with a for a few years, before getting a full set sometime around the time I entered high school.

I see it over and over again, where these young kids are handed a full set of golf clubs as beginners, and all the kids want to do is pull driver and grip it and rip it.  And then they wonder why they can't hit an iron or wedge, and their golf game consists of random blasts off of the tee with no accuracy, and a collection of chunks, duffs, and bladed iron shots that have no consistency or pattern.

My point to all of this is that I think if you want to get down into an index in the teens you'll start pulling more clubs OUT of your bag, rather than trying to put another one in it.  The more you hit 5 or 6 clubs really good, the more your confidence will grow, and eventually you'll get to the point where it makes sense to start adding more clubs.

And I say all of this to you as a 6 handicap, where I was actually scoring better with 6 clubs in my bag the past few months, versus with my whole 14 club set.  Simplicity with less clubs I think is what I would recommend for you.  That and having a few lessons with a local pro would be my advice to you.

[tony@CIC]

Never hurts to get fit for one. I have found that finding the right fairway for you makes a huge difference. I went through a wide range of fairways before I found "the one" and now it's one of my favorite clubs in my bag. I did not get fit for this, however had a really good feeling it would be more suitable for me. 
What about fairways do you struggle with?

It's purely a distance issue on the long par 5's.


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[Mr. 82]

2 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

It's purely a distance issue on the long par 5's.

I'll give you this scenario purely as food for thought.  I bet I could beat any of my buddies on "long par 5's" hitting just a 7 iron on that hole, versus whatever clubs my buddies hit to hole out with.  And that includes chipping and putting.

Three well struck 7 irons into a par 5 are always going to be better than a drive in the trees, a punch out across the fairway into the rough, and then a wedge into the trap or water.

Just something to think about.

[Mr_Theoo]

I’m also in the 20s handicap range so I will ask why do you think you need a 3w for the par 5s? I know your main objective would be able to put yourself in position to score but have you thought bout a 2i or hybrid?

[PMookie]

I say go with fitting first. What good is a club that isn’t the correct loft, or has the shaft that works best for you? Yep. Fitted first.


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[GB13]

Fitting first. Your swing really won't change enough with the lessons to make a big difference in your fitting. 

[Kenny B]

Tony and I are old.  I'm guessing here, but we probably have similar swing speeds.  I am not hitting a fairway wood into a par 5 in two shots; maybe Tony is, but I need a club that I can hit far enough on my second shot so I can have a short iron rather than a hybrid for my third shot into a par 5.  

I've tried fairways woods for years.  I don't generate enough speed to flight a fairway wood high enough to get the distance I need to advance the ball close enough to the green for a short third shot.  Plus, I find them easy to mishit quite often.  So, I gave up on them.

Tony, if you have good luck with hybrids, I recommend you try out a few 17º 2H clubs.  For me the distance is the same as a good FW shot and the trajectory is much higher. which means more useful.  Check out several brands; they all fly different.  If you were fit for your other clubs, you shouldn't need another fitting.  Get the one that works the best.  JMHO.

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, Kenny B said:

Tony and I are old.  I'm guessing here, but we probably have similar swing speeds.  I am not hitting a fairway wood into a par 5 in two shots; maybe Tony is, but I need a club that I can hit far enough on my second shot so I can have a short iron rather than a hybrid for my third shot into a par 5.  

I've tried fairways woods for years.  I don't generate enough speed to flight a fairway wood high enough to get the distance I need to advance the ball close enough to the green for a short third shot.  Plus, I find them easy to mishit quite often.  So, I gave up on them.

Tony, if you have good luck with hybrids, I recommend you try out a few 17º 2H clubs.  For me the distance is the same as a good FW shot and the trajectory is much higher. which means more useful.  Check out several brands; they all fly different.  If you were fit for your other clubs, you shouldn't need another fitting.  Get the one that works the best.  JMHO.

Kenny you nailed it as SOP for you-- When we get older we lose swing speed- About 4 years or so ago I had to ditch my beloved Callaway Steelhead 13* 3 wood because basically I could not elevate it anymore. Searched for a suitable replacement for a while. Finally found a Adams Super S 16* that I hit good. I also had carried a V-Steel 18* 5 wood which I hit good too. I also revamped my game as far as Par 5s are concerned. Most of the time now I play position golf with the second and let the wedge and putter do the work for hopefully the birdie. I had to deal with the fact that those days of hitting a Par 5 in 2 from 220 or so were basically over for me.  

[tony@CIC]

7 hours ago, Kenny B said:

Tony and I are old.  I'm guessing here, but we probably have similar swing speeds.  I am not hitting a fairway wood into a par 5 in two shots; maybe Tony is, but I need a club that I can hit far enough on my second shot so I can have a short iron rather than a hybrid for my third shot into a par 5.  

 

Say WHAT - "we're old"???  Ok I'll accept that and yes you're correct I need a second shot long enough to set me up with a short iron on a par 5. We also have a couple of Par 5's with bunkers that look like the fairway was carpet bombed.  Invariably my ball is drawn magnetically to those fairway bunkers. So again a club that gets me past those and sets me up with the short iron for the hole. I do have a 19* that I'll use off the fairway but not as consist with it as I'd like. Love my 22* and 26*.  Hmmmmm you have an ideas here, maybe it's getting fit for a 17* would solve the issue? Worth a try! Thanks Kenny. 

[gaussman1]

Say WHAT - "we're old"???  Ok I'll accept that and yes you're correct I need a second shot long enough to set me up with a short iron on a par 5. We also have a couple of Par 5's with bunkers that look like the fairway was carpet bombed.  Invariably my ball is drawn magnetically to those fairway bunkers. So again a club that get me past those and sets me up with the short iron for the hole. I do have a 19* that I'll use off the fairway but not as consist with it as I'd like. Love my 22* and 26*.  Hmmmmm you have an ideas here, maybe it's getting fit for a 17* would solve the issue? Worth a try! Thanks Kenny. 

+1 for Kenny's answer. My dad is still a decent player at age 78 (15 handicap or so) and fought this issue for several seasons before finally just getting a 5 wood he liked and forgetting about the lower lofted 3 or 4 wood. He couldn't generate enough speed to keep it in the air with that little loft. The 5 wood flies higher and goes a little further for him. It's not as far as he would like but that's golf

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[NiftyNiblick]

I liked well-lofted fairway woods when even I was a young player.  Sometimes I'd hit a horrific hook, but for the most part, the fairway wood shot is hard to screw up unless you have a downhill lie.  Miss a fairway long iron even a little bit and it goes nowhere.

[PlaidJacket]

12 hours ago, GSwag said:

I bet I could beat any of my buddies on "long par 5's" hitting just a 7 iron on that hole, versus whatever clubs my buddies hit to hole out with.  And that includes chipping and putting.

I'll take that bet! 

[Mr. 82]

3 minutes ago, PlaidJacket said:

I'll take that bet! 

Well, considering we're about 2,000 miles apart, we may never know.

[cnosil]

4 hours ago, tony@CIC said:

Say WHAT - "we're old"???  Ok I'll accept that and yes you're correct I need a second shot long enough to set me up with a short iron on a par 5. We also have a couple of Par 5's with bunkers that look like the fairway was carpet bombed.  Invariably my ball is drawn magnetically to those fairway bunkers. So again a club that gets me past those and sets me up with the short iron for the hole. I do have a 19* that I'll use off the fairway but not as consist with it as I'd like. Love my 22* and 26*.  Hmmmmm you have an ideas here, maybe it's getting fit for a 17* would solve the issue? Worth a try! Thanks Kenny. 

What kind of distances are you looking for and what distance do you want to have hitting into the greens?   There are different approaches to playing golf and based on strokes gained approach you should try to hit the ball as far as possible every time.  Others play holes more "safely" as Gswag described.   Based on the hole you describe,  what happens if you lay up short of those bunkers and then rely on the short game to score;   not a lot of birdies,  but if you are avoiding bogey or worse it may be the smart play.  

I would suggest fitting to see if fairway wood or low lofted hybrid would work best for you. 

[EthanSterlingPrice]

As background, I had a problem hitting my fairway wood a few years ago. At the time I had a 36 index and so frustrated I ended up selling it. Today I'm shooting at a low 20 index and have broken 90 but find I still need the distance on those long par 5's. So I'm going to take another run at a 3/4 wood. So what would be the preferred approach:
 
1. Go for a dynamic fitting, buy the club and take a lesson or two.
 
2. Buy a used 3 wood, take a lesson, then go for a dynamic fitting and buy the 3 wood based on the fitting.
 
Any other choices? Your thoughts on the preferred approach
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Option 3: find a 3wood (don’t buy) to use for lessons after which you get fit and then you’ll have a 3-wood you know how to hit and was fitted to your swing.

Fitting will be based on how you hit at that time so it isn’t in your best interest to buy then have a pro steer you off what that club was made for. I promise you’ll get so much more out of this if you get even the minimum amount of pro help on how to swing it before you do the fitting.



In the bag
Driver: Callaway Rogue Subzero 9.5 Stiff flex
3 wood: Callaway Rogue Subzero 15 degree
Hybrids: 17 degree titleist 816 h2
Irons: Ben Hogan Ptx 22-46 degree (4-pw)stiff flex standard lie
Wedges: Callaway Mac Daddy 4 50,54,58 degrees
Putter: Odyssey EXO seven

Gig’em Aggies!

[ga_pike]

On 12/31/2018 at 9:09 PM, GSwag said:

I'll give you this scenario purely as food for thought.  I bet I could beat any of my buddies on "long par 5's" hitting just a 7 iron on that hole, versus whatever clubs my buddies hit to hole out with.  And that includes chipping and putting.

Three well struck 7 irons into a par 5 are always going to be better than a drive in the trees, a punch out across the fairway into the rough, and then a wedge into the trap or water.

Just something to think about.

I'll take that bet...  14th hole at Stone Creek or 4th at Kinderlou...  Your choice.  LOL   

[GolfSpy BOS]

Is there another option?

Go for a 5-wood instead. I had purchased a g30 driver and 3 wood and went to a fitting about a year later.

My fitter worked with those clubs I had and recommended I upgrade to the Ping tour shaft as a cost effective, but needed upgrade for my swing. He also gave me some great advice. I rarely hit the 3 wood and as a result I wasn’t consistent with it. He advised I sell that one and buy a g30 5 wood also with the tour shaft, but the heavier one (tour 80). He said you might loose a few yards but you’ll gain height and consistency with the shorter shaft and little extra loft.

Almost 4 years later he was right about one thing, I gained a lot of consistency with that club, but I didn’t lose any yards. I use the 5 wood off the tee if I can’t swing the driver to safety. That spot in my bag has become much more of a weapon than a liability. It’s the one club I feel like I can work left or right on a tight fairway more than any other.

TLDR; swing a few 5-woods too and see if you gain anything by hitting them, I certainly did!


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[CarlH]

I would 2nd a 5 wood.  Much easier to hit off the deck and you don't lose that much yardage over a 3 wood.  If, after you get some lessons and you're striking your 5 wood well, then you can consider if you need a 3 wood.  

[Brian A]

Fix your swing first, ignore that results of the ball flight. Once your swing is fixed, get fitted! If you get fitted first, it will be fit to your improper swing and any changes to swing negate the fitting

[tony@CIC]

12 minutes ago, Apes44 said:

Fix your swing first, ignore that results of the ball flight. Once your swing is fixed, get fitted! If you get fitted first, it will be fit to your improper swing and any changes to swing negate the fitting

That's the way I felt, so I bought a really cheap fairway wood on ebay (since I sold my previous one) and have signed up for lessons. I'm going to a complete bag fitting in May so this fairway wood is intended as a "throwaway" club. And who knows maybe during the fitting it could be the right wood for me - but I doubt it. 

[Brian A]

3 minutes ago, tony@CIC said:

That's the way I felt, so I bought a really cheap fairway wood on ebay (since I sold my previous one) and have signed up for lessons. I'm going to a complete bag fitting in May so this fairway wood is intended as a "throwaway" club. And who knows maybe during the fitting it could be the right wood for me - but I doubt it. 

Where are you getting fitted? I took lessons at Golftec and wanted a whole new bag, my instructor wouldnt even let me look at new clubs or get the fitting until AFTER all of my lessons. I cant thank him enough!

[tony@CIC]

Where are you getting fitted? I took lessons at Golftec and wanted a whole new bag, my instructor wouldnt even let me look at new clubs or get the fitting until AFTER all of my lessons. I cant thank him enough!

My instructor is at my club and I already purchased lessons which I will complete before I go get fitted (which will be at a dedicated fitter). The fitter is a highly regarded independent shop on the east side of Cleveland. As an FYI, I'm getting a full bag fitting however, in terms of club replacement I'll be focused on woods and hybrids. My Irons are working pretty well along with my wedges so while there may be some tweaking I don.t expect much change there.

As an update I was at the range today and hitting my RBZ 3 wood pretty well.


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[Smellis745]

As has been stated many times, work on your swing first.  I've always been in the boat that I'll never achieve the perfect swing, but I can achieve something that is repeatable and consistent.  Consistency is what makes a good fitting worth the money.  If your swing changes day to day as you're chasing one thing from another, the fitting will be useless.