Anyone completely ditched fairway woods in their bags?

[fredsharky]

So I have went completely in the opposite direction - I have removed all my long irons and hybrids and went to woods 
I could never hit my hybrids well any ways
My longest iron is a 6 iron 28 degree

I carry 3, 5 and 9 woods - I had a 7 wood that I loved, but just did not fit with how I was playing 

I love my 9 wood though, this thing is prob one of the easiest clubs to hit and the height on it is awesome for me as I have a low ball flight 

[Donn lost in San Diego]

The opposite.  I struggled with body stability, I sway, due to curved spine, so I used shorter shaft clubs, hybrid 3 and 5.  I swing better now, a lot of physical and mental exercise, so I upped from a 12 yr old 3 wood to a Callaway Steelhead Xr, and found a Titleist TSI 1 5 wood.  I found it while I was looking for a 7 or 9 wood.  I use them on fairway, and my local course has a lot of hard pan, dirt, not much deep rough.  So fwy woods are now getting a lot of use.

[ChuckZ]

Wish I had the game to do that.  My game is so bad at the age of 77, that I traded in my five iron for a hybrid.  Hopefully some of my game will return this spring once I complete my physical therapy and can again find my tempo and swing.  This cold weather caused by El Nino trekking thru the south is not helping either.  Those days of long irons have long past.  Remember when I carried a one iron and actually knew where it was going.   Was not in my bag as a lightening resistor.  

[sman3115]

I ditched my 3 wood since the gap between my driver and 5W was less of an issue than between my 5W and 4I so now I have a 17* and 19* hybrid that I go back and forth with. There wasn't much point in the 3W given it was hard to hit off the fairway and I hit my 5W and hybrids so well.  Plus I am all in on hybrids now, they are the

[sandwedge59]

I know that i tried every fairway wood known to man with only limited success and when i reached my 60's in age i realized that it was not the club that was the problem it was the knucklehead at the grip end of the club and even though i had wood specific lessons and i practiced on a regular basis taking what i thought were positive practice habits to the course turned out to be frustration personified and as i said in a earlier post out of every 10 times i hit a fairway wood off grass at most i would 2 or 3 solid & where i aimed and the others were either sliced , smothered in a big duck hook to the ground or i would chunk the shot or hit it on the ground in front of me , off the tee i was fine and could ht the ball solid , strange but true and i wish that i had more confidence but i do not and at this point golf is meant to be fun and losing interest for me is not really a option and i am looking forward to playing sometime in April

[mackdaddy]

Hey I just got prompted to this feed and you likely already made your move on this issue.  

I took three wood out of my bag years ago and switched to a 15* hybrid.  It was just about 15 yards shorter than my 3 wood.  I switched because I struggled to hit woods out of the rough.  I had about a 20 yard fade with my 3 wood.  I played that way for about 6 years then I moved to a different club that needed the yards of a three wood and had bigger fairways.  I put a stiffer shaft in it when I started playing it again because I had received a shaft like I had in my driver but in a strong instead of a stiff and it straitened my ball flight.  

I would highly suggest keeping the 3 wood or switching to a 16.5* fairway.

[Dweed]

I'm the total opposite. My longest iron is a 5 iron. I love my Adams Tight Lies 3 metal, and 5 metal, both are pre 2018. Next comes my G400 4 Hybrid. All three I hit better than any long iron. My swing has a sweeping tendency so it helps me.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

For the senior citizens with trouble spraying etc.:  I work really hard on rotating my body when I swing and NOT SWAYING.  I think as we age, the core muscles weaken a bit and we aren't conscious of swaying forward when swinging a long shaft.  I mentally channel Jack Grout, I work on swinging without letting my head move forward.  Practice long clubs with feet together a la Hale Irwin or Tom Watson.  Or practice long clubs with the rear foot nearly totally directly behind the front foot, as much as you can without losing balance.   These repetitions will work you abdominal and rib cage muscles.  It is more practical to do it this way than to tell you to go to the gym.  Do it at the range.  Or at home, build yourself a club with a swing weight of F 5 or more.  Practice swinging it while sitting down with your hands away from your body and don't let your body sway.     

[Bohnson]

Thinking about ditching the 3w even though I love mine. I barely use it. Maybe off the tee or a really long approach shot into a par five. Interesting to see the pros using higher lofted fairway woods. 

[TylorJudd]

3 hours ago, Bohnson said:

Thinking about ditching the 3w even though I love mine. I barely use it. Maybe off the tee or a really long approach shot into a par five. Interesting to see the pros using higher lofted fairway woods. 

 It surprised with the bombs you deliver!

[CorporateGolfRat]

On 1/9/2024 at 7:01 AM, Bohnson said:

Thinking about ditching the 3w even though I love mine. I barely use it. Maybe off the tee or a really long approach shot into a par five. Interesting to see the pros using higher lofted fairway woods. 

I did this last year. Helped me with course management more than anything else. I hit my 5w far enough to keep up but the 3w I would be reaching for very low percentage shots. I have been thinking of a 7w possibly? Would finally retire my 3i iBlade!

[GolfSpy_APH]

I think I've mentioned this, but I've actually got to the point of adding them or considering more. I hit them well and prefer them over hybrids or driving irons.

[Owengeorge13]

I actually really like my ping g425 3 wood and my ping g425 3 hybrid.  The 3wood has a ventus blue shaft and the hybrid has a Tour ad.  They actually work great for me.  I got fit for both of them and tried other options.  I had to block out the 3wood sound at first, but now I love the sound.  I also got fit into the ping g425 driver with an Accra shaft, I couldn’t stand the sound at first, but now I crave it.  I wanted a mixed bag, ping just kept on winning the fitting at the time.

[MaxEntropy]

12 minutes ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I think I've mentioned this, but I've actually got to the point of adding them or considering more. I hit them well and prefer them over hybrids or driving irons.

I'm somewhat similar. I generally hit my hybrids ok, but can't hit a 5i anymore. In trying to find a suitable replacement, I got a 7w, but that is basically the same distance as my 3h. In general, the 7w is straight as a string and nice and high. I'll be looking to try either a 5h or a 9w at some point this year.

Like many of the others, I just don't have the opportunity to hit a 3w much. I still like having it in the bag and am pretty good with it, though.

[VernL4]

Me? Ditch my fairway woods? NEVER!!! I'm exactly opposite of @jbsap. Distance is my weakness and I love my 3W! I can generally hit it the same distance as my driver. Long irons? Miserable! When I ordered my new clubs, I completely skipped the 3i and 4i. The 5 iron is the longest iron that I feel somewhat comfortable hitting. It has a gap of about 15 yards from my 5W. I'd never even considered shorter woods, but with multiple people mentioning that on here, I will definitely check it out!

[Lee Stanek]

Yeah I have been struggling with my fairway woods for a long time and rarely hit them.  I played with some rental clubs this fall and the bag had 2 hybrids and I found myself hitting the hybrid all the time.  So I am looking to get one for this coming season.  Probably going with Callaway Paradym 3H.  I am going to spend some time with my 7 and 9w to see if I can get the feel back but then might consider another hybrid if that doesn't work out.  

[chris_]

Nope. Just swapped out my 3h for a 7wood with a 5w shaft. Goes much higher, just as long, and way more consistent. Just don't seem to hit hybrids well. 

[RoyN]

Did it about a year ago and pulled my 5w and 7w out of the bag. Added a 3hy back into it along with a 2 super hybrid. Already have a 4hy so the transition was easy. Best choice. Lost minimal distance but added consistency and more utility with the hybrids over fairway woods.

[TylorJudd]

On 1/31/2024 at 7:29 AM, GolfSpy_APH said:

I think I've mentioned this, but I've actually got to the point of adding them or considering more. I hit them well and prefer them over hybrids or driving irons.

I think technology is largely responsible for the polar shift of hybrids to FW. FW are easier to hit than they ever have been, and I don’t think the tech has made to hybrids for probably cost purposes, but there comes a point IMO when you play enough that a FW has more utility. Granted there are just some situations where a hybrid is better, but I believe they are the one trick pony in the debate. I played hybrids exclusively since Cleveland released the Halo until last season and have nothing against them. 

[taylorjonasher]

I just went from a 5W being the only wood in the bag to a 3W and 2i utility, thanks to a fitting. At the beginning of the year I ditched my previous 3W and was about ready to do the same with the 5W until I went in for the fitting. I can now confidently reach 220 with the 2i, and 240 with the 3W with a slight draw instead of a hook. It's amazing what the right shafts will do for you!

[HikingMike]

13 hours ago, RoyN said:

Did it about a year ago and pulled my 5w and 7w out of the bag. Added a 3hy back into it along with a 2 super hybrid. Already have a 4hy so the transition was easy. Best choice. Lost minimal distance but added consistency and more utility with the hybrids over fairway woods.

Oooh what's a super hybrid?

[RoyN]

2 hours ago, HikingMike said:

Oooh what's a super hybrid?

Callaway came out with a super hybrid several years ago. Was suited for higher ball speed players but had driver technology in an oversized hybrid. They released an epic super hybrid that was more forgiving and brought out the UW or Utility Wood for better players (phil and xander played it). Now they have the Paradym super hybrid which is an absolute rocket launcher for distance as a hybrid.

Also Cleveland came out with the Hy-wood, their version of an over sized hybrid to replace FW. Theirs is much more game improvement biased but still a great option for those who struggle with FW.

Edited February 2 by RoyN

[vandyland]

Heaven help me I am considering trying to get my 5W back in my bag (I have sworn off fairways MULTIPLE times at this point). The reason being that it would be nice to have a higher launching option off the tee and the fairway. I hit my 3Hybrid pretty well so it will be hard for the 5W to knock that out but I am willing to have the (at this point) annual try out. 

I have a Taylormade Sim2 Max that, when hit well, does everything I want it to. I think I will just reshaft it (with a slightly higher launching shaft) and see if I can figure it out this time. One eureka moment for me in the past year has been ball position, which has always crept too far forward with the driver and fairway woods. Maybe that is the key? Or maybe this is another fruitless exercise. 

[quod erat]

Opposite. I'm up to a 7w and have been considering a 9w. I'm giving long irons another chance (new set with graphite shafts), but they're on a short leash.

[TylorJudd]

21 hours ago, vandyland said:

Heaven help me I am considering trying to get my 5W back in my bag (I have sworn off fairways MULTIPLE times at this point). The reason being that it would be nice to have a higher launching option off the tee and the fairway. I hit my 3Hybrid pretty well so it will be hard for the 5W to knock that out but I am willing to have the (at this point) annual try out. 

I have a Taylormade Sim2 Max that, when hit well, does everything I want it to. I think I will just reshaft it (with a slightly higher launching shaft) and see if I can figure it out this time. One eureka moment for me in the past year has been ball position, which has always crept too far forward with the driver and fairway woods. Maybe that is the key? Or maybe this is another fruitless exercise. 

The graphite design Tour AD-DI and CQ are fairway wood monsters!

[TylorJudd]

20 hours ago, quod erat said:

Opposite. I'm up to a 7w and have been considering a 9w. I'm giving long irons another chance (new set with graphite shafts), but they're on a short leash.

I’m toying around with adding a 7 wood just for softer landings on my longer approaches into the green. I’m a big pro fairway guy, but I can hit my long irons. Just hard to stop a 4 iron into a green

[RickyBobby_PR]

21 hours ago, vandyland said:

Heaven help me I am considering trying to get my 5W back in my bag (I have sworn off fairways MULTIPLE times at this point). The reason being that it would be nice to have a higher launching option off the tee and the fairway. I hit my 3Hybrid pretty well so it will be hard for the 5W to knock that out but I am willing to have the (at this point) annual try out. 

I have a Taylormade Sim2 Max that, when hit well, does everything I want it to. I think I will just reshaft it (with a slightly higher launching shaft) and see if I can figure it out this time. One eureka moment for me in the past year has been ball position, which has always crept too far forward with the driver and fairway woods. Maybe that is the key? Or maybe this is another fruitless exercise. 

What shaft do you have in it now?

what would you be trying to achieve with a different shaft.

 

 

[vandyland]

5 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

what would you be trying to achieve with a different shaft.

The shaft has warped a little in the butt end. I currently have a Proforce V2 in there but I typically like a little more torque in my shaft. I have always found my "feel" sweet spot with a driver shaft is 4-6* of torque. I am not a big fan of the low/low. I got this fairway wood from a friend because otherwise I would not have put a proforce in it (which is a little boardy for my liking).

I am not saying a shaft is going to save me here. I just would like to have a setup 5 wood in my garage and I already know I dislike the shaft. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 minute ago, vandyland said:

The shaft has warped a little in the butt end. I currently have a Proforce V2 in there but I typically like a little more torque in my shaft. I have always found my "feel" sweet spot with a driver shaft is 4-6* of torque. I am not a big fan of the low/low. I got this fairway wood from a friend because otherwise I would not have put a proforce in it (which is a little boardy for my liking).

I am not saying a shaft is going to save me here. I just would like to have a setup 5 wood in my garage and I already know I dislike the shaft. 

The v2 even if not warped probably isn’t a good fit for you, based on feel.

i won’t dive too much into torque being an unreliable way to choose shafts because the reasons have been stated in a bunch of threads. What probably works best is a softer tip shaft. 

 

[Shifty]

Depends on the course.  One near me I ditch the 5w and 3w and put in a 2i and 62 degree.

Those are the 4 clubs that fight for the last 2 spots in my bag.  Totally depends on the course and they get switched in and out frequently.