3 woods..... no longer 3 woods.

[Oddsocks]

I was at silvermere yesturday and i thought id cast my eyes over the AMP 3 wood as they seem very rare. what struck me first was the head size, alot bigger than the current burner in my bag, then the loft. Although it stated 15* it looked more like 12/13* and to be honest didnt give alot of faith in being able to hit it off the deck.


so with that discovery i pulled a 4w in the same model off the shelf, it looked like my current burner 3w, same sort of loft, same size head (ish) and looked alot more user friendly. Now i wondered if this was just the AMP range as the baffler rails seemed more conventional, but when i pulled the rocketballz off the shelf they were the same, the 3w looked more like a 2w, and the 4w more like a 3w.

so it is a case of the 3w being aimed more as shorter distance drivers from the tee, and is the 4w the new fairway wood?

i havent hit either of the mentioned, but as it stands, i think id opet for 4w, then hybrid to brid the gap, as i fear 4 & 5 woods in the bag together could/would be pointless.

id be interested to hear views from people with 3w's from this years ranges such as R11s, RBZ etc.

 

[BTatHome]

You must have a very keen eye as I can't see that difference between lofts with the naked eye.

For me it's the launch angle that matters, not the loft of the club

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Off to try the RBZ range on Saturday so I'll let you know then. SOme good deals on clothing in Silvermere at the moment but I wouldn't buy any clubs there. Way over priced on all makes and models. Didn't see the AMP range on Sunday when I went in

 

[bigslice]

rubbish imo, i used to have 15 and 18 tm r7 cgb max woods and i can see that my rbz :thup:17 3wood sits just below the old 5 wood and above my old 3. we must have great eyesite

 

[Mattyboy]

You must have a very keen eye as I can't see that difference between lofts with the naked eye.

For me it's the launch angle that matters, not the loft of the club

For me its how the clubs looks (how easy does it look to be able to get airborn).

That said the jurys still out, after around 9 odd months, on my I15 3 wood. I hit it well enough but the G15 looks easier to hit (and has a tad more loft I think).

Anyhow, back to the post - TM or whoever have to claim its the longest club ever and to do that they have to reduce loft or lengthen the shaft (or a fewther things).

 

[Oddsocks]

Ok I'm not equipped with radar technology eyesight, but if you compare something like a burner 2.0 3w then an rbz 3 wood your see what I mean. The new gen 3w are Definately bigger head wise. I've also noticed they look deeper than some of the 3w from 2/3 years ago.

Homer, as you go into the shop (club section) at silvermere, their on the right. You can't miss them as they have a big grey/orange cobra tour bag there.

 

[Oddsocks]

Matty seems to be on the same track as me thinking wise, the assistant there gave indications that the 4w is the new 3w, and the new gen 3w's are almost fairway drivers with being alot harder to rip off the deck.

I'm still to find any shop other than silvermere to have amp fairways in stock to demo. Actually considering the baffler rail fairways as they seem more traditional

 

[Imurg]

Just a quick trawl around some sites....All sizes in cc... All 3 woods....

R11s - 155
RBZ - 197
Superfast 2.0 - 200
Superfast - 200
R9 - 161
G20 - 165
i20 - 141

Big Bertha Driver (original) - 190
Great Big Bertha Driver - 250

So the RBZ isn't any bigger than the Superfast - in fact it's slightly smaller.

Worryingly, RBZ and Superfast 3 woods are bigger than the original BB driver and not hugely behind the Great Big Bertha.

 

[Oddsocks]

Exactly as I expected, any specs on the amp 3 & 4?

 

[Imurg]

Couldn't find any on the Cobra site - which wasn't very good to look at by the way - too orange!

All the reviews give the flight of the RBZ 3 wood as "driver-like".

 

[Oddsocks]

Cheers imurg, this is the impression I got from the look of the 3w. I fancy a lower flight on my 3w but if I can't rip it of the deck then it's pointless

 

[Region3]

A 4 wood is the way fourwood (forward... geddit?)

Taxi!

 

[Oddsocks]

Seriously thinking 4w & 3h region, although I'm a traditionalist and still love a 5w

 

[DaveM]

Don't know about you guys. But alway found smaller heads seem to play better from the fairway. Than larger heads. Or is that just me?

 

[Oddsocks]

I think there's a happy medium, the new 3ws seem more like novice drivers, my older 08 burners are awesome, just the shafts are too weak. Ive just purchased a superfast in stiff to get me by until the money situ changes, but if its any good I may just plump for the matching 5w

 

[JustOne]

In the JustOne stand bag....

9.5° ping driver

13° titleist 3-wood

17° titleist 5-wood

and a yonex 20° 5-wood

to be honest I'd go with a 3-wood with a bigger head, it's easy to hit off a tee, easy to hit out of the rough (first cut) without skying it, and easier to hit off the fairway as it's MOI is probably lower (it launches easier with low strikes)

 

[bobmac]

In the JustOne stand bag....

9.5° ping driver

13° titleist 3-wood

17° titleist 5-wood

Interesting

I have a Ping 9 deg driver
Ping 12 deg 3 wood
and used to have
Ping 17 deg 5 wood (still have the head )

 

[Oddsocks]

and a yonex 20° 5-wood

So that will be a 7 wood then ........ Oh dear!

 

[Imurg]

Interesting that, over the years, Iron lofts have got stronger but Wood lofts have got weaker....

Far back in the mists of time a 3 wood was 13* and 5 wood 17*
These days it's 15 and 18/19

And we all know what iron lofts are doing.....

 

[Bash]

My current driver (Nike Sumo is a 13 degree loft. My new 3 wood (Courtesy of GM via American Golf) is an R11s which has a standard loft of 15.5 but is adjustable to either 14 or 17 degrees