Low profile fairway woods?

[Brosh]

Hi all,

I've been playing with my John Letters Swingmaster set for a while, and getting a bit tired of trying to hit the giant fairway woods from bad lies, it's becoming a real pain and making my game much harder than it should be. Contemplating buying a low profile fairway wood, probably a 3 but don't mind going for a 5 or even a 7, if there's something worth buying.

Can anyone advise what sort of club might be best to go for? I'm currently looking at the Ping K15 3. Not sure if it's a bit excessive given the rest of my set costs only 3 times what that one club will (although that one club will be my "go to" fairway club, and long shots on the fairway do seem to be my biggest issue at the minute.

Cheers

 

[shewy]

Ping G15 is low profile, as is Admas tight lies.

 

[GreiginFife]

As Shewy, Adams tight Lies. Got one and it is very low profile, but still easy to hit.

 

[Brosh]

Have also glanced at the tight lies but it seemed very gimmicky based on the few things I saw about it... The words "ghost slot" just made it sound like a complete scam... Maybe that's just me being paranoid about getting ripped off, eh? Will try get half hour or so with one at the shop, thanks guys.

 

[garyinderry]

Not sure a fairway wood is the club of choice from a ''bad lie''.

I certainly wouldn't entertain the idea of hitting a 3 wood from anything other than a pretty good lie.

 

[ruff-driver]

I have an old titleist 975f, an olimar trimetal which is a dream to hit off the deck, and a 910fd, all will do the job without breaking the bank.

 

[garyinderry]

brosh if you dont own a hybrid go get one.

 

[GreiginFife]

Have also glanced at the tight lies but it seemed very gimmicky based on the few things I saw about it... The words "ghost slot" just made it sound like a complete scam... Maybe that's just me being paranoid about getting ripped off, eh? Will try get half hour or so with one at the shop, thanks guys.

I have the v.1with the visible slot. Don't know about gimmick but it goes like I would expect a 3w to go.

 

[Brosh]

Not sure a fairway wood is the club of choice from a ''bad lie''.

I certainly wouldn't entertain the idea of hitting a 3 wood from anything other than a pretty good lie.

Not a terrible lie, maybe sitting on top of the rough, or in a slight divot on the fairway... Generally not good enough to hit a 5 wood, but also not quite bad enough to warrant a 5 iron...

I have an old titleist 975f, an olimar trimetal which is a dream to hit off the deck, and a 910fd, all will do the job without breaking the bank.

Will take a look, thanks!

brosh if you dont own a hybrid go get one.

I've got a 3 and 4 hybrid, both are a joy to use but for some shots they just don't give the same distance, nor have the weight for the swing I'm after, looking for something somewhere between my current 3 hybrid and 5 wood... It's really difficult to describe the shot, but today I found myself zig-zagging across the fairway until I pulled out a 7 iron, hit one square in the middle then continued with my 5 wood... Want to remove the requirement for that 7 iron shot, and replace it with something I can hit in a bad, but not demanding, lie.

I have the v.1with the visible slot. Don't know about gimmick but it goes like I would expect a 3w to go.

Cheers, I think it's just the wording... It does also occur to me that everything in golf is considerably more expensive, but the last place I saw it written reminded me of the Family Guy scene "Al Harrington's whacky arm waving inflatable air filled flaling tube man imporium"...

 

[garyinderry]

You shouldn't really be trying to hit it a long way from ''iffy'' lies. Best route is to get it back in play like you have been doing with the 7 iron.

Trying to hit a low profile wood from a ball sitting up in the rough is a recipe for disaster. You may well go right underneath.

When in a divot, which doesn't happen everyday you have to weigh up your options. Best bet is to lay up with an iron or hit down with a hybrid. The results can be unpredictable. Smashing a low profile wood is equally unpredictable but you must also add the additional length this club will give you. This can easily end in disaster. More trouble or a lost ball.

 

[Andy808]

I use a Titleist 3 wood and 5 hybrid. Both are low profile, easy to hit off the deck or out of the rough even if it's quite thick.
I've also tried out the adjustability on them and it does make more of a difference than I expected it to do.
Very good woods at very affordable prices from fleabay.

 

[CMAC]

TM Rocketballz RBZ stage 2, 3 wood. Low profile, easy to hit and very long

 

[garyinderry]

It's really difficult to describe the shot, but today I found myself zig-zagging across the fairway until I pulled out a 7 iron, hit one square in the middle then continued with my 5 wood... Want to remove the requirement for that 7 iron shot, and replace it with something I can hit in a bad, but not demanding, lie.

"...

it is this line that puts me off recommending a 3 wood altogether. I have lost count how many times I have seen someone duff it off the tee, reach for a 3 wood and try to rescue the situation and end up making it x10 worse. I was one of these golfers. best thing I ever did was bin the 3 wood for a few years. I still don't have one in the bag at the minute. they are as deadly as a 60 wedge, if not more in the wrong hands.


no club can fix zig zaging across the fairway, hit a 7i then still need a 5 wood. a 3 wood is only going to add to the misery.


think about a lofty hybid like a 22 degree hybrid. this could well be a handy trouble club!

 

[delc]

I have a Taylor Made RBZ Stage 2 5-hybrid that seems very effective for getting a decent distance out of rough and fairway bunkers.

 

[Smiffy]

Have also glanced at the tight lies but it seemed very gimmicky based on the few things I saw about it... The words "ghost slot" just made it sound like a complete scam...

Don't dismiss it until you've tried it!
I have a 2013 Tight Lies 3 wood in the bag and it sits behind the ball beautifully. Much better than a "traditional" 3 wood.
I'm looking out for the matching 5 wood and will add one to the bag as soon as I find one.

 

[Dave B]

The Cobra S2 is on sale at Golf Depot at £49.99. It's a superb very easy to hit fairway, very similar to the Ping G15 and is almost as long as the RBZ but much easier to hit from the fairway.

http://golfdepot.co.uk/product/details/cobra-s2-straightneck-fairway-woods/

As others have echoed it's fine to use a 3 wood from fluffy rough where the ball is sat up, up hill and good fairway lies but my advice is that if it is anything but a very good lie, take a hybrid and play the safe shot down the middle. I carry a 3, 5 and 7 wood in addition to a 4 and 5 hybrid.

I can hit the 7 wood from almost any lie but the 5 and 3 wood are reserved for those shots where I know I have more than a 90% chance of pulling the shot off. I'd rather be 10-20 yds short of the green using a 7 or 5 wood rather than risk playing a bad shot and getting into trouble

 

[Smiffy]

The Cobra S2 is on sale at Golf Depot at £49.99. It's a superb very easy to hit fairway, very similar to the Ping G15 and is almost as long as the RBZ but much easier to hit from the fairway.

Funnily enough, that's what my new Tight Lies replaced. I find it much easier to hit off the deck than the S2.

 

[duncan mackie]

It's really difficult to describe the shot, but today I found myself zig-zagging across the fairway until I pulled out a 7 iron, hit one square in the middle then continued with my 5 wood... Want to remove the requirement for that 7 iron shot, and replace it with something I can hit in a bad, but not demanding, lie.

I agree with Gary

Would also highlight that if you've hit a 7 iron recovery well you shouldn't be left with anything like a 5 wood to the green!

If I miss the fairway it's rare that I will use anything greater than a 6 iron unless I have a great lie and can play to the green (6i/8i breaks down 300yds well for me and at, say, 250 to go I will probably go 9i/9i).

Contrary to popular belief, it does matter how you get it there - your ability to play to the green from 130 in the centre of the fairway having got there with a topped 3 wood is completely different than if you have hit a great 7i aimed at that area.

The best way to remove the requirement for the 7 iron recovery shot is to hit the fairway from the tee, but then again you will probably leave a 7 iron to the green anyway

In looking for easy distance from a poor lie you are going one step further than the normal 'grail' of easy distance - I'm afraid you don't get it though the simple acquisition of a different club.

 

[Pippo_T]

The ghost slot sounds gimmicky but I think it just relates to the fact that the slot which has been on all taylormade/adams woods for a while is still there but now covered as opposed to be open. Won't Hoover up muck now which has to be a massive positive!!

 

[Pin-seeker]

Taylormade R9 3w.