Replacement for my 5 Wood?

[Toad]

I was at the range last night and had my old and very dated 5 wood with me, I thought back and realised I have only hit it about half a dozen times this year on the course.

My long irons are usually good and I'm hitting my 3 iron at best around 210yards but hit the same with the 5 wood so don't really need it.

Do you think new technology would get me some extra yards with the 5 wood or is there another option?

So I am now looking for some sound advice from you guys as to what I should stick in the bag instead.

Thanks

 

[medwayjon]

I would say that technology may help. I am a 28 handicapper on paper and hit my 5w around 230 on average. Have a try of a few new shiny ones and see how you go with them.

 

[DCB]

Jon,

is that carry or carry and roll ?

 

[TonyN]

Do you have a 3 wood, If not was is the distance difference from the 3 iron/5 wood to driver? Do you really need one?

I only have driver, 3 wood and 4 iron onwards in my bag. I hit my 3 wood about 220 and can hit it from almost any lie except thick rough.

Dont know about NEW technolgy giving you extra yardage but I know newly designed clubs are normally easier to hit out of varying lies, not like a 3 iron! It may be worth getting a new 5 wood for that reason alone, any more distance would be an advantage!

 

[RGuk]

My long irons are usually good and I'm hitting my 3 iron at best around 210yards but hit the same with the 5 wood so don't really need it.

If this is true, forget it....you don't need a 5W.

I'm thinking about adding a new 5W to replace my old 1994 Bertha which I've put back in the bag of late. My existing 5W goes about 10 yds further than my 3H 20*.

In reality (being harsh) there's only a close similarity between a 3I and a 5W (distance-wise), the 5 wood is longer and has a lower loft.....if you hit them the same, you are presumably better with your irons (technique) so you'd be wasting your money.

 

[Cernunnos]

I was at the range last night and had my old and very dated 5 wood with me, I thought back and realised I have only hit it about half a dozen times this year on the course.

My long irons are usually good and I'm hitting my 3 iron at best around 210yards but hit the same with the 5 wood so don't really need it.

Do you think new technology would get me some extra yards with the 5 wood or is there another option?

So I am now looking for some sound advice from you guys as to what I should stick in the bag instead.

Thanks

I think that you've sort of answered your own question without realising it. Over time Iron lofts of newerclubs have strengthened., meaning todays 3 irons are much like 2 irons of yesteryear. So its unsuprising an old 5 wood is going no, or little further than your 3 iron.

I hit my 3 iron around 190-200yards & my yonex mII5wood 215-225 yards, so I'm sure you'd easily out drive me with the same 5 wood.

One option is to try a 2iron hybrid iron/wood, or if you wanted to replace your 3 iron the same equivelent 3 hybrid.

tbqh, the 2ihybrid, may be your best solution. However & this is a big however do try out if you can one of these hybrids on the course just to make sure you can get on with them, treat it like an iron but expect the same or similar forgiveness out of first/second cut rough as you'd get from a reasonable fairway wood. So also try a newer fairway 5 wood. Best looking at a steel headed one rather than titanium, as the steel will be more resilient & I think that you can do more with steel than titanium.

Best of luck.

 

[medwayjon]

With roll this time of year it is usually 240-250 on the fairway.

Carries around 210-220 I would guestimate.

 

[Toad]

Thanks for the response.

Stu, carry around 200y with little roll as I hit my irons quite high much the same with the 5w.

Tony I have a Burner 3w and like you I'm very confident with it, but there is a bit of a gap between this and the 3 iron.
I never noticed the poblem until last night as I will always play an iron before a wood, I thought about the instances when I had used the 5w and it was always when I had to go round something as I can play a large fade or draw with it when its needed.

Realgolfer, your right I probably do have a better technique with my irons, and will have a look at trying some 2iron Hybrid's such as the Mizuno FliHi as Cernunnos suggests, I know J_F loves his one.

 

[TonyN]

FliHi's are great, pick up and go, no messing!

 

[Cernunnos]

That's really your main choice, whether to look at the hybrids that are more reminisent of an Iron, but with more depth than usual, or one that looks like a mini wood, both can act like an Iron, the latter has more of the wood like characteristics going on.

At the moment if I could get away with leaving a club out it would be the choice between the 3 wood & my driver as my 3 wood shots go forever, regularly landing in the 240 to 250 zone & running out to 270-280 yards. The driver will land 250 to 280, but with a lot less roll. On a windy day or on a links course I could easily leave the driver in the boot.

Though any round will depend on certain driving distances I want on particular long parr3's & short parr 4's, as to what goes into or comes out of my bag.

My current hybrid varies between a Ben Hogan & a benross driving iron. Which are examples of both the hybrids in question from earlier.

Am considering something like the options mizuno give with the flihi & the hifli, when early October comes along & I go on my regular Links golf extraveganza.

 

[mikest]

The new FT fairway wood are probably the best fairways I've ever hit, as soon as I struck on ball I knew I was going to have them, so workable and they feel great. I don't know why I've never tried them before but it will be a while before I change them if ever.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Personally, I don't use a 3 iron and prefer my Cobra Hybrid as it gives me more versatility. I carry a 5 wood which I use predominantly from the fairway and hit about 200-205. I do use the 5 from light rough but other than that tend to pull my hybrid out.

If you are hitting the 3 iron consistantly well stick with it but personally I'd prefer the forgiveness of either a hybrid or 5 wood

 

[RGuk]

" So its unsurprising an old 5 wood is going no, or little further than your 3 iron."

Don't agree on this one (see my other post). It is actually surprising i.m.o. since a standard 3I has about 20 or 21* these days and a 5 wood about 18 or 19*. You'd need to go back to pre 1990s to find a 20* model. That's 8 yards or so regardless of the extra length of shaft. Either way, it's a moot point. Filling the gap is what really counts.
Besides, you've just confirmed my argument with your own experience...." hit my 3 iron around 190-200yards & my 5wood 215-225 yards"

What's it to be?.......personally I reckon unless you are a cracking iron player (like Toad) it's a no-brainer to have a 5 wood. Far more consistent off the tee than a 2/3 iron. I lived off mine for years.....can't believe I left it out!!!

 

[DCB]

Toad,

I put the MP FliHi 2 iron into the bag earlier this summer (having previously changed my 4iron for a MP FliHi 4). I only use it at certain times, but it is a very versatile club to have in the bag. It is great off the tee and given a good lie it can be very usefull off the fairway. I also carry a 17°clk model which is good off the tee but can be a bit easier to get at the ball if it is lying in the rough. Difference between 17° clk and MP FliHi is about 10 yards, but I tend to use them on different occassions.

 

[mrobbie]

I hit my Callaway S2H2 5 wood all the time - I guess if I had a 3 wood I would use it more often, but I get by with the 5 wood so it has stayed in the bag for years now.

My driver goes around 280 yds incl roll, and the 5 wood 220. A 3 wood in the middle at about 240/250 would be ideal, but doing good for now; 3 wood is on the wish list, but baby is on the immenent arrival list which apparently takes priority!

I don't know if you'd get more yards from a new 5 wood, but it may certainly be easier to hit/more forgiving. If you hit your long irons well, then maybe a hybrid is not needed.

Try and work out the various distance gaps between clubs and find the best way to plug them.