Which fairway wood?

[*TQ*]

I'm itching after a new club and the top end of my bag is a little sparse as my current (very old) three wood is impossible to hit off the deck so my longest second shot club is my 3 hybrid which carries around 195 yards.

I'm eying up a fairway wood, specifically the Callaway Rogue but I can't decide whether a 3, 4 or 5 would be most appropriate. I am of course going to try and hit them (well at least the 3 and the 5 not many places seem to stock the 4) but I have a very good deal available via mail order so may have to order blind in order to get the best price.

Money being no object I'd ditch a wedge and carry a 3 and a 5 wood but as I can only afford one new club should I go for a 4 wood as a compromise or a 3 wood as the 5 may overlap distance wise with my hybrid? How easy are modern 3 woods to hit off the floor for a high handicapper?

 

[Imurg]

Try the 5
The 4 will launch slightly lower and go a touch further. But you may be happy with how the 5 goes. 3 is ok from the deck but harder than the other 2.
I found Rogue to be quite draw bias which you may or may not want
It's also fixed loft so you can't change anything.
Very good on strikes low on the face... jailbreak is great for this.

 

[jim8flog]

Go for a club which can have the loft altered, try it on different settings and decide which is best for you.

Although I do not use them myself I have tried and been tempted with Titleist fairway woods.
the 16.5(HL) degree would effectively give the option of turning it to either a standard 3 or 4 wood setting.

 

[User20204]

This is a similar dilemma to myself. I've got 3w/19hb/2 iron but as stated the 3w is a tough ole dog to get properly off the deck, when ripped I can hit mine 260, ye really, 260 but one in ten is not good enough so I need a long club for that 230+ in and the hb nor the 2 iron is the club.

Been looking for the right 5 wood for ages but not prepared to pay £200+ for one but going back to yourself, I think the 5 wood would be a good choice.

 

[Britishshooting]

I've owned if not tried almost every model of 3 wood Taylor made, callway and Titleist and most other major brands.

All I can say before purchasing one is do honestly try Cobra fairway/hybrids any model new or old with rails. I always overlooked them but they have made the weakest part of my bag the strongest. I've never in my life got on with hybrids either until now.

Dependent on conditions/course length I rotate the F8+ 3 wood (adjustable) in and out my bag and it's an absolute weapon. No use at my home course as it's too long to hit as a second shot anywhere but good for long par 5's elsewhere.

 

[duncan mackie]

Firstly, different woods are designed with different objectives; I would focus on something marketed as high launch.

Second, a 5 wood and 3 h are relatively close - yes the 5 wood has a slightly enhanced distance capability in most hands, but it's marginal. I would aim for a 4w. There's arguably to much focus I distance with the latest wood ranges- I'm not sure I would be looking at a Rogue based on your post.

 

[clubchamp98]

I had this problem and hit my 5 wood almost as far as my 3 wood .
So ditched the 3 and got a ping G400 17.5 5 wood but set the loft to 16.5 .
It’s awesome and right in the middle of both clubs.
It’s more or less a 4 wood but if you change your mind later and want a 3 wood again you just set the loft back to standard.

 

[*TQ*]

Firstly, different woods are designed with different objectives; I would focus on something marketed as high launch.

Second, a 5 wood and 3 h are relatively close - yes the 5 wood has a slightly enhanced distance capability in most hands, but it's marginal. I would aim for a 4w. There's arguably to much focus I distance with the latest wood ranges- I'm not sure I would be looking at a Rogue based on your post.

I fear you may be right and my method for choosing the Rogue (it looks nice) may be flawed!

I'm now thinking I should almost definitely be looking at adjustable loft and probably starting at 3HL (say 16.5 with 1.5 degree adjustibility either way, do those exist?).

 

[*TQ*]

I've owned if not tried almost every model of 3 wood Taylor made, callway and Titleist and most other major brands.

All I can say before purchasing one is do honestly try Cobra fairway/hybrids any model new or old with rails. I always overlooked them but they have made the weakest part of my bag the strongest. I've never in my life got on with hybrids either until now.

Dependent on conditions/course length I rotate the F8+ 3 wood (adjustable) in and out my bag and it's an absolute weapon. No use at my home course as it's too long to hit as a second shot anywhere but good for long par 5's elsewhere.

Just found an F8+ for £129 for the 4/5 wood which give adjustment between 16 and 19 degrees of loft (3/4 is between 12 and 15), I'm very tempted to pull the trigger and order it straight away anyone else have any experience of these clubs?

Edit: just seen the F8+ is aimed at tour - fifteen handicap, I think I know the answer to this question but as a high handicapper (aiming to get down to low twenties by the end of the year) will this be too hard for me to hit?

 

[clubchamp98]

Just found an F8+ for £129 for the 4/5 wood which give adjustment between 16 and 19 degrees of loft (3/4 is between 12 and 15), I'm very tempted to pull the trigger and order it straight away anyone else have any experience of these clubs?

Edit: just seen the F8+ is aimed at tour - fifteen handicap, I think I know the answer to this question but as a high handicapper (aiming to get down to low twenties by the end of the year) will this be too hard for me to hit?

Ping G400 5 wood does what you want.

 

[spongebob59]

You can pick up a new Titleist 917 F2 4 woo d for about the same .
Have a look in ebay, affordable golf or a used one at golfbidde r who give you a trial period .

 

[*TQ*]

Decided to go with the F8 after I found one in American Golf and hit a few balls on the range with it. They price matched Clubhouse Golf and it was my birthday earlier this week so I had a £10 voucher so got the club for £119.

Ive not had an adjustable club before do people recommend getting on the range and hitting every available loft before settling on one?

 

[duncan mackie]

Decided to go with the F8 after I found one in American Golf and hit a few balls on the range with it. They price matched Clubhouse Golf and it was my birthday earlier this week so I had a £10 voucher so got the club for £119.

Ive not had an adjustable club before do people recommend getting on the range and hitting every available loft before settling on one?

Start on standard and see if theirs a trait you wish to deal with...some adjustments are counterintuitive!

 

[clubchamp98]

Decided to go with the F8 after I found one in American Golf and hit a few balls on the range with it. They price matched Clubhouse Golf and it was my birthday earlier this week so I had a £10 voucher so got the club for £119.

Ive not had an adjustable club before do people recommend getting on the range and hitting every available loft before settling on one?

Some clubs open or close the face when you change the loft but some don’t not sure about F8
Try it out on the range until it suits.

 

[Roops]

Another vote for the Cobra. I have mine set up as a 4 wood. It goes absolutely miles and the aim was to put a club in the bag that had a high launch and little run (shaft is matched to deliver that flight). It's a must for tight par 4's, and second shots into par 5's, and is a nice alternative for the driver if that starts to misbehave.

 

[Crow]

For the high handicapper I'd advise laying up rather than going for a 195 yard carry.

 

[Dando]

For the high handicapper I'd advise laying up rather than going for a 195 yard carry.

where's the fun in that?

 

[Roops]

Agreed, laying up is so overrated.......

 

[patricks148]

some find a 3 wood difficult to use esp of the deck, i would go try as many as you can.


5 wood on the other hand is much easier... but its down to you and what would work for you.

 

[stueyginger]

Adjustability can seriously mess up your head - especially when it comes to fade / draw bias and club faces opening and closing when adjusting lofts

I'd recommend spending some time to determine exactly the distance you're looking to achieve and comparing with the gapping in your bag

There's a rick shields video on youtube on club gapping that's a good watch and puts things into perspective

For me personally, I've tried the epic and epic flash fairways and nothing comes close to the rogue. Although it's a 3 wood, not to far behind my driver, I feel comfortable opening up my shoulders or gripping down for a softer shot that would comfortably go 5 wood distance. At the same time the 3 wood is very easy to hit flat out from the deck or tee if you're drivers not behaving. The next club down from tmy3 wood is a 3 iron which again can reach 5 wood distance given ball flight, run etc