5-Wood Recommendations?

[MarvChamp]

I have struggled with fairway woods. I have a senior-shafted Adams 2013 Tight Lies 5 wood with a shallow face. My instructor has me standing taller and a bit closer to the ball at address so that I swing a bit more upright and don't snatch the club back inside with my hands any more. After dedicated practice in setup and swing, I am starting to hit pretty well about 70% of the time, high and longer than my Mizuno JPX Fli-Hi 3 hybrid-iron which I love. Wondering: Since I highly value opinions of TSP members, what newer 5-woods are out there that you might recommend for a senior, slow swing high HCP like me? Thanks, and best to all. -Marv

[Patch]

I have tried a few of the newer 5W in recent months. Tried the various different big name brands. They all seemed to do the same thing for me, according to the launch monitors. 

In my opinion, it comes down to a personal choice on the brand, while getting a club that is fitted properly to the golfer's swing. 

As far as brands, I will always be "Tour Edge"  guy. I just like, and trust the product. If I actually had to buy a new metal wood it would be a TE product. 

I was not confident using my own,  older 5w, and is why I checked out the new stuff. I would tend to top balls with it too often. There were also times though, my 5w swings got the job done. I just wasn't consistent with it.  

After a fitting check, both on my swing, and my own 5w club, they still matched up quite well. 

My 5w is matched up with my other metal woods, which are all components. I hit my own 5w just as far as the much newer equipment. 

I decided to not buy a new 5w. My swing was the problem, not the club. With that in mind, I am now devoting time to relearn my use of my 5w. Part of that relearning process was revisiting the various causes of topping balls. After that, I have been hitting a copious amount of balls with it. 

I am now beginning to see some improvement in inconsistency.

[WUTiger]

3 hours ago, Patch said:

As far as brands, I will always be "Tour Edge"  guy. I just like, and trust the product. If I actually had to buy a new metal wood it would be a TE product. 

Marv, Check out the Tour Edge FWs. Both the Exotics EXS  and Hot Launch models would worth considering. TE now give its reps fitting carts for both Exotics and Hot Launch. Hot Launch has both low offset and mid-offset models.

Regardless of brand and model, pay special attention to the shafts. A lighter R-flex shaft, or even a Senior flex might give you better launch. And senior flex shafts come in different weights. My Cobra FlyZ hybrids have Lite-flex (senior) shafts that weights 73 grams. It just works (my other shafts are still mid-weight Regular).

This is definitely a situation where a fitting would help, if you haven't had one in awhile. Use the Tight Lies 5W for baseline and see if other 5Ws will do you better. In clubhead design, weighting lower and further back will increase launch angle and spin. For players with modest swing speed, the backspin helps get the ball airborne and improve carry distance. (Thirty-something golfers may benefit from low-spin FWs, but us elder statesmen need decent spin to make things work.)

Edited September 27, 2019 by WUTiger

[Typhoon92]

Big fan of the Ping G400 sft line for fairway woods.  One of our guys who has his struggles off the tee uses one in the 3 wood variation and hits it great.  Very easy club to hit and right now it's last years model do there are used ones to be had.

[pganapathy]

To be honest, the shaft is maybe 80 percent of your golf shot.  The head (COG, low/high launch, design etc) is the rest.  So make sure you get fitted.  A head that suits my swing may not suit yours, even if our shafts are the same and vice versa.  At the end of the day you need a club that works for your game.  Nothing else matters.  Whether that is a 20 dollar used club, a new but 5 generation old club or the latest and most expensive club isn't the point

[MarvChamp]

ALL: Thank you...Great ideas. Yes, not being a total dummy, I will have my fitter/club builder friend help me out. I like the idea of using my current 5W as a baseline. But I know you are all knowledgeable of what products are out there and of those that "work" generally. Sometimes the anecdotal recommendations are better than the testing sites. I don't have that knowledge. Now, I have some ideas...Tour Edge, Cobra, Ping for a start. That's what I'm looking for. Thanks and best, -Marv

[djake]

I really like my Wishon 5 wood.  It is long and easy to hit.

As mentioned above Tour Edge makes very nice fairway woods also

Good luck and let us know what you end up with

[70sSanO]

You might want to check out a Cobra F-Max 5 wood with a lite shaft.  It is pretty much a no-brainer to hit.  It is available with an offset, which can be helpful or problematic if are already hooking the ball.

John

[MarvChamp]

8 hours ago, 70sSanO said:

Cobra F-Max 5 wood

I saw that club and it was the one that got me thinking....I wonder if I can hit a fairway wood again. Thanks, -Marv

[cooke119]

14 hours ago, 70sSanO said:

You might want to check out a Cobra F-Max 5 wood with a lite shaft.  It is pretty much a no-brainer to hit.  It is available with an offset, which can be helpful or problematic if are already hooking the ball.

John

I agree, I have been hitting Cobra fairway woods and drivers for years. I fade the ball so I went with the Max series with the offset.

[MarvChamp]

Thanks to all...I have now established the baseline with my current 5W. The fitter said it will be difficult finding one that will serve me better, but he is going to try. I said I wanted to try Ping, Cobra, Tour Edge among those he will come up with. (In this regard, he had already semi-fitted this club to me in the form of shortening it slightly, approving the stock shaft flex and weight and making sure it was spin-aligned. AND I must say my practice including setup and address is paying off...I used it for several second shots yesterday; long and high.) Best, -Marv.