What Fairway Wood Should I Add to My Bag?

[StuM]

For years I have not carried any Woods.  In the past I never hit the woods very well so just took them out of my bag and moved on.  My bag includes my driver then goes to a 22 degree 3-Hybrid.    Now I am thinking I may need something between my driver & 3-Hybrid.  I carry only 13 clubs so there is room in the bag.   As with all of my clubs I am inconsistent but typically my full swing on the 3H goes @ 190-200 and if the golf gods smile on me I can get it out @ 225.  Per Game Golf my typical driver is @ 203 and I am guessing if I could remove the lower mishits (ie. < 100 yards) the typical may move up a little but probably not much more than @ 210 or so.  True, I can occasionally get the 250+ yard drive but I can't count on my outlier.  This means on a hole over 400 yards I am often hitting the 3H (unless there is trouble & I need to lay-up).  My #1 priority now is to increase my driver distance & accuracy which will result in shorter approach shots but still will need something for the longer holes.

I'll probably not add it this year but was thinking about it and am curious what club/loft you guys think I might consider adding to fill the gap.

[SEMI_Duffer]

Disclaimer: I'm a new golfer.  Very new.  As in as of last June and I've played only seven games.  That being said, I'm going to make a recommendation, anyway: Callaway Mavrik Max 5w.

I believe it will gap nicely between your driver and 3h and, by all reports, it's so stupid easy to get the ball off the deck with the Mav Max woods that players who've had difficulty in that respect say it almost feels like cheating.

The bag I was gifted came with two woods: a 5w and a 7w.  The clubs are older TaylorMade knock-offs.  The irons work well for me.  I could never execute with the woods to save my soul.  I was also given a Ping G30 3w.  I could make that work, on the range, with enough work.  On the course I was hit-or-miss, with an emphasis on "miss."  Bought a used Ping G SFT 5w.  Again: On the range I could make it work, and make it work fairly well.  On the course: Not so much.

I haven't had my Mav Max woods out to play, yet, but, last fall, in one of my last range sessions, I was hitting my new 7w like gangbusters right out of the gate.  I was having better than ever success, albeit not as consistently, with the 5w.  With that experience I'm confident enough they'll work for me that a couple weeks ago I pulled the trigger on a Mav Max 3w.

Check this thread over on THP: Callaway MAVRIK FW Woods and Hybrids

In it you'll find several guys reporting experiences like yours, such poor success with woods they pulled 'em, buying Mav Max woods and finding joy.  Especially the 5w, which, by all accounts is also uncommonly long.

[David in FL]

As previously mentioned, a 5w might give you a bit more yardage than your current hybrid, or of course you could always add an 18° or 19° hybrid.

Another thought.  What is the longest iron you carry and how well do you hit it?  As a higher hcp golfer trying gain consistency, you might also want to consider adding a little higher lofted hybrid.   Something like 24° or 25°.  

[billchao]

1 hour ago, StuM said:

I'll probably not add it this year but was thinking about it and am curious what club/loft you guys think I might consider adding to fill the gap.

Go with a 4w or 5w. See which one you hit better. It’s not necessarily to fill the gap, but based on your yardages, you could use a club to hit from the fairway on longer holes.

[StuM]

Thanks for the inputs.  I was also thinking 5W but had not thought about adding a hybrid.  Give current 3H @ 22 degrees, would 18/19 degrees be significant enough difference?

As for my longest Iron, that would be my 7 which typical is @ 150.  It used to be 170 but I guess that is what happens when getting older.  I'm hoping to add some distance back by working hard on my swing this year.