Driver and 3 wood Help

[Humboldt24]

I live in a rural area with no where to demo clubs so I'm looking for some advice on completing my bag.

I currently have a driver that I can't hit very well. I'm looking for a more forgiving club for under $150 on eBay. My current options are the HiBore XL, Callaway FT-5, and Taylormade Burner. I'm thinkin about going 10.5 loft with a stiff shaft.

I also need some sort of 3 Wood for hopefully around $80. I've heard good things about the Burner woods, any other suggestions?

Thank you very much!

[lumpuckeroo]

I'm a big fan of the Taylormade Burner series. I hit them straigher then any of the other major manufactors out there.

[PiKapp23]

For woods, I don't think you can go too wrong with TaylorMade, especially driver (although if you go with one of the newer models of the Burner the shaft is 36-36.5 inches, which is 1 - 1 1/2 inch longer than normal so control might be more of a problem). For 3 wood it depends on what you want to use it for. If you use it as a second driver than just about any of the newer 3 woods will be fine (TaylorMade included). If you plan to use it off turf some find many of the modern 3 woods to be too big to hit well off turf, so a smaller headed 3 wood might work better (or a 4 wood, which typically has a smaller head, but still about 17* of loft so it gives up very little distance from 3W).

[Humboldt24]

Hopefully I'll have enough confidence in my new driver to refrain from using the 3 wood on the tee too often. Is the Burner series considered tough to hit off the turf?

[PiKapp23]

Hopefully I'll have enough confidence in my new driver to refrain from using the 3 wood on the tee too often. Is the Burner series considered tough to hit off the turf?

They're not as oversized as some woods so they are somewhat easier than the larger headed 3 woods from other companies, but they are still larger than come people would prefer. That's one reason a 4 wood is some people's choice these days.

[Snake]

I haven't hit the FT-5. The Burner is nice, but the longer shaft scared me off (I'm inconsistant enough with a normal length driver!). But I love my HiBore XL. Great driver, IMO. And now that it's 2 generations old, you should easily be able to find it for under $150. The HiBore 3W isn't bad either, but I would like to try the new Launcher 3W.

[Sm11]

I have played with the taylormade burner and ft-5 for a signicant amount of time. I used the taylormade burner for abotu 3 months and found it to be very incosistant. Most of the incosistancy comes from the shaft. if you are going to consider the bruner driver i would seriously consider looking for a shaft upgrade.
The FT-5 is a good driver but the carbon composite insert certainly takes away from distance. I have hit the hibore xl and xls and can tell you it has an extremely hot face. The ball flies off the face when you hit it. I found it to be the least forgiving out of the three and defenetaly the wildest (but hands down furthest). I would tell you to look mostly at the ft-5 if your willing to lack a little distance for accuracy but if distance is your goal look at the hibore xls. If your willing to spend a little more money, the 2009 burner is a terrific club with a much hotter face and a thinner wall leading to a faster swing speed and more compressed sweet spot increasing distance drastically. They improved the stock shaft (even though it still isnt great). To conclude the most important thing to remember is that 70% of distance is correlated with the shaft so if your buying on ebay look for something with a upgraded shaft.

[joa]

For woods, I don't think you can go too wrong with TaylorMade, especially driver (although if you go with one of the newer models of the Burner the shaft is

I think is 46 46.5 inches

[Stacey_E]

I think is 46 46.5 inches

That is the very reason I will never consider a Burner again. I understand the guys that like them. They are nice and hot clubheads. I just don't have the physical build or athletic ability to hit a 46"+ driver.

Pi Kappa is dead on about trying a 4 wood. From what you have said, if you don't want to use you 3 wood as a backup driver (which I total agree with FWIW) this might be the way to go. I personally use a strong lofted 5 wood so I get 17* of loft with a 42" shaft. If you are looking for the longest club you can hit off the deck, just play around with some clubs and find your personal maximum shaft length and minimum loft. Good Luck!

[uttexas]

I purchased a used Sonarted S001 15* 3 wood off the internet for $38. It is now my favorite club in the bag. I've never been able to hit 3 woods well off the deck until finding this club. Amazing tank missile-like trajectory.

Drivers for under $150. take a look at what just popped up on http://dealadaygolf.com/ (I am not, nor are any of my family or friends associated with this site---it is just a good deal)

[PiKapp23]

I think is 46 46.5 inches

Sorry. I don't know what I was thinking when I typed that. I might have been drinking heavily.

. To quote Jimmy Buffet "Too much tequila, or not quite enough." Yes, the 46 and 46.5. I'm such an idiot.

[cfmgolf]

You are currently using a 8.5* stiff shaft with a driver that is typically has a lower boring type trajectory. Titleist is known for that "pro" style trajectory, especially on their older models. As most of us need a little more help, with the newer clubs (less than 3 years old) their COG has moved to make it easier to get a higher trajectory. What i am getting at, is that you are looking to move to a 10.5* which in a newer model will give you a much higher trajectory. If this is what you want, great, just want to let you know what might happen when you get it on the course. Just giving you more things to think about. good luck.

[Bamma]

I am one who has never been able to find a driver that treated me well for too long. The couple that I have been okay with I ended up trading off hoping for better (and only finding worse). That said, I am a huge fan of Callaway fairway woods. To be honest, though, I could not tell you how their more recent offerings work, since I have settled in, quite possibly forever, with an original Steelhead and have had it in the bag since 2000 or so. If you don't mind going just a little retro, you should consider trying these out (or possibly a later model of the same). Callaway drivers, unfortunately, have not had quite the same effect as their fairway woods and irons for me (even though Callaway was initially known for their Big Bertha driver).

[zripp3]

another vote for the Hibore XL (I have 2 - a 9.5* and 10.5*). As for the 3w, try to find a used Exotics CB2. Don't know if you can for under $80 but it's by far the longest 3w I've ever hit. I found the hibore 3w too difficult to hit off the fairway.

[Humboldt24]

You are currently using a 8.5* stiff shaft with a driver that is typically has a lower boring type trajectory. Titleist is known for that "pro" style trajectory, especially on their older models. As most of us need a little more help, with the newer clubs (less than 3 years old) their COG has moved to make it easier to get a higher trajectory. What i am getting at, is that you are looking to move to a 10.5* which in a newer model will give you a much higher trajectory. If this is what you want, great, just want to let you know what might happen when you get it on the course. Just giving you more things to think about. good luck.

Thank you, that's the exact kind of help I was hoping to get. I'm pretty sure the HiBore XL sounds like the best driver for me after consulting you guys. I usually hit my drives around 240-270 now, and I'm unsure about my swing speed. Would you suggest going with the fuki red or gold shaft. I was thinking 9.5 Stiff Gold now, but the red sounds like the nicer shaft. How much harder is it to hit?

Edit: I just found a great deal on a 10.5 Stiff Red. How do you think this trajectory would compare to the titleist I have now? Thank you very much!

[Dub]

I've been very well served by the G10 / UST shaft combination in my driver and woods. The extra loft and high launch shafts are super.

I also went with a 4wood vs 3 wood and a 7wood vs 5wood. I'm glad I did.