Playing with a FW question

[vmsea]

I have a question about FW.. and this isn't in "golf equipment" b/c i'm not really asking 'which' FW i should buy.. but more in my case, do i need a FW..

My driver will either 1) carry 270-280 yards, or 2) go right and end up in the trees, or 3) OB

if 1) occurs, I can hit a 5 iron 180-185. for most Par 4 (sub 450ish). i can reach with an iron. for most par 5s (over 500), I can't reach, but I can hit it to <100, and wedge on.

if 2) occurs, i can't reach with an iron, but i can't reach with a FW either..

if 3) occurs I re-tee until either 1 or 2 occurs.. so none issue?

Given this.. why have a FW? I've been told that on short Par 4s.. i can use the FW. and though i'll have maybe a 120yard shot left, instead of an 80yard shot.. my 'variability' will be less. .meaning more likely a 120, and less likely OB.
Other than that reason, are there other reason to have a FW?

I've see some friends hit FW, but that's because they hit a 7w or a hybrid to 160.. but that's a 7 iron for me. I'm torn about whether to buy a FW or not..
thoughts?

[Mattplusness]

How about the par 4 doglegs with 240 thru fairway?

[vmsea]

How about the par 4 doglegs with 240 thru fairway?

hmm. good one. how about

: 5 iron - 185 carry, about 200 by the time it stops rolling.. ? if i place it to the correct side. i can still approach green? i guess a fw makes that easier good point..

[sean_miller]

It's up to you really. If you've got all the bases covered without one, you probably don't need one.

I could tell you why I use one, and why I'd never consider playing without one (a 3w or a 5w or both) but like I said, it's your game.

[Fourputt]

How about a fairway wood so you aren't in the trees or OB in the first place? There are plenty of holes in the world where a driver is not the best play off the tee. I carry a weak 3W (15°) to deal with those tee shots, as well as for when I actually need it in the fairway.

[goblue107501]

Why carry a lob wedge? You can do just about anything a LW can do with the SW.

Why carry an 8-iron? You can do just about anything an 8 can do with a 7-iron.

The rules let you have 14 clubs in the bag. You might as well use them all if you can. I am sure there are certain courses where a club here or there is never used. If you don't ever use it where you play, maybe you don't need one. I'll bet there will come a time somewhere when you look in the bag and wish you had a 3-wood.

The courses I play I use mine all the time off the tee. Probably an equal amount to the driver. The holes are shorter and pretty tight and a driver just isn't needed. If your only options are to hit driver 275, be in the trees, or be OB, how much better could you score if you hit a ball 230 that wasn't in the trees or OB? It is easier to hit off a tee. Doesn't go as far, but much easier to control. Sometimes a shorter distance in play is better than the risk of OB.

[WUTiger]

You have good distance, so you might carry a 4W. Many people find it easier to hit than a 3W. You can use a 4W off the tee, the fairway, and sometimes out of light rough.

You could pair the 4W with 3H or 4H. That's about a 70-yd. gap between driver and 5i as things stand now. A FW and a hybrid would break up the gap nicely.

[westcyderydin]

i use a 5 wood right now. i purposely use that instead of a 3 wood cuz its much easier to hit off of the fairway. i dont use it off of the tee tho. i had a 2 H for a bit that would be great if i got the right shaft in it.

i would definatly have on of them in your bag but its up to you what u feel the best about hitting.

[leo3]

If your stated yardages are correct, you have a 90 - 95 yard gap, from 5 iron to driver. What do you use on long par 3's, say 200 - 210 yards? I would think you definately need something in that range, either a hybrid or a wood.

[saevel25]

Depends, i like having a 3-wood for tight fairways, i always try to get the max distance possible on each hole i play.

I do say i only hit my 5-wood about 10 times a year, majority of the time it stays in the car.

My only other example is if your on a par-5 and there is nothing around the green that requires laying up, and you can reach with a wood. So with out the wood you might give up an easy chip up for birdie or eagle opportunity.

[mdbuschsr]

I love hitting my FW. Something about hitting a wood off the deck makes me feel good. It took me a long time to learn how to hit a FW, but now it's a confidence club. I also have a slight amount of vanity involved as not many folks can hit a FW well.

[ezmorningrebel]

my typical uses for my 3W are
-tee shots on short par 4's where i don't want to get too close. i'd rather hit full GW into the green than a 3/4 SW or something.
-bad drive on a par 5 and i need to make up some ground.
-good drive on a long par 5 and i want to get on or around the green in two.

[laconic517]

i use my 3 wood to punch out a to keep the ball under trees. Much easier for me to keep it down than a long iron. However, I think nowadays fairway woods dont necessarily go straighter they are just easier to have to lay up short of hazards (say a big bunker at 250 or a dog leg). Its also much easier for me to hit a 5 wood out of a bad lie in the rough close to 210-215 than my 4 iron.