5 wood vs. 3 hybrid

[georgeshot]

  madolive3 said:

I've been playing less than a year. I use a 3,4and 5 hybrid and I keep a 5i in my bag. I hit them all fairly well most of the time.  I have a Cleveland 3w and 5 w but they are so difficult to hit off the grass that they stay in my Garage. Off the Tee or the grass, my 3HY gives me about the same distance as the 5w- 210. Any over about 210 I'm out of luck. I love my old Adams A7 hybrids, Bought them used and I hit them so well but I need a wood for anything over the 210. With the advice I received here I bought a TEE 4 wood 16.5 thinking I'll get the added distance I need.   When the club arrived I compared it to my Cleveland 3&5 woods and could see instantly why I can't hit the Clevelands off the grass.  The Bottom of the club face where it meets the sole is rounded off on the Clevelands, No wonder I can't dig the ball off the turf.  The tour exotics 4 wood is a sharp corner. Point is the club brand you choose is important. I just received the Tee 4w, I have yet to try it out but I'm sure I'll be able to hit it with a little practice.

I was going to get the Tour Edge 4-wood, but wound up getting the Ping G20. I just hit it better. I did get the Tour Edge 4-hybrid (22°) to replace my 3/4 irons and enjoy hitting it from fairway, tee box, and even some semi-sketchy lies as well. I really like the G20 off the tee and it's smooth and long from the fairway. Both clubs have improved my long game greatly. I had some of the Cleveland Quad Pro Fairway woods sitting in the closet as well.

[inthehole]

  stogiesnbogies said:

Personally, I ousted my 5 wood in favor of a 19 degree hybrid (Cleveland Hibore)....the shorter shaft makes it easier to hit and I find it more accurate with a negligable loss in distance.

+1 ... for me, the shorter shaft length adds up to far better consistent contact with the hybrid

[desertpig]

I'm new to the game and have started building out my bag. I started off with a beginner VOIT XP graphite set minus the driver - then I purchased a classic Callaway Big Bertha Warbird 10 degree club. I recently augmented my bag with a TaylorMade RBZ 5 Wood and a 3 Rescue Hybrid with a 19 degree loft. The question I have is do I trade my hybrid with a #4 instead?

I've played about 3 rounds of golf so far so my hcp is still iffy. I'm still working on completing 7 more rounds to get a better hcp calc.

[georgeshot]

  desertpig said:

I'm new to the game and have started building out my bag. I started off with a beginner VOIT XP graphite set minus the driver - then I purchased a classic Callaway Big Bertha Warbird 10 degree club. I recently augmented my bag with a TaylorMade RBZ 5 Wood and a 3 Rescue Hybrid with a 19 degree loft. The question I have is do I trade my hybrid with a #4 instead? I've played about 3 rounds of golf so far so my hcp is still iffy. I'm still working on completing 7 more rounds to get a better hcp calc.

desert pig Welcome to the greatest game ever. I'd keep both clubs for now. The 5-wood and 3-hybrid both have a 19° loft. Test them out at the range and see which one is more comfortable. You should get about the same distance from both. I've got the RBZ 19°, 22°, 25° in my back up set and they are sweet, sweet clubs. What I found helpful when I first started was experimenting with different clubs until you get what works for you. That may take some time. Heck many golfers, myself including, are tweaking their bags. Now there are a lot of options for you too. So read reviews, try out clubs, and don't be afraid to ask questions of the golf shop pros. Most if them are very helpful. Happy Golfing! George.

[tooc]

Which one do u hit better? For me I have Ben Hogan 17 & 19 Hybrids, I hit the 19 alot better. Also have a cleveland laucher 19 Deg 5 wood steel head. If i go to the practice ground and hit 10 of each the 19Deg will win. But the five wood is longer than both just have to put up with the gap. Make sure u try before u buy.. In the past I've tried a few hybrids and the 5 wood kept going back in the bag. But the 19 Degree Hogan is very good. If u hit them both the same i find hybrids much better in the wind also easier to hit from rough.

[desertpig]

Hey georgeshot!

Thanks for the feedback. I'll keep both clubs for now and see how they work in different situations. I'll figure out how both work on light, medium and extreme rough lies. I figured the latter one, I'd just bite the bullet and use a PW instead.

I also just recently bought a slightly used Callaway Vintage Forged Plus Sand Wedge (56 degree) from eBay. This should complete my first tournament set and I'll see how it goes from here.

Thanks again!

'pig

[WUTiger]

  madolive3 said:

...  When the club arrived I compared it to my Cleveland 3&5 woods and could see instantly why I can't hit the Clevelands off the grass.  The Bottom of the club face where it meets the sole is rounded off on the Clevelands, No wonder I can't dig the ball off the turf.  The tour exotics 4 wood is a sharp corner. Point is the club brand you choose is important. I just received the TEE 4w, I have yet to try it out but I'm sure I'll be able to hit it with a little practice.

  georgeshot said:

..... Welcome to the greatest game ever. I'd keep both clubs for now. The 5-wood and 3-hybrid both have a 19° loft. Test them out at the range and see which one is more comfortable. ...

What I found helpful when I first started was experimenting with different clubs until you get what works for you. That may take some time. ...

If you look at the various FW models, the loft combinations often suggest either a 3W-5W or 4W-7W combination.

FWood	Callaway X.Hot	TM RBZ.St2	TourEdge Ex. XRail	Ping G20
3W	15* / 43.5”	3W. 15*	15* / 43”	15* / 43”
4W	17* / 43.25”	3WHL. 17*	16.5* / 42.5”	16.5* / 43”
5W	19* / 42.75”	5W. 19*	18* / 42”	18* / 42.5”
7W	21* / 42.25”	5W.HL 21*	21* / 41”	21* / 42”
9W	23* / 41.75”	7W. 23*	X x x	X x x
Other?			3+ 13* / 43”

I carry a TEE XRail 4W and 7W; the 4.5* loft and 1.5" shaft length separation translates into about 20 yds. difference per club.

Some players might 3-5-7W combination (with 3* loft separation). You would have to try out the mix and see if you like the distance gaps.

A couple of years back, the Callaway RazrHawk FW had 3* loft gaps, and 3/4" shaft length increments; now, the XRail has 3* loft gaps with 1" increments. A 3-5-7W combo in either RazrHawk or XRail would be a bit more attractive.

[Dave40]

I've noticed that there are significant differences in the distances of hybrids based on the club design.  For example, the Cobra Baffler tends to balloon on me but the Wilson D100 has a much lower trajectory.  Finding the right hybrid to bridge a particular distance gap takes some trial and error.

[antnee94]

  tws1098 said:

Thanks for the info guys, but my main thing is which should work better out of the rough? I can't demo them from the rough, so I was hoping someone had some experience with this. I don't mind a distance difference as much as a control difference. Anyone with some experience on this?

My dilemma also. I have played a 5 wood for many years. In fact it is one of my favorite clubs. I use it for anything 215 and out.  I use it off the tee on some select holes (I'm able to get it 225-240 teed up). I have the TM RBZ with an aftermarket Fujikura Rombax Type-X Shaft. It matches the 3 wood in my bag also.

I can hit the 5 wood off the deck very well, but will rarely hit it if the ball is in the rough. I keep looking for something that will give me a similar distance but add the use out of the rough.

Unfortunately I have tinkered with two 3 Hybrids (RBZ Tour 18.5 degree and an Adams Idea A12 19 degree, both with aftermarket shafts). Long story short, both clubs are an inch shorter than my 5 wood and I can't hit either of them flush consistently the way I can the 5 wood. It almost makes no sense. The hybrid should be easier to hit. It doesn't matter if it's off the tee, the deck, or out of the rough.

The crazier thing is, I can hit both my 21 degree hybrids (same make as the 19 degree ones above) just as far (in some instances farther) than the 19 degree hybrids. Almost to the point the 4 hybrid can take off on me and go too far at times. I'm looking for that three hybrid to get me 207-215 consistently, and I just can't do it. My next step is cutting both down a half inch to see if that helps before I sell both clubs and just keep the 5 wood in the bag. I know it's me and not the clubs. One of those weird quirks with a 19 degree hybrid and my swing I guess.

[jmanbooyaa]

Here is my off season dilemma with my clubs. I will be going into this season with Amp Cell irons 6-GW. 20* X Hot hybrid, 15* G20 Fw, and R1 driver. This is what I know so far about my distances haven't hit all my irons yet. 7i= 153 avg PW=116 avg. Hybrid=172 avg. 3FW=190 avg. Driver= 208 avg. Recently I have been testing out the Nike Covert 5W. Every time I hit this club in the same bays I have hit my actual clubs I am averaging 194 which is more than my 3 fw and sadly right behind my driver. Should I get rid of my hybrid? It is 20* and the 5FW is 19*. But then would have a large gap. I have the stock shafts in the Amps in stiff and have project X 5.5 in my hybrid and a pro-launch stiff in the 3FW and for whatever reason when I bought the driver it had the shaft from the SLDR stiff in it. I also hit a wicked slice with my hybrid and 3Fw.

[tooc]

Ur distance with irons and wedge look quite good but urge really should be getting more from the driver and 3 wood to me, it really looks like u should have regular shafts in all clubs, I'm hitting about 290 with the driver with a stiff shaft, my brother is a huge hitter maybe 320 average he's just using a stiff and S300 in his irons. My hybrid has a regular graphite Ben Hogan shaft in it 19 degree hit that about 220.

[Entropy]

I've had the same dilemma.  I currently game a driver - 3 wood 3 hybrid (20 degree) 4-PW, UW, SW (13 clubs).  I treat my hybrid as an easier to hit 3 iron, not as a replacement for a 5 wood.  I can get it out there 205-215 pretty easily out of all sorts of lies.  I am planning on trying some 19 degree 5 woods to see what kind of distances I'm getting and I'm hoping I can hit it around 230 which would fill that gap pretty nicely.  I'm a pretty good fairway wood player, don't really have any problems getting them into the air so I'm actually thinking of going to a strong 3 wood (13 degree), 4 wood ( 17 degree), 3 hybrid (20 degree) to get the most distance I can as I am not a very long hitter.   Anyway my 2 cents is have you considered getting both the 5 wood and the hybrid and going to a 3 wedge system instead of a 4?  Maybe replace your 56 and 60 with a 58 or your 52 and 56 with a 54?

[jmanbooyaa]

I have contemplated regular flex shafts and when I got the Amps earlier this year I was all go for regular flex but was talked into stiff by the rep doing the fitting. My swing speed is the issue. It is more towards stiff but on the weaker end. Like very borderline. I think I have regular flex in my hybrid 5.5 project x. The driver flex is still but I find the taylormade are shafts very weak. So stiff is most likely more regular in a non made for shaft. Just my opinion of course.

[Entropy]

  georgeshot said:

desert pig

Welcome to the greatest game ever. I'd keep both clubs for now. The 5-wood and 3-hybrid both have a 19° loft. Test them out at the range and see which one is more comfortable. You should get about the same distance from both.

Personally I think if you are getting the same distance from a 19 degree hyrbid and 5 wood, you're probably not putting a good swing on the 5 wood.  I think the 5 wood should always be longer, even if both clubs have the same length, due to the club head design.  You trade distance, with the 5 wood, for workability and ability to hit out of less than perfect lies, with the hybrid.

[jmanbooyaa]

  jmanbooyaa said:

I have contemplated regular flex shafts and when I got the Amps earlier this year I was all go for regular flex but was talked into stiff by the rep doing the fitting. My swing speed is the issue. It is more towards stiff but on the weaker end. Like very borderline. I think I have regular flex in my hybrid 5.5 project x. The driver flex is still but I find the taylormade are shafts very weak. So stiff is most likely more regular in a non made for shaft. Just my opinion of course.

My swing speed avg with my irons is 83 mph. Not sure what it is with my driver or, 3 wood, or hybrid. Either way I believe I was told that I was borderline. The Amp Cells come with the DG 90 shaft. I got them in stiff. 8 iron 141 avg, 7 iron 153 avg.  Like I had mentioned my hybrid is in 5.5 flex which should be firm. WUTiger would probably be able to answer better on that. Anyway I had my driver cut down so it is  now 44.75 inches down from TM's insane 46 inches. Would cutting the hybrid and 3 wood make sense? I still have the dilemma of the 5 wood vs hybrid. Love the Covert

[treebound]

I'm kind of working out the 5W/3H issue currently as well. I recently got a TM RBZ 3W HL and really like it. When I was trying it at a shop along side some hybrids the hybrids were not working for me. So now I'm looking at trying a 5W, but a normal 5W seems too close to the 3W HL so I'm hoping to find either a high launch 5W or maybe a 7W. I'm also going to demo a few more hydrids to see if I can adjust to them. Seems like there is always some aspect to the game and the gear to tweak and mess with while fine (or rough) tuning aspects of our personal approach to and ability for the game.

[Jakester23]

If you can't hit the X 2 Hot hybrid then its your swing. I should be getting my 2nd one on Monday. They are very easy to hit. The only probably is the don't make a 2h in the standard model.

[treebound]

Just picked up a Cobra Amp 4H 22* on clearance. Was also test hitting some drivers but today the hybrid was working better so it won the coin flip. Now I need more range time to get my swing sorted out. I really wanted a driver but thought it was smarter to fill my gap between the 3W and 4iron. (We won't talk about how far the store monitor was saying my drives were going. ;) )