Help in Choosing a Low-Priced Fairway Wood for a Beginner

[BaronV]

Need some equipment advice from the players here. I've finally started seeing improvement in my game and dropped from a 30 handicap to a 22 in a few months and now gunning to get to at least an 18 by the end of the year. I’ve finally got a driver, putter, irons, and hybrids that I am fine with but I have never used my fairway woods.

I’m am able to hit my driver about 220 yards and my #3 hybrid about 180 yards off the tee. So I am looking for filling in the gap between 181-219 yards and was looking into getting a #3 or #4 Fairway Wood. I’ve never had much luck in the trajectory of my Top-Flite HCT Tour woods and even after trying out my friend’s Callaway ERC Fusion and Adams Tight Lies woods, I haven’t been overly impressed. For some reason I generate a wicked slice with the #3 & #5 but am fine with my driver and hybrids. I will mainly use this club off the tee since I have trouble with the longer shafted clubs on the fairways. Since I will be using this mainly on long par 4s, I don’t really want to spend more than a $100 so here is a list of new #3 or #5 woods I can get around that price range. Can anyone recommend any of these or point out other good low-priced woods?

TITLEIST GOLF- 904F
ADAMS GOLF- RPM LP
CALLAWAY GOLF- GREAT BIG BERTHA II
KING COBRA COMP
COBRA SPEED SERIES
TAYLOR MADE MENS V STEEL
TAYLOR MADE R580
MACGREGOR MACTEC NVG
CLEVELAND MENS LAUNCHER
NIKE IGNITE T60

[King Cobra II]

I got a Max Fli Black Max on sale last week end at dicks for about 45$. The club was marked down to 60$ from 129.99, and i had 15 off, and it was no tax day. I'm sure you could find something reasonable at your sporting goods store, or you could get something used.

[Sand-Dweller]

I have been using Adam's Ovation 2 fairway woods and have had a good run with them. Dick's Sports currently is selling off their inventory. May want to check out their website.

[shortgame85]

Since you swing your hybrid well, why don't you try a 16 degree hybrid instead of a 3 or 4 wood? The hybrids are easier to hit than any other club. The previous year Cobra model, that is the non DWS Baffler, is selling for around $99 with the same Aldila graphite shaft as the current model. I think the Bafflers are great clubs and much easier to hit than a 3 wood. Give this a try and let us know what you think.

[KingCobra]

try the speed series cobra or the comp. I have a cobra 5 wood and i hit it 200 yards. Very easy club to hit. Go cobra

P.S. the adams rpm is very hard to hit for me, don't like the shape of the head.

[CG031]

Cleveland Launcher isn't bad. I got one this year - but my dad gave me his Bobby Jones 3 wood since he likes his F-Speed better though...Bobby Jones woods are way better then anything on that list, or at least IMO...Bobby Jones fairway woods are so easy to hit because they are easy to get in the air with the shallow face...so..consider them..

[KingCobra]

Cleveland Launcher isn't bad. I got one this year - but my dad gave me his Bobby Jones 3 wood since he likes his F-Speed better though...Bobby Jones woods are way better then anything on that list, or at least IMO...Bobby Jones fairway woods are so easy to hit because they are easy to get in the air with the shallow face...so..consider them..

arent they like 200 bucks

[Leek]

Taylor Made V-Steel is one heck of a fairway wood. One of the all time greats!

[BaronV]

The reason I am looking into a Fairway wood instead of a lower lofted hybrid is that I'd like a larger face on the club and a bigger forgiveness factor. With the price on hybrids and some fairway woods nearly identical since I'm buying last years models, I'd rather get a fairway wood for now.

[mceb]

Need some equipment advice from the players here. I've finally started seeing improvement in my game and dropped from a 30 handicap to a 22 in a few months and now gunning to get to at least an 18 by the end of the year. I’ve finally got a driver, putter, irons, and hybrids that I am fine with but I have never used my fairway woods.

I've recently ordered "The Perfect Club" (web site is their name). They seem to specialize in shorter length shafts with heavier swingweights in the clubhead. I've always struggled with longer shafted clubs especially fairway woods so the shorter length shaft sounds like something that will do me good. Oh and all their clubs seem to be below $100 per club.

[Gregoire]

I just got a Tommy Armour torch 3 wood. Very easy to get in the air and they are very reasonably priced.

[fluxcapacitor]

Rockbottomgolf.com is running a special on the Adams fairway woods. $69.99.

Also, start diggin around in the used bins at the driving range and golf outlets, there's usually some good deals in there.

[gr8hntr]

i have been lookin for some cheap fairway woods for my father
so i went to golfgalaxy lastnight and found a deal on Distance Master
fairway woods ..dont know how good they are but the deal was
buy 2 and get one free price was $49.99 per club , so for $109
out the door i got a 3,5 and 7 wood .
they dont show the fairway woods on the website

here is a link to the distance master head at a builders site
http://www.builderspowertools.com/in...OD&ProdID;=2113

[ettsn]

Not exactly a low-priced option, but I just picked up a new 2007 Big Bertha 3-wood. All I can say is, wow! That is easily the best fairway wood I've ever hit. I hit probably 75 balls in the simulator, all off the deck, and mishit maybe 2-3 of them. And even those were decent. Awesome club.