Dumping My Fairway Wood

[Lihu]

It's been a good friend off the tee many times. It's taken me from long par 4s and par 5s when I could not hit long irons. I still can't hit long irons that well, but they get me where I need to go now. I also tend to use a 3i or 3H off the tee instead of the Fairway wood because I feel more comfortable with those clubs, at this point, even though they're 10-30 yards shorter. I have also been known to top my Fairway wood at least 25% of the time on uneven lies or at least thin it off those lies. So, I usually end up with a hybrid in my hands. What keeps me going back is when I hit the club off a nice flat fairway the few times there is a decent lie, and the ball makes that nice long high flight. This does not happen very often. So, it usually gets out of my bag once per four rounds, if at all. I've been seriously thinking of replacing it with a driving iron or somehow find a longer hybrid, because I think they might get out of the bag more often. I might even replace it with a 56 degree wedge.

[Jakester23]

It's been a good friend off the tee many times. It's taken me from long par 4s and par 5s when I could not hit long irons. I still can't hit long irons that well, but they get me where I need to go now. I also tend to use a 3i or 3H off the tee instead of the Fairway wood because I feel more comfortable with those clubs, at this point, even though they're 10-30 yards shorter. I have also been known to top my Fairway wood at least 25% of the time on uneven lies or at least thin it off those lies. So, I usually end up with a hybrid in my hands. What keeps me going back is when I hit the club off a nice flat fairway the few times there is a decent lie, and the ball makes that nice long high flight. This does not happen very often. So, it usually gets out of my bag once per four rounds, if at all. I've been seriously thinking of replacing it with a driving iron or somehow find a longer hybrid, because I think they might get out of the bag more often. I might even replace it with a 56 degree wedge.

If you want a driving iron I have one I'll sell ya. It's an 18* callaway prototype hybrid iron or something like that. It has a steel shaft I think it's an s300 stiff. If your serious about it I can send you pictures.

[Lihu]

If you want a driving iron I have one I'll sell ya. It's an 18* callaway prototype hybrid iron or something like that. It has a steel shaft I think it's an s300 stiff. If your serious about it I can send you pictures.

The only issue, which I probably was not too clear about, is that I'm a lefty.

Otherwise, I might be tempted. . .

BTW, why are you getting rid of it?

[Shindig]

Okay, so my history with woods. For the longest time, I refused to hit a wood off anything except a tee. I'd have the same results you're describing, except even from good lies. Eventually I was able to hit a 5-wood off the deck, and a 3-wood sometimes from a great lie. At the May So Cal outing, Mike made a grip change for me and had me hit a 3-wood off the deck (at the range). Ever since then, I haven't had trouble with that shot. I still avoid 3-wood off the deck on a bad lie, but I suspect that's the smart thing to do -- if the likely result is a bad shot, I go down a club. Sure, a great shot with either leaves me closer to the hole, but the likely shot with the shorter one puts me closer. Unless you have a need for another club in the bag, I'd say to keep the fairway wood and use it from the good lies when that happens. As your swing improves -- and it is improving -- I think you'll find that the set of circumstances in which you can successfully hit it increases.

[bste]

@Lihu I have always had an issue with woods, pushes, soooo, I have four 3 woods. Picked up a Nickent 15* hybrid I love, goes maybe 10 yards shorter.  Bbuuuttt as in, what a butthead, always go back to the 3 wood for distance.

Good Luck hope you can find something that will work.

[Dave2512]

Loft up. I hit an 18 degree fairway further, higher and more consistent than a 15 or 16 degree fairway.

[Crim]

I've learned to stay far away from my 3 wood until I get more practice in. I'd never dump my 5 wood though, that's my precious...

[Jakester23]

The only issue, which I probably was not too clear about, is that I'm a lefty. Otherwise, I might be tempted. . . BTW, why are you getting rid of it?

Because I'm not good enough to hit it. I was like you and struggled with a 3 wood so I got that driving iron thinking it would be easier hit. I messed around with it for a few months and retired it. Now I'm gaming a callaway x2 hot 4w. I haven't played with anyone who wasn't able to hit it and who didn't like hitting it. My buddy doesn't even hit his when we play together he just grabs mine out of my bag. I think it 17* and it's very easy to launch from the deck. I don't hit it out of the rough though. I'll switch to my hybrid. I don't really recall a situation where I would need my 4w out of the rough though. If I'm on a par 5 and miss the fairway I'm not usually thinking of going for it. I hit my 3H about 20 shortener than my 4w so I will just use that. The 4w out of the rough won't go nearly as far as it does off a tee or in the fairway so I just don't hit it.

[Lihu]

Because I'm not good enough to hit it. I was like you and struggled with a 3 wood so I got that driving iron thinking it would be easier hit. I messed around with it for a few months and retired it. Now I'm gaming a callaway x2 hot 4w. I haven't played with anyone who wasn't able to hit it and who didn't like hitting it. My buddy doesn't even hit his when we play together he just grabs mine out of my bag. I think it 17* and it's very easy to launch from the deck. I don't hit it out of the rough though. I'll switch to my hybrid. I don't really recall a situation where I would need my 4w out of the rough though. If I'm on a par 5 and miss the fairway I'm not usually thinking of going for it. I hit my 3H about 20 shortener than my 4w so I will just use that. The 4w out of the rough won't go nearly as far as it does off a tee or in the fairway so I just don't hit it.

It seems like the timing for a 3W is really precise. Even if I am hitting it well, there isn't a lot of opportunity to use it. Glad to hear the DI is easier to hit off the deck. Thanks for the info.

[joekelly]

Ha Lihu,  Had a small laugh when i read, your post, "can't hit my 3W, might replace with 56* wedge'.  Yeah, that will help.

I've got an old, rusty red colored bubble shafted Taylor Made 5 wood, with stiff flex, from the Goodwill Shop.  Half the time as good as the $300 monster headed driver i also own.  Inconsistent delivery is the bane of 98% of golfers and certainly me.

[MS256]

Except for just a few (very few) occasions where I had a slump with a fairway wood both the 5W and the 3W have always been the best clubs in my bag. Off of a tee or off of the ground honestly doesn't make any difference to me unless I have some sort of bad lie.

[brice]

I never use my fairway wood. I hit my driver better, and I hit it too far to ever need it. I just leave it in there so my bag wont look empty lol

[cipher]

I never use my fairway wood. I hit my driver better, and I hit it too far to ever need it. I just leave it in there so my bag wont look empty lol

Lol! But what if it is warm out and you are playing a 336 yard par 4? You might need it then!

[brice]

Lol! But what if it is warm out and you are playing a 336 yard par 4? You might need it then!

LOL u have a point

[trickyputt]

I finally ended up with a TM 3wood that I like, its the 17°HL version. I got tired of of only being able to hit a 15°3W off pretty and uphill lies. I haven't missed the 13° clubs I have tried either. I can get the 17 way up in the air from the fairway and its distance is a good blend with my bag. The big head lets the shaft length work and the lie is for 3w angles. I took half the torque out of the oem design with a stiff UST V2 mid bend shaft, but thats just my training wheels until I learn how to transition. Its 44" long. I built it for this one particular par 5, where the second shot is played on a downhill, sidehill, slice inducing fairway with a water carry. It turns out that it works well on all the courses I play.

[Lihu]

Ha Lihu,  Had a small laugh when i read, your post, "can't hit my 3W, might replace with 56* wedge'.  Yeah, that will help. I've got an old, rusty red colored bubble shafted Taylor Made 5 wood, with stiff flex, from the Goodwill Shop.  Half the time as good as the $300 monster headed driver i also own.  Inconsistent delivery is the bane of 98% of golfers and certainly me.

Yup, things changed. My irons are suddenly my most reliable clubs, my driver slices or goes 260 yards some of the time. My 3W can be used off the tee, but it only goes 220 and rolls some. I don't really see a use for it. If I have a severe dogleg, I would use an iron or hybrid. I can't use the FW from the rough, it's even less reliable there. The only time I take it out is if I "feel like it". Honestly, a club that sees one stroke every 4 rounds, no exaggeration, can't be justified to stay in the bag. I will say that it's gotten me through some tough times when I couldn't hit any iron longer than my 6i (which is only as difficult to hit as a modern 8i). I'll miss those choked up fairway wood shots with my 3W. I'm starting to get sentimental. :cry:

[inthehole]

I switched from my 3w to a 4w for most of the year .... recently went back to the 3w - its ALOT longer and I find isn't any more difficult to hit at all (it's only a half inch longer & 2 degrees lower).    I really enjoy hitting it off nice fairway lies (although as others have said above, I avoid hitting it from uneven or tight lies).    I find I use it a lot off the tee for no other reason than to come up short of fairway bunkers rather than challenging them with the driver.    I would really miss it if I had to take it from my bag...

[Lihu]

I switched from my 3w to a 4w for most of the year .... recently went back to the 3w - its ALOT longer and I find isn't any more difficult to hit at all (it's only a half inch longer & 2 degrees lower).    I really enjoy hitting it off nice fairway lies (although as others have said above, I avoid hitting it from uneven or tight lies).    I find I use it a lot off the tee for no other reason than to come up short of fairway bunkers rather than challenging them with the driver.    I would really miss it if I had to take it from my bag...

Maybe in a year, things will change again? Who knows.