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Should I upgrade my 3 or 5W first?


mayhem
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Recently upgraded my driver to a 14* SLSR-S. I imagine this will render my current 3W pretty useless at 15*, so I'm thinking of upgrading there too. I like the TMJetspeed, but can't decide on the 3 or 5. I'm leaning toward the 5. I hit my current 5 better than my 3, but still don't really know how much 1* of difference really makes... I have a 4 hybrid now, but do not hit it very well at all so I don't think I'll be considering any hybrids. I also carry a 4i if that helps at all. Thanks
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Recently upgraded my driver to a 14* SLSR-S. I imagine this will render my current 3W pretty useless at 15*, so I'm thinking of upgrading there too.

I like the TMJetspeed, but can't decide on the 3 or 5. I'm leaning toward the 5.

I hit my current 5 better than my 3, but still don't really know how much 1* of difference really makes...

I have a 4 hybrid now, but do not hit it very well at all so I don't think I'll be considering any hybrids. I also carry a 4i if that helps at all.

Thanks

I would say that if a 14* driver is an upgrade from your old driver, your new 3 wood is anything but useless since its performance will remain unchanged. Unless you previously hit your 3 wood as well as your driver, you have nothing to fear. Degrees of loft on a SLDR driver can be misleading, because I was fitted into a 13* SLDR and still hit it similarly to my current 10.5* driver as well as my old 10.5* driver(I say similarly because the reason I have my current driver, and not a SLDR, is because I hit it better than the SLDR). Loft is not everything, and your new driver will NOT make your current 3-wood obsolete or useless because there is a small loft gap between them.

That said, if you would like to purchase a new 3 wood as well you should consider what you use more frequently: Your 3 wood or your 5 wood?

When you have the answer to that question you'll know which club would likely benefit more from an upgrade.

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First of all, try to find out what the new driver does for you. This way you will know if the 3 is obsolete. What if you buy a new 3 wood, the new driver could get obsolete! First guess? Upgrade the 5 wood.
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My opinion.

If you have a 14 degree driver @ 45.5 inch shaf t, the next logical club should be a 5 wood, skip the three entirely. i.e.If you need a 3 wood off  the tee, choke down on the driver 1-2 inches, swing normal with the face slightly open.

You'll find the 5 wood to be much easier to hit off the fairway and rough ( with and OK lie)

Now that you have room for a club in the bag:

consider a high lofted hybrid, such as 6 or 5. These can be really useful on those long, wind in your face shots or long par 3s.....The hybrid has an entirely different ball flight (higher and landing softer)  than its counter 4 or 5 iron.

or another wedge

good luck

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I would say that if a 14* driver is an upgrade from your old driver, your new 3 wood is anything but useless since its performance will remain unchanged. Unless you previously hit your 3 wood as well as your driver, you have nothing to fear. Degrees of loft on a SLDR driver can be misleading, because I was fitted into a 13* SLDR and still hit it similarly to my current 10.5* driver as well as my old 10.5* driver(I say similarly because the reason I have my current driver, and not a SLDR, is because I hit it better than the SLDR). Loft is not everything, and your new driver will NOT make your current 3-wood obsolete or useless because there is a small loft gap between them.

That said, if you would like to purchase a new 3 wood as well you should consider what you use more frequently: Your 3 wood or your 5 wood?

When you have the answer to that question you'll know which club would likely benefit more from an upgrade.

The lofts on the SLDR (s) are not miss leading at all. What is missing is that driver engages very little spin on the ball, pro, amateur or weekend player, Low spin, means low lift...it also means loft can be increased. Every manufacture subscribes to the physics of low spin, high loft = greatest distance.  Many pros and amatuers using that family of drivers (sldr) went up in loft from a previous model- gained distance &  this was no coincidence. Assuming the original poster was fitted for a driver, it likely means he is a little steep (-2-3 degree) it can also mean a relatively slower club head speed- or both.   regarding that specific family of drivers SLDR and SLDRS, the most common loft sold was 10 degrees, the second most common loft was 12 degrees. the SLDRs also came in a 14 and 16 degree model.

Loft is everything for many of us. On average many golfers share a couple of problems with their present equipment, Too low of loft, to heavy or too stiff of driver. ask Jason day who hits his 10 deg driver 125 feet high, as well as his 7 iron, pitching wedge  and his fairway- they all go the same height. Just further away from the point of ball strike.  Think about how high that is the next time you are on the tee and the fairway is lined with 60 foot pine trees or the like.

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The lofts on the SLDR (s) are not miss leading at all. What is missing is that driver engages very little spin on the ball, pro, amateur or weekend player, Low spin, means low lift...it also means loft can be increased. Every manufacture subscribes to the physics of low spin, high loft = greatest distance.  Many pros and amatuers using that family of drivers (sldr) went up in loft from a previous model- gained distance &  this was no coincidence. Assuming the original poster was fitted for a driver, it likely means he is a little steep (-2-3 degree) it can also mean a relatively slower club head speed- or both.   regarding that specific family of drivers SLDR and SLDRS, the most common loft sold was 10 degrees, the second most common loft was 12 degrees. the SLDRs also came in a 14 and 16 degree model.

Loft is everything for many of us. On average many golfers share a couple of problems with their present equipment, Too low of loft, to heavy or too stiff of driver. ask Jason day who hits his 10 deg driver 125 feet high, as well as his 7 iron, pitching wedge  and his fairway- they all go the same height. Just further away from the point of ball strike.  Think about how high that is the next time you are on the tee and the fairway is lined with 60 foot pine trees or the like.

I know the lofts are not misleading, they are exactly as marked, but I was meaning to convey the point that a SLDR drive with 14* of loft is very different than, say, a G30 driver with 14* of loft. It does not behave the same way, so doing a comparison of the loft of your SLDR and 3-wood is meaningless.

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I know the lofts are not misleading, they are exactly as marked, but I was meaning to convey the point that a SLDR drive with 14* of loft is very different than, say, a G30 driver with 14* of loft. It does not behave the same way, so doing a comparison of the loft of your SLDR and 3-wood is meaningless.

so doing a comparison of the loft of your SLDR and 3-wood is meaningless. ?????

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so doing a comparison of the loft of your SLDR and 3-wood is meaningless. ?????

Yes, or at least nearly so, because the clubs are designed to be completely different and have very different launch characteristics. They behave differently enough that comparing loft on its own will not give you useful information.

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At this time in your game, consider the SLDR mini-D and a 5W. With only one true FW, you will get lots of practice using it. This will give you info for later on FWs once you start shooting in the 90s.

You're trying to develop your game, so don't feel you need to carry all 14 clubs right now. Go with the ones you can hit right now and fill in others as your swing develops.

Like the ancient nation of Rome, a golf swing isn't built in a day.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
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Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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Recently upgraded my driver to a 14* SLSR-S. I imagine this will render my current 3W pretty useless at 15*, so I'm thinking of upgrading there too.

I like the TMJetspeed, but can't decide on the 3 or 5. I'm leaning toward the 5.

I hit my current 5 better than my 3, but still don't really know how much 1* of difference really makes...

I have a 4 hybrid now, but do not hit it very well at all so I don't think I'll be considering any hybrids. I also carry a 4i if that helps at all.

Thanks

Having a 14 degree driver doesn't necessarily make your 15 degree 3 wood useless. Depends on the club and launch conditions.

Having said that.....I'm assuming your swing speed is on the slower side so the loft of the 5 wood will help you get the ball in the air and keep in the air longer than a 3 wood. But if you get a chance, go to a demo day or a golf store and hit a 3 wood and 5 wood, see which one performs better.

Mike McLoughlin

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Note: This thread is 3114 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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