Steelhead vs V-Steel Fairwaywoods

[La Costa Golfer]

I have been swinging a Callaway Steelhead for years as it is classic that many pros still swing. Now....thinking of getting a TaylorMade V-Steel because they are being sold as a clearance and can get one at TGW for $85.

Could users of both clubs give me your impressions of each head to head? Ball flight. Off the deck. Off the tee. Dispersion. Basically accuracy, distance, versatility....

So far I swung a used one at Golf Galaxy in their indoor range and the V-Steel feels light. Callaway has a more heft feel.

Thanks.

[jjrich33]

I have a TM V-Steel in a 3-wood that I've been playing for the last two years. I love it and have been looking for a nice 18deg 5w in the same model.

The specs on my 3w are 15deg loft, S300 shaft. I play the fairly nuetral in my stance and have a pretty low launch angle. I think last week I put one out over 290 yards off the tee, lots of pop with these. My normal fairway yardage is 250-265.

I originally purchased the same head in a graphite stiff shaft but didnt' like the swing weight. Steel is the way to go for me.

This club is fairly easy to get into the air and so I always tee it up low or just hit it off the deck if the tee box is not tightly mowed. I can play a good draw (~20-25 yards right to left) pretty easily but I have some difficulty hitting a controlled fade.

Hope that answers some of your questions. Like I said, I love this club and am looking at getting another to round out my set (I cant stand the look and feel of hybrids).

[La Costa Golfer]

I have a TM V-Steel in a 3-wood that I've been playing for the last two years. I love it and have been looking for a nice 18deg 5w in the same model.

Thank you very much for the feedback. I ordered one through TGW.com and it arrived yesterday and hope to bring it to the range this weekend. If you want a 5W...you can get it for less than $100 at TGW.com (I paid $85 last weekend when they had a special)

Wow...290 off the tee? 250 off the turf? Great stuff. A few additional questions. The club really feel light (static and swing) compared to other fairwaywoods. Almost like a hybrid. Does a light fairwaywood end up playing like a long iron in effect? Another question. How does the V Steel compare to the R7 fairway steel clubs?

[MGP]

I have had both the 3W and 5W V-Steel fairway woods for almost two seasons now. I've also hit the R7 steeel fairway and I prefer the V-Steel regardless of price.

The V-Steel 3W is very long for me, especially off the tee. I play one course that is short but hilly and position is everything. On many rounds there I will only hit driver one or two times the entire round and give up very little distance by using the V-Steel.

I also have an Adams RPM LP 4W that I'll bag in place of the V-Steel combo when I want to add another hybrid to the bag.

Overall, I think the V-Steel is one of the best all around fairway woods ever made.

One other thing -- the graphite shafted V-Steels do tend to feel a little on the lighter side (static weight) and maybe a point or two less on swing weight than the steel shafted version. I have been toying with the idea of re-shafting my V-Steels with steel shafts. I did that with my hybrids a couple months ago and my hybrid shots improved quite a bit. It also took the static and swing weight of the hybrids up a bit as well.

[La Costa Golfer]

Having the graphite shafted V-Steels does have a lighter feel..but I think I will be ok since I play the TaylorMade Mid Hybrids...which has the same "M.A.S" (whatever that stands for) shafts...and which brings some attraction to why I was selecting the V-Steel.

As for the V-Steel over the R7....I agree...price isn't the determinator. Performance is. Just l am playing my Callaway Steelhead. Many others have come out and I can afford buying them...but how sweet it is.

The V-Steel has big shoes to fill in that it is a swap-out of my Callaway Steelhead (still going to play the Steelhead with the 16* on more hilly courses...so the higher trajectory can better handle elevated greens)

As for swapping out to a steel shaft...perhaps your best bet is to buy a brand new V-Steel. How can you beat paying less than $100 for a brand new V Steel. You could have a graphite as well as a steel shafted club...which one you select would depend on the course conditions.

[bballglf23]

I would look on ebay, you could get a v-steel off of ebay for alot cheaper than $85. I have an r7 tp and its amazing

[FG71]

Hi, I first played with the v-steel line from the fist year they were out and then switch to R7 tp, x-hot, rescue tp, sonartec, burner tp. With the proper shaft nothing compares to the V-steel I had to learn that the expensive way

I play the V-steel 13* TS aldila nv 75g and the V-steel 18* Fujikura pro 90g.

Also look for the new 2008 V-steel line in Japan!

Hope this helps

Cheer

Frank