Second longest club thread

[onthehunt526]

I had a revelation. I currently have a 4-wood in my bag. 16.5 degree exotics EX9 with a Matrix Black Tie Extra Stiff shaft. This is not a should I carry a 3-wood 5-wood 16 degree hybrid thread. That would be repetitive. Because there are a hundred ten of those. This is more of a share your struggles or good shots or I'm thinking my second longest club isn't or is right for me.

So the simple questions are: What is your second longest club (OEM, model, loft)? Do you struggle with it off the turf? And have you considered other options?

Personally I struggle sometimes with my 4-wood off the ground and the tee, sometimes. it might be a ball position thing... I mostly use my 3-hybrid for longer shots because it's mOre consistent, sometimes I wonder if my 4-wood is just taking up bag space.

[tristanhilton85]

Usually my second longest club is my Callaway Big Bertha V Series 3 wood with the stock (Bassara) stiff shaft. I really like this club and find it really easy to hit from the fairway (compared to other 3 woods) and I use it off the tee occasionally as well.

I also have a Callaway X-Hot Pro 4w (16°). That was what I used before I got the Big Bertha V series, and it still finds its way into my bag occasionally.

[b101]

Titleist 915F 3 wood with an Aldila Rogue Black shaft. Really good fit for me and had it fitted. I might need to re-evaluate the setting it's on (A3 - high draw), but it certainly flies with the right hit - a good strike usually puts it around the 230-240 mark, but I've had a high of 295 with it and can often clear 250. Poor strikes bring my average down to about 220. Driver averages 256, so it fits nicely for gapping purposes. All numbers over the last 10 rounds from Game Golf - there have been some really windy days, so am pretty happy with these.

My issue is actually the club below that. I currently have a Callaway X2 Hot 3 hybrid, but I don't get on with it. There's also a 3 iron, which can be the right club, but not a huge difference between that and the 4 iron that I also carry. In summer, this is definitely the club. I also have an Apex UT 2 iron (18 degree), which I hope will be the answer, but with my current swing, I struggle to hit well consistently. I'm getting fit for a new hybrid in a month and hoping this will sort things out.

[boogielicious]

Usually my Titleist 915F 5 wood is my #2 club. It is great off the tee but I will only use it off the turf from the fairway. That would be on par 5s. If the lie or shot zone is sketchy, then I would go with my 915H 3 hybrid. That launches a bit higher and has less dispersion.

[Lagavulin62]

Alpha Reaction with a no longer made Penley Stealth 70 has worked very well, mostly as a tee club. On the grass I could never get the consistency of the range to translate on course. But that has been the case my whole life and why I have always preferred the long irons over chancing the fw. It always made sense to carry  because I always used it for tee shots more than the driver. 20 years ago the real question for me woukd have been why do I carry the driver? But not so today and I amstarting to rethink my 3 wood selection. I have a Bang Mellow Yellow 3 wood head I am going to shaft this Spring. We will see how this goes. I think it's going to be a hit.  

[Joey G]

My Ping G5 18* 5w is my second longest club. I never hit a 3-wood well off the fairway and mostly used it to replace my driver on days that I wasn't hitting it well. After switching to a 12* driver last year, I eliminated the 3w and added a 21* 7w.

I hit the 5w well off the fairway or a low tee when needed.

[MarvChamp]

12 minutes ago, Joey G said:

My Ping G5 18* 5w is my second longest club. I never hit a 3-wood well off the fairway and mostly used it to replace my driver on days that I wasn't hitting it well. After switching to a 12* driver last year, I eliminated the 3w and added a 21* 7w.

I hit the 5w well off the fairway or a low tee when needed.

Exactly my story, different brand. Currently, though, I find I hit my Cleveland 4 Hybrid more consistently and nearly as far as the 5w. -Marv

[WUTiger]

My second-longest is my TE Exotics XRail 4W, w/ 16.5° loft and 42.5" shaft, D1 Swingwt.

Shaft = Grahite Design G-Series 60 R flex, 60 gr., mid-high launch, 3.9 Torque

If I'm swinging halfway decent, it works great. For hitting off the turf, I sometimes choke up 1/2 inch for better control. I may switch to with a slightly lighter grip, which would increase the swingweight. It feels a bit feathery sometimes.
-------------------------------------------

I have a challenger to the XRail, a Big Bertha Alpha 815 FW, 18° loft and 42.5" shaft, D2 Swt.
Shaft = Fuji Motore Speeder 665 FW R-flex, 62 gram, low-mid torque and midlaunch.

I've hit the Alpha at the range, but haven't played with it. I will probably deloft to 17°, and rotate the sole weights to see how that affects flight and trajectory. If it works, I might pick up a FlyZ 3H and replace the 7W also.

[Grinde6]

My 2nd longest club would be my 3 wood Cobra Bio Cell which I have tuned down to about 13.5*.  On my home course, I use if off the tee 6 times per round minimum.  I will only use it 2-3 times at the very most off the fairway the way the course is set up and where I play the ball to, so the lower loft is more for my home course.  If I go to a course where it is needed more off the fairway, I tend to put it up around 15*, but not very often. 

Arccos Stats with my 3 Wood:

91 shots

Driving:

Smart Distance - 252 yards

Smart Range 241-268

Longest Drive - 318

Approach:

Smart Distance - 230

Smart Range - 222-257

Longest - 282

 

[1badbadger]

The 2nd longest club in my bag is also the oldest club in the bag and has been in the bag longer than any other club.

My 3 wood is my 2nd longest club at 43" with 15.5*.  It's a Callaway Steelhead Plus which was released in 1999, but I got it before they were available at retail.  This particular club was given to me by a Tour player who tried it, but the shaft was a little too soft for him but he thought it might be a good fit for me.  

It's ancient by today's standards, but in all the years I've had it I have never considered replacing it or reshafting it.  I can hit it right-to-left, left-to-right, high, low...it does everything I need it to do, and with almost 2 decades of good shots, I have so much confidence in it I can't imagine a club that would be better.

When I'm playing well, I hit it off the tee when needed and can hit it off of the fairway just fine.  When I'm not playing well, or if I haven't been playing much, I have a tendency to hit the ball thin with all clubs, so a 3 wood off of a really tight lie can be dicey.  It's not a low-profile type head, so catching it a groove or two low won't have a good result.

Since 1999 I've probably had 10-12 drivers, 5 or 6 sets of irons, a lot of wedges and too many putters to count.  But I've only had one 3 wood, and unless it breaks or is stolen I have no plans to replace it.

[Jakester23]

Up until last week my 2nd longest club was a Callaway X2 hot 4w. I hit it well off the deck and tee. I just picked up a TaylorMade M1 3w. I have the M1 driver and love how it looks so I decided to pick up the 15° 3w to match. I do like that it's adjustable if I start struggling I can turn it up 2° to basically make it the same as my X2 Hot.

[Jmdmbike]

My second longest club is my g30 18 degree 5 wood, really great club. Usually hit it better off the tee than off the deck, great for when the driver is misbehaving

[No Mulligans]

On 2/18/2017 at 9:54 PM, onthehunt526 said:

I had a revelation. I currently have a 4-wood in my bag. 16.5 degree exotics EX9 with a Matrix Black Tie Extra Stiff shaft. This is not a should I carry a 3-wood 5-wood 16 degree hybrid thread. That would be repetitive. Because there are a hundred ten of those. This is more of a share your struggles or good shots or I'm thinking my second longest club isn't or is right for me.

So the simple questions are: What is your second longest club (OEM, model, loft)? Do you struggle with it off the turf? And have you considered other options?

Personally I struggle sometimes with my 4-wood off the ground and the tee, sometimes. it might be a ball position thing... I mostly use my 3-hybrid for longer shots because it's mOre consistent, sometimes I wonder if my 4-wood is just taking up bag space.

This is my situation also.  My second longest club is a Callaway XR 4 wood, 17 degrees 43", and is the only fairway wood I carry.  I don't use it too often off the deck as I'm more consistent with my 3 or 4 hybrid off the deck.  I do tee off with it quite a bit though.  It belongs in my bag and I hope to get better with it off the deck.

[Billsy]

Titleist 915 F3 ...perfect off the tee. Rarely I will hit it off the deck. Has the Oban Devotion 6 shaft.

[Brian W]

Cobra Bio Cell + set at 15 degrees

I am very confident with this club.  My 4 iron goes about 190 and my 3h goes 200-210.  Anything more than that (in the 220-230 range) is this club.  I have hit some very accurate shots with it and feel very comfortable with it.  In the first round this season, I have plopped one from 225 out within 15 feet from the pin.  I may change my driver this year but I get the feeling this club along with my hybrid (also a Bio Cell +) will be around for a long time