Is the 5 wood dead?

[onthehunt526]

This is my question for the TST Universe, is the old two fairway wood set-up dead?

The set-up: somewhere back in the year 1991 and a half, Some cool dude named Ely Callaway decided to make lofted fairway metals for his "Big Bertha" line. The 7,9, and 11 wood were made for people who couldn't 3, 4 or 5 irons. And Garfield was talking about Leo Fudge having a putt to win $100,000, after already winning the $25,000 "Funniest Pants Award".

Fast forward to 2017 and a quarter, Ely's lofted woods still exist but most people prefer hybrids... To replace longer irons.

rewind to 2007 and three quarters: Most people still carried 3 wood/5 wood... 

So why is it most people carry, D/FW/H as opposed to D/FW/FW/H... Is even the 5 wood dead and the 3 wood on life support?

[Typhoon92]

I carry 5 wood since my lowest lofted iron is a 4 iron and I can't hit a hybrid.  I can add in a 3 wood depending on the course.  Been thinking of only a 4 wood lately

[David in FL]

I know a lot of players who carry a 5-wood.  I don't because I hit my hybrids better, and find them a little more versatile from different lies, but the 5-wood is by no means even close to "dead".

[Wally Fairway]

My go to escape club for a number of years was a 4-wood (and by wood I mean persimmon).
That was replace by hybrids, but I'm thinking about giving it a go again.

I may be old but I miss the sound of metal cleats and of a well hit persimmon

[Hacker James]

nope, not even. I mix em up a bit. 4 or 5 persimmon in lieu of low lofted hybrid. Other times, just driver and hybrids. Prior to hybrids, I had Orlimar Tri-Metal Miraged 7W (the original low profiles). 

[Marty2019]

My 5-wood has a much longer shaft than my 3-hybrid, about 2" longer, so the 5-wood hits it quite a bit farther than the 3-hybrid.  For me, there is too big a gap between my driver and my 3-hybrid.  So I still carry a 5-wood.   No 3-wood, though. 

[Valleygolfer]

I have a 4 and 7 wood. I am planning on sticking my 3 iron back in though. 7 wood goes much further than I wanted.

[boogielicious]

I've played a 5 wood the last two years instead of a 3. I am going to try a 4 wood this year, which I've done in the past. I also play a 3 and 4 hybrid.

[Lihu]

Up until a week ago, I used a 5W and 3W interchangeably. My son still uses a 5W.

[chilepepper]

My hybrid(s) have taken the place of my 5 w. Hit them about as far and with the shorter shaft and a tad more upright I find them more versatile for other oddball shots, punching out from underneath branches etc

[anker0071]

I used to go D, 5W, 3-PW. I have since put in a 3W and have taken out the 3i as it would go about as far as the 5w, but I can hit the 5w higher. I only use the 3w off the tee, and will hit the 5w from anywhere. I have never liked hybrids.

[WUTiger]

2 hours ago, Typhoon92 said:

Been thinking of only a 4 wood lately

I've played a 4W + 7W + 4H for four years.

I've changed up a little - I have a Callaway 815 Alpha, set to 15* and 19* (more 3W + 5W), but I may end up setting them to 16* and 20* for reliability (closer to 4W, 7W). I have the Alpha 20-gram sole weight set at the back of the sole, so I get really good launch from them.

2 hours ago, David in FL said:

I know a lot of players who carry a 5-wood.  I don't because I hit my hybrids better, and find them a little more versatile from different lies, but the 5-wood is by no means even close to "dead".

One of the local pros carries a 5W with a 4W-length shaft for his sole FW.

One of our TST guys, @Mr. Desmond, has a 4W, 7W, 9W + two hybrids. It just depends on what works.

I got a basic online Ping fitting, and the recommended mix was an 18* 5W, a 17* 2H (go figure...) and a 22* 4H.

The key to a FW that works is getting one that fits your game. If you have medium swing speed and get a FW with a head for "low, boring trajectory," you may have trouble getting a high enough launch. (The low-launch heads tend to be paired - stock - with more robust shafts). A wood head that tends toward low profile can also help with launch.

That said, I played with an athletic 20-something last season who carried a driver, a 2H and 4H, and no FW. Playing from the 6,700-yd. tees, he had the distance to get home in two on two of four Par 5 holes with his hybrids. (One shot he landed, the other he pulled pin high into the hillside to left of the green.)

Again, go with what works. Players having long-term trouble with FWs should go to a couple of demo days, try out lots of FWs and take notes, and then get fittings on a couple of finalists. Between adjustability and dozens of shafts available for no upcharge, there's a lot of variety on FWs. 

Edited March 27, 2017 by WUTiger
Remove 2" white space.

[JxQx]

I don't think it is dead but gapping has changed bag setups quite a bit due to increased length with the new ish equipment. I think people are finding that a hybrid fits their distance gap between 3/4 wood and irons a lot better than a 5 wood does. Overall it is still a very much player to player thing, I personally wouldn't carry a 5 wood because I struggle to hit fairway woods off the deck so it would just waste space in my bag, instead I use a 2 iron.

[jkelley9]

It's dead for me, personally. Of course, things can change. But right now I use a 3w, 2h, 3h (because the head on my 3i came off ), 4i in my long game. Love my 2h and 3h. I'll go back to the 3i when the bermuda start coming in. I could hit that puppy like sweet butter too when on soft grass.

But I'm also hitting my 3w SO NICE (for several weeks now) and that ball comes off the face like sweet butter. So Maybe since I'm learning how to hit the long woods I could possibly go to a 5w some day.

[mcanadiens]

My bag has a 5W, a 19-degree hybrid and the 3I and 4I. They all have one thing in common right now. ... I can't hit any of them. 

Historically speaking, my 5W (an old Taylormade Burner Bubble) has served me better. It's my best odds at hitting a long club straight. The hybrid (an older Bobby Jones/ Ortiz model)  yield entirely random results or non-results. Left, right or no where. I'm not sure if its that whole business of needing to swing it like an iron or if the face is just too damn small, but I have no confidence with it.

I only use the long irons if I'm trying to punch under tree branches. Most of the time I literally go 5I to 5W.

 

Edited March 27, 2017 by mcanadiens

[Hacker James]

54 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

My bag has a 5W, a 19-degree hybrid and the 3I and 4I. They all have one thing in common right now. ... I can't hit any of them. 

Historically speaking, my 5W (an old Taylormade Burner Bubble) has served me better. It's my best odds at hitting a long club straight. The hybrid (an older Bobby Jones/ Ortiz model)  yield entirely random results or non-results. Left, right or no where. I'm not sure if its that whole business of needing to swing it like an iron or if the face is just too damn small, but I have no confidence with it.

I only use the long irons if I'm trying to punch under tree branches. Most of the time I literally go 5I to 5W.

 

I am just the opposite. I fare much better with smaller heads. More than likely because I came from the Persimmon era. I just don't like 460cc's of today, but am getting more used to them. I am a late bloomer in that regard. I have a fairly new Bobby Jones/Ortiz Black and love it.

[onthehunt526]

I don't know what it is, but it seems every time a certain model of fairway wood goes on clearance all they have is 5 and 7 woods.

[Gunther]

34 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

I don't know what it is, but it seems every time a certain model of fairway wood goes on clearance all they have is 5 and 7 woods.

I don't think there's any question that 5W's are in many fewer bags today than 10 years ago.  I haven't used one in 6 or 7 years.  Can't recall if I took it out in lieu of my 60 or when I switched from a 3I to a 3H.  Either way, my gaps at that end of the bag are great, 5W would be redundant.  

I'd guess fewer than 20% of PGA tour pros use one and the majority that do probably don't have a 3W.  It's all about having 4 wedges these days (or 5 even).