3 wood adjusted up in loft vs. 4 wood

Wondering if anyone has experience playing a standard 15 degree 3 wood, adjusted up to 16.5, versus a 4 wood head stock at 16.5.

Are there any differences in playability and performance between these two alternatives? Juggling which fairway wood head to get...

Adjusting the 3 wood means closing the face angle. If you don't like a shut face, you won't like that option. It certainly can lead to a case of the hooks.

No direct experience, but don't forget that the 3w is likely going to be longer (club length) than the 4w. The head weights might also be different.

All to say that even at the same loft setting, they will probably play slightly differently.

Usually the 3 wood at 16.5 would be slightly larger...lighter...longer length, and harder to hit off the deck. As TOLL said,face angle will be slightly shutb(usually)

The 4 wood at 16.5 will be more neutral, slightly shorter, slightly heavier, easier off the deck.

How are you planning on using this? A tee club or off the fairway/ rough?

Thanks for the quick responses. Primarily off the tee but I need more versatility now off the deck since I dumped my 5 wood for a driving iron.

Think I got my answer that 16.5 is the way to go. Anyone have a sense of how much yardage I’ll give up vs a 15 head off the tee? Driver swing speed of 113...

Thanks for the quick responses. Primarily off the tee but I need more versatility now off the deck since I dumped my 5 wood for a driving iron.

 

Think I got my answer that 16.5 is the way to go. Anyone have a sense of how much yardage I'll give up vs a 15 head off the tee? Driver swing speed of 113...

Just to throw a little more in the mix. If you prefer an open FA, you could get a 5-7 wood and turn it down to 16.5. This is the route I prefer to take with FWs. I feel it gives me nice clean contact off the deck when I square up the face.

Distance difference between 15 & 16.5 should only be 4-5 yds at the most.

BT

Shorter club length if you go 5-7 wood turned to 16.5

Do you people really not square the club face before soleing the club? It's 2018, changing loft doesn't change face angle, unless you want it to, in which case it doesn't change loft... A 15* turned to 16.5* is either a 15 with a closed face, or a 16.5 with a square face, or somewhere in between, but IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR CHOICE.

To the OP, 4 woods often have slightly deeper CGs to aid launch, but that's by no means universal. In the M2 for example, the regular 3HL has a deeper/lower CG compared to the 15*, but the M2 Tour 16.5* actually has a more forward/higher CG than the M2 Tour 15*.

Something that is often overlooked:

If you close the face angle and then hold it so that it is square at address/impact, you have added bounce to sole of the club which can definitely impact people who are shallow though impact (pickers.)

Do you people really not square the club face before soleing the club? It's 2018, changing loft doesn't change face angle, unless you want it to, in which case it doesn't change loft... A 15* turned to 16.5* is either a 15 with a closed face, or a 16.5 with a square face, or somewhere in between, but IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR CHOICE.

 

To the OP, 4 woods often have slightly deeper CGs to aid launch, but that's by no means universal. In the M2 for example, the regular 3HL has a deeper/lower CG compared to the 15*, but the M2 Tour 16.5* actually has a more forward/higher CG than the M2 Tour 15*.

Wishon did a nice article on this that will help explain for you. Basically, most players do NOT hover the club at address and instead sole it. So for all the non hover crowd, all the "adjustable loft" does is open the face angle and create right bias.

right, so in the case of the op, if he has a 15* 3 wood sets loft to 16.5, and then soles the club, the face angle should close, and the loft will still be 15*.

Only if one adjusts loft up from 15 to 16.5 and then hovers the club at address so that the face angle is square, will one get an effective change in loft.

right, so in the case of the op, if he has a 15* 3 wood sets loft to 16.5, and then soles the club, the face angle should close, and the loft will still be 15*.

 

Only if one adjusts loft up from 15 to 16.5 and then hovers the club at address so that the face angle is square, will one get an effective change in loft.

Exactly. Honestly I think this whole one loft nonsense companies are pulling is for one reason ONLY. Lower production costs.

Having a ‘4’ on the sole plate is what matters....LOL

Next best thing is just loft designation (eg 16, 16.5, 17, 17.5 or even some old school 18)...