I gamed a Ping Anser until a ball went through the face, and ever since I have had trouble keeping modern 3 woods from launching into orbit, anyone else wish we could change back?

Scotty Schefler still games/d a Nike Vr Pro and when asked about it he said, "Yeah I just cant get rid of it. New ones go too far, so to combat that they will add loft which puts it in a different window that I dont want."

Any recommendations out there? I am in the 115 range for driver SS and have no problem getting the ball up in the air. Not loving the high launch - low spin craze that has taken over. Shafts/heads/whole club rec's welcome!

I agree, still have my old Jetspeed at 16 degrees. I put a 95 gram shaft in there to also keep it low. I have tried M5 and TS3 and they simply go too far and it makes no sense for me to carry a 3 wood that will still find trouble. So, if you can find a jetspeed its a great option. It's a hot head, but compared to today's mini drivers it doesn't go crazy crazy far or high, for me it's really reliable and classic looking!

I guess you could do one of these:

1) Not swing as hard.

2) Find a Ping Anser on eBay (should be pretty cheap) and hope a ball doesn't go through the face of that one too.

3) Find any number of older models on eBay (should be pretty cheap) that don't go as far.

4) Shorten the shaft on a current model.

5) Choke up on a current model.

6) Hit a current model off-center on purpose so you lose 10-15 yards.

I myself, when I want to take off 10-15 yards, I usually do #1. Sometimes though, I do #6 but, when I do that it typically wasn't because I wanted too.

lol not going to lie, the idea of intentionally hitting something off center made me laugh. "I think I am going to hit a little toe hook around these trees"

I do all of these things, but I guess more what I am trying to say (poorly worded) is who else has changed back. The launch that new fairways are built for is high and low spin and I was curious what else people out there were doing with their 3 wood to combat this. I am a club ho at heart, so I wanted to see what else people were doing in the world of tinkering.

I already grip down/play shorter clubs as it is. My release pattern is steep and fast so I get the ball off the ground quickly. Started playing shorter woods when I was a teenager.

Have you tried a 4 wood?

Trying to get my hands on an F9 Tour 4-5 and crank it down to the 16* neighborhood. Peanut head and low launch off the face.

You are not crazy.

I play a short (42") 4W because if I wanted another driver in the bag, I'd put another driver in. Sometimes you want a club that won't go too far.

As to recommendations, see if you can find a Cobra LTD 4W. I picked up a new one last year for Xmas and with some weight added to the space port it's been awesome.

I have the same intended gap for my bag, and went Epic Flash 5 wood (18*) turned down to 17.5*. It has a stock shaft that is very easy to launch off the deck, which was what we planned for in my fitting. I can hit off the tee but it will launch pretty high. It carries about 230 for me, which for me is well short of my normal drive. Sometimes it can really go but that is likely due to me dead nutting it. I think the best solution to a certain distance is to play with loft and a launch monitor.

I have the same problem, so I just clip the turf a little before the ball and it reduces the ball speed dramatically. A lot of people call it a "chunk" but that's only when it's an accident. When it's on purpose it's called a "thick" shot

You have options,

Look towards a driving iron, in the loft that will give you the ballflight you are seeking,

look to a five wood, TEE cbx119 will keep ballflight lower

or consider going to a hybrid, Callaway apex 19 , comes to mind,

distance is player dependent, you may need to spend a little time and learn

how much of a swing you may need to accomplish your desired yardage, this will be the toughest adjustment, if needed.

Looking at your sig it seems you have a few in there that aren't the very latest models, so why not just get an older 3w - like your original Anser? Or an old Callaway from the same era? Even if you do cave another one in, you could afford to buy several before coming close to the cost of anything new.

Or are you specifically looking for a new club?

I'd be thinking something along the lines of a Hogan GS53 Fairway 14* cut down by a half inch with a Hzrdus X-stiff shaft or something similar anyway.

Callaway spins a lot usually, so I have veered away in the past. Didnt love the look rounded off topline of the face in the past.

A little gun shy of another anser after the first experience. Also I am a club ho who wants to try new things haha

Any era is fine, was mostly curious to see what other people out there think. The guys I play with all use modern tech.

I should have prefaced my OG post that this is more of an opinion sharing post. See who/what else is out there

I will echo the recommendations for Tour Edge Exotics CBX or CBX119 fairways in a higher loft, probably 16.5, and build it shorter with some lead tape on the head.

supposedly the Tour Edge Exotics E8 Beta was another model with the CG pushed forward and up, to reduce launch and spin, so that could be another option (they came with Aldila Rogue Silver 70 shafts).

Nope. Not crazy. I still have the Taylormade R9 3 wood in my bag as it is a good gap from 3 iron to driver. I've tried the newer EPIC 3 wood and can bomb it... but then I got nothing between 3 iron and driver.

I recently found a SLDR 5 wood in the used bin and loved it. Built a SLDR 3 wood (same shaft as 5 wood) that I absolutely smoke off the tee. Find myself hitting less drivers now since it’s that good.

as others have said, maybe a 4 wood? Never hurts to stay with older clubs. I recently sold my “newer” M series wood and hybrid since the 3/5 worked so well. Holding out on the SLDR driver but I may just have to...

I was just going to suggest this. Or even a 5 wood.

I feel you. That's why I game a 16* head and I'm honestly considering bumping it up to 17* and then putting some weight on the toe to keep it from turning over too fast. Look at guys on tour... many of them have their less than driver club at 16.5* or more. DJ, Rahm, Brooks...tons of guys who pound the ball all use more loft.

I’m not calling you a liar or even an embellisher but I simply can’t believe you buy 5-6 3 woods a year...

i went to 4W and never looked back. TEE CB2 then CB3...it’s long enough I might consider a 5W.

Driver/4W/driving iron/4-PW/wedges

Find a Taylormade Retro Raylor in 16* with a gold shaft that weighs about 90 grams.

That is what I have.

I have all Hogan woods in my bag along with my MP 14 Mizuno irons. I had the shafts made to old school specs on length. Driver is 43.5, 3 wood is 42 and 5 wood is 41. I have the same shafts except they are not as stiff. I have no issue with gaps or hitting anything too far.

Hogan Company still makes very high quality clubs. I don't know why more people don't play them. They are very high quality.

IMO, modern 3 woods are too hot. I played a 4-wood for years. My current PING 5-wood is as long as my 4-wood and does everything want from a fairway wood.

It's easy to hit off the deck and a great for shots where you need to layup off the tee. I've never felt like I had a 'gap' in my bag where I needed something longer.

I kick myself a bit for waiting. I played a PING G20 fairway for years. I was disapointed when PING stopped making them. Then I realized an adjustable 5-wood is essentially the same club. I dialed a little loft out of it and it gives me the distance of the 4-wood with the ease of 5-wood length shaft.

I just ditched the 3 wood for a 5 wood.

Have you tried the sub-zero fairway woods? They don't spin as much. I have the Epic Flash SZ 3w and spin was dramatically reduced /w the SZ model.

Yeah I have a rogue sz 5 wood and it spins a pretty good bit. To be fair, some of it is the shaft, but the club head has caused me trouble. I have the same problem with tmade woods for whatever reason. Ping and Titleist I have always been able to control flight/spin a lot better.

Same issue. Went to the Callaway 5Deep and it's been perfect for me. Shorter than 3w shaft keeps the distance more in line with what I want, and the deeper face provides a more penetrating launch and flight than normal for an 18* head, without any issues getting it off the deck.

OP, with your CHS, going up in loft will only give you more moon balls, so the suggestions of trying a 4w or 5w or anything with more loft will probably not help. I'm a bit lower speed than you are, but I tend to hit the ball high. What you need to do is keep the loft low and reduce your CHS into the ball. Get you a little older model strong 3w and just take a bit off when you don't want full distance. My CHS with the 3w is about 106, and I do this all the time when I don't need full distance on the club. It's pretty simple to pull off with a little practice. A good club to try is the 975F in 12.5*. I have one that I used to play and it's a great FW head for turf or tee and you won't be caving it in.

BT

Makes sense to me - I go with a Callaway Steelhead XR 4+ fairway metal with a slightly shorter shaft over a 3 wood that is a little less forgiving to hit but overall gives me more control and enough distance.

Truly, a WRX problem. To topic, get an old TEE CB2, put a heavy shaft in it? Or, if you can find one, a V-Steel with a heavy shaft? I don't think you'll blow the face, but may not fit what you want.