Jump to content
2024 Houston Open WITB Photos ×

Best sleeper fairway wood of all time.


High Plains Driver

Recommended Posts

The old Taylormade V-Steel is a super-sleeper in my opinion. No fancy graphics or colors, no dials or sliding weight gadgets, just a properly designed basic looking club that performs very well. Any it doesn't even need a toolkit. How sleepy is that!

 

Might be the #1 most popular and cult 3 wood of all time. I understand people may have slightly different definitions of what "sleeper" means but, to me this is not a sleeper. If a 10+ year old club still has its on thread on page 1 of this forum it can't be a sleeper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 245
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

I'm with the group that thinks the OP's question contradicts itself. If it's the greatest of all time, doubtful it could be a 'sleeper'.

 

If something didn't catch on, it simply didn't perform as well as other options.

 

- Nothing from Ping, TM, Titleist, Callaway, or even Cobra, is going to truly go under the radar if it performs well.

 

- Cleveland, Adams, Nickent, Tour Edge, are examples of brands that could have a great product go relatively unrecognized by the masses.

Woods/Fairways:  Callaway with Mitsubishi shafts

Irons:  Srixon with Dynamic Gold shafts

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, after 30 years of looking, I am declaring the Adams BTY fairway woods the most perfect that I have ever tried (and I have tried a bunch.) Square to open face angles, tall enough to feel at ease of a tee, and easy to launch from the fairway. The smaller head also makes it much easier to hit from less than stellar lies.

 

If anyone remembers the Cobra Speed Pro X-ST, the BTY is very similar in size, but orders of magnitude better in forgiveness and trajectory.

 

If you like a shorter heel-toe face length, easy launch without an shallow face, and anything but closed face, then you owe it to yourself to pick up one to try. They can be had for cheap right now and I plan of getting a backup for each of the 3 I have.

 

I was actually going to say the BTY and the RPM LP. I had both for years.

 

Those 2-3 generations of fairway woods from Adams are among the best ever. I still play the Adams RPM 5050 which has got to be 10+ years old by now. Fantastic performance from the fairway or the tee and they are usually set up neutral to open. I think someone else chimed in on the Adams Fast 10 too, which is also from that same timeframe.

 

For the price (you can pick them up on ebay for less than $50, sometimes with nice shafts in them) its hard to beat the performance. When go to demo days and try the new stuff out I always have my 5050 to compare and there just isn't any significant performance difference.

 

And while you don't care for deeper faced fairway woods, that is why I like the 5050, it was designed to be used 50% from the tee and 50% from the fairway. They had other models (4060, 3070) that got progressively shallower faces and were biased more for use in the fairway than the tee (3070: 30% tee, 70% fairway, get it?). They were all great depending on what you were looking for. Adams really had a lock on the fairway wood and hybrid market IMHO in the late 2000s.

 

I should try to get some photos of the Trackman the next time I put up my 5050 against a TM M1 for Titleist 917 fairway wood. For me, there just isn't any significant difference between them. YMMW

Old stuff:
1962 Tommy Armour AT2W Driver   1953 Macgregor M65W EOM 3 wood   1978 H&B PowerBilt Citation 4 wood
1984 Ben Hogan Apex PC 2-E   1968 Wilson Dual Wedge
1964 Acushnet O-SET M6S Bullseye Putter


New stuff
Cobra ZL 10.5 driver (Matrix HD6 s-flex)  Titleist TSR2 18* fairway wood (Matrix Code-8 s-flex)   Adams A2P 20* hybrid (Rombax 8D07HB s-flex)
Titleist 716 MB irons 4-PW (Apex 4 soft-stepped)    Callaway Mack Daddy wedges 52, 56, 60 (DG S200)
Odyssey ProType 9 putter

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of the picks are not sleepers; they were hot items in their era.

 

Sleeper: Callaway Big Bertha Alpha 816 with Aldila Rogue Silver shaft.

 

Never really heard a peep about these when they were released. Maybe because Callaway has out Taylormade'd Taylormade with the number of models and releases.

 

Regardless; phenomenal modern high MOI fairway wood with an excellent stock shaft.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How about the ping i3, with that tiny head

Driver-Titleist TS3 9.5* w/Project X Evenflow White 65 X-Stiff
3W-Titleist TS3 15.75* w/Project X Evenflow white 65 X-Stiff
Mizuno MMC Fli-Hi 3 iron w/KBS C-Taper 130X (bent to 17.5*)
4-PW Mizuno MP-18 MBw/KBS C-Taper 130X
Mizuno T7 52/09 w/KBS C-Taper 130X soft stepped
Mizuno T7 56/10 w/KBS C-Taper 130X soft stepped
Bridgestone Tour B X

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Macgregor Mactec nvg2

PING G400 Max 10.5º w/ Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 70 TX

PING G400 Max 14.5º w/ Mitsubishi Diamana RF 70 X

Callaway  Apex Pro 20º w/ Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 90 6.0

Callaway Apex/Apex Pro Combo 19 4-PW w/ Project X LZ 6.0

Titleist Vokey SM8 50.08 F, 54.10 S, 58.08 M w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner

TaylorMade Spider X

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With hybrids going nearly as far and usable for more varying and poor lies, woods for me are a thing of the past. Having said that, th Callaway BB Diablo is a great club of the deck (if not too dug in) and off the tee. Really like that one. Most woods I find hard off the deck, like my other Callaway 3w: hawkeye vft. For me impossible to get off the ground properly.

Bag 1: 2h: Srixon ZX4h: TM M1 ('17) ; Irons: MD Golf 7i & 9i, Wedges: RTX full face 52o & 58o; Putter: Spalding Pro Flite

 

Bag 2: 3h: Nickent 3dx; 3i: Cobra One-Length utility; 7i: TM M4; 8/9i: Inesis 500; Wedges: AW: TM RSi (50o); Cleveland RTX full face 54o; RTX 588 60o; Putter: Ping

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://igolfreviews....057457_orig.jpg

 

http://igolfreviews....532316_orig.jpg

 

The Mizuno MP 650 ticks all the boxes for me in a 3 wood. Compact, not too shallow, easy to hit from tight lies, open face, and super hot face. Oh, and totally naked crown

 

Yea that was a great fairway wood that basically nobody played.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DIablo Edge Tour

 

I still have one with original Blueboard 83. May be the first 3 wood I really liked

Ping 430 LST 10.5, Ping Tour 2.0 Chrome 65X
Ping 425 17, 19 & 22 deg hybrids,  Ping Tour 85X
Mizuno 923 Hot Metal Pro, 5-GW, DG 105 
Mizuno S23 54 deg wedge

Vokey SM6 60 K wedge
Mizuno IOMI #3 putter

Titleist ProV1x 

Vessel Lux Lite Bag

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Our picks

    • 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Discussion and links to Photos
      Please put any questions or Comments here
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Monday #1
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Monday #2
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Tuesday #1
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Tuesday #2
      2024 Texas Children's Houston Open - Tuesday #3
       
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Thorbjorn Olesen - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Ben Silverman - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Jesse Droemer - SoTX PGA Section POY - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      David Lipsky - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Martin Trainer - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Zac Blair - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Jacob Bridgeman - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Trace Crowe - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Jimmy Walker - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Daniel Berger - WITB(very mini) - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Chesson Hadley - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Callum McNeill - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Rhein Gibson - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Patrick Fishburn - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Peter Malnati - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Raul Pereda - WITB - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
       
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      Tom Hoge's custom Cameron - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Cameron putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Piretti putters - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Ping putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Kevin Dougherty's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Bettinardi putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Cameron putter - 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
      Tony Finau's new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children's Houston Open
       
       
       
       
       
      • 7 replies
    • 2024 Valspar Championship WITB Photos (Thanks to bvmagic)- Discussion & Links to Photos
      This weeks WITB Pics are from member bvmagic (Brian). Brian's first event for WRX was in 2008 at Bayhill while in college. Thanks so much bv.
       
      Please put your comments or question on this thread. Links to all the threads are below...
       
       
       
       
        • Like
      • 31 replies
    • 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Discussion and Links to Photos
      Please put any questions or comments here
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Monday #1
      2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Monday #2
      2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational - Monday #3
       
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Matt (LFG) Every - WITB - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      Sahith Theegala - WITB - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      New Cameron putters (and new "LD" grip) - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      New Bettinardi MB & CB irons - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      Custom Bettinardi API putter cover - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      Custom Swag API covers - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
      New Golf Pride Reverse Taper grips - 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
        • Like
      • 15 replies
    • 2024 Cognizant Classic - Discussion and Links to Photos
      Please put any questions or comments here
       
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #1
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #2
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #3
      2024 Cognizant Classic - Monday #4
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Brandt Snedeker - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Max Greyserman - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Eric Cole - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Carl Yuan - WITb - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Russell Henley - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Justin Sun - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Alex Noren - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Shane Lowry - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Taylor Montgomery - WITB - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Jake Knapp (KnappTime_ltd) - WITB - - 2024 Cognizant Classic
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      New Super Stoke Pistol Lock 1.0 & 2.0 grips - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      LA Golf new insert putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      New Garsen Quad Tour 15 grip - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      New Swag covers - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Jacob Bridgeman's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Bud Cauley's custom Cameron putters - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Ryo Hisatsune's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Chris Kirk - new black Callaway Apex CB irons and a few Odyssey putters - 2024 Cognizant Classic
      Alejandro Tosti's custom Cameron putter - 2024 Cognizant Classic
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
        • Like
      • 2 replies
    • 2024 Genesis Invitational - Discussion and Links to Photos
      Please put any questions or comments here
       
       
       
      General Albums
       
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Monday #1
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Monday #2
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #1
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #2
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #3
      2024 Genesis Invitational - Tuesday #4
       
       
       
       
      WITB Albums
       
      Rory McIlroy - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Sepp Straka - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Patrick Rodgers - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Brendon Todd - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Denny McCarthy - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Corey Conners - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Chase Johnson - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tommy Fleetwood - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Matt Fitzpatrick - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Si Woo Kim - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Viktor Hovland - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Wyndham Clark - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Cam Davis - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Nick Taylor - WITB - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Ben Baller WITB update (New putter, driver, hybrid and shafts) – 2024 Genesis Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
      Pullout Albums
       
      New Vortex Golf rangefinder - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      New Fujikura Ventus shaft - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods & TaylorMade "Sun Day Red" apparel launch event, product photos – 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods Sun Day Red golf shoes - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Aretera shafts - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      New Toulon putters - 2024 Genesis Invitational
      Tiger Woods' new white "Sun Day Red" golf shoe prototypes – 2024 Genesis Invitational
       
       
       
       
       
      • 22 replies

×
×
  • Create New...