4 wood inconsistencies

[mvhoffman]

2015 Callaway GBB 4 wood. When I have set to the stock 18* it’s terrific. Draw, fade, high/low doesn’t matter. Averages about 25yards longer than my 20* hybrid. When I adjusted it to 17* can’t seem to get it up in the air, miss right, very inconsistent and even on a good hit only beats my hybrid by 5-10 yards.

is this weird? I have set back to 18* and all is good, just weird to me.

[BlkNGld]

Does seems strange. Maybe the face angle and/or lie changed in a way your swing doesn't like?

Interested to see if others have the same experience.

[gvogel]

when you reduce the loft, you open the face and maybe change the lie. glad you found the position that works.

[Z1ggy16]

Yeah my guess is that by opening the face you're introducing that right miss because the face is more open. Odd though that you'd be losing that much yardage though because I thought the face might only open by like... .75* or so from the "-1" setting. I think it has more to do with strike than anything because it would seem your spin might be increasing an awful lot. Is this on a launch monitor or just from some shots you hit at the range or on course? Without impact location, you're only getting half the story. Even worse if it's using dookie range balls.

[jah7838]

I've noticed the same thing with my F6 Baffler. I played most of the summer with it set to 16.5* with the weight back, and it was very consistent off the tee. It wasn't as consistent off the deck, but it was still serviceable. Ball flight was a little lower than I would like, but it was pretty straight. I turned the loft up to 17.5* on the range one day, and noticed that I was getting a better ball flight off the deck. I moved the weight forward, and the flight became more penetrating, but plenty high enough.

 

GC2 at Golf Galaxy confirmed what I was seeing on the range. Launch angle was higher, spin was a little lower, and more carry distance by about 10 yards. I just need to play more golf on the course with it at that setting. Contact at both settings was still in the middle of the face, but it's more solid set to 17.5*. I think that has to do with the fact that I can get a little steep in my swing, so that extra loft is helping a bit.

[mvhoffman]

No range for this experiment. This was done on the course using 2 3-packs of balls on a driving hole that forces you to hit a shot and not just bomb it. This is the difference between 2 good shots behind the cart is the 20* hybrid, in front of the cart was 17* wood. Set at 18* the ball was another 13 yards in front of the 17* ball

[Z1ggy16]

That's quite strange. However, just a few shots is maaaaybe not enough data to draw much statistical conclusions unless you know with 100% certainty you hit all three shots similarly on the face and that the wind or your swing speed wasn't a major factor in overall distance.

 

Not doubting you or whatever, but the best way to see what's really going on would be inside on a launch monitor so you can take as many variables out of the equation as possible.

[Pepperturbo]

If you're hitting the sweet spot, one degree shouldn't make much difference to solid swing mechanics. On the other hand, what's going on in your head when you set it to 17* may be the story. Also, IMO setting loft to 18*/19* is comparable to a 5wd, and 17*-16.5 are more 4 woods.

[ChipNRun]

The pro I work with went to a solo 5W, because he found it only flew 20 yards shorter than a 3W and was much more reliable. And in the Winter of 2018, he put in a 4W-length shaft into the 5W head to get a little extra yardage, while retaining control.

So mv, if the 18* works go with it! Golf can be fun, if you just let it... A degree of loft here and there can make a difference in how the ball flies. Also, it could influence the look of your GBB at address.

I'm a kindred spirit. I own the Callaway Alpha 815 FWs in 14* and 18* as stock lofts. I played a season with the two at 16* and 20*, but started having trouble with the 16*. End result: I'm now using the 18* delofted to 17*, and have a 4W that's a half-inch shorter in shaft than the 14* set to 16*. Further, the 17* short-shafted is at minimum loft, which opens the face slightly and lessens chance of hooks.

End result: I get a fairly consistent 210 yds. from the 17*, as opposed to 190 to 220 yard from the longer-shafted 16*. (I now carry the 17*, plus a bonded 21* XRail 7W and a 22* H).

As I said earlier, it's a matter of finding what works.

Ignore the sneers of others, and collect those $$ during handshakes behind the 18th hole.

[jc88]

I don't think its too weird

[mvhoffman]

I know that the launch monitor is the best way, however when I am on a monitor / simulator I have no sense of control. I say that meaning on the course like in the picture, that is a hole that to give the best option at scoring you must keep it on the right side where I was. The having to make a shot factor speaks a lot more to me than numbers on the monitor. It is not that I don’t use them. When I get my clubs bent/adjusted we use a monitor but for the most part I rely on my feel and my eye.

[Ri_Redneck]

OP,

We golfers are strange folks. Some can change all kinds of stuff and have no problem. Others can make the slightest change and the wheels fly off. Changing the loft from 18* to 17* is going to make only marginal difference with exact identical contact. However, if the change is wrecking your swing, by all means - DON'T DO IT!! Play the club at 18* and be happy with it. Don't worry about the other stuff.

BT

[gator022]

I don't know your swing speed or anything, but perhaps you're getting better carry with the 18*. Goes back to the premise that many golfers will hit a 16-18* wood farther than a 15*.