Can a 5W be bent to 3W specs?

[vinax]

I want to buy a cleveland classic xl 5W and bend it 2* LOFT down.

Is that possible? Seems to have a nice long hosel.

 

Why?

1) smaller head than the 3w, feels easier to hit off the deck

2) heavier headweight for better swingweight at shorter length.

3) i like the classic xl specifically because it looks like my xl custom driver

 

Bad idea? good idea? thoughts on spin rate?

[5hort5tuff]

Umm yes and no. Most OEMS can't bend their fairways, it some may be able to sort through, at an extra cost, for flatter lie angled head. The loft....can't be touched. That being said, some OEMs make flatter lie clubs than others as their standard.

However...WIShON makes heads that can be bent up to 4° in lie... and will sort and find a lower loft if he can. This would 100% be my suggestion if you want a flatter lie.

[jpalermo]

Just find a 3 wood you like instead of jacking with a club just because is matches your driver

[mdgboxx]

Pretty much all OEMs, pre 460cc, had smaller head FWs.

I still have a 20 yr/o Wilson 1200, 15° metal 3W that is the size of a, then, persimmon. I don't know about the volume but, the sole is 2¼" face to back and 2¾" heel to toe.

The 20° 5W would, today, be easily mistaken for a hybrid.

[jgripp81]

If you are not set on the Cleveland look for some tour issue OG RBZ 5 woods. You can find them a degree or two less loft before you take in account the face angle. I put to getter a 4 wood for a friend that played about 13.5 degrees. He liked open faced fairway woods and didn't want to low of a loft so I got him a 4 wood.

[Milfordlefty]

If I may ask, 2º adjustment for loft or lie angle? I am guessing it is loft as you want to keep the 5W head weight for the shorter shaft length. My understanding face angle will change with loft change, more open I think. I am guessing you do not mean a 2º flatter lie angle.

Are the heads expensive? Purchase it and let a club builder give it a try. I suspect they will not guarantee against breakage. Std 5W loft is 18º. 3W is 15.5º, so 2º takes the 5W to 16º. Good luck with your quest.

[vinax]

[quote name='Milfordlefty' timestamp='1415459526' post='10415515']
If I may ask, 2º adjustment for loft or lie angle? I am guessing it is loft as you want to keep the 5W head weight for the shorter shaft length. My understanding face angle will change with loft change, more open I think. I am guessing you do not mean a 2º flatter lie angle.

Are the heads expensive? Purchase it and let a club builder give it a try. I suspect they will not guarantee against breakage. Std 5W loft is 18º. 3W is 15.5º, so 2º takes the 5W to 16º. Good luck with your quest.
[/quote]

The loft can be changed without changing lie when BENDING a non-adjustable club.

The loft and lie change together when using an ADJUSTABLE club

I guess the only way to know is try.

[vinax]

[quote name='jpalermo' timestamp='1415429984' post='10414701']
Just find a 3 wood you like instead of jacking with a club just because is matches your driver
[/quote]

I've tried and failed miserably... you know the fairway wood is the hardest club to find / fit and be comfortable with.

[Golfrnut]

You cannot technically change the loft on any fairway wood/driver because of the way the heads are measured. You can only change face angle through bending. The face angle change becomes a loft change when the head is resquared to your target line. I you are going to sole the club on the ground at setup, all you are going to see is a face angle change when bending.

With that being said, as mentioned earlier, there are very few heads I would attempt to do a bend on. Most of the heads have become very thin-walled around the neck to manipulate weight. Lie angle, maybe. Face angles? I would not.

[TLT_Dan]

You need to understand that the loft and the sole are tied together for loft measurement. To measure loft - the sole of the club needs to sit on the ground (gage). The 2 are built into the head and become 1 unit, where the bend can only exist at the hosel.

So to strengthen the loft - the sole will now no longer be seated on the ground. The sole will now raise up at the heel when set to the gage.

If you allow the sole to seat - the head will now sit open.

PS - Lie angle has nothing to do with it.

[mdgboxx]

[quote name='jgripp81' timestamp='1415458588' post='10415463']
If you are not set on the Cleveland look for some tour issue OG RBZ 5 woods. You can find them a degree or two less loft before you take in account the face angle. I put to getter a 4 wood for a friend that played about 13.5 degrees. He liked open faced fairway woods and didn't want to low of a loft so I got him a 4 wood.
[/quote]

My 3+ Srixon FW is lofted at 12.5°. I has the same SV-3005J for FW shaft as the 5W, but 1" longer than the 5W.
Would it not be a simpler solution, to cut a 15°, 3W by up to 1" and use it as a 5W?

My 5W is lofted at 18.5°.

[mdgboxx]

[quote name='mdgboxx' timestamp='1415564941' post='10420667']
[quote name='jgripp81' timestamp='1415458588' post='10415463']
If you are not set on the Cleveland look for some tour issue OG RBZ 5 woods. You can find them a degree or two less loft before you take in account the face angle. I put to getter a 4 wood for a friend that played about 13.5 degrees. He liked open faced fairway woods and didn't want to low of a loft so I got him a 4 wood.
[/quote]

My 3+ Srixon FW is lofted at 12.5°. I has the same SV-3005J for FW shaft as the 5W, but 1" longer than the 5W.
Would it not be a simpler solution, to cut a 15°, 3W by up to 1" and use it as a 5W?

My 5W is lofted at 18.5°.

[color=#ff0000]EDIT:[/color]
I believe that my Srixon 3W head is smaller than a Cleveland Classic xl 5W, or [u]very[/u] close to it.
[/quote]

[kloyd0306]

[quote name='TLT_Dan' timestamp='1415503922' post='10418377']
You need to understand that the loft and the sole are tied together for loft measurement. To measure loft - the sole of the club needs to sit on the ground (gage). The 2 are built into the head and become 1 unit, where the bend can only exist at the hosel.

So to strengthen the loft - the sole will now no longer be seated on the ground. The sole will now raise up at the heel when set to the gage.

If you allow the sole to seat - the head will now sit open.

PS - Lie angle has nothing to do with it.
[/quote]

OP: Read this reply at least three times. Far and away the best answer.

[vinax]

[quote name='kloyd0306' timestamp='1415594671' post='10422659']
OP: Read this reply at least three times. Far and away the best answer.
[/quote]

Someone needs to read the question three times first.

[Milfordlefty]

Your question is, can I bend my 18.5º Cleveland Classic XL 5W to 16.5º? Maybe, but a chance the hosel could break. Bad idea? Only if it breaks. Good idea? If you bend it and hit the ball better, yes. Thoughts on spin rate? I think it will spin the same if the only change is loft.

My only additional comment is the face angle will likely change to a more open face angle than the std 18.5º face angle.

If you are successful with changing the loft, let us know if you like the ball flight results.

[mdgboxx]

[quote name='vinax' timestamp='1415620833' post='10423091']
[quote name='kloyd0306' timestamp='1415594671' post='10422659']
OP: Read this reply at least three times. Far and away the best answer.
[/quote]

Someone needs to read the question three times first.
[/quote]

In my reply, I believe that I meet 2 of 3.

1) Smaller head--Check
2) Heavier head--Check
3) Will a Srixon, V-Steel maraging, 14.5°, 3W resemble your Cleveland Classic xl, in any way?

I have no idea. But, if push comes to shove, so to speak, IMHO, it would do the job, if you cut the shaft to the length of your 5W.

They can be had for ~$50 on the Web.

[vinax]

I have purchased couple of ladies classic xl 5W (at $36 new they were a no brainer) clubs on ebay to experiment on... i am told that the tour van have club casts that they wrap around the head and then bend the club which apparently has less chance of breakage than directly using a bending bar... but its worth a shot. Im also going to put a couple of nice shafts in those...

I am also searching for a good clean Srixon Z-Steel on ebay....

[darkhelmet]

One other thing to consider -- when you bend an off-the-shelf FW, the paint could get all jacked up around the hosel. That's why some of the "tour" heads have a paint break, where the head paint stops just below the hosel so that you can bend it without worrying about cracked paint.