4 wood or High Launching 3 wood?

[nickb98]

So I'm looking at at trying a 4 wood and I currently play a CB4 Tour 3 wood. As the title states, and I'm not looking to try either a higher launching 3 wood, or most likely a CB4 4 wood. This is not another 3 vs 4 wood, but rather the benefits of either of these clubs (or a more shallow faced 3w). I'm looking at both distance and effectiveness of the tee and deck. I would use it more often off the deck. Thanks!

[Mr22putt]

I really like the TM Stage 2 3W HL....17* I just acquired a couple of months ago....very forgiving with an explosive head.

[Pigems]

Aren't a 4 wood and a HL 3 wood basically the same thing?? A 16*/17* fairway wood?? Or would a 3 wood be like .25"/.50" longer shaft??

[nickb98]

[quote name='Pigems' timestamp='1426812826' post='11176795']
Aren't a 4 wood and a HL 3 wood basically the same thing?? A 16*/17* fairway wood?? Or would a 3 wood be like .25"/.50" longer shaft??
[/quote]Should have phrased that better. I mean like a shallow faced club.

[MyShortGameSucks]

I would seriously suggest you go hit a Titleist 915F in 16.5 deg. It has the same kind of ball speeds you see from the TEE CB Tours but is way more forgiving and easier to hit off of the turf. Plus you get some lie and loft adjustability via the Surefit hosel. Finally the selection of stock shafts is hard to beat.

I went from a 913Fd in 13.5 deg to the 915F in 16.5 deg and its better in every aspect....

[Drew26]

Have you considered picking up an adjustable fairway wood? I have a 910 Fd 3 (15) wood that goes from 14.25-16.5. I also have a 910 F 4 (17) wood that goes from 26.25-18.5. This fits the need for a deeper face FW wood for the tee in 3 or 4 wood range and a shallow face FW wood for use off the deck in the 4 or 5 wood range. I would suggest picking up something adjustable. I'm a lefty and TM doesn't offer the Rbz HL in LH but I'm pretty sure the stage 2 is adjustable.

[nickb98]

[color=#282828]So I'm down to either the CB4 in 16.5* or the XCG6 in 16.5*...any help?[/color]

[leo the lion]

The Aeroburner 3 HL is getting a lot of praise and attention out there..............

[tyro]

G25 16.5* 4-wood for me. VERY easy off the deck and works well off the tee too. Incredibly forgiving club. I like it more than my G30 14.5* (cranked up to 15.5*).

[golfwb]

So what is this high launching 3 wood that you are referring too?

[Pigems]

[quote name='nickb98' timestamp='1426813413' post='11176879']
[quote name='Pigems' timestamp='1426812826' post='11176795']
Aren't a 4 wood and a HL 3 wood basically the same thing?? A 16*/17* fairway wood?? Or would a 3 wood be like .25"/.50" longer shaft??
[/quote]Should have phrased that better. I mean like a shallow faced club.
[/quote]

I was more asking than saying lol. But if you like shallow face check out the Callaway OptiForce fairways, great off the deck with plenty of forgiveness and distance.

[nickb98]

Thanks for all the replies! Think a 4w will just give me a little more confidence.

[nickb98]

But now I've read up on how easy to hit the XCG6 is...thinking of going with that now...

[Jimhayden]

Callaway xr

[jonn443]

Xcg6 (I own) is a bigger and longer head with a low cg. I currently game a cb4 15* 3 wood and love it. I personally think the larger head of the xcg may be a tad harder to hit from the deck then the cb4...but I am a fairly low ball hitter. This year I am going to try the aeroburner hl tp for I heard it is very long yet very forgiving. Try the xcg6,cb4 and the aeroburner hl tp ..those are my recommendations.

Let us know what you choose and why!

Good luck!

[tanker44]

Went from a Ping Anser 16.5 to a SLDR 3HL 17. Basically, the same. However, I think the 3HL has a better shape to the club face and sole. It seems to allow me to hit down on the ball from tight fairway lies and the rough to get the ball airborn rather than only being able to sweep the ball like a traditional fairway wood.

Being that I carry 4 wedges and 3-P I have the 3HL which appears to be a good option between hybrid and traditional fairway.

[longleft]

[quote name='nickb98' timestamp='1426812375' post='11176751']
So I'm looking at at trying a 4 wood and I currently play a CB4 Tour 3 wood. As the title states, and I'm not looking to try either a higher launching 3 wood, or most likely a CB4 4 wood. This is not another 3 vs 4 wood, but rather the benefits of either of these clubs (or a more shallow faced 3w). I'm looking at both distance and effectiveness of the tee and deck. I would use it more often off the deck. Thanks!
[/quote]

Fairway woods are all about picking the correct loft for your swing (and for your needs).

So right now I'm guessing that you play an exotics fw with a 13 or 15 stamped on the sole. if you can get the ball in the air and stop it with your current club....congratulations....stop reading now and play what you have...probably no benefit to switching.

Since you are asking, I'm assuming that you want more carry distance, or you are having trouble hitting your current club off the deck. In either case, most of us, if we are honest with ourselves, need a little extra loft on our longest fairway wood. This is why the 16-17 degree 4 wood exists.

The extra loft will (or most likely should) give you better results from the tee and from the deck.

In my opinion, all the babble about deep face vs shallow face makes for a good debate but distracts from the fact that loft is the key. High launching 3 woods have more loft. Low launching 3 woods have less loft. Position of COG, head design, sole design, while important have little accretive value unless you have the proper loft for your swing.

I don't know your game, but for my game a 16 degree 3 w is optimal. I can carry it about as far as any course setup would dictate. I hit a straight to slight left to right shot with the driver. The 16 degree fw gives me an easier way to hit a tight draw from the tee by slightly closing the face (taking off loft) and swinging normally while still having enough loft to get the ball up in the air so it can fly about as far as my driver.

[stuey01]

X2 hot pro 4w is worth a look, it's going cheap at the moment due to the xr coming out and it is excellent. I just picked one up.

[Johnny T]

[quote name='nickb98' timestamp='1426814553' post='11177013']
[color=#282828]So I'm down to either the CB4 in 16.5* or the XCG6 in 16.5*...any help?[/color]
[/quote]



Both are really great clubs but they are pretty different. The XCG6 head is huge, especially compared to the CB4. I thought the CB4 was pretty forgiving even though it is on the smaller side. The XCG6 is very forgiving but the large head may be a turn off for some. It has a fairly deep face even though I thought it launched the ball easily. Since the lofts are the same it really comes down to what you want in terms of forgiveness and looks.

[richard t]

In another thread someone was asking 3 wood or 5 wood. If you don't need a second driver, don't consistently hit 3 woods well off the deck and are not going for a lot of par 5s, and may only want to carry one FW a 16-17* 3/4 whatever is just a lot better all around.

[Lag]

[quote name='nickb98' timestamp='1426814553' post='11177013']
[color=#282828]So I'm down to either the CB4 in 16.5* or the XCG6 in 16.5*...any help?[/color]
[/quote]

XCG6 in the 16.5. You won't regret it. Easy to hit. especially on off center contact but also a beast on the tee. Vijay singh plays the 16.5 XCG6

[pierso2]

[quote name='Pigems' timestamp='1426815883' post='11177157']
[quote name='nickb98' timestamp='1426813413' post='11176879']
[quote name='Pigems' timestamp='1426812826' post='11176795']
Aren't a 4 wood and a HL 3 wood basically the same thing?? A 16*/17* fairway wood?? Or would a 3 wood be like .25"/.50" longer shaft??
[/quote]Should have phrased that better. I mean like a shallow faced club.
[/quote]

I was more asking than saying lol. But if you like shallow face check out the Callaway OptiForce fairways, great off the deck with plenty of forgiveness and distance.
[/quote]

You could also try the TEE XCG7 (maybe e8). My non beta is pretty shallow. Also would agree the OptiForce.

[DTXgolfer12]

a high launch 3 wood is the same thing as a 4 wood

[bladehunter]

TM R11s. Tried one out recently with a rip phenom. Shocked at how high it launched. I could use it as a 5 iron honestly. Lol.

[emansun]

How about what NOT to get. Currently have a i25 3W in the bag. Terrible.

[propman]

Ping K15 3 wood is 16 degrees and very easy to elevate. Easier than the xcg6 16.5 4 wood. I have both of these clubs.

[e-man]

Can't say enough great things about the g25 4 wood.

[Cwebb]

[quote name='DTXgolfer12' timestamp='1426862666' post='11179503']
a high launch 3 wood is the same thing as a 4 wood
[/quote]

Yeah, today's 4 woods are just 3 woods with a little more loft. In other words, they're not a full club different than a 3 wood.

It's a strange trend that happened years ago, will all the stronger lofts and such, but basically they forced wood clubs to be separated by "two numbers", to get any full club gapping.

Back in the day, players could carry both 3 and 4 woods and have a full club gap between them, because the lofts were 3-4* different. The highest wood club number was about a 6 wood, which was equivalent to today's 11 wood

[diver_down1967]

[quote name='nickb98' timestamp='1426814553' post='11177013']
[color=#282828]So I'm down to either the CB4 in 16.5* or the XCG6 in 16.5*...any help?[/color]
[/quote]

I have a XCG7 in 16.5 and I love it!

[philly2kuk]

[quote name='bladehunter' timestamp='1426864487' post='11179691']TM R11s. Tried one out recently with a rip phenom. Shocked at how high it launched. I could use it as a 5 iron honestly. Lol.[/quote] what was it set to? I have one of these that I've never got on with at standard loft and I know a few other people who found them hard to elevate also. Considering trying it as either a 17 degree HL 3 wood or at 14 degrees as an alternative for the driver