2 WOODS

[Eidolon]

I have been very disappointed in my performance with my drivers as of late. Found a couple of 2 woods that were old friends and after a few scotches came up with an idea that sounded like a good plan. I extended them to 43 inches put new grips on and got ready for the next day..13 degrees sure is easier than 10.. Great height on flight and easy to work shape. I chose the 1955 macgregor m65w 2 wood as my new Driver. Distance seems the same as drivers, but with more air time and a little less roll. I like it! Any of you fellows traveled this road? What are your thoughts?

[birly-shirly]

The only brassie I have is a really old Taylormade Tour Brassie from the original burner days. Tiny head, solid club and I played it as my driver for a good while.

If I stumbled across a good wooden 2 wood, I'd have it in a flash. They're rare round this way - but I agree that a driver is really only likely to have the edge for me if the fairways are firm and running, or if it's windy. If long irons are anything to go by, a couple of degrees of extra loft will make the world of difference in terms of how easy it is to hit.

[oldschoolrocker]

I have a m65w driver about that vintage, and a m85w 2 wood. It's s toss up, depending on the day, as to which plays better. Both very solid.

[ebeer]

For hickory play the general guidance is to avoid woods labeled "driver" as they were often less than 10 degrees loft. Brassies in the 13 degree range are much more playable. On the somewhat more modern side I have a persimmon driver by Titleist I've spent some time with. Low hard draws are the norm with this club, which is fine for a course that allows that. But many courses with forced carry and tight fairways make a low running draw tough to live with. I recently a picked up a beautiful MacGregor Byron Nelson 663 2-wood. Like Eidolon I'm hoping the loft will increase playabilty. Hand surgery has prevented me from giving it ago, but "in theory" it's workin just fine

[Woodridge]

I like your idea. I had a MacGregor Ben Hogan 2 wood that I played for many years.

[Wriggles]

I have five 2 woods, a Walter Hagen Star LIne, and a Wilson Helen Hicks, both pyratones from the 1930's. I also have a 1974 set of Haig Ultras, with matching, 1-3-4-5 woods with a different 2 wood. The others are a huge (by 1920 standards) Marathon brassie and a very small brassie from Scotland.

The Scottish brassie, for some reason, I just can't hit. I think it must be damaged in some unseen way. It seems to produce rug burner type shots. The matching spoon hits well like a 4 or 5 wood. My hickory driver of an older vintage was a real beast. I could hit well over 220 yards, it exploded last year after its last couple incredible drives. I reglued all parts, but I haven't hit it since. It had a crown name "Clark" and a Tom Morris stamped shaft. It looks like it absolutely had no loft at all, but for some crazy reason, I could hit it.

As far as extending shafts, I extended a few drivers and 3Ws in the past. More yardage initially, but my experience, that the swing must be slowed down considerably. I think my longest extension was 4" with a driver and 3W. Can't recommend more than 2".

Until I got accustomed to the longer shafts, they worked well. Things go south after that, I guess for me, because of the natural tendency to swing harder. Messes everything up.

Play well!

[jonnygrouville]

Sound idea. Have quite a few two woods and love them. If I am going minimal with only six or seven clubs, often only take my M75W two wood. Probably flies the same distance as a driver, just doesn't run as far.

[freddiec]

2 Woods are really great. Around 1986 I used to play a Tommy Armour AT2W I think was the model. I hit it off the tee all the time and had a ton of confidence in it. I remember one of my first real lessons with one of my assistants I was about 17 years old stripping it one after another on the practice tee. I of course was concerned with how far my shots were going. I said "how far do you think these are going". his response was "F&^^%$# Far, who cares, look at those shots".

[Bella Woods]

I have been hitting a Lowe & Campbell driving brassie (Large 2 wood head 13 degrees) for some time now - and
it was the norm in the hickory heyday as opposed to using a driver. Played many a 2 wood drive in the day as well
with classic clubs (PowerBilt and MacGregor).

One of the all time money players (hustler) in our state played a Spalding Top Flite 2 wood as his driver for 17 years
(late 1950s to mid 1970s and basically cried the day it gave up the ghost (much like I heard Sam Snead did with his driver).

[xgolfx]

Paul Azinger told me he played a two wood loft when he played persimmon. It makes sense for most players, especially if you have a strong grip. More loft would make persimmon easier to use with a steel shaft

CHARLEY PENNA

[jonnygrouville]

Looks like there is a deuce appreciation society here.

Photos of your favourite two woods please!

['53 Precision]

Here we go...

[attachment=3011916:2 Woods Crown.jpg]

[attachment=3011918:2 Woods Sole.jpg]

['53 Precision]

My actual favorites...[attachment=3011928:2 Crowns 1.jpg][attachment=3011930:2 Crowns 2.jpg][attachment=3011932:2 Faces.jpg][attachment=3011934:2 Soles 1.jpg][attachment=3011936:2 Soles 2.jpg][attachment=3011938:2 Soles 3.jpg]

['53 Precision]

[i]For what it is worth, I concur totally with Eidolon, and have personally witnessed the truth of his statement on numerous occasions...The above Hogan Deuce is my favorite so far, perfect grain with a knot on the toe, really tight grain...the MacGregors are all going to get their shot over the next few weeks![/i]

[rex235]

Teevons/'53 Precision-

One of the best shots hit this year was with the 1941 MacGregor Ben Hogan Texan 2 Wood.

Led to a chip-in birdie.

Have always shown a lot of love for the Brassies, and have posted a few photos of the Ben Hogan and the Wilson 2 Wood.

Brassies are superb golf clubs.

[SteveNZ]

[attachment=3012106:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1446094312.972719.jpg]
[attachment=3012108:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1446094350.670602.jpg]
[attachment=3012110:ImageUploadedByGolfWRX Mobile1446094386.023707.jpg]

[freddiec]

In the late 1980s I used to play a lot w our assistant as well as caddy for him at local us open qualifiers. He played in about 5 us opens and had a good run on the champions tour. He would often hot his m85 2 wood off the deck off the tee. I used to hold my breath he smoked every one. That's pressure..

[NRJyzr]

It's no surprise the 2 wood is, and was, so popular. The lower spin produced by persimmons isn't conducive to keeping the ball in the air for the average player, especially with the modern golfballs that spin less than the wound balls of Ye Olde Dayes.

[Fellaheen51]

2 Woods.....the classic equivalent of "Lofting Up"? Here's my one and only. Not played nary enough by the sound of things. Perhaps next week if the weather holds as promised. MacGregor P83W SEOM TP with TT Tourney C (?) shaft. Probably in need of a resto, if I get around to it.

[attachment=3012270:IMG_1217.JPG][attachment=3012274:IMG_1219.jpg]

Edit: Posting pics is a real PITA today.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Well, I'm done for the year pretty much here, but I do have a couple of 2 woods, one being a 70's Hogan laminate (Apex 4 shaft) which I really don't like, and a 50's EOM which I like a lot more.

Although I sometimes hit my Hogan 3W as far as my other persimmon drivers, I do play in usually windy and firm conditions, something better suited for the low trajectory of the 1W.

On top of this, my Mac is a lot like Fellas with the shallow face. I prefer a deeper face on my clubs, and prefer the way my Hogan persimmon 3W sets up compared to either of the 2W.

Now if someone found me a 2W with a head profile closer to a traditional driver, maybe that would be a nice fit. I just haven't met one yet.

[birly-shirly]

I think it was Cobra used to make a persimmon 1 1/2 wood - it was certainly driver sized, with extra loft. Sounds like one would be right up your street, Scooter.

[ebeer]

Here's my 'new to me' Byron Nelson...
[attachment=3012298:FullSizeRender(1).jpg]
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[NRJyzr]

Didn't think to add this earlier. lol at me

For slightly different reasons*, I'm doing something similar, albeit in the metal wood world; I'm testing using a 12° Tour Edge fairway wood as my primary tee club. It's been interesting, so far.


*I apparently swing a steel shafted 43" club faster than a 44.25" 90g graphite club. With Tour Edge producing a low lofted fairway wood, I thought it was worth a shot to test it.

[Sklaffer]

I remember that back in the day a lot of the old boys used a brassie in preference to a driver, seems sensible especially on a tight course. Modern alternatives would include a driver set to maximum loft, a mini-driver or a strong 3 wood, but for feel, sound and aesthetics you can't beat the real thing. I have recently experimented with carrying a second, wooden driver and find I only take out the metal one on the two longest par 4's. Finding a lot more fairways and scoring better. The metal driver is only about 15 yards longer on average which, considering the short and rusty shaft of my old wood, is not very impressive. Also, from the fairway the wooden driver wins hands down, both straighter and longer.

[Shallowface]

For those who don't mind using a laminated head, the Ping Eye 2 Red Dot and Orange Dot drivers are a good option.

The Red Dot is 13.5 degrees, and the Orange Dot is 15. And with so many of those swingweighting at around C8 at 43 inches, you can easily add an inch to pick up a little more distance.

[bigeasybri]

Love my 2-woods and highly recommend them for playability. I just bought my third 1950s MacGregor 2-wood: M75, 653 and Mod 65. They're so much easier to hit than a persimmon driver with similar distance and much higher ball flight. Prices are very reasonable, even for the most sought-after models.

I've never thought about adding length to the shaft and I might just do that with the new one since it's in less than perfect shape and needs a new grip anyway.

[tstephen]

In response to this topic I took my 3 2 woods to the range with used titleists to hit.

First up was my TA Hogan model that probably has 12 or less degrees of loft and is tough to hit.

Second was my late 60's Orlimar 2 wood that is extremely easy to hit and with certain types of lies goes very deep.

Last was my super rare and awesome Penna WW Special that again is easy to hit and goes very deep off any lie or teed up.

I have the best 13 degree metals made the last 15 years and I am thinking the 60 year old WW Special is superior to them in every way. I've only hit a grand total of 10 balls with The WW but the jury's in!

[jonnygrouville]

Too.... much.... beauty...

[ScooterMcTavish]

Funny, when I used to hang out in the equipment forum, ROBOPTI liked to experiment with lofts, shafts, etc. One of his more interesting experiments was turning a ladies HL Cobra Driver into some sort of 300 yd monster. I have been tempted to try and replicate some of his experiments, including dropping a steelie into a modern driver head.

Anyways, I did find a 12.5* KIng Cobra Speed driver locally with a senior 55g Bassara shaft in it, and I used it for a number of rounds until passing it on to a more senior gentleman at work who really needed it.

My experience was that the added loft made my drives incredibly straight, and even encouraged a small draw. However, a partner suggested that I quit playing it, when in his words:

"Don`t ever hit that driver again! I thought the shaft was going to snap in half and impale you in the heart."

I sometimes wonder if we place too much emphasis on loft, when the real culprit is the shaft. I once went from a 9.5* Speedline with an S flex Grafalloy Blue shaft to a Ping G10 with a TFC R shaft, and my trajectory immediately dropped by 1/3rd.

[Eidolon]

Graphalloy blue has been put into many heads in my shop. I reccommend it to many, many mature players. One of the highest hitting shafts ever produced. Next is the older Graphite Design YS6 black color shaft. Both are really consistent wood shafts.