Help choosing new woods

Davewn · June 30, 2016

I agree. I've got all of those you mention, all with Dynamic Gold shafts. The first burners are probably smaller than persimmons, and the fws are still good clubs in their own right. The MidSized ones were very good clubs. For their day, I thought they did a great job of being oversized, without being too deep faced which I remember disliking when everyone was going supersized. They just got swamped in the rush to titanium and Big Bertha. I've got a PT 4 wood which is often my second wood if I'm playing "modern". Any of those would be ideal "range clubs" - I just prefer my Hogans because the shafts are a perfect match for the woods I most often play.

I played some of my best, most consistent, golf in the early '90s using the Midsize Fairway Driver as my tee club. Didn't even carry a driver back then for fear I'd pull it out of the bag, lol. It was a great 2 wood that was surprisingly easy to hit off the deck. If I ever see one in one of the local thrifts, it's coming home with me.

wmblake2000 · June 30, 2016

Decided to post this here rather than "no new acquisitions". Somewhat in keeping with the theme of things ITT. Persimmons are very much a "where you find them" proposition. Just never know the where and when. However, the hunt is a major part of the appeal, finding old(er) clubs cheap.

Stopped at a estate/barn sale a few days back. Saw some pics online of old(er) clubs in bags. And since it was close by, was worthy of an investigation. The clubs were something of a hodge-podge that were of no interest. But there was this, covered with a knit head cover stuck along the wall of a dusty old barn. Wilson Staff 4300 persimmon driver. All original and mint, don't think it's ever been hit. Because of the glued-in insert and lack of thread whipping, thinking it's of 80's vintage. Even the leather grip is perfect. For $7.50 (25% off), couldn't leave it setting there. To bad the fairways weren't there as well. That's for another time and place.

Don't know if it will ever see the course. But it's a looker, for a "modern" persimmon wood.

I keep scrolling past these pics. What a beautiful club.

stevemcgee99 · September 20, 2016

I played some of my best, most consistent, golf in the early '90s using the Midsize Fairway Driver as my tee club. Didn't even carry a driver back then for fear I'd pull it out of the bag, lol. It was a great 2 wood that was surprisingly easy to hit off the deck. If I ever see one in one of the local thrifts, it's coming home with me.

Been using 2 woods as a driver for over a year now. The old M23 was really awesome off the deck. What I use now is not as easy - I blame the sharper front edge and bigger face.

Fellaheen51 · September 20, 2016

A revelation, for me at least, when considering new (old) woods. I've had a set of Ping Eye 2's (D, 4, 7) around for a couple of years. But never had gotten around to taking them out to the course and play them. No particular reason other than they sorta got lost in the inventory. Then rediscovered and put them in the bag to accompany the Hogan Radials I recently acquired.

I've been more than surprised how well I can hit these. When I put a good hit on the driver, its nearly as long as my more modern metal. And I'm more consistent with the Ping than other persimmons I've tried. While obviously a smaller head than the norm, it doesn't appear excessively small compared to the persimmons. Tee it low, put a good swing on it, and it goes. With the added benefit of the rights don't go to far off kilter into the netherlands.

The 4 wood is the real surprise. Don't quite know exactly what makes it so easy to hit, but it sure sets up well to my eye. Inspiring confidence. Again with a good swing, the ball just fly's off the club face. With a perfect boring trajectory. Hit it every bit as long, and consistent, as my V-Steel 5W. Maybe even longer. The other day, on the regular course, there is this somewhat downhill Par 5 that I'm intimately familiar with. Was at appx. 210 yards for the second shot. Put a good swing on the 4W and struck the ball (with roll) to the backside of the green. That isn't a shot I've hit all year!! Two putts for birdie. Amazing.

The 7W took a bit of getting use to, with the protruding "chin" of a lower edge. Once I got comfortable with it, or began to ignore, the 7 plays just like the 23* hybrid that I bag. And with the steel shaft, quite accurate.

I don't expect these Pings to get a whole lot of love around here. Being laminate and sort of unusually shaped, but I've become a real fan. I seem to hit them well and that's the important point. Got three rounds in with them now and plan on playing them with the buds tomorrow. Something that heretofore I've not been of a mind to do. Play wood woods in mixed company.