Bought a 9-wood, fortunately.

[howellhandmade]

Killing time in Golf Galaxy last week, I spotted a Heavenwood in the used club rack. Since I've read so much about them on here I thought I'd give it a try. As an afterthought I also grabbed the beat-up G400 9-wood right behind it and headed for the simulator. The Heavenwood was nice enough, was kind of considering whether or not to buy it, picked up the G400 for a change of pace.

 

First swing surprised me with a solid metallic CHINK and a nice 5-yard draw down the middle. The next half dozen swings were nearly the same. I could jump on it and push it past 210, but an easy swing carried around 200 and it seemed impossible to hit anywhere but the middle of the face, and I thought how useful it would be to have such an effortless 200 yards in the bag. Then I looked at the shaft. Tensei 65 gram A-flex. Dang. It's one thing to get older, another thing to admit it.

 

In a rare moment of sanity and humility, I bought the G400. Swapped out my G25 3-hybrid, and it has proven even more useful than I imagined. Since I'm neither particularly long nor straight off the tee, there are plenty of times when it is helpful to cover a fair bit of ground from sketchy lies. I've gouged balls out of thick rough, I've picked them out of fairway bunkers. I've hit over trees from the right rough and smothered hooks down the fairway from trouble on the left. It's become the obvious choice for layups on long par 5s, even from the fairway. Yesterday after one such second shot I overheard one of the guys in my group say, "He's killing that club, whatever it is." After topping one drive into the rough just ahead of the ladies tees on a par 4, instead of settling for a wedge and a third shot from the fairway I managed to plunge in and connect solidly with my 9-wood, putting it on the right front fringe for a par. Would it have been wiser to tee off with the 9-wood? Of course, but I'll likely never be that wise.

 

The one time that I stalled and yanked one out of bounds it was almost a relief that I hadn't unwittingly entered into some Faustian bargain for a club that always yielded an acceptable shot. So, there. I have a 9-wood with a senior-flex shaft in my bag. And it's not going anywhere. 11-wood next?

 

Maybe.

[Sir Slicealot]

Cool story! I like found clubs. Glad it's working out.

[Ghostwedge]

Get the 11 wood. You won't miss a hybrid.

The wife has a Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead 11 wood, just kills it.

[kulreign50]

Killing time in Golf Galaxy last week, I spotted a Heavenwood in the used club rack. Since I've read so much about them on here I thought I'd give it a try. As an afterthought I also grabbed the beat-up G400 9-wood right behind it and headed for the simulator. The Heavenwood was nice enough, was kind of considering whether or not to buy it, picked up the G400 for a change of pace.

 

First swing surprised me with a solid metallic CHINK and a nice 5-yard draw down the middle. The next half dozen swings were nearly the same. I could jump on it and push it past 210, but an easy swing carried around 200 and it seemed impossible to hit anywhere but the middle of the face, and I thought how useful it would be to have such an effortless 200 yards in the bag. Then I looked at the shaft. Tensei 65 gram A-flex. Dang. It's one thing to get older, another thing to admit it.

 

In a rare moment of sanity and humility, I bought the G400. Swapped out my G25 3-hybrid, and it has proven even more useful than I imagined. Since I'm neither particularly long nor straight off the tee, there are plenty of times when it is helpful to cover a fair bit of ground from sketchy lies. I've gouged balls out of thick rough, I've picked them out of fairway bunkers. I've hit over trees from the right rough and smothered hooks down the fairway from trouble on the left. It's become the obvious choice for layups on long par 5s, even from the fairway. Yesterday after one such second shot I overheard one of the guys in my group say, "He's killing that club, whatever it is." After topping one drive into the rough just ahead of the ladies tees on a par 4, instead of settling for a wedge and a third shot from the fairway I managed to plunge in and connect solidly with my 9-wood, putting it on the right front fringe for a par. Would it have been wiser to tee off with the 9-wood? Of course, but I'll likely never be that wise.

 

The one time that I stalled and yanked one out of bounds it was almost a relief that I hadn't unwittingly entered into some Faustian bargain for a club that always yielded an acceptable shot. So, there. I have a 9-wood with a senior-flex shaft in my bag. And it's not going anywhere. 11-wood next?

 

Maybe.

 

Play whatever suits your game ...as they say the scorecard doesn’t care.. I play a 12 degree G400 sft in regular flex and I workout daily and bench press 315 for reps. It is what it is, seems the club and shaft suit your swing , transition, smoothness, tempo etc

[Hateto3Putt]

There's something to be said about long, high, straight shots.

 

I have a new epic heavenwood, and an 11 wood you could carbon date. Throughout the years, I've won literally thousands of dollars with that 11 wood (steel shafted steelhead). Most of that has been on par 3's in the 175-200 range. But yeah, out of the rough, fairway bunkers, gotta go high and long over trees, and tight-must hit the fairway layup shots. There's not much those sticks can't accomplish.

 

Welcome to the club.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

I sometimes put a 9w in the bag. In fact, I carry it specifically for courses when I know I might have to be hitting over trees from a neighboring fairway....

There's no way I could get the same height AND distance with an iron.

[Petunia Sprinkle]

Get the 11 wood. You won't miss a hybrid.

The wife has a Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead 11 wood, just kills it.

 

Rats! Beat me to it. If there were 13, 15, 17, and 19 woods, those SGI vs. blades threads would be in a museum.

[JimNewton]

I got a 7 wood in the mail the other day. I immediately felt like an old guy when I took it out of the box. But ... I can't hit my 3 iron worth a damn and I already like this one better than that club. It's way easier. I think ... I am going to pull the shaft out of my less than reliable 3 wood, chop 1/2" off of the tip, and put it in this one. It should be a banger.

[ErichZF]

I put in a 7 wood a while ago. Never knew it would be the club and it kicked out my 3 iron instantly. 185 to 205 is my distance now vs 190 with a hit it an hope it holds the green. I can do anything with it. Its a great utility club. Can hit it from any lie or situation. Amazing on par 3's. Had a hole in one with the damn thing. Just scared to end up with a bag full of woods. Its a slippery slop. High and straight is great.

[golfgirlrobin]

I’ve been playing Heavenwood, 9-wood for a while. The 9-wood is actually an inch short just to fill the gap left by every hybrid I ever had that only wanted to go left.

 

There’s a lot to be said for easy to hit.

[animalgolfs]

Killing time in Golf Galaxy last week, I spotted a Heavenwood in the used club rack. Since I've read so much about them on here I thought I'd give it a try. As an afterthought I also grabbed the beat-up G400 9-wood right behind it and headed for the simulator. The Heavenwood was nice enough, was kind of considering whether or not to buy it, picked up the G400 for a change of pace.

 

First swing surprised me with a solid metallic CHINK and a nice 5-yard draw down the middle. The next half dozen swings were nearly the same. I could jump on it and push it past 210, but an easy swing carried around 200 and it seemed impossible to hit anywhere but the middle of the face, and I thought how useful it would be to have such an effortless 200 yards in the bag. Then I looked at the shaft. Tensei 65 gram A-flex. Dang. It's one thing to get older, another thing to admit it.

 

In a rare moment of sanity and humility, I bought the G400. Swapped out my G25 3-hybrid, and it has proven even more useful than I imagined. Since I'm neither particularly long nor straight off the tee, there are plenty of times when it is helpful to cover a fair bit of ground from sketchy lies. I've gouged balls out of thick rough, I've picked them out of fairway bunkers. I've hit over trees from the right rough and smothered hooks down the fairway from trouble on the left. It's become the obvious choice for layups on long par 5s, even from the fairway. Yesterday after one such second shot I overheard one of the guys in my group say, "He's killing that club, whatever it is." After topping one drive into the rough just ahead of the ladies tees on a par 4, instead of settling for a wedge and a third shot from the fairway I managed to plunge in and connect solidly with my 9-wood, putting it on the right front fringe for a par. Would it have been wiser to tee off with the 9-wood? Of course, but I'll likely never be that wise.

 

The one time that I stalled and yanked one out of bounds it was almost a relief that I hadn't unwittingly entered into some Faustian bargain for a club that always yielded an acceptable shot. So, there. I have a 9-wood with a senior-flex shaft in my bag. And it's not going anywhere. 11-wood next?

 

Maybe.

 

This lad and his lady stories.......

[Ross37]

I went to a demo day a few weeks ago in search of a new 4 hybrid. Ping rep watches my swing and hands me the 9 wood. The ball flight and distance were spot on. That club will end up in my bag soon. Hope you enjoy it.

[ashscache]

I’ve been playing Heavenwood, 9-wood for a while. The 9-wood is actually an inch short just to fill the gap left by every hybrid I ever had that only wanted to go left.

 

There’s a lot to be said for easy to hit.

 

Mine is standard length but I went to this setup last fall and love it. The Heavenwood and Divine Nine are so easy to hit and land soft. Great clubs and don’t make me miss hybrids one bit.

[Guia]

9W, fantastic playability. Dropped my 5 iron for the 9 wood, many years ago. I am not a big hitter but for me it works great out of the tall grass or from the fairway. Falls in-between

my 5 and 6 irons distance.

 

On a side note I play with a fairly new golfer, he has been playing 5 years, and instead of buying a regular set of irons, he opted for all woods, 11 - 9 - 7 - 5 - 4 woods. He is very consistent and very straight.

[C_rad]

I just put a 7 wood yesterday in the bag. Cant wait to see the result tomirrow in his first 18

[Sean2]

I have 4/7/9 woods. As to the 9-wood, it goes high, lands soft, and goes farther and straighter than a comparable hybrid. And, the scorecard hasn't asked me once if I carry a 9-wood.

[ashscache]

Not to hijack but relatedly— I have a 3W, a Heavenwood (5 wood?) and a 9 wood. Would adding a 7 be superfluous? Thinking replacing 4 and 5 irons with 7 and 9 woods might be a net gain but worried what it’ll do to my gaps....

[Petunia Sprinkle]

I put in a 7 wood a while ago. Never knew it would be the club and it kicked out my 3 iron instantly. 185 to 205 is my distance now vs 190 with a hit it an hope it holds the green. I can do anything with it. Its a great utility club. Can hit it from any lie or situation. Amazing on par 3's. Had a hole in one with the damn thing. Just scared to end up with a bag full of woods. Its a slippery slop. High and straight is great.

 

Dare to dream, son, dare to dream...

[erock9174]

Is your G400 9w the regular or Sf tec version ?

[EastTNGolfer]

Is your G400 9w the regular or Sf tec version ?

 

The G400 9 wood only comes in the regular version.

[platgof]

Picked up a F& 7-8 wood and cut it down 3/8". It is so reliable and goes very straight. It is more likely a 9 wood at that loft and length.

[myspinonit]

Slow swinger here. I had a chance to demo used G400 9 wood and 7 woods this weekend while away on a short trip to the USA. They felt very smooth and super straight on the monitor. Was able to compare them for distance on a monitir with the G model 4 hybrid and SFT G 5 wood I bag now. Plus i was able to compare to a G400 5W (regular version) and G400 3H.

 

Same old story for me with 7 woods... really the same distance as my 4 H (not a 3 H). The 7 wood was effortless to hit though and straight. But my G SFT 5 wood is the good replacement I intended this year for my 3H. Similar distance (maybe a touch longer) than a well-struck 3H counting 3H rollout. But nearly all carry- effortlessly with the 5 SFT - mirroring what I see on the cours mostly. Not regretting that addition to the bag.

 

The 9w was pretty much a 5H replacement for me, perhaps a tad longer, high launch naturally and straight. That one has had me thinking about it a lot since my return. My 5 hybrid - several Ping models the past few years - has been close to 6i distance and hasn't been my favorite club . A 9W might be a good sub for the 5H and be maybe a "5 and a half" H type length for a lot of green approaches. A lot of coin though.

[animalgolfs]

I bought one in a moment of fantasy

 

The vision I have in my mind is of joyful bliss

 

G400 23.5* & UST Elements Fire

 

I'm hoping it replaces a 5i, as tucked areas have become quite problematic, at that yardage.

 

 

 

 

 

[tucsonsean]

Also a slow swinger, these days I carry four woods (#1, #4, #7, #9). I thought the 9w would kick the 4i out of the bag. But, although they're the same loft (24*), they have very different properties. The 9w is a little longer with a higher trajectory and little roll-out; the 4i is easier to hit straight with a lot of roll. Into the wind with tight fairways where accuracy is tantamount, it's the 4i; with the wind with hazards to carry but little trouble around a firm, fast green, it's the 9w. Since I was only gaming 13 clubs, I carry them both. BTW, all the woods (except the driver, which is a Ping Tisi-tec) are original Callaway Steelheads; the irons are original Callaway Steelhead X-14s. The putter is an original Ram Zebra. The only newer club in the bag is a Callaway MD4 50* GW that my wife bought me on a recent trip to Oregon. Classic clubs rock!

[Chuck905]

Why not just hit a 5 iron vs a 9 wood, are they not equivalent?

 

I would assess your launch angle and spin rate. A 5 iron has plenty of spin to hold greens.

 

Also a slow swinger, these days I carry four woods (#1, #4, #7, #9). I thought the 9w would kick the 4i out of the bag. But, although they're the same loft (24*), they have very different properties. The 9w is a little longer with a higher trajectory and little roll-out; the 4i is easier to hit straight with a lot of roll. Into the wind with tight fairways where accuracy is tantamount, it's the 4i; with the wind with hazards to carry but little trouble around a firm, fast green, it's the 9w. Since I was only gaming 13 clubs, I carry them both. BTW, all the woods (except the driver, which is a Ping Tisi-tec) are original Callaway Steelheads; the irons are original Callaway Steelhead X-14s. The putter is an original Ram Zebra. The only newer club in the bag is a Callaway MD4 50* GW that my wife bought me on a recent trip to Oregon. Classic clubs rock!

[CDLgolf]

A friend of mine carries a 1, 4, 7, 9 and 11 woods . All Callaway. He is one of the best players i know from 180 to 230.

 

I just switched out a 20* hybrid for a 5 wood and find it flies higher and lands softer. Still use 23* & 26* hybrid.

 

Play what works for you.

[Ripken08]

Why not just hit a 5 iron vs a 9 wood, are they not equivalent?

 

I would assess your launch angle and spin rate. A 5 iron has plenty of spin to hold greens.

 

Also a slow swinger, these days I carry four woods (#1, #4, #7, #9). I thought the 9w would kick the 4i out of the bag. But, although they're the same loft (24*), they have very different properties. The 9w is a little longer with a higher trajectory and little roll-out; the 4i is easier to hit straight with a lot of roll. Into the wind with tight fairways where accuracy is tantamount, it's the 4i; with the wind with hazards to carry but little trouble around a firm, fast green, it's the 9w. Since I was only gaming 13 clubs, I carry them both. BTW, all the woods (except the driver, which is a Ping Tisi-tec) are original Callaway Steelheads; the irons are original Callaway Steelhead X-14s. The putter is an original Ram Zebra. The only newer club in the bag is a Callaway MD4 50* GW that my wife bought me on a recent trip to Oregon. Classic clubs rock!

 

9 wood is a 4 iron, not a 5

[EddieEdwards]

 

9 wood is a 4 iron, not a 5

 

Jacked lofts?

[animalgolfs]

 

9 wood is a 4 iron, not a 5

 

Jacked lofts?

 

Exactly - - 5i 23*

[vernon]

Seven wood has long been one of the best clubs in my bag and after reading this I obviously have no choice but to get a niner.

 

Thanks for costing me even more money!