I think my 3W needs to go ... but now what?

[Haber]

I've struggled with many 3 woods over the years and finally decided to give cobra a shot when the f8's were discounted. It is hands down the easiest fairway I've ever hit. I liked it so much I ordered the matching F9 5 wood and play them at 16° and 19.5°. If you have overlooked these clubs definitely give them a shot.

[JustinG76]

Even though I don’t use it anymore, I still think the Ping G25 was one of the best fairway woods ever and really the first one I could hit consistently anywhere on the course. I also agree with the 4 wood posts. I presently today play a Epic 15*, adjust up to 17* at 42.5” which is a .5” shorter than stock. Works perfect from both tee and off the deck. Basically it’s a 3 wood head, at 4 wood loft, and 4 or 5 wood length....works like a champ.

[tannyhoban]

Last couple years I've used 16.5 as my only FW with good results. Rest of bag Driver 10.5,19 Hybrid, 4-A, 56, 60 and putter. Not a long hitter so this setup doesn't bunch up in any one yardage.

[bluedot]

I just went thru this decision. I spent the winter making myself hit the 3W off the ground to decide once and for all if I could make it work or not, and the answer was a clear "No!". Off the tee, it was ok, but nearly as long as a driver, and off the ground, the bad shot not only outnumbered the good ones by a lot, but the bad ones were just awful.

 

So I did a fitting just for that end of the bag, and ended up getting a 17* hybrid as my second longest club, and a 5W to use as a layup club off the tee and occasionally off the ground if I need to hit it higher than the 17* hybrid permits. It's a little bit of an unconventional setup, but it is working exactly the way I had hoped.

 

Fwiw, I'm not a fan of the "4W to replace a 3W" idea. A 4W is the club of choice if you hit fairway woods ok, but are trying to replace BOTH a 3W and a 5W, but it's only a degree or two more lofted and generally the same length as a 3W. In my experience, most players that can't hit a 3W off the ground aren't very good with a 4W either.

[Bizzle80]

 

>

> I should have explained a little better. Right now, I’m just trying to make par. So I’m not hitting 3W on a par 4 and definitely not on a par 5. I’d love to be but that’s just not my reality right now. So after a drive, I usually follow up with the club I’m most confident in - sometimes a hybrid, sometimes an iron, and a couple times a round a 5w. I find it more important to stay on the fairway than 30 yards closer and in the bushes. I hit my 7i 140 usually.

>

Maybe move up a tee box so you aren’t hitting woods/hybrids into par 4s.

 

[Little Ned]

So I’m confused about something. A 2h is 17* but 41”. A 7w is 21* and 42.5”.

Theoretically speaking ... Does that mean a 2h is easier to hit because its shorter? And even though it is lofted less than the 7w, it won’t go as far because of the shaft length?

[Little Ned]

Also, does a 2h usually only come in a stiff shaft?

[BogeyParBogey]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> Also, does a 2h usually only come in a stiff shaft?

Typically, yes. For guys like you and me who fit into R flex shafts (I'm assuming based off iron distances you posted) 17* 2 hybrids typically launch too low to offer any benefit over a 3 hybrid. Try one out to see if it works, but don't be surprised if it doesn't.

[Little Ned]

> @BogeyParBogey said:

> > @"Little Ned" said:

> > Also, does a 2h usually only come in a stiff shaft?

> Typically, yes. For guys like you and me who fit into R flex shafts (I'm assuming based off iron distances you posted) 17* 2 hybrids typically launch too low to offer any benefit over a 3 hybrid. Try one out to see if it works, but don't be surprised if it doesn't.

 

Unfortunately, just “trying one out” means buying it and seeing what happens (similar to the 3W which hasn’t worked out and the 5w which has). So I could grab a 3h, drop the 3W, and make my long club off the deck a 5w.

 

I’m just frustrated that I currently have gaps from my 4h to my 5w and then my driver. It just seems like something I could improve on.

 

[BogeyParBogey]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @BogeyParBogey said:

> > > @"Little Ned" said:

> > > Also, does a 2h usually only come in a stiff shaft?

> > Typically, yes. For guys like you and me who fit into R flex shafts (I'm assuming based off iron distances you posted) 17* 2 hybrids typically launch too low to offer any benefit over a 3 hybrid. Try one out to see if it works, but don't be surprised if it doesn't.

>

> Unfortunately, just “trying one out” means buying it and seeing what happens (similar to the 3W which hasn’t worked out and the 5w which has). So I could grab a 3h, drop the 3W, and make my long club off the deck a 5w.

>

> I’m just frustrated that I currently have gaps from my 4h to my 5w and then my driver. It just seems like something I could improve on.

>

 

How big is the gap between 5W and 4H? I don't know if I'd worry that much about the driver to 5W gap.

[srksi]

Re: 17h and stiff shafts

 

I have Titleist 816 h1 hybrids in 17/21/25 and while they have stiff shafts, I put diamana red in them to launch higher w more spin. I am a recoil 95 f3 in the irons. I wouldn’t be a stiff in most other shafts. You can find many used Titleist shafts to try because of how long they have had the same hosel system, even older shafts like pro launch. My previous set of irons were ctl 105 r flex. I’m playing the Ltd version in the driver and 3w. It is a little firmer and lower launching than its predecessor, but similar feel. I wouldn’t recommend it in the hybrids, but the older gray red board type is fine. Most here would call it a noodle probably. When I bought it, I remember the kid at pgass said it would launch too high with too much spin and I said that I would like to see that. He didn’t understand...

[Little Ned]

> @BogeyParBogey said:

>

> How big is the gap between 5W and 4H? I don't know if I'd worry that much about the driver to 5W gap.

 

You’re right about the driver to 5w gap. It’s not something I should concern myself with. It’s the sizable gap (and consistency) between the 5w and 4h gap that I can improve.

 

[Putterboy68]

4 wood is the fix.

[Little Ned]

> @Putterboy68 said:

> 4 wood is the fix.

Could I just turn my 5w down a degree?

 

 

[Little Ned]

So to complicate things, I can get the F8 woods and hybrids for a great price. So I can add a 7w, a 3h, or even start my woods over from scratch. What option would you go with?

[gvogel]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @BogeyParBogey said:

> >

> > How big is the gap between 5W and 4H? I don't know if I'd worry that much about the driver to 5W gap.

>

> You’re right about the driver to 5w gap. It’s not something I should concern myself with. It’s the sizable gap (and consistency) between the 5w and 4h gap that I can improve.

>

 

7-wood could fix that gap. Heck, I go from 7-wood to 5-iron, because I can take a 3/4 swing with the 7-wood.

[howellhandmade]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @Putterboy68 said:

> > 4 wood is the fix.

> Could I just turn my 5w down a degree?

>

>

 

Absolutely. My G400 5W is turned down to 16.5 like my G25 4W was, but opening the face helps prevent hooks and the smidge shorter shaft doesn’t hurt. Net, it’s a better club, and I thought I was in that G25 for life, the the extent of having two backups.

[Spooky67]

IMO the 3w is hardest club to get right. Once you have a good fit, hang on to it even if you pull it out of the bag. I still have not found the perfect 3w but I’ve been close. I have a few that are perfect off the tee but harder off the deck, I have a few that are great off the deck but sketchy off the tee. Haven’t found THE one yet.... that being said, I’d prefer money off the tee and a little tougher off the deck.

[Putterboy68]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @Putterboy68 said:

> > 4 wood is the fix.

> Could I just turn my 5w down a degree?

>

>

 

Absolutely. You can do anything you want that will fill your need to hit greens.

[Little Ned]

> @Putterboy68 said:

> > @"Little Ned" said:

> > > @Putterboy68 said:

> > > 4 wood is the fix.

> > Could I just turn my 5w down a degree?

> >

> >

>

> Absolutely. You can do anything you want that will fill your need to hit greens.

 

So the difference between a true 4w and a 5w turned down a degree is shaft length? If so, the 5w option becomes an intriguing idea.

 

 

[nosedive32]

Do you go from 5 wood to 4 hybrid? Seems kind of gappy.

 

Maybe try a 4-7 wood combo then the 4-5 hybrids.

 

You could also just need to find a unicorn 3. I've always struggled with 3 wood off the deck until I find the right one after 3 or 4 cycled through.

 

My 917 F2 was solid last year. To start this year it was a trainwreck. Tested a buddy's rogue. Still a train wreck. Tried the new M6 and now 3 wood is my best club .

[gvogel]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @Putterboy68 said:

> > > @"Little Ned" said:

> > > > @Putterboy68 said:

> > > > 4 wood is the fix.

> > > Could I just turn my 5w down a degree?

> > >

> > >

> >

> > Absolutely. You can do anything you want that will fill your need to hit greens.

>

> So the difference between a true 4w and a 5w turned down a degree is shaft length? If so, the 5w option becomes an intriguing idea.

>

>

YEs, but remember that with most fairway woods, turning down the loft also effectively opens the face. If you have trouble leaving your fairway wood shots to the right, taking the 4-wood and increasing loft might be a better option.

 

Here is another option: The Ping G410 SFT. The face is slightly closed, but the loft is 16*.

[Little Ned]

> @nosedive32 said:

> Do you go from 5 wood to 4 hybrid? Seems kind of gappy.

Yes. And it is.

> @nosedive32 said:

> Maybe try a 4-7 wood combo then the 4-5 hybrids.

I’m leaning towards turning my 5w down to a 4w and then getting a 7w.

 

[Little Ned]

> @gvogel said:

> YEs, but remember that with most fairway woods, turning down the loft also effectively opens the face. If you have trouble leaving your fairway wood shots to the right, taking the 4-wood and increasing loft might be a better option.

Glad you mentioned that because leaving shots right is my problem. Closing the club face is the cure.

> Here is another option: The Ping G410 SFT. The face is slightly closed, but the loft is 16*.

How would this work on the F8? Would I want to go 3-4 or 5-6?

 

[Little Ned]

Well, I bit the bullet and jumped on a great deal for the Cobra F8 7-8 wood. It will replace the Ping G wood.

[zoned_post_meridiem]

I'm in a similar boat; started with Cobra 3w and 5w and kicked the 3w out last season -- I found that on average, I was longer with the 5w because of how rarely I hit the 3w well.

 

My bag currently goes 5w/2h/4i, but I'm toying with the idea of kicking out the 2h, cranking the 5-6w down to 17.5*, and adding a Cobra 7-8 at 22.5*. At my high-ish handicap (and not a ton of time for golf), I struggle with the fact that a single wood and a single hybrid mean that I don't have a lot of on-course opportunities to hit either, so whenever I pull one, it's sometimes been a few holes since I hit it, and it feels foreign in my hand. With a strong 5w/7w, I have more on-course opportunities to hit the same kind of club.

[Little Ned]

> @zoned_post_meridiem said:

> I'm in a similar boat; started with Cobra 3w and 5w and kicked the 3w out last season -- I found that on average, I was longer with the 5w because of how rarely I hit the 3w well.

>

> My bag currently goes 5w/2h/4i, but I'm toying with the idea of kicking out the 2h, cranking the 5-6w down to 17.5*, and adding a Cobra 7-8 at 22.5*. At my high-ish handicap (and not a ton of time for golf), I struggle with the fact that a single wood and a single hybrid mean that I don't have a lot of on-course opportunities to hit either, so whenever I pull one, it's sometimes been a few holes since I hit it, and it feels foreign in my hand. With a strong 5w/7w, I have more on-course opportunities to hit the same kind of club.

 

Probably a dumb question, but if you crank down the 5-6, does that open the clubface?

[zoned_post_meridiem]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @zoned_post_meridiem said:

> > I'm in a similar boat; started with Cobra 3w and 5w and kicked the 3w out last season -- I found that on average, I was longer with the 5w because of how rarely I hit the 3w well.

> >

> > My bag currently goes 5w/2h/4i, but I'm toying with the idea of kicking out the 2h, cranking the 5-6w down to 17.5*, and adding a Cobra 7-8 at 22.5*. At my high-ish handicap (and not a ton of time for golf), I struggle with the fact that a single wood and a single hybrid mean that I don't have a lot of on-course opportunities to hit either, so whenever I pull one, it's sometimes been a few holes since I hit it, and it feels foreign in my hand. With a strong 5w/7w, I have more on-course opportunities to hit the same kind of club.

>

> Probably a dumb question, but if you crank down the 5-6, does that open the clubface?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around exactly what happens when you adjust the loft -- there's some very detailed threads about that around here, I think. From what I understand, basically, yes -- a little -- though Cobra clubs supposedly have some mechanism that prevents the clubface from looking open at address. I'll see how it feels to move the 5w closer to 4w lofts; if it tweaks things too much, I'm ok going traditional 5w/7w. Honestly, at my level of play, I'm not looking to birdie any par-5s, so whatever gets me within short-iron distance on the second shot will do.

[Little Ned]

> @zoned_post_meridiem said:

> From what I understand, basically, yes -- a little -- though Cobra clubs supposedly have some mechanism that prevents the clubface from looking open at address. I'll see how it feels to move the 5w closer to 4w lofts; if it tweaks things too much, I'm ok going traditional 5w/7w.

 

Exactly - that's why I ask. The Cobra F8 has the following lofts for the 7-8 F8. Does turning it down from 22.5* to 21.5D* mean that it is a 21.5* with a draw (closed face)?

21° / 21.5° / 21.5°D / 22.5° / 22.5°D /

23.5° / 23.5°D / 24°

[zoned_post_meridiem]

> @"Little Ned" said:

> > @zoned_post_meridiem said:

> > From what I understand, basically, yes -- a little -- though Cobra clubs supposedly have some mechanism that prevents the clubface from looking open at address. I'll see how it feels to move the 5w closer to 4w lofts; if it tweaks things too much, I'm ok going traditional 5w/7w.

>

> Exactly - that's why I ask. The Cobra F8 has the following lofts for the 7-8 F8. Does turning it down from 22.5* to 21.5D* mean that it is a 21.5* with a draw (closed face)?

> 21° / 21.5° / 21.5°D / 22.5° / 22.5°D /

> 23.5° / 23.5°D / 24°

 

Yes -- the D settings purposefully add draw bias. Lowering the loft to any non-D setting will open the face, but shouldn't introduce draw or fade bias. This is a short explainer why: https://pluggedingolf.com/how-to-adjust-your-driver/