What next after 5 wood?

[northernmi]

Just reconfigured my bag to replace a fairly low flying 4 wood with a much more versatile 18* 5 wood.  However, my 7 wood is now too close in distance and playability to the 5 wood.  I do not launch most 21* hybrids well enough for them to be useful so I am thinking either going to one in 23* or finding a weak 7 wood/strong 9 wood in that same 23* range.  What are other people using after 5 wood?

[Vinsanity23]

I use four wedges so after the 5w/hybrid spot I drop straight to 4 iron, but could also justify a 3 iron if I chose to put only 3 wedges in play.

[northernmi]

5 minutes ago, vstensrud23 said:

I use four wedges so after the 5w/hybrid spot I drop straight to 4 iron, but could also justify a 3 iron if I chose to put only 3 wedges in play.

What is your yardage gap then?  For me it would be about 25 yards if I carry my 4 iron (older school Ping Eye 2+ lofts).

[Vinsanity23]

I play my Super Hybrid at 245 and my 4 iron at 215. 30 yard gap is big, but I'd rather have a 30 yard gap that far out and try to choke a hybrid going into a par 5 in 2 than inside 130 with a wedge. Maybe some day my wedge game will improve enough to the point that I would feel comfortable dropping the GW and throwing in a 3 iron to shut that gap, but for now, picking my poison.

[North Butte]

They play so many games with names and numbers today, best to just think in terms of lofts and distances.

 

My only long club other than driver is an 18-degree fairway wood. Then a 20-degree "iron" (it's really built like a hybrid) and then 23 degree and so forth on up through the shorter clubs. For me that's about 210 or so with driver, about 185 with the fairway wood and 170 with 20-degree hybrid/iron. So good spacing. 

 

I think if I went with a 20 or 21 degree fairway wood I'd have the same problem you're mentioning. It would probably fly a bit higher but only carry maybe 5-10 yards less than my 18-degree. But my 20-degree club is a couple inches shorter plus two degrees weaker.

 

I prefer the shorter shaft and stronger loft option, it gives me better yardage gaps and I always struggle with consistency of strike on fairway-wood-length clubs. But if you really like the longer shafts and higher ball flight (assuming you're right-handed) there are fairway woods on the market with 23 or more degrees of loft. 

[MelloYello]

I'll be honest, I kept the low-flying 4w, haha. 

 

I just added a 7w to my bag and start with the 4i after that. I'm most likely better off with a 4hy so I have a 25^o in the bag at the moment but I could just as easily put the regular 24^o 4-iron right back in. 

 

My recommendation would be to select clubs based on the shots you need rather than building something that looks good on paper. You certainly don't want to remove useful clubs for silly reasons. 

Edited September 30, 2020 by MelloYello

[ThreeBoxers]

I go from 5W to 4H.  At those distances and at my skill level, precise gapping matters a bit less.  Carry with with the 5W is about 215-220 and about 200 with the 4H off the turf .  If I'm exactly 210 out I'm probably in a situation where the club I pull will depend on what I want to avoid.  It's either going for a par 5 in two or a par 4 where I did something very stupid, so pin hunting isn't the priority (or realistic).

[jeffrey r]

OP, there are plenty of options, but I don't know that you will find some holy grail that is better than your 7 wood.  I go back and forth between a 7 wood and 4 hybrid.  Each has its pluses and minuses. 

 

The thing with the 7 wood is, I don't even really care what exact distance it goes.  I sort of care of course, but it doesn't need to be precise for me.  The point of the 7 wood is, it is so reliable and easy to hit.  Between the 7 wood and the 4 hybrid, the 7 wood is definitely safer and more reliable for me.  If I need to step on it, I can hit my 5 wood.  And if it is a shot that calls for a hybrid, I can hit my 5 hybrid without missing too much by not having my 4 hybrid in the bag.

 

YMMV.

Edited September 30, 2020 by jeffrey r

[rkillian]

I have a 5w set at 17* and go to a 21* hybrid. This gapping works for me. 

[North Butte]

43 minutes ago, jeffrey r said:

OP, there are plenty of options, but I don't know that you will find some holy grail that is better than your 7 wood.  I go back and forth between a 7 wood and 4 hybrid.  Each has its pluses and minuses. 

 

The thing with the 7 wood is, I don't even really care what exact distance it goes.  I sort of care of course, but it doesn't need to be precise for me.  The point of the 7 wood is, it is so reliable and easy to hit.  Between the 7 wood and the 4 hybrid, the 7 wood is definitely safer and more reliable for me.  If I need to step on it, I can hit my 5 wood.  And if it is a shot that calls for a hybrid, I can hit my 5 hybrid without missing too much by not having my 4 hybrid in the bag.

 

YMMV.

The last 7w I owned was a Ping G30 with a senior flex shaft (I'm not at all a senior flex person but I got it super cheap). It was the ultimate "doesn't need to be precise" club. Almost any halfway decent swing would launch it way high in the air with a pronounced draw. Even hitting out the rough it went high with a draw. It might go 170 one swing, 165 the next and the unexpectedly fly 180 on the next. And it might draw 5 yards and hook 15 yards on back to back shots. 

 

But I played it for quite a while and liked it. For my game, when I'm 175+ yards from the green any ball that flies high and air, lands and stops on the green or fringe was a pretty darned good shot. Not something I can count on with a 4-iron especially from dodgy lies.

 

Eventually I moved on and got rid. Kind of regret it. Especially on those days I can't seem to hit a green from beyond the 150 marker to save my life. 

[theothertwo]

3 hours ago, northernmi said:

Just reconfigured my bag to replace a fairly low flying 4 wood with a much more versatile 18* 5 wood.  However, my 7 wood is now too close in distance and playability to the 5 wood.  I do not launch most 21* hybrids well enough for them to be useful so I am thinking either going to one in 23* or finding a weak 7 wood/strong 9 wood in that same 23* range.  What are other people using after 5 wood?

I use an 18* 5 wood followed by a 22* and 25* hybrid, then 6 iron to PW.  Driver, 52 and 58 wedges and a putter round up a 12 club bag...May change the 5 wood to a 16.5-17* 4 wood.

[leftymatt]

5 hours ago, MelloYello said:

I'll be honest, I kept the low-flying 4w, haha. 

 

I just added a 7w to my bag and start with the 4i after that. I'm most likely better off with a 4hy so I have a 25^o in the bag at the moment but I could just as easily put the regular 24^o 4-iron right back in. 

 

My recommendation would be to select clubs based on the shots you need rather than building something that looks good on paper. You certainly don't want to remove useful clubs for silly reasons. 

 

I really dig this advice and find it has worked well for me. There is definitely value in filling gaps, but it isn't everything.

[dlygrisse]

9 minutes ago, leftymatt said:

 

I really dig this advice and find it has worked well for me. There is definitely value in filling gaps, but it isn't everything.

I couldn’t agree more. Keep the 7 wood if it’s useful, or add a driving iron or long iron as a wind cheater or for punching out of the trees. Gaps are great but I think it’s better to look at as finding the right tool to get the job done irregardless of whether you have perfect 4 degree gaps. 

[animalgolfs]

7 wood then 9 wood

[Fairway14]

8 hours ago, northernmi said:

Just reconfigured my bag to replace a fairly low flying 4 wood with a much more versatile 18* 5 wood.  However, my 7 wood is now too close in distance and playability to the 5 wood.  I do not launch most 21* hybrids well enough for them to be useful so I am thinking either going to one in 23* or finding a weak 7 wood/strong 9 wood in that same 23* range.  What are other people using after 5 wood?

 

Keep looking and you will find a 21* to 23* hybrid that produces good shots for you.

[northernmi]

Good input everyone - thanks.  I'm pretty limited in what I can demo/try as we only have one real golf shop within several hours and their stock is pretty non-existent at this point.  They sold off almost all the pieces from their fitting carts even.

[EaglesGolf99]

Just converted to a 5 Wood, myself, after I started struggling with my beloved Apex 2 Hybrid. The 2 Hybrid had been in my bag 5 years strong, and I just needed to look at something different and launch a bit higher. 

 

Enter 5 Wood. (260)

 

Following up with a 3 Hybrid cut to 4 Hybrid playing length. (230)

 

And then 5 Iron. (215)

 

..... I also carry 4 Wedges: 46°, 52°, 58°, and 64°. (155, 135, 115, and 95)

 

Versatile setup. Took some time to get there. 

[Bobb3rdown]

5 wood then 4 hybrid for me. Dropping the 3 and 4 iron and going 5wd , 4 hybrid gave me alot more confidence from 220-180. my hybrid is the adams pro mini. If I had to choose another it would be the callaway apex.

Edited September 30, 2020 by Bobb3rdown

[Munich77]

5 wood and then 3 hybrid for me.   

[14max]

I play 10 and 12 clubs (depending on bag), so I have a 26* hybrid (10-club bag) and 25* crossover (12-club bag)...

Edited October 13, 2020 by 14max
Additional information

[Jetierney13]

I usually go from 19* 5 wood down to 24* 4 iron.  Occasionally depending on the weather I will switch in a 21* 3 iron.

[jbrunk]

4 Hybrid in some configuration relative to the 3Hy/5W slot.  I like keeping 3-4° gaps here and into to the 5i.

 

F9 Tour 4-5W 17.5°

F8 4Hy 22°
Z785 5i 25°

 

Rogue 5W 19°
Apex 19 4Hy 23°
X-Forged 5i 26°

 

G400 3Hy 19°

G400 4Hy 22°

i200 5i 26°

 

BiO Cell+ 4-5W 17.5°

BiO Cell 3-4Hy 20.5°

MP-54 4i 24°

[Stetson]

I’ve been playing 18* (5w) and 21* turned to 23*(3H) but a recent round made me question my setup. I hit two balls (or ne with each club) on a hole and thought I hit both well but the final gap was less than 5 yards.  The flight on both was strong, no ballooning and not into or against the wind (most across).  Both clubs are from same same manufacturer and both had Ventus Velocore shafts, so the equipment was about an continuous as can be. Just a matter of ball speed, spin and launch were quite similar so not sure what the benefit of having both is as the moment. 
 

I may try to acquire a 24* hybrid to bring that distance back some. But my 4iron is 24* so on paper it seems silly to do so, which is why I haven’t. 

[GooseHook]

I have a "strong 5" at 17 degrees, and go into a graphite shafted Fli-Hi at 21. Skip the 4i and go 5i on down the bag. 

[Striker Ace]

I use a very forgiving 24 degree 5 hybrid that launches the ball very easily. It has me contemplating a 21 degree 4 hybrid due to the easy launch but I'm not a pro and I only play for fun so maybe not. 

[nitram]

21* 7WD

[Lobber]

PXG 5 wood turned down to 16.5 followed by PXG 5 Hybrid dialed down to 23.5  Works well for the courses I typically play.  

[EaglesGolf99]

10 hours ago, GooseHook said:

I have a "strong 5" at 17 degrees, and go into a graphite shafted Fli-Hi at 21. Skip the 4i and go 5i on down the bag. 

We are dang near identical. 

 

17.5° "Strong 5"

20° Hybrid

Skip 4 Iron

26° 5 Iron.... And so forth. 

[GooseHook]

42 minutes ago, EaglesGolf99 said:

We are dang near identical. 

 

17.5° "Strong 5"

20° Hybrid

Skip 4 Iron

26° 5 Iron.... And so forth. 

It works. Sure, I’ll never be able to reach a par 5 from 275 out but everything else is covered by clubs I can actually hit shots with.

 

 

[ode]

20* hybrid.....not a high ball hitter so it works just fine for my game.  Have tried 21* 7w but am more consistent with the hybrid