5 Wood vs 3 Hybrid

[JermWRX]

Thinking of swapping out my 18* Sim Max 5 wood for either a Sim2 2 Hybrid adjusted to 18* or a Sim2 Max 3 Hybrid which is 19*. When I hit my 5 wood well, it goes for miles. However the common miss is a high sweeping hook. The only club in my bag in which that’s the miss. I also game a Sim Ti 3 wood which is a beast. Hardly ever get that high left miss with that club. Last season was the first time I ever gamed a hybrid. But it’s a shorter hybrid. Sim Max 5 hybrid. Very easy to hit, and after a little adjustment period I don’t have a hooking problem with it. I wonder if a 2 or 3 hybrid will get me the same distance as my 5 wood? 240ish off the deck. Also curious about how launch and spin will compare. Will it be able to hold a green? Should I just try lead tape on the toe of my 5 Wood to help with the high left miss instead? I know testing is the answer, and I’ll eventually do that. But testing facilities are few and far between where I live, and with snow on the ground driving ranges aren’t an option. I’m just interested to see if any of you golf nuts on here have any opinions or suggestions for me👍

[Red4282]

40 minutes ago, JermWRX said:

Thinking of swapping out my 18* Sim Max 5 wood for either a Sim2 2 Hybrid adjusted to 18* or a Sim2 Max 3 Hybrid which is 19*. When I hit my 5 wood well, it goes for miles. However the common miss is a high sweeping hook. The only club in my bag in which that’s the miss. I also game a Sim Ti 3 wood which is a beast. Hardly ever get that high left miss with that club. Last season was the first time I ever gamed a hybrid. But it’s a shorter hybrid. Sim Max 5 hybrid. Very easy to hit, and after a little adjustment period I don’t have a hooking problem with it. I wonder if a 2 or 3 hybrid will get me the same distance as my 5 wood? 240ish off the deck. Also curious about how launch and spin will compare. Will it be able to hold a green? Should I just try lead tape on the toe of my 5 Wood to help with the high left miss instead? I know testing is the answer, and I’ll eventually do that. But testing facilities are few and far between where I live, and with snow on the ground driving ranges aren’t an option. I’m just interested to see if any of you golf nuts on here have any opinions or suggestions for me👍

I cant speak for the sim hybrids but what i have found for me is: 

 

a 5 wood will usually go just a bit farther for two reasons, stock playing length and lower spin. My current hybrid is money when i hit it pure but a mishit, i really pay for mishits. It either spins up way too much or I just lose ball speed, and end up 20 yards short. My sim 5w is much more forgiving and lower spin. At the end of the day, i just prefer the 5 wood. I would say if your a high launch guy, and dont mishit much, and would like a shorter playing length, hybrid may be better for you.

[Red4282]

Also check your ball position with the 5w. If its just a smidge too far back in your stance that will cause some sweeping hooks for sure.

[JermWRX]

1 minute ago, Red4282 said:

Also check your ball position with the 5w. If its just a smidge too far back in your stance that will cause some sweeping hooks for sure.

I definitely have a tendency to have the ball position drift towards the middle of my stance. Without a doubt something I need to work on

[scooterhd2]

I like hybrids in that loft range. Very versatile, although I might look at a larger profile hybrid. I prefer more iron like hybrids when replacing an iron in the bag, but when replacing a wood, something more like a g425, ts2, super hybrid, still gives you that extra forgiveness and launch. 

 

That being said, hybrids tend to miss left for many players. So trying to fix a left miss with a hybrid is like trying to dry off with a wet towel. 

[VNutz]

From what I remember the Sim Max fairways had a more upright lie angle, where the Sim TI does not, which might explain why the 5w goes left and the 3w doesn't. I haven't hit the Sim hybrid but I thought I remembered TM putting a lot of emphasis on anti-left properties for a hybrid.

Edited January 27, 2021 by VNutz

[JermWRX]

16 minutes ago, VNutz said:

From what I remember the Sim Max fairways had a more upright lie angle, where the Sim TI does not, which might explain why the 5w goes left and the 3w doesn't. I haven't hit the Sim hybrid but I thought I remembered TM putting a lot of emphasis on anti-left properties for a hybrid.

Wow!! You’re absolutely right. I just checked the specs on TM website and the lie difference from Sim 3 to Sim Max 5 is 3 degrees more upright. Even the Sim 5 to Sim Max 5 is 2.5 degrees. I never noticed that. Poor job by me not looking for that. Maybe the answer is just a Sim 5 wood instead of Sim Max

[me05501]

It's a close call. I like a 5 wood because it's just so easy to hit, seems to want to go straight, and is more forgiving/consistent distance-wise. Almost every situation that calls for me to grab the 5 wood will be a "stock" shot. I want it to go a predictable distance in a predictable direction. I can't remember ever trying to hook or cut it, or having it hook or cut when I didn't expect it to. It goes straight, high, and about the same distance every time. 

[ChipNRun]

A couple of things to check:

• On the 5W, choke down a half inch and see if that makes the sweeping hooks disappear. If the shaft is a bit too long for your stance, you may be rocking the head back on the heel at address. This would increase chances of a closed clubface at impact.
• Find out the fairway-hybrid crossover point for you. Personally, I have always been able to hit a 18-19-degree 5W longer than a 19-degree 3H. In part, the 5W shaft is longer.

For me, the crossover point is 7W-3H. In an earlier bag set-up, I carried a 7W in warm weather and 3H Nov through Feb. 7W was better out of summer rough and landed softer, and (lower launching) 3H was better for sparse winter rough and stronger winds. Now (see below) I carry a 7W year-round.

[llewol007]

I was in the same position as you and it has to go with what you are confident pulling off when you get into that situation. I went with a 3 iron then jump to a 5 wood myself. Albeit, I lofted my 5 wood to 20.5 degrees. It gets me the 230 yard shot I need. If you have a hooking feeling with the 5 wood, it will be a problem when it is time to fire away. Just remember the hybrid takes an iron approach to hitting it so if you are comfortable with the longer irons in your bag, then there wont be an issue. 

[hypergolf]

3 hours ago, JermWRX said:

Thinking of swapping out my 18* Sim Max 5 wood for either a Sim2 2 Hybrid adjusted to 18* or a Sim2 Max 3 Hybrid which is 19*. When I hit my 5 wood well, it goes for miles. However the common miss is a high sweeping hook. The only club in my bag in which that’s the miss. I also game a Sim Ti 3 wood which is a beast. Hardly ever get that high left miss with that club. Last season was the first time I ever gamed a hybrid. But it’s a shorter hybrid. Sim Max 5 hybrid. Very easy to hit, and after a little adjustment period I don’t have a hooking problem with it. I wonder if a 2 or 3 hybrid will get me the same distance as my 5 wood? 240ish off the deck. Also curious about how launch and spin will compare. Will it be able to hold a green? Should I just try lead tape on the toe of my 5 Wood to help with the high left miss instead? I know testing is the answer, and I’ll eventually do that. But testing facilities are few and far between where I live, and with snow on the ground driving ranges aren’t an option. I’m just interested to see if any of you golf nuts on here have any opinions or suggestions for me👍

 

I used to have some hooking problem with 5 wood but that completely disappeared when I changed the shaft on the same head. Went from Tensei Blue S flex to Graphite Design Tour AD DI X flex and now shooting straight cannon ball.

 

I also keep a 3 iron if I wanted to bring the ball down but with lower launch and controllable flight. Less distance with the iron compared to the 5 wood but gives lots of options at the top end of the bag. This could be replaced with hybrid or a UDI depending on your preference and you will have both 5 wood and long hybrid in your arsenal.

 

 

[SmashGolfBall]

Hooking could come from many reasons: too up right lie angle of the 5W, ball position, shaft may be too soft, closed club face, swing issues, etc. Hybrid may not be the magic pill for the hooking.

 

Distance-wise, due to a shorter shaft length and more spin, the hybrid with the same loft as the fairway wood will go slightly shorter. A slightly stronger hybrid, say 17 or 18 degrees of loft, could compensate the distance loss.

[lefty1978]

5 wood for me all day over a 3 hybrid. 

[lefty1978]

Deleted, duplicate post.

Edited January 28, 2021 by lefty1978
Duplicate

[Golfrnut]

Right now I carry both. 🤷‍♂️
 

Distance between the two is only about a normal iron gap, but I have a strong 3W and can’t functionally dial it back if I have 215 yards for instance. 3H won’t get there. Do I have the number often?  No, but I carry three wedges and never really used a 4th when I had one so it just makes more sense for me. 

[mootrail]

On 1/27/2021 at 6:53 AM, Red4282 said:

...a 5 wood will usually go just a bit farther for two reasons, stock playing length and lower spin.

 

Loft for loft, a 5 wood will have higher spin, not lower.  Fairways general have shallower faces, lower and deeper COGs and higher MOIs, all which will produce a higher launch and spin.  The longer shaft will produce higher ball speed, but because of the increased launch and spin, it may still be shorter than the corresponding hybrid.  The carry difference between my 19° 5 wood and 19° 4 hybrid is nothing, but launch, height and run out are miles apart.

 

On 1/27/2021 at 7:13 AM, scooterhd2 said:

...hybrids tend to miss left for many players. So trying to fix a left miss with a hybrid is like trying to dry off with a wet towel. 

 

100%.

Edited January 28, 2021 by mootrail

[Drivingrangehero]

I hit a Cobra speed zone 5/6 against my 20* Hybrid and they were within a couple of yards of one another on both carry and total. I think my hybrid carried 5-6 yards less and ended up 2 yards shorter ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

The 5 wood was almost 10mph faster ball speed and the distance was all carry. It flew super high,  I want to say it was 140ft. My dispersion is worse with a 5 wood, so I stick with the hybrid. The only wood I carry is driver, then it goes 16* 20* 23* hybrids 

 

if I could cut a 5wood down, put a steel shaft in it, and swingweight it nicely, keep the spin and launch down then .......... 🤔 ok it would BE a hybrid at that point 😝 

[Red4282]

14 minutes ago, mootrail said:

 

Loft for loft, a 5 wood will have higher spin, not lower.  Fairways general have shallower faces, lower and deeper COGs and higher MOIs, all which will produce a higher launch and spin.  The longer shaft will produce higher ball speed, but because of the increased launch and spin, it may still be shorter than the corresponding hybrid.  The carry difference between my 19° 5 wood and 19° 4 hybrid is nothing, but launch, height and run out are miles apart.

 

 

100%.

Well that purely depends on the heads. A lower cg actually would be better for spin not worse, ESPECIALLY off the deck. If you are hitting a fairway or hybrid off the turf and not a tee, the strike location is going to be in the bottom half of the club. So the lower cg helps that in this case. I cant tell you how many hybrids i have tried in the last two years and when i pure one, i get ~4000rpms. A low strike and it spikes above 5k. Tested a 5 wood the other day, and after about a dozen shots, the HIGHEST spin i got was 3850, averaged about 3500.

[Drivingrangehero]

9 minutes ago, Red4282 said:

Well that purely depends on the heads. A lower cg actually would be better for spin not worse, ESPECIALLY off the deck. If you are hitting a fairway or hybrid off the turf and not a tee, the strike location is going to be in the bottom half of the club. So the lower cg helps that in this case. I cant tell you how many hybrids i have tried in the last two years and when i pure one, i get ~4000rpms. A low strike and it spikes above 5k. Tested a 5 wood the other day, and after about a dozen shots, the HIGHEST spin i got was 3850, averaged about 3500.

I can see this go both ways. 
 

I bought an Adams XTD ti 16* hybrid to be a 3 wood replacement with a Mattix Red Tie, at 14.5* I hit it higher than my 18* Callaway Apex (2016)

 

I hit my Adams Super 9031 20* hybrid lower than the 14.5* XTD ti ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

I’m sure I could find a lower flying 5 wood that would up end the notion that 5 woods fly higher than Hybrids. 
 

 

[Red4282]

9 minutes ago, Drivingrangehero said:

I can see this go both ways. 
 

I bought an Adams XTD ti 16* hybrid to be a 3 wood replacement with a Mattix Red Tie, at 14.5* I hit it higher than my 18* Callaway Apex (2016)

 

I hit my Adams Super 9031 20* hybrid lower than the 14.5* XTD ti ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

 

I’m sure I could find a lower flying 5 wood that would up end the notion that 5 woods fly higher than Hybrids. 
 

 

Yep, it can and thats why i said it depends on the head. I spun the ping fairways like crazy but man it was stable. There are some fairways, where the cg can be placed low and forward, ala sub zero, lst, sim TI type models. Those are lower spinning higher launching bombers.

[theothertwo]

18* 5 or 17* 4 wood for me over an 18*/19* hybrid.

[JermWRX]

Ordered the Sim2 5W with Hzrdus Smoke Blue RDX 70 6.5. 2.5 degrees flatter lie than my Sim Max 5W. Hope it helps a bit with the high left miss. Can’t wait to get it!!!

[halfsumo]

For me, clicking the face angle on the SIM 5 wood a touch open really did the trick and took a lot of that sweeping hook out. 

[Bye]

It’s surprising to see people using the same weight of shaft in 3 & 5 wood. I thought the rule of thumb was an extra 10 grams (raw) for each step from driver, 3 wood to 5wood/hybrid.

 

 

[Golfrnut]

2 hours ago, Bye said:

It’s surprising to see people using the same weight of shaft in 3 & 5 wood. I thought the rule of thumb was an extra 10 grams (raw) for each step from driver, 3 wood to 5wood/hybrid.

 

 

 

 

Too big of a jump for me.  I offset with slightly extra SW.

[Itsjustagame]

Agree with the comment that a 7 wood might be more comparable to a 3 hybrid. I have both, but find the 7 wood in the bag more than the 3 hybrid.

[mootrail]

18 hours ago, Red4282 said:

Well that purely depends on the heads

 

Yes, you're right, the design of the heads can alter the results.  But in general a lower, deeper COG and higher MOI is going to launch higher and spin more.  Our swing and strike is probably the more important factor in choosing which one works best for us.

 

A quick scan of YouTube for fairway vs hybrid shows... all the fairways spinning higher.

 

[Red4282]

31 minutes ago, mootrail said:

 

Yes, you're right, the design of the heads can alter the results.  But in general a lower, deeper COG and higher MOI is going to launch higher and spin more.  Our swing and strike is probably the more important factor in choosing which one works best for us.

 

A quick scan of YouTube for fairway vs hybrid shows... all the fairways spinning higher.

 

Lower cg does launch higher but it does NOT spin more. Deeper cg perhaps, but not lower. Its plain as day with the vertical gear effects. 

[MPAndreassi]

On 1/27/2021 at 9:53 AM, Red4282 said:

I cant speak for the sim hybrids but what i have found for me is: 

 

a 5 wood will usually go just a bit farther for two reasons, stock playing length and lower spin. My current hybrid is money when i hit it pure but a mishit, i really pay for mishits. It either spins up way too much or I just lose ball speed, and end up 20 yards short. My sim 5w is much more forgiving and lower spin. At the end of the day, i just prefer the 5 wood. I would say if your a high launch guy, and dont mishit much, and would like a shorter playing length, hybrid may be better for you.

 

On 1/27/2021 at 10:05 AM, Red4282 said:

Also check your ball position with the 5w. If its just a smidge too far back in your stance that will cause some sweeping hooks for sure.

 

I agree with both of these comments. I much prefer the fairways to hybrids for my game. I’ve always struggled with finding a hybrid I can confidently pull out of the bag. I’ve always been a good long iron and fairway wood player.
 

My miss is also that hook with the fairways, but ball position is crucial. I tend to let them creep back at times and moving it up fixes it.