Mid-handicap Fairway Woods

[JimboSliice_]

I'm new member to the page but have been using it as a resource for information and reviews for quite a while. A couple years ago I got back into golf and picked up a bag of pretty good used clubs for a great deal. Last year I upgraded the driver to a 2016 M2. I'm continuing to build/upgrade my bag and am on the hunt for a fairway wood (3 wood to be specific). I'm looking for something used that I can get for a decent price. Probably in the 2016-2018 model range. I've read a lot of posts here about fairway woods which is usually all I need, but on this one I seem to be stuck and can't make up my mind. For reference, I hit my driver around 250 on average and am a pretty consistent high 80's golfer around 16 handicap at the moment. My most common miss is a slice. 

 

I see a lot of people here love the M2 fairway woods but I haven't been able to confirm if that's the 2016 or 2017 model (let me know). It seems like the M4 is pretty good too. I've also been looking at the Callaway GBB Epic and PING G or G400, maybe even the Cobra F7 or F8 (the rails are intriguing). 

 

I mostly want it for long second shots on par 5's off the deck which I currently struggle with. Not too worried about hitting off the tee (if I can hit it off the deck, I'm sure I can hit it off a short tee no problem). So something with a mid-sized head; I don't want to look down and feel like I'm hitting something big like a driver, but not small like a hybrid either. Something reliable that will give me confidence to pick the ball off the deck and hit it straight. Distance is always nice too obviously, but I think I'd rather have the reliability over an extra 5-10 yards. I'd be pretty happy to hit it in the 220-230 range.

 

Would appreciate any feedback or suggestions. Thoughts on adjustable weights/hosel vs not, draw bias etc. I'll go get properly fitted one of these days but any shaft weight/flex suggestions are welcomed too.

Edited April 8, 2021 by JimboSliice_

[third-times-a-charm]

Titleist TS2, hands down.

[lefthack]

Depends on your budget. I got a '15 M1 5 wood (single weight) and a '17 M1 3 wood (dual weight) for under $50/each and loved them both. 

 

But I was only looking at TM.

[CactusGolf]

I absolutely love my 2016 M2 fairway wood.  I haven't even thought about replacing it any time soon.  Feels great off the tee (isn't the longest), but I do use it pretty infrequently off the fairway.  I don't go at too many par 5s in two with it.  I don't see a lot of benefit to that play since giving myself an awkward wedge yardage isn't super helpful and the percentage of me hitting the par 5 green in two with the 3W is typically pretty low.

 

Instead, I like to carry a 5 wood (Cobra F8) turned to 17.5* because of the rail system.  I feel that it allows me to go after the ball and eliminate some of the misses that can happen with my M2.  I would say give the Cobra F7/F8/F9s a try.  I find they are really forgiving off the deck!

 

I'll ask the question then, are you scoring better or worse by going at par 5s in two rather than making them a 3 shot hole?

[JimboSliice_]

1 minute ago, lefthack said:

Depends on your budget. I got a '15 M1 5 wood (single weight) and a '17 M1 3 wood (dual weight) for under $50/each and loved them both. 

 

But I was only looking at TM.

 

I have a decent budget for a used club probably up to $200 (CDN). Been seeing a lot of the ones I listed in the $150-200 range online in good condition.

[lefthack]

So far I like the M stuff, but as a lefty, I don't get to try all the things. With that budget, anything from the last couple years are solid options.

[JimboSliice_]

On 4/8/2021 at 9:32 AM, CactusGolf said:

I absolutely love my 2016 M2 fairway wood.  I haven't even thought about replacing it any time soon.  Feels great off the tee (isn't the longest), but I do use it pretty infrequently off the fairway.  I don't go at too many par 5s in two with it.  I don't see a lot of benefit to that play since giving myself an awkward wedge yardage isn't super helpful and the percentage of me hitting the par 5 green in two with the 3W is typically pretty low.

 

Instead, I like to carry a 5 wood (Cobra F8) turned to 17.5* because of the rail system.  I feel that it allows me to go after the ball and eliminate some of the misses that can happen with my M2.  I would say give the Cobra F7/F8/F9s a try.  I find they are really forgiving off the deck!

 

I'll ask the question then, are you scoring better or worse by going at par 5s in two rather than making them a 3 shot hole?

 

I'd agree I'm not necessarily going at the green in every situation but if it's reachable yes I'd like the option. I don't have the option today if I've got 220+ to go.

 

Everything you said about the Cobra is exactly what intrigues me about it. The rails seem to ooze confidence that I won't hit it fat off the deck or compensate and hit it thin. Saw some videos online of it hitting pretty well through a bit of rough too and different lies too.

 

Sounds like you'd say the Cobra is much easier to hit off the deck?

 

Adding a 5W to the bag is an interesting option too. I've never had one though, just 3W and 3H. But I wonder if getting a better 3W would increase the gap between these and create a need for a 5W.

 

Edit: judging by Cobra's website only their 3-4 wood is available for lefty's. The others say LH is a custom order. Except the F8 apparently. A quick search on second-hand sites looks like these will be hard for me to find in LH.

Edited April 10, 2021 by JimboSliice_

[JimboSliice_]

8 minutes ago, lefthack said:

So far I like the M stuff, but as a lefty, I don't get to try all the things. With that budget, anything from the last couple years are solid options.

 

I'm a lefty also. I do love my M2 driver which I think gives me some bias to lean that way especially with a lot of positive feedback I've seen.

[CactusGolf]

7 minutes ago, JimboSliice_ said:

 

I'd agree I'm not necessarily going at the green. Depending on if it's reachable but I won't force it. I like the option of the 3 wood though when I don't feel like the hybrid will do the trick.

 

Everything you said about the Cobra is exactly what intrigues me about it. The rails seem to ooze confidence that I won't hit it fat off the deck or compensate and hit it thin. Saw some videos online of it hitting pretty well through a bit of rough too and different lies too.

I've been really impressed with the Cobra F8 5W that I have.  It is a little deeper of a face so I think it helps off the tee quite a bit.

[jomatty]

1 hour ago, third-times-a-charm said:

Titleist TS2, hands down.

This fits all of the op requirements and can be found for really good prices if you do some searching.

I just got a sim1 and love it...

[PJE]

Pretty much any of the Big Five OEM clubs will work for you; all of the OEMs clubs are good and it's just a matter of fitting your eye.  But for hitting off the deck with ease, Ping fairways are stellar. I don't think Pings are the longest but they're not shore either.  However, they might offer the most repeatable and user friendly results. They certainly are straight.  Some people find Ping stock shafts too spinny though. 

Ping G400, G, G30, and G25s are all really nice clubs. 

[nostatic]

1 hour ago, JimboSliice_ said:

 

I'd agree I'm not necessarily going at the green in every situation but if it's reachable yes I'd like the option. I don't have the option today if I've got 220+ to go.

 

Everything you said about the Cobra is exactly what intrigues me about it. The rails seem to ooze confidence that I won't hit it fat off the deck or compensate and hit it thin. Saw some videos online of it hitting pretty well through a bit of rough too and different lies too.

 

Sounds like you'd say the Cobra is much easier to hit off the deck?

 

Adding a 5W to the bag is an interesting option too. I've never had one though, just 3W and 3H. But I wonder if getting a better 3W would increase the gap between these and create a need for a 5W.

 

I have Cobra F9 3W and 3H, have a RadSpeed 7W coming. Great clubs off the deck, at least for me. I've hit the 3H from bad lies and in thick stuff with good results. I'm a believer in the rails. Another club that has a similar design now is the 0211 fairway/hybrid. 

 

My reasoning for 3W-3H-7W is that is probably the distance order I'll hit them, and while there may be some overlap with 3H and 7W, they will hit differently and have different trajectory/spin. I think a 5W would be duplication but ymmv.

[JimboSliice_]

Any recommendations for shaft? In my driver I use a the standard Fujikura 50 Regular flex. I don't know my swing speed but I hit that around 250 yards on average. Haven't been fitted so really can't say that is even the best shaft for me to be using. But as a general rule of thumb for fairway woods would you go up a bit more weight and maybe a stiffer flex?

[nostatic]

When I was fit for fairway and hybrid, weight was important. Ended up roughly 60g driver, 70g fairway, 80g hybrid. Current driver, 3W and 3H are stiff, the 7W I ordered is regular flex as I'm slowing down and have moved to regular flex in my irons. In the longer shafts though I probably still am better off stiff - it really depends on your swing. If you're hitting the regular flex driver straight then I'd say regular flex in the fairway/hybrid.

 

With the caveat that there is no standard for "flex" so one brand's regular might feel like another brand's stiff.

[ChipNRun]

Besides the FW model, consider the characteristics of a given a fairway wood related to your needs.

 

First of all, the 15° 3W is not the best base fairway for the average golfer. Several studies show that the average golfer hits a 4W more reliably - and sometimes longer - than a 3W.

 

I have been playing some combo of 4W +7W for 10 years, thanks to a tip from the Tour Edge rep at a demo day past. Some players have done as Cactus has, delofting a 5W to 17° or so. (Delofting also flattens the lie a bit, which can limit leftward drift). 

 

2 hours ago, CactusGolf said:

the percentage of me hitting the par 5 green in two with the 3W is typically pretty low.

 

Instead, I like to carry a 5 wood (Cobra F8) turned to 17.5* because of the rail system.  I feel that it allows me to go after the ball and eliminate some of the misses that can happen with my M2.  I would say give the Cobra F7/F8/F9s a try.  I find they are really forgiving off the deck!

 

Forgiving... This often relates to two things: head design and shaft length. For head design couples with clubhead speed for your club choice. If you don't have high clubhead speed a clubhead which launches higher and spins a bit will get you more distance than a lower-launch design. Also, shaft length.

 

Shaft length can be troublesome due to decade-long creep to longer shafts. This can create control problems, and too upright a lie angle at

address (--> leftward error).  (If shaft is just a bit too long, you can choke down a half inch... you don't always have to bring out the saw.)

 

Caution on TM products: A number of TM models have both a 3W (15°) and a 3W/HL (16.5-17°), AKA as 4W in most other kingdoms. Very often the 3W/HL has a 43" shaft just like the base 3W. A 4W would often have a 42.5" shaft, which helps with control. So, make sure you don't negate the higher launch of the 3W/HL with too long a shaft.

 

P.S. My backup bag features a TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 (orange trim) 3W/HL 17° and is an excellent club.

[ChipNRun]

39 minutes ago, JimboSliice_ said:

Any recommendations for shaft? In my driver I use a the standard Fujikura 50 Regular flex. I don't know my swing speed but I hit that around 250 yards on average. Haven't been fitted so really can't say that is even the best shaft for me to be using. But as a general rule of thumb for fairway woods would you go up a bit more weight and maybe a stiffer flex?

 

Be aware that not all players swing their driver, woods and irons with same tempo. Some players tend to be more aggressive with driver - it's the club that you set the ball on a wooden peg and hit off of level ground (at most courses).

 

Fairway woods often have heavier shafts. The fairway shafts are shorter and the extra starting weight helps them feel close to driver. But, a driver with a 60-gram shaft may have swingweight of D5, while a 3W with a 70-gram shaft may have a D3. Why? The driver shaft is longer, which more than compensates for the weight difference. (caution: the real pros on here caution against exaggerating swingweight factor)

 

That's why fittings are important, and hopefully we can do outdoor testing of clubs once COVID tames down.

 

And... "I don't know my swing speed but I hit that (driver) around 250 yards on average. Haven't been fitted so really can't say that is even the best shaft for me..."

 

If you're hitting lots of fairways 250 yards out, I'd say you're pretty close...👍 

Edited April 8, 2021 by ChipNRun

[JimboSliice_]

@ChipNRun Thank you! That was all very helpful!

 

I have seen the HL models and seems like most people really like them also. I don't really have a chance to hit them and compare which is why I may consider something with adjustability so I can more closely find what suits me best.

Edited April 8, 2021 by JimboSliice_

[lefthack]

I honestly have not played with the shaft adjustment on mine, it is set at standard. I need to play with it at the range.

[Thrummyfox]

3 hours ago, PJE said:

Pretty much any of the Big Five OEM clubs will work for you; all of the OEMs clubs are good and it's just a matter of fitting your eye.  But for hitting off the deck with ease, Ping fairways are stellar. I don't think Pings are the longest but they're not shore either.  However, they might offer the most repeatable and user friendly results. They certainly are straight.  Some people find Ping stock shafts too spinny though. 

Ping G400, G, G30, and G25s are all really nice clubs. 

Echo this. I’m off 14, quite consistently hit my G400 5 wood @ 17.5 (with stock shaft) around 225-230. At the minute not really seeng the need to carry more than one fairway, though I have a G400 Stretch 3 wood at 13 and an SLDR at 15 degrees. Going with 4 wedges as a consequence at the minute. 

Edited April 8, 2021 by Thrummyfox

[Warrick]

1 hour ago, JimboSliice_ said:

@ChipNRun Thank you! That was all very helpful!

 

I have seen the HL models and seems like most people really like them also. I don't really have a chance to hit them and compare which is why I may consider something with adjustability so I can more closely find what suits me best.

Oh my, Jimbo on WRX, love it.

 

I have 2 you can try out, 816 Alpha and the GBB from 2016, just sitting in the basement 

Edited April 8, 2021 by Warrick

[Warrick]

Woops, guess not who I thought , really odd.....

[JimboSliice_]

7 hours ago, ChipNRun said:

Besides the FW model, consider the characteristics of a given a fairway wood related to your needs.

 

First of all, the 15° 3W is not the best base fairway for the average golfer. Several studies show that the average golfer hits a 4W more reliably - and sometimes longer - than a 3W.

 

I have been playing some combo of 4W +7W for 10 years, thanks to a tip from the Tour Edge rep at a demo day past. Some players have done as Cactus has, delofting a 5W to 17° or so. (Delofting also flattens the lie a bit, which can limit leftward drift). 

 

 

Forgiving... This often relates to two things: head design and shaft length. For head design couples with clubhead speed for your club choice. If you don't have high clubhead speed a clubhead which launches higher and spins a bit will get you more distance than a lower-launch design. Also, shaft length.

 

Shaft length can be troublesome due to decade-long creep to longer shafts. This can create control problems, and too upright a lie angle at

address (--> leftward error).  (If shaft is just a bit too long, you can choke down a half inch... you don't always have to bring out the saw.)

 

Caution on TM products: A number of TM models have both a 3W (15°) and a 3W/HL (16.5-17°), AKA as 4W in most other kingdoms. Very often the 3W/HL has a 43" shaft just like the base 3W. A 4W would often have a 42.5" shaft, which helps with control. So, make sure you don't negate the higher launch of the 3W/HL with too long a shaft.

 

P.S. My backup bag features a TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 (orange trim) 3W/HL 17° and is an excellent club.

 

So I think this just completely changed my game. I hadn't heard of the 4W methodology before. Been playing the 3W & 3H combo for years. I just went down a deep worm hole online and this 4W idea is everywhere. Surprised I haven't come across it before now. It completely makes sense too. Looks like I'm now on the hunt for a different club. Thank you.

[JimboSliice_]

Titleist TS2 16.5*

Callaway Epic Flash (3W lofted up or 5W lofted down.)

 

That's what I've narrowed it down to. A couple have mentioned the TS2 above. Epic Flash seems to be another big favorite. I like the ability on both to adjust loft and face angle independently of each other.

 

Any thoughts or feedback on these would be appreciated.

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by JimboSliice_

[sociojeje]

I got mavrik 3 wood for 150 a few months ago at callaway preowned. Very very easy to hit and does everything well. I assume it is even cheaper now. TS2 should be cheap too. 

Edited April 9, 2021 by sociojeje

[kuch]

Just remember, more loft is your friend. Try skipping the 3 wood and try a 5 instead.

[JimboSliice_]

2 hours ago, kuch said:

Just remember, more loft is your friend. Try skipping the 3 wood and try a 5 instead.

 

I will likely get a 5W or 7W in addition to this and my hybrid to fill the yardage gap between them.