Looking for an easy to hit fairway woods.

[gary3aces]

Looking for some help finding some easy to hit fairway woods. I'm 69 and have been having trouble hitting my fairway woods. I have a M6 TM 5 wood which I like but I'm still having trouble getting it up high in the air. Looking for a 4 or 5 wood. I use a regular flex shaft in my clubs. Don't have the swing speed I use to have. Looking for something that won't break the bank. Thanks

 

Gary 🙂

[spring70]

find an older Rbz- nothing is longer and the standard versions get up in the air

[Hairpie]

I've had success with a Callaway Steelhead XR 5W. It has a deeper face than most but is extremely easy to elevate. I got mine from Callawaygolf pre-owned a month ago for $80 in mint condition.

[Drewhill44]

Cobra f8 or f9.  Both have a low profile to help get the ball airborne and the rails help with turf interaction.  

Edited June 6, 2021 by Drewhill44

[MelloYello]

2 hours ago, spring7 said:

find an older Rbz- nothing is longer and the standard versions get up in the air

 

I would actually second this. The original RBZ clubs had a real big, forgiving face along with an ultra-light shaft which made the 4w and 5w shockingly easy to elevate (and hit far). The only bad part was the long shaft, but that can be trimmed down to whatever is comfortable. 

 

TaylorMade reissued the RBZ line in black some time ago. You can find a ton of them on Ebay. 

 

If you can't find one of those, try Ping. They've marketed easy-launching shallow-face fairway designs for years that are very popular among all types of skill levels. 

Edited June 6, 2021 by MelloYello

[lazyjc4]

TEE EXS 220 has to be one of, if not the easiest to hit I’ve tried.  Can hit it all over the face and get good results.  Good off the tee and the turf.  

[JeffreySpicoli]

I love how no one mentioned shafts.

 

Just yet another Wrx thread where the OP is ignored and posters simply recommend their favorite head.

 

 

[Springsteennut]

Adams Tight Lies 2. I’ve had mine since it came out. I haven’t found anything easier to get up in the air.

[erock9174]

Not sure how far you hit it. 
I’m a slower swinger. 
140-145 7i. Driver around 210-240. 
I gave up fairway woods but stumbled onto the Epic Flash 7w last year.  lofted up to 23* with even flow Green 65g 5.5 Reg flex. Super easy to launch and gets me a solid 190-205 if I play it full length. Or choke down to cover 180 yds. 
 

If you don’t mind a larger head. Try a ping G425 SFT model. Or any of their SFT models. They are shallow faced and very easy to launch with the stock Alta shaft 

Edited June 7, 2021 by erock9174

[JosephNewton293]

Ping 425 line

[North Butte]

I've always said there are no easy to hit fairway woods but some are harder to hit than others 🤔

 

FWIW, a couple of the older guys I play with have in the past year bought the Mavrik 7-wood (not the "Heavenwood", the plain 7-wood) and are pretty positive about them. These are both guys who depend a lot on fairway wood shots because they've lost distance with aging. They both have lower-lofted fairway woods but bought the Mavrik 7-wood as an easier to elevate alternative that still has lots of distance.

 

I suspects friend Erock's suggestion of the Epic Flash is also a safe bet. Adjust that one up to 23 degrees and it ought to fly nice and and high from any decent lie.

[xkilgorextroutx]

8 hours ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

I love how no one mentioned shafts.

 

Just yet another Wrx thread where the OP is ignored and posters simply recommend their favorite head.

 

 

 

Literally 2 posts earlier...

 

11 hours ago, MelloYello said:

 

I would actually second this. The original RBZ clubs had a real big, forgiving face along with an ultra-light shaft which made the 4w and 5w shockingly easy to elevate (and hit far). The only bad part was the long shaft, but that can be trimmed down to whatever is comfortable. 

 

Anyways.... I'll second the Cobras for stupidly easy to hit fairways, between the rails and the LIGHTER SHAFTS they provide great forgiveness & launch, and can be found pretty inexpensively. 

[MelloYello]

1 hour ago, xkilgorextroutx said:

 

Literally 2 posts earlier...

 

 

Anyways.... I'll second the Cobras for stupidly easy to hit fairways, between the rails and the LIGHTER SHAFTS they provide great forgiveness & launch, and can be found pretty inexpensively. 

 

Just another WRX thread where some innocent participant will be needlessly disrespected and won't receive an apology! 🙂

Edited June 7, 2021 by MelloYello

[JFM628]

I have read a few of these threads in the past - from those and my personal experience, I would strongly consider the Ping G line.  You don't need to buy the current 425 line but I would look at a G400 head with an Alta shaft if your issue is getting the ball in the air.  I think the G line heads are the most forgiving - as long as you are ok with a shallower head you should have this on your short list.

[JeffreySpicoli]

2 hours ago, xkilgorextroutx said:

 

Literally 2 posts earlier...

 

 

Anyways.... I'll second the Cobras for stupidly easy to hit fairways, between the rails and the LIGHTER SHAFTS they provide great forgiveness & launch, and can be found pretty inexpensively. 

 

You're right. I missed that.

 

Nonetheless, the focus here is on club heads and it's doubtful that will make the most difference here. Swing and shaft rather than heads. (But it's Wrx, so posters will simply focus on what heads they like.)

[jgard320]

20 hours ago, gary3aces said:

Looking for some help finding some easy to hit fairway woods. I'm 69 and have been having trouble hitting my fairway woods. I have a M6 TM 5 wood which I like but I'm still having trouble getting it up high in the air. Looking for a 4 or 5 wood. I use a regular flex shaft in my clubs. Don't have the swing speed I use to have. Looking for something that won't break the bank. Thanks

 

Gary 🙂

 

With a decline in swing speed and inability to elevate a 5 wood, I'd say this is a fitting issue. You should probably test a variety of lofts and find the one that you are able to elevate consistently. A Callaway Heavenwood followed by a divine 9 would probably be a good place to start, then go into hybrids that gap into the highest lofted iron that you can consistently elevate.

[subrew]

I'm an average swing speed male player near 50yo, with a tendency to produce a fade.  I've struggled a bit to get height, so I tinkered a bit, and seem to have found a good solution for me.  I'm playing a Mavrik Max 5w (18*) and 9w (23*), using the Helium 5 ladies shaft.  It's the stiffer of the two ladies shaft offerings, and is 1" shorter than a standard men's length.

 

Swing weight stock was about C6.0, but the Max has a changeable weight located in the heal.  I swapped out the 14g weight for a 18g plus a little 2g washer under it.  Swing weight is back up to about D1.0 with my current grip.

 

I can hit both clubs with a nice easy tempo, or a more aggressive faster stroke.  Shot shape is high and soft landing, and faster swings produce a bit of a draw for me.  Which wasn't something I could get with other offerings I've tried.  The 9-wood in particular has proven a fantastic 170-180yd club hitting into greens.  Straight, high, and lands soft.  

 

I dropped the ego years ago, and really have gelled with a larger more forgiving head, with a shorter "ladies" spec shaft.

 

 

[MelloYello]

5 hours ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

 

You're right. I missed that.

 

Nonetheless, the focus here is on club heads and it's doubtful that will make the most difference here. Swing and shaft rather than heads. (But it's Wrx, so posters will simply focus on what heads they like.)

 

"You know, this is an interesting thread because it brings up something I've been thinking about in my own game that I'd like to talk about here..."

 

 

[JeffreySpicoli]

5 minutes ago, MelloYello said:

 

"You know, this is an interesting thread because it brings up something I've been thinking about in my own game that I'd like to talk about here..."

 

 

In other words . . .

 

“You know, OP, I’m going to pretty much ignore your question and talk about what I think works for me and whatever else I want to talk about. Sorry that you asked for advice for your particular situation but you’re not getting that here . . .”

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by JeffreySpicoli

[localpar3guy]

Honma 747 3 wood, one of the best I've used so far. The other day I hit the pin from 220 yards out with it on a 500 yard par 5. Couldn't believe it.

[Conrad1953]

I would suggest swapping out the shaft for a shaft with a softer tip section in R flex or

going with a senior flex shaft. Either should get the ball to launch higher.

 

 

[puttingmatt]

Try a TEE, with a senior shaft, and  if you can, get fit before buying.

[gary3aces]

How about a Callaway Razr Fit 5 wood? Found one on EBay for a great price and can be adjusted. Any thoughts on this club?

Thanks, Gary 🙂

[mogc60]

Cleveland launcher woods do just what the name implies. Large footprint but very sharp looking fairway woods that are so easy to get Max carry from. Stock shafts are great in the riptide or the Miyazaki shafts. I would suggest you try a senior shaft as well, just makes it easier to swing and adds height. 

[mcounci2]

Honestly.... most fairway woods are designed to be easy to hit.  Avoid the low spin versions of the titleist, tm, and callaway, and probably mizuno. Most all pings, cobra, TEE, honma, xxio, and the mere mortal head from tm, callaway, and titleist will be easy to hit 

 

If I could steer you somewhere, it'd be to xxio, tour edge, or Maltby though 

Edited June 7, 2021 by mcounci2

[pinhigh27]

19 hours ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

I love how no one mentioned shafts.

 

Just yet another Wrx thread where the OP is ignored and posters simply recommend their favorite head.

 

 

Head is way more important and shaft is completely variable ie just because one shaft works for me doesn't mean it works for OP. However head characteristics will generally transfer pretty well. So a shallow faced wood with low CG like ping G series or recent cobras would be great. 

[JeffreySpicoli]

6 minutes ago, pinhigh27 said:

Head is way more important and shaft is completely variable ie just because one shaft works for me doesn't mean it works for OP. However head characteristics will generally transfer pretty well. So a shallow faced wood with low CG like ping G series or recent cobras would be great. 

There are plenty of shallow faced low CG fairway woods. We’ve seen all of the opinions here that confirm this.

 

Given that shaft is variable, that’s where the OP is more likely to see a positive change. Swing change might make a difference, too.

 

Did you note that OP still has a regular flex shaft and can’t get the ball in the air with his current 5 wood?

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by JeffreySpicoli

[PJE]

Any fairway wood from Ping dating back to the G25 series with a stock Ping regular or senior flex shaft would probably work. Ping's regular flex shaft offerings seem to work well for smooth swingers who are seeking height. 

Or just consider ditching the wood altogether and just go with a  hybrid, 16-17 degree loft? Higher loft with a shorter shaft than most fairway woods might equal flushed shots? 

I've experimented with a low lofted hybrid and I can hit mine almost as far as a fairway wood. I've hit (shorter) par 5s with it. 

For newer clubs, the Cleveland fairway woods and hybrids have a lightweight, high launch, shaft which would probably fit the bill.  You can still get new Cleveland Launcher Halo hybrids for $139 and their fairway woods for $169. 

[pinhigh27]

1 hour ago, JeffreySpicoli said:

There are plenty of shallow faced low CG fairway woods. We’ve seen all of the opinions here that confirm this.

 

Given that shaft is variable, that’s where the OP is more likely to see a positive change. Swing change might make a difference, too.

 

Did you note that OP still has a regular flex shaft and can’t get the ball in the air with his current 5 wood?

 

Heads have a much more significant overall effect on ball flight than shafts do. Ie maybe they try a 5-7 wood with more loft and lower cg. Tons of 3 woods now are geared for off the tee max distance and lower spin, which harms people trying to hit them off the deck or people with less swing speed. 

 

It's pretty rare that a regular flex shaft takes you from not hitting it in the air to a senior flex being perfect. 

 

Shafts are frankly typically overrated in the significance of change they can elicit. You make big moves with clubhead, ie loft and CG placement.. You then fine tune that to fit person ideally with the shaft. Not vice versa. 

[JeffreySpicoli]

38 minutes ago, pinhigh27 said:

Heads have a much more significant overall effect on ball flight than shafts do. Ie maybe they try a 5-7 wood with more loft and lower cg. Tons of 3 woods now are geared for off the tee max distance and lower spin, which harms people trying to hit them off the deck or people with less swing speed. 

 

It's pretty rare that a regular flex shaft takes you from not hitting it in the air to a senior flex being perfect. 

 

Shafts are frankly typically overrated in the significance of change they can elicit. You make big moves with clubhead, ie loft and CG placement.. You then fine tune that to fit person ideally with the shaft. Not vice versa. 

The OP has an M6 5 wood that he can’t hit. He wants another 5 wood. It’s unrealistic to think that a different head in a new 5 wood with the same shaft is going to make a difference.