Low-profile, forgiving, easy to launch fairway woods

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Alright guys need some help. I'm looking for some fairway woods to potentially replace my 2007 Burner Fairways. 

 

Short list of wants:

1. Low Profile - specifically a shallow face; not opposed to a slightly larger footprint.

2. Easy to hit/Forgiving - Apparently I still need some help getting the ball in the air. My miss is low on the face 

3. Preferably from the last couple of years to benefit from whatever tech advancements have been out there.

4. Sound - preferably a muted/solid/less tinny type of sound (Cobra LTD's sound great, but I can't hit them to save my life)

 

EDIT: Please do your best to avoid dropping in your favorite better-players-club. I'm a 20 handicap and almost all of my strokes are lost off the tee/long second shots. 

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

Edited June 24, 2021 by ChristopherMcDonald

[MattM97]

I'd say Ping G410 LST but option #4 rules that out a bit unless you get hotmelt in the head. Other options I'd say Callaway is pretty shallow and the TSI woods are not bad, but those Ping fairways are shallow. I'm a mid to high teen cap and I was fitted into the LST and I hit it fine for a 159cc head. 

[ChristopherMcDonald]

8 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

I'd say Ping G410 LST but option #4 rules that out a bit unless you get hotmelt in the head. Other options I'd say Callaway is pretty shallow and the TSI woods are not bad, but those Ping fairways are shallow. I'm a mid to high teen cap and I was fitted into the LST and I hit it fine for a 159cc head. 

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the LST heads lower spin and therefore less forgiving/harder to get up?

[phizzy30]

SIM or SIM MAX.  They tend to be larger profile but are easy to launch off the tee and deck and are shallow face.  Forgiving as well. 

[getitdaily]

17m2 is what you're after

[Jeff58]

Rogue Sub Zero with Evenflow Blue.

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Just now, Jeff58 said:

Rogue Sub Zero with Evenflow Blue.

Not very forgiving as I understand it.

[MaineMariner]

Callaway Mavrik Max has a nice shallow profile that hugs the ground. It's ridiculously easy to launch. In fact, I'm currently switching the shaft out in mine because I find it launches too high. It definitely has a larger footprint than most, FWIW.

 

I'm not sure how to describe the sound. I wouldn't call it "tinny", but I also don't think it's as deep and muted as the Cobra F9 I have. Solid crack is what I'd say.

[NRJyzr]

My first thought was Tour Edge.  You could go back to the XCG7 or E8 (2nd Swing has some of each on their site as I type), which are low profile, forgiving, and have that TEE "stupid hot" rep.

 

The more recent EXS and EXS 220 are probably in your zipcode, though I don't know how they are in terms of face depth.

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by NRJyzr

[ChristopherMcDonald]

3 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

My first thought was Tour Edge.  You could go back to the XCG7 or E8 (2nd Swing has some of each on their site as I type), which are low profile, forgiving, and have that TEE "stupid hot" rep.

 

Only bummer with TEE is testing. I go in for a Driver fitting Saturday and hope to hit some 3 woods as well. Golf Tec (at least the location I'm going to) are basically limited to the large brands

[ChristopherMcDonald]

4 minutes ago, MaineMariner said:

Callaway Mavrik Max has a nice shallow profile that hugs the ground. It's ridiculously easy to launch. In fact, I'm currently switching the shaft out in mine because I find it launches too high. It definitely has a larger footprint than most, FWIW.

 

I'm not sure how to describe the sound. I wouldn't call it "tinny", but I also don't think it's as deep and muted as the Cobra F9 I have. Solid crack is what I'd say.

My pops recently put these into play, I certainly don't mind the sound. Solid crack I would say is accurate. For sure the wrong flex but I'll have to give them a wag next time I'm with him

[wam78]

As mentioned above, ping g425 Max fairway is super easy to launch and is very hot off the face.  The sound is very “tinny” though.  You can fit with hot melt, but it will change the swing weight some.  They are already on the heavy side so just be cautious if you go that route.

 

Don’t rule out Cobra.  Their fairways are some of the best looking and feel and sound fantastic!  Easy to launch as well.  Not incredibly shallow, but not overly deep either.

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Just now, wam78 said:

As mentioned above, ping g425 Max fairway is super easy to launch and is very hot off the face.  The sound is very “tinny” though.  You can fit with hot melt, but it will change the swing weight some.  They are already on the heavy side so just be cautious if you go that route.

 

Don’t rule out Cobra.  Their fairways are some of the best looking and feel and sound fantastic!  Easy to launch as well.  Not incredibly shallow, but not overly deep either.

Unfortunately I won't be able to hit the more forgiving cobra offerings at my fitting but I can probably get my hands on some at Roger Dunn.

 

Never really got along with the ping fairways, the sound being a big issue

[PureStrikes54]

Ping seems to check all the boxes but the muted sound. Even some of their older stuff all the way back to the G25 are phenomenal on forgiveness. With some hotmelt though they seem to be exactly what you have described. 

Edited June 24, 2021 by PureStrikes54

[MattM97]

1 hour ago, ChristopherMcDonald said:

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the LST heads lower spin and therefore less forgiving/harder to get up?

 

It's not that hard to get up, you can easily go into the regular G410 which is a larger footprint. The LST is just more compact. 

[MattC555]

Sim 2 max is stupid easy to hit. 

[Bad9]

I played a Ping G400 7w for a couple of years and its hits all of your criteria. I have not seen or hit the G410 or G425 but I can't see how they'd be much different.

[Steele47]

The latest version of the Adams Tight Lies fairway wood features an invisible slot for improved aesthetics.  Lives up to the Tight Lies name by being incredibly easy to elevate from any lie.  Surprisingly long.

Introduction

The original Tight Lies is such a great golf club that you can still find it in play on plenty of courses.  Players love the fact that it’s easy to elevate from absolutely any lie on the course: fairway, rough, bunkers, or hardpan.  So how did Adams make this latest version of the Tight Lies better?  They made it long…really long.

Looks

As you can see, the Adams Tight Lies fairway wood combines a clean matte black crown with an appealing pear shape.  What allows for this clean look is the Ghost Slot Technology – this club does have Adams’s velocity slot but it’s filled with a gel to make it look like a traditional club.

The footprint is average to just a touch smaller than average.  The other thing you’ll notice is that the face is shallow which really helps to boost confidence when hitting it from the turf, but may bother some players when hitting from the tee.

Sound & Feel

 

[Jmccas]

I have an Epic Max 3+ wood that is ridiculously easy to launch; I tend to deloft and the Max version helps fight that.  Reasonably small 179cc and shallow.  I also have a Maverick 4W non max version but I would recommend going max to help with the launch aspect. 

[Pepperturbo]

1 hour ago, NRJyzr said:

My first thought was Tour Edge.  You could go back to the XCG7 or E8 (2nd Swing has some of each on their site as I type), which are low profile, forgiving, and have that TEE "stupid hot" rep.

 

I thought of those too.  Excellent advice. 

 

To the OP, proper shaft selection has a great deal to do with ease of getting though the ball and elevating the ball.

Edited June 24, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[Bunker2Bunker]

Recently fitted for three wood. Thinking I would end up with the 425LST or SIM. Walked away with the Sim2 MAX. It is stupid easy to hit and flies. 

 

I think the profile is shallow-ish?

Edited June 24, 2021 by Bunker2Bunker

[ChristopherMcDonald]

30 minutes ago, Steele47 said:

The latest version of the Adams Tight Lies fairway wood features an invisible slot for improved aesthetics.  Lives up to the Tight Lies name by being incredibly easy to elevate from any lie.  Surprisingly long.

Introduction

The original Tight Lies is such a great golf club that you can still find it in play on plenty of courses.  Players love the fact that it’s easy to elevate from absolutely any lie on the course: fairway, rough, bunkers, or hardpan.  So how did Adams make this latest version of the Tight Lies better?  They made it long…really long.

Looks

As you can see, the Adams Tight Lies fairway wood combines a clean matte black crown with an appealing pear shape.  What allows for this clean look is the Ghost Slot Technology – this club does have Adams’s velocity slot but it’s filled with a gel to make it look like a traditional club.

The footprint is average to just a touch smaller than average.  The other thing you’ll notice is that the face is shallow which really helps to boost confidence when hitting it from the turf, but may bother some players when hitting from the tee.

Sound & Feel

 

bagging this hybrid. Depending on how it plays (just got it) I may look into these. Do like the compact look from address and in my limited use of the hybrid, seems very forgiving. 

[Warrick]

Radspeed is what you want

[Mitchell]

Some of the older cobra models, F7 and F8, are well regarded for their ease of use.

[Whit1969]

I would say the Callaway Rogue or the Epic Flash (not the sub zero versions).  I have tried just about every fairway wood out there over the past couple of years and nothing has kicked the Rogue out of the bag.  It is long, forgiving, easy to launch off the deck and fantastic off the tee.  It checks all the boxes for me, the only ones that have come close to it was the TS3 and 915F.  However, I am intrigued by the Sim Max, but at this point it would take an act of congress for me to take the Rogue out of the bag.

[Drivingrangehero]

Tight lies would be my choice and they do make new ones, the problem would be shaft selection from their website, but the 2013 and 2014 can be had online, and there hasn’t been any substantial changes since then. They are going to have a maxed out COR like all the OEMS 

 

Maybe a Tour Edge Exotics C521 they come in higher lofts than most 5 woods at 19* 

 

https://shop.touredge.com/products/tour-edge-hot-launch-c521-fairway-wood?variant=33025817411693

[LUXOR54]

Been a while since I hit one, but during a demo I remember the srixon F85 to be enjoyable and easy to hit, can't comment on the noise as it was indoors. 

[lazyjc4]

On 6/24/2021 at 11:30 AM, NRJyzr said:

My first thought was Tour Edge.  You could go back to the XCG7 or E8 (2nd Swing has some of each on their site as I type), which are low profile, forgiving, and have that TEE "stupid hot" rep.

 

The more recent EXS and EXS 220 are probably in your zipcode, though I don't know how they are in terms of face depth.

 

I’d say the EXS 220 is not too shallow, but also not too deep.  A bit larger head, great looks, sound, and feel.  Easy to launch and forgiving.  
 

[Poolparty]

Smells like Ping or TEE

[Greenie]

On 6/24/2021 at 11:30 AM, NRJyzr said:

My first thought was Tour Edge.  You could go back to the XCG7 or E8 (2nd Swing has some of each on their site as I type), which are low profile, forgiving, and have that TEE "stupid hot" rep.

 

The more recent EXS and EXS 220 are probably in your zipcode, though I don't know how they are in terms of face depth.

 

You beat me to it..

 

I thought of my XCG7's I played until I replaced them with the C721's this yr. 

 

The XCG7's fit the profile of what the op is looking for..

 

I going with the C721 though. Not exactly the same profile but I launch them better off the fairway.