Anyone play a 5 wood only for their lone Fairway Wood?

[riehlg]

I have a 4 wood that I carry as my only fairway wood. It's 17.5°. Currently carrying just a 20° hybrid along with it before my irons but I'm going to be dropping a wedge and putting in a 19° driving iron and a 21° hybrid. I hate my 54° wedge which I've carried for about 2 years and never play it so I'm replacing my 50° with a 52° to bridge the gap between my 45° PW and then either a 58°/60° LW (have a 60° along with the 52° and will see which I like best between the two LWs). 

[DE-ILLINI]

I recently decided to give this a try.  I dropped my 3W for a 5W.  When I hit the 3W well it is great, but more times than not I will hit a lousy shot.  I picked up an older 5W and decided to give it a try.  So far the misses are not that bad and on average I am in a better position more times than not.

[darunia484]

I have a Sim Max D 5 Wood (19 degrees) that I hit off the tee right now around 190-200 yards. I just bought a Ping G410 Fairway 17.5* that I need to test if it's better than the Sim.

[HoosierHacker89]

Right now I’ve got 3 woods in my bag as I am running a senior like set up experiment. Historically I’ve only carried a 4 or 5 wood. Realistically 5 wood has always been one of my favorite clubs. Cobra baffler f6 is the best fairway I’ve ever played. Wish I could get my f7 three wood to cooperate more like the 5 wood. I don’t think I generate enough club head speed to warrant a 3 wood, but it’s fun to try.

[PixlPutterman]

That's what I did, goes a tad further that my 2 driving iron, but more importantly, it goes higher. There are times I need to clear trees and/or land soft where the 2i has too low a trajectory

Edited September 8, 2021 by PixlPutterman

[mp33er]

Have 3 & 7 woods, too, but rarely use them at my home course.

So, 5 is the only one in the bag!

[ParSave18]

On 8/21/2021 at 4:40 PM, schwollo said:

It means he lofted down from xxx degrees on an adjustable fairway wood (ie 18.5 degrees lofted down to 17)

 

he not want to play a 4 wood at 17 degrees because of the face angle. May prefer an open face to help fight against hooks

Yep this is exactly it.  If I have it set to square at 19 degrees its really hard to get it to move left to right, but with it adjusted down to 17 degrees it keeps the flight down and I can move it left to right as well as right to left. 

[Sub_Roc]

I've rekindled my love for the SIM2 3 wood lately, but only as a tee option on par 4 or tight par 5's.  Figured a bigger head would help so toying with a TM 300 Mini at 13.5* that hits towering straight bombs.  (There's a small tradeoff in consistency due to a longer shaft, so might revert to a strong 3 wood.)

Off the deck options are either a Ping G 5 wood at 16.5* or a SIM 5 wood at 17.5*.  Both w/ 75 gram shafts.  Ping is easier off the deck, but the SIM is smoking long with flatter flight if I put a good swing on it.

Next club is an Epic 4 iron bent to 19* / 1.5* flat and extended 5/8" to make it a driving iron.  It seems easy to hit off the tee and straighter than any FW or hybrid. 

Top end of the bag gets the most rotation, but it's fun to tinker with.

Edited September 14, 2021 by simonizer

[Dion1970]

Agree with a lot of others. I carry 1 fairway wood. Then a 22 degree hybrid.  Score hasn’t  changed after pulling a few clubs out of bag. 

[uglande]

I love carrying a 7 wood but on my main course I rarely need it. So thinking about going back to 5w and taking 4w and 7w out.

 

But my search for the ideal 5w over the past two years has been frustrating. I have owned all of the following recently ... 

 

Titleist 917 F2 = Great look and feel but too high launching and spinny

Titleist TS3 = Head too small

Mizuno STZ = Like the larger footprint but inconsistent feel and strike

Ping G425 = Nice performance but not a fan of the shallow face off the tee, and sound is awful.

 

Next up ... TM SIM2. 

[jb640042]

Havent used a three wood for sometime now. Always a four wood or my most recent has been a five wood lofted down and opened up. So easy to hit and keeps the hook tamed.

[MrCook]

Habe neen carrying a 5w as my only fairway for around a year, 21* hybrid next club. Switched to a 4w/7w combo earlier this season and has been one of the best, if not the best gear decisions I've made.

[jwadds19]

I have the Mizuno STZ 5 wood at 18 degrees and play it 1 position "lower" to open the face a bit and absolutely love it. I also have the STZ 3 wood and honestly find that they go basically the same distance, with the 5 wood being much more consistent for me at its shorter length. I love it as an option off the tee or when you need that extra distance from the fairway on the odd par 5. 

[AndyMcG]

I’ve messed about with various 3 and 4 woods along with a 7 wood but none of them worked out great. I finally gave up on the idea of 3 / 4 woods and now use a Stealth 5 Wood followed by a Stealth 22 Hybrid. I use a 25 degree Stealth DHY aswell. Everything from 185 to 235 is covered with this new set up. 

[STank724]

Bumping this thread in hopes to get some replies around newer releases.

 

Made the switch this year to 4w/7w setup and getting the urge to go back to a lone 5w setup.

[chollier986]

5W and 4hybrid set up here.  Have dabbled with 3W and 3hybrid as well as 7W at the top end, but the 5W/4h covers all my basis and is most consistent for me.

[WilCox]

15 hours ago, chollier986 said:

5W and 4hybrid set up here.  Have dabbled with 3W and 3hybrid as well as 7W at the top end, but the 5W/4h covers all my basis and is most consistent for me.

Same here, but I also add a 7W when the course is wet or the temps are running cooler.

[boggyman]

18 hours ago, chollier986 said:

5W and 4hybrid set up here.  Have dabbled with 3W and 3hybrid as well as 7W at the top end, but the 5W/4h covers all my basis and is most consistent for me.

Same here, 5w/4h.

[hobbstc]

Yep just swapped to a 5W turned down and a 3H.  

[azgreg]

5W/4H guy as well. I was a 4W/7W/4H guy for a long time but not any more.

 

[vinny_land]

12 hours ago, boggyman said:

Same here, 5w/4h.

Experimenting with this setup but 5w head with 4w length shaft. 

[erock9174]

I only game one fairway wood. Ping g425 SFT 5w 19*. 
 

I don’t swing fast enough to adequately launch a 3 or 4 wood. And the 5w gaps pretty well with my 4h which is 23* 

[boggyman]

35 minutes ago, vinny_land said:

Experimenting with this setup but 5w head with 4w length shaft. 

Keep us posted on this please. My 5w is played at 41.5”

Edited June 15, 2023 by boggyman

[boggyman]

16 minutes ago, erock9174 said:

I only game one fairway wood. Ping g425 SFT 5w 19*. 
 

I don’t swing fast enough to adequately launch a 3 or 4 wood. And the 5w gaps pretty well with my 4h which is 23* 

My 4h is 21*, I only carry 12 clubs. Covers everything I need. 

[erock9174]

13 minutes ago, boggyman said:

My 4h is 21*, I only carry 12 clubs. Covers everything I need. 

I’m in an opposite dilemma. 
I have g430 irons coming this week. 
I demoed a set and they gapped off nicely but it’s one more club than I’m normally used to in my iron set. 

 

10.5* Driver set to 11.5 - 220-250

5w-19* - 190-205

4h 23* - 175-180

5h 26* - 165-170

6i - 155

7i - 145

8i - 135

9i -125

pw - 115

45* - 105
50*- 95
56* - 85, chips, bunkers 
60* - 75, chips, flops 

42* chipper - chips and longer bump and runs up to 50-60 yds out. 

Putter

 

15 clubs have no clue which to take out 

[boggyman]

7 minutes ago, erock9174 said:

I’m in an opposite dilemma. 
I have g430 irons coming this week. 
I demoed a set and they gapped off nicely but it’s one more club than I’m normally used to in my iron set. 

 

10.5* Driver set to 11.5 - 220-250

5w-19* - 190-205

4h 23* - 175-180

5h 26* - 165-170

6i - 155

7i - 145

8i - 135

9i -125

pw - 115

45* - 105
50*- 95
56* - 85, chips, bunkers 
60* - 75, chips, flops 

42* chipper - chips and longer bump and runs up to 50-60 yds out. 

Putter

 

15 clubs have no clue which to take out 

Hmmmm….

[boggyman]

8 minutes ago, erock9174 said:

I’m in an opposite dilemma. 
I have g430 irons coming this week. 
I demoed a set and they gapped off nicely but it’s one more club than I’m normally used to in my iron set. 

 

10.5* Driver set to 11.5 - 220-250

5w-19* - 190-205

4h 23* - 175-180

5h 26* - 165-170

6i - 155

7i - 145

8i - 135

9i -125

pw - 115

45* - 105
50*- 95
56* - 85, chips, bunkers 
60* - 75, chips, flops 

42* chipper - chips and longer bump and runs up to 50-60 yds out. 

Putter

 

15 clubs have no clue which to take out 

The least used? 

[LukeDonaldsTiger]

3 hours ago, erock9174 said:

I’m in an opposite dilemma. 
I have g430 irons coming this week. 
I demoed a set and they gapped off nicely but it’s one more club than I’m normally used to in my iron set. 

 

10.5* Driver set to 11.5 - 220-250

5w-19* - 190-205

4h 23* - 175-180

5h 26* - 165-170

6i - 155

7i - 145

8i - 135

9i -125

pw - 115

45* - 105
50*- 95
56* - 85, chips, bunkers 
60* - 75, chips, flops 

42* chipper - chips and longer bump and runs up to 50-60 yds out. 

Putter

 

15 clubs have no clue which to take out 

The 45°? I mean, what’s the loft of your PW?

I find that gap from PW to GW is more manageable than any other at my level of skill. I’m not as accurate and have not missed it much, yet. 
My lofts are

PW 45°

GW 50°

SW 54°

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by LukeDonaldsTiger

[blades_are_life]

1 hour ago, LukeDonaldsTiger said:

The 45°? I mean, what’s the loft of your PW?

I find that gap from PW to GW is more manageable than any other at my level of skill. I’m not as accurate and have not missed it much, yet. 
My lofts are

PW 45°

GW 50°

SW 54°

 

The Ping G430 PW is 41°. To me it is unclear why he cannot use this for the same things he uses the 42° chipper for, unless he has some strong special affinity for that stick.

[erock9174]

3 hours ago, blades_are_life said:

The Ping G430 PW is 41°. To me it is unclear why he cannot use this for the same things he uses the 42° chipper for, unless he has some strong special affinity for that stick.

Not to derail this thread but I will reply then duck out and back to the 5w speak.  

 

I get this comment and actually am a decent chipper of the ball with normal wedges.  According to Shot Scope when compared to a 0 handicap I lose the least amount of strokes in that facet of the game over Driver, Approaches and Putting.  But since adding the Smart Sole C (42*) I just enjoy having that club in the bag. 

 

For short chips I still like the touch I get with my 56 or 60* but for longer chips..say across the green I like the accuracy of the chipper over a wedge.  Sometimes with wedges I would get a funky side spin.  Also, I absolutely love the Chipper for those shots say 20-60 yds out with no trouble in front of the green where I can play it like a long putt.  Straight back and through motion and bump and run it to the hole.  Not to mention it helps take the random duff out of the equation that I sometimes get with a wedge.  With a wedge I have never had the consistency in this shot like I do with the chipper. So its more of a comfort thing.  Also if you get a gnarly lie, for example the other day had a ball above my feet from about 100 yds out in some thicker rough and he lie was uneven.  I hit my PW and it ended up ok.  Short left and nearly in the water.  Put another ball down in the same spot to see what would happen and hit one with the Smart Sole C and put it to about 15'.  So it just has its spots where I like that club from.  

 

So if the 5w keeps giving me heartburn it will likely be the club that is the odd man out.  If I get back to hitting my 5w consistently then the 4h is probably the one to sit out unless playing a longer course.  

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by erock9174