I think fairwoods are too long

[Ri_Redneck]

OP and anyone else listening! Cut it to the length you want and reweight it to fit you!!!!! That's what EVERYONE should be doing.

 

TBH, I haven't played a stock club since the mid-80's. I honestly don't understand why anyone would UNLESS stock just happens to fit them. With the information, equipment and technology available today along with video tutorials all over Youtube, it just doesn't make sense to do it. Any shaft, grip or clubhead can be purchased online by anyone who wants it. Any technique for altering a club can be found here or in a video somewhere online. The sky is literally the limit. Yet, we still have people buying, selling and trading stock clubs as if that's all there is. It's total craziness.

 

BT

[jmkorting]

Depending on what loft you plan on playing it at there are several options to try.  As like you I am not a fan of longer fairway woods.  I don't hit them consistently enough to have confidence in them.  Which is why I built a few clubs this offseason -

 

Ping G425 9 wood - Ventus Black 7S tipped 1" (7 wood tipping) shaft length 40.75 w/ playing length of 41" (-1/2" below standard 41.5") Winn Dri Tac LT midsize (43g is grip weight) w/ a 16G head weight (10g is stock for Ping) swing weight D6.2 (this is a personal preference as I like a heavier club feel) I have this set to the big - so it is 22* in loft

 

Callaway Rogue 11 wood (think Michelle Wei here) - Evenflow Black 85g 6.0 tipped 2.5" (-1/2" from standard 3" for 11 wood per email I got back from True Temper) Winn Dri Tac LT midsize (43g grip weight) shaft length 39.75" playing length 40" w/ 17g head weight (stock is 2g picked up 17g off eBay) swing weight D6.2 loft on this is 25*

 

If going route of short and not a fan of gobs of lead tape then I would look for clubs that have option for changeable head weights.  Ping is great for this as there are aftermarket weights that reach 20g's.  I found that older Callaway fairway woods also have aftermarket head weights which is how I got my Rogue 11 wood at the swing weight it is at.  I believe heaviest one I found was 19g's.  Also look for lighter grips to help w/ the club build as well.  Winn has some options if you like a softer grip and jumbo max has some good ones if you like a more rubber feel like a tour velvet.  Their JMX Zen Lite is their tour velvet type grip and comes in a standard oversized (so not your gargantuan sized grips they are known for) which is like their midsize grip and weights in at 38g's.  

 

As for shaft weight if going below 1" to 1.5" from standard OEM length then I would say a heavier shaft, somewhere in the 80's or 90's would be needed.  I saw a  build post on IG from Mike at TXG where he build a client a Ping 7 wood down at 40.5" and had swing weight up at D5 something.  Ventus Blue TR 7X was the shaft and I believe that was high 70's as far as weight goes.

 

Thinking of building my 9 wood down at like 40.5 or 40" as I have a Ventus Blue 8S just sitting around not being used.  If that fails I can always put it in the 11 wood as that thing isn't going anywhere.

 

 

[NNJ]

22 hours ago, reider69 said:

I agree 100% and so for the last 5 years I have played a 2 hybrid instead.  Currently using a shortened Callway UW at 17 degrees.  

I’m looking to shorten mine which is also at 17. Out of curiosity, what length do you have yours at?

[reider69]

1 hour ago, NNJ said:

I’m looking to shorten mine which is also at 17. Out of curiosity, what length do you have yours at?

-1/2 inch.  I wanted it to feel like a hybrid as much as possible.

[mgoblue83]

First thing I do is chop the driver to 45'' and 3wood to 42''.

 

I'm 6'2'' so I can't imagine how shorter guys swing standard length clubs. 

[Smalldivot]

3 hours ago, mgoblue83 said:

First thing I do is chop the driver to 45'' and 3wood to 42''.

 

I'm 6'2'' so I can't imagine how shorter guys swing standard length clubs. 

What’s your WTF for reference? 

[JAMH03]

In general I guess you're 100% correct.

Most people would have better misses, therefore play better golf w/shorter woods including fairway woods.

Specifically of course, it depends.  

[kwcsports]

Have played 44.5" driver and 42" 4 wood for 25 years. Clubs in general are too long across the board from the OEM's IMHO. 

[FifeRiviera]

I play 13.5 at 42 and 17 at 40 

 

could happily drop an inch off em both and probably not notice but they’re regripped so stay that way. 
 

cut em short you won’t regret it. 

[MMB1500]

I agree.

 

If height is relevant, I'm 6'4" and play my driver at 45" and 3 wood at 43". Anything longer feels too long and control suffers.

 

Maybe I should just play standard length irons as well. 🤔

[voodoo13]

I would agree that most golfers play fairway woods too long for them and they’re natural swing. Irons too for many.
 

Anyone will adapt after a while but consistency suffers when your body wants to do something contrary to what you HAVE to do for good contact. 
 

44” 8.5 degree, 43” 16 degree and 42” 18 here. All weighted with tape to D-2. Works for me. 

ETA:  verified settings 

Edited February 1, 2023 by voodoo13

[BoomShakalaka5]

On 1/30/2023 at 11:40 AM, Lobby said:

As driver club lengths have increased, all the way to 46”, so have fairway woods

 

I’m looking for a 9 wood, but 41 - 42 inches?  
 

what would y’all do if you wanted a 39” 9 wood?

Get fit and cut the shaft down by choking up various distances on the shaft to determine what to cut and then get the swing weight right.  

[eric61]

You should also check out the new TSR1 hybrids. They’re basically wood-shaped and close to the lengths you’re looking for. Might be easier to get swing weight right with them.

[third-times-a-charm]

FWs are too long?

 

[Roejye]

I mean the abbreviation fw works well 😛

[PowderedToastMan]

Not to plug PXG, but their Gen 5 stuff with three removable weights means you can add over 40 grams of weight in seconds compared to the stock configuration. Makes it easy to play much shorter than stock length setups. 

[Port and Starboard]

I'm glad to see that I'm not alone here.    I'm 6' 2" but I also have 37" inch arms with XXL glove size.

 

I'm absolutely fine with stock driver lengths but I always choke down on my hybrids and fairways, and irons.  I get a lower ball flight throughout the bag, and I may be losing some distance overall, but I make better contact and I'm still spinning the ball well enough to where my 6 iron through to the Wedges are not rolling away on the greens.

 

I hooked up with a local club fitter who I know personally and trust, and he recommended that I stick with what I'm doing right now.  He suggested keeping the stock length and lie, but bumping the swing weight up a couple points to offset the balance change from choking down. He made perfect sense to me.  

 

 

 

 

 

[cardia10]

I found my 3 wood way too long lately so dropped it for the 17 degree old school Adams hybrid. Also dropped the 4 iron because I can choke down on the 17* as needed. Instead of adding wedges I just play with less clubs and save the weight.

[NRJyzr]

I'm definitely in the shorter than modern standard fan club.

 

I'm fractionally under six feet tall, with short arms (36+ inch wrist to floor), and I hate modern length drivers and fairway woods.  I play my driver at 43.5", my 3w is usually 42.5", with the current bag occupant at 42" (Cobra King LTD with the clubhead stuffed with cotton).

 

Lead tape is my friend.  Use it a LOT.  

 

End of last season, tried (again) to use a driver at 44.5".  Distance wasn't any longer than my similar 43.5" stick, dispersion much worse.  I *did* hit a season best with the club, but it was only a couple yards longer, and came with heavy tailwind, so I rather don't think it was the club.  LOL 

 

It was also another sub-70g shaft experiment, something else that has largely never worked for me.  Fodder for another thread.

 

The Cobra above, I stuffed with cotton balls, and am using an RIP Beta 90 shaft in it.  I have a Stage 2 Tour 3w with an NV105 that also gets use, with lead tape and a heavier sole weight; the weight isn't quite enough.

 

 

[brutusflash]

Are they too FARgiving as well?

Flash

[Mike412]

On 1/30/2023 at 3:14 PM, Feelingofgreatness said:

I have 7w at 39.25" and a 9w at 38.50"... They are so ridiculously good it's scary. 

 

This year I'm going to be getting a 4w at 40.25". 

 

I play my driver at 11.25* and 43.50"

 

The current length of FWs is silly for average golfers. The game is hard enough already, we don't need to make it harder. 

 

 

How tall are you if you don’t me asking?

[Mike412]

Duplicate

Edited February 1, 2023 by Mike412

[Feelingofgreatness]

2 hours ago, Mike412 said:

How tall are you if you don’t me asking?

6ft tall exactly. 

[AC-Golf]

I've got my irons at +1/2" and driver maxed out.  But I agree with you and cut an inch off fairways and 1/2" off hybrids. 

[Bye]

Defiantly something in this. 3 wood has been a struggle for me since the end of steel shafts in fairway woods.

 

Hitting balls last night, I tried gripping down on my 3 wood. This might be the answer!

[JungleJimbo]

On 1/31/2023 at 12:40 AM, Lobby said:

As driver club lengths have increased, all the way to 46”, so have fairway woods

 

I’m looking for a 9 wood, but 41 - 42 inches?  
 

what would y’all do if you wanted a 39” 9 wood?

@Lobby Genuine question (and No offence intended)… if you want a significantly shorter fairway wood shaft…

 

…Have you considered going the Freddie Couples approach ie using a Women’s FW wood? If the coolest guy in golf does so… then presumably it gives you a “banter shield” (against crap from golfing buddies) to do a likewise experiment?

Edited February 2, 2023 by JungleJimbo

[Lobby]

I’m not ashamed of using a ladies’ fairway wood. Heck, I once owned a scooter;  Harley guys didn’t like that at all

 

i just haven’t found the right one. Not to mention having to reshaft the ladies’ clubs

[Bob M]

After reading this thread, I took my fairway woods to my club guy and had them all shorted (by 1/2" to 3/4") and had them re-swing weighted (3HL, HW and 9W are now C9 and 11W is Do). Looking forward to trying them at a Trackman session later this week!