3 wood lofted up, or 5 wood lofted down?

[Slimtam]

I’m in the market for a fairway wood somewhere around 16.5-17 degrees of loft for gapping (it would fit right between my driver and highest hybrid). But most 3 woods are around 15 and most 5 woods are around 18.
 

If I wanted to buy an adjustable wood and change the loft, would it be better to loft a 3 wood up or a 5 wood down? Would either have an effect of face angle that might compromise forgiveness?

 

thanks!

[ChrisLC40]

I guess it would depend on whether you needed help with a particular shot shape. I played a 5w turned down for a few years, then late last year went to a TSR2 4w. That way I can have the loft I want with a neutral face.

[bellken]

see - 

 

[philly2kuk]

43 minutes ago, bellken said:

see - 

 

Beat me to it. It was only done very recently too

[mvvraz]

Alternative suggestion - 3 wood with a shaft with standard length for a 5 wood

 

I got a cobra darkspeed X a few weeks ago, shortened the shaft to that of a 5 wood and I've been firing absolute missiles typical for a 3 wood, with the safety of a shorter shaft like a standard 5 wood 

[edwelly]

I just bought a 3HL and I am going to have it cut down to a 5wd length.  Hopefully that will work for me. 

 

-Erik

[Golfinfloridaafter40]

29 minutes ago, mvvraz said:

Alternative suggestion - 3 wood with a shaft with standard length for a 5 wood

 

 

This!  Or a 16.5 FW cut to 5 wood length, just make sure you add back enough weight to the head to make up for the inch or half inch you cut the club down.  This simple trick has made so many golfers able to hit their FW's more consistently and enjoy golf more

[Dr.Potat]

27 minutes ago, edwelly said:

I just bought a 3HL and I am going to have it cut down to a 5wd length.  Hopefully that will work for me. 

 

-Erik

I’m sure you thought of this already, just make sure you compensate for the change in swing weight. I cut down a stealth 3HL and it made it almost unplayable for me without lead tape on the head. I since switched to Stealth+ and was able to cut down the shaft and replace the head weight.  

[GoGoErky]

Titleist has 16.5° woods. No need to worry about the effects to face angle and such when making loft adjustment from tweaking a 5w or 3w

Edited April 3 by GoGoErky

[bluedot]

3 minutes ago, GoGoErky said:

Titleist has 16.5° woods. No need to worry about the effects to face angle and such when making loft adjustment from tweaking a 5w or 3w

I believe the Callaway HL 3w’s are also 16.5 loft.  

[GoGoErky]

2 minutes ago, bluedot said:

I believe the Callaway HL 3w’s are also 16.5 loft.  

They are 

[mvvraz]

44 minutes ago, Dr.Potat said:

I’m sure you thought of this already, just make sure you compensate for the change in swing weight. I cut down a stealth 3HL and it made it almost unplayable for me without lead tape on the head. I since switched to Stealth+ and was able to cut down the shaft and replace the head weight.  

Worth noting that swing weights of woods have creeped up over the years because manufacturers kept making their standard offerings longer and longer with the promise of MOAR DISTANCE without any significant reductions in the weight of the head

 

I cut down my driver to 44.75 from 45.5, my 3 wood and 5 wood are 0.5 inches shorter than standard and my distance on all of them went up because I could just swing them faster with the lower swing weight 

[goalie]

14 hours ago, Slimtam said:

I’m in the market for a fairway wood somewhere around 16.5-17 degrees of loft for gapping (it would fit right between my driver and highest hybrid). But most 3 woods are around 15 and most 5 woods are around 18.
 

If I wanted to buy an adjustable wood and change the loft, would it be better to loft a 3 wood up or a 5 wood down? Would either have an effect of face angle that might compromise forgiveness?

 

thanks!

Up closes the face, down opens the face.  

 

I love my Paradym 3HL, since I'm old and don't his a regular 3w well off the deck anymore.  

[Binson]

Face angle matters, but also your impact pattern and speed. 

 

If you're already hitting middle and have good speed, you don't necessarily need the extra length of the 3W.  But, if you lack speed, and can hit it pretty consistently, the longer length of the 3W may be helpful.

[Glock917]

If there is a question about impacting forgiveness then just go with the 5w turned down. 

 

Even if its a turned up 3w its still longer and invariably harder to hit than a 5w. 

[Chrischo555]

Lofting up causes the club to sit more closed, lofting down causes the club to sit more open. So the decision is either based on your shot shape or visual preference. 

 

If you like seeing a more open clubface at address, buy the more lofted option and turn it down and vice versa. If you are a slicer and want to neutralize it, buy the lower lofted option and turn it up and vice versa.

[st1800e]

1 hour ago, Chrischo555 said:

Lofting up causes the club to sit more closed, lofting down causes the club to sit more open. So the decision is either based on your shot shape or visual preference. 

 

If you like seeing a more open clubface at address, buy the more lofted option and turn it down and vice versa. If you are a slicer and want to neutralize it, buy the lower lofted option and turn it up and vice versa.

Yes this.  
 

Not directed to you, but a general comment to those who keep asking (without searching).   
 

This keeps coming up is threads repeatedly.  And the truth never changes.