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No Fairway Wood

SuperStroke
I only use one fairway wood, and it is a smaller head fairway that kind of approaches a hybrid (910F). My 18* Mashie M2 hybrid is probably the best club in my bag, I stripe it nearly every time. If you don't have trouble getting it up in the air, low lofted hybrids can really work well.

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Jman said:
You know, I've become this way, a 5w/7w for me is oft more reliable than a hybrid in the same loft. There are naturally some exceptions, but I think post MC I'll likely be 3w and 5w again in the bag. Crazy to think how far things have come for me to willingly do that.
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Funny you say that. I no longer carry a 3 wood as generally if I'm further out than my 5 wood distance (about 230-220 depending on conditions) I'm going to play it smart and take a 3 shot par 5 all day long, but here's the kicker. I was messing around at my range with some of the demo Bio Cell fairway woods. The guy who owns the place had me hitting his 7 wood. He jacked up the loft as high as it went I believe 20*? And with loft that high I was hitting it about 200 the same distance as my 18* hybrid, only difference is I was hitting hit MUCH higher and straighter. To the point where I'd be comfortable firing at a green from 200 out with it. I wouldn't be surprised if I go Driver, 5 wood, 7 wood for the top of my bag after all is said and done.
 
Six4three5 said:
Funny you say that. I no longer carry a 3 wood as generally if I'm further out than my 5 wood distance (about 230-220 depending on conditions) I'm going to play it smart and take a 3 shot par 5 all day long, but here's the kicker. I was messing around at my range with some of the demo Bio Cell fairway woods. The guy who owns the place had me hitting his 7 wood. He jacked up the loft as high as it went I believe 20*? And with loft that high I was hitting it about 200 the same distance as my 18* hybrid, only difference is I was hitting hit MUCH higher and straighter. To the point where I'd be comfortable firing at a green from 200 out with it. I wouldn't be surprised if I go Driver, 5 wood, 7 wood for the top of my bag after all is said and done.
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Yep, it'll go up to 20*, and its a hell of a lot of fun there too. I use the 3w off the tee a lot, but the 5w/7w was my go to there before I sent it to visit Erik pre MC. They Bio woods are fun, but the hybrids are too. Its going to be interesting to see if I stay hybrid or do go back to the 5/7w.

Either way, I love how personal it all is. I didn't play a fairway for a LONG time but testing/reviewing necessitated that I put one back in. But I envy the gusy who hit low lofted hybrids well, get below 20* there and I struggle.
 
Jman said:
Yep, it'll go up to 20*, and its a hell of a lot of fun there too. I use the 3w off the tee a lot, but the 5w/7w was my go to there before I sent it to visit Erik pre MC. They Bio woods are fun, but the hybrids are too. Its going to be interesting to see if I stay hybrid or do go back to the 5/7w.

Either way, I love how personal it all is. I didn't play a fairway for a LONG time but testing/reviewing necessitated that I put one back in. But I envy the gusy who hit low lofted hybrids well, get below 20* there and I struggle.
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It really was a lot of fun and definitely jealous of the guys who can hit the lower lofted hit hybrids and keep the ball real low. That's one I struggle with is keeping the fairway wood/hybrid low. My pops plays an old Taylormade Mid Rescue 2 Hybrid I think it's 16* with a steel shaft and he absolutely smokes the ball with it. I can hit it, just not nearly with as much consistency. It amazing like you said how personal everything is when it comes to this game we all love!
 
Jman said:
Yep, it'll go up to 20*, and its a hell of a lot of fun there too. I use the 3w off the tee a lot, but the 5w/7w was my go to there before I sent it to visit Erik pre MC. They Bio woods are fun, but the hybrids are too. Its going to be interesting to see if I stay hybrid or do go back to the 5/7w.

Either way, I love how personal it all is. I didn't play a fairway for a LONG time but testing/reviewing necessitated that I put one back in. But I envy the gusy who hit low lofted hybrids well, get below 20* there and I struggle.
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JMan: Boy that sounds familiar. Get down to about 20 degrees or lower and the hybrid just doesn't work for me. I need that extra shaft length and more weight low and back.

I'm also in love with the 7W. I'm not long and I've cut the club down some, so it only goes about 175, but I feel like I can pull that club and go at greens in a way that I just can't with a 3H. This is my third experiment with the 7W, but the XHot is the first one that is long enough to gap off well with a 4 hybrid despite the fact that it's an inch shorter than spec. The other two I tried only left me about a 5 yard gap, despite a considerable difference in shaft length with their matching hybrid.

The only real negative to me is that the FWs just don't work well out of the thick rough. The smaller headed, Ginty styled hybrid is the ticket there for me. It's pretty much got to be 7w then smaller headed hybrid.

Like you though, I do envy those that can hit the running, low hybrid well. My dad is pushing 70 and has lost a lot of his ability to get the ball up in the air for big carry, but is just nasty with the 17 degree 2 hybrid. He can't hit his driver 200 (too much shaft), but that little Nickent 2 hybrid can run along about 10 feet above the ground that distance. It's literally "200 yards out? I've got something for that." He then takes a little half turn with a lot of wrist snap and off the ball goes dead on line towards the hole.

majBC said:
A good option here is the Mashie M1. They are relatively inexpensive and good way to find out, at 15.5* loft almost a three wood in loft. You have probably tried the Mashie in some loft previous as they were very popular THPers. It is very easy to hit as I have one.
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Static: MajBC has a good suggestion with the M1, but you may also want to look at the Adams Super S (not LS) hybrid. Those have larger, FW shaped heads (sort of like mini-FWs) and come with shorter shaft. It's kind of the tweener. You can also get them in lots of lofts for fairly cheap.

I must admit though, having played the Octane FW and hybrids, that you're gaming one of the most underrated FW/hybrid lines Callaway has made. I've hit a lot of their stuff from the past 5 years, and those were in my top two in FW (with the XHot) and in the hybrids (with the Razr XF). Different strokes for different folks, but those were some good ones.
 
I've always been a 3-wood guy until last year when I retired my Titleist 910F in favor of the Adams Super LS 15° (1) hybrid and I am definitely not going back. I hit the Adams as far if not farther than the 910F off the tee and there's no comparison from the fairway or rough. I can hit the Super LS out of lies the Titleist could never work from - it's Superific!
 
No Fairway Wood

Buddy of mine plays no FW or hybo... Driver then 3i up! He does have his irons bent a few degrees strong so his 3i is close to a 2i and he puts it out to 240+...
 
Wakit300 said:
I've always been a 3-wood guy until last year when I retired my Titleist 910F in favor of the Adams Super LS 15° (1) hybrid and I am definitely not going back. I hit the Adams as far if not farther than the 910F off the tee and there's no comparison from the fairway or rough. I can hit the Super LS out of lies the Titleist could never work from - it's Superific!
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The Super LS is quite a club. I think it'd make the perfect 1 hybrid. I own a higher lofted Super LS and it's simply too long and low launching to work with my other club gaps. One up high as a 1 hybrid though would work really well.

Damoegan said:
Buddy of mine plays no FW or hybo... Driver then 3i up! He does have his irons bent a few degrees strong so his 3i is close to a 2i and he puts it out to 240+...
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My uncle plays this way -- driver, 1 iron and down. He's a strong iron player though with a high swing speed and mega-lag.
 
My dad is currently playing no woods. Plays 5i-SW in the old '96 big bertha irons and he has a cleveland DSG lob wedge. He has a grip it and rip in type swing with a ton of lag so the 5i is probably around 3i loft at impact. That is also why he doesn't hit anything lower lofted as it wouldn't get off the ground. He hits his 5i about 230 carry and it goes about 250-260 with roll. I wish I had half the lag he generates with his irons. I am the opposite and hit everything really high up in the air.
 
Still in ponder mode and will be for a while. If I did do another FW it'd probably play at 42-41.5 length
 
I picked up a Cobra 3/4 FW in Stiff and I really have been enjoying in having it in the bag.
 
Thank God, lately ( and slowly ) I know how to use fairway wood off the deck. My confidence is back again after 3 months abstain. In my case, I use driver, 5W only, then 4i, 5i, and so on.
 
asw7576 said:
Thank God, lately ( and slowly ) I know how to use fairway wood off the deck. My confidence is back again after 3 months abstain. In my case, I use driver, 5W only, then 4i, 5i, and so on.
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That's similar to my setup. I don't hit a 3W well off the deck, so my bag is Dr, 5W, 4h, 6i.

I'l be adding a 5i when I get it built.
 
No hybrids:

13, 18, 21, 24º persimmon woods_____4
19º driving iron____________________1
28, 33, 38, 43º irons________________4
48, 53, 58º wedges_________________3
dedicated sand iron_________________1
putter____________________________1
________________________________14
Went back to custom wooden woods out of frustration; couldn't get the loft, lie angle, face angle combinations that I wanted in metal.
Actually, I could from Henry-Griffitts but they insisted on a fitting session when I have my own specs down cold.

I don't see any disadvantage to persimmon or laminated maple. That's how I started decades ago.
 
NiftyNiblick said:
No hybrids:

13, 18, 21, 24º persimmon woods_____4
19º driving iron____________________1
28, 33, 38, 43º irons________________4
48, 53, 58º wedges_________________3
dedicated sand iron_________________1
putter____________________________1
________________________________14
Went back to custom wooden woods out of frustration; couldn't get the loft, lie angle, face angle combinations that I wanted in metal.
Actually, I could from Henry-Griffitts but they insisted on a fitting session when I have my own specs down cold.

I don't see any disadvantage to persimmon or laminated maple. That's how I started decades ago.
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Got some pics you'd be willing to post? I'd love to see the modern versions.
 
No problem having that setup if it works for you.
 
Interesting thread from the past. For a long time it was just driver, irons, wedges, and my putter. I now have a 3 wood in my bag but I rarely use it and I have always preferred long irons to hybrids.
 
I feel less guilty to read many posts in here, actually there are many people dont use or seldom use fairway woods.
 
I am by no means a golfer of the same skill level of many responders, but I use a 3 and 7 wood along with 3 & 4 hybrids. Even though there is some distance overlap I find them all useful for different situations.
 
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