Bobby Jones Black By Jesse Ortiz FW Wood Review

[Hawk]

Trigger pulled. Should have this bad boy in hand by early next week at the latest.

I saw this last night, but have just been slammed busy and didn't have time to get into it.

Nicely done dude. Really (REALLY) can't wait to hear some feedback and compare notes. I think you're going to be blown away with what you can do with it and where you can hit balls from. The camber on the sole really makes it useful just about anywhere (barring extremes). My best shot over the weekend was from a side hill lie in medium rough (decent lie. Big high ball that dropped me right at the number I was looking for and resulted in a birdie thanks to a good wedge shot.

Man I'm very excited about this!

 

[Howzat]

I saw this last night, but have just been slammed busy and didn't have time to get into it.

Nicely done dude. Really (REALLY) can't wait to hear some feedback and compare notes. I think you're going to be blown away with what you can do with it and where you can hit balls from. The camber on the sole really makes it useful just about anywhere (barring extremes). My best shot over the weekend was from a side hill lie in medium rough (decent lie. Big high ball that dropped me right at the number I was looking for and resulted in a birdie thanks to a good wedge shot.

Man I'm very excited about this!

Thanks dude. This is a huge spot in my bag that I need to be effective to score well.

 

[MWard]

Trigger pulled. Should have this bad boy in hand by early next week at the latest.

I have a feeling you're going to like what you see. Fairway woods are fickle beasts. When you find a winner, you hang onto it for dear life

 

[Hawk]

To put it in perspective, I think I hit fwy wood off the turf once in three rounds in the MC - poorly executed and basically out of desperation. My round sunday I hit it three times from the turf and once from the tee with zero regrets.

 

[Hawk]

I have a feeling you're going to like what you see. Fairway woods are fickle beasts. When you find a winner, you hang onto it for dear life

In hindsight I wish I'd just not gone back to the traditional style these last few months. I thought it would prepare me for the MC, but really it just took a club out of my bag.

 

[mikedean441]

To put it in perspective, I think I hit fwy wood off the turf once in three rounds in the MC - poorly executed and basically out of desperation. My round sunday I hit it three times from the turf and once from the tee with zero regrets.

Like a boss! AS someone that struggles with that shot (and heck even hybo), hearing how stupid easy these clubs appear to be to hit is exciting

 

[Hawk]

Like a boss! AS someone that struggles with that shot (and heck even hybo), hearing how stupid easy these clubs appear to be to hit is exciting

You saw the grossness in person :\ Hopefully you can see the opposite in September lol.

 

[MWard]

In hindsight I wish I'd just not gone back to the traditional style these last few months. I thought it would prepare me for the MC, but really it just took a club out of my bag.

I knew the fairways I had were going to be similar in loft to my gamers, but the face size and such may or may not be totally similar. I kinda just said screw it, ff I have confidence hitting a fairway wood in the same loft, it's an Indian problem not an Arrow. Give yourself the real knowledge that you can hit a fairway wood with confidence instead of just trying to talk yourself into it, then just commit to the shot. Let the results be the results, but try not to give yourself a shot where there was so much risk for little reward (looking at you #8 Caledonia)

That being said.. I never hit a fairway wood into one of the holes. I never had a yardage that required or baited me into trying it. I guess that wound up being a blessing in disguise?

 

[Hawk]

I suppose it might have been lol. I took the opposite approach and declared officially that I didn't have this shot in my bag, was still going to take it, be prepared for something ugly, then executed it.

 

[MWard]

I suppose it might have been lol. I took the opposite approach and declared officially that I didn't have this shot in my bag, was still going to take it, be prepared for something ugly, then executed it.

I know you can't talk about anything comparison wise for now, but do you think the design of this fairway would have given you a bit more confidence to pull off the shot?

 

[Hawk]

Absolutely it would have.

It's a completely different animal. Spins and launches a little more, flies higher as a result, the way it sits gives a visual that you can hit it off the deck, the sole is built to favor the weaker fairway wood player and it works in a variety of lies, etc. It's primary focus in my mind is easy to hit from the turf first. Then the rest. I think most modern fairway woods are more distance focused and that can result in a design that works best from the tee and launch conditions that don't work as well for guys like me.

 

[MWard]

I believe it. The deeper face stuff requires just so much more of a precise strike to hit it solid, yet alone with any type of trajectory that can hold a green or carry a hazard. You basically have to work on solid, then hope there's enough speed in your swing to provide the necessary lift or make a shaft change that gives it a fighting chance.

Needless to say, this 17 won't be going anywhere from your bag in the foreseeable future?

 

[Lions81]

After these glowing reviews I might have to pick one up. Looks like you get 25% off your first purchase too when you sign up. Thats a nice perk.

 

[Hawk]

No its not going anywhere. Went back in the bag immediately when I didn't have to plan I'm using something so different anymore.


25% off is solid.

 

[JB]

No its not going anywhere. Went back in the bag immediately when I didn't have to plan I'm using something so different anymore.


25% off is solid.

One of the unique reasons this has been successful is due to Jesse Ortiz's understanding of FW woods and more precisely how the amateur needs assistance. By designing a sole to alleviate an issue, without having to sacrifice depth, he has effectively done what many said couldn't be done.

The Cleveland Mashie worked hard to get to this, and did so in a small capacity, but not nearly to the extent of this line.

 

[Hawk]

Yeah I definitely agree with that. The mashi had a very versatile sole, but even then it just doesn't compare for me at least.

 

[jochan90]

Hawk, have you spent any time hitting the Adams Tight Lies? If so, are you able to compare the two? Thanks.

 

[Hawk]

Hawk, have you spent any time hitting the Adams Tight Lies? If so, are you able to compare the two? Thanks.

Hey jochan. I also just saw you asked this in the other thread. Sorry about that, but I was out of town that week and not really on the forum very much!

I haven't hit the Tight Lies. I have seen/handled one indoors and just about bought one, but still no swings. Pretty similar premise and the feedback you hear is similar as well. Not the longest, easy to elevate, works from a number of lies. One thing I heard about the TL that I haven't had issues with using the Black is that the TL wasn't so good off the tee. Again, that's using others' feedback though and I haven't seen for myself. I will say that the Black works quite well for me off the tee though.

 

[apriliamille]

After these glowing reviews I might have to pick one up. Looks like you get 25% off your first purchase too when you sign up. Thats a nice perk.

how did this work. i signed uo a few weeks ago and never got an email notice, just order a club from the website and it goes into effect?

 

[Lions81]

how did this work. i signed uo a few weeks ago and never got an email notice, just order a club from the website and it goes into effect?

For me, when I went to the website the offer popped right up.

 

[JonD]

Hawk, how's the gap between the FW and the hybrid treating you? 17˚ to 25˚ seems like a big jump, but I play an 18˚ to 24˚ gap so just curious.

I could see the 17 being a 4W or 5W replacement, but I like having a 3W for off the tee, and I'm in the mood to tinker. Are the distances you're seeing noticeably shorter than your previous FW? Suppose it doesn't really matter if you're hitting them better though.

 

[Hawk]

Hawk, how's the gap between the FW and the hybrid treating you? 17˚ to 25˚ seems like a big jump, but I play an 18˚ to 24˚ gap so just curious.

I could see the 17 being a 4W or 5W replacement, but I like having a 3W for off the tee, and I'm in the mood to tinker. Are the distances you're seeing noticeably shorter than your previous FW? Suppose it doesn't really matter if you're hitting them better though.

What I saw on the monitor and put in the review has played itself out on the course for me. To me, it very much plays like a 5 wood in distance, which considering the loft and the shaft length makes sense. Different from some 5 woods I've played in the recent past though is better trajectory (higher) and ease of use off the turf.

I'll say again something I've mentioned before - if you have no issues with contact or trajectory using a fairway wood you'll probably find less value in this than I do. Maybe some better performance from a variety of lies, but it gets its real value for me in ball height and just being easy to hit in general. You are 100% correct that the shorter distance on perfect strikes doesn't matter so much to me, because in realitywith standard fairways woods I rarely stood up to the ball with any confidence that I knew where it was going. Granted, I had my moments, but we're talking true consistency.

Gap is fine. In a perfect world I'd probably have the 21° or whatever the next lower hybrid is, but I can make it work since I'm probably too cheap to go buying a new hybrid. I have looked at last years's version in the hopes that I'd save a little cash and may still eventually go that route.

 

[Hawk]

I actually took a picture last night after a tee shot that sort of illustrates why I find value in it.

Hole is short and doglegs right, with two tall trees on both sides of the fairway. I play a draw, so I am forced to either hit it low or really high over the tree on the right, which is probably about 160-170 yards out there. For some that's not as much an issue, but for me to still have that kind of height at that distance with a fairway wood is a big deal. Set up a rather easy birdie thanks to a good wedge shot.

Now the xhot woukd have probably smacked into the branches. Perfect strike would have probably gone 20 yards farther too, but would have never even used it on that hole. Woukd have been forced to lay back with hybrid.

 

[apriliamille]

For me, when I went to the website the offer popped right up.

blah, guess i messed it up. i was on the website browsing and it popped up to offer email address for the offer so i did the email address and didnt do an order thinking something would be emailed to me. oh well

 

[TRyan]

It is really a shame not a single one of his clubs are being offered in LH.