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What do you look for in a fairway wood shaft vs. a driver shaft?

Nippon Shafts
SkiBumGolfer

SkiBumGolfer

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Just as it says. Do you want similar performance and characteristics in a fairway shaft, or are there differences for you?

For me I like a fairway wood shaft to be a little stouter throughout and probably slightly more tip stiff in particular, because I'm placing a premium on dispersion vs distance. Similar torque is good though, because then the shafts feel pretty similar. Weight I'm not too concerned about, but definitely not lighter than the driver shaft - the same or heavier, if anything.
 
I try to find a shaft that fits my trajectory and dispersion requirements. In another related thread people mentioned they like their shafts to be different, for the 3w it has to be more tip stiff and perhaps heavier for swing weight, other than that I'd rather like mine to be as similar as possible due to their loading profile. Right now I play Tour green in 3.8 torque for driver and 3.5 torque for my wood.
 
I trend towards stiffer shafts for 3/5 woods and more regular shafts for the Driver. I've experimented with light 3 woods shafts and it was not working at all.
 
Something that is easy to launch but doesn't cause the ball to balloon
 
not sure yet. I want something to get up in the air, but not so spinny that dispersion suffers. similar to driver, but maybe 10g heavier and slightly stiffer.


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I was fit to the same shaft in driver as I was in my 3w/5w. So I guess I was looking for consistency.
 
Easy launch and decent dispersion.


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I actually look for something a little bit higher launch.

My driver is x stiff low launch, 3 wood 13° x stiff low launch, 4 wood x stiff low-mid launch, 7 wood stiff mid launch.

Since the driver is always off of a tee, it doesn't need help with launch.

The other clubs (for me), need a little boost, combined with their loft. I want my 4 and 7 wood to land a little more soft, with less roll.

This works for me, other peoples experiences may differ greatly.

Jack
 
For me I prefer a slightly heavier shaft in my 3w compared to my driver. My 3w shaft is about 10 grams heavier than my driver shaft. I also prefer a mid-kick shaft in my 3w rather than a high- kick shaft like my driver.
 
I like my driver shafts in the high 60 gram weight range and my fairway wood shafts to be 75-85 grams or so and have a higher launch. Off the tee a three wood works pretty good but I do struggle getting them off the deck.
 
I tend to like mid flight shafts in my fairway shafts. I like lower flight shafts in my driver.
 
I have a mid launch, low to mid spin driver shaft (Oban Isawa 55, Diamana S+60), and will use the same shaft in the 3 wood to get a nice launch instead of going heavier. In the 5 wood, I typically want a slightly heavier shaft as the 55g shaft will send it launching too high.
 
I like a low launch- low spin shaft in the driver since I hit slightly down on it.... looking for more control as well and not raw distance.

3 and 5 wd will usually be close in weight (about 10-15 gr heavier than DR shaft) with the same type of profile- medium trajectory and low-low mid spin. This way it has the potential to hold a deep enough green and not balloon.
 
Definitely noticing a trend here that folks often prefer more launch in their fairway shafts than in their drivers. Interesting. May have to take that into consideration!
 
lefty19 said:
I like a low launch- low spin shaft in the driver since I hit slightly down on it.... looking for more control as well and not raw distance.

3 and 5 wd will usually be close in weight (about 10-15 gr heavier than DR shaft) with the same type of profile- medium trajectory and low-low mid spin. This way it has the potential to hold a deep enough green and not balloon.
Click to expand...


Just as follow up on this, I should say of COURSE it depends on what you want and what the individual needs are in courses, part of the country etc..... I am originally from MS. Gulf Coast and played it for high winds like here in the DFW now. NOT that I can't hit it crooked anywhere though! :angel:

I spin the ball A LOT and play B330 balls right now as they seem to be pretty decent, may try the Hex Chrome as I've heard lots of good things.

I don't see why someone would want a lower trajectory FW than their Driver unless they are ill fitted or designed specifically. Unless you have a mini-driver or 13*ish FW for only off the tee box, what good is it on the fairway unless you play courses with bunker less fronts of the greens. I played a 13* R7TP that I could hit low scuds with a much lower trajectory but wanted it that way. I learned to hit my driver with two different speeds and now freed up to have an easier FW off the deck to have more confidence on a long Par5 to be reached in two.

A FW could be set up for whatever you want obviously but ASSume the FW is designed to be hit off the deck and have the potential to get on the green?

Rambling... but more to think about.....

-David
 
I like my DR to be low-launch, low-spin and a mid 70's weight. My 3w will be low/mid spin, low/mid launch and low to mid 80's weight.

Slightly higher launch, spin and weight for the 3w.


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