hedley_lamarr08

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Albatross 2024 Club
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With the adjustable necks on most fairway woods, how many guys have went back to high lofted woods vs hybrids? I'm starting to think 4 wood and 6 wood type settings then to a 4 hybrid could be a great set up.
 
With the adjustable necks on most fairway woods, how many guys have went back to high lofted woods vs hybrids? I'm starting to think 4 wood and 6 wood type settings then to a 4 hybrid could be a great set up.

I've played a 7 wood (Cleveland Launcher) for about... 7-8 years and have taken it out of the bag for 2019. It was a very, very good club for me.

I changed my irons last year (G15 to G400) and picked up about 10-15 yards on my 5 iron. I didn't see much increase on the 8-wedge end of the bag but the 5-6 irons stretched out a bit, which was good as my yardage gaps on that end of the iron set weren't what I wanted. I also took the 4 iron out of the bag so I decided to go 3W (250-260), 5W (230-235), 4h (220).

When considering 7 wood vs. hybrid the main things to consider are: 7W has a longer shaft which can lead to less consistent strike but will usually lead to higher ballspeed, higher ballflight and more spin. I hit my 7 wood about 225, very high... nice and straight. The only thing I didn't like about it was that into the wind it would get murdered. Too high and too much spin. That said, I see a ton of 5 woods (and some 7's) in PGA tour pro bags, having that extra distance and height can be a great thing.
 
I have used a 7W for several years now. No issues really, not a hybrid fan and don't carry any. 7W is easy to launch and have enough spin to hold greens. Provides a good gapping for me.
 
I've never really gotten along with hybrids. I've had a handful but try as I might, they've never looked appealing at setup. Just ... awkward. So I've never been able to get any real confidence with them.

So yeah, I'm back to a 5W and 7W in my bag; both of which I love.
 
I just got fit into a new full bag, and no hybrid wound up in there. I performed better with a 7W Epic Flash, with +2° loft and a draw bias setting. For me, it was much easier to hit, and more consistent, than any of the hybrids I could try.

I could have done the 9W and had the same loft, but opted for the 7W because it is adjustable. The EF 9 is not...

Waiting for my irons and wedges to show up, and then see if I do as well as I did during the fitting...


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Love my 7 wood. It's great for long par 3's and fairway wood shots. I can't count on a hybrid staying strait for me.
 
7w all day. I hit it farther and higher than a hybrid
 
I loved my 7 wood, but since my swing speed has increased the shaft in it just isn't working in more. I thought about replacing the shaft and still may, but that was just as much money as a new Steelhead from CPO's outlet so a new hybrid out weighed a beat up 7 wood with a new shaft.

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7w all day. I hit it farther and higher than a hybrid

That’s me. I couldn’t hit a hybrid over your head. It was ridiculous. I tried a ton of them, and then went to the 9W. Bombs!!! Same with the 7W.


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I’ll always keep my titleist 913 7 wood but it doesn’t get much bag time these days. I carry a ping G400 5 wood at 18.5* and then a G400 4 hybo at 22*. Gapping works well for me.


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I love my 7 wood and use it as often as I can.
 
7 wood for the win.

I took my 3i out and replaced it with the 7 wood has been the best thing I have ever done. It is the most consistent stick in the bag, to the point that I am finding that instead of pulling my 4i I will choke up on the 7wood and easy swing it.
 
Never gotten along with hybrids even though I tried every year when the new releases came out.

I have played 3w (that has changed several times over the years) and then original Callaway Steelhead 7w & 9w both with DGX100 Lite steel shafts.

A few years back I realized that Fairway Woods just work better for my sweeper type swing so I'll just keep playing the 7w and 9w until they break or I can't swing them anymore.

The 7w is 20* and 9w is 24* so more like a modern day 5w and 7w.
 
My 7 wood is an oldie but goodie and is never leaving the bag,although I also have a 4H in there, Not sure why.
 
My 7W and 4H are almost identical distance wise. I just am much more consistent with the 7W. Right now I am thinking about going from 5i to 7W to either 5W or Heavenwood then to the 3W.
 
I too am a heavenwood over hybrid guy. I go from 5 iron to 7w-5w-3w. I tried carrying 4 and 5 hybrids in early March instead of a 5 iron and 7w and was just inconsistent. I still sometimes draw the 7w too much or hit the 5 iron thin/fat, but the hybrids were going high/low and left/right.
 
My 7W and 4H are almost identical distance wise. I just am much more consistent with the 7W. Right now I am thinking about going from 5i to 7W to either 5W or Heavenwood then to the 3W.

I dropped the 3w and do a 5w & 7w set up. I found off tee the 3w was just as inconsistent as my driver and 20 yards shorter. Then off the ground for me I would have too many bad contact shots with the 3w, but the 5w & 7w were 97% of the time spot on at only a loss of a few yards. I have come to grips with not reaching par 5's in two.

7w & 5w are so consistent for me I am thinking of bagging a 9w.
 
I dropped the 3w and do a 5w & 7w set up. I found off tee the 3w was just as inconsistent as my driver and 20 yards shorter. Then off the ground for me I would have too many bad contact shots with the 3w, but the 5w & 7w were 97% of the time spot on at only a loss of a few yards. I have come to grips with not reaching par 5's in two.

7w & 5w are so consistent for me I am thinking of bagging a 9w.

Lately everything is coming alive for me distance wise. There is only one par 5 locally I don’t feel confident I can reach in 2. My 3W is consistent and long for me. My problem is I am struggling with hybrids and my 7W and 4H have about the same distance. I do sometimes find I need something between the 7 and 3 woods though. That is why I am thinking about either a 5 or Heavenwood


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Lately everything is coming alive for me distance wise. There is only one par 5 locally I don’t feel confident I can reach in 2. My 3W is consistent and long for me. My problem is I am struggling with hybrids and my 7W and 4H have about the same distance. I do sometimes find I need something between the 7 and 3 woods though. That is why I am thinking about either a 5 or Heavenwood

My vote is the 5w.

Why are hybrids so popular if everyone seems to have trouble with them?

I gave my hybrid to a friend, that thing would just go left every time.
 
My vote is the 5w.

Why are hybrids so popular if everyone seems to have trouble with them?

I gave my hybrid to a friend, that thing would just go left every time.

It’s funny. I know some guys that love them and swear by them and others that hate them with a passion. I don’t think there is an in between. I like the idea of a hybrid, especially out of the rough vs a fairway wood. I just don’t have any confidence that I am going to hit it well when I step up to it.


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My old hybrid was a hook machine. I got fitted with a tileist rep and asked about 5w or 7w. After a few swings he didn't think they would be a good idea as I get a lot of height and it would be harder to keep a 7w low than a 3 hybrid. So I ended up with a 3 hybrid setup with max fade. So far so good. I wanted to try 7 wood, but seems to not be a suitable fit for my swing.
 
I still have a 7 wood in the bag. It’s a good utility club out of the rough or if you are shooting to an uphill green from a downhill lie.


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I carry a 7 wood along with 2 hybrids. Love the 7 wood.
 
I wouldn't ditch a hybrid entirely in favor of a fairway wood - I think they're different enough clubs to justify carrying both. Hybrids will have shorter shafts, and you swing them more like an iron, which I think makes them more effective from rough and easier from uneven lies. Fairway woods have longer shafts and deeper CGs, which helps with launch and distance.

I think you have a good plan to carry an 18-19 deg. fairway wood and 22-23 deg. hybrid.
 
This year, I switched from hybrids to a 7W and 9W. So far, I’ve been very pleased with the improvement in consistency and accuracy. The 9W in particular is an absolute blast to swing. What a fun club.
 
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