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Fairway wood or hybrid?

PeterMan

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2006
69
2
Just wondering what the consensus is here when it comes to a fairway wood vs. a hybrid?

For me, I never use a fairway wood on my home course, there is usually not much need, it is a short course, so when I find myself around the 250 range it is usually due to a poor drive. I most often hit my 3 hybrid or lay up if it is a par 5...

My 3 hybrid has 20 degrees of loft, I do not have a 5 wood, and my 3 wood has 15 degrees of loft... I should be hitting my 3 wood from this distance but I honestly have not hit it off the turf in years, and it is a very old Taylor Made Burner Bubble knock off, so it is not the best club...

So I am looking a good 5 wood or a #2 hybrid and I was just wondering what most feel the real difference is between the two types of clubs... My current 3 hybrid is a cheap knock off as well, so I am not putting much stock into either club...
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
I don't have the length to reach par 5's in two, so the only reason to use my 4-wood on them would be to hit a tight fairway off the tee. And that's not even a good reason, since my 3-hybrid is more reliable, and only gives up about 20 yards.

Par 4's? Same thing. If it's a really tight fairway I'll hit the 3-hybrid. Or the driver. I'm hitting that bloody thing so straight that there's almost no fairway I won't try try it on.

About the only time I use my 4W is if I've got 240 to a hazard that crosses the fairway, and I need to get as close to it as possible because of the length of the next shot.
 
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PeterMan

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2006
69
2
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #3
What loft is your 4 wood? I am looking at an 18 degree #2 hybrid, or 19 degree 5 wood...
 

SiberianDVM

I love Hooters
Moderator
Jul 25, 2005
8,783
1,539
Augusta, GA
Country
United States United States
If you are looking for just one club to replace your 3 & 5 woods, then I recommend a Exotics CB1 4 wood (16.5° I think) or any of a number of hybrids: Nickent, Adams, Exotics.

If you want both 3 & 5 woods, (15° and 18°) then the Exotics CB1s are hard to beat and super easy to hit off the deck. When the stars are aligned properly and I manage to get all of the moving parts of my swing in the right sequence, even I am capable of hitting the 3 wood 240-250 off the deck, as long as it's downhill. :)

The CB1s are also much cheaper now that there are newer models available.
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
The Exotics CB1 4-wood that Siberian recommends is a spot-on choice.

Mine is a 17º Mizuno F50.
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
62
Country
United States United States
The CB1 4w is 16.5, although I find it almost as long at times as a 13* 3w.

Personal experience tells me that a hybrid plays about 2* weaker than a similar lofted FW. I play both, and from experience I would also say that it may be a good idea to taper them in sequence. So I would try to fill a gap between 2 FW's with a hybrid. Seems to make an easier transition for me to go from irons, to hybrids to FW's. I have also found anything under a 18* hybrid to be harder to hit and would rather use a FW.

My 18* baffler 21/R hybrid plays just a little shorter than my 21* CB1 7w and roughly the same distance as my old 20* G2 7w.
 

SilverUberXeno

El Tigre Blanco
Jul 26, 2005
4,620
26
I'm seriously considering a 15* hybrid instead of a FW. I LOOOVE my 19* hybrid, which I bang out farther than I ever hit a 5 wood. My current 3W game is very weak.

A hybrid offers more control via a shorter shaft, and is usually more predictable due to the descending blow you SHOULD be using, versus a more lateral blow from a FW.
 

Bakemono36

New Member
Aug 24, 2008
455
0
I prefer an iron-like hybrid. Ive never hit my fairway woods all that well, but Im pretty decent with my irons.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I personally prefer a fairway wood. I've tried a few hybrids in the 17-18* range and didn't like them. I carry a 13* TEE and a 17* TM200 Steel tour. It's all about having a club to hit the distance for me, bottom line. I hit 3iron about 210, 5W about 225 and 3W about 240, all carry. So the 4* difference in loft seems to work well for my yardages.

I also play courses with long par 3's. 220-230 is a very common par 3 yardage, the 5W is dead on it. I also use the 5W as well as the 13* on 2nd shots to par 5's frequently. Also, both see a ton of use off the tee on par 4's or par 5's I know I can't reach in 2.
 

Wi-Golfer

Golfer on hiatus.
Supporting Member
Jul 25, 2007
8,147
1,474
Madison, Wi
Country
United States United States
I prefer my fairway woods, just haven't been able to fall in love with the hybrids yet. I did use my 5h today though, had a 185 yd par 3 & the longest iron I am carrying is my 5 which is good for about 175 max. Don't carry a 5w & my 4w will easily overshoot that distance. Then I remembered the 5h & figured "why the hell not give it a shot?". Stuck the damn thing on the green & the shot felt great, easily the best I have ever hit a hybrid.
 

RCI

Well-Known Member
Jul 26, 2008
159
0
I finally gave a hybrid a serious chance... It was a good club (Titliest 585 21 degrees loft) and easy to hit. The 3-iron came out of the bag. I played the hybrid for 20 to 30 rounds, and had many opportunities to use it. But I noticed accuracy was a problem compared to 3-iron... and I could not control the ball's trajectory like I could with my 3-iron.

I have a rescue wood, the venerable Callaway Steelhead 7 wood. The Steelhead is easier to work than the hybrid, I can hit it further when needed, and for some reason, it is more accurate. I use a 7 wood for all kinds of shots but best of all is second shots into par fives. The higher carry of the 7 wood is better for me because the ball stops quickly.

I know this is old technology, but I have yet to find anything more reliable than the old 7 wood, and I also found out I needed a 3-iron a lot more than a hybrid. I read somewhere this past year that a few Steelhead woods are still on the PGA tour. I sure like my 15 degree Steelhead 3 wood, but the 7 wood is a scoring weapon for sure. My hybrid is no longer in my bag.
 

ClairefromClare

Like my balls?
Jul 23, 2008
2,056
4
I'm with Bakemono. I hit my 23* hybrid (no 19* hybrids for women) almost as far as I hit my (admittedly, not great) five wood. With more control. Right now, I don't even carry a fairway wood, though I'm going to test swing the PINGs next week.
 
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PeterMan

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2006
69
2
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
Excellent advice here thanks everyone, I am seriously considering the 4 wood option... my current 3 hybrid is newer and in better shape than my 3 wood so it makes sense to start there...
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
I'm with Bakemono. I hit my 23* hybrid (no 19* hybrids for women) almost as far as I hit my (admittedly, not great) five wood. With more control. Right now, I don't even carry a fairway wood, though I'm going to test swing the PINGs next week.
Raptures??
 

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