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My Quandry...Advice?

twogreen

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2006
492
54
Hello, my name is John; and I cannot hit a fairway wood. I don't even carry one in my bag. I hit the driver fairly well; and also do OK with the TE Ironwood hybrids which have replaced all my irons (3-SW). The problem is that there are a few holes on my home course where a longer second shot would be a distinct advantage. I own a Callaway Warbird strong four (4+) which I have occassionaly tried to use to fill this gap. These attempts usually result in ugliness. I have tried everything I know to get it under control...ball forward in stance...centered in stance...rearward in stance...stronger grip...etc., etc. When I move the ball rearward I can't get the clubface closed. If I move it too far forward, I hit it very fat. When I try not to hit it fat, the result is often a topped ball that dribbles only a few yards.

I feel like a hybrid with a draw biased offset that would be the equivalent of a 3W might be the answer. Would be interested in hearing some opinions of the various hybrids that you guys have tried so that I have a starting point for testing/trials. I don't plan to buy anything without trying it first. I just need to get some ideas about where to start looking.
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I started out with a 5wood and then dropped to a 4wood, I can't hit a 3wood consistantly off the deck. I found I needed to keep my weight a little forward, play it a bit forward of center and sweep it off the deck.
 

Randicap

Mediocre is better
Aug 31, 2006
37
0
Sounds to me like it's just in your head John. You probably fill yourself with dread as you address the ball with one.

Take it to the range and place the ball on a low tee, like you're teeing up for an iron. Then place another tee 2" in front of the ball. When you swing, try to clip off both tees--this will get you into the habit of sweeping the ground.
 

Eracer

No more triple bogies!!
Oct 31, 2005
12,405
8
Hello, my name is John; and I cannot hit a fairway wood. I don't even carry one in my bag. I hit the driver fairly well; and also do OK with the TE Ironwood hybrids which have replaced all my irons (3-SW). The problem is that there are a few holes on my home course where a longer second shot would be a distinct advantage. I own a Callaway Warbird strong four (4+) which I have occassionaly tried to use to fill this gap. These attempts usually result in ugliness. I have tried everything I know to get it under control...ball forward in stance...centered in stance...rearward in stance...stronger grip...etc., etc. When I move the ball rearward I can't get the clubface closed. If I move it too far forward, I hit it very fat. When I try not to hit it fat, the result is often a topped ball that dribbles only a few yards.

I feel like a hybrid with a draw biased offset that would be the equivalent of a 3W might be the answer. Would be interested in hearing some opinions of the various hybrids that you guys have tried so that I have a starting point for testing/trials. I don't plan to buy anything without trying it first. I just need to get some ideas about where to start looking.

I've been trying to find a 4-wood to fill the gap between my Cobra Baffler 3-hybrid (which is deadly accurate out to 200 yards) and my driver. I don't carry a 3-wood, because, like you, I have problems hitting fairway woods off the deck.

I have been giving serious thought to reshafting my Cleveland Launcher 4-wood with a steel shaft shortened by one inch. The Launcher head is really nice, but the longer, graphite shaft just doesn't seem reliable. I know it's my swing, but I have great confidence in the steel-shafted 3-hybrid, and really think shortening the shaft of the 4-wood might be the answer.

You might consider doing the same thing to your Warbird.

Just a thought.
 

Pa Jayhawk

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2005
7,196
62
Country
United States United States
I demoed about ever hybrid on the market and found none that will carry the same as a 3 wood. Although my 3 wood is only 13* and most any hybrid less than 16* is hard to find on the shelf to demo. I have heard from a number of people that the Sonartec is possibly long enough to replaced a 3w, although I have also heard that a low lofted Sonartec is only reliable off of the tee. They are darn near impossible to find to demo anything lower than a 19*, which I hit about the same as a 16* in any other brand. All of the 16* hybrids I hit are only comparable to my 17* 5 wood at best. I opted for the Halo, for the shaft. The Calloway Fusion was longer, although I did not like how it set up for me. I carry a 23* baffler, and it is my most reliable club, although I did not like the graphite shaft that comes on the baffler, and I did not want steel for my other 2, so the Halo works well.
 

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
I like your idea of using a hybrid as a fairway wood replacement...

I play regularly with a guy who is about 3-4 strokes better than I am and has had a very reliable long iron game for years. Shoots in the mid-70's/low 80's.

He recently put three Cobra hybrids in his bag and has no fairway woods. Ping G5 driver, the three Cobras and his irons.

I currently have a TM r7 driver, a Sonartec SS-03 14* and Sonartec SS-05 19* and a Taylor Made Rescue Mid 22 hybrid. I am likely to replace the Sonartec 19 with a TM Rescue Mid 16 because it will get more height and hold greens better from a distance of about 225.

The Taylor Made Rescue Mid has a draw bias and is a very good club to consider. I also liked the Hogan hybrid when I demoed them. They are a bargain in my view....very inexpensive.

Also I hit my buddy's Cobra hybrid on one shot about three weeks ago and pured it. It has a nice alignment aid on the clubface in the form of a circular "ball".

Good luck...while I agree that you will not get the absolute maximum distance from a hybrid you would get from hitting a fairway wood (properly) the risk/reward ratio on a low lofted hybrid makes it an excellent choice if you struggle with your fairway woods...
 

Glenn70

Well-Known Member
Aug 15, 2005
213
0
I agree with GoingDown...its in your head. I know people that just can't hit fairway woods. Short of switching to hybrids, I would recommend finding a driving range that lets you hit off of grass. Hitting off of the mats is OK, but if you chunk one, the result will still look good. Practice hitting off of the grass will help you when you're on the course.

Other than that.....Nike CPR Woods. I have an 18* and a 22* that I use inside of 250. I love them. I hardly ever hit a bad shot with them. Very easy to hit. I use a Callaway X 15* for anything over 230.
 

Rockford35

Shark skin shoes
Staff member
Admin
Aug 30, 2004
21,798
1,080
Canada
Country
Canada Canada
Do you have a stock shaft in that Warbird? The OEM shafts of older Callaways have always been crap. This might be a place worth looking at.

Go out and grab a Tour Edge Exotics or a Launcher Ti/Steel with a shaft similar to what you have in your driver. Try and hit a draw. If you hit the ball left, this is a good thing. Now take your normal swing and watch the ball sail into the sunset...

R35
 
OP
twogreen

twogreen

Well-Known Member
Aug 7, 2006
492
54
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Thanks for all the comments, guys. A couple of them were spot on. I do have a thing in my head about this club. My swing thought is something like, "I wonder if it will be better this time." The comments about the shaft also hit home with me. It is the original Warbird shaft in regular flex. I don't hit many pure shots with any club; but I have hit enough to know that "oh, yeah" feel. I have never had that feeling with this club, even on the rare occassion that I do make a fairly satisfactory swing with it.

Now, a little update. I had a memory burst after my original post. About 18 months ago I was playing a round with the original owner of my current house. Even then, I was bitching because I couldn't hit the Warbird; but I wasn't thinking in terms of a different club. He handed me his 3W and told me to give it a try. I hit it better than I had ever hit the Warbird on the first try. I think I hit it 3 or 4 times during that round and all were pretty fair shots for my ball striking ability at that time.

I was so new to the game then that I didn't even know what kind of club it was. I hadn't been bitten by the "club ho" bug yet, so I didn't give it much thought. I called him today and asked what it was. He told me that it was a Adams Tight Lies GT 15* 3W; and it is still in his bag.

Well, to make a long story longer, I found one on eBay today and won the auction. Don't know if it will help my problem or not; but if it doesn't, I am only out $31. Hell, the Warbird probably cost me that much in lost balls back in the day when I was still buying balls.
 

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