I CARRY A 3,5 AND 7 WOOD, MY LOWEST IRON IS A 5. THAT LEAVES ROOM FOR 4 WEDGES

Ben,

What degree hybrid do you have? I am guessing a 19*. 

Are you a high ball hitter, medium, or low ball hitter?

I am a high ball hitter and I have a 4 and a 5 wood. But I find I launch them too high so they are only used in very specific circumstances. I was actually working on the range this weekend trying to keep them down. I actually prefer my 17* Hybrid as I can flight it a bit better and it still seems to hold well and it goes a long way. I also have a 712U 2 iron but that is used at specific times when I want a lower ball flight still but I don't think it would fit what you are looking for given your question.

I would say it really depends on whether you can flight those woods well. For me (a high ball hitter) I just find that I prefer a lower lofted hybrid to achieve exactly what I want in that 4 and 5 wood distance range. The 17* Hybrid might be an option if the 4 and 5 wood flight it a bit too high.

I hope this helps.

James,

You ar correct.  I have a 19* hybrid.  I am exactly oposite from you where I have a medium ball flight and I want to actually get the ball higher.  part of the reason that the woods are so appealing to me is because I tend to hit them sligtly higher then hybrids.  But I have no consistency in my 3 wood from the fairway. 

Thanks for you response, appriciate it!!!

Ben,

You are welcome.

The 5 wood (or maybe a 4 wood) would be an excellent option for you then given you would like to get the ball up a bit. They will get the ball up and there are many shaft options to help get a bit more spin and a higher launch angle as well (the custom options book is helpful and then you can demo some of the optional shafts). If the 3 wood is not working you could always look to getting another shaft  for it (and don't be afraid to maybe shorted it - ask a fitter or your pro) possibly depending on what the consistency issue may be driven by.  If not, think about getting either the 4 or 5 wood depending on what would fit your needs best and maybe remove the 3 wood for the time being (as I believe someone suggested) and add a wedge. It really depends on what would complement your game on the courses you play most . I hope this helps a little. I am interested to see the path you decide to take and how things work out for you. Best of luck and play well.

Hi Ben,

I carry both a 3 wood and a 5 wood. I use both clubs interchangeably on short par 4s (depending on how far I need to hit the ball). When I'm going for the green in 2 on par 5s, I'm mostly hitting my 5 wood (I seldom find myself at my 3 wood distance). It's hard for me to retire my 3 wood because of sentimental reasons. I learned how to play golf and hit off of the tees with a 3 wood (didn't bag a driver until about 5 years ago). My father, on the other hand, only carries a 4 wood, and he doesn't have any problems on the course. If you haven't hit your 3 wood in a few rounds, I'd argue that you can take it out for something else (extra wedge?) Good luck!

I carry a 3 and 5 wood and a traditional iron set 3-PW

I carry both a 3 and 5 wood. I find the 5 wood is a great replacement for my old 2 iron. It gives me much better flexibilty in the bag. I can use it off short par 4 tees, second shots to par 5s and sometime on very long par 3s. It is a lot easier to hit out of the rough or fairway bunkers the nthe old 2 iron too.

I think you have to make up your individual bag with the clubs that are the best fit for your game and the shots you need on a particular round.  At the top end, I carry a driver, 3 wood and hybrid and then move down to a 4 iron.  The 3 wood is a 913Fd and I typically use this from the teeing ground when I need a shorter shot than the driver or want to ensure a tighter shot dispersion.  I usually play with a 21 degree hybrid because it keeps the best gapping in my distances.  Depending on the course I am playing, I may opt to use a 19 degree hybrid instead of the 21 if I think I will encounter shots where I need a little more distance.

Bottom line, keep the clubs in your bag that you feel most comfortable with and can deliver the shots you need.  Once you take a club out of your bag it doesn't mean it is gone forever.  Experiment with different setups and see what works best for you.  you can always go back to your current setup if is works better for you.

"R":  The 2 iron is a 18* club and I carry a 913H 17* for those shots.........  My next in my series would be a 913F 15* adjusted to a 14.25*......on the other side would be a 910H 19* adjust to a 20.50* which would be my three iron and I carry a 913H 24* for my 4 iron.....the hybrids really save me.....R man, do you think I have these dialed in or at least headed in the right direction....... 

I use a 17° wood which gaps one club up from my hybrid. I used to have a 15° wood but then realized that it didn't have a high enough trajectory for me to approach greens. My driver is fairly accurate but not super long, so I am not one of those people who often uses a wood off the tee.

If necessary, I can lower the trajectory on the 17°, but if I find myself on a slight downhill lie on a par 5, the extra loft is welcome.

I do. 910 F and love it!!

Thank you all for the responses.  Sounds like the majority of you have a 5 wood.  I think that I am going to seriously consider getting one.  It takes me awhile to pull the trigger on new clubs so hopefully the 915F would be out by the time I am ready.  Thanks again!!

Hello Ben; Thanks for the question, and you came to the right place for some great feedback. TT members are the best for getting answers to your questions. A 5 wood would benefit you a lot. Myself, I carry a 17* 4 wood, and a 22* 7 wood. Since I have trouble getting a 3 & 5 wood up off the turf, the higher lofted 4&7 woods are better for me.  If you get a chance, try out a 22* 7 wood (Titleist 7 wood is a 21* but you can adjust it to 21.75* or 22.5*) My 7 wood is easier to get up and I get more height and just as much distance as a 5 wood. 

For what it's worth, I added a 3-wood and a 5-wood together, took the average, and am currently bagging a 4-wood. From there, I go down to a 913H 21* and then 4-PW plus 3 wedges.

For me, I found myself not needing the 3 AND the 5 wood, and a compromise of 4-wood loft helped to bridge that gap enough that I haven't missed the 3/5 wood in a long while.

I do love the distance and accuracy of the Titleist hybrids......very dependable........

I carry a 13* 3w, 18* 5w, and a 22* hybrid.  And I normally use each of them every round.  Either for position off the tee or attempting going for a par 5.  I chose the lofts to fill what I believe was most beneficial for me when playing my home course, which is 50+ rounds a year.  My irons are 4-GW and a single 56* Vokey.  I know alot of people prefer more wedges, but I like just the one and keeping options simple, sticking to what I know I can hit, rather than debating leaving doubt. 

It really has to do with the courses you play the most and what shots you need on them.

I don't have a 5W. I have my 913F 17* (3W), 913H 19*, 3i AP2. Those seem to work for me at the courses I play. 

What distance gap do you need to fill and what clubs is that distance in-between and what are those lofts?

B.A,

My longest club right now is my 19 degree hybrid.  I generally get between 200 to 215 depending on how well I hit the ball.  That would be my longest club if I take my 3 wood out of the bag.  At the course that I play the most I really need a 225+ club that I am confident and consistent with to challenge the par 5s.  Thanks for the input!!

Yeah, that really makes sense then to retire the 3W and get something that fits the yardage you need. A 19* Fairway may do it since you're so close on with the 19* hybrid (assuming you're looking for exactly 225y). If you want more, then maybe the 17*. For shaft, if you have a 913 driver already and like how it feels, then I'd say to use the same shaft and go 10 grams heavier. 

I didn't see if you posted what degree your 3W is. Since there isn't really a club that is named a 3W or 5W, it really just comes down to the loft on a fairway wood that works for you. Also, with the newer Titleist clubs, you can change that angle to best suit your swing and that will likely change your average distance. I have my Titleist 913 hybrid (21*) and my Fairway (17*) in the standard setting, whereas I have my 913 8.5* set at the D-2, which is .75* down. Some may even call what I call my 3W actually 5W at 17* loft. 

There is so much more customization ability these days (and these Titleist clubs are the best...). Off topic, I hit my 913 D3 and my buddy's new TM side by side on Thursday. Of course the shaft and loft were different and all, but my I hit my Titleist about 50 yards further and it felt great.

I think you need to find a shop that can let you take a fairway wood to the range and play around with it. Maybe one in the Titleist club trial program? (http://www.titleist.com/golf-club-trial/)

FYI, just giving my own experience... I'm not a fitter and if you don't already have a 913, I'd recommend seeing a fitter to get the best shaft for you.

Best of luck!

-Ben (also)

I originally replaced my 4 iron with a hybrid.  I liked it so much when it was time to replace my 5-wood, I went with another hybrid.  For me that works perfect.  I can use the hybrids off the tees on short par 4 and I'm more confident hitting it on to the green.  I'm not worried about the roll I would get from a 5 wood.  I carry a strong 3 wood, but it only gets used off the tee and on very long holes.  However, even with it's limited use, I still wouldn't want anything else.  

My fairway wood/hybrid makeup is strictly by loft and not by club number as the correlation between the two are all jumbled up nowadays. I have  17, 21 and 23 degree fairway woods and a 25 and 28 degree hybrid. This takes care of my distance gaps, which according to my fitter is how you select golf clubs. If someone wants to attach numbers to these clubs, I suppose the fairway woods would be a 4,5 & 7 and the hybrids a 5 & 6. Anyway, this is what works for me

                                                                            Frank P

i love my 5 wood. it can be a life saver sometimes

I carry a 5 wood, and actually up until a few months ago, it was my go to club from 180 in (I only play every few weekends) so I felt comfortable with it and hit it well!! To answer your question, I carry 1,3, and 5 wood.....but I would like to get a 7 wood eventually!

I carry a 5 wood or 2 iron depending on conditions. if its windy i go with the 2 iron if its a nice day i play the 5 wood. 

greens and fairways too all

simba

TT Members,

Seriously, thank you all for your input.  I have been convinced and will get a 5 wood now.  You all have been very helpful.  I appriciate it!

i carry driver and 3 wood 15 degree loft havent got 5 wood yet 

I carried a 5 wood for several years but switched to a 910H 19* 3 years ago. I've become very confident with the club and use it much like I did the 5 wood. It's a tad shorter and doesn't fly as high, but I find it fits my game better. 

Wish you the best with your new 5 wood!

i have a 4 wood, versatile, gets me another wedge in the bag instead of 3 and 5 wood. whenever i play a short and small fairways course. i lower the loft on my 913f 4 wood and when im playing longer courses i get it back on a standard loft so i can get it high enough to make it stop nice and safe on the green whenever i attack a par 5 in 2 or i want an easy approach.