FAIRWAY WOODS

 

Hybrids vs. Woods?

Frank:
I own three hybrids: 18, 21 and 24 degree. I hit the 21 and 24 very well about 7 out of 10 times, but I really struggle with the 18 degree; it's either a big slice or a big pull, though when I do hit it right I can get about 180 to 190 yards with it.  I put in the 18 degree to replace my three wood as that club was a real problem for me.  Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Bob

Bob,
I would NOT normally recommend replacing your 3-wood with a hybrid. The likely reason you were having a problem with your 3-wood was either 1) it has the wrong flex shaft, i.e., it’s different from your driver (assuming you are not having a problem with your driver); 2) it has too long a shaft; or most likely 3)  you have the same swing flaw with the 18 degree hybrid as with the long fairway wood.  

I suggest that you try to correct the swing problem before giving up on the 3-wood, which is an important club in the bag.  Hybrids are generally used to replace the hard-to-hit long irons, but most golfers find fairway woods easier to hit than hybrids.  Another solution for you – and I would suggest you try this first -- is to substitute a 5-wood for the 3-wood for these long fairway shots to determine if the problem is the club or you. If you’re still having a problem with the 5-wood, then get someone to look at your swing. If the 5-wood works, then dump the 18 degree hybrid.

 

A Better Idea?

Frank,
I recently purchased two Adams Tight Lies Idea iWoods, the 17-degree 3-iron and the 21-degree 4-iron, intending to replace the 3- and 4-irons from my Adams Tight Lies Tour irons.  However, contrary to what I've read, I've had much more of a problem hitting these iWoods than I did hitting the regular 3 and 4 irons.  Although I've hit a few very solid shots, the vast majority of shots so far have been considerably shorter with the iWoods.

I'm 58 and play to about an 18 handicap.  My distances with my 3- and 4-irons were about 180 and 170 yards respectively. Overall, I seem to have lost about 10-15 yards with the iWoods.  Any ideas?
--Gerry

Gerry,
I’m surprised by what you’ve told me. The Adams iWood 3 and 4 are hybrids and should perform better than the Idea Tour 3- and 4-irons. The problem may be that you have a considerably higher trajectory than is normal with the hybrids. This may decrease your distance. On the other hand, the shaft flex may not be suitable for your swing and/or the hybrid is more than an inch longer than the iron it is replacing which would account for a decrease in accuracy.

If the flex and length are right, then maybe your game just fits irons better than hybrids.  You should go with the clubs that work for you, even if your experience is unique.

For more on hybrids click here

Frank

 

The Numbers Game on Hybrids

Hello Frank:

I have been using hybrid clubs for quite some time.  I currently have a 19,- 21-, & 24 degree hybrid, and just purchased a 28 degree Hibore from GolfSmith.  The catalogue advertised the club as a 28 degree 6I.  When I received the club it was marked as a 28 degree 5I instead. 

Apparently I am not the only one confused with this situation.  In doing research to purchase the right club, I noticed a great deal of difference in how the companies are correlating the hybrid’s loft to the equivalent iron it is replacing.  I was looking for a club to hit in the 160-to-170 range.  This 28 degree hits the mark, even though it is, according to Cleveland, a 5 iron replacement. 

What makes for these differences in how companies manufacture and market these clubs?  All this drives home the idea that it does not matter what distance anyone else hits their 5 iron; it’s how far I hit it that counts.  Same for each club in my bag, except the putter.

Best regards,

Lynn

Lynn,
The hybrids are still finding their rightful place in the set. Manufacturers are a little reluctant to replace the irons with hybrids for the standard set, either because they don’t know how this will be received or because they want to sell you more clubs by making you buy the regular set and then add the hybrids. Generally the hybrid numbered club has a loft similar to the same numbered iron it is intended to replace. The problem with lofts is that these could vary as much as five degrees --from 23 degrees to 28  -- for different models of 5-irons even from the same manufacturer. 

The numbers on the hybrids are just a guideline.  I would consider a 19 degree hybrid as a replacement for my 3-iron, with a 24 degree club replacing my 4-iron. If this holds up, then your club with 28 degrees of loft would be a 5 hybrid, even though the average cavity back 5-iron is about 25 degree in loft.

Really, though, what you’ve discovered is exactly correct: it doesn’t matter what the number is on the club, what’s important is that you know what that number means for you as far as distance is concerned. The numbering system and the lofts associated with it made up an unwritten rule or code for years, but that changed in the early 70s, when manufacturers started strengthening the clubs to make golfers think they were hitting the ball farther with the same numbered club. Today the numbers are just a personal convenience. Everybody should get out and test how far they hit each club before playing any serious game with a new set.

As far hybrids are concerned, choose the ones that will fill the gap between your woods and the longest iron you hit comfortably and consistently. For more on hybrids please click here.

--Frank  

 

 

Hi, Frank:
I have a fairway wood with a regular graphite shaft.  Can I make it stiffer by adding lead tape?  If so where exactly would I put the lead tape? My swing speed is between 95-105.
Thank you,
Rob

Rob,
Unfortunately, adding (sticking) lead tape to any part of the club except to the end of the grip -- which will have little to no effect -- will only increase the swing weight, and in turn make the shaft feel more flexible. Adding tape to the end of the grip will decrease the swing weight but won’t affect the dynamics of the swing at all. The best thing you can do is get another shaft.

Sorry, but tape is only going to move you in the wrong direction. You are in a sticky situation and I hope this gets you out of it.

Frank

 

Frank,
After reading this week’s question about hybrids, I had a question: Are hybrids irons or woods?  Are there hybrid irons and hybrid woods? Could you explain the difference?

Doug

Doug,
A hybrid is a cross between a wood and an iron. They are starting to look more like fairway woods, but they’re still in a category by themselves. They are thicker from the face to the back than an iron, which positions the center of gravity farther back from the face. This does two things: it increases the MOI (Moment of Inertia) about the vertical axis and also on the horizontal toe-heel axis, though not to the same extent as a wood. This gives the hybrid wood-like forgiveness properties that are better than the equivalent iron, with a lower trajectory than a wood but still higher than the iron.

A hybrid is generally an inch or two shorter than the similarly-lofted wood, but ½ to 1 inch longer than the same-lofted iron. This gives you more control than you would have with the wood, but it is still more forgiving than the iron it replaces.

I believe that we will soon start seeing a morphing/merging of hybrids and fairway-woods, as hybrids are still looking for an acceptable place in a real set of clubs and shouldn’t be considered just utility clubs.  Acceptance into an established family is not easy, but give the hybrids some time to adjust and snuggle in, and then all will be fine.

Hello Frank,  

I have a question of slope of fairway vs. yards. For example if you have a yardage to the green of 150 and there is a 10 degree uphill slope what is the actual yardage.  What is the scientific formula for calculating the difference. Thanks, Doug

Doug,

If the measurement (150 yards) to the flag is the horizontal measurement then the actual distance to the flag on a green 10 degrees above the horizontal, will be 150 divided by the cosine of ten degrees, which is .985. The actual straight-line distance to the flag will then be 152.3 yards. As the green will be above you by 26.44 yards and the trajectory coming into the green is about 45 degrees you will lose 26 yards that the ball would have carried had the green been at the same level as you are. So the bottom line is that even though the actual distance to the flag is only 2.3 yards longer, because of the elevation of the green and the trajectory of the ball as it approaches the green you will have to add about 28 yards to the distance making it 150+28 = 178 yards. This shot is about two clubs longer. Remember also that the ball will not stop as well because of the decrease in landing angle and less spin from the longer club. This is a lot more than you really wanted to know but I hope it helps on your next shot to an elevated green.

I have been wondering how come a 5-wood is supposed to, and does, go so much higher in trajectory than a 2-iron or say a 18-degree hybrid club. I don't think it's the center of gravity because my rescue club, which has a very low CG, doesn't nearly get the ball anywhere near as high as my 5-wood. Any ideas? Thanks. -- Johnson Chiu, Canada

Johnson,
Your 5-wood has about three degrees more loft than the 2-iron, but more important center of gravity is behind the shaft not in line with it. The dynamic loft (loft as presented to the ball just before impact) is probably also more than that of the static loft (loft when you address the ball). This is probably the major reason for getting the ball up higher.

Several years ago I purchased a couple of metal woods via a web site, that also puts out a catalog. I was on their mailing list for a while, but have not seen any catalogs in a year or so. The name of the clubs on the face is "Arsenal," and on the back of the club is "Tracks." Can you tell me a little about the clubs or the company that I may have purchased them from?-- Don Molgaard

Don,
I got a similar question to this in an earlier mailbag. My best suggestion is that you contact the USGA's museum curator, Andrew Much. You can visit the USGA at its web site, www.usga.org, or by phone at (908) 234-2300.

I found a Power Bilt Persimmon Pro Sonic 3-wood in Tokyo. The club was in very good shape and I'm interested to know a little about the club and the value of it. -- Martin Naslund

Martin, I recommend that you contact the U.S. Golf Association and its museum curator Andrew Much. He'll be able to tell you a bit more about the club. You can contact him at (908) 234-2300, or visit the USGA web site at www.usga.org.

I just picked up a 5-wood for $25 from a greenskeeper here. It is a CB2 signed by Stan Thompson with a Ginty 300 Torque 3.0 shaft and grip. I cannot find anything on the Internet about this club. Can you tell me anything about it? -- Paul Bethel, San Jose, Costa Rica

Paul,
Stan died about 15 years ago. He was quite an innovator in club design and developed one of the first single-lever mechanical swing machines. The Ginty fairway wood was very popular and one of the forerunners to the utility woods so popular among today's masses. Stan went on to design the same "V" shaped sole plate in the rest of the woods and even irons. They didn’t make it big though. That’s about it from me. Stan was a very gentle man and that's probably where the definition came from.

CHOICES

May 28, 2002
I have a Titleist 975 driver with 9.5 degrees of loft which I love. Sometimes I think it is the straightest club in my bag. On the strength of it, I bought a Titleist 14.5 degree fairway wood. It has a much shallower face and smaller head than the driver, and looks superb behind the ball. However, I do not seem to have any confidence with it off the tee. When I need to lay up, I find myself using my 2-iron instead. Would I be better off with a 3-wood that has a larger/deeper face, and if so, what would you recommend? I play off 7, and use a regular graphite shaft. -- Joe Burroughes,  Norfolk, England

If you like your club off the fairway but not off the tee there are only two things that I can recommend:

1.) Don't use it off the tee
2.) Don't tee it up if you want to lay up when hitting off the teeing area. I don't have a recommendation as to which club to choose but do suggest that you try a few. The most important thing is to be comfortable and have confidence. This is worth more than anything else.

I carry a 5 and 7 fairway wood in my bag. In order to get rid of excess weight, what irons should I be able to get rid of? My irons are from 3-PW and a sand wedge. -- Arnel Sinsay, Northridge, Calif.

You could get rid of your 3- and 4-irons. If you have a 1- and/or a 2-iron, get rid of those, too (this is good advice for anyone, regardless of what other clubs they have in their bag). A 5-wood basically travels about the same distance as a 3-iron -- roughly 210 yards for me. A 7-wood would be more comparable with a 4- or 5-iron -- about 180-200 yards. For most golfers, the lofted woods are a lot more comfortable to use than long irons.

HOW DO I HIT THEM?

 I am new to the game of golf. I'm also ashamed to say that in my last outing I doubled par. The problem lies in the fact that I cannot hit with a wood (of any type seemingly) well enough to save my life. Do you have any suggestions -- besides going to a driving range and using your patented BOB system? -- Robbie Johnson, Kentucky

Robbie

The BOB (buckets of balls) system is good if you have the right things to practice. First let me persuade you not to get discouraged. The game is not easy for any of us -- if it were, we would seek out some other challenge which would allow us to evaluate ourselves. With the woods, try to choke up on the grip and see if this helps -- this may be a good first step. I would also like to see you find a pro with a good reputation in your area and get a few pointers. Then get out and hit some balls. You will migrate to what works. Good luck and don't give up. Get back in touch if you continue to have a problem.