Fairway woods age gracefully. Their slip into obsolescence is quiet. While your eye is always wandering for a new big dog, the fairway wood is a loyal dog. ... But the reality is, over time all dogs lose steps to the pack.

Do I really need a fairway wood?

A fairway wood might be a good replacement for the driver in a beginner's bag, but it's not necessarily the best choice for hitting a shot off the ground. As a beginner, if you have a high-lofted driver that you can hit, you don't need fairway woods.

When should fairway woods be replaced?

Checking in every two to three years is plenty. Similar to drivers, it's unlikely you'll wear out a fairway wood or hybrid head. However, if you use one of these clubs multiple times per round, you might take shaft wear into account after several years.

What clubs do Fairway woods replace?

The larger club head of a fairway wood compared to an iron makes it easier to achieve more distance without over-swinging. As a rough rule of thumb, a 4 wood would replace a 2-iron, a 5 wood the 3-iron, a 7 wood the 4-iron and a 9 wood the 5 iron.

Do pros use fairway woods?

59% of the best 100 PGA Tour players use one fairway wood with 40% opting for two.

The FINAL Club DECISION - Titleist or Cleveland Fairway Wood

Are 7-woods good?

A 7 wood has a bit more loft and therefore can get out of the rough more effectively. A 7 wood is a perfect replacement for a long iron or a good choice for a golfer that does not enjoy playing with a hybrid golf club. Overall both the 5 wood and the 7 wood are also alternatives to the driver or 3 wood off the tee.

Why are pros using 7-woods?

They also make fairway woods easier to hit from thick rough. Compared to a hybrid or an iron, 7-woods also typically have a longer shaft, allowing a player to generate more clubhead speed. However, on the PGA Tour, where power is not usually a problem, some players have their 7-woods cut short.

Why do I hit my 5 wood farther than my driver?

Players who hit their 3- or 5-wood as far or longer than their driver are typically using too little loft with the driver for their clubhead speed. You know, it's a funny thing with the driver and its loft compared to the other clubs in the bag.

What is a 7 wood equivalent to?

The 7 wood is equivalent to the 2 iron that has a loft of 21 degrees. The 7 wood, however, has a longer length than a 21-degree hybrid. The 7 wood has a longer shaft resulting in it having a longer length than the other hybrid and iron clubs. The 7 wood is also equivalent to the 3-iron golf club.

Should high handicappers use fairway woods?

High handicappers and beginners usually have lower a slower swing speed, ball speed, and need fairway woods that can be used on tee shots, from the fair way, and lighter rough.

Are 20 year old golf clubs any good?

There is no evidence that golf clubs deteriorate over time. Well maintained clubs will last a lifetime. 10+ year old clubs should be checked for better options but clubs less than 5 years old do not need replacing except for wear and tear issues to which wedges and forged irons are most vulnerable.

What is better a 5 wood or a hybrid?

While a 5-wood is better for distance off the tee and the fairway. ... They correctly point out that a hybrid offers distance and forgiveness and can be played out of the bunker, rough, fairway, and off the tee. Therefore, it is clear that the 2-hybrid is far more versatile than the 5-wood.

Do hybrid clubs replace fairway woods?

Hybrids can be replaced by long irons or fairway woods of similar lofts. For example, a player could choose to use a 3-iron, 19 degree hybrid, or 5-wood interchangeably depending on desired performance and course condition. For maximized distance, we recommend fairway woods.

Should I get a wood or a hybrid?

Fairway woods have a broader sole and larger head than hybrids and are hit further, but lower. Hybrids are more forgiving and easier to hit than long irons or fairway woods. Hybrids are typically used to replace some of the more difficult to hit long irons in the average golfer's bag.

What hybrid is equal to a 3-wood?

A low-lofted hybrid (14° to 17°) is ideally suited to replace your 3-wood or your 5-wood. This club is easier to hit than a long iron off the fairway.

When would you use a fairway wood?

You can use a fairway wood from the fairway or a good lie in the rough. Some golfers will use a fairway wood off the tee if they struggle with a driver. When reaching for a fairway wood, here is the average distance you can expect to achieve: 3-wood = 125 to 240 yards.

Do pros carry a 5 wood?

What do pros carry in their golf bags? Professional golfers generally carry: a driver, 3 wood, 5 wood, 4-PW, gap wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge, and a putter.

How many woods should I carry?

Since golf course conditions can vary, an easy rule-of-thumb to follow would be to always carry a 3-wood for tee shots and par-5 approaches, and have at least a 5-wood handy depending on the weather or which course you are playing.

How far does the average golfer hit a 7 wood?

7-wood Distance Chart

Depending on how far you can hit the ball, a 7-wood can range from 170-230 yards for golfers who are men. Typically for women, it travels between 120-170 yards. Another factor is how high or low a golfer tees the ball and how hard or soft the course is.

What percentage of golfers can break 100?

According to multiple reports from the National Golf Foundation and the PGA, approximately 50% of all golfers that keep track of their score and follow the rules of golf can break a score of 100.

Do drivers lose distance over time?

Do golf drivers lose distance over time? Unless the club head has been damaged, golf drivers are unlikely to lose distance over time. The club would need to be used thousands and thousands of times before it began to suffer from metal fatigue, which, even for professional players, is rare.

Do any PGA players use a 7 wood?

You could go weeks without seeing a 7-wood on the PGA Tour, where players like Dustin Johnson carry a 4-iron 240 yards. But at Winged Foot, the combination of 500-yard par 4s and shin-high rough means many players are using 7-woods as mega-utility clubs. Yep, even World No. 1 Dustin Johnson.

What is a 11 wood equivalent to?

The #11 wood is a great choice to replace a 5 iron or 5 hybrid. It has a larger head than a hybrid which for some golfers, it will give them more confidence at the address position. With about 30 degrees of loft, it provides more loft than a 9 wood, which typically has only about 26 degrees of loft.

What is a 5 wood equivalent to?

As a rough rule of thumb, a 5 wood would replace a 2 iron, a 7 wood the 3 or 4 iron, a 9 wood the 5 iron.