Club gurus opinion on 3 wood

[john c]

I've gone to hitting a 3 wood off the tee at our club because they let the rough grow crazy high and there is a goodly amount of water and trees and fairway bunkers.  Hitting a Callaway FT Tour 15 degree with R flex Fujikura 370.  Out of the 14 fairways, hitting about 12 but only getting about 220 yards using either B330-RX, Prov 1 or Nike Tour (silver box).  Another 20 yards would help a bunch.  Considering the Tour Edge XCG-V or XCG-3 in 13 degree.  My measured speed runs 100-105 (last year and I think there has been some loss since then as I've gotten another dangerous notch closer to 60 - can't believe it - dang).  Plan to use the 3 wood off the deck, also as next club is 20 degree Adams Black Pro.  Maybe a different club, ball or shaft and stay with 15 degree?

Anyway, would appreciate any advice.

[kingofdequeen]

get the FIRST exotic.  CB1.  a 15 deg in that will equal everyone else's 13 degree.  if you find a 13...you'll hit it as far as many of your buddies new 500 dollar drivers.

i like adams hybrids a lot...but i play Nickent.  cheap cheap cheap and badass to the core.

and when you speak of me...speak well.

[john c]

You mean if i can find a 13 degree CB1 - buy it.  If a 15 degree is found buy it.  OK, thanks, I'll look.

I have a Nickent 23 degree Ironwood they will have to pry from my cold, dead fingers.  I've been comparing it to the Adams Black Pro 20 degree recently bought.  The Adams hits lower but the Nickent can come out of the thick rough - a necessity where I play.

[kingofdequeen]

i got 4...i play a 4dx 3 and a 3dx 4.

i have 2 and 3 3dx who's finishes were shot...so i krylon'd them.  bad idea. 

i'll send them off to get refinished soon...pay for it when i sell the 4dx w/ a project x prototype graphite shaft in it.  problem solved.

the adams are worldbeaters, though.  they get played by more pro's than anyone.  the nickents just seem to work best for me.

[gotyacovered]

Cb1 suggestion is good, price is getting right on them.

Look on WRX and fleabay for something not off the rack.... If it's stamped, hot melted, etc it makes a huge difference... You may have to some shaft changes

Off the rack the CB1 is the way to go... I like the older titliest as well. They are the easiest to hit straight IMO.

[alwaysondbigscreen]

cb1 here also, I got the 3, 5 and 7 snagged em all off ebay

[HogScoutMaster]

I guess it's a difference in strenght and control... I use my 1 and 3 and never touch my 5.  Typically when a situation comes up that I might need a 5 or 7 I just pull out either my 3i or 4i Hybrid.  And I paid 175.00 for my whole set at DICK'S

1,3,5  3&4i Hybrid 5-PW  Walter hagen

[Ex-Trumpet]

Buddy of mine hits the CB1...loves it--kills it, too!  Hits it 280+ off the tee box (and a lot straightet than his driver!).  Hard to find in lefty's however!!

[71832]

cb-1 is as good as it gets. Calloway steelhead +(blue) is still hard to beat for length or direction.My driver and three wood are tour edge exotics my five wood stealhead +.

[HogScoutMaster]

I know there is a difference in say a set of Dunlops (or whatever they sell at Wal-Mart now) and a "good" set.  But to some people that are fairly new to the sport might think if they buy a set of Pings or Callaways they will shooot like ole Phil. 

Example my old golf pal had plenty of money so he went out and bought a set of Pings and I still had my set my mom bought me (Dunlops from said Wal-Mart) for Christmas 10 years earlier.  He couldn't hit a decent shot to save his life.  He kept blaming the clubs so I said Let me try, almost dead on every shot.  He then said let me try yours, he tried mine and he shot alot better....LOL he wanted to swap even..LOL what a fool hahaha

[gotyacovered]

I know there is a difference in say a set of Dunlops (or whatever they sell at Wal-Mart now) and a "good" set.  But to some people that are fairly new to the sport might think if they buy a set of Pings or Callaways they will shooot like ole Phil. 

Example my old golf pal had plenty of money so he went out and bought a set of Pings and I still had my set my mom bought me (Dunlops from said Wal-Mart) for Christmas 10 years earlier.  He couldn't hit a decent shot to save his life.  He kept blaming the clubs so I said Let me try, almost dead on every shot.  He then said let me try yours, he tried mine and he shot alot better....LOL he wanted to swap even..LOL what a fool hahaha

its all about what skill level you are currently and where you want to go. i can tell a huge difference in a iron forged in the USA and one in Japan. its huge. some dude that plays one a month dureing the summer probably cant...

[billcollector]

its all about what skill level you are currently and where you want to go. i can tell a huge difference in a iron forged in the USA and one in Japan. its huge. some dude that plays one a month dureing the summer probably cant...

sure wish i could hit some clubs made in Japan... its a 7 iron, just a 7 iron...

[billcollector]

Back on topic, as far as 3 woods go, for as long as i can remember i have used callaway fairway woods... in my opinion they are the best...

[clutch]

LOL he wanted to swap even..LOL what a fool hahaha

Well did you swap? If not then maybe you are the fool lol.

[jacobp]

I picked up a new Callaway fusion 3 wood at Dick's Sporting Goods a couple weeks ago.  For some reason it was on clearance for $75.  I haven't found a price online anywhere better than $150.  Driver is staying in the bag for now.  I'm hitting this 3W about 260 right down the middle.

[john c]

Early CB's hard to find.  Golf Discount guy told me that the CB's were best 3's on market and were designed for better players who can and want to hit the long high fade.  He is a two and said it is hard for him to draw with it.  I'm an 11 and have a natural draw.  He recommended trying the XCG-3 15 with a reg saying my 95 mph swing is borderline for stiff.  What I heard is that I'm probably not good enough to really use the CB, which is OK.

Or, maybe, that is what he had in stock.  No, surely not.

[gotyacovered]

Early CB's hard to find.  Golf Discount guy told me that the CB's were best 3's on market and were designed for better players who can and want to hit the long high fade.  He is a two and said it is hard for him to draw with it.  I'm an 11 and have a natural draw.  He recommended trying the XCG-3 15 with a reg saying my 95 mph swing is borderline for stiff.  What I heard is that I'm probably not good enough to really use the CB, which is OK.

Or, maybe, that is what he had in stock.  No, surely not.

11 with nat draw is good enough... think your last sentence is key especially if you like it. would much rather hit a club that produces good shots that i like than one that "fits" me.

[kingofdequeen]

that is what he had in stock.

this.  71832 and Alwaysonthebigscreen are old as hell, both hit multiple CB1's w/ stiff shafts, and both hit draws.

unless you're pegging 80 mph w/ the driver, i don't think you need an R shaft. 

that's my not-so-humble opinion.

[Hawgon]

unless you're pegging 80 mph w/ the driver, i don't think you need an R shaft.

Really, most people say go with the softer shaft if there is a doubt.  Why do you say that?

I'm curious because I'm kind of on the borderline and sometimes a regular feels better and sometimes a stiff seems to work better.  I don't really notice much difference in distance either way.

[gotyacovered]

Really, most people say go with the softer shaft if there is a doubt.  Why do you say that?

I'm curious because I'm kind of on the borderline and sometimes a regular feels better and sometimes a stiff seems to work better.  I don't really notice much difference in distance either way.

i know your not asking me but i would say that a lot of what you feel is more in regards to kick point rather than stiffness.

i would agree with KoD and say stiffer b/c a hard swing with reg shaft has worse results from a control standpoint when compared to a stiffer shaft with a slower swing speed. 

[kingofdequeen]

Really, most people say go with the softer shaft if there is a doubt.  Why do you say that?

I'm curious because I'm kind of on the borderline and sometimes a regular feels better and sometimes a stiff seems to work better.  I don't really notice much difference in distance either way.

distance vs dispersion argument.

i think one should play the stiffest shaft they can elevate.

[71832]

Really, most people say go with the softer shaft if there is a doubt.  Why do you say that?

I'm curious because I'm kind of on the borderline and sometimes a regular feels better and sometimes a stiff seems to work better.  I don't really notice much difference in distance either way.

A lot of us that are losing a little swing speed dont really need to step down to R just yet. Other variables can be used more torque, softer tip, lighter shaft. TEE stock shafts fall into this category. I swing a driver 103 I swing a 5I 88-90/. I prefer a light shaft mid-range torque 3.7-3.8 with soft tip. TEEs work well with these specs. 

[john c]

OK, had some time to take the XCG-3 15 with r-flex.  Using it side by side with Cobra FT Tour 15, same ball, measuring, the Cobra is getting about 220 & the Tour Edge about 240.  However, the XCG is not near as straight (or I'm not used to it, yet).  Also, it seems just a little bit whippy.

Anybody think an XCG shaft change would be in order?  Swinging about 95.  I like the feel of the UST stiff I have in a Titleist 900 3, says 2.2 torque.

[71832]

At that swing speed I would say 2.2 is to little torque.But then I am not the one hitting the club. I would hazard to guess you would loose the 20 yards between the clubs. Go git shaft fit, lots of variables involved. Slow tempo, quick tempo, lots of lag, late hit. Slower tempo, which has very little to do swing speed, lends itself to more torque and viceversa IMO.

[john c]

Anyone interested in the CB1 I bought in case I can't hit it?

[gotyacovered]

Anyone interested in the CB1 I bought in case I can't hit it?

dillar is

[john c]

Got club in today.  On E-Bay it was a Tour Edge CB1 15* stiff.  Son looks at it and says, hey, this is a CB1 13* extra stiff.  Huh??  It is definitely a 13* and the shaft says "Exotics X-Quad" with an "x" in a circle.  Specs on shaft say 70 gram, 3.2 torque and High kick point.  It looks almost new.

Anyway, take it to the course.  The Pro shop and range are closed on Mondays but the course is open and I have to wait until about 6 to get on the course due to a charity tournament.  No warm up but the club feels really good and I've been raking flower beds and pulling weeds all afternoon (wife's having some event tomorrow - I don't know, 30-40 women and things have to look just so-so) so I'm decently warmed up enough and ready to swing like the pick axe I've been wielding for hours.  First swing produces a long, high draw.  OK, I think, I'm going to really draw this thing so I set up to hit another down the right side hoping for a draw to get it to the left.  Suh-weet!!  Exactly what I wanted and measured about 260.  Another 260 uphill left and I wonder how it hits off the turf.  OK, I'm sold, have about 20 yards left right in front of the green.  Veddy good for me.

In all, played 9 holes and hit two off each tee, trying to change things up enough to see what is me and what is the club.  I was getting a much higher ball flight than with either the regular shafted Callaway and XCG-V or the stiff shafted Titleist.  Had several 260s and some 240s catching it off the toe.  Felt really controllable and nice on the eyes looking down.  Will give it another go tomorrow and play 3 balls and use three 3 woods but I can tell you right now that sometime tomorrow I will be headed down to Golf Discount to return the XCG-V and get my money back.

Thanks for the advice, KoD, I may owe you a steak dinner. 

[kingofdequeen]

Got club in today.  On E-Bay it was a Tour Edge CB1 15* stiff.  Son looks at it and says, hey, this is a CB1 13* extra stiff.  Huh??  It is definitely a 13* and the shaft says "Exotics X-Quad" with an "x" in a circle.  Specs on shaft say 70 gram, 3.2 torque and High kick point.  It looks almost new.

Anyway, take it to the course.  The Pro shop and range are closed on Mondays but the course is open and I have to wait until about 6 to get on the course due to a charity tournament.  No warm up but the club feels really good and I've been raking flower beds and pulling weeds all afternoon (wife's having some event tomorrow - I don't know, 30-40 women and things have to look just so-so) so I'm decently warmed up enough and ready to swing like the pick axe I've been wielding for hours.  First swing produces a long, high draw.  OK, I think, I'm going to really draw this thing so I set up to hit another down the right side hoping for a draw to get it to the left.  Suh-weet!!  Exactly what I wanted and measured about 260.  Another 260 uphill left and I wonder how it hits off the turf.  OK, I'm sold, have about 20 yards left right in front of the green.  Veddy good for me.

In all, played 9 holes and hit two off each tee, trying to change things up enough to see what is me and what is the club.  I was getting a much higher ball flight than with either the regular shafted Callaway and XCG-V or the stiff shafted Titleist.  Had several 260s and some 240s catching it off the toe.  Felt really controllable and nice on the eyes looking down.  Will give it another go tomorrow and play 3 balls and use three 3 woods but I can tell you right now that sometime tomorrow I will be headed down to Golf Discount to return the XCG-V and get my money back.

Thanks for the advice, KoD, I may owe you a steak dinner. 

somebody call my momma, i've been hoodwinked.

ole Black Ops John C.

[john c]

$50 for the CB1 and return from the VCG-V should provide for a dang nice steak and something to wash it down with.

[ShowHog]

Anyone hit the Ping fairway woods?  G15, I15, or Rapture.  I hit some at a demo day the other day and liked the Rapture as well as either of the others even though it is a year or 2 older.  I seemed to hit the rapture 3 wood longer than most that I have hit.

[gotyacovered]

I was a big fan of the rapture 3w... Really alll the new ping metals.