Strong (loft) Fairway Woods

Is it just me who doesn't really understand this trend towards strong lofted fairway woods? For example Taylormade's new RBZ fairway woods, the TP version. 3 wood loft is 13* (almost bordering on driver loft as many people start to increase loft to 10.5 and 11 degress in their drivers) the "5" wood loft is 14.5* (let's be honest this is basically a 3 wood!)

I digress to say this - taylormade say these clubs gain 17 yards (marketing message= "if someone offered you an extra 17 yards wouldn't you take it?") I would argue that yes, while this club I have just hit comes with a number 5 headcover, it is in fact a 3 wood and I am fooling myself into thinking any differently.

Anyway back to my original point- the whole point of a fairway wood is accuracy and control. These clubs sacrifice some of that (less loft = greater dispersion) for the sake of distance. To me just seems to a stupid, neanderthalic pursuit of distance - akin to Jeremy Clarkson "POWWWWWEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!"

Rant over

What Taylor Made never mention is that if you reduce loft, you decrease accuracy.

However, the general golfing public is monumentaly stupid and will do anything if it means more distance, so hat's off to Taylor Made's marketing department, they certainily know their customers.

Emporer's new clothes, sums it all up.

It's been going on for years with irons.

Taylormade's own research shows that, in spite of technological improvements, long irons are harder to hit than they were in the 1960s. The reason is that what is a called a 4 iron in 2012 would have been a 3 iron, or even a 2 iron 30 years ago.

So we can all feel good about hitting a 6 iron 170 yards, but we pay for it when we have to hit a 3 iron, and we need a load of extra sand wedges because even your wedge goes 120 yards.

Thats why I have increasingly struggled to hit my long irons as the years have gone by.

Reminds me of one of Trevino sayings, "Not even God can hit a 1 iron".

Seems to me that TM are following the trend with their fairway woods that has been popular with their irons. All this high launch, low centre of gravity technology means that 13 degrees loft on the 3 wood launches as high as a more traditional 15 degree 3 wood.

A modern PW has the same loft as an old 9 iron, it's why so many people carry gap wedges now. The 10 yards extra distance is achieved because effectively you are hitting an extra club.

I see George has made the same point as me!

So my 2 iron (albeit titleist) is probably more like an old 1 iron or even a 0 iron!!?

If you get a custom fit or got to a pro surely we should be asking for some extra loft added throughout the set?

To compensate for the cheeky loft decreases.

Just recalled a vist to the Scottish Open at Gleneagles back in the early 90s. We got speaking to one of the club manufacturer reps. Sorry, can't recall which one.

My mate asked what were the main differences between the pros irons compaired to the ones they sold to amateurs. The guy said the shafts were stiffer (obvious) but also said the lofts were a few degrees less on each club. The eplaination was that the pros hit is so pure with more spin they tend to get too much height so the clubs are de-lofted to get a better flight.

Given amateur clubs lofts are being reduced I wonder if the pros still tend to be less lofted again. May contribute to the rediculous distances the pros hit their medium / short irons.

I have had a Callaway 13* 3 Wood for quite a while. I got it because I was unable to find anyone who could provide me with a 2 wood so that I could ditch my driver. I find it very useful from the tee and in windy conditions from the fairway as it provides with a low boring flight. I don't find it any more inacurrate than a 16* 3 wood that I have and the shaft is in fact 1/2" shorter.

I guess the new TM stuff has a very low CoG so launches pretty high despite the stated loft. If not, it's stupid but not surprising and it'll still sell. I'm with everyone else who thinks the buying public are too gullible when it comes to the claims by the OEMs.
I need my 3W (when I have it in the bag) to be primarily accurate and secondarily long(ish).

Anyone familiar with "The Hammer"? Pooooowwwwwwwwwwwww! :-

Spoiler:

K@S wrote:...I don't find it any more inacurrate than a 16* 3 wood that I have and the shaft is in fact 1/2" shorter.

Could this have something to do with the fact your 13* is similarly accurate to your 16*?

How many people have actually had their lofts checked?
I got it done on my current set to ensure I had an equal spread of lofts. On a forged club these will change over time so it's something you need to do, plus even OEM's are guilty of producing clubs which are not the loft they claim to be.

Not had them checked in a bit actually. Should get it done but I can't find anyone near me who's got the kit and willing to do it .

navyblueshorts wrote:

K@S wrote:...I don't find it any more inacurrate than a 16* 3 wood that I have and the shaft is in fact 1/2" shorter.

Could this have something to do with the fact your 13* is similarly accurate to your 16*?

Maybe or it could be that since I tend to use it in more extreme conditions I take a bit more care with my swing.
Before we had all this horrendous wind and rain I was going to experiment with driver shaft length to see if I could improve my accurracy but the weather hasn't been kind. It was simply going to be a case of putting tape at 1/2" intervals down the grip to use as ref. points and see how I got on.

K@S wrote:I have had a Callaway 13* 3 Wood for quite a while. I got it because I was unable to find anyone who could provide me with a 2 wood so that I could ditch my driver. I find it very useful from the tee and in windy conditions from the fairway as it provides with a low boring flight. I don't find it any more inacurrate than a 16* 3 wood that I have and the shaft is in fact 1/2" shorter.

Kind of reiterates my initial point though. You say you ditched your driver for the 13* 3 wood, presumably for greater accuracy (more loft). You have placed a premium on accuracy and control. These lower loft clubs place a premium on distance over accuracy (when considered as a replacement for a 15* 3 wood)

jeffkenna wrote: You say you ditched your driver for the 13* 3 wood, presumably for greater accuracy (more loft). You have placed a premium on accuracy and control. These lower loft clubs place a premium on distance over accuracy (when considered as a replacement for a 15* 3 wood)

Not quite. It was my intention to ditch my driver for a 2 wood. Depending on weather conditions I will carry a driver and the 13* wood, if windy , or a 16* wood if it is relative calm.