13.5 v 15 degree wood

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By Jamie M

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  • 6 Replies
  1. Jamie M

    Jamie M
    Leidschendam, 0

    I am a 23 handicaper and not an over fast swing speed.

    I find a driver very hard to use ,so i  tee off with a 3 wood (png g5)

    What would be better for me a 13.5 or a 15 degree ? (titleist 913f)

    Is a 13.5 degree much harder to hit from a tee?

  2. Hello Jamie,

    By all means find yourself a proper club fitter. You mention that you find a driver very hard to use. A good club fitter will be able to help you understand WHY you're having a hard time with your driver (ex. shaft too long, shaft wrong flex, not enough loft, etc.). Demo days will soon be upon us. Go find your local Titleist rep and tell him/her what kind of problems you have with your driver. They will be happy to put together some different shaft & club head combinations for you to try out. Once you understand your driver dilemma, then you'll be able to make a better informed decision about a fairway wood.

    Fairways and greens. 

  3. Keith M

    Keith M
    Acworth, GA

    In addition to what Dan said, I would recommend finding a PGA professional and get some lessons.  I'm a high handicapper like you, got some lessons last year and they've made a world of difference. I struggle now with consistency more so than an inability to hit the driver.  Rip off a few good ones, then a monster snap hook into the next zip code.

    You may also want to look into getting the 913Fd for a fairway wood.  The lower spin may also help keep it in play.  Best of luck to you.

  4. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    You definitely want to spend some time with an instructor/fitter.  A D2 has a much larger face than a fairway, so if you can't keep that in the fairway, a 15 F with a smaller face won't be any easier.  If your head speed isn't over 85 mph, then you may be trying to hit a 9.5 to 10.5 degree driver with an R or S shaft and you would do much better with a 12 degree and an A-flex.  Just as an example that may not apply to you - but a well-tune driver will be easier to hit than a FW from a tee. 

    Slower speed players won't necessarily gain that much difference between a 5W and a 3W.  If they can't get enough loft with a 3W, the 5W may go further.  7W was my longest club other than driver until I made some swing improvements.  I can get more distance now with 5W/3W, but driver is definitely longer and more consistent when I don't tense up trying to unleash the ultimate drive.

  5. Jamie M

    Jamie M
    Leidschendam, 0

    Thank for the replies.

    I was given a driver a few years back i, a png 9 degree with a s shaft. i understand now that this is a very hard driver to use for a novice like me i  think thats why i was having problems.

    i have no problems with my 5wood of the deck, 

    so , now i shall not think about a 3 wood and go and see my fitter and instructor and see what they have got to say about a driver for me.

  6. Lou G

    Lou G
    San Diego, CA

    You're not gaining anything by using a 13.5 fairway vs a 15 fairway (about probably 5 yards).  Also, the 13.5 is harder to hit off the fairway. The pros even recommend high handicappers carry a 4 wood instead of a 3 wood because it is much easier to hit a 17* fairway wood off the deck vs a 15*

    I had the same problem.... I didn't carry a driver until 2007.  I used a 3 wood off the tee between 1972-2003.  I've hit my longest drive with an aluminum shafted laminated 3 wood in 1973 (325 yard).  I started playing golf again in 2006 and used a Trimetal 11* fairway off the tee and carried a 7 wood.  I found out that my driver length is 44.5" 

    The best thing I ever did for my driving was go to a 13* draw driver in 2011.  I used a handful of 10.5 neutral drivers (png G2, Titleist 975D, XSpeed) and my straight shots tended to go high and my best distance was a power fade.  The 13* draw driver goes just as far and I hit it dead straight or a small draw AND I hit it just as far (or farther) than a 10.5* neutral club.

    When I started playing again in 2006, I was going from an old school golf set with steel shafted persimmon woods and 2-PW.  I found I had to shorten the shafts by an inch on graphite to get them to hit properly.  Between 2007-2010 I played 975F fairways that I had reshafted to DG300. With 910F fairways I play 1" short and 1.5* upright (this translates to a TM 3W with 42" and 7W with 41").

    In regards to the driver, suggest having your swing analyzed either by a lesson or sending a video to one of the volunteers at allexperts.com (J Brott is a good one).  I had been playing with a closed stance on the driver for a long time and now use a square stance.  I was straightening my right leg on the backswing and my grip was too strong (ironically, I broke 80 last year and have been scoring in the mid 80s since 2009).

    I have been basically carrying driver, 7W, 5-7H, 8-PW, 54-60-64 since 2006.  I just added a 3 wood and 4H after fixing the right leg and grip problem and they have been doing well.

     

     

  7. Jamie,

    I hope you have tried the 13.5 degree 3 metal.  it is a great club for me.  I hit it almost as far as my Titleist driver with a little more control.  It is a great club for golfers who hit the ball somewhat high.  It allows me to keep the trajectory lower and this is great especially into the wind.  I have tried many drivers and 3 woods and I always come back to the titleist.  Good luck and good golfing.

    Steve

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