5 Wood Vs 4 Wood – Which Club To Use And When

Fairway woods a re the longest clubs you find in golf besides the Driver. The 4 and 5 Wood and very similar in terms of their make up and loft but the clubs are almost never carried in the same bag.

Golfers tend to carry a 3 and 5 wood combination or else a 4 and 7 wood combination to cover all distances and to suit their game.

The 5 wood has a higher launching shot with less distance than the 4 wood but they are quite comparable in every aspect while the 5 wood is also vastly more popular.

4 Wood Overview

Since the default strategy is usually the 3 and 5 wood combo, using a 4 wood usually comes after careful consideration or out of necessity.

The 4 wood is excellent for those with slower swing speeds. They will normally use a 12 degree plus driver and the 3 wood is likely to be too close to their driving distance so they opt for a 4 wood, possibly in combination with a 7 wood instead of a 5 wood.

The 4 wood can also be used by a faster swinger who wants to carry 1 wood and an extra, say, 2 hybrid as part of his 14 clubs.

The 4 wood typically has a loft of 16.5/17 degrees and the average player will hit it about 200 yards from the fairway.

It is a versatile club that can be used as off the tee, and preferably when sitting up nicely on the fairway or in the light rough.

It’s shorter, lighter and the extra degrees of loft mae it an easier club for many to hit and it also reduces the chance of a slice.

For us, it is a very versatile club that we think can be useful in plenty more golfers bags than we currently see.

5 Wood Overview

The 5 wood is one of the most famous and popular clubs in the game of golf. It comes in plenty of beginner sets and we also see plenty of tour pros using it in conjunction with the 3 wood.

The 5 wood has a typical loft of 18 degrees and an average player will hit a 5 wood about 190 yards, it is very similar to the 4 wood, which is why you aren’t likely to carry them together.

Because there are few other clubs that can plug this distance, the 5 wood remains extremely popular as a club that is easy to launch, consistent, long and controllable for beginners.

5 woods will have a high launch angle and less distance than a 4 wood but more so than any irons.

It comes into its own on the fairway with the correct distance to the green and once you can hit it long and straight you have a good chance of going close to the green.

It doesn’t offer the same level as precision as say a 3 iron but it is also longer and more forgiving.

The 5 Wood is an excellent club that deserves to be in most bags and the 4 wood is perfect for slower swing speeds and those who have planned out their distances to include it, very similar clubs overall.

4 Wood Quick Facts

Category – Longer Club

When To Use: From Fairway, Tee Or Light Rough

Average Distance: 205

Longer Hitter: 225

Shorter Hitter: 185

Typical Loft: 16.5 Degrees

Club Importance: 89/100

5 Wood Quick Facts

Category – Longer Club

When To Use: From Fairway, Tee Or Light Rough

Average Distance: 195

Longer Hitter: 215

Shorter Hitter: 180

Typical Loft: 18 Degrees

Club Importance: 92/100

4 Wood Overview & First Impressions

If the 3 wood is a bit big a daunting for yo, the 4 wood is very similar but it is more compact and possibly less daunting for some.

The 4 wood is often overlooked and the 3 wood is preferred instead in combination with the 5 wood but there is no one size fits all and many golfers will prefer to carry a 4 wood as their solo fairway wood or in combination with a 7 wood.

Those with slower swing speeds might have 12 degrees of loft in their driver and the next logical progression for them will be the 4 wood.

It is easier to carry and wield for those with slower swing speeds and it might be used as a solo wood for a fast swinger looking to carry an extra hybrid or a chipper for around the greens.

Whatever your circumstance is, you should carry clubs that suit your game optimally.

The 4 wood has a higher, shorter flight path with less roll out than the next club down in the 3 wood, which it will almost always replace.

The club is used effectively off the tee on par 3’s or dog legs and also off the fairway and in the light rough.

Golf is a game of tradition but you shouldn’t hesitate to break that if a 4 wood will be beneficial to your game.

One Club Up – 3 Wood

The 3 wood is longer, heavier and produces a longer, lower flight path with more roll out. It is far more popular and the 3 + 5 Wood combo is the one we see most often, especially in average  and above swing speeds.

One Club Down – 5 Wood

You would almost never carry a 3 and 4 wood together, they are too similar. When carrying a 4 wood, you may be better off carrying an extra hybrid or a 7 wood over a 4 wood. A 5 wood produces a higher, shorter ball flight with less rollout than a 4 wood.

5 Wood Overview & First Impressions

The 5 wood is one of the nicest clubs to hit in the bag form the fairway, light rough and occasionally from the tee as well.

It has a large head with a manageable shaft length and a generous loft which results in a high long and straight ball flight.

When the ball sits up on the fairway is the perfect time to pull out the trusty 5 wood and it’s flight path is higher and we less roll than the club that is one up in the 5 wood.

The Average hitter will average close to 200 yards with a 5 wood so it is quite a long club in and of itself  and the next club down the line with be a 3 hybrid , 3 iron, driving iron or even a 7 wood.

Common problems when hitting the club would a hook or a fade and it can be down to a number of issues from shaft length to shaft flex or just the swing mechanics of the golfer.

A D Type 5 wood might help to straighten out a 5 wood’s flight path or else some lessons.

5 Woods have slightly become less popular in recent times due to the hybrid clubs gaining popularity and even finding their way into the professionals bags these days. Still the 5 wood is an extremely popular club in almost every bag.

One Club Up – 3 Wood

A Slightly longer and lower launching club than the 5 wood, it is a staple is every golf bag around the world. It is also quite versatile being useful from the tee, fairway or the light rough.

One Club Down – 3 Hybrid

A common club that we see nowadays one down from the 5 is the three hybrid. Great for accuracy and distance from fairway and rough, it has a sharp leading edge for hitting from the rough, earning it’s name as the rescue club.

4 Wood Selling Points

  • Excellent For Slower Swing Speeds
  • Can Be Used As A Replace For 3 And 5 Wood
  • Easy To Hit From Good Lies
  • Versatile Club From Tee Or Off The Deck
  • More Precise Than A 3 Wood

5 Wood Selling Points

  • Easy & Rewarding Club To Hit
  • Long, Arching Ball Flight With Less Roll
  • Great For Long Par 4’s And Par 5’s
  • One Of The Most Popular Clubs In Many Bags
  • Higher Loft And More Forgiving.

Who Are 4 Woods For?

A 4 wood is not as popular a club as we feel it should be.

It’s excellent for slower swing speeds who find a 3 wood more difficult to wield.

It’s also perfect for those looking to carry a 4 wood + 7 Wood combo and those who want to carry 1 solitary wood in favor of an extra hybrid or iron.

A very similar club to the 3 and 5 wood and there is no reason it shouldn’t used more if it fills the distance gaps effectively.

Our Favorite 4 Wood – Cobra Men’s Fly Z

Cobra have made big progress as a golf brand in recent years and our preferred 4 wood right now is their Fly Xl model from 2021.

The club is light and easy to strike and it also has an adjustable loft which means you can switch it from a 3 Wood to a 4 wood easier with the use of an allen key.

The club itself is well priced and has a ton of distance and forgiveness features included.

Distance: 94/100

Accuracy: 93/100

Forgiveness: 92/100

Feel and Control: 91/100

Overall Score: 93/100

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Who Are 5 Woods For?

The 5 wood is an excellent club for everyone to carry.

It is long, forgiving and easy to hit and it also covers key distances on the course.

The high arching stroke makes this club perfect for hunting the green on a long par 4 or on a par 5, it can be also be used from the tee for par 3’s or to lay up on a dog leg.

All in all the 5 wood is a key component in every bag.

Our Favorite 5 Wood – The Taylormade Sim Max

The Taylormade Sim Max range has a ton of quality features for distance, forgiveness and accuracy.

The Sim Max is not the latest model so you get it at a good price and it is competitive with any club in the game.

The sim max will ideally help high handicappers but the sim 5 wood will be perfect for intermediates.

Distance: 95/100

Accuracy: 94/100

Forgiveness: 94/100

Feel and Control: 91/100

Overall Score: 94/100

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