5 Wood vs 5 Hybrid – Which Club Is Better To Carry

5 Wood vs 5 Hybrid – Which Club Is Better To Carry

I often receive the question from our weekend warriors about which golf club is better to carry, Fairway Woods or Hybrid golf clubs.

The answer can be complicated as it depends on the golfer’s age, ability, and skill level, to name a few factors. From personal experience, I recommend you carry both clubs in your bag as they can benefit you in distinct ways.

In this post, I reveal the 5 Wood vs 5 Hybrids’ main club features, performance in certain situations, the key differences, and the pros and cons of each unique club. Additionally, I provide a few of the best 5 Woods and 5 Hybrids for purchase to take your game to the next level.

Overview Of 5 Wood vs 5 Hybrid

Before we move forward with our comparison and debate, It is crucial to understand that a 5 Wood and 5 hybrid clubs are designed with different lofts as a 5 Wood is closer related to a 2 Hybrid.

Fairway Woods are traditional golf clubs that have been around for a long time and are used effectively by an array of golfers.

The Hybrid or rescue club is a modern golf club designed as a game-improvement club, especially for higher handicappers and beginners who struggle to hit their long irons. However, Hybrids have been modernized to fit almost any golfer, and many Professionals opt for hybrids over longer fairway Woods.

Differences Between 5 Hybrid and 5 Wood

The loft on a 5-hybrid is weaker than a 5-wood. The 5-hybrid has an average loft of 25 degrees, while a 5-wood is set at 18 degrees.

The 5-wood delivers 15-20 yards more distance than the 5-hybrid.

The 5 Hybrid delivers a high trajectory, better carry distance, and maximum ball speeds due to its lighter construction and shorter club shaft. On the other hand, the Fairway Wood offers a lower trajectory and less carry distance but with more ball roll.

The 5 Fairway Wood features a longer shaft and sizeable clubhead for maximum distance. The 5 Hybrid contains a shorter golf shaft and smaller clubhead for more control and workability.

Which Club Is Better Off The Tee Box?

Both options can be handy off the tee box. However, the fairway wood is definitely superior in this aspect. Although you will use the hybrid occasionally off the tee for Par 3s and short Par 4s, the fairway woods lower launch will cut through the wind effectively and deliver more distance.

Winner: Fairway Wood

Which Club Is Better From The Rough?

The Hybrid is the clear winner here and was partly designed for this purpose when comparing it to fairway woods out of the rough. In the long grass, the fairway woods hosel is prone to clubface twist at impact as this club is designed to bounce off the turf and not to cut through the grass.

On the other hand, the hybrids evenly distributed weight and clubhead shape are constructed to penetrate thicker grass more effectively, resulting in a better chance to hit the sweet spot and get back into play.

Winner: Hybrid

Which Club Is More Accurate?

Golf is a game of inches. A player’s accuracy depends on where you contact the ball on the clubface. The Fairway wood has a larger clubface and a longer shaft than the hybrid, which means it has a better distance factor. However, if you miss badly with a fairway wood, the result is much more exaggerated than a hybrid miss.

If you seek accuracy over distance, I suggest you always select the hybrid. It has a shorter and controllable club shaft with lower spin for more accurate misses.

Winner: Hybrid

Which Club Is More Versatile?

Although both the 5 Wood and 5 Hybrid are versatile clubs, I think the hybrid can assist golfers more often in several different course positions. The hybrid is a better option from the rough and more efficient option for bump and runs because it has a shorter shaft which is easier to control.

Winner: Hybrid

Which Club Is Better For High handicappers?

High Handicappers should carry both clubs in their bag as they are handy in many unique situations. The more significant factor for high handicap golfers is improved accuracy over explosive distance, as precision will help shave shots off their scorecard. A hybrid is easier to hit, more accurate, and a better choice over the 5 Wood for bump-and-run chips.

Winner: Hybrid or Tied

Loft & Distance Comparison Table

The distance information below is the average beginner’s approximate yardage with each club off the tee and off the deck.

These figures depend on the individual beginner, but this is just an idea to get you started.

As you can notice, both golf clubs have reduced yardage off the deck due to their turf interaction. When teeing it up, both clubs perform slightly longer because of the use of a tee which lessens the turf interaction for a smooth strike.

Club	Loft	Distance Yards (Off The Tee)	Distance Yards (Off The Deck)
5-Hybrid	25 degrees	Approx 150	Approx 140
5-Wood	18 degrees	Approx 170	Approx 160

Pros And Cons Of A 5 Wood Over 5 Hybrid

Pros

• Longer distance
• Better club to hit off the tee box
• More effective in windy conditions
• Adjustable loft and lie settings
• Adjustable head weight settings

Cons

• Not suited to playing out of the long grass
• Less forgiving
• A longer shaft makes it more difficult to swing

Pros And Cons Of A 5 Hybrid Over 5 Wood

Pros

• Higher launch factor
• Easier club to hit off the deck
• Enhanced turf interaction to connect the ball smoothly from challenging lies.
• Forgiving
• Straighter and more consistent ball flight due to shorter shaft
• Better for bump and run chips

Cons

• Shorter distance
• Not many adjustable options
• Inability to shape the ball well and change trajectory

Best Three 5 Woods – Mini Review

Taylormade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood

Key Features:

• Speed Pocket design to maximize ball speeds and enhance forgiveness
• 3D Carbon crown distributes mass for better playability and forgiveness
• Lazer-etched alignment for improved aim and a confident feel

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Callaway Paradym Fairway Wood

Key Features:

• I. Designed Jailbreak batwing Structure for high ball speeds
• 23 Gram Tungsten weighting for a low and forward CG
• Forged Carbon Sole redistributes weight for a higher MOI

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Ping G430 Max Fairway Wood

Key Features:

• Ultrathin carbonfly wrap redistributes weight for lower CG – Higher ball speeds
• Trajectory Tuning hosel for adjustability
• Tungsten sole weight enhances forgiveness

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Best Three 5 Hybrids – Mini Review

Titleist TSi2 Hybrid

Key Features:

• Surefit hosel and head weight adjustability for higher launch
• Faster and thinner clubface for distance and forgiveness
• Optimized weight system – Low CG and increased MOI

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Taylormade Stealth Rescue Hybrid

Key Features:

• C300 Steel Face boosts ball speeds
• Face Twist technology to assist off-center shots for more consistency
• Thru-slot speed pocket enhances ball speed and forgiveness

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Callaway Rogue ST Max Hybrid

Key Features:

• I. Jailbreak Technology and Tungsten weighting for better distance and launch
• I. Optimized 455 Cup Face to optimize launch and spin
• 24 Gram Tungsten Cartridge maximizes CG to boost ball speeds

Check Out More Reviews Here:

CONCLUSION

After reviewing the 5-hybrid vs 5-wood, it is clear that these two unique golf clubs are different constructions with distinct strengths.

Instead of debating which is better for your golf bag, I recommend utilizing both to enhance your golf game.

The 5-wood travels approximately 15-20 yards further than the 5-hybrid. However, you noticed that the 5 hybrid won most head-to-head comparisons of playing the club from different lies and situations.

Consequently, if you are searching for new tools that offer versatility, distance, forgiveness, and an excellent launch look at the Taylormade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood and the Titleist TSi2 Hybrid.