What is a Heavenwood? It’s NOT a 7 wood. It used to be, but it’s all grown up and evolved now. I tell people it’s the length of a 3 wood (it’s actually 1/4″ shorter than a standard 3 wood), the head size of a 3 wood (it’s actually 6cc smaller than a 3 wood head), but the loft of a 7 wood (it’s actually 1* stronger than a traditional 7 wood) – close enough for comparisons sake. OK, cool. What does that mean, and who is it for??

It’s designed for players who want/ need more distance, but struggle to get the ball up in the air. Compared to a traditional 7 wood, it will give more clubhead speed (because the shaft is 3/4″ longer), and more forgiveness (because the head is 20cc bigger). Compared to a 3 wood, it will launch higher (because it has 5* more loft on the face). Typically, for a player who can hit a 3 wood, a Heavenwood will go about the distance of a 4 wood. For a player who can’t hit a 3 wood (or 5 wood), this club will be the longest in the bag. 

Consider this… You fit a player to a driver. You end up with a 12* head set to N/+2 (so a net of 14* of loft). Why would you even consider a 3 wood or a 5 wood. Without a tee, neither will get anywhere close to high enough to be an effective club to carry. The Heavenwood solves this. This club works for anyone with a moderate to slower swing speed – which is a LOT of people that we fit. EVERY senior flex player. EVERY ladies flex player. Even some low trajectory Men’s Reg flex players will benefit from this club. This model is the #1 FW Wood in our line, and it has been for years. If you don’t fit with it and get it into players hands, you are missing the boat. This club presents an opportunity to really help a lot of players!!

FW Woods vs. Hybrids

Wait, two topics in one day?? These go together. Do you want to take a guess at what the number one trend in golf equipment is right now? Players swapping strong lofted hybrids for higher lofted FW Woods. I can’t give 3 hybrids away. Even 4 hybrids are a stretch. Picture the player above. If that player needs a Heavenwood because he/she can’t get a 3 wood in the air, HOW can he/she possibly play an 18* 3 hybrid? The answer is they can’t!! As Iron lofts have gotten stronger, so have hybrid lofts. Today, a Paradym 3 hybrid is 18*, a 4 hybrid is 21*, and a 5 hybrid is 24*. If a player needs a 20* Heavenwood in the bag, none of these clubs will work. Yes. seriously. Even the 24* hybrid? Yes, because it’s too short. A Heavenwood is 43″ and 20*, while a 5 hybrid is 39 1/2″ and 24*. A difference of 3 1/2″ and 4* is way too much. A 9 wood is the same loft as a 5 hybrid, but 1 3/4″ longer (41 3/4″). In many cases, this club will replace a 4 or 5 iron. An 11 wood at 27* of loft will replace a 5 or 6 iron. These higher lofted FW Woods are easier to hit than stronger lofted hybrids (even at the same loft because the head is more forgiving on the FW Wood), and the shafts are longer so they go further and integrate better with the FW Woods that are above them in the set. 

To a player with a slower swing, there are two key allies – length and loft. Length get’s more clubhead speed, while loft gets the ball in the air. Enemies are less loft and smaller heads (which are less forgiving). Here it comes… “but rescues are better out of the rough.” Uhh, not compared to a FW Wood, they’re not. When Hybrids became a thing, one way to sell this concept to a traditionalist was to compare this club to a 3 iron out of the rough. That was an easy one. It resonated, and it stuck (even to this day). But if you compare it to a 7 wood, the 7 wood is easier. A longer sole (front to back), will grab less and slide more than a shorter one. Always. 

So, when you fit for that Heavenwood, keep in mind that one of our best combinations is a Heavenwood – 9 wood. I had one last week that went Driver, HW, 9W, 11W, 7H, 9H, PW, SW. This was a decent Female player (17 handicap). She hit the 7H higher, longer and it landed softer than a 7 iron. Same with the 9H. Her first iron was a PW. If you think the same old way, you’ll get the same old results. Change the way you look at things and use what is available to you.

I hope this helps!! Happy Fitting.