Opinion & Analysis

The Wedge Guy: Don’t forget the 4-wood

Published

7 years ago

Jun 11, 2019

Long ago, I determined that my best set make-up included just one fairway wood, and that is a 4-wood of 16-17* loft. In my opinion, this is a real hidden gem in the set make-up, but you don’t see too many golfers carrying one. Back in the “old days”, when Hogan, Nelson and Snead plied their craft, the 4-wood was a staple in the set. Of course, those guys played courses where they hit woods to the longest par fours and most par fives. So, the ability to hit it high and far was important. You might remember that Gene Sarazen’s famous double eagle on Augusta’s 15th in 1935 was holed out with a 4-wood, from 235 yards.

My own love affair with the 4-wood began in the 1980s, when I was a marketing/advertising consultant to Joe Powell Golf in Florida. Joe made the most gorgeous persimmon woods you ever saw, and I learned a lot about golf clubs from those years with him. When I saw this beautiful 4-wood in his shop one day, I just had to hit it…and I was immediately impressed with what it could do. At the time, I carried a driver and 3-wood, and still packed a 2-iron. This 4-wood changed my world, so to speak. I soon dropped the 3-wood and 2-iron and added a third wedge.

Since that first one nearly 40 years ago, I have been through many more, but it took a while before I could find a ‘4-metal” that could win out the spot that my Reid Lockhart persimmon 4-wood had owned for nearly 15 years. I always have my eyes open for one that looks just right, though.

I’ll share that I never miss having a 3-wood in the bag, as I just don’t find that I need a shot that goes 235 instead of 220 or so. That’s splitting hairs to me. And with only one fairway wood, I have learned to hit various shots; it’s a specialty club for me. I can hit it high when I want, and I can easily turn the ball over when I need the few extra yards a draw delivers. I can also hit it low –- kind of like Tiger’s “stinger” to hit tight fairways.

And the best thing? Carrying only a 4-wood allows an extra wedge in the bag, and I get lots more use out of that than I would an extra fairway wood.

You can experiment with the 4-wood pretty easily these days. There are lots of used clubs available online, and GlobalGolf.com has just introduced their UTry demo program. But as always, I strongly advise you to see your local clubmaker/clubfitter to have one built just for your swing.

The venerable old 4-wood! It should be in nearly everyone’s bag, in my opinion.

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Terry Koehler

Terry Koehler is a fourth generation Texan and a graduate of Texas A&M University. Over his 40-year career in the golf industry, he has created over 100 putter designs and dozens of wedges. In 2014, he put together the team that reintroduced the Ben Hogan brand to the golf equipment industry with his TK 15 wedges and Ft. Worth 15 iron designs. Since receiving a U.S. Patent for his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” in the wedge category. In addition to inspiring multiple companies to emulate this sole technology, the performance of his wedge designs have stimulated all other companies to reposition some mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges. Terry is retired from his role as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf, and remains active in the industry as an independent designer and consultant. But his most compelling work is in the wedge category. Since he first patented his “Koehler Sole” in the early 1990s, he has been challenging “conventional wisdom” reflected in ‘tour design’ wedges. The performance of his wedge designs have stimulated other companies to move slightly more mass toward the top of the blade in their wedges, but none approach the dramatic design of his Edison Forged wedges, which have been robotically proven to significantly raise the bar for wedge performance. Terry serves as Chairman and Director of Innovation for Edison Golf – check it out at www.EdisonWedges.com.

13 Comments

Blade Junkie

Jun 12, 2019 at 4:23 pm

In my modern bag I still play the Taylormade v-Steel 4-wood – 16.5° with 42″ steel shaft … c2005 … superb golf club 🙂

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Bob Gomavitz

Jun 11, 2019 at 9:07 pm

Sorry, great read and thanks for bringing back great memories.

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Bob Gomavitz

Jun 11, 2019 at 9:05 pm

My main club not in just a persimmon head, but also in a metal head. Persimmon was a Tommy Armour Super Eye O Magic and the Metal was a Callaway 1st Gen Steelhead 4+. Played with Fred Couples in a foursome for a Jr Match Play in the 1st round after a stroke play qualifier. The most he said to me all day was when we were at the 1st Tee and it was, “heard about you and that 4 wood on the par 5’s”.

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CarterDog350

Jun 11, 2019 at 4:46 pm

I’ve been playing Taylormade Rocketballs 3HL for several years….I affectionately refer to it as my four metal…….Absolutely .Love it. Sneaky long with perfect shaft.

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Nick

Jun 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm

AMEN!!! I have been a big fan of 4 woods and there’s nothing better that I have found than PING. For a while it was the G25 16.5* 4 Wood and now I’m on to the G400 5 wood adjusted to 16.9*. The PING 4 wood has been the safest club in my bag for a while now and I even picked up a 20.5* 7 wood to go with it.

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JG

Jun 11, 2019 at 12:48 pm

Not sure I would abandon your current bag setup for this change, but it’s something I would keep in the rotation depending on the course and the necessity for an additional wedge versus a 3 or 5 wood. Most would benefit from a 4 & 7 (or hybrid) setup versus the traditional 3 & 5 wood setup for the reasons stated above in terms of actually being able to hit a high shot which is actually capable of holding a green from distance.

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Greg V

Jun 11, 2019 at 11:51 am

Or if you’re like me, a senior with decreasing club head speed, the 4-wood actually goes farther than a 3-wood most of the time. Ping G25 for me.

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gdaddy

Jun 11, 2019 at 11:40 am

Couldn’t agree more. Back in the persimmon days I had a wonderful Ram 5 wood that basically played like a 4 wood. I hit it higher and farther than the 3 wood. Now I have the Cobra f8plus 4 wood that does the same thing. At this point I’m hitting it almost as far as my driver. Maybe i should drop my driver and add another wedge. I’ve always found found four and five woods so versatile – just like you said – hit it high, low, cut, draw, punch shots from the tress (stays low and run forever). Thanks for making us think about our set makeup – and you’re right, you can always use another wedge.

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Robert

Jun 11, 2019 at 11:37 am

I believe the last Ping 4Wood (metal) I saw was a G15. G15’s were great looking fairways in my opinion.

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Bruce

Jun 11, 2019 at 11:28 am

Terry, I grew up in Sarasota and knew Joe when he had his shop on Clark Rd. 1975. He made great woods in the classic pear shape. Gamma fire inserts were all the rage then. I, too, am a 4 wood proponent especially at now 61 don’t have the club head speed to launch the 13 degree Titleist 904F anymore. Nice observation and very valid for more than 95% of the worlds’ golfers.

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DB

Jun 11, 2019 at 11:20 am

Completely agree, most people that only hit their 3-wood in the <230 range have no chance of holding a green with it anyway. It's not a very useful club for them on long par 4s or par 5s. It's fine off the tee, but honestly they are only gaining a few yards with it compared to a 4-wood.

Really wish PING would bring back the 4-wood, I know you can turn up a 3-wood or deloft a 5-wood but it's just not the same. About 16-degrees is the ideal fairway wood loft for lots of people.

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M

Jun 11, 2019 at 10:45 am

You mean 3HL? lol
Or one of any number of adjustable 3 or 5 that can be lifted up or down.
And 15 yards is splitting hairs? Ya gotta be kidding. You’re playing the wrong game. Who doesn’t want to hit the green from 235 comfortably. You need to get a club with which you can.

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- BodineJCS
  
  Jun 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm
  
  Yes … I switched to the 3 HL 17 degree and its the best thing I ever did . Adjusting the 15 degree 3 wood to 17 degree does not work as well and will mess with the lie of the club . My feeling is the modern 15 degree 3 wood is too low spin and it drops out of the air sooner than the 17 degree . Honestly when you hit the HL , its not much higher of a ball flight if at all and just as long …I use a M3 HL 17 degree
  
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Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

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Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag