You can go ahead and label me an easy mark if you must. A couple of months ago, I bought a non-conforming driver I saw in a Facebook ad.
Welp, I went and did it again.
But it’s not my fault. The people at Performance Golf bombarded my timeline with ads for its 357 Fairway Hybrid. The reason I was getting bombarded can be traced to an old colleague named Billy Holliday (for real!). He messaged me on Facebook several months ago, asking if I knew anything about this 357 thing. At the time, I didn’t. But, apparently, Zuckerberg’s algorithms took over and made sure I at least had the opportunity to learn.
Since it was on sale for Christmas, I shelled out $150 and figured what the hell. How bad could it be?
Turns out, it’s not bad at all.
In fact, I’d go so far as to say it’s one of the few “infomercial” clubs that actually does what it claims to do.
Do I have your attention?
What is a 357 Fairway Hybrid?
According to the Performance Golf website, the 357 is designed specifically for senior golfers who struggle with standard fairway woods and hybrids. The name itself, again according to the website, means it combines the carry of a 3-wood, the shaft length of a 5-wood and the loft of a 7-wood. Two of those things are definitely true for. You’d need a little statistical semantics to make all three true.
Performance Golf (more on that company in a bit) says the 21-degree 357 is made for senior golfers who struggle from 150 yards plus and for whom fairway woods are, at best, an iffy proposition.
Chris McGinley, a 35-year industry veteran, designed the 357. McGinley spent over 20 years at Titleist, working on woods, irons, Vokey wedges and Scotty Cameron putters. He also served a stint with Honma as VP of Product and North American GM.
The 357 features what the company calls “Tri-Fusion Technology.” As best as we can tell, that’s the buzzword for that 3-wood/5-wood/7-wood mashup. It also features a “Progressed Face Bulldozer Design.” The 357’s face is larger than what you’d find in a normal fairway wood or hybrid which the company says will move grass out of the way for cleaner contact, even in the rough.
It also features a “Power Launch Crown,” a recessed crown that lowers the center of gravity. Lots of OEMs do something similar but the 357 takes it to an extreme. After all, the lower the CG, the easier it is to get the ball up in the air. Combine that with a 7-wood loft and you have a club that’s stupid easy to get airborne.
Does the 357 Fairway Hybrid perform?
In a word: Hell, yes.
OK, that’s two words, but I gotta tell you, this thing did surprise me.
You have to understand a couple of things, though. If you’re younger than me or if you still have some swing speed, this club will do its job but it’s probably a job you don’t need done. Second, you have to understand that this club isn’t magic. It’s not going to transform your fairway wood game from an obliterative round-killer into something Rory or Scottie would be proud of.
It does, however, exactly what it says it will do.
Over several range sessions, I found the 357 to be the silly-easiest club to get a ball airborne in the general direction of my target that I’ve tried in a long time. While you can still mishit it, this thing launches quickly, flies high and straight (with a sweetest baby draw you ever did see) and lands, as Lee Trevino would say, like a butterfly with sore feet.
In other words, softly. Very softly.
I eventually scored some GC Quad launch monitor time. During the session (with an average swing speed of 89 mph), I saw the following:
Carry: 178 yards
Total: 184.5 yards
Launch Angle: 19 degrees
Descent angle: 47 degrees
Spin: 5,500 rpm
Ball Speed: 122 mph
For fun, I tried hitting the simulated 18th green at Pebble from 180. Not to brag or nuthin’ but this old man peppered the pin with dart after dart (maybe a little brag). That’s about 6-iron distance for me normally but I’m pretty sure my hit rate with the 6 wouldn’t have been as high.
Where does the 357 fit?
The claim that the 357 carries as much as a 3-wood doesn’t compute. For me, at least, the distance sits between my 5-iron and 6-iron. What I can and will rave about, however, is the 357’s consistency and forgiveness.
Could I see the 357 and its higher-lofted brother, the 359, replacing my 5- and 6-irons? Yes, but only if I checked my ego at the door first. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but as the guy beholding the 357, it’s kind of busy looking (and that’s putting it kindly).
Hope you like orange.
As for the ego thing, I’m just not mentally ready to add more headcovers to the bag. I know Fred Couples does it and I should get over my own damn self but I’m just not there yet. A few botched long irons, however, and I might be changing my mind.
As for that claim that the 357 plays as long as a 3-wood? That’s semantics, given the target golfer. If your typical recreational senior golfer hit 10 shots with his or her 3-wood and 10 shots with the 357, they’d likely get more consistent, usable strikes with the 357. Best shot to best shot would be no comparison, but overall average? The consistency of the 357 would likely win out.
Or at the very least, be more satisfying.
Is the 357 Fairway Hybrid worth it?
For the senior golfer with no ego, absolutely.
As mentioned, this is one of those rare infomercial-type clubs that does exactly what it says it does for the intended audience. It’s easy to hit, launches high and lands soft. Are there other fairway woods that would outperform the 357? Could you put a 5-wood shaft in a 7-wood head? Absolutely. but not for $149. The current price on the Performance Golf website is $249 but they always seem to have some sort of deal going to get you to buy now.
That might be the only issue I have with the club. There’s always a bit of suspicion when the website lists the club at $399, puts a line through that price and gives you a $249 price in bold. It’s like the club is permanently on sale.
Additionally, right underneath the price is a message urging you to hurry and claim a 50-percent discount plus free bonuses. That seems a little disingenuous.
It’s also important to note that Performance Golf is a subscription-based video golf instruction provider. The company works with some of the game’s best-known teachers, including Hank Haney, Nick Bradley, Martin Chuck and David Leadbetter. When you buy a 357, you get free temporary access to Performance Golf’s offerings. Once the free trial is up, you have to make sure you formally cancel all those subscriptions. if you don’t want them. Otherwise, you’ll wind up paying a monthly fee you’re not aware of.
Also, be prepared to be peppered with follow-up phone calls, emails and texts to make sure you stay enrolled. The sales associate I spoke with was helpful, cancelled my subscriptions without issue, but still tried her best to keep me in the program.
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