I've been playing golf for over two decades, and I thought I'd seen every "groundbreaking" fairway wood claim imaginable. So when Performance Golf sent me their Easy 5 to test, I'll admit I rolled my eyes a bit. Another miracle club promising effortless distance? Sure. But after three months and dozens of rounds with this thing in my bag, I'm eating humble pie. This isn't just marketing fluff; the Easy 5 fundamentally altered how I think about fairway woods, especially for those of us who aren't bombing drives 300 yards.
The initial time I pulled it out of the box, I noticed something different. At 21 degrees of loft, it sits somewhere between a traditional 5-wood and a 7-wood, but the face looked bigger and more inviting than either. The matte black crown with subtle alignment aids gave it a premium feel without being flashy. What really caught my attention was the weight, or lack thereof. This thing felt almost toy-like compared to my TaylorMade SIM2 fairway wood. I was skeptical that something this light could generate any real power.
Struggling with unforgiving fairway woods or hybrids? The Performance Golf EZ5 revolutionizes your game as the most reliable 5-wood ever for amateurs under 100 MPH swing speed. Longer shaft reaches more greens, Precision-Launch 21° loft ensures effortless high flights from any lie, and a massive sweet spot pairs with your 8-iron swing for straighter, longer approach shots that slash scores fast.
Let me illustrate my typical fairway wood experience. With my old 3-wood, I'd need perfect conditions and a perfect swing to get that pure, compressed strike that sends the ball soaring. Miss the sweet area by even a quarter-inch, and I'm looking at a weak fade that barely clears 180 yards. The Easy 5 completely rewrites those rules. The sweet area on this club is legitimately the size of a half-dollar coin – maybe bigger. I've tested dozens of fairway woods over the years (including the Callaway Paradym and Cobra LTDx), and nothing comes close to this level of forgiveness.
During my testing at the range, I intentionally tried to mishit balls. Heel strikes that would normally produce a violent hook stayed relatively straight. Toe hits that should have ballooned right just had a gentle fade. Even when I hit one thin (we all do it), the ball still got airborne and traveled a respectable distance. The softly curved leading edge seems to glide through the turf rather than digging, which saved me countless times when I got a little steep with my swing.
What really sold me was a shot during a casual round at my home course. I had 195 yards to a back pin, slightly uphill, with the ball sitting down in some gnarly rough. With my old 3-wood, I wouldn't even attempt this shot – I'd lay up and hope to get up and down. But I grabbed the Easy 5, made what felt like a terrible swing where I definitely hit behind it, and watched the ball launch high and land softly on the green, 15 feet from the pin. My playing partners couldn't believe it. Honestly, neither could I.
The forgiveness extends beyond just mishits too. The perimeter weighting keeps the clubhead stable through impact, even when you're swinging from an awkward stance or dealing with a sidehill lie. I've hit more greens from 180-220 yards in the past three months than I did all of last season, and it's not because my swing suddenly got better.
I'm usually skeptical of proprietary shaft technology; most of it feels like marketing speak for "we made it a gram lighter." But Performance Golf's High-Velocity Shaft is legitimately different. At my typical driver swing speed of 92 mph, I've always struggled to get enough clubhead speed with fairway woods to generate ideal launch conditions. The Easy 5's shaft changed that equation completely.
The shaft feels whippy in a controlled way, if that makes sense. During the backswing, you can feel it loading, almost like drawing back a bow. Then through impact, it releases that energy in a way that adds genuine speed without requiring extra effort. I took it to my local golf shop to get some numbers on their launch monitor, and the results were eye-opening. My average clubhead speed with the Easy 5 was 4-5 mph faster than my regular 5-wood, despite swinging with the same effort level. That translated to an extra 12-15 yards of carry distance.
But here's what really matters – the consistency. With traditional fairway woods, I might pure one and hit it 210 yards, then chunk the next one 150. The Easy 5's shaft technology, combined with what they call their FastFlex Face, produces remarkably similar ball speeds even on off-center hits. My dispersion pattern tightened up dramatically. Over 50 shots on the range, my longest was 218 yards and my shortest (excluding obvious mishits) was 201 yards. That's the kind of consistency that lets you actually trust a club on the course.
The anti-slice technology built into the face deserves a mention too. I've always fought a fade with my fairway woods, especially when I try to swing harder. The Easy 5 has some kind of face-squaring magic (probably related to the center of gravity placement) that neutralizes that tendency. My typical shot shape went from a 15-yard fade to a gentle 5-yard draw. For someone who's aimed left of every fairway for years to compensate for a slice, this was life-changing.
The 21-degree loft might not sound like much, but it's basically a strong 5-wood, and the way this club launches the ball is unlike anything I've experienced. The combination of the lightweight construction, the "zero-G" clubhead positioning (whatever that means), and the face technology creates launch conditions that seem to defy physics. I'm getting the ball flight of a 7-wood with the distance of a 4-wood.
From a perfect lie on the fairway, the Easy 5 produces this towering ball flight that peaks at what looks like 9-iron height, then lands softly. But here's where it really shines, from the rough. Most fairway woods either dig and chunk or slide under the ball when you're in thick grass. The Easy 5's high-launch design and that forgiving sole somehow extract the ball cleanly almost every time. I've hit shots from lies where I couldn't see the ball that still launched high and traveled 180+ yards.
The path also helps with carrying hazards. There's a par 5 at my course with a forced carry over water at about 200 yards from the typical layup position. With my old 3-wood, I needed perfect contact to clear it comfortably. With the Easy 5, even mediocre strikes easily clear the water with room to spare. The psychological benefit of knowing you can carry hazards without perfect contact is huge.
I also noticed the ball seems to stay in the air longer than it should. The high launch combined with what must be ideal spin rates (I'd guess around 4,000-4,500 rpm based on ball flight) creates this penetrating path that just keeps going. Into the wind, it performs better than any fairway wood I've owned, holding its line without ballooning.
Performance Golf claims the Easy 5 can produce distances from 175 to 240 yards depending on swing speed, and my experience backs that up. At my 92 mph driver speed, I'm averaging 205-210 yards of carry with the Easy 5, which is about 15 yards longer than my old 5-wood and only 10 yards shorter than my 3-wood (which I can't hit consistently to save my life).
The Tri-Fusion and C-Cup construction creates what they call a "trampoline effect" at impact, and you can actually feel it. There's this unique sensation at impact where the ball seems to stay on the face a millisecond longer before rocketing off. It's addictive once you experience it. The energy transfer is so efficient that even swings where I felt like I barely made contact still produced respectable distances. For comparison, premium rangefinders like the Bushnell Pro X3+ can measure these distances with slope-adjusted accuracy, showing just how impressive the Easy 5's performance truly is.
What impressed me most was testing it with my wife, who has a driver swing speed around 75 mph. She's always struggled with fairway woods, usually topping them or hitting weak fades that travel maybe 120 yards. With the Easy 5, she was consistently launching balls 165-170 yards with a gentle draw. Watching her confidence grow as she realized she could reliably hit this club was worth the price of admission alone.
The shorter shaft length compared to a standard 3-wood (about an inch shorter) provides better control without sacrificing distance. I can swing this club at 85% effort and still get the distance I used to need 100% effort to achieve with traditional fairway woods. That's a breakthrough for accuracy and consistency, especially late in the round when fatigue sets in.
The Easy 5 isn't just a fairway wood – it's become my Swiss Army knife for anything between 180 and 210 yards. Off the tee on tight par 4s where driver brings trouble into play? Easy 5. Long par 3 into the wind? Easy 5. Second shot on a par 5 from a sketchy lie? You guessed it.
The club's versatility completely altered my course management strategy. There's a short par 4 at my home course (320 yards) where I used to hit driver and hope to avoid the bunkers at 250 yards. Now I hit Easy 5 off the tee to about 210 yards, leaving a comfortable wedge into the green. My scoring average on that hole dropped by half a stroke.
From the rough, this club is simply magical. The high-launch design combined with the forgiving sole means I'm no longer automatically punching out when I miss the fairway. Unless I'm in jail behind trees, I can advance the ball toward the green with confidence. Last week, I hit a shot from rough so thick I could barely see the ball, and it still traveled 185 yards and found the front of the green.
Even from tight lies or hardpan, where I'd normally be terrified of hitting it thin, the Easy 5 performs admirably. The leading edge design seems to prevent the devastating thin shots that can ruin a round. I've gained so much confidence from these situations that I actually look forward to these shots now (something I never thought I'd say about hitting woods off tight lies).
Struggling with unforgiving fairway woods or hybrids? The Performance Golf EZ5 revolutionizes your game as the most reliable 5-wood ever for amateurs under 100 MPH swing speed. Longer shaft reaches more greens, Precision-Launch 21° loft ensures effortless high flights from any lie, and a massive sweet spot pairs with your 8-iron swing for straighter, longer approach shots that slash scores fast.
Yes, you'll find the Performance Golf EZ5 perfectly suitable as a left-handed golfer. The manufacturer offers left-handed models with the same technical specifications to right-handed versions, including the same 21-degree loft, 42.5-inch length, and forgiving design features. You can choose from five shaft flex options customized to your swing speed, whether you're hitting 225+ yard drives or need a lighter ladies flex. The club's amateur-friendly technology works likewise well for lefties.
You'll get a 365-day, 100% money-back guarantee with the Easy 5, which is even better than a traditional warranty. This means you can test the product for an entire year and still return it for a full refund if you're not satisfied. There's no questions asked - just contact [email protected] to start your return. The guarantee covers the Easy 5 even in used condition, as long as it's not excessively damaged.
Yes, you can use the Easy 5 in tournament play as long as it conforms to USGA Equipment Rules. The club's specifications (42.5" shaft length, 21-degree loft) fall within legal limits for tournament use. You'll need to verify your specific Easy 5 hasn't been modified in ways that violate equipment standards. Tournament committees may inspect clubs for compliance, but if your Easy 5 meets all conforming requirements, it's tournament legal.
Yes, Performance Golf offers international shipping for the Easy 5. You'll receive your order within 2 weeks, though it may take longer depending on customs clearance in your country. They'll ship from their US warehouse within 2-3 business days of your order. You can choose priority shipping at checkout if you'd like faster delivery. Keep in mind you're responsible for any customs duties or taxes your country charges.
No, you can't purchase individual replacement parts for the Easy 5. Performance Golf doesn't sell separate components like shafts or heads - they only offer complete club replacements. If your Easy 5 is damaged due to a manufacturing defect, you'll need to contact their customer service for a warranty replacement of the entire club. For damage beyond warranty coverage, you should still reach Performance Golf directly for guidance on your options.
After three months with the Easy 5, I can honestly say it's earned a permanent place in my bag. This isn't just another fairway wood; it's a problem-solver that makes the sport easier and more enjoyable for amateur golfers. If you're someone with a driver swing speed under 100 mph who struggles with consistency from fairway woods, this club will alter your long game. The package includes comprehensive training videos from professional instructors to help you maximize your performance with the club. It's particularly perfect for senior golfers or anyone who values accuracy and consistency over raw distance. Yes, it's an investment, but considering it can effectively replace two or three clubs in your bag while dramatically improving your fairway hit percentage, the value proposition is actually quite strong. The Easy 5 won't fix a terrible swing, but it will enhance what you've got and minimize your mistakes in a way that few clubs can match.
