3-Iron vs 3-driving iron vs 3- hybrid

[phillyk]

Hey all, It has been a long time since I was last on this site, and thought I'd start out by telling you all what my plan is.  I attained a scratch handicap last summer and was very proud of how far I've come in my golfing career.  More and more every summer, I get new knowledge and experience of the game and thought that PGM would be a great fit for me. I love the game of golf, and always have!! But, I wanted to pursue my educational career first, which as it turned out failed.  So, I come back to PGM and am going to attempt the PAT test in the end of June.  I'm not too worried about not passing it, but I still will practice as much as possible to be prepared for it.

Now to the point, in my bag now I have a 4-hybrid and 4 iron.  When I was younger these 2 clubs gave me different distances.  Now as I hit the ball a lot more solid and consistent, they are practically the same.  I broke my 3-iron a long time ago and am looking to get something new like it.  I probably won't get one before the PAT test, but I want to look for one none the less.  I went to a golf store the other day and they for one, didn't sell used clubs and 2, didn't really have any 3-irons anyway.  I can't believe a store doesn't have 3 irons.  They had 3-hybrids and driving irons.  Now I don't want a hybrid again, because I like the feel of a good iron.  I havent heard or read much up on driving irons.  So I want to know what you all think I should get?  I'm hesitant about this driving iron concept, but I'm open to try it if people think it works out well.  I'd mainly use the iron for tee shots.  I need a 230-240 club, and I'm sure the 3 is what I need.

[GaijinGolfer]

Learn to like a hybrid.  Its a much more versatile and forgiving club than a 3-iron is.  Theres a reason why iron sets dont come with a 3-iron anymore and why even a lot of pros dont carry a 3-iron.

[MacDutch]

Ebay will be your solution. Go for the iron.

[Wisguy]

Originally Posted by MacDutch

Ebay will be your solution. Go for the iron.

Even if you cannot find the exact club you need today on eBay, do not give up.  Instead do the following:

1) look at some auctions for other 3-irons and spot some of the golf sellers who do a high volume of used clubs (there are at least half a dozen of them on eBay).  Send them messages asking if they have the 3-iron you need.  Their inventory turns over all the time and they probably don't have it all online listed on eBay yet.

2) In the advanced search function you can save a search for your club and have e-mail notifications when someone creates a new listing that matches your search terms.  You may need to be a bit patient.  I bought a last-year's model tennis racquet on clearance years ago, discovered it was the best racquet I've ever used, and wanted to pick up one or two more to have as spares/backups, but couldn't find them anywhere.  I did a saved search on eBay and set up a notification and sat back, waiting.  It took over a year, but then last year, I got a hit, but the starting price was nearly retail.  It took a few relistings without any bids before I finally convinced him that I might be the only person in the world who wanted the racquet  and got him to come down in price by over half.  Then a few weeks later I got another hit and won that auction for less than half of what I paid for the first one.

3)  Consider buying any matching 3-iron regardless of shaft and have it reshafted to match your set.

[WUTiger]

Originally posted by Gaigin Golfer...

Learn to like a hybrid.  Its a much more versatile and forgiving club than a 3-iron is.  Theres a reason why iron sets dont come with a 3-iron anymore and why even a lot of pros dont carry a 3-iron.

Not altogether true. Player's and SGI iron sets have a 3i, although not all golfers will buy it.

As for hybrids you have wood hybrids (shaft longer than iron, shorter than FW), and iron hybrids, often called iron replacement clubs. These hybrid-headed clubs have about the same shaft length and loft as the numbered irons they are designed to replace.

Originally Posted by Wisguy

... 3)  Consider buying any matching 3-iron regardless of shaft and have it reshafted to match your set.

You could do this, or reshaft your 3i if your still have the head. If you do reshaft it, consider softstepping the shaft: This will soften the feel a little, and help you get the ball up better.

Before your final decision, try out different makes and models of hybrids. I hated hybrids the first couple of years they were out, mainly because I only tried two and they just didn't work. A couple of years later, I found two models of hybrids I hit well - but, I hung onto a 5W instead.

Also, consider a 5W. Many models have smaller heads than 3Ws, and get the ball out of the rough nicely

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

Not altogether true. Player's and SGI iron sets have a 3i, although not all golfers will buy it.

Go to a golf shop and the vast majority of sets you will see are 4-PW or 4-GW.  Yes, you can order a 3-PW set still but the 3-iron is a dead club because most people cant hit it.  In the case of SGI clubs, what set has a 3-iron?  Every one Ive seen has a 3-hybrid, not a 3-iron.

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

Go to a golf shop and the vast majority of sets you will see are 4-PW or 4-GW.  Yes, you can order a 3-PW set still but the 3-iron is a dead club because most people cant hit it.  In the case of SGI clubs, what set has a 3-iron?  Every one Ive seen has a 3-hybrid, not a 3-iron.

Really bro, chill out on that.    I'm a mere 17 hcp & my 3 iron is way more reliable off the tee and off the deck than any 3 hybrid I've ever owned.     To tell people that the 3i is a dead club is silly.     Todays modern cavity backed 3 irons are forgiving, and LONG (I have no experience with blade/MB style 3 irons which I'm sure would be tough to hit by comparison).      As for long irons, it's all about confidence anyways & advising someone that 3 irons are dead clubs is incorrect when some amazing cavity backed 3 irons are made today ...

[achadha7]

Really bro, chill out on that.    I'm a mere 17 hcp & my 3 iron is way more reliable off the tee and off the deck than any 3 hybrid I've ever owned.     To tell people that the 3i is a dead club is silly.     Todays modern cavity backed 3 irons are forgiving, and LONG (I have no experience with blade/MB style 3 irons which I'm sure would be tough to hit by comparison).      As for long irons, it's all about confidence anyways & advising someone that 3 irons are dead clubs is incorrect when some amazing cavity backed 3 irons are made today ...

Exactly Ap1 710 come in 3-pw

[RoyJeeBiv]

Originally Posted by inthehole

Really bro, chill out on that.    I'm a mere 17 hcp & my 3 iron is way more reliable off the tee and off the deck than any 3 hybrid I've ever owned.     To tell people that the 3i is a dead club is silly.     Todays modern cavity backed 3 irons are forgiving, and LONG (I have no experience with blade/MB style 3 irons which I'm sure would be tough to hit by comparison).      As for long irons, it's all about confidence anyways & advising someone that 3 irons are dead clubs is incorrect when some amazing cavity backed 3 irons are made today ...

well said -- i'm a bogey-and-a-half golfer, but my long irons (CBs) are highly reliable off the tee and par 5 fairways.  admittedly i've resisted hybrids, but i haven't had a need for them (my problem has been 40 yds and in...).

[mp33 man]

Go to a golf shop and the vast majority of sets you will see are 4-PW or 4-GW.  Yes, you can order a 3-PW set still but the 3-iron is a dead club because most people cant hit it.  In the case of SGI clubs, what set has a 3-iron?  Every one Ive seen has a 3-hybrid, not a 3-iron.

I realize that its not really the popular view on this thread but I kinda have to agree with GG. While I think calling the 3i a dead club may be a little harsh I will agree that a lot of pros don't even bother with a three iron anymore. I myself have grown to love my 4 hybrid, 3 hybrid and my 2 hybrid. I'm able to work them high or low, left or right or any other way that I desire. On the other hand I have a set of McGregor mt pro-c (3i-PW) that I play, ironically, when I'm not playing as well and not making as good a contact as I should, when I do play this set I remove my hybrids and play the 4i and 3i and they are plenty easy to hit. I do get a little more yardage out of my hybrids, but I think that has to do with the shafts that are in them. All that being said if I were you I would go to Golfsmith and try to find a 3i if that is what you prefer.

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by phillyk

Hey all, It has been a long time since I was last on this site, and thought I'd start out by telling you all what my plan is.  I attained a scratch handicap last summer and was very proud of how far I've come in my golfing career.  More and more every summer, I get new knowledge and experience of the game and thought that PGM would be a great fit for me. I love the game of golf, and always have!! But, I wanted to pursue my educational career first, which as it turned out failed.  So, I come back to PGM and am going to attempt the PAT test in the end of June.  I'm not too worried about not passing it, but I still will practice as much as possible to be prepared for it.

Now to the point, in my bag now I have a 4-hybrid and 4 iron.  When I was younger these 2 clubs gave me different distances.  Now as I hit the ball a lot more solid and consistent, they are practically the same.  I broke my 3-iron a long time ago and am looking to get something new like it.  I probably won't get one before the PAT test, but I want to look for one none the less.  I went to a golf store the other day and they for one, didn't sell used clubs and 2, didn't really have any 3-irons anyway.  I can't believe a store doesn't have 3 irons.  They had 3-hybrids and driving irons.  Now I don't want a hybrid again, because I like the feel of a good iron.  I havent heard or read much up on driving irons.  So I want to know what you all think I should get?  I'm hesitant about this driving iron concept, but I'm open to try it if people think it works out well.  I'd mainly use the iron for tee shots.  I need a 230-240 club, and I'm sure the 3 is what I need.

Check the lofts, a 4 iron might be your old 3 irons. Clubs have gotten stronger over the years. My 4 iron is 21 degrees, which is a 3 iron.

[RoyJeeBiv]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Check the lofts, a 4 iron might be your old 3 irons. Clubs have gotten stronger over the years. My 4 iron is 21 degrees, which is a 3 iron.

i knew this was an issue, but that's friggin' absurd -- probably a reason why people claim they can't even (or don't want to) hit their 4i.

my 3i is 21deg, and my clubs are only ten years 'old'... have clubmakers really gone that far, nowadays...??  whatever keeps the $$ machine fueled, i guess...

[inthehole]

No wonder my 18° Rocketbladez 3 iron is so over the top unbelievably redonculous long - I thought there was some magic fairy dust sprinkled into the steel when it was cast ... it's actually a TWO IRON !! Wow, I'm pretty pumped that I can actually hit the equivilent of a traditional 2 iron respectably well ...

[arturo28mx]

Callaway sells individual irons on their web page and on Amazon. I recently purchased a 7 iron just to have always in my car in case of a sudden urge to go to the practice range.

[phillyk]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Check the lofts, a 4 iron might be your old 3 irons. Clubs have gotten stronger over the years. My 4 iron is 21 degrees, which is a 3 iron.

My irons are not that old, but I will still check that out just in case.  Even if it is a "3-iron loft," I like hitting irons over hybrids.  I've used a hybrid for a long time and it feels nice, for sure, to hit it well.  But I like the instant feedback you receive from hitting irons.  Hybrids are more forgiving, at least the one I have.

Still not sure what the advantage of a driving iron is over a 3-iron?  Is it just in between an iron and hybrid, and a little better off the tee?  Any how, the club I do get I want to be able to try out first before buying, so that limits choices to not buying on the internet.  Unless I do find the exact model of my iron somewhere.  I haven't looked too hard into it yet, so that's obviously the first step.

[NuclearMike]

Originally Posted by RoyJeeBiv

i knew this was an issue, but that's friggin' absurd -- probably a reason why people claim they can't even (or don't want to) hit their 4i.

my 3i is 21deg, and my clubs are only ten years 'old'... have clubmakers really gone that far, nowadays...??  whatever keeps the $$ machine fueled, i guess...

The lofts on my irons are so skewed from where they were on my previous sets that I don't even think of them by numbers anymore.  My PW is 42.5 degrees!  That makes it sit right between my old 8 and 9 iron lofts.  The lowest numbered iron in my set is the 25 degree 5 iron.  I'm a hybrid fan, though.  I hit my 26 degree 5 hybrid higher and with more carry than my 5 iron so the 5 iron sometimes comes out for an additional wedge.

[ColeMc]

Mizuno Fli-Hi 3 Iron "Direct Replacement"

Awesome club.  Strange to look at, not quite an Iron, not quite a Hybrid.  It's the least lofted club I carry as I can't (at this stage) hit woods well for love nor money.

[Nutter]

I personally love my 3i off the tee for that 230-240 distance you're talking about.  I have a 2 hybrid basically for hitting into greens on par 5's and I like it for that purpose but wouldn't like that same feel for my 3i shots which I tend to shape more.  I say keep p-3  as irons and pick up a 2 hybrid or even a 5 or 7 wood.