Driver vs. 3-Wood? Hit Driver.

[iacas]

There's a misperception in golf that by hitting 3-wood, you're often making the "smarter play." After all, everyone knows you give up distance:

So, golfers know that they're going to have an extra two to three clubs in, but they believe that they'll hit the fairway more readily, and thus, be in a better position to score well on the hole. In reality…

Golfers hit the fairway about 1% more often.

In essence, the only time to hit 3-wood instead of driver off the tee are when (assuming you don't have the driver yips or something bizarre):

• Driver will go too far and will reach trouble that you can stay short of with the hybrid.

That's it. I know I made it a list, but doing so amused me. 😄

Now, sure, there are rare folks who can "draw" their 3W but can't draw their driver, and on sharper doglegs maybe they have to hit a draw. But like those with the driver yips, those people are rare, and they probably can't draw their 3W as reliably as they think, anyway.

The driver is the most forgiving club in the bag. Sure, it has the most potential to go offline, but the 20-30 yards the 3W costs you do NOT make up for a 1% increase in fairways hit. Particularly since the shorter shots should find more than 1% more fairways just by the nature of them traveling less distance. I rarely see people cold top it off the tee with their driver — the thin ones usually still go 200 or so. But I have seen people top the ball 20 yards with their 3-woods while trying to "do the smart thing."

[steelied]

100%!

I stopped carrying my 3 wood for this very reason. Tried to “play it safe” on occasion but results were usually worse than a 20 years offline poke with the driver. 
 

5 wood goes 210 and RARELY am I presented with a shot that I NEED to hit further than that. So… 3 wood out!

[Esox]

For me the 3 wood is a much better choice when I have to work the ball hard around a corner.  It's less likely to turn out overcooked.

[WillieT]

On 11/7/2021 at 9:18 AM, iacas said:

The driver is the most forgiving club in the bag. Sure, it has the most potential to go offline, but the 20-30 yards the 3W costs you do NOT make up for a 1% increase in fairways hit. Particularly since the shorter shots should find more than 1% more fairways just by the nature of them traveling less distance. I rarely see people cold top it off the tee with their driver — the thin ones usually still go 200 or so. But I have seen people top the ball 20 yards with their 3-woods while trying to "do the smart thing."

Been weighing this out of late.  There is something inside that says I "must" vary what I hit off the tee, which I really like to do especially when doing casual rounds.  Yet after studying the yardage numbers the Approach S20 has tracked, I am giving away 20-30 yards off the tee "every time!"  Further review of the data, shows that of the courses I play regularly, there is usually just one hole per course where 3w distances out better for me than the driver.   

 

On 11/7/2021 at 9:18 AM, iacas said:

But I have seen people top the ball 20 yards with their 3-woods while trying to "do the smart thing."

You must have been watching me tee off - more than once, I have experienced such!    

[imsys0042]

Interesting.   I have a driver and a 4-wood.  The 4-wood is 25 years behind the driver and I would assume better than 1% difference in fairways hit, but a bad hit is a bad hit and going to miss anyway.

[billchao]

On 11/7/2021 at 9:18 AM, iacas said:

I rarely see people cold top it off the tee with their driver

They’re obviously not as talented as I am 🙃

I don’t hit 3w off the tee for accuracy. I only choose it off the tee for distance reasons, though often I’ll opt to take a little off my driver swing instead.

[saevel25]

Let's just assume (not sure it is true), but lets say that the 3-wood goes offline proportional to yardage difference (25-yards for 2-HDCP). 

10% decrease. Let's say the ball goes 35 yard right on a slice. At 10%, that is 3.5 yards less right. So, even though we see 10% yardage loses, 10% less slice isn't that much. 

If I told someone, hey, hit your 3-wood than your driver, it will curve 10% less offline. That sounds good. If I say, Oh hey, hit your 3-wood, it will curve 4 yards less. For someone who hits a 30-40 yard slice, that doesn't help much. 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

33 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Oh hey, hit your 3-wood, it will curve 4 yards less. For someone who hits a 30-40 yard slice, that doesn't help much. 

Perhaps you should tell 'em to hit their pitching wedge.  Unless their name is Vinsk they will find the near-center of the fairway more often. 😄

@saevel25 - I always appreciate your calm scientific/mathematical analysis of things.  Keep it up.  Happy Holidays!

[Nail]

I dont bother carrying a 3 wood and I only hit 5 wood off the tee on holes that a straight drive from the tee will reach trouble. Good advice.

 

Edited December 26, 2021 by Nail
Irrelevant info

[ChetlovesMer]

Personally, I have done a ton of research on this topic. ... 🤪

I have worked to develop my own algorithm as to when to hit driver off the tee. 

I have tested this algorithm over almost 30 years of playing golf. Here's what I have found. 
 

1. Hitting driver is fun.

2. Hit driver on any hole you are allowed to.

3. If the hole is open and there's room to either side, hit driver.

4. If the hole is too narrow or hitting driver is too risky, see points 1 and points 2 above and hit driver. 

5. When in doubt hit driver. 

6. If it's not a par 3, hit driver. 

7. Hitting driver is fun. 

8. Golf is better if you are hitting your driver.

9. Golf is great if you are hitting your driver well.

10. Life in general is better if you are hitting your driver well. 

 

I know, sometimes things get confusing and doing all of the calculations required above can be challenging when on the tee. In that case, just hit driver. 

[Shorty]

Golf myth # 325: "3 wood is more accurate than driver."

People who fear inaccuracy with their driver are almost certainly going to be just as bad with their  3 wood.

You have a much better chance of topping or mishitting a 3 wood than a driver.

Pros hit 3 woods bacause they run out of fairway with driver, not because they are more accurate.

If the average golfer could hit a 3 wood straighter than a driver, he/she'd be better off ditching the driver 100% of the time.

[Vinsk]

36 minutes ago, Shorty said:

Pros hit 3 woods bacause they run out of fairway with driver, not because they are more accurate.

True. But I think Henrik Stenson may be an exception to this. 

[Double Mocha Man]

Just now, Vinsk said:

True. But I think Henrik Stenson may be an exception to this. 

Yes, Mr. Stenson may be the outlier here.  I read something a couple years ago that tracked the touring pros and their relative accuracy with the 3-wood.  They were less accurate than with their driver.

[pganapathy]

My rule of thumb is very simple.  90 percent of amateurs shouldn't have a 3 wood in the bag.  They get more distance and generally accuracy with the driver (even a higher lofted mini driver) off the tee and can hit a 5 wood better off the fairway.  In fact, I only have a 2 and 4 hybrid in my bag between my driver and 5 iron.

[coachjimsc]

Based on my stats for all rounds played this year, I hit my Driver straighter then my 3 Wood anyway so...🤷‍♂️

[phan52]

I have always hit a driver off the tee better (straighter) than my 3-wood so I stopped even trying it years ago. In fact, I just dumped my 3-wood last season because I have found that I have little use for it. I hit my 5-wood almost as far with more control.

[DeadMan]

For me I'm more accurate with my 3 wood, but not but enough to make the distance loss worth it, I think.

Driver:

3 wood:

The 3 wood sample size is pretty low, though. I don't use it much off the tee - I would rather hit a hybrid if I'm going to club down from driver.

[saevel25]

Why you should almost always hit driver off the tee

---

Hitting a shorter club off the tee might seem like the smart play, but it doesn't necessarily give you the best scoring average.

2022 and it became mainstream! 😁