3-wood and fariways ...

[King Norre]

Because I don't have a driver I use my 3W (TM Burner) most of the time from the tee-box. I also practice with it using a tee and for a high handicapper I hit it pretty well. Of course, i'm no Tiger Woods, but most of my balls stay inside the OOB markers But somehow I can't hit it good from the fairway and I don't have confidence using it (without a tee). Strange, because it's called a fairway wood ... lol.
How comfortable are you using your 3W from the fairway?
Would a 5W be easier to hit or do I just need to practise without using a tee? Do you use other clubs when you need distance and your ball is on the fairway?

Ciao,

KN

[ping_guy]

yes. you need to practice.

[whip_it_out]

It sook em about a month and a half before I could hit the 3-wood in the air from the deck. It's all about taking a quarter sized divot, for me.

[chingali]

I've always been comfortable hitting a 3 wood off the deck but then I hit the quite solidly and fairly high anyway. Some things you could try to get a bit more confidence,

• Practice with your 3 wood off a slightly uphill lie (grass)
• When practicing give yourself a perfect lie (grass)
• Choke down on the club an inch, standard length for a 3 wood used to be about 42" now they are all 43" plus

As for the club itself,

• Get something with at least 15* loft
• Try something with a tip flexible shaft - you don't want to be using something with a high kickpoint (like a Diamana Whiteboard!) in a 3 wood unless you have a reason for doing so. Something like a UST Proforce V2 High Launch is very easy to use.
• Maybe try a little bit softer flex shaft - if you normally play Stiff try something in Regular
• Go to a clubfitter and get fitted

[nasabogey24]

Either get a shorter shaft or get a 4 wood. An average golfer can hit a 4 wood better and farther than a 15* 3 wood. It's a great club that I believe will make a huge comeback over the next couple of years. With the "vanishing loft disease" getting worse and worse and having to incorporate a gap wedge as part of your standard set it's only fitting that the 4 wood will become a staple in many player's golf bags.

[kafka01]

How comfortable are you using your 3W from the fairway?

I got the same FW as you - love it (got it since last year so lots of positive expierences with it - its one of my most used clubs). I posted it here before - but honestly, that thing is so easy to hit (for me) whenever i need the distance whatever lie, i take it out and let it go at it (unless the ball is buried in rough - that doesnt work well...).

Sometimes i have some really bad shots with it (long left is normally not good) but that is normal and it happens - but overall, without practicing you will have a hard time having much fun with it. If you practice with it - dont try to kill it - you will be shorter than normal in the beginning but you will figure it out that a smooth swing accomplishes much more than such a forced hack...

[ChvyKc]

I always had problems hitting my fairway woods until lately. Now its one of the strongest parts of my game. This might not work for you but I just took my 3 and 5 wood out on the range (left everything else in the truck) and hit a complete bucket of balls with them.

It think the biggest thing with me was just learning not to swing so hard. With just a good tempo and making sure my head stays down I can hit a 3 wood 220-230 off the deck.

[Island Par]

I've always been comfortable hitting a 3 wood off the deck but then I hit the quite solidly and fairly high anyway. Some things you could try to get a bit more confidence,

Chingali said it all...practice and get yourself fitted. I never did the latter because the stock shaft fitted to my swing tempo, but am really comfortable hitting my 3W off the tee or deck. I never could hit woods before until i got introduced to my 3W and its been heaven ever since.

[hamletsdead]

I love my fairway woods, and hit them indiscriminately off the tee or off the deck. I have a 3, 5, and 7 in the bag (Callaway Big Berthas) and the only time I have trouble off the deck is if my back is killing me and I start falling off the ball instead of going through -- then I've been known to hit a 180 yard gopher killer or two. I tend to skim the grass and take mini-divots with my irons, which is the basic recipe for the fairway wood, so take it with a grain of salt.

I did pick up a 4-hybrid for out of the rough, however, since I learned to my dismay that it's really hard to smack a 3-wood out of 6 inch grass. Since the hybrid shaft is about a 7-iron, it's pretty easy to hit.

[ks8829]

Fairway woods are hard to hit even with a 15 degree wood.

try the following:

1) watch your ball position
2) compact swing, try keeping your right elbow close to your body on the back swing
3) on your take away break your wrist immediately for a higher ball flight
4) swing 80%
5) take the club back slow

this is the club that will test your golf swing