Best Club as Secondary Driver?

[socalsharky]

I am interested in what the members use as their "go-to" club when the driver is just not working well. This situation probably applies more to us higher handicappers than the better players. There are days when the driver is not working well for one reason or another, and I need to tee off with something that I have more confidence can reach the fairway, with at least 200Y.

Normally I would go with the 3W, but my 3W is currently the oldest club in my bag (Callaway Steelhead 3+) with a pretty small head. I am considering getting a new TM 3W, to get a better driving club. However, I also have heard good things about some of the 13 to 16 degree drivers (Nike, Bazooka). I don't normally use my 3W off the turf, since I have both 3 and 4 hybrids.

[Sherlockian]

Mine is my Callaway Steelhead 3 wood, yeah it's old, but it still does the job.
I have tried to find some newer 3 and 5 woods with larger cc heads, but I can't find any I like. My Steelheads will be in my bag for a long time, I have "new" backups if something ever happens to them. Heck, if my drive is going bad, I try my Steelhead 10* before I go to the 3 wood. I can usually work out the kinks with it.

[PiKapp23]

My secondary 'driver' would be my 3 wood. I contemplate getting a new 3 or 4 wood (most probably) that is easier to hit off turf, but I hit this so well off tee that I can't make myself buy a new club. I also occasionally use my 2H for tee shots. Both of those clubs are steel shafted, which helps me control the shot better, although I know I'm giving up a little distance.

[Wannabe Paper Tiger]

my go to club is my 3w - altho not last year since i was slicing it for some odd reason. i think i got it fixed so hopefully i can redux this summer. it is a tm tour 300. 44 inches.

[glebert]

Either 5w or 7w, I haven't been carrying a 3w lately. 5w is about 220, 7w about 205.

[Dub]

Current driver hasn't left me hanging out there wanting an easy-to-hit alternative.

My previous driver did so quite often after I started playing again after a 5 year layoff. It was a TaylorMade 300 with a tour stiff shaft....9 degrees (I think). After getting back into golf my clubhead speed wasn't where I left it....neither was my precision. It wasn't like starting over again....but it was dang close.

Some days the old driver was just killing me....low dribbles off the tee far too often. Those rounds would find me stuffing it upside down deep into the bag and simply using 3 wood (TM 200 series) off every tee.


I'm not playing a 3 wood at present, but this 4 wood is my back up. It's treated me well off the tee. The shaft allows a smooth swing that will pop a ball dead down the middle or you can muscle up and let it rip for a higher trajectory bomb that carries the doglegs and other trouble.

[klaymon]

My go-to tee club is the 3W. It's a TM Burner from 2007. I biffed up my first tee shot this weekend with the driver, so I pulled the 3W on the next hole and hit 10 fairways over the rest of the round.

The funny thing is, it used to be my most hated club. I couldn't put the face on the ball to save my life. Now, it's close to being my favorite.

[elchene]

I have a Taylormade R7 Ti 3 wood. It's so big it almost looks like a driver. I don't really use it off the tee much, I prefer my 3 iron or hybrid, but it's a monster distance-wise.

[denver_nuggs_15]

My 3W is my back up driver. It's such an awesome club off the tee (and I'm finally learning to hit it off the deck). I'm thinking about trying out my 2h off the tee, but I haven't figured the club out 100% so I'll steer clear for a while. If you can hit a 3h well off the tee, that could be a good option too.

I'm also trying to lear a power fade with my driver. Fades are more controllable for me with the big stick and this could be the case for you too.
Or maybe trying a stinger. One of my friends (scratch golfer) hits a stinger with his driver and the ball just goes. It's such a nice, controlled flight and gets a lot of roll.

[flopdarock]

well if im faced with a teeshot that my driver wont work for... short par4... hazard splitting the fw... severe dogleg... ill pull either 3w or 3h depending on the situation

[MI Rob]

If my driver is not doing it for the day, I will use either my 3W or my 2H off the tee. Soon to have a 3H and that will be on there too.

[Three Putt]

If my driver is not working, the 3 wood isn't either off the tee, hybrid isn't worth hitting either. So I go to the 5 iron, 200 yards, can't remember my last bad shot with the trusty 5 iron

[socalsharky]

I have a Taylormade R7 Ti 3 wood. It's so big it almost looks like a driver. I don't really use it off the tee much, I prefer my 3 iron or hybrid, but it's a monster distance-wise.

What year is that R7 Ti? Was that before the R7 steel and CGB? There don't seem to be many of the R7 Ti's out there--mostly steels and cgb's.

[wedge player]

putter just kidding either my 3 or 5 woods

[GaijinGolfer]

When the driver isnt behaving itself, the 3-wood is a good go-to club. The shorter shaft and higher loft of a 3-wood makes it easier to hit straight.
A lot of people who carry a strong 3-wood (13.5*) claim that with that club they get almost as much distance as they do with their driver and a strong 3 is easier to hit straight.

[Damien45]

I used to use my 3w for my drives and my 2i as the back up. I switched to the 2i for my tee shot while I worked on my tee shot. Now I have my driver and 2h as the back up. Still looking at upgrading my 14yr old 3w. Just trying to decide between 3w or 1h.

[Big_M]

usually 2h, but only because I can't truly TRUST my 3w, but I'm thinking about getting a new one. Usually distance is the biggest issue for me in clubbing down, as I am fairly straight, but some days...

[Laxplayer201092]

3 wood, 2 iron. depends which im carrying that day. If i dont have the 2i, will go 3i.. Or just boom the friggen driver :P