Does anyone use a 3 wood off the tee anymore?

[Fourputt]

I've been reading all these threads about people wanting to get better or asking what we think their potential is (you get the idea). I notice in almost all of the threads like this they say how long they hit their driver, but oh yeah they only hit 30% of the fairways in their round. I have a Ping Rapture and love it so don't think I'm putting down the driver. They are easy to hit for most people. My only thing is it seems like people would rather hit their drivers because they're there rather than use a 3 or 5 wood that they may be able to set themselves up better. Personally, if I'm not sure I can get the ball where I want it with the big dog then I'll go for the 3 wood. Like I said, I know the big drivers out there can be easy to hit but if someone is missing the majority of the fairways it just seems to make sense to switch due to less side spin.

Of course. Anyone who portends to be a real golfer uses many options off the tee. I use 3W, 4W, 4H and 5H on various par 4 or par 5 holes on my home course depending on weather, what tee I'm playing from, what the situation is in the match or competition. I don't automatically pick the same club each time on a certain hole without analyzing the situation. Some holes I will always use driver, others I change up quite a bit depending on wind direction and strength, or fairway condition, etc.

I treat the tee shot like any other shot in the round... no club choice is just automatic.

[joshiemac25]

I would say that I use my 3-wood regularly off of the tee. I have more workability in my 3-wood so it gets hit more on shorter par 4s or ones that have easily accessible trouble or a dogleg. It also depends on whether or not I am playing a match. See the person put it in the drink off the tee or OB, and maybe I switch down to a 3W instead of hitting driver, or maybe even down to the hybrid.

[Golfaway]

I have a friend who doesn't have a driver. He can hit a 3 wood as far as an average driver would go, I am talking here about 270+ yards.

[pshizz]

Yes i love hitting my 3 wood off the tee. Its so workable, and has an amazing trajectory. Not to mention i currently don't have a driver lol.

I think some people dont realize how far 270 yards is, so they just assume they hit their driver that far. That's not the case. Hardly ever do i play with players who ht it farther than i do, except when i play with my team mates. I only hit driver about 250-260 on good ones, and i find it weird that som many people on this forum claim to be 30 handicappers and hit their driver 280 middle of the fairway each time.

[atrapasuenos]

I love to use my 3 wood off the tee. When I don't need to use the driver and it's crucial to hit the fairway, eventhough I hit my driver pretty straight I rather use my 3 wood.

Greetings!

[misty_mountainhop]

I've been reading all these threads about people wanting to get better or asking what we think their potential is (you get the idea). I notice in almost all of the threads like this they say how long they hit their driver, but oh yeah they only hit 30% of the fairways in their round. I have a Ping Rapture and love it so don't think I'm putting down the driver. They are easy to hit for most people. My only thing is it seems like people would rather hit their drivers because they're there rather than use a 3 or 5 wood that they may be able to set themselves up better. Personally, if I'm not sure I can get the ball where I want it with the big dog then I'll go for the 3 wood. Like I said, I know the big drivers out there can be easy to hit but if someone is missing the majority of the fairways it just seems to make sense to switch due to less side spin.

Absolutely. Use it off 3/4 tees every round where I play. Also use my 2-iron off 2/3 more. The game's a lot easier from the short grass!

The game and it's marketing is (apparently) obsessed by distance and lots of people buy into it.

[Shindig]

Your thoughts.

I use the 3-Wood when I'm playing for position. I'm sufficiently short with my driver that, at least at the courses I consider 'home,' I can't get in significant trouble with it. There are a few holes with turns - such as doglegs - where my 3-Wood tee shot gives me a better angle for my second shot.

But I never use my 3-Wood if the goal is to hit the fairway, unless my driver is going to go through the fairway. Of course, there are days that I probably should.

[Iowa Hawkeye]

A lot of the time, I sacrifice the 40-50 yards in lenght for control. If I put it 210 in the fairway, I'm better off than putting it 230 yards ahead and 30 yards to the right. When I get time to work on it, I'll start trying to fix it. Right now, my driver is the only club that I still slice regularly with.

[DavidFehertysBike]

1 to 5 times a round depending on where im playing. Ill use it on tight driving holes, to avoid obsticles or bad lies where my driver might land, or when i play par 4's under 380 yards.

[mirv]

i hit my 3 wood off the tee a Lot more than i do my driver. my home course is fairly short, only about 6100 yards, so i can get away with it really easily there - in fact there's only one hole on that whole course where i'll pull a driver every time. but even on other longer courses, unless i've got a fairway that's a mile wide and i just HAVE to get some distance, i won't pull out the driver.

[tjy355]

These days the jumbo drivers are so accurate that I hardly every use a 3-wood for increased accuracy. I will (and frequently do) use a 3-wood (or 5-wood or hybrid) for positioning to keep trouble out of play or to set up for the second shot.

[flopdarock]

3w is my money club... there are way too many doglegs i cant slice/hook around and my driver wont clear over the trees tho ive seen some ppl do it... heck some of them ill pull 3 hybrid on just to get a good clear view from the fairway after a tight shot

[skwon11]

I don't even carry a driver. Most of friends think I'm nuts but... on Par 5's it takes me 3 shots to get it to the green and because I can't keep it straight consistently... might as well hit my 3 wood into the fairway to set up the rest of the hole. Similar thoughts on Par 4's... If I go 3 wood/Hybrid I can get on the green in 2 (sometimes)... for me and my handicap... not much different and better than chancing Driver and then 3 iron.

[Big_M]

Used mine twice today... would've been three times, but #2 was playing into a 20mph wind.

Just off the top of my head I would usually use it...
Crescent - 3 times
Mooresville - 3-4 times
Warrior - 2-3 times
Rocky River - 2-3 times

Note: I use 3-wood if I need to work the ball in a fairly specific manner, or if I have little room, or when distance dictates such. Most courses I play will also force me to use less than a 3-wood 1-2 additional times... so usually I'll be hitting driver 8-12 times, 3-wood 2-4, and other 1-3. Then obviously some irons or the occaisional hybrid for the 3's.

[wachesawgolfer]

i find it weird that som many people on this forum claim to be 30 handicappers and hit their driver 280 middle of the fairway each time.

That's because this is fantasy land for many people, they can't play golf but can work a keyboard.

[anthonykim3]

Absolutely. Use it off 3/4 tees every round where I play. Also use my 2-iron off 2/3 more. The game's a lot easier from the short grass!

it depeds where you play and qualitie of the players if your play a 7000 yard course you have a huge advantage hitting it 290 over someone hitting it 250 260 even if you only hit 55 % of fairways distance makes it much easier to score if of course you have a short game but if it is a 450 par 4 i rather 160 in the rough with a 290 drive then 200 in the fairway with a 250 drive i still find it easier to put 160 yards closer then a 200 yard shot even if in the rough.

back to the main question i will hit my three wood if i need to work it against the wind or some thing but i only do like maybe 2 3 times a round cause i hit my drive good most of the time. but i will use three wood if its a 380 par 4 and the pin is back right and the wind is going left to right i will use three wood and fade the ball against the wind to be in the middle or left side for a better shot into the pin.

[MuscleBack Sauce]

i use my 3 wood all the time off the tee. think iron workability, with mild driver distance. It's the best of both worlds!