help hitting 3 wood off the deck

[Mr. Desmond]

To the OP:

I think you've got to have great swing fundamentals and rhythm; and a

Clubhead/shaft combo that fits you.

If you don't have fundamentals and rhythm, all you'll get is inconsistency with your entire game -- but it really shows up in the 3 wood - these days, that club is a 43-43.5 inch shaft length monster with 15 deg of loft. Clubs that are that long in length and with that little loft are not that forgiving, even in forgiving clubheads. Any mistake you make is magnified - more sidespin, hitting fat, etc.

Having said that, the club after the driver for me is a 17 deg, 42.25 shaft length relatively shallow-faced clubhead - for right now, I can hit that well with consistency. Perhaps when my swing allows it or if it does allow it, I will opt for a club that is slightly longer in length and with slightly less loft (maybe).

The other advice given in the thread is good -- don't try to kill it (the objective is good contact), try a smooth swing with rhythm. There is a tendency to lose rhythm by swinging too much with the arms and losing synch with the lower body - avoid that. Be Smooth and Rhythmic (and make sure you get/keep your weight on the front foot).

[inthehole]

As probably one of the least experienced here, I can only offer that the biggest help in hitting a fairway wood I've found to date is keeping the ball back in your stance - I was hitting way to far forward & topping it regularly.    Hitting downward & keeping it back, AND NOT OVERHITTING IT have helped me a whole lot (the latter is always the toughest for me  ... you just want to kill it with that fairway wood in your hand looking at a green 200+ yards away ... easy does it applies)

[haddockd]

While I am unsure if this is a tip or not, I have always had great success with my 3 and 7 woods of the deck. That being said, I have always struggled to hit down on the ball, so sweeping the ball is how my swing works. I rarely, if ever, leave a divot, so it just comes easy for me to sweep the ball up with my 3-wood.

[gspjeb]

honestly, my G-15 3 and 5 woods are some of my favorite clubs to hit.  I think it varies from swing to swing but for me this is how it plays out.

With short irons I have my most significant divots.  As the club gets longer my stance gets more upright as a one plane type guy.  For me the divots get less significant as the club gets longer but I don't change the feel of the swing.  I swing exactly the same...I am just set up different and with the longest clubs am a little flatter/standing more upright.  I still swing like I am taking a divot but because I am a bit more upright and my swing is a little flatter...again 1 planer...I have more of a sweeping motion with a 3 wood because of setup and not a conscious change in my swing.

My ball position is about 3 inches in from my left heel and I just swing smooth.  My weight is pretty much 50 50 off the deck....and 40 60 off a tee.

works for me....I only make my swing adjustments by dialing in at setup and don't try to swing any differently it just happens.