More Confident with Driver than a 3 Wood

[Dad-2-3]

I'm more confident of hitting FW with the 3W, but only slightly. Today was a good day with my long clubs 3 of 4 FW w/driver and 3 of 3 FW w/3W. I also hit a 3W 260 yard second shot (last 30 yards was roll) to the fringe on a second shot on a 575 yard par 5.

Something about having the ball teed up high just totally messes with my swing.

Preach on brother!!! For the past month I have been teeing driver lower (not even 1/3 of the ball above the crown) and contact is much better and as a result my ball flight is better and consistency in the FW has risen considerably. My 3W is teed exactly like golfro described above.

[ks8829]

I feel confident with my driver and my missed are draw/hooks, I have even used my drive into wind on par 3 from 200 - 220 yards by choking up, I average about 240 yards with my driver.

[wrx_junki]

I am in the same boat as the OP. I have much more confidence in hitting my driver than my 3 wood off the tee. I am much more likely to mishit my fairway wood than my driver. Glad I'm not the only one.

[xxsoultonesxx]

I'm really struggling in this department. I pulled the driver from the bag for a while to work on my 3 wood off the tee, and it worked. But I don't like feeling sketchy with any club in the bag, so I continue to play driver, I'm just a lot more selective about when I bring it out.

[resapudfures]

Only speaking for high handicappers like myself, but I think "put driver away and hit 3w" is one of those old false relics...

For a high handicappers you may be right, but this is certainly not a "false relic" for a consistent ball striker.

Just as a hypothetical... Say we have a low handicapper, with equal confidence in his clubs. When he hits a straight ball, usually his max miss is 5° left or right of his initial target line. He is set to tee off on a par 5 with a fairway 45 yards wide, bordered by deep rough. What should he hit? From here it's just simple trigonometry. His max miss with a 200 yard 4 iron would be ~17 yards, on either side. Likewise, his max miss left or right for his 250 yard 3 metal and 285 yard driver would be ~21 yards and ~25 yards, respectively. So, in this case our hypothetical player should pull his 3 metal because it is the longest club he has that should still hit the fairway on a 5° miss.

...[one of those old false relics] like "you should work on your short game".

Are you joking with this one?

[newtogolf]

I'm much more consistent with 3w than driver. I hit the 3w long and straight, so I have high confidence I will hit the fairway with it compared to my driver which I slice frequently enough to make me leave it in the bag for now. I don't think I've ever heard to opt for a 3i over a 3w or driver off the tee. Most people I know don't even carry a 3i because they can't hit it consistently.

I think for most of us the clubs we practice with most are the clubs we are most comfortable with. The guys that are better with their driver probably practice more with their driver than 3w. I've been practicing hitting my 3w off the mat and tees so I have alot more confidence in it than my driver.

[StricklandPropane]

For a high handicappers you may be right, but this is certainly not a "false relic" for a consistent ball striker.

Key word was "high handicappers" dude. The fastest way for someone shooting 110 to get in the 90s is to work on ballstriking, yet people will often (incorrectly IMO) say short game or course management are more important. There's a whole thread on it.

[resapudfures]

Key word was "high handicappers" dude. The fastest way for someone shooting 110 to get in the 90s is to work on ballstriking, yet people will often (incorrectly IMO) say short game or course management are more important. There's a whole thread on it.

You are altering what you originally posted. To be clear, you said...

...one of those old false relics like "you should work on your short game".

Key distinction, dude. You made no mention of ball striking or the relative importance thereof in your original post. You merely stated that short game isn't important for high handicappers, which is preposterous.

Without that distinction, I was honestly wondering if you were attempting sarcasm. Take a chill pill. I have read, and don't disagree with, the thread you later alluded to.

[BostonSully]

Yesterday was a really good day with the 3w for me a club I wasnt using due to inconsistency. I was getting about 220 straight down the fairway on my second shot alot.But I rarely use the 3w off the Tee if im worried about a tight hole or overshootign the fairway with my driver I tee it the ball up higher and pop the it way up high in the air but still get > 220 on it.

[StricklandPropane]

You are altering what you originally posted. To be clear, you said...

Take a chill pill? There was nothing but chill in my post. Take a "thick skin" pill.

[sean_miller]

I didn't agree with your first post, but in the end, it's your approach and your opinion. Who says we all have to take the same approach with this hobby?

[StricklandPropane]

I didn't agree with your first post, but in the end, it's your approach and your opinion. Who says we all have to take the same approach with this hobby?

That's fine, but no where was I rude or condescending or "not chill" in my rebuttal.

[sean_miller]

That's fine, but no where was I rude or condescending or "not chill" in my rebuttal.

I wasn't the one who said "chill". That term has the opposite effect on me - my fists unconsciously clench - I'm weird.

[StricklandPropane]

I wasn't the one who said "chill". That term has the opposite effect on me - my fists unconsciously clench - I'm weird.

I think that's the natural reaction. I'm the same way.

[jamo]

I wasn't the one who said "chill". That term has the opposite effect on me - my fists unconsciously clench - I'm weird.

Probably because it's usually used with a condescending/sarcastic tone.

[sean_miller]

Probably because it's usually used with a condescending/sarcastic tone.

Settle down little guy! (another surefire rage inducer).

[DaSportsGuy]

I feel the same way. On short holes I almost always pull out my driver because I feel more confident with it and have more of a chance of hitting a bad shot with an iron or wood than I do with my driver. Plus, a bad shot with a wood or iron is going to be more costly because not only is it a bad shot, but you've just made the hole alot longer.

[ezmorningrebel]

my 3 wood and I don't get along. i'm much more confident in my driver. if i need to be shorter off the tee or want a little more accuracy i'll get out my 19.5* hybrid.