I can't hit my 3 wood off the deck :(

[LSeca]

Does anyone have any advise on what I can do to get the ball up in the air and down the fairway? I am hitting very low hooks off the grass (sometimes spinning left sharply), but teeing it up isn't an issue at all. Lately, I have been using my 18* hybrid because I have no faith in my ability with the 3 wood.

I have been to the range and practiced off grass (no mat). I am getting frustrated, one in ten shots will be decent. Again, off the T is fine but off the grass things get ugly. Any suggestions welcome and thanks in advance.

[supercow]

Normally, I find that I have one of either two problems when this is occuring. First, is if I start 'picking the club up'. Basically, I start using my hands/wrists to move the club back instead of my shoulders. This means that there is little time spent sweeping through the contact area and I have to use my hands in the contact area to make reasonable contact. A good thought about to counteract this is to think about the clubface compressing the ball down the target line for about 5 inches from behind to in front of the ball.

Other possibility is that I just take the club back too far inside on the takeaway. Once again, this is often due to use the hands at the beginning of the takeaway instead of my larger muscles such as the shoulders.

[TheGolfer]

Try getting a new three wood, it is most likely lost confidence from the one you have. That or see a pro. Or visit Golf tips
http://www.golftipsmag.com/

[putterboy]

The 3 wood is one of the most difficult clubs to hit off the fairway. I was advised during my fitting it is because the size of the 3 wood head nowadays.

You may want to read the review on Callaway X Hot. Apparently it does well on the tee box and fairway

http://thesandtrap.com/equipment/clu...ay_wood_review

[iacas]

The 3 wood is one of the most difficult clubs to hit off the fairway. I was advised during my fitting it is because the size of the 3 wood head nowadays.

I'd advise against the X Hot. Dave (the reviewer) is a scratch golfer and reviews it as such. The extra length and lighter weight are tough to handle for a 15. Even the 906F4 might be a better choice with the right shaft.

[gogolfing]

I had the same problem a few years ago; I went to a Ping demo day with a launch monitor to look at a G5 3 wood. The pro on the launch monitor snuck in a 5 wood on me, and I had no problem getting it into the air, and the distance wasn't that far off. He told me I should go for that and put in a 3 wood shaft to get some extra distance with the longer shaft. I did this and have been really happy with it. It's good off both the tee and the deck.

[CG031]

Bobby Jones woods are soo easy to hit with the shallow face on them. Very different design then your standard Ping, Callaway, etc. woods. I've had it since I was a 30 handicap and I've been good with it since.

[kurtwainwright]

It seems to me that the folks chiming in are low-handicap golfers giving advice on equipment replacement, swing tips, etc. But I'm going to touch on something else.

As a 24-handicapper, I see nothing at all wrong with using a hybrid off the deck. I have the same problem that you do. So what if I can't hit a 3-wood on the fairway... I can hit my 17* hybrid iron off the deck and send the ball 190 yds downrange. Granted, this is not as far as a properly swung 3-wood, but it is forward progress.

There are so many things to think about out there -- why not just go with the club that you can hit the best in the given situation?

[CG031]

It seems to me that the folks chiming in are low-handicap golfers giving advice on equipment replacement, swing tips, etc. But I'm going to touch on something else.

Yeah, I know a lot of people who couldn't hit a 3 wood when they were a 15-30 handicap, but then they got their swing better, playing more, etc. and now they are 5 or better, and they hit their woods great. Just go with what works now and keep using the woods on the range.

[LSeca]

Thanks for chiming in all, it's good to see I am not the only one and it isn't uncommon. I spent an hour after 18 holes working on this club, I am determined to make it work well for me.

Bobby Jones woods are soo easy to hit with the shallow face on them. Very different design then your standard Ping,

I just bought the new G10 3 wood and I would say the face is every bit as shallow as my old G2 5 wood, it very small for a three. The issue is my ability, my swing, and now my confidence with it. I wish I had teh opportunity to try out one of the Bobby Jones woods, thanks for the tip though.

There are so many things to think about out there -- why not just go with the club that you can hit the best in the given situation?

Yup, I was using the 18* Rapture today in place of the 3 wood with pretty good results. I guess it's my mentality about having the 3 wood and not being able to use it, yet. I am one of those more compulsive types that has to know I can use everything in my bag.

[TheGolfer]

Maybe you are hitting down into it too much, like an iron, try sweeping it more.

[Sowbug2000]

Bobby Jones woods are soo easy to hit with the shallow face on them. Very different design then your standard Ping, Callaway, etc. woods. I've had it since I was a 30 handicap and I've been good with it since.

I use the Taylormade Burner 3 wood....it also has a shallow face and is good (for me) off the deck and off the tee....but with the shallow face don't tee it up very high at all.

I would also recommend trying a 5 wood. With current technology, 5 wood may be the ticket for straighter and farther (compared to 3 wood, for you). I couldn't really hit my old Taylormade Bubble 3 wood....but when I tried this Burner.....WHOA!!

[clstrat]

contrary to what some might say, my advice is to get DOWN on that bad boy. even with the long irons and fairway woods, the ball will not go UP if you ain't hitting down on it. you can flip it a little with your wrists, or have a 100% perfectly timed shallow sweeping motion, but the percentage shot is a nice little pop downward into the back of the ball. it's pretty hard to take a divot with a 3 wood (when you hit the ball first) so don't be afraid of the ground.

[putterboy]

I had the same problem a few years ago; I went to a Ping demo day with a launch monitor to look at a G5 3 wood. The pro on the launch monitor snuck in a 5 wood on me, and I had no problem getting it into the air, and the distance wasn't that far off. He told me I should go for that and put in a 3 wood shaft to get some extra distance with the longer shaft. I did this and have been really happy with it. It's good off both the tee and the deck.

Exactly what they said to me at my ping fitting...interesting

[TheGolfer]

contrary to what some might say, my advice is to get DOWN on that bad boy. even with the long irons and fairway woods, the ball will not go UP if you ain't hitting down on it. you can flip it a little with your wrists, or have a 100% perfectly timed shallow sweeping motion, but the percentage shot is a nice little pop downward into the back of the ball. it's pretty hard to take a divot with a 3 wood (when you hit the ball first) so don't be afraid of the ground.

Yes hit down on it, but not as much as a long iron, or even a hybrid, hitting down too much leads to inconsistent shots.

[Logie]

Hi,

Having had this problem with my 3 wood and driver recently (3W used to be my secreat weapon aswell) i know how you feel and how frustrating it can be.

In my case it was pretty simple and it just required going back to a few basics!

Setup: I put the ball inline with the logo on my left breast/chest

Posture: I was setting up like i was about to hit a 7i. bit too much knee flex, bit too much bend from the hips. So i setup nice and tall and with a little less knee flex.

Backswing: Slowed the backswing down a bit, i found with the incorrect posture and a quick backswing i was swaying making it difficult to get in the correct position to deliver the club.

Top of the swing: This was the biggest factor i would say. At the top of my swing i was letting the club go really flat. Its hard to explain, i was getting to the top and my wrist was collapsing i think the term is.

If you can imagine the swing plane as a hoolahoop around you at a 45 degree angle. Lets say for example thats the perfect swing place. With a flat plane, change the angle to say 15 degrees.

If you can picture that, its quite easy to imagine how your going to deliver the club head. Its going be comming to the ball low and from around your body which = low hook.

To sum it up. Start from scratch. Get a nice posture sorted, place the ball off the logo on the left side of your shirt.

Slow the back swing and get it more verticle. For the backswing think "Back and up"

If you get to verticle, the ball will slice but you should see much better hight ! and a few tweaks will see you on the proper plane

[CaptainCrash]

Hi,

Great tips here, thanks alot for this.

[laconic517]

ive had this problem up until a few days ago where i sort of remembered how i had fixed it before.

Stand slightly closer to the ball with the ball forward off of the inside of your left heel (assuming you are right handed)

Take a slightly shorter backswing (with good tempo) maybe just less than full. Try to swing smooth and easy and you should be alright. Id sucked with my 3 wood with these huge hooks for a while until i decided i needed to fix it. I still hit them roughly as far off of the fairway as I was when I was hitting them well before, although off the tee i probably lost 10 yards on it (But i can swing harder on the tee if i want)

I dunno if this will help you or not, I was flushing my 3 wood fine but it would go 10 feet off the ground with a sharp hook, it was sick the better i hit it the worse the result.