Tired of People Hating on the 3-iron

[Wisco-Kid]

I have hit some "sick" shots with my 3 iron, however it is much to inconsistent to me. It is all about what clubs you can score with. I have a better chance at scoring with my lob wedge so that is what is in my bag.

[marpr]

Is it possible to hit a "knock down" hybrid? Sometimes on windy days I like to hit low "knock down" 190-200 yard tee shots with my 3 iron that probably dont get more than 20 feet off the ground. I have a feeling that hybrids might be prone to ballooning.

i can't seem to keep my hybrid down either. i prefer, from the fairway > my 2-iron of the same loft.

[ezmoney5150]

I love the 3 iron. But when I hit a weak block to the right rough on a long par 4, I can't hit the green from 190 out of the rough. Now if its dry out and the rough is managable I'll take the hybrid out and use the 3.

Pine Hills in Hinkley, Ohio is a perfect example. If you miss the fairway, the rough is managable. Plus the two of the par three's, if it's windy, I need a 3 iron.

[PGHDC5]

i just got my 695 blades and love the 3 iron. i had cavity backs before, and hated my 3 iron. i dont understand!!1!

[turkish54]

I absolutely love my 3-iron, though I do need to get a hybrid 2 iron/5 wood. I hit my 3 from the tee, fairway or pretty much anywhere. For some reason it is my security blanket on the golf course. I thought I lost it once, damn near went crazy. Does anyone have a suggestion on a good hybrid. I have not been opposed to adding one to my bag, I'm just relictant to try something new I guess. So any help at all, I would appreciate it.

[joseywales]

I even carry a 2 iron in my bag just because their are a few local courses I play that call for it off the tee and I just can't seem to get comfortable over the ball with a hybrid. I seem to always block the ball and with a 2 or 3, the ball just seems to be more consistent. I think it just comes down to level of comfort and confidence.

[meenman]

It seems that a lot of the bigger retailers are trying to steer people away from the 3 iron. When i bought my set it came 4-aw, so for xmas i asked for a matching sw and 3i. Both Edwin Watts and Dick's talked my wife out of getting the 3i, saying it is being phased out along with the 4i in most sets. I have relented and bought a 3 hybrid, but I will never give up my 4i - it is probably the iron i hit the best behind my 7i.

[oneil003]

I semi-recently got the titleist 755's 4-pw. When I bought them I wanted a 3-iron, so I asked them if they could order one for me. No joke, for 5 minutes the cashier tried convincing me not to buy a 3i because it was "worthless" in his opinion.

[lamebums]

I do just about everything imaginable wrong with a hybrid in my hands (top, weak push, shank even) - I don't get the hate on the long irons, either. If it weren't for my 3 iron, I'd still be a 20 handicap. And I hit the ball high already (getting it in the air with the 3 iron is no problem) so a hybrid would end up somewhere in the stratosphere.

[Steaksauce]

I just started using a blade 2 iron recently and I can hit that straighter and more consistantly than my 5 wood, so once I make my golf team in 2 weeks I can get them reshafted to steel (Ben Hogan Apex 3 Graphite right now).

Also I've been hitting it at the driving range in 40-50 degree weather with lots of wind so I can't wait to see how I hit it once my breath is no longer visible.

[duffer]

The lack of 3i is yet another reason I've got buyer's remorse. I purchased my MX-19s last year wanting more game improvement than I probably needed. I should have gotten the MX-25s and could have enjoyed taking the 3i off the tee on occasion.

[hurley9192]

I don't hate my 3 and 4 irons, but I basically got to the point where I was hitting about 2 in 10 greens with them in hand so they weren't helping anyway. I got a 17 degree hybrid for the 2-3 gap and a 23 degree hybrid for my 3-5 iron gap. I can manufacture shots with each pretty well.

The thing that eliminated the need for 3 irons in most sets is that they strengthened the lofts so much that basically a 3 iron in most retail sets is the equivalent of yesteryear's 2 irons and the 4 is the 3 iron. If you take the majority of 10+ handicappers and tracked their percentages with their 4 iron, you would see that they miss quite a few greens with that club and it probably doesn't help them to carry a 3 and a 4 iron. They basically hit it the same distance and are probably as accurate with both. The problem is the once in a blue moon perfect shot that flew 215 with their 3 iron so they think they should keep it for their 210 club.

[TourSpoon]

I like my new 3 iron, especially off the tee. I used it twice last weekend and can count on 220-230 off the tee because of the low trajectory and run.

[DougM]

My 3 iron still has the wrapper on it after 6 months!!! The course I am playing at was built by a designer that wants you to fly the ball over junk in front of the greens all the time. I bet you the players that are lucky enough to get to play links golf still love their 3 iron. I am stuck hitting a ' Bobby Jones hybrid' so high that I can't even see the darn thing until it lands.

Its the curse of Jack Nicklaus... high and land soft.... when he does it looks so much nicer!!!!

[kwijyboy]

I never used my 3 iron until I got properly fitted. 2* up and +1". Before that, it went the same distance as my 4. Now, I really like hitting it. Great confidence and much better predictability of where the ball will go as compared to my 2H or 3H.

I have tried many different hybrids, Ping, Nickent, MacTec, Callaway Heavenwood, Cobra Baffler, Callaway Fusion...while they are easy to hit, I have great variability on how far they go. I am most likely hitting them wrong. I still have a Cobra and Fusion 2H and 3H respectively, but will not remove the Ping G2 3HL iron.

I had to remove a wedge to keep a hybrid and the 3HL. I used to have PW(47), UW (50.5), SW(56), LW(61), now I have PW, 53, 59. While it is a luxury to have 4 wedges, I usually leave the cart with the wrong one. I am gonna work on doing everything around the green with the 59.

[PutterHead]

I actually had no problem hitting my 3 iron. It was a Ping G2 HL, so it was easier than a standard 3, but i took it out last year in favour of a Halo 3i (22º). The hybrid, to me, has a lot more uses. Much easier from deep stuff, tee box, bunkers etc...This winter, i replaced my 4HL & 5 wood, with a Cobra Baffler (18º) and then added back my 60º lob wedge. The hybrids are just much more versatile for a higher handicapper like me, but my 3 & 4 are not far away if needed.

[PutterHead]

I have tried many different hybrids, Ping, Nickent, MacTec, Callaway Heavenwood, Cobra Baffler, Callaway Fusion...while they are easy to hit, I have great variability on how far they go.

I was hitting my hybrids like my woods, but i recently read in a golf mag that they should be struck like irons?

[Bowker]

The lowest iron I carry is a 4i, which I hit pretty well and consistantly.

I really need to try out a 3i and see what it's like (I've never even tried hitting one)