Replacing my 3W & 5W with a 3H??

[Mr. Desmond]

Your dad is probably an exception due to his extensive experience. It is somewhat rare to see people striping their 3W off the deck on the driving range. It's more like watching a crap shoot. One or two good shots followed by two or more crappy ones each followed by a few expletives. I think more people con themselves into thinking they can hit their 3W off the deck than not.

The OP asked about using the 3W off the tee. So, if I hit a hybrid off the tee it tends to carry and not run a lot, while a 3W will run a lot more. The carry is about 10-15 yards less than the 3W, but the total distance can be a lot more unless it's just the way I hit it and low handicap can hit it better.

On the course, it depends on the lie. I am no long hitter, still leaving yards on the table and I know where they are but this is a process (spinny head and shaft, swing work - need to finish my swing) --  on a 400 yd hole that was narrow - 200 off the tee, 197 off a flat deck on a humid, wet course, and have a 9 footer left for birdie...

If I have a decent lie -- relatively flat or slightly uphill - I will hit 3 wood. At this point in my swing development, if it's not flattish (ball above or below, downhill) a mistake will ensue. I am better off with a mid-iron to put myself in position for a shortish shot at the pin.

So it depends on the lie - at a muni or semi-private near home, I get more flat lies. On courses I play in Florida that a Davis Love III or Tom Watson designed, nothing was flat, and I need to show intelligence.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Your dad is probably an exception due to his extensive experience. It is somewhat rare to see people striping their 3W off the deck on the driving range. It's more like watching a crap shoot. One or two good shots followed by two or more crappy ones each followed by a few expletives. I think more people con themselves into thinking they can hit their 3W off the deck than not.

The OP asked about using the 3W off the tee. So, if I hit a hybrid off the tee it tends to carry and not run a lot, while a 3W will run a lot more. The carry is about 10-15 yards less than the 3W, but the total distance can be a lot more unless it's just the way I hit it and low handicap can hit it better.

On the course, it depends on the lie. I am no long hitter, still leaving yards on the table and I know where they are but this is a process (spinny head and shaft, swing work) --  on a 400 yd hole that was narrow - 200 off the tee, 197 off a flat deck on a humid, wet course, and have a 9 footer left for birdie...

If I have a decent lie -- relatively flat or slightly uphill - I will hit 3 wood. At this point in my swing development, if it's not flattish, a mistake will ensue. I am better off with a mid-iron to put myself in position for a shot at the pin on the next shot.

Depends on the lie - at a muni or semi-private near home, I get more flat lies. On courses I play in Florida that Davis Love and Tom Watson designed, nothing was flat, and I need to be intelligent.

I can see that there are a lot of experienced golfers that depend upon their 3W a lot and get good hitting it off the deck. Unfortunately, I rarely see very flat lies on the fairway 200 or 200+ yards away from the green so I have no real opinion on the matter.

However, I think the 3W is a good club to keep in your bag especially when it can be used up to 4 or even more in some cases a round.

[Mr. Desmond]

I can see that there are a lot of experienced golfers that depend upon their 3W a lot and get good hitting it off the deck. Unfortunately, I rarely see very flat lies on the fairway 200 or 200+ yards away from the green so I have no real opinion on the matter.

However, I think the 3W is a good club to keep in your bag especially when it can be used up to 4 or even more in some cases a round.

Agree - I suggest we all find an easy to hit adjustable 3 wood that is LONG off the tee and friendly off the deck. Since we are all different body types and swing, that choice will be different.

I was using the Callaway V Series for the last year - very friendly and great when going through a swing change. After two rounds on Watson's course at the Conservatory on the Palm Coast, FL (very nice and friendly staff - Hammock Beach), I knew that the lack of finishing my swing and some flipping was costing me easy yards, even though I was spinning the V Series too much on good shots.

Came home, analyzed, drilled on changes, ordered equipment for the next few years, and go forward ... with more drills. Still will not hit a 3 wood on a ball above my feet lie ... lol ... that is a sickening shot for me, but when the fairway is narrow with danger, a long 3 wd off the tee is a great percentage fwy shot, and off the deck, I can see using it 3X. So 5-6X per round is possible, more depending on the lie.

To the OP, find a long 3 wood, and get a comfy 3H that's easy to hit for you.

[Dave2512]

Agree - I suggest we all find an easy to hit adjustable 3 wood that is LONG off the tee and friendly off the deck. Since we are all different body types and swing, that choice will be different.

I don't know my vote goes to this. It's a damn versatile, long and surprisingly easy to hit off nasty lies. I averaged 236 with it off the tee and deck combined. It's a beast. Never thought I'd stop using it but bringing driver and hybrids back into my setup has my scores dropping.

[saevel25]

I don't know my vote goes to this. It's a damn versatile, long and surprisingly easy to hit off nasty lies. I averaged 236 with it off the tee and deck combined. It's a beast. Never thought I'd stop using it but bringing driver and hybrids back into my setup has my scores dropping.

That thing is just a strange cool club. For me it doesn't fit in my game. I like it, I just don't see it really.

[Dave2512]

That thing is just a strange cool club. For me it doesn't fit in my game. I like it, I just don't see it really.

I like it but it I have driver issues so it was a good compromise. My best to worst driver difference during a round is as much as a 100 yards some days. The Kick X tightened it up for me.

[newtogolf]

How about a 4 wood and 3 hybrid? Another option would be a 2 hybrid.

I pulled my 60* wedge out of my bag so I could carry Driver, 3w, 5w, 3h, 4h.  I hit my 3w & 5w well off the tee and the fairway but my 5w provides a higher trajectory than my 3h so it's less likely to roll off the green but it's not as good out of the rough.   Since I'm lefty not many options for a 4w but if I found one I hit as well as my XR's I'd go with that and put the 60* back in the bag.

[onthehunt526]

How about a 4 wood and 3 hybrid? Another option would be a 2 hybrid. I pulled my 60* wedge out of my bag so I could carry Driver, 3w, 5w, 3h, 4h.  I hit my 3w & 5w well off the tee and the fairway but my 5w provides a higher trajectory than my 3h so it's less likely to roll off the green but it's not as good out of the rough.   Since I'm lefty not many options for a 4w but if I found one I hit as well as my XR's I'd go with that and put the 60* back in the bag.

Elmer, +1 to newtogolf, I agree 4w, 3h is a good combo... Hell, I like it... Even though I have 3w, 3h, 4h in the bag at the moment.

[Elmer]

I don't know less about reliable than it's not a shot people should face frequently if they are playing tees appropriate to their skill. And they can get by with something safer and more consistent. IMO it's akin to your worst putt better than your best chip when close to the green line of thinking. If your mishit is minimized hitting a 3h it's a better plan than risking hitting a 3w that could travel 150 or 230 with all kinds of ugly in between. If it's a club being used for second shots on par 5's and better strategy on short par 4's giving up 20 or so yards should still get someone into short iron territory for the next shot.

I have had this debate with my old man for ages. I have always been of the belief that the closer you are the more you minimize your chance of missing.

I prefer to crush a drive and have a 2nd shot that is 125 yards or less. He prefers his 2nd shot to be 150.

I always think that at 125 or less if I miss I am still within 125 yards to the green

If you miss at 150....

(obviously there is more to this, but you get the general idea)

with that said if I miss with my 3 wood the end result has endless possibilites. I have shanked a 3 wood, 3 fairways over.

But I always look at my 3W, 5W and 4H as eating up yards on long par 5's.

I dont have a accuracy to get to the pin in 2, but I can eat up the yards and let me short game stick it close!

I can see that there are a lot of experienced golfers that depend upon their 3W a lot and get good hitting it off the deck. Unfortunately, I rarely see very flat lies on the fairway 200 or 200+ yards away from the green so I have no real opinion on the matter.

However, I think the 3W is a good club to keep in your bag especially when it can be used up to 4 or even more in some cases a round.

A 3 wood off the tee can still be a 2nd driver.

Agree - I suggest we all find an easy to hit adjustable 3 wood that is LONG off the tee and friendly off the deck. Since we are all different body types and swing, that choice will be different.

I was using the Callaway V Series for the last year - very friendly and great when going through a swing change.

To the OP, find a long 3 wood, and get a comfy 3H that's easy to hit for you.

I bought my Burner 3 wood back in the mid 2000's when I first started golfing. I think it was on sale which is the reason for its purchase.

The head is just big, which makes it tough to hit off the deck. The head is so big people mistake it for my driver.

Where as my 5 wood has a nice small head.

I would prefer to hit my 5 wood and be a few yards shorter than my 3 wood. Then mis hit my 3 wood.

[Mr. Desmond]

How about a 4 wood and 3 hybrid? Another option would be a 2 hybrid.

I pulled my 60* wedge out of my bag so I could carry Driver, 3w, 5w, 3h, 4h.  I hit my 3w & 5w well off the tee and the fairway but my 5w provides a higher trajectory than my 3h so it's less likely to roll off the green but it's not as good out of the rough.   Since I'm lefty not many options for a 4w but if I found one I hit as well as my XR's I'd go with that and put the 60* back in the bag.

I think you and I change the top of our bags on a regular bas

I have had this debate with my old man for ages. I have always been of the belief that the closer you are the more you minimize your chance of missing.

I prefer to crush a drive and have a 2nd shot that is 125 yards or less. He prefers his 2nd shot to be 150.

I always think that at 125 or less if I miss I am still within 125 yards to the green

If you miss at 150....

(obviously there is more to this, but you get the general idea)

with that said if I miss with my 3 wood the end result has endless possibilites. I have shanked a 3 wood, 3 fairways over.

But I always look at my 3W, 5W and 4H as eating up yards on long par 5's.

I dont have a accuracy to get to the pin in 2, but I can eat up the yards and let me short game stick it close!

A 3 wood off the tee can still be a 2nd driver.

I bought my Burner 3 wood back in the mid 2000's when I first started golfing. I think it was on sale which is the reason for its purchase.

The head is just big, which makes it tough to hit off the deck. The head is so big people mistake it for my driver.

Where as my 5 wood has a nice small head.

I would prefer to hit my 5 wood and be a few yards shorter than my 3 wood. Then mis hit my 3 wood.

Yes, I hear you.

Lots of options with adjustable fairways. For example, you can adjust the loft on some from 14-17 if you wanted to make a 3 wood more versatile, and then cut the length to 42.5 inches for 5 wood shaft length, with that day's  loft depending on the progress of your swing.

[WUTiger]

the hybrid shaft is typically a couple of inches shorter than the wood -- so the wood will be longer and a generally higher flight. ...

A local golf pro found his 5W was more reliable than his 3W, and that the 5W came within 15 yards of 3W distance. He dropped the 3W, kept the 5W.

Originally Posted by Grumpter

Adjustable loft 2 Hybrid rather than a 3H?

Clubfitters tend to say that the 3H is the "truth" hybrid for many a  golfer. Either you can hit a 3H, or you can't.

Many hybrid models only have the 2H in the pro or tour head, because you need quite a bit of clubhead speed to get it launched - especially from the rough. Examples of models with 2H: Callaway XR Pro and BB Alpha 815 // TaylorMade R15 yes, but Aeroburners no.

Suggestion: Keep the 5W, drop the 3W.

[newtogolf]

I think you and I change the top of our bags on a regular bas

Yeah, I am always looking for a distance edge from new clubs and I'm a bit of an equipment ho.  I have yet to find any fairway woods or hybrids that could kick out the XR's and believe me I've tried.

[rkim291968]

If nobody hasn't suggest it, why not carry 2H?   You can grip it short to use it as 3H, and you can use it as 3w.

[trey3d]

I hit my driver 240 -260 3w 200-240 4h 190-220 i had a 3h but the 3w took its place. A xtd ti adams with the loft adjusted to up. I never take it off the tee, I'm more consistent with the driver. Didnt even use the 3w today, but I was striping my 4h 210-220 all day on par 5s. I found the longer I hit my driver the less a wood comes into play. I used to play 3-5-7 woods and hit them great. When I started to hit my driver over 210 I lost the strikng that I had with the woods.