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Longer Hitters - How often do you really hit 3W off the deck


golf85

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I used to carry a 3 Wood that i was really comfortable with off the deck, but less so off the tee. I recently switched to the Ping 3W shaft combination in my sig this summer, and it is a beast off the tee, lower spin/trajectory off the tee, and straight (250 yards). Off the deck i dont get the best flight for going at greens, but i have found this situation very rarely presents itself, if i do have the need to go for a green from 240, its likely because i hit a poor tee shot, or its a very long par 5 and is likely protected, asking for a three shot approach. For the 1 shot in 5 rounds i need this, the 3W is serviceable.

Curious to hear what other long hitters put a priority on (tee vs deck) when choosing a 3W.

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I'm probably not in the upper echelon as far as Golfwrx drivers, but I'm a 281 avg on Game Golf.

 

I hit my 3 wood from the fairway maybe once every 2-3 rounds. It got to the point where it was actually counter productive for me to carry one.

 

I have a driving iron I hit off shorter par 4s and if I'm ever outside of 250-260 on a par 5 for my second shot it is very rare that a 3 wood from the deck is the smart play for me. I lay that shot up more often than not on the courses near me which have some greenside protection that makes it not the smartest play.

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I'm a shorter hitter, but no issue elevating the ball of the deck. I've just picked up a G400 stretch to experiment with as it should be better off the tee and I'll get more from it running out than ever having to land it on the green.

Driver: PING G430 MAX 10K 9 Mitsubishi Diamana WB 43X
Fairway Wood: Provisionally PXG 0311 Gen 6 at 15.75 Fujikura Ventus Blue 7S
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen6 19 Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 8S
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen6 22 Fujikura Ventus Blue HB 8S

Irons: PXG 0311P Gen6 5-PW Aerotech Steelfiber i95S

Wedge: Ping S159 50 S, 54 H, 60 T
Putter: Odyssey Tri-Hot 7 CH 34 inches
Ball: Titleist AVX

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I third the above comments. I reacently got a 2017 M1 3hl for these exact reasons. I do have it cranked down to 16° but this setup is so much easier to hit from the deck and I don't feel like I'm giving up any distance at all. My distance from the deck vs from the tee is basically 0 yards. I also play it 1/2" short. My fairway wood experiments are over! Well for now... I may grab a M3 3HL when the price drops lol!

-Taylormade BRNR 11.5* set at 9.5* Ventus Red TR 7X playing 44.25”
-Mizuno STz 230 hybrid 16* set at 15* Ventus Blue 8X

-Mizuno STz 230 hybrid 19* Ventus Blue 9X

-Mizuno JPX 923 Forged4&5, Tour 6-PW Project X LS 6.5
-Titleist Vokey SM9 50F set to 51*, 56D, & 62M set to 61*

-Mizuno M-Craft OMOI Type 1 Blue Putter

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I carry driver 270ish. I hit 3wood off the deck at least once per round. I can hit it high from 245ish or hit it low and get run out to just about 270.

 

Just Saturday I hit it twice off the deck to par 5s. Had 270 and got it to the front edge of a par 5. Then another par 5 I had 280ish and hit it about 30 yards short of the green. Lie dictated the shorter distance on the 2nd par 5.

 

My 3wood is a weapon. I hit it off the tee at least twice a round. It's long and straight...won't ever come out of the bag.

 

I call it my stenson.

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Almost never.

 

It's either a short par 5 I can reach in two with a 4i/5w or it's an insane 600+ that was 3 easy shots for me anyways.

 

Most courses I've played I've maybe ... MAYBE ... wondered about a 3w off the deck but we are talking once in a blue moon.

 

Most people are better off starting at a 4w/5w anyways.

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TBH practically never. I actually don't even carry one unless I'm playing a course over 7400 or longer. The only time I would have an approach yardage that long would be if there was par 5 approaching 600yds+ and/or if there are par 5's in the middle 500yds which force a tee ball with an iron. With driving irons these days, it's pretty much made a 3/4W obsolete for me.

AI Smoke Max @ 7* +8g front weight - Diamana DF 70tx(tipped 1.25”)

BRNR Mini 13.5(@12.5*) 43.25” - Diamana DF 70tx(tipped 1.75”)

TSR 3h 19* - AV Raw White 9x    OR   FliHi 3(19*) - Modus 125x

Edel SMS 4,5 SMS Pro 6-P - PX LS 6.5

Cleveland RTX 6 50/55 - X100

Titleist SM9 60.12 D grind - S400

Piretti Savona 

 

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Rarely. For me it's because it's not worth bringing in the miss a lot of the time and I'm not all that confident in the distance control. I don't carry 3 wood very often anymore for this reason. If I need it on a par 5, I'm probably better off trying to hit my driving iron up there or laying up. I do carry a 5 wood for those awkward 240ish yard carry situations.

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For me I very rarely hit it off the deck. I got a 3-wood I'm confident I can hit straight off the tee and use it probably more frequently than driver.

 

Most reachable par 5's I'm normally left with around 220 yards at most for my second shot. If I'm left with 250+ I either hit a bad tee shot or the hole is meant to be a layup.

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Most reachable par 5's I'm normally left with around 220 yards at most for my second shot. If I'm left with 250+ I either hit a bad tee shot or the hole is meant to be a layup.

 

Pretty much. Most of the time it boils down to whether or not the hole was meant to have a lay up or not. Have seen many par 5's that accommodate both scenarios. Every now and again it's fun to go for the "just out of reach" green as a second shot, granted the tee shot had a good outcome. I lay up on most of the par 5's I play because they're in my throw up zone

[b][color=#8b4513]Wyoming[/color] [color=#ffd700]Cowboys[/color][/b]

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I dropped my 3W and added a 43.5" 13.5 XR driver when I need more control or less distance on a shorter par 4. I base my tee shots off the distance I want to attack the green from or how much trouble is in my landing range. I found the 13.5 XR much more forgiving off the tee than a 13.5/15 3W.

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I'm not a long hitter by internet standards; but don't see many 20 yards past me on the course. Am i still eligible to answer ? :tongue:

 

Barely ever is my answer. Unless its wide open (Par 5 ?) - if i'm that far out i'm not hitting it, and would likely score better day-in and day out by laying up and trying to pitch close.

 

My 3 wood is more tee-based and used as a driver alternative / for shorter par 4 tee-shots etc. If i wanted a more fairway based club - i would firstly get more loft (16 or 17 degrees).

 

Good luck !

PING - G20 - 9.5  degree - Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue - X
BRIDGESTONE J33 (15) - Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue - X
MIZUNO Fli-Hi (17+20) - Grafalloy ProLaunch Blue - X
PING  ZING2 Irons (4-PW) - Black Lie angle - JZ Stiff
CALLAWAY MD3 Black (52+58 deg) DG Pro: S300
RIFE Iconic Three Putter -  343g  / 34.5" / 68 Deg 

TAYLORMADE TP5-X Yellow << 2021 Version >>

 

Regards "Shuv" : sevenfourate's WITB LINK (Click right here):

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I think this year I have hit my 3 wood off the deck 3 times and I have played a lot, 2 times going for par 5s in two and once after duffing a 2 iron on a par 5 off the tee.

 

I use it from the tee a fair bit but my 2 iron gets far more play from the tee and fairway.

 

My 3 wood is the only club that has survived this season!

  • Titleist TSR3 9* Ventus Black 6X
  • Taylormade Sim2 15* Tensei White 80TX
  • TM Stealth 2 Iron or Ping i59 3 iron Project X 7.0
  • Artisan MB 4-9 Project X 7.0
  • Artisan 46*, 50* Project X 6.5
  • Artisan  55*, 60* S400
  • Artisan BlueBonnet Carbon 0217
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grab a 3HL or a 4 wood, hardly any distance loss and a ton more versatility! I use a 3 wood with 16 degrees of loft for this reason, its also a tight lies so its a performer off the turf. That said I'd say when when I really need specific shape off the tee I'll use it, and off the floor its money if needed (note I have a really shallow angle of attack so that may effect a decision.)

G400 LST
TM SLDR TS
Apex UT 18'
Apex MB 18'
RTX 2.0 Raw
Ping Anser Milled

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I hit mine off the deck all the time, even from the box, I rarely use a tee. #1 on a course I play regularly is dogleg left par 5, even from the tips a driver is too much club because of water on corner of the dogleg. 3w off the tee to 265, and 2nd off the fairway I am on in 2 or very close depending on the roll out. Don't see much difference in distance off a tee or the deck.

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My driver carry is right around 305-310, but I rarely hit my driver, mostly because I have a case of the snaphooks. I hit my 3 wood off the tee a majority of the time, but I don't frequently hit it off the fairway. The course I play isn't long enough nor do I trust myself to hit it straight off the deck. LOL

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I may be the outlier. I love my 4W (17*) from the deck, but prefer a hybrid (also 17*) off the tee when driver is too much or there is trouble (see signature). I spray the fairway wood off the tee more and am deadly with the hybrid off the peg, but from the short grass the fairway wins for accuracy, distance, and apex.

Ping G430 LST 9* 
Ping G430 5W 17*

Ping G430 4H 21*

PXG 0211 XCOR2 Dark 6-L

Ping PLD Oslo 3

Titleist Pro V1 Yellow 

 

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Rarely. Its mostly in scrambles. On my home course I'd put my tee to fw ratio at close to 8:1. This is mostly ue to my style of play(cautious) and my home course (only one par 3 and par five per side) In scrambles i never use it off the tee and the just barely use heavenwood more often then the 3 wood off the turf.

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I almost never have to hit my 3w off the deck, unless I completely c0ck up my tee shot.

This happened just the other day on a long par 4 where I usually take a 6 iron off the tee as there is water 200m away, on this day I for whatever reason I hit the fatest 6 iron ever & was so far from the water I just pulled 3w from 250, over water with a downhill lie to a middle flag. Hit it so clean & straight and had a 3 foot putt for birdie.

I usually use my 3w off the tee on long par 4’s or if I decide to lay up on a par5 & not go for it in two.

BTW 3w is my favorite club in the bag.

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I rarely have a 270 yard approach shot that merits the risk. My 5W carries roughly 265-270.

 

Much prefer going at something around 230 yards with a hybrid.

 

  • Ping G400 9* Fujikura Speeder 661 X (+16g head weight)
  • Tour Edge Exotics CB3 Tour 18*, True Temper Bi Matrix RXi X 
  • Adams Idea A7 19* & 22* UST V2 Hybrid X +0.5'
  • Mizuno MP20 HMB 4i KBS C-Taper 130X +0.5' 2 deg up
  • Mizuno MP20 MMC 5-7 Nippon Modus 3 130X +0.5' 2 deg up
  • Mizuno MP20 MB 8-PW Nippon Modus 3 130X +0.5' 2 deg up
  • Cleveland RTX3 V-MG 50* TT S400 +0.5'
  • Nike Engage Raw 54* TT S400 +0.5'
  • Cleveland RTX 588 Rotex 2.0 60* TT S400 +0.5'
  • EVNROLL 2.2 35' Super Stroke GTR 1.0

 

 

 

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I used to carry a 3 Wood that i was really comfortable with off the deck, but less so off the tee. I recently switched to the Ping 3W shaft combination in my sig this summer, and it is a beast off the tee, lower spin/trajectory off the tee, and straight (250 yards). Off the deck i dont get the best flight for going at greens, but i have found this situation very rarely presents itself, if i do have the need to go for a green from 240, its likely because i hit a poor tee shot, or its a very long par 5 and is likely protected, asking for a three shot approach. For the 1 shot in 5 rounds i need this, the 3W is serviceable.

Curious to hear what other long hitters put a priority on (tee vs deck) when choosing a 3W.

 

It’s odd you get low launch/spin with the DJ. It profiles just the opposite. I don’t know why so many people have such an either/or issue with their 3 Woods. Most of the longer hitters on this forum profile similar to tour pros. Tour pros have 3 Woods they are comfortable hitting both of the tee and deck. I would surmise most people on here with the either/or issue are not being properly fit for their 3 Woods.

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