3 wood or 460cc Driver for forgiveness?

If you are looking for control and accuracy, go 3 wood.

If you want distance off the tee, then go driver.

So just so I'm clear, even with the new drivers' huge heads, MOI, etc...a 3 wood is STILL the smarter play for finding the fairway? That's all I care about.

Since you have both a driver AND 3 wood I'm considering, you would say the V-steel is more forgiving off the tee?

Thanks.

For me, the V-Steel is very reliable off the tee when i use it. I can still poke it about 270 with my v-steel AND be in the fairway. When im not in the fairway with it, i didnt make a good swing.

I have a steel shaft in it for even more control.

My 580xd is very forgiving and a pretty decent fairway finder as well. But again, when im not in the fw, its because of me.

More loft is still more forgiving than a big clubhead. The more loft you have, the more backspin will be put on the ball, and the less "room" will be there for sidespin components.

A lot of people who don't swing the driver faster than 95 mph would be better served by using a 3 wood off the tee than a driver.

If you swing the club faster, you should look at getting fit and taking a lesson. It's a good bet that something's amiss either with your current setup or your swing technique that's preventing you from hitting the driver consistently.

Just something to consider- the Lucky 13's for Nike. The Ignite's have a 13* model.

How is your ball striking? Keep in mind the length of the club has a lot to do with your ability to control it- 3wd's in general have more loft and are shorter in length . . . BUT if you can get 460cc's with similar loft at a similar length wouldn't that be more forgiving than 170-190cc's?

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I've never been totally comfortable hitting woods...I'm more of an iron guy. Unlike most people. I actually spend 95% of my range time with irons.

I use my 3 wood to tee off most of the time because I hit it almost as far as my driver.

Began taking lessons a few weeks ago and recently got refitted for new irons. Turns out I need stiff shafts (in my irons, anyway). Which makes sense because what I hate about my old reg flex woods is how whippy they feel.

Anyway, with some time and practice I'll be half decent with the woods. I have pretty decent distance.

As you may have seen in my post about wedges, I'm experimenting with going for "ultra forgiveness" in my game. So if I'm buying I want the one that has the best odds of finding the fairway.

-TJW

If you are looking for a 3W that will mostly be your "Driver" I would highly recommend looking at the Callaway Big Bertha Ti Fairway Woods or the older Great Big Bertha II's (Also a Full Ti Fairway Wood). They are no longer current models so they shouldn't carry their steep $250 price tag anymore. They are incredible off the tee but I found them to be so so off the fairway and useless in anything else. Also, I have yet a find a more forgiving 3 Wood for shots hit off the toe or Heel.

The Big Bertha or Great Big Bertha's almost look like a Ti Driver from 5+ years ago. I used one for the majority of last year as my driver until I finally found a Driver I like.

You can pick up a Great Big Bertha II 3W (16 Deg) for $165 at Callaway Pre-Owned in Like new condition:

http://www.callawaygolfpreowned.com/fwoods-gbb2.html

or $199 for the the Callaway Big Bertha Ti 3W (16 Deg)

http://www.callawaygolfpreowned.com/fwoods-bb-ti.html

I owned both and felt that they are identical excluding the shaft and the color of the club.

Good Luck with whatever you choose,

Thanks.

The reason why we cant hit a driver in the fairway is that the 3 wood and driver setup is really different.

I was really struggling with the driver until I had 2 Online lessons with Chuck Quinton of oneplanegolfswing. The sig shows my old swing, with tendency to go right. My new swing is alot more consistent and further !

If you want forgiving. my suggestion. Play traditional length. and keep the loft up. If you cant really use driver. I suggest go for a 12 deg driver with a short steel shaft like tx-90 often that will do wonders.

Golf is much easier with proper guidance.

I play a 13 * V-Steel t/s (w/ Vista Pro 70 stiff) and a 460cc Cleveland Launcher Comp. 9.5 * (w/ NV65 stiff). On good days they both go straight, but I can attest that the V-Steel is much easier to hit straight when something's a little off. Its just easier to square the face with the smaller head.

You can get one pretty cheap these days too.

If you decide to go with the V-Steel I suggest the 13 * since you don't use it from the fairway. I also highly recommend losing the stock shaft because even in stiff flex its still too whippy.

Good luck.

Arkstorm, that's the perfect comparison I was looking for...thanks.

Evil R1 - Thanks for the suggestion, but I can't play Callaway (I hate Mickelson too much)...

Hayam - I've been on Chuck's forums...good to hear the online lessons are working out...

The T60 will be a great choice for what your looking for. It has a tad deeper face than most 3 wd's, so using it with a tee for a little more height works perfect.

How is the height of the face on most 3-woods? I'm considering moving to a 3-wood instead of a driver, or possibly the Nike Lucky 13* with a shorter shaft. I've been using my 16* Hybrid off the tee, but it plays with my head alot. The height of the face is smaller than the ball and it makes me worry about the forgiveness.

TJW - Thanks for starting the thread, I was about to ask the same question :)

The King Cobra SZ 3+ might also be a good club to consider. It has a 13* loft.

I actually looked at a Cobra 3+ on eBay last night, but started questioning forgiveness relative to a high lofted driver. So here's my latest question.

Which is more forgiving?

A) 10.5 degree driver

B) 13.0 degree 3 wood

It seems that while the slightly less lofted Driver would produce a bit more sidespin, the slightly closed face and massive head size would translate into much more forgiveness than the 3 wood.

Does this make sense?

Thanks.

-TJW

A problem I've been having lately was with set up and alignmet- my feet would be a little closed or square to the target line, but my shoulders and hips would point dead right.

I'd hit it pure, but it's be dead right, so I would think I hit a dead push. Move the ball forward- whack away, still going right . . . so the ball placement ended up way too far forward in relation to my stance and I started hooking it.

Check your alignment and ball placement. Inside of left heel is "different" for each club- as you stance gets wider the ball is further forward compared to the center of your stance.

Eh, another thing you might consider is just spending enough time to maintain what you have with the irons and focus on the weaker points of your game- woods, short game, etc.

I'm getting my handicap down below 20, so for what it's worth...I just picked up the V-steel 4 wood, at 16.5*. It's sweet both off the tee and the fairway. I'm hoping to pick up a 460 driver next, but have been really enjoying this new wood, with steel...

More loft = more accuracy. thats why i went with 10.5 in my G5. i hit it 295-305 and hit my 3 wood about 275. 460cc drivers are easier to hit then a 365 cc driver but your still going to have more fairways with a 3 wood

So a 13* 460cc driver, which is the same length as a 15* 3-wood will be more difficult to control?

Go get a 12+ deg driver and put in a heavy shaft built at 43 inch. sirhackalot uses this and i also tried it . it really works. dont let the short driver length scare you :p. They hit longer trust me.

Its definititely more forgiving and long. Its more forgiving due to the high volume, But meanwhile longer due to the loft.

Generally, people who uses this is having problem that the 3 wood and driver have about the same distance. As much as people hates to hear . Go for a few good lessons and you dont need to go through this.

OK .. another driver if you want something conventional . it works too... your choice. This combo is the most forgiving and long i see, that suites your kind of problem .

Cobra 454 10.5 Comp with the NV standard. or the F speed. Dont be put off by the closed face. Thats also why it works.

Intermediate solution but im not sure if it works for you . Get a super high launch shaft into a 10.5 head, like NVS tipped 1/2 inch. or ys 6 in a right flex.

I know all about this because I was a victim too :) And im telling u what i went through.

Would the Nike Sweet 16 SQ with a shorter shaft be a good idea? Wouldn't this give more loft than a traditional 3-wood, but he more forgiving face of a 460cc. Then the shorter length brings it all together?