Best 3wood off the deck for 2020

[revanant]

My cobra F8 is automatic off the deck set at 15.5–The Baffler rails really work.

I’m sure the speedzone is similarly excellent. The F8 added a whole new dimension to my game.

[Thinnedit]

I've got an epic flash 3w turned up to 16⁰ with the draw setting on the optifit hosel.

When I got fitted for it I went I thinking I was going to get a 5w lofted down 1⁰. After hitting both of the heads the fitting showed that I required something with a closed face as it helped turn my extended fade into a straight to draw ball flight.

Saying all that, Don't rule out anything until you've tried it.

[bc20]

ping was amazing but the head was a bit flat for me. TM SIM was equally forgiving for me as well!

[10of14]

This tends to be the Achilles heel of my golf bag. Now with the Cobra SZ fairway, I have a ton of confidence in launching high, long shots of the turf. The Tensei Blue shaft was the perfect fit and I play mine at 14.5*. BTW, it is as good off the tee too. Good luck.

[gambit]

F9 is the easiest thing I’ve ever hit off the deck.

[third-times-a-charm]

This is where I'm at. Epic Flash 3w at +1 but I'm sticking with the N setting still.

tbh the 'best 3 wood off the deck' for me was me learning HOW to actually hit a 3w off the deck. Now I can hit ANY 3w off the deck.

[dmeeksDC]

+1. If you want easiest off the deck, you should add Cobra F9 or SZ to your list.

[Kaiser00]

Ive got a F7 Cobra lofted down to 13 deg. Can only hit low hooky/ draws to about 230 yds. Need something with higher flight that can squeeze another 10 yds. I’ve never put it my bag now as my 18 deg Hybrid can do 215-220 with good control. Someone suggested the Ping G400 range, perhaps as thats my driver.

 

[10of14]

As stated in my earlier post, the new Cobra SPEEDZONE is awesome off the deck and for that matter, the tee too. I always cringed when hitting a fairway metal, but not with this beast!

 

[krutoi]

Try Mavrik Max. FW. I think it's easier off the deck than G410.

[endy]

G410/G410 LST

[myspinonit]

Yup.. Ping 17.5 turned down to 16.5 in my bag too I just got the 410, but liked the G 5 wood like that and still play the G 7wood opened.

OP, the older Ping G might be a fairly inexpensive experiment if you can find a used one on-line. Lowering loft opens the face, and the loft only changes if you return the club to square at impact. So especially if a slice is your miss you might want to play the club at standard or manuaslly close the club to square rather than gripping it as it is soled. I'm going to go on a limb though to say you might not lose any or just a few yards by leaving it at stock. 17.5 is almost modern 4 wood loft anyway and 1/2 inch shorter shaft than 3 wood helps contact and is playable from more lies.

Keeping the ball in play and out of trouble and saving shots 75 yards and in will drop your handicap and increase enjoyment the fastest IMO. Playing one fairway wood , a 5 or "4ish" wood and choking down a bit for 5W distance shots might help that and give you the option of say an extra wedge, or maybe a 7W that you might find becomes your favorite distance club.

[SAM_PGA]

@MarcellusW Alot of great advise thus far. TBH, at your handicap and swing speed, the best 3w off the deck is going to be a 5 wood. Your handicap strongly suggests your ability to find the center of the face on a consistent basis is low, so you need forgiveness and loft. I would suggest the Ping G400 for its amazing forgiveness and decreased cost as a previous gen clubhead. Another option if you use the lowest lofted fwy from the tee would be a 4w as many have suggested, something around 16º. Most of my fittings with higher hdcps or slower swing speed layers has been a fwy combo of 4w/7w as compared to the traditional 3w/5w. Finally, STRONGLY suggest to "choke up" a 1/2" on every club in your bag. Hope this helps and good luck!

[jmiller3483]

I second this. Fairway woods have ALWAYS been an Achilles heel for me. Went many years without bagging one until midway through last year. Put a rogue 3w in and started out ok before tanking with it. Got a super hybrid just before Xmas. While I haven’t had it in the course yet (Michigan) been to the range/simulator a few times and it SEEMS much easier to hit with only slight loss of max distance (With a fw only seemed to happen 10% of the time for me anyway!)

[Moses1992]

I'd recommend a Cobra F9. Again, with the rails and the hot feel off the face, its so easy to launch, and the distance is insane! Plus I think the sound is one of the best from all that I've tested.

[dlygrisse]

4 Wood

5 wood and maybe deloft it a bit, basically turning it into a 4 wood. I do this with my Ping G410, these have shallow faces and are easy to get in the air.

Callaway Heavenwood, Most people can carry these as far off the deck as anything. It's a 4 wood head and shaft with 7 wood loft. Very forgiving and longer than you might think off the deck.

[chch3]

I agree with everyone that has posted here about carrying a 5 wood. In this day and age with how far clubs go, there is no need to carry a 3 wood. Get something in the 17 or 18 degree range the plays around 42 inches and you won't be disappointed.

[Jblom2003]

I have a Callaway Epic Flash Heavenwood. Putting a heavenwood in the bag is a very understated move in my opinion. 20 degrees of loft with a three wood shaft. No effort needed at all to hit it high and long.

[agood3putt]

I just got a PING G410 5w and changed the loft to 16.5* and its super easy to hit off the deck. I may change it back to the 17.5* loft as Im hitting it a smidge too close to 3W distance.

[tgoodspe1991]

With a 95mph driver swing speed you are probably going to find that most 3W are hard to get up in the air. That’s not enough speed in the fairway wood area to properly launch lower lofted clubs.

You said you’re going to get fit, which is good, but definitely make sure you test distances of 5W, 4W, and 3W. My guess is you’ll find better results from a 4/5 wood because of the inherent increased launch.

Besides, you don’t necessarily need a low lofted fairway. It’s probably hurting your game more than it’s helping.

[Jifmoli]

The 4w advice is sound I'd say but how about a 2 hybrid? Not your question I know but a similar lofted hybrid I find much easier to hit of the deck.

At 24hc, I am far from talented and thouvh I have a 3w (Nike Covert 2.0) I only hit it off the deck if the lie is very soft. If even slightly buried I pull out a hybrid which is so much easier from any lie really.

Having said that, I am close to buying a M6 3w to finish my M series woods (M2 driver, M1 4h) as it is better of the tee than a hybrid when the driver doesn't work.

Last comment: personally a large wood I can't hit off the deck, it has to look compact and flattish. I don't make big divots generally so a large wood looks too cumbersome to me.

Good luck finding one!

[chch3]

Good advice here. The Callaway super hybrid could be a candidate. I think it is about 17* at 42 inches. TXG just did a video of this about fitting guys to a strong hybrid instead of a fairway wood.

Here is the video:

[Rapidcat]

For context, I have a 105mph driver ss and fairly quick tempo and hit my current 3 wood (Srixon F45 set at 15.5 deg loft) well with enough height to be ok. Not the easiest club to hit though, I bag it when swinging well only or condition specific as it really is a fairway only club for me, I use it rarely off the tee.

I have been experimenting though with a 5 wood head in a strong 3 wood length shaft (Srixon F45 lofted down from 19 deg to 18 deg, shaft is an AXE Xcaliber 6+ stiff) and have found that be be an interesting alternative. I carry it as far as my 3 wood but with greater height but with less run and the extra loft means it is a little easier to hit and more versatile from less perfect lies. I might sacrifice 10 to 15 yards in total distance (all run) but get better consistency and the extra height is great hitting into greens for stop.

Also, I hit a draw so lofting down doesn't accentuate that shot shape which is good for me.

One thing to note that I've never seen mentioned if you consider a 5 wood head in a 3 wood shaft is the lie difference of 1 degree more upright in the 5 wood head (58 deg vs 57 deg for my Srixons). I have high hands through the ball so play with upright lie settings anyway but that won't suit everyone.

[HappyGilmore22]

I never found myself a great 3 wood hitter off the deck until I bought a TS3, and it's even better off the tee. I'm a high launch and spin player with higher swing speed and play it at 14.25 deg so if you're slower or struggle to launch I'd only assume the TS2 is even easier to hit and launch off the deck at 15 or 16.5 deg.

[18thbunker]

I just started playing TM M5 3 wood....actually quite easy to launch that ball into orbit..

[grm24]

There is no one "best" consensus club whether it's a driver, 3 wood off the deck, putter, wedge, shaft, etc There are only opinions. While you may get some great suggestions in this thread of clubs to try the only way to find the best for YOU is to try clubs on your own.

[shoot4par]

I think this really needs to emphasized. Best regarding a club is like saying there's only one way to swing a club. Get fit.

[Funkster]

I am a 16.5 HC with 100mph swing and I recently had a fitting at Club Champion, I tried everything and found the new Callaway Mavrik 3w to be the easiest for me. I was really hoping to fit the Taylormade SIM in both Driver and 3w but it was Mavrik on both. You really just have to try as many head and shaft combinations as you can.

[1Mordrid1]

For the past year and a half I had used a Rogue 4 wood because I struggle so badly with a 3 wood. That has changed with the G410 3 wood. The G410 is very easy to hit off the deck. Even with my 4 wood I would not even attempt it with less than "good" lies or stance. The G410 I will even hit from a fairway bunker if the lie is good.

[blakesmittkamp]

another vote for the F9. love mine. the f8 and f7 are also amazing.