How Do You Go About Picking a 3 Wood?

[hwwong]

I'm actually considering leaving 3 wood out of the bag. I would carry a 5 wood and a 2 iron.

Honestly if I'm swinging the driver badly, the 3 wood isn't going to be that much better. The 5w/2i on the other hand are much shorter and controllable. As well, the 5w flies higher, lands softer on greens and is smaller. All good things in my opinion.

 

As for choosing, honestly this forum is rarely wrong. Some of my favorites have been recommended by this forum. BST is merely a place for enabling experimentation.

[buckeyefl]

> @ChipNRun said:

> > @golfschnell said:

> > for your stated needs, I would consider a 4 wood when you are getting fit

>

> Recent golf research shows that the average golfer can hit a 4W more reliably - and sometimes longer - than a 3W. The 4W has a couple of extra degrees of loft which aids launch, and a slightly shorter shaft to aid control.

>

> On shaft length, check the specs of models you're considering. The TaylorMade models have a 3W/HL (high launch) which has a loft a 16.5° or 17° (4W for most other OEMs). It has, however, a 3W length shaft (usually 43"). Tour Edge has an EXS model with clubs labeled 3Ws that come in 13 °, 15° and 17° lofts, but all with 43" shafts.

>

> Personally, I am in season #8 for using 4W + 7W. A 7W has some distance separation, and is superb out of medium rough and can hold greens on longish par 3 holes.

>

> And, get fit. The idea of buying six used 3W and hoping for the best is an excellent way to blow a season and have nothing to show for it.

 

That's not recent, It's been known for ages.

[ChipNRun]

> @buckeyefl said:

> > @ChipNRun said:

> > > @golfschnell said:

> > > for your stated needs, I would consider a 4 wood when you are getting fit

> >

> > Recent golf research shows that the average golfer can hit a 4W more reliably - and sometimes longer - than a 3W. The 4W has a couple of extra degrees of loft which aids launch, and a slightly shorter shaft to aid control.

> That's not recent, It's been known for ages.

 

I have been playing golf since circa 1964. The research on fairway woods has been since 2010. That means the research is recent.

 

 

[buckeyefl]

> @ChipNRun said:

> > @buckeyefl said:

> > > @ChipNRun said:

> > > > @golfschnell said:

> > > > for your stated needs, I would consider a 4 wood when you are getting fit

> > >

> > > Recent golf research shows that the average golfer can hit a 4W more reliably - and sometimes longer - than a 3W. The 4W has a couple of extra degrees of loft which aids launch, and a slightly shorter shaft to aid control.

> > That's not recent, It's been known for ages.

>

> I have been playing golf since circa 1964. The research on fairway woods has been since 2010. That means the research is recent.

>

>

 

That information has been around much MUCH longer than that and no 9 years isn't recent. Maybe the age of the internet just made it available to you? Maybe you never bothered to try it for yourself since you started playing in 1964 so you were unaware? Maybe you never had trouble hitting a 3 wood so no one told you? Lots of reasons but again it is not recent and is widely known these days. Its no different than less skilled players playing 3 wood instead of driver or 5 instead of 3. Loft and shorter shaft equals better results.

 

Butch Harmon has been around for a while, do you think he and just about any other reputable instructor didnt teach this before some magazine did the "research"?

 

"_The only time you should hit a 3-wood off the fairway is when you can reach the green. One of the biggest strategy mistakes I see from amateurs is grabbing the 3-wood whenever they're too far from the green to get there. It just doesn't make sense. The 3-wood is the hardest club to hit off the fairway, so using it to just advance the ball is crazy. **Hit your 5-wood instead. The 5-wood has more loft, so it's easier to get the ball in the air. And unless you're a powerful swinger, you probably hit it as far as your 3-wood anyway,** certainly far enough to knock your next shot on the green."

_

Ive had a 4 wood in the bag for 21 years and it wasn't because I like even numbers or couldn't hit a 3 wood but I always recommended them to friends and students. With todays technology it makes even more sense because they are longer and easier to hit than ever.

 

[mmack067]

I found it challenging to find a 3 wood as a guy that doesn't have an issue with excess spin. There has been so much focus on low-spin heads that the choices of anything with higher launch and spin are really limited. It basically ruled out any of the TM and Callaway heads for me so I ended up with a TS2 and it's perfect. Lots of speed, great high flight for coming into par 5s and still able to flight it down a bit off the tee. It took a lot of experimenting with different heads and shafts but I'm really happy with the final choice.

[41NAS]

I ended up buying an M3/AD-DI 6S 3W from someone on the BST forum and it plays at 41.5 inches, or about the length of a 3-hybrid or 5-wood. Suffice to say, this 3-wood has been a revelation from ease of use standpoint. I barely hit driver anymore. Perhaps consider shortening your 3-wood as a bit of a work-around; has helped my tee-game immensely, as a complete accident.

[joeferb]

Big 3w guy, and for me its mainly about the aesthetics of the club. First off view behind the ball needs to be clean and sit relatively open. Next is a deeper face with score lines across the whole face, which for me is a huge deal. May be a placebo effect, but I won't even look at one with out 5-6 score lines. From there shaft and spin numbers, so some adjustably is nice. Then groove the b**** and wear the middle out until it cracks. I have been through about 4 3w heads in the last 3 years. Turf interaction off the deck is the next thing that is usually pretty hard to test in a fitting, because I'll very rarely lay up, so it get plenty of use off the deck on long par 5s when I can't get home with a 3i or 5w (230yds & 265yds), so then it must also be HOT because it needs to significantly outperform my 5w.

[ChipNRun]

> @buckeyefl said:

> > @ChipNRun said:

> > I have been playing golf since circa 1964. The research on fairway woods has been since 2010. That means the research is recent.

>

> That information has been around much MUCH longer than that and no 9 years isn't recent. Maybe the age of the internet just made it available to you? Maybe you never bothered to try it for yourself since you started playing in 1964 so you were unaware? Maybe you never had trouble hitting a 3 wood...

 

When I said "1964... 2010... that means the research is recent...." I was attempting to make a humorous remark on relative meaning of _recent_. From your reply, I guess you're not into humor.

 

As to the origins of 3W vs. 4W debate, I first noticed stories circa 2010, with Golf Digest and other golf magazines - and internet links. If the knowledge has been around longer, so be it. I really didn't start reading and posting on golf blogs until then.

 

The 2010 time matches the debate over "death of the FW" in favor of hybrids. The golf OEMs such as Callaway began to reemphasize higher-lofted fairway woods which were abundant in the 1990s; and Orlimar and Adams, and Ping with the K metal-wood line, launched a new wave of low-profile fairway woods.

 

For me personally, pre-2000 I did OK with a 3W off the fairway. Post-2000, the regular 3W was OK but the pro or tour 3Ws proved difficult to launch. Finally in 2012 I went with 4W + 7W mix, which I carry today (although I have switched out club models).

 

Your quote from Butch Harmon pretty well summarizes the argument for higher-lofted FWs for golfers with only moderate clubhead speed. I hadn't seen Butch's specific quote, but I have seen the contained info in many sources.

 

[jplroper]

I go to Nevada Bob's and look in the used barrel for anything from Titleist or Callaway, if I see something I like I offer them half of sticker price.

[painter]

With all the comments re:distance vs off-the-deck, I use an old Cally Steelhead “4+“ that was a 4 wood head on a 3 wood shaft. It just seems to work. It would be an easy build w/a newer head and shaft.

[jplroper]

> @painter said:

> With all the comments re:distance vs off-the-deck, I use an old Cally Steelhead “4+“ that was a 4 wood head on a 3 wood shaft. It just seems to work. It would be an easy build w/a newer head and shaft.

Thats what I'm using also Callaway original steelhead 4+ with the memphis 10 shaft

 

 

[zdobson71]

Trackman and lots of testing.

[ago33]

I the latest Tour Edge CB model and throw my favorite shaft in it.

Fool Proof.

[Kale_m]

Hoping my m5 rocket is sold tomorrow. Then back to the drawing board for a 3w.

 

Thinking ping g410 lst or ts3