For those who carry both 3 iron and 5 wood...

[hypergolf]

1. What degree 3 iron and 5 wood do you use?

2. What is your average difference in distance between these two clubs?

3. On which specific scenario do you use one over the other?

4. Any other comments regarding these two which can be useful to WRXers?

[CokeZero]

Just one opinion but I don't like either of them if you're talking about a matched 3I to a set, it's between a hybrid and driving iron. A five wood has a really big dispersion pattern and a 3I goes too low and short unless you've way over 120mph. 

 

The hybrid is going to be for softer conditions, off the deck for tee shots where I want to fly it 240-250 and for 225-250 into five pars. The driving iron is for the same D but in fast & firm conditions and it has to beset up so I can turn it either way, hence the adage, "it's easy to land it in the fairway, hard to keep it there". There's no scenario where I have both in the bag, I mean maybe if it's something like Tiger did at Sandwich in '06 where he never hit driver I can see a long driving iron and lofted hybrid but that almost never happens. 

 

If the hybrid is a hooking machine it needs a flatter lie and the tip needs to be stiffer so it falls slightly right, but it goes so much straighter than a five wood. I'd have to be looking at a bunch of four pars right at 400 and at least 2 five pars 550-575 effective to see any value in it. 

[mickw]

1. 5 wood--18 degrees; 3 iron--20 degrees

2. 10-15 yards difference (3 iron-210-215 yds; 5 wood--220-230 yds)

3. Depends on the distance needed for the shot...either from tee or from fairway

4. 3 iron is invaluable to me for low punch out shots going under or around trees/limbs

[MattGolfs]

I go driver, 5 wood 17.5°, 3 iron 20°, 4 hybrid 22°. 

 

Don’t feel the need for a 3 wood since i carry the 5 wood 230 from the turf and the launch is far more consistent to me. I only use the 3 iron off the tee if i’m on a hole with OB on both sides. carrys 215 ish with a ton of roll out and the hybrid is 210 carry from the turf. 

 

I love this set up as I feel like i have all the versatility and length that i need. 

[barnum1]

1. 3W: 15° 5W: 18°.   All G400 SFTs, regular stock shaft.

2. 15 yards approx.

3. Depends on the length of the shot. Sometimes on a narrow fairway, I can take the 5W when I need the length of the 3W ("lay-up").

4. I first switched my 4i to my 7W (21°) because I struggled with my irons. 7W was so easy to hit. Then I bought the other woods, and haven't looked back!

[Gtyler14]

52 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

Wow, someone got grounded this weekend. 😆

Btw here are my GCQuad numbers if that makes me cool enough to talk to you. 😆



As for the OP, my 5-wood is usually between 17.5*-18.5* and my three iron between 20*-21*. My three iron is normally a 240-250 club and the 5-wood is 250-260. 
The iron is always going to curve less and be easier to control, so I would favor that in tighter and also windier conditions. The 5-wood I have setup a bit more like a distance club and it is easier to shape, so that comes into play when bigger distance and/or shaping is necessary. 

Someone who isn’t trying to be the alpha in the topic. I’m close to your yardages with 3 and 5 wood. I feel like the 3 iron for me gives a level of versatility on the course. Do you use a 3 iron that matches your set or do you use a DI 3 iron? Always curious what others game

[Valtiel]

4 minutes ago, Gtyler14 said:

Someone who isn’t trying to be the alpha in the topic. I’m close to your yardages with 3 and 5 wood. I feel like the 3 iron for me gives a level of versatility on the course. Do you use a 3 iron that matches your set or do you use a DI 3 iron? Always curious what others game

I pretty exclusively use a DI in that slot. I have two TP UDI's, one with steel (PXi) and one with graphite (Kuro Kage) as well as an X-forged UT and and a GAPR. If I do a 3w/5w setup then I usually use one of the UDI's, if I do just a 4w setup than I likely use the stronger GAPR. 

[Gtyler14]

56 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

I pretty exclusively use a DI in that slot. I have two TP UDI's, one with steel (PXi) and one with graphite (Kuro Kage) as well as an X-forged UT and and a GAPR. If I do a 3w/5w setup then I usually use one of the UDI's, if I do just a 4w setup than I likely use the stronger GAPR. 

How you like that pxi shaft? 6.5 flex? I’ve looked at them before but haven’t done anything at this point. 

[Valtiel]

5 minutes ago, Gtyler14 said:

How you like that pxi shaft? 6.5 flex? I’ve looked at them before but haven’t done anything at this point. 

It is a great intermediate weight option for longer irons and DI's. I have two of the 7.0 version which plays similar to something between a PX Rifle 6.0 and 6.5. Just a lighter, softer version of the PX Rifle really, but it is still crisp and stable. It helps create a really nice feel transition from 125-130g steel iron shafts when the typical 100-105g graphite options are too light. 

Edited January 27, 2021 by Valtiel

[Gtyler14]

10 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

It is a great intermediate weight option for longer irons and DI's. I have two of the 7.0 version which plays similar to something between a PX Rifle 6.0 and 6.5. Just a lighter, softer version of the PX Rifle really, but it is still crisp and stable. It helps create a really nice feel transition from 125-130g steel iron shafts when the typical 100-105g graphite options are too light. 

Now that makes me want one more than I already did but I’ve never had a chance to get one. 

[Valtiel]

1 minute ago, Gtyler14 said:

Now that makes me want one more than I already did but I’ve never had a chance to get one. 

The new Project X IO basically fills the same weight and performance slot. 👍

[Pete O'Tube]

I carry a TM R9 5 wood @ 19deg and a Mizuno MP18 MMC FliHi @ 18 deg.   I also have a G400 7 wood in reserve. I play on a links course and like the 3 iron for low runners from about 200 yards out. The 5 wood is a bit of an experiment as I can't find a 20 deg hybrid I like yet.

[bladehunter]

Can somebody translate this thread. I don’t speak what it’s written in.   
 

 

 

I carry a 3 iron and 5 wood ( pay no attention to the current listed sig ) 

 

why would anyone think they don’t gap out ?  My 5 wood is good for covering 245 easily.  Very easily.  Today’s 5 woods are hot.  A real 3 iron (21-22 degrees or so ) is good for 220 give or take.   But nobody on earth is playing 3 iron like a pitching wedge.  To an exact number.  Goodness.  Watch tiger.  He will only hit his in certain instances.  The 4 gets used much much more.  

[1t2golf]

Topic cleaned up. 

 

A reminder of forum rules: While debating and discussion is fine, we will not tolerate rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks, or purposeless inflammatory posts. 
 

[ChipNRun]

This became a big debate as more players started going to four wedges.

 

I was in the 60+ age group at the time, and a couple of friends who were much better players handled it this way:

• Drop the 4i
• Bend 5i a degree strong
• Bend 3i a degree weak / or / just keep 3i the same loft. (Their iron models were several years old, and not as loft-jacked as current models.)

That way, they could keep the 5W and 3i, which had decidedly different trajectories.

 

Circa 2015 during the Hogan resurrection circa 2015, Hogan clubs offered all possible iron lofts from 21° up to 46°. A Hogan rep and I discussed a set-up of 22° / 27° / 32°, with 4-degree loft increments up through the rest of set. That way, I could squeeze out a long iron and still carry 2 fairways and 4 wedges.

 

(A great concept, but I was short on discretionary $$ at the time.😢)

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by ChipNRun
Correct loft examples.

[lefthack]

I just got my 3i that will likely replace my 3h. 3i is 20 degrees, 5w is 19 degrees.

 

I hit my 5w off the deck more than tee and hit it when I don't plan on hitting the green but need about 200 yards.

[joostin]

1. 20° 3 iron shafted same as iron set, 18° 5W

2. About 15 yd longer with 5W, but 3 iron can sneak up on it sometimes.

3. 3I for mid to low launch get-in-the-fairway tee shots.  3I for low punch shots out of trees.  5W also for tee shots, high to low.  5W is my best long club off the turf, fairway to light rough.

4.  Honestly for me 5W can do everything the 3I does including stinger, and it has more horsepower.  I just have more directional confidence with 3I and have always had one bagged since being a kid (remember picking out a cheap Northwestern blade from a sports store and it had a terrible grip, but it was great haha).  I just like having both, and both are about equally used.

[drbonesvt]

22 hours ago, hypergolf said:

1. What degree 3 iron and 5 wood do you use?

2. What is your average difference in distance between these two clubs?

3. On which specific scenario do you use one over the other?

4. Any other comments regarding these two which can be useful to WRXers?

3i - mb620 21* , 1* flat +.5” HS x100 | 230ish 

5w - 19* r15 42.5” fit on pro 95xx  (just a 100g version) tons of hotmelt | 245 ish 

 

15 or so yds ,  only use the 5w where there is a lot of forced carry or over 7000 track  .  3i iron in the bag always , 5w switches spots with the 2i 19* tmb ad di 105x , carry is close to the 5 maybe a touch shorter but roll is a lot greater , driving iron tight hole , club. 
 

normal set up

3w , 2i ,3i

long track or a ton of carry 5w 

3w, 5w , 3i

[Clay_Mc]

I carry a Taylormade System 2 5-wood, at 21 degrees loft, stiff graphite shaft. Produces about 205-210 carry consistently, with very little rollout. Very high trajectory, and I can knock the pins down with it from the fairway. Sticks nicely to the greens.

I also carry a Tour Edge 19 degree, 3i, UDI, stiff graphite. I can hit it pretty high or very low, much lower than the 5-wood. So, it is my wind penetration club, and helps to move the ball under tree canopies, etc. Carry is 200-220, depending on trajectory and shape. I am less accurate with it from fairways than I am with my woods. But I swing it with confidence from the tee. It's a bit more effective at cuts and hard turns than my woods as well. Rolls a while on a draw. 🙂