3 wood vs hybrid recommendation

[mj2936]

Hey guys have a little decision to make and was wondering if I could get the input from the great members here at golfwrx.

 

I'm currently having a rotten time hitting my 3 wood off the deck. Its not terrible off the tee so still serves some purpose but right now is sort of lost in my bag due to the futility of my game hitting this off the deck currently.  So, until I improve on this club I thought of replacing it with a hybrid.

I currently hit a cobra king tec 3 hybrid (lofted at its standard 17.5 deg) in a regular flex and it is one of my best clubs in the bag, to the point it has replaced by 5 wood. 

I'm thinking of the same club in the 2 (standard loft of 15.5 with adjustability).  The problem is seems only comes stock with a stiff flex shaft "off the shelf" unless I custom order it from cobra which then allows me to get a regular shaft (I believe). 

 

A few questions I have:

 

1. With the 2 degrees difference, will I be able to gap enough to my driver as my 3 wood ideally should (15 deg), and is it even worth replacing the 3 wood with the 2 hybrid in this case?

2. Will hitting a stiff flex (the stock shaft is a mitsubishi MMT80) make a big difference in dispersion over the reg flex (MMT 70) in a long hybrid such as this?

 

I know the answer is to hit one but not a lot of places around here with this to test so may have to do this blind, but with how well I hit the 3 hybrid, I hope for similar results from the 2 hybrid.

 

Thank you all in advance!

[dgarland]

You’re going to have a hard time launching a 15.5° hybrid.  

[chipa]

I never was able to hit fairway woods and for that reason followed peoples advice to try hybrids. Unfortunately I couldn't find a good fit because I suffered from hooking. I eventually found an older model 4 and 7 wood that suits my eye that I hit very well, they are small and set up square.

[bnperrone]

All else equal you'll give up yardage to the 3W due to playing length of the club.

 

But, I'd compromise yardage gapping if it means that I really like and trust every club I carry.

 

I've struggled with 3W more than any other club, over my entire playing life. I can't tell you how many times I've had an opportunity into a par 5 and all I saw was the junk. Why have it if you don't want to hit it?

 

I'd match the hybrid to the other one or work with a teacher and/or fitter to find a way to like a 3W.

[Fairway14]

46 minutes ago, mj2936 said:

 

I'm thinking of the same club in the 2 (standard loft of 15.5 with adjustability). 

 

18* to 24* is the loft range for hybrids most all players find suitable. 15* to 16* players find produce low bullets that carry no longer than their 18* hybrid. If you don't like your 15* 3-wood from ground lies buy a 16* to 18* fairway wood (4 or 5 wood) .

[Tax77]

Have you tried choking up or shortening the 3 wood? 43 inches or whatever stock length they are these days is a handful.

[YMark]

The answer could very well be a 4 wood. You'll hit it damn near as far as your 3 wood off the tee, and much easier to hit off the deck.

Edited August 28, 2021 by YMark

[kthomas]

Adjust your 3W up 1°+, or buy a 3W that has that adjustability. 

 

Choking up when hitting off the deck helps a bit as well.

[Asics10]

I play a 15* Adams hybrid as my 3 wood. Been in the bag for a decade. Just find the right shaft and you should be set. 

[xmanhockey7]

I don’t hit FW well. This year tried a short 4w to see if it was better. It’s not. I hit my 2h way better and it’s only 10y shorter. I’m dumping my FW for good. 

[Kale_m]

Just get a 5w 

[NRJyzr]

The lofts you're quoting for the hybrids are the lowest possible for each hybrid, not the standard.  If you're set on the 2h, you could weaken the 3h to 19* or higher to get that separation you're looking for.

 

That said, grossly generalizing, hybrids hit lower than fairway woods, if you're not hitting your 3w well off deck, the 2h could be too little loft for you for that shot.  Blindly theorizing, a 4w is probablya better bet.  If your 3w is adjustable, adjusting it to 4w loft territory would be something to try.  

 

Also possible it's too long for you?  <shrug>

 

Getting a 5w and adjusting it down is another idea.  Many 5w are now 18* or 17*, adjusting it lower gives you that 4w.

 

If you prefer keeping your Tec at 17.5*, a 4w or 5w might sit too close to it.  Your current Tec might be your best off deck option.

 

[Billfitz]

I replaced my 16 degree, and my 19 degree, fairway woods with 16 and 19 degree hybrids. The hybrids are just as long off the tee, longer off the deck, and they work out of the rough, which the fairways couldn't handle. The hybrids launch lower, but at the other end they roll out longer. What's best is the hybrids are more accurate and far more forgiving. Even my bad shots still turn out pretty good.

[nitram]

OP, I don't pretend to know your budget but try this as a test. Go on ebay or somewhere and find you a 10-year old Taylor-Made RBZ Stage2 3HL with a shaft that suits your needs and give it a go. One of the best if not THE best 4WD ever made.  A V-Steel & Adams Tight Lies are older but just as worthy of a try without busting your budget. 

[ChipNRun]

On 8/27/2021 at 8:59 PM, dgarland said:

You’re going to have a hard time launching a 15.5° hybrid.  

 

As a different solution, see if a 4W (16.5* or so) will work better for you. Compared to 3W, a little extra loft improves launch and a slightly shorter shaft can improve control. Multiple tests show most golfers hit a 4W more reliably - and sometimes just as far - as a 3W. And this includes some long hitters, as I saw at a demo day a few years back.

 

Also see above @Fairway14 and @YMark.

[bbarnard52]

I had this same problem. Went to a distance fitting at Club Champion and they put me in a 17 degree hybrid with a longer shaft to replace my 3w. Usually works out pretty well. Hit it pretty good off the deck and nicely off the tee.

[mj2936]

Thank you all for your replies. There were many good suggestions! I think its the depth of the face of the 3 wood head that is screwing up my swing as opposed to the hybrid that has that familiar iron look. Interestingly I have never had trouble launching my hybrids, including this king tec hybrid, even at 17.5deg. Some days I even want to get lower launch with this thing. A 4 wood is a great idea as it is a little more shallow in face depth, but 16deg is even closer to my 17.5 hybrid unless I weaken the king tech.

 

Decisions

[chipa]

6 hours ago, mj2936 said:

Thank you all for your replies. There were many good suggestions! I think its the depth of the face of the 3 wood head that is screwing up my swing as opposed to the hybrid that has that familiar iron look. Interestingly I have never had trouble launching my hybrids, including this king tec hybrid, even at 17.5deg. Some days I even want to get lower launch with this thing. A 4 wood is a great idea as it is a little more shallow in face depth, but 16deg is even closer to my 17.5 hybrid unless I weaken the king tech.

 

Decisions

 

Good luck. You might look at older model fairway woods that are smaller, in fact they look like modern hybrids. I couldn't hit a fairway wood consistently nor for that matter a hybrid (I hooked them) until I found the old late 90's Big Bertha's. Some people will claim I'm giving up forgiveness using a smaller head but I see little difference compared to using a hybrid with the same size head or even smaller, sure the shaft is probably 1.5" longer but that hasn't made any difference