Forget 3w, go hybrid

[playit]

Has anyone chosen a 3-wood length hybrid instead of a 3wood? I have an old Adams hybrid in 14 degree, Idea Pro Gold Tour Prototype, and that is about 3wood loft. I can certainly fade it and hope I can figure out how to draw it but if I can only hit it straight or fade, hmmm... that's worked for some good players, so, I could live with that! I will need to hit it a lot and see if it beats 3wood but I am thinking it just might. Good news about the 3wood is that my normal shot with it (an old Cobra) is a draw. But if the hybrid is more consistent, that's good! I do like that the hybrid has a high flight. Another benefit if I could just not carry a 3wood is that it frees up a spot to put another wedge in the bag. What have you found?

[xmanhockey7]

I hit my 2H almost as far as a 3w and overall just much better. I dropped the 3w for that. 

[darkhelmet]

If you're just picking between those 2 clubs as-is, then take both to the range, hit 10 each off the tee and  10 each off the grass, and pick which one looks/feels/performs the best.

 

If you want to dig a little deeper, go to a fitter with a trackman and get a more detailed report on how you're hitting each one.

 

If you really want to get in the weeds, go to a fitter with an eye on picking a better-fitting shaft for either your 3w or hybrid.  If he knows what he's doing, he can pick a current hybrid head and current 3W head that will be similar performance-wise to your 2 clubs, and have you hit different shafts to help dial in the performance.  Then you can either have him reshaft one or both clubs, or you can take the information and try to find a pulled shaft for cheaper.  As long as you're paying for the fitting session, he shouldn't have any problem giving you the data/report and letting you do with it what you will.

 

At the end of the day, doesn't really matter that one is called a fairway wood and one is called a hybrid.  They are similarly-lofted clubs, intended to hit the ball about the same distance, and you're probably going to hit one better / more consistently than the other (just like if you were choosing between 2 3W's or 2 hybrids).  Pick the better one.

[jimb]

I am not ready to give up on my 3W yet, but I love hybrids off the deck and with a tee.  I have an Apex 3 and 4 and can't get rid of them.

[Fairway14]

12 hours ago, playit said:

Has anyone chosen a 3-wood length hybrid instead of a 3wood? I have an old Adams hybrid in 14 degree, Idea Pro Gold Tour Prototype, and that is about 3wood loft.  But if the hybrid is more consistent, that's good! I do like that the hybrid has a high flight. 

 

Most players do not achieve a "high flight" with a 14* loft hybrid. But if you do, that is likely a good club for you to keep within the bag, and it can replace a 3-wood. Most players find that 14* to 17* loft hybrids produce too low of a trajectory shot, which is why those lofts for hybrids do not sell well.

[Billfitz]

I replaced my 3, 5 and 7 woods with 16, 19 and 22 degree hybrids. I lengthened the shafts to the same length as the woods. They're just as long, more accurate, and much easier to hit off the deck and out of the rough.

[Ivyguy]

I struggle in this arena because I hat the look of both hybrids and FWs. 
 

I have a Wilson 2 utility that I love. Not playable off the deck for me. 
 

im in a weird middle-land at the top of my bag.  It literally makes me want to got back to my 8 club rig. 

[Rbsiedsc]

9 minutes ago, Ivyguy said:

I struggle in this arena because I hat the look of both hybrids and FWs. 
 

I have a Wilson 2 utility that I love. Not playable off the deck for me. 
 

im in a weird middle-land at the top of my bag.  It literally makes me want to got back to my 8 club rig. 

I was same boat as you, I hated a pxg 0311x 2i for a while. Now onto my super hybrid and I like it. Need better work of the deck but a monster of a second tee club. 

[Lasorcier]

I am in the same boat.  Hybrids are just foreign and have never been able to confidently hit one.  Fairway woods are much better, but still have unreliability.  For me irons are so much better and I can hit those out of rough (I don't hit fairway woods out of rough unless it is a perfect lie).

 

So, I have a blueprint 2-iron which is just a dynamite club and have an eye2 1-iron for the times where I have no confidence in a 3-wood, which is most of the time unless off of a tee.

[BirdieBob]

Instead of hybrids.....try the Callaway UW!

Shorter blend of FW/Hybrid head.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2021 by BirdieBob

[MikeW2]

Two seasons ago I ditched my 4 and 7 woods for 17* and 20* hybrids. Easily one of the best equipment decisions I’ve ever made. For me, off the tee distance is longer with the 17 than the 4w and the same with the 20 and 7w. Off the deck the two hybrids are longer and straighter. You’ve gotta determine what works best for you.

[NicholasP]

32 minutes ago, BirdieBob said:

Instead of hybrids.....try the Callaway UW!

Shorter blend of FW/Hybrid head.

 

 

This.....these things are incredible.  I hit the 17 degree as far as I hit my 16.5 degree 4 wood, and the 21 replaced q 19 degree hybrid.  REALLY easy to hit, great launch and spin characteristics, and I'm WAY straighter

[Ivyguy]

15 hours ago, Rbsiedsc said:

I was same boat as you, I hated a pxg 0311x 2i for a while. Now onto my super hybrid and I like it. Need better work of the deck but a monster of a second tee club. 

Good call. 
 

im in a weird place overall.  Kinda want to throw everything out and start over. Really frustrated with everything other than my putter lol

[Vater]

I dropped my 3W this year for a 5W (anyone else with me?). My 3W is money off the tee, but worthless anywhere else. And where I've been playing it's either driver or down to an iron if not driver.

 

I also have a 3H, so the 5W and 3H give me flight options with the FW being longer than the hybrid.

 

I'm tempted to go with two hybrids and no FWs, but I don't want to give up the shot shape difference.

[PuffyC]

On 10/23/2021 at 3:56 PM, Vater said:

I dropped my 3W this year for a 5W (anyone else with me?).

Same. When I hear tour pros avoiding 3W because they’re hard to hit I figure what chance do I have. I ditched the 3W and my hybrids, bought a 5W instead and went back to irons. Best decision ever. One day a hybrid may find its way back in my bag but I have zero interest in ever bagging a 3W again.