I'm giving up on 3 wood!

[AP76]

9 hours ago, John45Parker said:

Not too far behind you. Just got a TSi2 3 wood and it's my last attempt. If it doesn't work, the M2 L.I.F.T. 2 iron is back in the bag.

That's what I'm thinking, just go 2 iron for a tee club as I'm pretty confident with my 3 iron.

[AP76]

Believe it or not guys I can't hit one off the tee or off the deck? I can actually hit every shot with them but rarely a good one. I can even top them and I mean a pure top that makes it off the tee a few inches and goes about 50 yards!🙈 The only 3 wood I have any confidence in is my ancient Callaway Big Bertha s2h2 with Memphis 10 shaft. It's purely a tee club though, wouldn't attempt it off the deck much.

[TM4me]

I'm pretty consistent with my 3-wood off the tee but less so off the deck (in the past few years). Use my 5-wood if I have to hit off the ground.  

[lefthack]

That's funny because I can relate. I bought an OG Tight Lies 3 wood in the mid 90's and that club was effortless. I got rid of it last summer when I redid my bag. I got a Nike SQ 3 wood that was tough. Got an M1 and still had a tough time. 

 

I found a Honma XP-1 3 wood that just looked awesome. Wow, it plays better than it looks. I haven't hit it off a tee yet, but I've got about 2 dozen shots off the deck and almost every one of those shots has made me smile.

 

Last week I flubbed my drive and was about 230 out. Said "why not" and put it on the green with the 3 wood and laughed. Hitting the green from 230 for me is silly. I've done it 3 times with this damn club. 🤣

[Lasorcier]

I have thought about abandonment as well.  I am a good iron hitter down to 2 iron.  So I carry no 5 wood.  But playing partners insist that I do not give up on it.  I would pull my existing 3 wood consistently, tee or deck.  It sits closed like seemingly most fairway woods I see.  It is a sim Ti.  The white part appears to sit open, but the face is actually closed.  Optical illusion that really messes with me.

 

So I looked for one that is neutral or open at standard.  I came down to G425 and STz.  I chose STz because of deeper face, MotoreX shaft and no baseball bat sound.  Very good performance so far and happy with the acquisition.

 

Like someone said earlier, I hit it like an iron.  No sweeping.

[sociojeje]

Practice with your driver. And only focus on brushing the grass with the sole. Don't worry about any other swing thoughts or whatever moves that you do. Just brush the grass with the sole of your driver. Then do the same with 3 wood. Again, don't give any *** about other swing thought. Just think about brushing the grass. Don't need to look at the ball. Don't need to think about how your club sits. It doesn't matter. Just brush the grass. You will love your 3w soon. 

Edited October 31, 2021 by sociojeje

[Milfordlefty]

Using it off tee only, ground only, or both? What distance are you trying to fill? Is your usual 3W miss a topped/fatted or pull/slice? In your bag, driver, 3W, then what? I have a 3W in the bag for really only one hole on my home course, a long par 3. I'll use it off ground if I hit a bad drive (meaning short) on par 5 in vain attempt to regain distance. I played yesterday (might be last outside round of the year) and decided to just try using my 4H as my second shot club on par 5 and long par 4 after topping 3w on 2nd hole. I'm a bogey golfer and saw some better results scoring (of course, end of season, right?). If you don't have confidence standing over a 3W at address, find the next longest club that does (4W, 5W, 3H??) and keep it in the bag. Your score is based on how many, not how.

[PSHCT]

I am currently playing a Cobra Speedzone 3w adjusted to 16 degrees with a Tensei Av blue shaft. This combination has been a revelation for me, both off the tee and deck. The head has a real nice size, shape, and depth, and the rails on the bottom really do help with turf interaction when hitting off the ground. 

[Primo1868]

13 hours ago, AP76 said:

Tried so many and for some reason can't hit them and have absolutely no confidence with them! It's crazy as I'm a decent ball striker but just can't do 3 wood? I think it's a mental block, anyone else have this problem?

I have that problem and play a 17degree 2H that I hit 254 yds so it fills that gap for me pretty well

[PEI_Golfer]

Been playing a 4wd for the last few seasons, but more for fixing a gaping issue as modern lower spinning 3wds just go too far.  I don't need a 3wd that can carry 10-15 yards less than my driver (more confidence in 3wds and swing harder). 

 

I think shaft matters more in 3wd than most clubs given it's multi purpose use, in an off the tee swing and off the deck.  Some need help off the deck, but not to much off the tee, so finding one that gives the best of both worlds in flight can be a task.

[mogc60]

I think shaft length gives people more issues than any other factor. 43” is just too long to get the angle right to consistently strike a fairway wood for most players. My 3 wood has been 42” for about 20 years and it’s consistently one of the best clubs in my bag. Tee or turf. 

[8602081]

14 hours ago, AP76 said:

Tried so many and for some reason can't hit them and have absolutely no confidence with them! It's crazy as I'm a decent ball striker but just can't do 3 wood? I think it's a mental block, anyone else have this problem?

 

I'm almost the same way.

 

I can hit good off the Tee.. Just have lot of problems hitting off the deck..

 

[eht8266]

18 hours ago, agood3putt said:

This…opens the face as well and shorter shaft gives you more control. Just wish I would’ve done this a long time ago!

 

weird - I would have thought it'd close the face delofting it (from 5 to 4).

[AP76]

9 hours ago, Milfordlefty said:

Using it off tee only, ground only, or both? What distance are you trying to fill? Is your usual 3W miss a topped/fatted or pull/slice? In your bag, driver, 3W, then what? I have a 3W in the bag for really only one hole on my home course, a long par 3. I'll use it off ground if I hit a bad drive (meaning short) on par 5 in vain attempt to regain distance. I played yesterday (might be last outside round of the year) and decided to just try using my 4H as my second shot club on par 5 and long par 4 after topping 3w on 2nd hole. I'm a bogey golfer and saw some better results scoring (of course, end of season, right?). If you don't have confidence standing over a 3W at address, find the next longest club that does (4W, 5W, 3H??) and keep it in the bag. Your score is based on how many, not how.

It's a tee only club for certain holes where driver is too much or too risky. Would probably be used for 5/6 tee shots if it was working well.

[AP76]

1 hour ago, eht8266 said:

 

weird - I would have thought it'd close the face delofting it (from 5 to 4).

No de-lofting actually opens the face. This is actually something to think about as my consistently bad shot goes left.

[tomanderson6]

I have a 3W in my bad but almost never use it.  My standard game plan is 400 yards or less i hit a 2 Iron off the tee.  Any more than 400 gets the driver.

 

I think the only time i hit 3 wood is going for a stupid long par 5 in 2.  

 

My 3wood distance is about 280 off the deck and 300 off the tee

[NicholasP]

I have dumped 3 wood for the moment in favor of a Callaway UW 17 degree.  I carried a 4 wood all last year, and that helped.  Ultimately, what I have found, or at least think, is it's shaft length that's the issue.  The UW is only 41.5" vs 43" typically found on a 3 wood.  Contact is way more consistent with the UW, both off the tee and deck.  In true WRX fashion though, it's led to some ho'ing.  I have a 13.5 degree Epic Flash Sub Zero inbound, I'm going to go 42 or 42.5" on and see if that helps.  I like having another lower loft option off the tee being my motivation.  Potentially, bag could have 4 woods in it for the first time ever, driver, 13.5, 17 & 21.  Going to have to dump the 4 iron or wedge though

Edited November 1, 2021 by NicholasP

[AP76]

I'm sure I've tried somewhere in the region of 30 different 3 woods, some awesome clubs with tour ad, Oban and other premium shafts but makes no difference. I'm at the point where I think it's no longer worth pursuing as my brain or lack of one won't allow me to feel confident or comfortable with a 3 wood apart from my old faithful. Might just stick with irons off the tee where driver isn't the play, sure I'll have a longer second shot but at least the ball is in play.

[Stall]

My 3wood had something like a 20% strike rate off the deck. The rest of the time it was topped. Eventually it got benched and i got a new hybrid with loft turned down to 18degrees. Much better for me. Yes it won't get the same total distance as the 3w when it behaved but 90% of the time it will go well.

[AP76]

On 10/31/2021 at 7:45 AM, Hack Daddy said:

Figure out of you need a shollow or deep face. Will completely change your ability to hit a 3w.

I definately prefer a deeper face as it's more or less a tee club.

[jeffrey r]

On 10/31/2021 at 10:37 AM, PSHCT said:

I am currently playing a Cobra Speedzone 3w adjusted to 16 degrees with a Tensei Av blue shaft. This combination has been a revelation for me, both off the tee and deck. The head has a real nice size, shape, and depth, and the rails on the bottom really do help with turf interaction when hitting off the ground. 

 

Funny, I recently stumbled upon the Speedzone 3w as well, also set it at 16*, and love it.  Like, really tremendous results.  Picked it up pretty cheap off of Global Golf with an Atmos Black TS 7S shaft, and it is a fairway finder. 

 

Otherwise, I totally see the point of this thread, as I've probably hit 20 other 3 woods over the years without feeling particularly comfortable or happy off the tee or deck.  I had moved into an 18* Epic 5 wood as my next club after driver, but if I can get some more yards out of the 3 wood lofted up without much downside (as now seems to be the case), I would prefer the extra length.

[Milfordlefty]

3 hours ago, AP76 said:

I'm sure I've tried somewhere in the region of 30 different 3 woods, some awesome clubs with tour ad, Oban and other premium shafts but makes no difference. I'm at the point where I think it's no longer worth pursuing as my brain or lack of one won't allow me to feel confident or comfortable with a 3 wood apart from my old faithful. Might just stick with irons off the tee where driver isn't the play, sure I'll have a longer second shot but at least the ball is in play.

My son returned to golf this year, struggles with driver. We tried 3w & 3w, settled on 3h. He hits it just as long as I hit my driver and keeps it in play.

[evoviiiyou]

Smart I was leaking strokes over the past three seasons with 3weird in the bag (various fitted builds) and now simplified with driver to driving iron then 4-wedges. Best scoring season to date and will not even look to change a thing moving forward unlike the true WRX’r I am. 😎😁🤞

[RobS]

3w is hard to hit off the deck in large part due to the lack of spin with current golf ball design.  It's less of an issue if you have a lot of speed and if you have a lot of speed you're probably not hitting 3w off the deck too often.  I carry a 3w but only really use it off the tee when driver isn't the right play.  I also carry a 5w which I've found to be a very useful club for par 5 approaches and long par 3's.  On average, I get carry distance very close to my 3 wood off the deck but it's more consistent and forgiving.  It's not far behind my 3w off the tee either with carry although the 3w gives the some roll out where the 5w lands pretty steep and stops.  If I had to drop one fairway wood it would be the 3w for most courses.

[J_Tizzle]

4 hours ago, NicholasP said:

I have dumped 3 wood for the moment in favor of a Callaway UW 17 degree.  I carried a 4 wood all last year, and that helped.  Ultimately, what I have found, or at least think, is it's shaft length that's the issue.  The UW is only 41.5" vs 43" typically found on a 3 wood.  Contact is way more consistent with the UW, both off the tee and deck.  In true WRX fashion though, it's led to some ho'ing.  I have a 13.5 degree Epic Flash Sub Zero inbound, I'm going to go 42 or 42.5" on and see if that helps.  I like having another lower loft option off the tee being my motivation.  Potentially, bag could have 4 woods in it for the first time ever, driver, 13.5, 17 & 21.  Going to have to dump the 4 iron or wedge though

 

I am very interested to hear people's opinion of this club over the next few months.  I am in the same boat as everyone here, I've tried to give up on my 3w to just a lower lofted hybrid for tee balls.  So its driver, then 2h, then 3i, then 5-62.  I don't mind the 2h but I essentially want something that can fit the bill in that 240ish off the ground for hitting into par 5s and leave the 3i for tee shots that are not the driver.  but for the life of me I cannot get something I truly have confidence in.

[AP76]

These are my current offerings, a bit of a mix of old school and modern. The Big Bertha has a Memphis 10 steel shaft, the Steelhead has a 6.0 rifle steel shaft, the X2 hot has a motore speeder tour spec 8.3 x shaft, the vr pro ltd 5 wood has the Ahina stock shaft 75s I think and the M6 has a UST proforce 7f4(stiff) shaft. I also have a Titleist 915 2 hybrid with Accra stiff shaft.

[ChipNRun]

On 10/31/2021 at 9:57 AM, PEI_Golfer said:

Been playing a 4wd for the last few seasons, but more for fixing a gaping issue as modern lower spinning 3wds just go too far

 

I have been playing some version of 4W + 7W for a decade. Clubs changed a couple of times, loft mix did not.

 

Also, some old news: Repeated studies show that the average golfer can hit the 4W more reliably - and sometimes farther - than a 3W. The extra loft helps launch - proper launch and spin increases distance - and the shorter shaft helps control.

[stickfish]

10 hours ago, AP76 said:

I'm sure I've tried somewhere in the region of 30 different 3 woods, some awesome clubs with tour ad, Oban and other premium shafts but makes no difference. I'm at the point where I think it's no longer worth pursuing as my brain or lack of one won't allow me to feel confident or comfortable with a 3 wood apart from my old faithful. Might just stick with irons off the tee where driver isn't the play, sure I'll have a longer second shot but at least the ball is in play.

For starters, love Northern Ireland and have been fortunate to visit several times as a friend used to run a camp in Annalong.  I’m with you on the number of three woods that auditioned, including tour issue which looking back is pretty comical.  Low profile offerings were OK at best of the deck, did not enjoy them as a play club off the tee.  This season went 90% or so with a hybrid combination and HDCP has dropped.  Still give a a new three wood some practice when on the range but just don’t try if I’m scoring, bagging either a very early Callaway or Tour Edge.  
cheers

<><

[Baitkiller]

It's a love/hate thing. I've had my Adam's for decades.  Oldest club in my bag by far. Without it I would have far fewer eagles. Of course without it I would also have far fewer triple boggies.

[gents15]

It’s so much fun to hit 2 iron off the tee, I just use that instead of 3 wood. Only time I play 3 wood is off the deck on 2nd shots of par 5s in the rare case my drive makes the fairway.