3 Woods Overrated

[Itsjustagame]

Haven't carried a 3 wood in years, but recently tried the Rogue 3HL (more of a 4 wood?) and very happy with it.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Itsjustagame

[cav5]

It really depends on the courses you play. On tour its generally needed. But if you're playing 6600 yard courses the holes are either straight or the dog leg tends to happen early in the hole. For example you might play a 400yd dogleg with a hybrid then mid/long iron. 

[llewol007]

My 3 wood is there for a yardage in simple terms. It fits the 240 shot for me. Depending on situation, it will come out of the bag maybe 2-4 times a round. Sometimes not at all. We get 14 clubs so I have extra space 

[mikey15]

I love my 3 wood. Mainly use it off the tee when driver is too long. Or if the driver is misbehaving, I can really count on my 3w to be a fairway finder. Every now and then it's fun to go for a long par 5 in 2. 

[mgoblue83]

You are correct. 

 

There are circumstances and players who benefit from having a 3w but most players would be better off with a 5w, 7w, extra hybrid, or extra wedge.

 

I'm a 2, play with many other low handicappers and not a single one of us is more accurate with 3w than driver and most of us play driving irons off shorter holes anyway. 

 

Do we use it occasionally into par 5s? Once a month? We hit 3w in the 260-275yd range and it takes a pretty big hole (over 560yds) to even need 3w. 

 

Do we use it occasionally off the tee? Fairly often but it doesn't really provide any advantage because of what was said earlier. 

 

Why do we carry it? Don't know but it does feel good to flush it.

[Ripken08]

Not sure the correct adjective, but overrated isn't it.  More like the "club amateurs shouldn't carry".  By definition it is THE hardest club in the bag to hit consistently given it has the longest shaft and lowest loft of any club to hit a ball off of the turf.  Over 30+ yrs of play and being a purist I even know the true definition.  Loft is your friend particularly the longer shaft the club gets and many are better served by a 4 or 5 wood.

[Wheels2]

Love my 3 wood. Use it a lot off the tee box if I'm not comfortable hitting my driver for whatever reason. Also have no trouble using it in the fairway or light rough. I think it's all about hitting what you are confident using.

[Puttersaurus Rex]

For their second thread, OP is going to debate blades versus SGI irons.😂

[caniac6]

I ordered a 4 wood from Callaway pre owned yesterday. My 3 wood is not too reliable. If I need a shorter, more accurate tee shot, I choke down on my driver, and tee the ball lower. That big driver is easier to hit than the 3 wood.

 

[Phabs]

Different strokes for different folks.  I'll never not carry a 3w or a 4w due to gapping, if my driver goes to crap during a round the fairway is my safety blanket.  I've been in multiple tournaments where I opt for a 3w of a tee versus a driver due to the driver bringing unneeded danger into the hole versus hitting a 4 iron off the tee and still having a 5/4 iron into the green.  I hit 3W and I'm now hitting a 9 iron in - big difference from a scoring standpoint for me anyway.   I'm not one to critique any one else's game or equipment choices.  I played with some kids in college that you'd look at their bag and you'd think they we're hacks, then go out and shoot 65 without even blinking. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by Phabs

[b.mattay]

As with all things, it depends. Honestly most players above a 5-10 handicap should not be carrying one, a 4 or 5 wood is much more forgiving and playable out of all lies. Obviously there will be exceptions. 

 

However, for players that have some power, a 3 wood is super useful for holes where the playable area is much wider at 3 wood distance than driver distance but you don't want to drop back to a 2 iron/5 wood etc. and lose a total of 50-60 yards off your driver. 

 

Also, if you play in significant wind frequently (talking 25 mph+), having a reliable "strong draw" club is awesome for left-to-right winds. A modern driver is too hard to hit a hard sweeping draw with (IMO). 

[IndyArcher]

3 hours ago, jholz said:

I'm not going to tell anyone what they should play. It's all up to you.

 

But, for me, the 3w is, and always has been, one of the most reliable clubs in my bag.

 

Takes a long time to find one that I like, and some effort to develop a relationship with it, but that effort pays off for me.

 

Great off the tee for layup holes. Wonderful from the fairway and decent lies in the rough.

 

Although, if I really need a precision strike - I will defer to a hybrid. I get tighter shot patterns with them.

 

 

 

This all day for me. I am truly surprised that so many dislike it. I use my 3W for my second shot on most par 5's. It tends to be a straight-hitter for me (slight draw is my natural), but I can bend it when needed. My F9 is good for me out of light to moderate rough, but I don't do well with it in heavier stuff. I would abandon my driver before my 3, but I do still get more distance out of my driver, so it stays, too. I actually think aside from my GW, the 3W is my favorite club. 

[dfeldss]

Could be for some. Nothing better than a striped 3w though. I'll go rounds that i don't use mine on my home course, but on the days that it's working it's a great tool to have in the bag

[Krt22]

lol..says the 3w is over-rated then gives a bunch of use cases where they are perfect. I have a 4w, it gets hit 3-5 times a round. 

 

[PJE]

I think use of the 3 wood depends upon the player and the course.

My 3 wood sits in the garage in favor of a 5 wood in the bag. But, I can't bring myself to get rid of it. 

It was, or is, a very consistent club (Ping G30) but I don't need it anymore for most of the courses and tees I've been frequenting.  Most of the par 5s are either now too long, even with a 3 wood, to get home in two and for the few short ones, I can get home with the 5 wood.  

Edited February 2, 2023 by PJE

[LoopySwing13]

As long as you find one that works, it’s a great tool too have. People say the same about 2 irons, but people love those too. Use what works. I happen to have both a 3W and 2I. 🤷‍♂️ 
 

3W a great 250+ club that I love into wind or tight hole. Also I tend to miss right with it, so if trouble left, great option. Don’t hit it a lot on par 5s but it can be handy.

 

2I is a great 220+ club depending on fairways. Love it off the tee and the occasional punch hook from the trees. If woods don’t feel good I immediately switch to this for the round. Don’t use it a ton off the deck but can. 
 

I play P/52/58 and have no need for more wedges so I rather have options off the deck or tee in that awkward 220-250 range.
 

Also have a 5W which goes higher and farther carry than 2I (230 carry) but better for Par 3 unless strong winds. 

Edited February 2, 2023 by LoopySwing13

[Krt22]

30 minutes ago, LoopySwing13 said:

 

3W a great 250+ club that I love into wind or tight hole. Also I tend to miss right with it, so if trouble left, great option. Don’t hit it a lot on par 5s but it can be handy.

 

This is where my 4w gets used. I mostly cut the driver, so a big miss is to the right. 3 dogleg lefts at my club where right and long right are dead, so I pull the 4w which is going mostly straight or a slight draw. But the holes are long enough where iron off the tee leaves a long club in.  

[gripandrip]

14 hours ago, keith723 said:

Love my 3 wood.  Very reliable.  It's a hot face so I never feel like I have to nuke it, just let the club do the work.  Perfect on par 4's where driver brings trouble into play, e.g. keeping it short of a water hazard.  Most single-digits would not part with their 3 wood, especially if you're a longer hitter - it's a necessity to have something you can take a normal swing with and still get the ball out there a bit, but less than driver.  I'd rather do that than try to take too much off of my driver...once the tempo gets thrown off, that's when bad swings happen for me.  I don't practice shorter swings very often though either, except with the wedges.

 

I'll say the 3-wood can be one of the harder clubs in the bag to find, but once you find the right head/shaft combo, it's a great weapon.  So to each their own, but I love mine, and it definitely is not a club that costs me strokes very often.

Wouldn't part with mine, but a hard club to find and/or replace. Have never found a reason to kick an old R9 3 wood out of the bag. Great club, shaft that fits me great and reliable contact. Being so old it looks like hell, but you can't argue with good results. I know a number of guys that still play an old 3 wood that they don;t want to replace... even for the more forgiving hotter new options.

[Ri_Redneck]

Hey! This is WRX!!! We all carry 3ws just in case we want to try to drive the green on that 325yd par 4!?!?!?!? 😎

 

BT

[BombinJim]

Love my 3 wood. When driver is on the fritz (and it usually is) it keeps me from throwing it in a lake or ditch. Plus it’s fun to have the firepower in the bag to go for it on par 5’s, or get myself back in play after a horrible tee shot to salvage bogey.

[Sean124]

I lay up to my favorite yardage on par 5s.

My favorite yardage is “close to the green.”

[HarborMike]

Took my new TSR2 3wood w/GD IZ shaft out to my home course yesterday for the first time. Hit it on the #1 green in 2 on dog leg par 5 then drained 20 footer for an eagle for first time ever on that hole!

It’s not going anywhere and gaps 15-20yds with my 5-wood. 
 

I don’t belong here, I’ll see myself out.

[TreqJosh]

My two gripes with the 3W are:

 

1. My own skill (which I'm learning with); and

2. Callaway Edge Package set has a 3w. 

 

Why on earth do beginner packages have a 3 wood in the bag? In fairness, they may be used by people who aren't beginners but still baffling to me. 

[Sean124]

13 minutes ago, TreqJosh said:

Why on earth do beginner packages have a 3 wood in the bag? In fairness, they may be used by people who aren't beginners but still baffling to me. 

The set probably sells better that way.

 

Beginners don’t know they “shouldn’t” have a 3 wood.

[karstens_ghost]

On 2/2/2023 at 9:30 AM, BlackHammer said:

Good players and pros use them off the tee or going for par 5s in two. Ive heard multiple pros say driver is an easier club to hit off the tee and i would agree. If you need to hit a fairway badly a long iron is going to be the play.

 

Wow, welcome to the boards… with a serious 'splain.

 

I can give you several good reasons for carrying a 3-wood, but the biggest thing you can't do is tell me when it's most appropriate to do so.

 

Tom Wishon made a great point here long ago, and that point is that the second club in your bag, which is the one you use to advance the ball off the ground, needs to be something you can indeed hit well off the ground. You'll notice that many people here are saying "ya, I ditched my 3-wood, and now I'm playing a club that's a half-inch shorter and an extra degree of loft!" Generally, that's within the parameters of just a fitting.

 

Your generalities excluded the argument so many have correctly pinned onto drivers; OEM length is too long. Somehow, this concept is ignored with a fairway wood. Some like a 42" 16.5º club, and not too long ago we called those "3 woods". So ya, some of them are harder to hit. Most 3-woods have a tendency to be easier off the tee, and many older guys use that more than their driver. Turns out, their driver should probably look more like their 3-wood. Other players like a 2-iron. Others a 2-hybrid… and those players usually have success because their swing is either an iron swing or a driver, with no good in-between.

 

If you ever play a parklands course that has a lot of trees, but you can hit out from within those trees, a 3-wood is awesome for low-flight advancement. Or for those of us who driver is perilous on a hole and 3-wood won't be. Or when you're having a bad day with the Big Dog. They have their place, and frankly a 4-wood or 5-wood are decent substitutes.

 

But your point is "don't hit clubs you're bad with". That applies to a 4-iron or a 64º wedge also.

 

In other words, your troubles are not necessarily the troubles of others.

[BagofToast]

1 hour ago, Sean124 said:

I lay up to my favorite yardage on par 5s.

My favorite yardage is “close to the green.”

Giving away the best strategy here lol. 

[Mahamilto]

It’s 100% shaft fit for your delivery with fairways. I didn’t believe this and have had so many 3w that have been terrible…

 

Finally got fit, then actually went with a very similar profile in the same weight and flex… and my god.

 

Tee, deck. Irrelevant. The delivery into the ball is so consistent and it’s now one of the most reliable sticks in the bag. 
 

Shaft fit I had we discussed my strike pattern and not just numbers, then went messing with head and loft. It’s amazing. 
 

So yeah, a poorly fit 3w is a recipe for utter failure, ESPECIALLY off the deck. 
 

But until you have gone thru a detailed fitting… don’t give up if ur any type of reasonable ball striker with other clubs. 

[ChipNRun]

On 2/1/2023 at 2:30 PM, BlackHammer said:

Warm take-3 woods are overrated and most players regardless of skill level shouldnt be carrying one.

 

If you feel comfortable off the tee with it then go for it, or if youre a short hitter that needs it to get to certain holes in regulation then i see it. Or a high handicapper that just hits it solid. Otherwise, youre usually better off with another club imo, am i missing something? 

 

regardless of skill level... IF a person has the clubhead speed, and comes into the ball at the correct attack angle, the 3W can work. So, you contradict your self with the regardless phrase. If a person has the skill, he or she can use it.

 

The idea that a 4W or a 5W works better for the average golfers has been around since the early 2000s. And testing backs it up.

 

The pride factor against playing a 4W which works instead of a 3W is why TM came up with the 3HL - 16.5* or 17* - so people wouldn't have to be seen with a 4W. Tour Edge slipped into that mode recently. Some of its models have three 3Ws: 13*, 15*  and 17*.

 

I am entering my 13th season with some combo of 4W + 7W (changed models a couple of times). Works for me.

[Sean124]

28 minutes ago, BagofToast said:

Giving away the best strategy here lol. 

[gator022]

I think like others have said it depends on the usage. If your second longest club in the bag is a tee only club, @Dan Drake is a massive proponent of a second or mini driver.

 

Lots of non traditional options out there now to building your bag to better your scores.