Does anyone use a 3 wood any more

[StrokerAce]

With all of the new hybrids out on the market I'm curious to see if anyone is using a 3 wood / 3 metal any longer.

 

I know you need an option off the tee that is less than driver but can't a 17* hybrid fill that need? <assuming that a 3 wood is 15* and the lowest loft angle of a hybrid is 17*>

 

AND... if you still game a 3 wood, do you *ever* hit it out of the fairway? Once a round?

 

I was at a golf show and one of the sponsors said that 3 woods are becoming a thing of the past. I didn't believe him one bit but ....

[OrlandoVol]

I think this is a silly question... No offense of course.

I still carry a 3-wood. I use it off the tee probably 4 times a round at my club, and hit it off the deck 3 times on Par 5's...

When I play in tournaments at other courses that play from the tips at 7100+ I use it even more.

Also, if you never have a need for a 240-260 yard shot from the fairway, either you are playing the wrong tees or a very short course.

[hereisnowhy]

I have a 3 wood, and a 5 wood. I rotate depending on the course, and my hybrids might boot them out course depending as well. I do like the option though....

[freddyottawa]

yup, My MP Ti 3 wood isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

[dsmil]

I don't think 3 woods are disappearing but 5 woods and up are being replaced with hybrids for a lot of players. I use the 3 wood as much as my driver off the tee, but usually 0 or 1 time per round off the fairway.

[Slapjax7s]

I don't use a driver anymore, only a 3 wood now as I see how many more Fairways I am hitting, scoring a lot better. I am not giving up much length either so it doesn't seem to be an issue. I am seeing a ton of 5 woods however being put back into the bag and hybrids out.

[MarkFromTheUK]

#4 woods are the future!

[Rosco1216]

I think it just depends on the course you play and if you're a short/average/long hitter. I'm the latter and I only use my driver on wide open par 5's and/or par 4's that I can reach without much risk. My 3 metal(15*) is my main tee club 80% of the time and hit my 3 metal over 300 off the tee quite regularly. I may hit it once from the fairway into a really long par 5 but usually reach with an iron.

[rocker40]

3 wood ( 15*) then 3 hybrid ( 18*)

[kellygreen]

[quote name='StrokerAce' timestamp='1334764085' post='4745128']
With all of the new hybrids out on the market I'm curious to see if anyone is using a 3 wood / 3 metal any longer.

I know you need an option off the tee that is less than driver but can't a 17* hybrid fill that need? <assuming that a 3 wood is 15* and the lowest loft angle of a hybrid is 17*>

AND... if you still game a 3 wood, do you *ever* hit it out of the fairway? Once a round?

I was at a golf show and one of the sponsors said that 3 woods are becoming a thing of the past. I didn't believe him one bit but ....
[/quote]


1. Yes, I still use a three-wood. Mainly as a tee club.

2. I hit my 3-wood farther than a 17* hybrid.

3. For low swingspeed golfers a 3-wood has the same problem as a 3-iron. It takes a good lie, a high speed, sweeping swing, and center-face contact to get a good result. Many recreational players simply do not have ability to create those conditions...so they either duff the shot....or hit a shot that looks more like a low-flying cruise missile. These players need more LOFT to hit a proper shot...and probably find that they have better luck with 4-/5-woods and hybrids.

But to the better player, a 3-wood is still a very valuable weapon.

[kellygreen]

[quote name='OrlandoVol' timestamp='1334764235' post='4745140']
[b][i]Also, if you never have a need for a 240-260 yard shot from the fairway, either you are playing the wrong tees or a very short course.
[/i][/b][/quote]

Or just playing a course where such a shot is a poor risk-reward.

I play a course that is a Nicklaus-design. His trademark is that he gives you lots of room in the fairways to put your tee shot in play...but then puts a severe premium on accuracy with your approach shot. Either by surrounding the green with lots of trouble, or forcing you to hit to a particular spot on the green to avoid huge ridges.

So my course does have 3-wood shots to the green on the par5s...but if you do not hit a nearly perfect shot, you bring big numbers into play. Because you're either hitting the shot again (because your shot is long and OB), or finding a spot to drop (because you're short and in the water), or put your ball in a position where it will be tough to save par.

[cb24]

seems like most people on here have a 3 wood. I Probably use it 2-3 times a round as long as I am playing a course that is decent length, it really makes most greens reachable in 2 on those long par 5's. Also I play a 13.5* so it really gives extra distance a hybrid cant compare to.

[AFatMonkey]

I will never get rid of my 3 wood. I may change lofts... but I would never get rid of it. I've gotten rid of my 5 wood in place of a hybrid though.
What else am I going to hit on a 550 par 5 for my second shot? Cause I'm sure as hell not going to lay up

[pengki1]

what do you mean anymore... i didnt even think it went out of fashion, i personaly feel hybrids are low replacement irons, 1,2,3

[Swingie]

Heavy on the three wood here as well. More fairways and attack mode on 5's or long recovery shots.

[Cwebb]

[quote name='MarkFromTheUK' timestamp='1334764799' post='4745216']
#4 woods are the future!
[/quote]

What's interesting is that today's "4 wood" with 16-17* of loft, is really a true 3 wood for many players. It makes things so much less confusing when we just forget the club number and use whatever loft that fits for our longest fairway club.

[juststeve]

I carry a 15* three metal which I hit off the tee if I want to keep the drive short of trouble and off the ground for maximum distance. I don't believe I could hit a 17* hybrid nearly as far or as high. I regard a 17* hybrid as a replacement for a two iron, not comparable to a three wood.

Steve

[hammy83]

screw the numbers on the club now anyways... might was well go by lofts.
I use my 15 degree about 6 times per round

[StrokerAce]

Don't get me wrong... I have a 3 wood and use it plenty... but I just didn't get why this Cally guy would say that 3 woods are being phased out.

But... look at it this way:
560 yd par5
Shot 1 - Driver 270 (290 left)
Shot 2 - 3 hybrid 220 (70 left)
Shot 3 - 53 degree wedge 70 - on the green in 3

How often are you close enough on a par5 to GO FOR IT with your second shot and a 3 wood in your hands?
It takes A LOT of confidence in that club to put it on the dance floor or get it close. If you have it great... but really a risk/reward shot if you aren't careful.

[pengki1]

you got dog leg holes, course management, you even sometimes lose confidence in the driver for a few holes, 3 wood to the rescue, its a mini driver from the deck or tee,

[AFatMonkey]

Most par 5's I play have an option of going for it and being semi safe... as in its not an isolated green with water around it. I want to be as close as possible for my next shot (hopefully a putting). I'd rather hit a 3 wood and come up 30 yards short in the fair way, for a nice chip. Rather than lay up to 150.

[jabrch]

Given how many 3Ws TM sold this year, I don't believe it is quite yet a relic. That said, 15 years ago club set composition wasn't what it was today....most players carried a 1/3/5 W, a hand full or irons, 2 wedges and a putter. Now there are tons of possible combinations.

[doubleBZee]

I use my 3 wood off the fairway to go for the green when I duff the hybrid off the tee to lay up. Make sense?

[bosoxfan]

I go 3 wood, 5 wood, 4 hybrid, that's just what works for me. The only consideration as far as ditching the 3W has been a 4W, but other than that, never considered losing the 3W. Have actually tried to ditch the 5 for a hybrid, but am more consistent with the fw than the hy overall.
KH

[Jamboy72]

15* CB 2....not going anywhere!

[RooneyTunes]

Still use my 3 and 5 woods, won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I actually can't hit a hybrid to save my life!

[robbo32]

[quote name='Cwebb' timestamp='1334765770' post='4745332']
[quote name='MarkFromTheUK' timestamp='1334764799' post='4745216']
#4 woods are the future!
[/quote]

What's interesting is that today's "4 wood" with 16-17* of loft, is really a true 3 wood for many players. It makes things so much less confusing when we just forget the club number and use whatever loft that fits for our longest fairway club.
[/quote]

I acutally have to agree with this the most. I struggled using 3 woods and until I got my 16* Adams 4060 head. I tried all kinds of 3 woods from Adams, Titleist, Cobra, Callaway and TM and I even went with the 17* hybrid route. I actually found it easier to just find a club with a loft and not worry so much about the number of the club. Now I use my "4 wood" at least 3-4 times a round maybe more. I use it on par 5's, tight driving holes and if the driver is acting up I'll use it even more. While I hit my Driver about 275-280 I can hit my "4 wood" 245-250 off the deck and 255-260 off the tee so its pleently long enough to reach par 5's or still hit a good drive on tight holes.

[MelloYello]

Here's why I like my 3-wood:

1.) It's easier to hit a subtle, faded 3-wood slightly around that corner than a hugely accentuated, sliced driver wrapped 20 more yards past. Why risk the big hook or big slice when clearly the distance off the tee better fits your little-draw, little-fade 3 wood? Unless there's appreciable room out there to land it around the 265-275, a 3-wood is just a better fit for many golf holes. I hit mine between 245 and 255 but can get it out to 265 when I'm going after it so that's usually plenty and often times actually a [i]better[/i] fit for the hole as it still leaves a 9-iron or PW (a full swing) for the approach instead of something inside 125 where you may or may not actually be more accurate or may have a partial swing.

2.) If you're a natural left-to-right player with the driver (a fade), it's probably easier to create a draw with the 3w when it's occasionally necessary than to force that same issue with a driver where things can turn into disaster much more quickly. Look at most pro's on tour that play a fade. If and when they [i]need[/i] to go the other way they typically club down to a 3w and play a straight shot or a little draw.

3.) Fairway woods are typically as forgiving, higher launching and more workable than hybrids which are mostly designed to produce an iron-esque ball-flight with greater ball-speed and more ease getting the club-head through [i]considerable[/i] rough. Why trade height and workability when deep rough isn't present? Pro's deal with that type of course condition, where as I honestly do not.

4.) Fairway woods typically interact with fairway turf better than any other option meaning that when I do risk the 250-yard shot into a Par-5, I have the most ease of use in my favor.

[JJS1978]

[quote name='MarkFromTheUK' timestamp='1334764799' post='4745216']
#4 woods are the future!
[/quote]


I agree with that. I bought one last year and have never looked back.

[bunter101]

[quote name='StrokerAce' timestamp='1334764085' post='4745128']
With all of the new hybrids out on the market I'm curious to see if anyone is using a 3 wood / 3 metal any longer.

I know you need an option off the tee that is less than driver but can't a 17* hybrid fill that need? <assuming that a 3 wood is 15* and the lowest loft angle of a hybrid is 17*>

AND... if you still game a 3 wood, do you *ever* hit it out of the fairway? Once a round?

I was at a golf show and one of the sponsors said that 3 woods are becoming a thing of the past. I didn't believe him one bit but ....
[/quote]

I swapped 3 wood for a 15.5* Cleveland DST hybrid. Admittedly a little shy of 3 wood distances. But more controllable and I can do what I want with it.

It's a money club playing in the wind as it has such a penetrating flight too.