3-Wood Diversity

[Tony Covey MGS]

 

I just posted this image on the MyGolfSpy Twitter Account, but I figured I'd post it here to. I think it's cool because it illustrates the diversity among what gets called a 3-Wood today.

 

Left to right we have:

Cobra BiO CELL+

Callaway X2Hot

PING Rapture

 

They're very different clubs (just look at their relative footprints) and yet each qualifies as a 3-wood. The BiO CELL+ is so small it could be mistaken for a hybrid, while the Rapture is so large it nearly qualifies as a driver, and certainly belongs in the expanding category of tweeners that would also include the Callaway X2 Hot 2Deep, and TaylorMade SLDR Mini Driver.

 

While most of what we're testing is more in-line with the Callaway X2 Hot, I find it fascinating how diverse the fairway wood category has suddenly become.

[Jondagcl]

That is a tremendous amount of diversity.  Would you say this is a relatively new trend (starting with this years crop of offerings) or is this something that has been building up for a while and folks like me just haven't noticed?  I agree that the 3 wood category has really expanded as of late.  What is the criteria for a club to qualify as a 3 wood?

[Tony Covey MGS]

That is a tremendous amount of diversity.  Would you say this is a relatively new trend (starting with this years crop of offerings) or is this something that has been building up for a while and folks like me just haven't noticed?  I agree that the 3 wood category has really expanded as of late.  What is the criteria for a club to qualify as a 3 wood?

 

It's kind of a strange phenomenon. We're seeing the rollback of a trend, coupled with the extreme extension of that same trend.

 

For the better part of the last decade, 3 wood head sizes have steadily gotten bigger and bigger. We're finally seeing more companies starting to move the other direction, back towards smaller head sizes. At the same time there's an emerging market for the deep faced, things that are actually designed to be driver replacements or something akin to a 2-wood; slotted between the driver and the 3-wood.

For our purposes we  used loft as the deciding factor (13° to 16°), but clearly the lines are blurring.

[Jondagcl]

We're seeing the rollback of a trend, coupled with the extreme extension of that same trend.

Would it be fair to say that we'll continue to see 3 woods trending to the extremes then?  3 woods that appear to look like hybrids, and 3 woods that look like smaller drivers?  

 

My personal preference, if we are using the above 3 as our examples, would be the X2 Hot size.

[furu]

More important than ever to try clubs before you buy. "I need a 3w", that means nothing now. And we - those who work with equipment - have to explain this to our readers/users.

 

But it's a good thing. The selection is fun and inspiring. Fw was a boring, almost dead, market only a few years ago. You could play a 15 year old club and not miss out on anything. 

 

One company that should get more credit for the mini-driver-trend ------- Cobra with the Long Tom  

[jpcgolf]

Is the rapture any good at all out of bad lies or the rough, because I know my "regular" 3w is hard enough to hit out of it.

[whiskey golf]

The Rapture looks great, I wouldn't mind getting one as a driver replacement if they're weren't so expensive.

[revkev]

Whiskey you are way too young to give up on driver.

 

T let me know when you find one that I can hit.

[whiskey golf]

Whiskey you are way too young to give up on driver.

 

Lately I've been using my 3 wood for pretty much all of my tee shots on par 4's and par 5's and I've been hitting it as far if not farther than my driver and I have much more confidence in it. 

[revkev]

That's for today though, things will change for you. Trust the Rev on this one.

[Rickles]

I guess I need to look at the Cobra 3 wood. I have a hate hate relationship with the 3 wood. I am now Carrying an Adams Super LS. I think it's the best 3 wood out there but I still only hit it ok. However, before that I carried a 15 degree hybrid for years. I'm messing around with it again. I used it a lot at the Texas open at that way too long Raven's Nest.

[RoverRick]

This is one thing I like about the adjustable clubs of today.  I recently added a Titleist 913F to my arsenal and if I am going to play a course where I will primarily hit it off the tee I may set it to 15* but if like at the Texas Open I had it set to 16.5* because it seems more reliable.  There is only about 4 yards difference but the higher loft is easier to hit off the deck.

[SPY ZINGER]

How many CCs is the Rapture?

[Tony Covey MGS]

How many CCs is the Rapture?

 

219cc. That's big for a fairway wood, but think about this...the upcoming SLDR mini is rumored to be somewhere in the 250cc ballpark. Some will call them 2-woods, but based on the footprint, these new creations represent an entirely new class of club.

[SPY ZINGER]

219cc. That's big for a fairway wood, but think about this...the upcoming SLDR mini is rumored to be somewhere in the 250cc ballpark. Some will call them 2-woods, but based on the footprint, these new creations represent an entirely new class of club.

I will have that SLDR mini then. I want a 2 wood.

[Jondagcl]

This is going to be a really interesting new segment of clubs that are coming out.  As we look ahead at the possibilities, I'm wondering what club in the bag it replaces?  Does it replace the driver?  Does it squeeze out a hybrid?  Does it fully replace the 3 wood and afford on the fly adjustability?  When I added my 19* hybrid I squeezed out my gap wedge and bumped the loft on my sand and lob wedges 2* to make space.

 

Is it a super niche club that you lean against your wall in the garage and pull out when you play the course with the super tight fairways, or when you feel your driver is acting up?

 

Either way having possibilities and options like this coming down the pipe are fun to consider and wonderful home for the money that seems to be constantly burning a hole in my pocket!!!

[GolfSpy WD]

It's odd that a club like the Rapture or SLDR mini would sell. I can understand it as a driver replacement, but most people don't hit their 3w well and for those that do, it seems like most would be better with a 3w rather than 2w or extra wedge if we're taking about the 14th club.

 

It sure seems cool, but I don't get the point for 95% of golfers.

[Jondagcl]

Yup, that's pretty much what I'm wondering. They are cool new offerings that's for sure. Those two in particular appear to be a answer to a question that, at least as far as I'm aware of, very few people are asking.

[RoverRick]

It's odd that a club like the Rapture or SLDR mini would sell. I can understand it as a driver replacement, but most people don't hit their 3w well and for those that do, it seems like most would be better with a 3w rather than 2w or extra wedge if we're taking about the 14th club.

 

It sure seems cool, but I don't get the point for 95% of golfers.

 

I love the concept of a Driver, 2 Wood and 4 Wood vs D, 3 & 5 but the reality of it is that I am not cursed with extreme distance.  What works better for me is a Driver, 4 Wood (16.5* 3 wood) and 2 Hybrid (18-21).

[mr_divots]

I guess I don't see the varying sizes of the 3W's to be anything new, just how they are marketing them has changed.

A few years ago, there was an article some might recall about hitting driver versus 3w on tighter holes, etc.

For the advantage the added head size provided in forgiveness, they deemed hitting driver in such scenarios to actually be the percentage play. 3W continues to be a tough club for many to hit. The only disconcerting trend I see at present is 44" "3 woods" and 43" "5 woods." As often as they increase head size, they almost always increase the playing length so they can claim 5 more yards again this year. And funny enough, they hardly ever mention shafts in all the marketing, let alone how long they play to achieve these inflated distance claims.

 

The trend I'd like to see go away? Trying to convince me I need a 3W as long as my driver. I do not. If I pull out the 3W its because I wanted a specific yardage shorter than my driver provides.

[Tony Covey MGS]

The only disconcerting trend I see at present is 44" "3 woods" and 43" "5 woods." As often as they increase head size, they almost always increase the playing length so they can claim 5 more yards again this year. And funny enough, they hardly ever mention shafts in all the marketing, let alone how long they play to achieve these inflated distance claims.

 

 

The reason why nobody talks about the length of the shaft is because nobody actually cares. It's that simple.

 

Sure, gear heads like to talk about why a club is longer (it's the shaft...it's the shaft - except when it's the loft), but the average consumer...they guy that accounts for the overwhelming percentage of dollars spent on golf equipment, he couldn't care less. Strong lofts, long shafts...they don't care, they only care that the ball goes farther (even if it doesn't always)...the hows and whys are irrelevant.

 

No judgement as far as the mindset goes...right or wrong, it's reality.

[The Artful Duffer]

All this talk is making me reminisce about the Callaway Big Bertha "The Deuce".

[mr_divots]

The reason why nobody talks about the length of the shaft is because nobody actually cares. It's that simple.

 

Sure, gear heads like to talk about why a club is longer (it's the shaft...it's the shaft - except when it's the loft), but the average consumer...they guy that accounts for the overwhelming percentage of dollars spent on golf equipment, he couldn't care less. Strong lofts, long shafts...they don't care, they only care that the ball goes farther (even if it doesn't always)...the hows and whys are irrelevant.

 

No judgement as far as the mindset goes...right or wrong, it's reality.

Well, with the "trend" you are pointing out, it's decidedly amongst the gear heads anyway who are up on terms like "Phrankenwood." And they are the ones who will notice the shaft lengths. Driver replacement is kinda the point in some cases. When Golf Digest's hot list even makes mention of the playing lengths of some of these fw woods, the average consumer is aware at least to some extent.

 

The "average guys" I see around still have their orange and black TM burners from circa, what, 1998, that they keep year to year and pick up the latest closeout driver from TM for $149.99, or the matching closeout R11s or whatever fw wood for $99 or free with purchase of driver. We're one of the biggest golf metropolis' in the country and the "trends" being pushed are rarely seen on-course. Most bags have few "new" clubs save for that new driver every year. Only the gear heads like us are paying much attention, or care to part with their dinero.

[RoverRick]

 

 

The reason why nobody talks about the length of the shaft is because nobody actually cares. It's that simple.

 the average consumer is aware at least to some extent.

 

A couple of years ago I was talking with a guy who had just bought some TMag RBZ irons.  He was talking about the technology and how much farther these went than his previous irons.  (Nike NDX?)  I said, "Well, I guess the technology has made them more playable but these have longer shafts and stronger lofts which makes them longer."  He did not miss a beat and said, "Lofts and shafts, see, technology."  I decided not to argue.  He was happy.  Still is because he had them in his bag this morning.