Do you actually use your 3-Wood?

[Jus1412]

I dropped a 15 degree Epic SZ 3wood for a Ping G410 5 wood lofted down to 16.5, essentially a 4 wood. It's been amazing. I hit it as far as my 3 wood, and it's so much easier off the fairway.

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[SmoothG]

On 12/27/2019 at 11:34 AM, chisag said:

... I get some are frustrated with their 3 wood, hitting it poorly off the ground and maybe even struggling off the tee the few times they have hit it. For those players, taking it out of the bag makes sense, especially with 5 woods and hybrids available to take their place. But a 3 wood is a great weapon for those that can hit them consistently. So let me make a suggestion to those of you on the fence or hit it well one day and struggle the next:

... Take your driver out of the bag for at least one full round and hit your 3 wood off every tee. Hitting slightly shorter off the tee should also give you more opportunities to hit your 3 wood from the ground. I think a lot of the inconsistency from hitting your 3 wood poorly is the indecision when you can hit your driver that is almost always more forgiving, so you "try" your 3 wood but perhaps in the back of your mind you feel you don't hit it as well as your driver or hybrid. Taking driver out of the bag removes the indecision and forces you to rely on your 3 wood exclusively. I have found some struggle a little starting off their round but gain more confidence with every hole. In the end (it may take more than one full round)  you will know whether or not a 3 wood is for you. And after several rounds using only your 3 wood, once you put the driver back in the bag, you will have complete confidence when you hit your 3 wood. And if you still struggle, you know a 3 wood is not for you. 

I took my driver out to hit 3W off most tees and I was shooting 10 strokes better instantly and consistently.  I never put the driver back in. Yes, I'm giving up 20-25 yards off the tee now but I just moved up a box and play whites.  My rounds have never been so enjoyable!

[pozzit]

I've had the same 3wood in the bag for the last 13 years and it is old faithful long par 5s or "safe" tee shots it's my go to. I went for my fitting and the fitter had me hit 4-5 shots and it was exactly the distance, spin, and launch numbers. Really hard to take it out of the bag. Hit it 2-3 shots every round.

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[Quigleyd]

I only carry one wood, a driver. I have recently started thinking about revamping the top of my bag and adding a 3 wood and a 7 wood though. Got my eye on the cobra tour big fairway wood. That or I really liked the TM original one. I know that is not a fairway wood per say, but I would use it as a second option off the tee. 

[tehuti]

I actually hit my driver better and more consistently than I hit my 3 wood. So the 3 is on the bench right now. I can basically only use it off the tee, and I hit my 2 ironwood better so no need for both.


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[J.B. TexasEx]

On 7/24/2018 at 1:06 PM, WardenGolf said:

I have played about 6-7 rounds of golf this year and I have hit my 3-Wood once off the tee. I'm debating if it's time to retire it for now. How often do you use your 3-Wood and is it worth a spot in your bag?

I rarely hit my 3-wood off the tee because it's no more accurate than my driver and I lack both need and confidence with it off the deck. I recently added a 5-wood to my bag (finally retired the 3-iron) and have hit three Par-5s in two that I've never hit before with it. I'm considering a "fairway finding" utility iron, but wonder if I really even need that.

My 4-iron can suffice on most courses from the tees I play, 6300-6600 yards. Perhaps I should consider a baffy for deep rough? But, I rarely see those conditions, either, in TX.

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Edited December 31, 2019 by J.B. TexasEx

[Purplepounder09]

On 12/27/2019 at 2:16 PM, Berg Ryman said:

So, I'm looking at going back to a 2 FW set-up. I'm looking for a big forgiving 3W that I can hit from anywhere and a bit more of a player 5W. I'm looking forward to trying some stuff at the Golf Show we have in February. Right now Cobra has my interest in both categories, as does Tommy Armour, but I guess we'll see what works best when I get there. I love fairway woods and just feel like it's time to restore some balance to the bag

I recently replaced the 3w, 5w and driver in my Cobra XL set with the Cobra F8 3w, 5w and driver. The difference was impressive and immediate! I immediately gained 20+ yards on my drives along with a noticable jump in accuracy and consistency. I would highly recommend giving the Cobra woods a long hard look. 

[Golf Dawg]

I’ve found I hit my 3H as far or farther than my 3W. I keep pulling it out on occasion, but end up putting it back in the “benched” bag.


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[tchat07]

3W stays in the bag for sure. I lose distance but am often more accurate vs my driver. Do not really use it off the fairway unless it's a solid flat lie.

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[fixyurdivot]

..

[perseveringgolfer]

havent had a 3W in the bag for about 25 years. I use a 4+W and its used every round, I get easily the same distance as a 3W, sometimes more with the slightly better loft.

[bens197]

Not really much these days. Driver is my favorite in my bag and there are not many holes I’m afraid to swing it.

In college I would use my 3 wood often. Off the tee, I would choose it over my driver on downwind holes when wind was really up.


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[tony@CIC]

15 hours ago, tchat07 said:

3W stays in the bag for sure. I lose distance but am often more accurate vs my driver. Do not really use it off the fairway unless it's a solid flat lie.

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3 wood retired (actually sold) and a Cobra 5 wood took it's place - much, much better results. 

[chisag]

... I think I posted this earlier but it is worth repeating. The "new" ball spins less off woods enabling players to hit it higher and farther. The old 4/5 woods with the higher spinning ball  launched high with a lot of spin and could balloon or just lose distance compared to a 3 wood. Of course high swing speed players can still take advantage of todays 3 wood because even with lower spin, they can launch it high enough to maximize performance. But slower swing speed may not be able to launch a 3 wood high enough with a lower spinning ball and they can maximize distance with a higher launching 4/5 wood and can hit it even farther than a 3 wood.  

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, chisag said:

... I think I posted this earlier but it is worth repeating. The "new" ball spins less off woods enabling players to hit it higher and farther. The old 4/5 woods with the higher spinning ball  launched high with a lot of spin and could balloon or just lose distance compared to a 3 wood. Of course high swing speed players can still take advantage of todays 3 wood because even with lower spin, they can laugh it high enough to maximize performance. But slower swing speed may not be able to launch a 3 wood high enough with a lower spinning ball and they can maximize distance with a higher launching 4/5 wood and can hit it even farther than a 3 wood.  

With what you said is one of the reasons I retired my old Cally Steelhead 3 plus with UST Pro Force Gold 65 shaft--- I carried that thing for 14 years--- got older and could not elevate it. I now carry the 16* Adams in my signature. In some circles that is called a 3 wood but I call it a 4 wood. The what I call a 5 wood that goes with it is 19* and an old V-Steel 5 wood is 18*. FTR the old Cally was a Tour Issue head and measures out at 13* So honestly FTR again I do not carry a 3 wood any more

[HardcoreLooper]

8 hours ago, chisag said:

... I think I posted this earlier but it is worth repeating. The "new" ball spins less off woods enabling players to hit it higher and farther. The old 4/5 woods with the higher spinning ball  launched high with a lot of spin and could balloon or just lose distance compared to a 3 wood. Of course high swing speed players can still take advantage of todays 3 wood because even with lower spin, they can laugh it high enough to maximize performance. But slower swing speed may not be able to launch a 3 wood high enough with a lower spinning ball and they can maximize distance with a higher launching 4/5 wood and can hit it even farther than a 3 wood.  

I don't know if Cobra still does this, but as of the F8, the 3W was really a 3-4W, with lofts from 13*-16*.  I have it set up at 16* right now so I can hit it off the fairway.  I suppose you can call that a 4W.  When I don't feel good about my driver, I can crank the loft down to 13* and keep the ball on the planet off the tee.  

[FrogginBullfish]

In my current bag, I have a 3 and a 5 wood. Both definitely see a lot of use when I do get the chance to play, which unfortunately is not much.

But when I do make some changes to the bag, I'm probably going to get rid of the 3 in favour of a 4 or 5 wood. I'm a big fairway wood guy though so I'll probably still keep two in the bag. Just go with a 4 and a 7 or a 5 and a 7 or something like that, depending on what works best for my game.

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[chisag]

22 minutes ago, HardcoreLooper said:

I don't know if Cobra still does this, but as of the F8, the 3W was really a 3-4W, with lofts from 13*-16*.  I have it set up at 16* right now so I can hit it off the fairway.  I suppose you can call that a 4W.  When I don't feel good about my driver, I can crank the loft down to 13* and keep the ball on the planet off the tee.  

 

... Yup, still adjustable. But the rails on the bottom of the 5/6 wood are thicker and heavier adding more weight low, which of course produces a higher launch. I have my 3/4 set at 16* and my 5/6 set at 17* but the 5/6 launches much higher. 

[BIG STU]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Yup, still adjustable. But the rails on the bottom of the 5/6 wood are thicker and heavier adding more weight low, which of course produces a higher launch. I have my 3/4 set at 16* and my 5/6 set at 17* but the 5/6 launches much higher. 

One of the reasons I have taken to the little ugly off set Adams Boxer 20* hybrid I found a little while back. It is more versatile for me at this point. I can play it forward now and with the offset and the face open some I can hit a soft high cut and stop it on a green.  I can play it back some and hit a low cut or draw stinger with it. The 5 wood flies high and it does not have one of those heavy soles either and I can not for the life of me hit the stinger with it. Same design head and I can hit the stinger with the 4 wood.  

[Kor.A.Door]

On 7/24/2018 at 3:06 PM, jlukes said:

Absolutely. Off the tee and off the fairway. Finally found one I absolutely love and I'll never let her go

Once you find a 3 wood that you like, it stays. I’ve been using the same one for about 6 years. I think Henrik Stenson would agree. He used the same 3 wood for about 25 years it seemed. 

[azstu324]

Once you find a 3 wood that you like, it stays. I’ve been using the same one for about 6 years. I think Henrik Stenson would agree. He used the same 3 wood for about 25 years it seemed. 

I read an article somewhere that he more or less bought out the remainder of the discontinued Garaffalloy tour blue shafts that he has in his 3. I'm sure there's probably more to the story and I'm sure he probably has a Stenson spec'd shaft.. but generally speaking, the shaft he plays costs around $25.

the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

[Golfspy_CG2]

I carried a 3w (15 degree) most of last year.  When I played in our Senior league (5700 yards) I used it of the tee quite a bit and had wedge in on a lot of holes.   When I played our regular men's league (6100) I hit driver 99% of the time and rarely used the 3 from the fairway.   Used the 7 wood alot!

I just picked up a SIM 5W 18* and plan on using it as previously did the 3 in the Sr league.  And hope in the Mens league, those extra 10 to 15 yards it provides over the 7W will help. 

[fozcycle]

I bag theCobra F8 3-4W set st 14.5*, 5-)W set at 17*, 3H(19*) and 5H(25*). This combo covers me from 160(5H) 175(5W) 185(3H) & 195(3W). That’s pretty good coverage for a 69 yr old with 200-215 Cobra F8 Driver @ 10.5*.

 

So, to answer your question, yes I still use my 3 Wood.

 

 

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[GolfSpy BOS]

I never got along with the 3-wood.  swapped it out for a 5-wood on my fitter's recommendation.  Man was he right.  I use it off the tee on shorter holes and can actually use it off the fairway or rough and get enough height on it to be playable.  I don't think I've really lost anything on the tee shots either as I'm much more consistent with it.

[juspoole]

I have one in the bag now, but it really doesn't get much use.  I'm a bit sporatic with my longer woods, so my 3 wood and driver aren't that much different directionally.  I carry a 2 hybrid, which I can hit around 240 off the tee and also use that more often on par 5's if needed.  I always go back and forth with both a 3 wood and a lob wedge as those two clubs, I could easily take out of the bag and it wouldn't make much difference.  

[braveheart]

Yes. On my home course it is very helpful on three to four par five holes. In use a TEE xcg that gets me 210-220 yds off the deck. Although, I now have a Callaway XS OR 19 degree that is breathing down its neck. It can get 200-210 yards with more ease some days.

Edited April 4, 2020 by braveheart

[cciciora13]

I absolutely love my 3 wood for tight par 4's or If i just really need to find the fairway. I normally hit the driver straight but I step up to the tee just knowing my 3 wood will find the fairway when needed.

[Kenny B]

Remember the TaylorMade Rocketballz?  That may still be one of the great 3W.  Well, I bought one back in the day, but after my swing speed dropped due to old age, it went in the garage.  For the past couple of years I have been playing 2H as my longest non-driver club.  This past year I have gained a little speed back after changing my swing, so last fall I dug it out.  I immediately started hitting great shots off the fairway.  That lasted for a few months, then one day I remembered why I put it in the garage.    Since I don't hit the ball very far, I need to get the ball down the fairway as far as possible for second shots.  When I hit the RBZ 3W well; I have better scores, but it's not a 60% club, let alone an 80% well-hit club.  So yesterday I received an RBZ 3HL fairway wood in nice shape off eBay for $62.  I wish I could try it, but our courses are closed.  I'm hoping I can hit this 17º 3HL as well as I hit my 17º 2H and gain a little more distance.

[Sluggo42]

On 2/1/2020 at 8:23 PM, chisag said:

 

... Yup, still adjustable. But the rails on the bottom of the 5/6 wood are thicker and heavier adding more weight low, which of course produces a higher launch. I have my 3/4 set at 16* and my 5/6 set at 17* but the 5/6 launches much higher. 

I just bought a cobra 5/6 used on eBay for $52. It’s all beat up, but initial hits into the net feel good. I did notice the rails, kind of reminds me of my old Sonartec 3-wood.

i actually miss the old Sonartec...

oh, yes I still hit my 3 wood, on most par 5’s and short par 4’s

[zrumble]

Yep. I carry a X-hot 3w and 5w. Use them to get home in 2 on the midlength par 5s or to keep my tee shots short of trouble tight to the fairway. There is also a 9 hole course in the area that has some 260-300 yard par 4s where a Driver is too much.