How many of you have opted out of a 3W for a different club in the top of the bag?

[C_Daddy19]

As of late I've been in a personal battle of completely reconstructing my bag away from "traditionalist" styles of clubs.

I used to play a 1i-2i-3i all with a bit of technology but realized how much stopping power I was missing out on with having some woods in the bag.  I'm wanting to put a Callaway AI Smoke TD with a 7x Tour Ventus Black as a driver, and being blessed with some speed I've looked to maybe drop the 3W (currently a 13.5 degree Stealth rocket as mini-driver) and turn it into a 4W??

So top of the bag might go Driver-4W-7W??? I'm a 130mph club head speed with driver so I'm just not sure what an optimal set up for gaping would be there.

 

What are you playing in the top of your bag?

Edited April 23 by C_Daddy19

[Micah T]

@C_Daddy19 you’re way faster than me, but a higher lofted 3 or 4 wood(15-16.5 degrees) would be an option. I would imagine at 130 club speed you run out of fairway on occasion, and having a 3 -4 wood as a teeing club when it has to stop short of 320 would be nice.  A 6 or 7 wood would complement that nicely. My set is as follows:(118 driver club head speed)

Driver- Cobra LTDx LS: good drive (at altitude) is 305 yards

3 wood - Aerojet set to standard loft(15 degrees) 290 yards 

5 wood - Aerojet set to +1 loft(19 degrees) 255 yards

My longest iron is a 4 iron now, and I feel the top of the bag is much more versatile than when I had a 2 or a 3 iron. Honestly, the 3 wood is more of a tee shot club for me, and the 5 wood is off the deck/out of the rough. Even at my speed, my average 3 wood off the deck is about even with a really good 5 wood. But the 5 wood launches so much higher than my 2iron ever did, so I can actually hit it into a green rather than it being a tee shot only iron, since I was fairly inconsistent with it from the fairway.

[Stephen1125]

I’m currently working on the same thing in my bag. 
I found a 4 wood that’s 16.5° and I’m playing it at 16°. It’s perfect next to the driver.  
I’ve got a 3 hybrid and a 4 hybrid that I’m testing to be next in line. I may do both and ditch my 4 iron but undecided. I’d love to test a 7 wood as well but haven’t found one I love yet. 

[tucker_jct]

Interesting is that when I rebuilt my set about 2 years ago, I switched to a Driver, 4 wood, 3h  at the top end of my bag.  Over the last 2 years I've felt that worked really well.   Then over the winter I picked up a 2 new fairway woods  a 3 wood and a 5 wood but have not hit them outside this year.   Which ones go into the bag to play will depend on the course.   I feel like I may need flexibility at the top end   D, 3w, 5w    or  D ,4w, 3h    

[Cmra1]

I had dumped my 3 wood and was carrying an older Cobra 2h , then I stumbled onto a Callaway Rouge HL 3 that I can put out there. Feels great.

[MattF]

I ditched my 3 wood for a 5 wood then ditched the 5 wood for a 5 and 7 Callaway Apex UW. They are both pretty much cannons for me now.

[yellowboy]

Haven’t used a 3 or 5 wood in 15 years , after driver I go 3 and 4 hybrid. Yes maybe I gave up a few yards but there is less chance of getting off plane with the shorter shafts of the hybrids.

 

 

Edited April 24 by yellowboy
Clearer

[mward0516]

I carry my 3 wood.  Along with a 3 and 4 hybrid.    I don't carry 4 iron.   Thinking about doing away with 5 iron too.   That would let me carry chipper along with the 3 wedges.

[tony@CIC]

I love my Radspeed 3 Wood set to std loft and Riptide CB shaft, however, it is getting a bit 'long in the tooth' and thinking of upgrading it to Darkspeed. Next to the Radspeed are 3 hybrids, a 19* 425 with an Alta shaft and 22*/26* 410s with Tensi Blue shafts. The 22*/26* are consistently great performers, I struggle with distance on the 19*. I'll probably swap out the Alta shaft for a Tensi. 

[NCDuffer]

Driver, 4 wood, 3H, 4H…sometimes depending on the course I may drop in the 5 wood and pull the 4W or 3H.

[ce05krug]

I was having a lot of trouble hitting my woods so swapped them out for hybrids. I’ve had good success with the hybrids and saved strokes. As I’m getting better at golf and improving my swing, I’ve started incorporating the woods into my practice routines and have had some success. 

[MarvChamp]

At my age, I'm short off the tee, but the 2022 LTDx Max driver usually finds the middle. Then I have need of longer second shots much of the time. So I carry an older Cobra 5FW, and 2022 Mizuno 7FW and 5 and 6 HY (the hybrids' lower lofts are more like traditional 4 and 5, but easier to launch). Irons are older Mizzy 6-GW. This setup has lowered my scores and I expect the handicap to fall this year. That is my hope for all of you. Best, Marv

[cesare.vitali]

Hi to all, I put in bag a Srixon Hybrid #2, un H45 series, in alternative a wood #3, always Srixon, depending mostly from my period of confidence with them.

The hybrid is often easy to play from fairway, maybe the wood is a little longer, but not so much, and depend a lot from fairway condition.

[sman3115]

I ditched my 3 wood competely though it's in the closet still.  I read an article somewhere either here or Golf Magazine about all recreational golfers should ditch a 3W because they are hard to hit off the ground and the distance is not much different than a driver so it's better to fill in a gap elsewhere.  Which was true to me as it was a tiny gap and struggled with tops out of the fairway and really never hit it off the tee.  It was a no brainer, it was much more valuable to carry a 4th wedge to fill in a big yardage gap on the low end.

So my highest is my 5W and I keep wanting to ditch that too, but god damnit I just hit it so freaking well I can't.  I a total latecomer to the hybrid game after showing such distain my entire life.  I am now a total convert and I'd love to work a stronger lofted hybrid in there and have no fairways, but man I just can't quit my 5W.  I've always loved a 5W for some reason its just like the ideal club length and loft for my setup and swing that I crank em.  I have a 17 and 19 degree hybrid that I'll swap between next, but my 5W?  I just can't quit you!

 

[Hugemidget]

I realized I was never gonna hit the green on a par 5 with my second shot, but for times when I duff my drive, I needed something that could get me much closer to the green for a second shot.

My ego first got me into a Srixon ZXU 2 iron. It took me a while to get used to it and it usually causes more trouble than it's worth, but there is always that one shot that has me keeping it in my bag. 

The second step was a Ping 425 SFT 5 wood (-1 degree loft, -1 degree lie). The club has a lot of adjustability, it's been a game-changer for me. Hitting it is effortless. The results are pretty consistent. Even on my worst hits, it doesn't get me into too much trouble. 

[Josh Parker]

20 hours ago, C_Daddy19 said:

As of late I've been in a personal battle of completely reconstructing my bag away from "traditionalist" styles of clubs.

I used to play a 1i-2i-3i all with a bit of technology but realized how much stopping power I was missing out on with having some woods in the bag.  I'm wanting to put a Callaway AI Smoke TD with a 7x Tour Ventus Black as a driver, and being blessed with some speed I've looked to maybe drop the 3W (currently a 13.5 degree Stealth rocket as mini-driver) and turn it into a 4W??

So top of the bag might go Driver-4W-7W??? I'm a 130mph club head speed with driver so I'm just not sure what an optimal set up for gaping would be there.

 

What are you playing in the top of your bag?

I'm not near the speed but my set up at the top of the bag is 

9* Driver

16* 4W cut down to 5w length.  I don't lose any distance and can work the ball super easy.  Keep it low, high, draw or fade.

19* hybrid 

I can play the 4w off the tee and have full confidence in hitting it exactly where I want it to go.

[DAKDAK]

I have mentioned this on other replies but I have switched to a Tommy Armour EQL 1 iron. These were the first single length irons. I think they came out in late 1980s. The key to these being so good is that they are the length of a 6 iron with a heavier club head. It might go 10 yards less than 3 wood but no mishits and accuracy is much better.

[flsw19]

PXG Gen5 5 wood - though I am considering trying my G400 SFt 12 degree driver with a 42.5 inch shaft for the heck of it. Currently Gaming a PXG Gen5 12 degree driver with a 47 inch Vista Pro R3 shaft.

[Bucketnative]

For years, I kept a Cobra 20 deg hybrid as my "long club."

I am one of those people who doesn't get along with fairway woods.

However, I recently did pick up an old Callaway Warbird Big Bertha 13 deg Strong 3, which I only use off the tee on holes where driver is a bit to much, or where I need to hit it low into the wind.

[Preeway]

20 hours ago, C_Daddy19 said:

As of late I've been in a personal battle of completely reconstructing my bag away from "traditionalist" styles of clubs.

I used to play a 1i-2i-3i all with a bit of technology but realized how much stopping power I was missing out on with having some woods in the bag.  I'm wanting to put a Callaway AI Smoke TD with a 7x Tour Ventus Black as a driver, and being blessed with some speed I've looked to maybe drop the 3W (currently a 13.5 degree Stealth rocket as mini-driver) and turn it into a 4W??

So top of the bag might go Driver-4W-7W??? I'm a 130mph club head speed with driver so I'm just not sure what an optimal set up for gaping would be there.

 

What are you playing in the top of your bag?

I have a HL 3W (I call it a 4W since it's 16.5 degrees) and love it. Now looking at 5W and 7W options or maybe a 3h or 4h to replace my FliHi 3i.

[ZJeb67]

My 3 wood is out and I've replaced it with a Callaway Mavrik 3 hybrid 18 degrees.
I don't hit the hybrid as far, but I hit it much more consistently

[Skrizan]

I ditched 5 wood and 4 iron when I got Callaway Steelhead 3 and 4 Hybrids.  I have a PING G410 3 wood, but I'm not sure I should, as I make more mishits with it than my 3 hybrid, and honestly I don't think I can hit it much farther than the hybrid.  When I redo my bag I may consider a 5 hybrid and get rid of the 5 iron.  And either a mini driver or 2 hybrid in place of the 3 wood.

[russtopherb]

I used to go driver to HyWood, but I'm also just a mere mortal. Now I have the Mizuno ST-Z lofted up to 4w range based on my fitting and it gets the job done, and done well. 

[Willie T]

I played several different setups - depending on what we’re doing.  For the men’s group scramble it’s R580 driver (yup that old) 10.5deg, R580 5w (18 deg), Tommy Armour 845s Silver Scot irons (usually just 3-5-7-9-PW-SW) and putter.  The 5w is extremely versatile off the tee or deck.  The next set is just for fun set - SLDR 10deg driver, SLDR 3HL wood (17deg), Callaway Edge 3h (20.5 deg), Callaway X series irons…The primary set is Ping G400 SFT driver 10deg, set to 9.4 - senior flex; G410 3w (lofted 1deg up, 1deg flat) - senior flex; G400 hybrid trio 3,4 5; followed by SLDR irons 6-PW, Indi wedges, AIOne putter.  All that to say the 3HL SLDR fairway is a hitting machine off the tee or deck, the G410 now that I’m playing it 1deg flat is very similar as both gap nicely (about 15 yards behind the driver).  The 3hybrid(s) cover the next gap pretty well, etc.  

The recent banter on the pro community’s move to 5w/7w really speaks more to the distance gains we’ve seen in clubs in general, the better ball striking, and overall performance of pros is likely leading us to think the 3w is to go the way of the 2w, 1i - no longer a needed club. 

In the end it really comes down to the individual player’s wants and skill set - what works best for me may be a disaster for you…for example I love hitting hybrids and pe my son can’t, but can drill a longer iron or fairway like no one’s business.  
 

 

[Teeman]

An older guy 95mph driver swing speed, I've gone years ago to a 16.5 3 wd Titleist 917, this could go away for my TM M2 18* 5 wd, love my TM M2 7 wd HL 24*, it's my 190-200yd club & my Titleist 915 27* hybrid for the high softt landing 175-180 yd shot. My irons Ping i210s start with the 5 i 

[ClarkWGriswoldIII]

I bailed on my 3-wood a couple of years ago and it has been beneficial.  In its place, I have gone to a Ping G425 Max 5-wood turned down a degree to 16.5.  I then have a Ping G425 Max 7-wood with a 5-wood length shaft and turned down a degree to 19.5.  That arrangement has worked out well and saved me the frustration of that damn 3-wood in the bag tormenting me into using it! 

[Ted Tedeschi]

Looking to ditch my 3 wood. Cannot hit it very well and my 5W seems to be more reliable & consistent

[Delaware Joe]

I used to be a great fairway wood player. I used to consistently crush my 3 woods. But then old age creeped in, 2 back surgeries, a knee replacement, and just recently(6 months ago) a total reverse replacement of my left shoulder. But I digress, my fairway wood issues started about 4 years ago, I became so inconsistent with my 3 wood that I almost never used it, I evened tried shaving off 1/2 inch of the length. one of my golfing buddies was using a Taylormade M6 4 wood and was constantly crushing it. At 15 degrees loft (the same as a 5 wood) it was a lot easier to use. I was able to land a Titleist sr2 4 wood at 15 degrees and was really able to start using fairway woods again with confidence. I am currently gaming a Callaway Rogue 3 HL (15 degrees) and a Callaway Rogue Heavenwood and they have helped my game considerably. Great versatility for shot making. No I am not going to reach many par 5’s in 2 anymore, but at 72, I just want to consistently put myself in a position to score!

[bobsarobot]

Cleveland Hy-wood, 3+ 17 degrees.  Beautiful club for teeing off and to replace the 3 wood.

[Julius]

Great question.  I have a 3W that is 16 degrees but use more the 5W that is 19 and the 22 degree 7 wood.  I prefer the high loft for the approaches.  I do bring the 3W with me sometimes but also have the 3H as well that I keep in the bag that is also 19 degrees.   I am a 4 hybrid but would need to get out and swing one a bit before I commit to it. I don't have a large gap in my clubs it is more around what can I control better and hit consistently. The 7 wood is my best wood to meet those conditions but to get a bit more distance I would go with hybrid or the 5 wood but that is slightly less predictable.