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

[pisces010365]

I dropped my 3W for a 5W and 7W. I also dropped my Hybrid for a 3 Iron. Currently looking for a 19* or 20* Utility iron in that spot for long par 3s. I am swinging my driver at best 100MPH. I highly encourage others to try dropping the 3W for another club. I also endorse trying a 7W over a hybrid.

[MCMSR]

Recently ditched the 3w(adjustable) & 4h/5h (fixed) due to distance/gapping issues. Replaced with 5w(adjustable) & 7w-21’ — Both better distances & higher trajectories than prior mix. 

[Dr Tee]

Depending on where I'm playing, the top of my bag is as follows

Driver 10.5 Ping G430 Max, TM Qi10 16.5 degree 3HL, Callaway 18 degree BB V-series 5 Wood, Callaway 21 degree V-series Heavenwood, Ping G425 2e2 degree 5 Hybrid.

Depending on course length, layout and playing conditions I will remove the 5 wood and add a 26 degree 6 Hybrid. 

[GolferXY]

On 4/23/2024 at 9:07 AM, C_Daddy19 said:

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.

I'm sure I can't help you with your decision.  I doubt there are many with that type of speed.  I still use a Callaway Jailbreak 3w and love it, I'm very consistent with it.  You play a game with which I am unfamiliar [to quote Mr. Jones].  I would like to see you blast a few at the driving range though. {Hint: video...}

 

[warrenator8]

I love hitting fairway woods, so I might be the wrong one to ask. I tend to go with a 3 wood (Normally an Adams Speedline, but I'm testing one from Byrdie Golf Design right now)as a back up driver with a Mizuno Utility Iron for tee shots and longer shots into par 5s. I can't stand hitting hybrids, mostly because I hate hitting the ball left, and every shot with a hybrid is a low hook for me.

Edited April 29 by warrenator8

[Beakbryce]

Driver, 3,5,7 woods. I don't use the 3 wood a lot but when you need that distance, you need it. Bonus off the tee for short par 4's. I would rather hit my 5 wood off the deck, but if a 3 wood is going to put me in a better position, I hit it.

[APFA2315]

I'm not close to that SS (stock is 110 +/- 3ish) or handicap, but...I play D/3w/5w at 8-9*/13.5*/18*. Not sure what the norm is, but at the top of the bag I care less about gapping and more about hitting windows and setting up the conditions to be aggressive in the most common situations I'll see on the course. Love hitting woods and generally hate long irons for that reason; IMO woods are so much more versatile and easier to shape/flight/etc. in different situations.

I have my 3w as a low launch/low spin pseudo-mini driver. Great for controlled tee shots or hitting off the deck when I need to trust a fairly straight, consistent, controllable ball flight from way out. Depending on how tight/risky the course is, I'll go entire rounds without hitting driver because my 3w gives me 90% of its distance with 90x its accuracy. 5w has the complete opposite profile; very high launch and high spin for attacking greens and getting steeper descent angles to hit and hold. I would much rather attack with that profile than try to hit a 4i/5i in. I can flight the 3w or 5w or hit them high depending on what I want...can't really do the same with a long iron. 

[Usmcgyrene]

I had ditched the 3 wood for awhile and opted for a 4 wood. That was mostly due to me not being able to find a 3 wood that was consistent for me. I have since gone back to a 3 wood. I'm currently playing a G430 max. It's really easy for me to get the trajectory I want. That's probably due to it being extremely low profile. After that, it's 3, 4, 5 hybrids. I don't have enough swing speed for longer irons, and the hybrids are almost like cheating. 

[Hacker60521]

@C_Daddy19 I struggle with this question a lot of the time. Top of my bag is D, 3W, 4H, and 4I.  The gapping isn’t bad and the 4H and 4I are pretty close in range. So I’m toying with adding a 3H and dropping either the 3W or 4I

That said, I’m putting a lot more time practicing the top end of my bag. So I’m much more comfortable with them. 

[Jcase2210]

Recently sold my 3 wood and picked up an adjustable 5w (Qi10 tour) to help fix my gapping a little. I found with the courses around that I regularly play a 3w just didn’t seem practical. 

[Iamsecond116]

On 4/24/2024 at 8:05 AM, ZJeb67 said:

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

I did the same thing. Thinking about getting a Callaway Super 2 Hybrid  to close the gap a little bit more. 

[C_Daddy19]

@Micah T I was kind of thinking the same thing! Difficult to adapt that after being so used to Driver-3W but then finding myself often gaped out and opting for my 7W in those in-between situations.  I think trading the Driver and 3W up and living with an open spot for a bit might encourage me to get a look at a 4W or maybe even a Driving 1i?

 

Kind of weird to go Driver 1i -7w though???

The forever top of the bag struggle lol

[C_Daddy19]

@Stephen1125 thank you for that insight! I'll have to take note on the 16 degree vs 16.5 degree. I feel like that would add some more even gaping to my bag and it would make me actually end up using the 4w instead of leaving the 3w in the bag.

 

I personally love the Taylormade Stealth 7w, a breeze to hit out of just about anything.

[C_Daddy19]

On 4/24/2024 at 6:53 AM, Josh Parker said:

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.

The 16* 4w cut down is an interesting one! I'm chasing utility at the top of the bag and I think Its fallen into 15.5*-16.5* 4w then down to a 21* 7w.

 

I really like this idea though thank you!

[C_Daddy19]

On 4/28/2024 at 1:26 PM, KC Golf said:

This is a great question.  Your driver swing speed is really impressive.

I still have my 3W in there.  I used the 3W for tee shorts where driver would be too long and I can't carry the trouble, etc.  I used to game 16.5 deg vs my current 15 deg.  But I found the 15 deg has a great lower flight pattern, so I get less wind issues with it.

I should really re think this part of the bag.  You got me thinking about it.

Thank you!

Unfortunately, the high swing speed leads to the 3w not being as "safe" of a club as I feel it should be.  Something else I have considered for flight trajectory is a Driving 1i. But then my bag looks hideous with Driver-1i-7w????

It's under utilized for me, either I'm chasing par 5s in 2 with the driver or pulling back the 7w to hit a tight fairway. The 3 wood just doesnt see alot of use at its current loft and distance.

[C_Daddy19]

On 4/29/2024 at 9:51 AM, GolferXY said:

I'm sure I can't help you with your decision.  I doubt there are many with that type of speed.  I still use a Callaway Jailbreak 3w and love it, I'm very consistent with it.  You play a game with which I am unfamiliar [to quote Mr. Jones].  I would like to see you blast a few at the driving range though. {Hint: video...}

 

I appreciate the candor!! I really Enjoyed the Jailbreak driver and 3w when they came out too.

I'm fairly new to the forum! Where would I be able to post some accessible videos on the Trackman/ range?

[Josh Parker]

42 minutes ago, C_Daddy19 said:

The 16* 4w cut down is an interesting one! I'm chasing utility at the top of the bag and I think Its fallen into 15.5*-16.5* 4w then down to a 21* 7w.

 

I really like this idea though thank you!

It's been a great addition to the bag.  The hybrid has worked well and I have considered adding the 21* to the mix as well but I like my 4 iron for a few holes that I can hit a low line drive with it and get good roll.  

[GolferXY]

1 hour ago, C_Daddy19 said:

I appreciate the candor!! I really Enjoyed the Jailbreak driver and 3w when they came out too.

I'm fairly new to the forum! Where would I be able to post some accessible videos on the Trackman/ range?

You can go to the member forums and start a new thread.  You could also post in a reply to this forum.  You can post directly, or you can link to a social media site like Youtube where you have posted the video.  Looking forward to it!

[C_Daddy19]

4 hours ago, GolferXY said:

You can go to the member forums and start a new thread.  You could also post in a reply to this forum.  You can post directly, or you can link to a social media site like Youtube where you have posted the video.  Looking forward to it!

@GolferXY Not sure if these do it justice but I need to get some actual Trackman footage with club head metrics from Club Champion to go along side! I threw in an iron swing so it's not ALL driver lol 

I also competed in Amateur WLD back before COVID, and it's supposed to be making a comeback

[C_Daddy19]

4 hours ago, GolferXY said:

You can go to the member forums and start a new thread.  You could also post in a reply to this forum.  You can post directly, or you can link to a social media site like Youtube where you have posted the video.  Looking forward to it!

@GolferXY Not sure if these do it justice but I need to get some actual Trackman footage with club head metrics from Club Champion to go along side! I threw in an iron swing so it's not ALL driver lol 

I also competed in Amateur WLD back before COVID, and it's supposed to be making a comeback

[ctg44]

On 4/23/2024 at 11:07 AM, 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?

You're a lot faster than me (110-115), but I'm loving the AiSmoke Triple Diamond 3W (15*) I got used at Golf Galaxy last month.  Even with the stock Project X Denali shaft, I've been rocking that on many shots where I'd have been "spraying and praying" with my higher-spinning driver.  I have put a Callaway adapter on my Tensei White AV fairway shaft and will be trying that out too, but even if I don't beat the stock shaft, I can play the tips on most courses as a 50-year-old and not feel like I have to pull driver out unless I have a forced carry over 250 yards, so I'm pretty confident in that new club...now to deal with my awful Titleist TS2 hybrid at some point soon...That's a club begging for insertion into the nearest wood chipper if there ever was one...

[Donn lost in San Diego]

You shoot par golf and you are asking people you never met?  How did you get to par without us?

Seriously, find whatever shafts love you.  Everything else falls into place. I play like crap, age and scoliosis/arthritis injuries.  But I'm thinking of putting a new design 3w head onto a 12 yr old Radix Matrix shafted Adams 3w because the shaft loves me.  (Speedline LP, lo profile, for fairway use).

[GolferXY]

22 hours ago, C_Daddy19 said:

@GolferXY Not sure if these do it justice but I need to get some actual Trackman footage with club head metrics from Club Champion to go along side! I threw in an iron swing so it's not ALL driver lol 

I also competed in Amateur WLD back before COVID, and it's supposed to be making a comeback

Jeepers, and I thought I was long!  Well, a long time ago maybe I was but never even close to that lol.  I only 

 

 

10 hours ago, ctg44 said:

You're a lot faster than me (110-115), but I'm loving the AiSmoke Triple Diamond 3W (15*) I got used at Golf Galaxy last month.  Even with the stock Project X Denali shaft, I've been rocking that on many shots where I'd have been "spraying and praying" with my higher-spinning driver.  I have put a Callaway adapter on my Tensei White AV fairway shaft and will be trying that out too, but even if I don't beat the stock shaft, I can play the tips on most courses as a 50-year-old and not feel like I have to pull driver out unless I have a forced carry over 250 yards, so I'm pretty confident in that new club...now to deal with my awful Titleist TS2 hybrid at some point soon...That's a club begging for insertion into the nearest wood chipper if there ever was one...

Hmmm....what is wrong with the hybrid?

[RetiredBoomer]

After many years of playing a matched set of Titleist PT metalwoods at 13, 17, 20, and 23°, I had a hard time finding replacements that felt right at address.  I just couldn't get the right combination of loft, lie angle, and face angle that felt comfortable at address. 

The PTs had steel shafts and weren't weighted for graphite, and as much as I liked them, it was time for a change.  The only way I could find clubs that set up like the PTs at address, however, was to go back to wood.  That left me with a huge choice of clubmakers--Louisville Golf and nobody else--but I got a 2, 4, 5, 7 set that has served me well.

Now, I've just made a major investment to go back to metal, considering it's the 21st Century and all, because I found clubs that felt right hitting on the simulator.  Let's see what happens on the course.  

Still no 3-wood, however.   The modern ones are too strong lofted for my comfort.

 

 

Edited May 2 by RetiredBoomer

[toodles_of_tol]

I go 15* 3 wood to 22* 4 hybrid to 23* 5 iron. Covers distances fairly well for me. Got about a 30 yard gap between that wood and hybrid but where I typically play it doesn’t matter much. Thinking about swapping hybrid for 7 wood just due to some inconsistency with the hybrid 

[THE GOLF GUY]

On 5/2/2024 at 10:19 AM, RetiredBoomer said:

After many years of playing a matched set of Titleist PT metalwoods at 13, 17, 20, and 23°, I had a hard time finding replacements that felt right at address.  I just couldn't get the right combination of loft, lie angle, and face angle that felt comfortable at address. 

The PTs had steel shafts and weren't weighted for graphite, and as much as I liked them, it was time for a change.  The only way I could find clubs that set up like the PTs at address, however, was to go back to wood.  That left me with a huge choice of clubmakers--Louisville Golf and nobody else--but I got a 2, 4, 5, 7 set that has served me well.

Now, I've just made a major investment to go back to metal, considering it's the 21st Century and all, because I found clubs that felt right hitting on the simulator.  Let's see what happens on the course.  

Still no 3-wood, however.   The modern ones are too strong lofted for my comfort.

 

 

I play a 16.5* HL 3 wood 

[Mike grosdidier]

I dropped my 3 wood a couple of years ago.  I switched to a 16.5 degree wood.  Call it a 4 wood or high launch wood.  I hit it farther and much more consistent as well.  I will never go back. In fact a 5 wood might be in the near future.  Loft is our friend. 

[TheHollow11]

I carry a BRNR mini driver and a 7 wood, I traded my 3 wood for a 5 wood and carry that sometimes too just depends where I play. The 5 wood is mostly for fun because it is a little inconsistent, I bought a P7 UDI to replace it just waiting for the new shaft to come in.