Why have a 3 wood?

Bulldog...

Just coz the rules say we are limited to 14 clubs, that doesn't mean we have to carry 14. I only have 13 in my bag at the moment and I could probably take another 2 maybe 3 out. But, ultimately I'm lazy and you never know what you may face out there during a round.....

And, of course, technically speaking, the 14 club limit only applies in competition. Meaning, if you are going out for a solo practice round around your home course, you can carry as many (or as few) clubs as you want.

My suggestion is if you know you won't hit it, take it out. If nothing else, your bag will be that much lighter...


Cheers

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Look at the Target, Look at the Ball, Swing... Dr Bob Rotella...

Looks like there's room in the bag for a 60° wedge if you pull the 3w.

I find clubs go through periods of loving you and hating you (like girlfriends).

Three rounds ago, I couldn't manage my new 5w. Everything was a slice. Yesterday? It was the go-to club. Long, high and straight off the tee; every time.

Well, I took the Goldilocks Club (my driver is not too long and not too short, not too lofted and not too flat, not too heavy and not too light - it's JUST RIGHT!! (for me, at least )), the 3W and the 5W to the range, and that didn't clear ANYTHING up!!

I - in the end - could hit the 3W, though I'm still not as comfortable as I am with either the driver or the 5W. I've still never tried a hybrid, though I know everyone thinks they're the pooches privates, but a hybrid would still seem to be more of a replacement for a 3I than a 3W. Maybe the problem is my 3W. One of things that bugs me about it is that it has such a small head (might check the volume of it later to give you an idea) - but it REALLY doesn't fill me with confidence. I can just imagine situations where I might need to hit it off the deck (which is probably the shot I find most challenging of absolutely everything ) - just not on my course.

Hmm...

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~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

Ashton makes a 16° hybrid...

When I measure the volume of the club head, I'm including everything up to and including the hosel, yeah?

just practice with it dog!
there are a lot of benefits to teeing off with your 3 wood.
i was the same as you at first but now if i need an accurate 200/220yd drive then the 3 wood is ideal

LOL!

I guess there's not a lot there to argue with...

...except...

I don't know, I guess I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's not a distance thing, it's a straightness thing. I can practise the 3W til it's as straight as my driver, but... Well, why? The 'off the deck' argument still holds, but still - why don't I put the time into practising the driver? I guess the main answer for me is that I feel there's a golf shot out there that I can't play, and it's that bloody-mindedness that makes me want to practise it, not the fact that I can see the point of it.

Not sure I made that clear. I understand I'm flying in the face of established wisdom here...

__________________
~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

Hi Bulldog,

The 3 wood is a difficult club to hit off the fairway, I would only attempt it where the ball was sat up nicely or where I wanted to play a long low punched shot under trees. It is a good club off the tee for those 200 / 230 drives in narrow fairways or where a bendy ball will have a high chance of hitting hazards.

Yes it has a smaller head than a driver, it also has a shorter shaft and more loft making a little more forgiving of side spin off the tee. However, if your driver gives the type of accuracy you are content with then that's fine.

__________________
Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

I used to use the 3w instead of a driver, because I could hit fairly straight with it, about 220 yds. In fact, for a year or so I didn't even carry a driver. Then I got so I could hit fairly straight with the driver, as long as I didn't try for big distance. 240-260 is generally "safe." At that distance, if I miss the fairway, I'm generally not in deep trouble, but I find the fairway pretty often. I stopped carrying the 3w. Instead I picked up a 17* "recovery" hybrid (Ram FX Recovery Hybrid - Golfballs.com). My original idea is that I could use it from the fairway or, as the name suggests, the rough, especially on a par 5. Well, that hasn't worked out well. For whatever reason, I have trouble getting the ball in the air from the fairway with this club. From the tee, however, I sometimes use it. I tee it up about a half inch, at most, maybe less. I still get a fairly low ball flight with this club, but on a windy day that can be just what I need.

I've never been able to get a decent 3w or even 5w shot from the fairway. I don't know why. Some weird mental thing.

Yesterday, after reading this thread, I decided to dust off my 3w and try it out, and I found that I couldn't hit with it at all, not even from the tee. I need to re-learn the club, and I'm not sure it's worth the effort. I think I have more pressing concerns.

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Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

My rescue clubs are becoming "go to clubs" form almost anywhere so it's worth perservering with them.

Soemthing worth trying if you are having problems getting the ball flying (try at at the range first ) is setting up as if for a mid / short iron and moving the ball forward* 1 - 2 balls (experiment) - I find this gives the shot a pretty nice shape, height & direction.

Good Luck

Robin

* If you favour a fixed ball position then play around with stance width / sternum position (vis a vis ball) to get the same effect - Brian W can advise.

Well, interestingly, it seems I'm heading in the same direction here. I asked my club pro for a suggestion for a replacement for my 3I. He suggested a 22^ loft 4H. I tried it, liked it and bought it. This was after my round, so I hurried a few quick shots with it and liked it a lot. Then after work, I tried it again, and really really liked it! I found it hard to hit duffers, though if I tried with it, I found it was possible

So - here's the thing. I'm trying to work out what to take out of my bag to replace it.

3W - I NEVER EVER use. Hmm. I feel I should and I know the arguments, but I never use it off the tee, and I can't use it off the fairway.

5W - have been using this quite a lot recently, partic from fairway but sometimes from tee, but I wonder if my 4H and 5W are probably fairly similar clubs in terms of distance? Just speculating. 5W has more loft but a longer shaft.

3I - the only shot I tend to use this for is a really low knockdown 'keep it under the branches' type shot, and I'm wondering if I still need the 3I in the bag for this or if I can play it with the slightly higher lofted 4H (I did briefly try this tonight, and I *think* I can)

4I - can't remember the last time I used this club. If I needed it, I'd probably play an easy 5W

I got it to replace the 3I but now can't make my mind up whether it makes sense. Why not take out the club I never use? Hmm...

I guess the answer is to take a bag of balls up out of hours and have a look at the distances and, I guess, 'gaps' between clubs.

Also - what next?! I figure another hybrid, but if the 4H replaces my 3I in terms of a similar distance, do I get a 3I to replace the 3-5Wish range, or a 5H to replace the 4I.

God, it doesn't get any easier, does it?!

__________________
~_~_~_~_~
Personal bests 2007;
Best 18: 78 (+12)
Best 9: 37 (+4)
Best Stableford: 45 pts
Best total putts: 28
Best total length sunk putts (ft): 54

Club tourney history this year: Captain's Day - 1st; Club foursomes - 2nd; Dimex Stableford - 2nd; Club Championship - 13/28 gross, joint 5/28 nett; Ferebee Shield - 2nd; Sept Medal 2nd; Autumn Stableford - 1st

At least you're not having to worry about replacing your bag just yet...

I turfed out my 5 and 7 woods and replaced them with a 19 deg and 22 deg recovery (Taylormade), I have not used a 3 or 4 iron for a long time now. The 19 is a 3 iron/ 5 wood replacement and the 22 is a 7 wood / 4 iron replacement. These two clubs have tremendous versatility in hitting from differing lies, shot shaping and can cover a good range of distances.

I have retained the 3 wood as it is a good driver substitute where needed and can create some nice long fairway shots where the ball is sat nicely. so I now carry 4 wedges (PW, GW, SW, LW) 9 - 5 irons, 22 and 19 deg recovery, 3 wood and driver. It takes a bit of time and perseverance to work out what's best in your own bag and as someone said here recently "Clubs are a bit like your woman, they like you for a while then for no apparent reason start behaving quite unpredictably"

__________________
Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

I also have a hybrid that is marked as a 3i, but has 22* of loft. It was made by Knight, called "Rippa", and cost me $20 at Walmart. It was the first hybrid I ever bought, and the only one I could ever use more or less consistently. It seems that it's more a 4i replacement, but I guess that doesn't matter. The main thing is, with a little practice I *can* use it on the fairway, and from a very low tee, it'll go 200-220 yds.

Realistically, I need only carry the driver, the Rippa, 5-9 irons, four wedges, and a putter. I can hit a regular 4i, but for whatever reason it doesn't seem to go any farther than my 5i, which I hit well these days.

I'm coming to the view that a club has to "earn" a place in the bag. That is, if I practice with it and get to the point where I feel confident with it, I'll carry it. If not, it stays home. This way, I avoid the situation where I think, "Hmmm... I wonder if this club would be good here..." and reach for a club I haven't swung in months.

__________________
Todd
Philadelphia, PA
USA

The reason the pro tells you to keep your head down is so you can't see him laughing. ~Phyllis Diller

Bulldog - I would suggest the club selection Brian listed, as a good starting point. The two hybrids effectively replacing the 3 and 4 irons, with the stronger one stretching into 5 wood range. (The "old timers" I know consider the 2 iron equivalent to a 5 wood, but I think hybrid clubs have kind of changed that thinking). If you really love the 5 wood and never hit the 3 wood, swap them out. Chances are you won’t hit either once you start getting used to the reliability of the hybrids. You might even look at a 16 degree instead of either fairway woods. JMO.