3 Wood vs Driver

[Imurg]

Had a slow day today so I loaded up the trolley bag, borrowed a hedgehoged trolley from the shop and spent the day "practicing" on the course.
I took a couple of 13 degree 3 woods as well as my driver and 4 wood to compare distances.

Now I've always thought that I should be hitting my driver further than I am. No willy-waving!! I can hit a decent fairway wood and recently the river has been working well.
Off most tee's I hit a couple of balls each with the G20 driver, Launcher 4 wood, Launcher 13 degree and Launcher FL (newish one) 13 degree.

Didn't actually measure distances but I found that the 4 woodonly slightly shorter than the 13 degree clubs which were - for the sake of a yard either way - virtually the same as the driver and occasionally longer!
They were all "good" hits, all had decent straightish flights and were hit into, with and across the strong breeze. As a guesstimate I'd put all clubs in the 230-240 yard bracket as an average .

So what is costing me yards with the driver?

If I can hit a 3 wood 240, shouldn't I be hitting the driver 260/270? I have pushed the G20 out to 270 once or twice but mostly it's in the 240 and a bit range.....

It's tricky as I don't want to appear ungrateful to the G20 - 240 up the middle is plenty on most holes but I just feel there should be more.........

The fairways are stiff shafted against the G20 in a regular - but it's not whippy like I find a lot of regular shafts.
Could this make a difference..?

 

[Region3]

I don't think you have to be in the 80-90mph bracket to benefit from more loft. Maybe a little more spin from more loft might help to keep the ball in the air longer?

When I was fitted I was carrying the driver 240 and the 4 wood 230 purely because of the better flight of the more lofted 4 wood. Obviously the driver runs out more though.

 

[Imurg]

I don't think you have to be in the 80-90mph bracket to benefit from more loft. Maybe a little more spin from more loft might help to keep the ball in the air longer?

When I was fitted I was carrying the driver 240 and the 4 wood 230 purely because of the better flight of the more lofted 4 wood. Obviously the driver runs out more though.

Trouble is my Driver, 2 woods and 4 wood all appear to be virtually identical.........ok not much run on the driver at the moment but our fairways were not too bad today..:mmm:

 

[Monty_Brown]

I know you have the reg flex in your driver, so is it possible that, for some reason, this shaft produces ideal torque/twist for your swing, so is lovely and straight, but the kickpoint is not quite right and you are therefore losing distance through wasted shaft flex?

In an ideal world, you could get a shaft with the same torque as the G20 but with stiffer flex? I don't even know if that's possible....

When I bought a new driver, I'm certain it was the reduced torque in the stiffer flex which has allowed me to hit many more fairways. I'm a bit longer, but it's the accuracy that is the big difference.