Ball placement for hitting a 3 wood off a tee.

[vkurup]

My 3-wood has completely lost its mojo.. these days I dont have a club between my Driver and 4-hybrid. Will need to get to the range and try things. One thing i need to do is go back to first principles.

1) If I hit a 3W off a tee, where should the ball be placed. My driver is off the left heel, but play most of the other clubs centre of stance

2) If I hit a 3W off the deck, where should the ball be placed. I never try this shot.

3) If i try of the tee, I generally end up topping the ball, it goes miles high but just past the ladies. I think I end up coming under the ball, which could be result of the tee being too high or the ball being too fwd.

 

[fundy]

1) slightly back from where you would have the driver, maybe an inch or so at most

2) see 1)

 

[Jensen]

Hitting 3 wood off the deck is probably one of the hardest shots in golf. The tip here is to not try and help the ball in the air by scooping or leaning back on the downswing to try and get it airborne. Swing the club and trust the loft to do the work. Keep your head down, don't start looking for it before you hit it otherwise you'll top it. Also don't swing to hard and try to smash it. Once you get the technique right it's a great shot to be able to play. Just keep practising

 

[Fish]

I personally don't think anyone should say place it here or there or it "should be" xyz as our swings are different.

If I tee up my 3w and put it too far forward in my stance it would be a huge slice. I have mine now just in front of middle and I get a slight draw and good distances. I also now take all my irons just slightly behind centre and that works for me also.

I've had plenty of lessons where you are being taught the "correct way" but that won't suit all, certainly didn't suit me but now I'm far more confident after spending time at the range and trying numerous ball positions until I felt comfortable and was hitting the 3w consistently off the tee.

 

[Alex1975]

I personally don't think anyone should say place it here or there or it "should be" xyz as our swings are different.

If I tee up my 3w and put it too far forward in my stance it would be a huge slice. I have mine now just in front of middle and I get a slight draw and good distances. I also now take all my irons just slightly behind centre and that works for me also.

I've had plenty of lessons where you are being taught the "correct way" but that won't suit all, certainly didn't suit me but now I'm far more confident after spending time at the range and trying numerous ball positions until I felt comfortable and was hitting the 3w consistently off the tee.

This.... It really does depend how up or down you are on the ball.

 

[brendy]

Find out where it is happiest for you.
Go to the range and place 10 tees just outside the ball where you normally address it (reference markers, you dont want to hit them)and gap them out evenly from the middle of your stance out to parallel with your left big toe.
Mark your stance so it stays constant and start with the ball towards the middle of your stance and hit a few from each of the ten positions (key thing here is to use your normal swing and standing a comfortable distance from the ball, if you try to adapt to the position of the ball it wont work)
By the time you get to the sixth marker you will probably notice that they arent going off as well. Once you have found your sweetspot make a note, I have a tendancy of forgetting things that I pick up on the range.
Doing this I found that my woods are around a 3 from the middle of my stance. I was barely even making contact with 8-10.

 

[duncan mackie]

I personally don't think anyone should say place it here or there or it "should be" xyz as our swings are different.

1. they are not that different - and if they are should probably be changed!
2. what's wrong with "where you play your 'hybrid or 5 iron (if you don't use a hybrid) from'? ie a relative response.
3. or "at the lowest point of your swing" ie a technical response.

basically I agree with Fundy though.

 

[Fish]

1. they are not that different - and if they are should probably be changed!
2. what's wrong with "where you play your 'hybrid or 5 iron (if you don't use a hybrid) from'? ie a relative response.
3. or "at the lowest point of your swing" ie a technical response.

basically I agree with Fundy though.

So I should move the ball forward because....well I'm supposed to and then have to work on changing my whole swing mechanics to suit that because....well its best I do!

Jane Horrocks me thinks

My ball position works fine for me since I moved it further back in my stance and if it works, it ain't broken as they say

 

[duncan mackie]

So I should move the ball forward because....well I'm supposed to and then have to work on changing my whole swing mechanics to suit that because....well its best I do!

on the one hand - bluntly = yes, especially at your stage in the game.
it's going to cause you no end of issues down the line. I can't think of anyone (past of present) who teaches playing all the irons from behind centre of the stance - and I appreciate your point that this doesn't make it wrong!

on the other, you do it your way and enjoy it

 

[stevelev]

I tend to play my driver of my left instep, my 3 wood is from level with my armpit. Feels forward but gives good strike. Hybrid level with nipple and irons gradually working back to 8,9, wedges in centre of stance. Only ever play ball back for punch or checking chips, but that is just me.

This is one thing to take your time with and get built into your pre-shot routine so its consistent. I always place the club head behind the ball and build everything around that reference point.

 

[duncan mackie]

I tend to play my driver of my left instep, my 3 wood is from level with my armpit. Feels forward but gives good strike. Hybrid level with nipple and irons gradually working back to 8,9, wedges in centre of stance. Only ever play ball back for punch or checking chips, but that is just me.

this is one of the two classic approaches. The other being to play all clubs except the driver from the one position (probably the nipple on your positions!) with the driver in a forward position.

both approaches have their inherent strengths, which works best for anyone will tend to be a function of how those strengths combine with that players weaknesses!