Maximising potential...

[Face breaker]

Hello chaps, although I hit my current 3-wood really well (XCG3/stiff) the dispersion can on occasion leave a little to be desired, I'm fairly confident (bar measuring) that my average drive (off the tee) is somewhere in the region of 220/230 carry 'although' I can hit it better or worse on any given Sunday...

My question is am I at the limit of a 3-woods capabilities or could I reasonably expect to achieve more if I were to get a proper custom fitted job...

This is not about distance per say, this is about accuracy, dispersion and achieving a more consistent drive in general without going down the driver route as I much prefer my 3-woods, something about using a 3-wood to beat yer mates best drive off the tee with their big dog that just floats my boat...

Only this evening I went out with a mate for a few holes, he smashes a beastie of a drive off the 4th tee straight down the middle, I proceeded to put the ole 'XCG3' a further 15-20yds past his drive, impressed he wasn't...

Any views/advice/experiences most appreciated... :thup:

 

[ScienceBoy]

Practice and lessons?

Unless you want to throw cash at shafts.

Often they nice £300 shaft does it all but you end up with the £60 shaft that does 80% of it and you live with a little loss of distance and dispersion control.

 

[PJ87]

Get a driver cut down? I cut mine down to 44.5 length from standard and my driving has been much more consistent

Lessons have played their part aswell but having a shorter shaft makes it easier to deliver the face more constistantly .. well that's what my pro I had lesson with said when I asked him if my idea of cutting down was a decent one or not

 

[r0wly86]

Practice and lessons?

Unless you want to throw cash at shafts.

Often they nice £300 shaft does it all but you end up with the £60 shaft that does 80% of it and you live with a little loss of distance and dispersion control.

Often go on about it but I had my 3-wood reshafted at desinger golf, the shaft was about £70 and given the data from my fitting session was the best one for me. Now one of the best clubs in my bag

 

[Face breaker]

Cheers chaps, like I said I hit my 3w really well but I do get a bit of inconsistency with it, sometimes a little left, sometimes a little right but for the most it's reasonably straight and fairly long, It's just that I've got this little niggling feeling that there's more to be had, just trying to work out the best way to maximise that potential...

Like I said, distance is not an issue as probably 60/70% (the majority are seniors at our club and well past retirement age) of the members at our club struggle to hit a driver 200yds, it's purely a dispersion/accuracy thing...

 

[Hobbit]

Why not have a proper fitting session with a reputed fitter. It'll cost you a bit of cash, usually discounted if you buy, but it could also save you a lot of money if it doesn't work out.

 

[Face breaker]

Why not have a proper fitting session with a reputed fitter. It'll cost you a bit of cash, usually discounted if you buy, but it could also save you a lot of money if it doesn't work out.

This is/was my initial plan but I'm just trying to decide if it's worth all the effort and possible expense (you know, shiny new toy syndrome n'all that) if I'm already pushing the limits of yer average 'amateur Jo' with an off the shelf 3-wood and it's 'highly likely' there'll be very little more to be gained from it...

 

[the_coach]

Hello chaps, although I hit my current 3-wood really well (XCG3/stiff) the dispersion can on occasion leave a little to be desired, I'm fairly confident (bar measuring) that my average drive (off the tee) is somewhere in the region of 220/230 carry 'although' I can hit it better or worse on any given Sunday...

My question is am I at the limit of a 3-woods capabilities or could I reasonably expect to achieve more if I were to get a proper custom fitted job...

This is not about distance per say, this is about accuracy, dispersion and achieving a more consistent drive in general without going down the driver route as I much prefer my 3-woods, something about using a 3-wood to beat yer mates best drive off the tee with their big dog that just floats my boat...

Only this evening I went out with a mate for a few holes, he smashes a beastie of a drive off the 4th tee straight down the middle, I proceeded to put the ole 'XCG3' a further 15-20yds past his drive, impressed he wasn't...

Any views/advice/experiences most appreciated... :thup:

tbh it totally depends on whether you can strike the center face with decent launch conditions to convert whatever the CHS is into ball speed - as that is what gives distance

at 220/230 carry if that is pretty regular probably for where you are in the game right now that's pretty good

the dispersion issues will solely be down to strike location on the face plus being able to control and keep pretty tight face angle to path numbers

get a can of foot spray - spray the face hit 6 to 10 shots and look at what the strike pattern is on the face - if you not got a pretty tight pattern at center face - then there's one big area of improvement right there - work to get the strike better - so not so much trying to swing anyways faster

shafts are for sure really about 'fine tuning' so smaller improvements & if you already getting 230 carry at best probably not a lot more there to improve with a shaft change - you'd need to look at the current spin rate numbers

but as a basic find and really know the CHS mph then what the ball speed mph is - that will give a pretty good indication of what the real deal is - if I had to guess from experience would say likely where your game technique is right now you likely to be maxed out pretty much - better swing motion so more consistent strike is likely the best way to improve not just with 3 metal but through the bag

big improvement would then being able to use the driver

need to go and really find out what the actual launch condition #'s are - to see exactly where you are & then that would give you the information of how you best go about improving

 

[Face breaker]

Cheers 'coach' pretty much what I thought where distance is concerned, I do get the odd 'really good strike' which results in visibly more distance, our practice facility is approximately 230yds in length and backs onto a farmers field now most of the time I'll carry the ball into the hedge and on the odd occasion over it which is what I base my average drive of 230-240 on...

For the most I'm happy with my drives but as you pointed out I'm fairly sure that I'm not getting a consistent strike pattern, the 'XCG' is one of those clubs where you know when you've hit it spot on as you get a real nice 'tinggggg' with it when struck perfectly and the ball flight is noticeably sweeter...

Would I be best just working on my swing/technique or would a proper fitting also contribute vastly towards maximising my potential, I do feel that it's more of a 'me' thing rather than a club issue... :thup:

 

[the_coach]

as i don't know your swing can only really speak to what have found 'in general' with a bunch of folks that maybes were in similar position

think maybes the best route forwards would be if poss to get a LM lesson where you can go through the majority of the bag say pw to lowest iron in even numbers (if time an issue) then a hybrid & the 3 metal

working with the pro to get your average #'s - for instance with 3 metal chs/bs - so smash factor - with launch angle & spin rate would give a pretty accurate assessment of how efficient the strikes are - so where the potential really lies - guessing it won't be so much in just shaft - so more in technique

that's the only real ways to get a real handle on the current situ

 

[Face breaker]

Cheers buddy, now need to find someone with the appropriate gear for a proper assessment, nearest to me is 'Steve White/Thurlestone GC' which is who I was intending on going to anyhow, got a week off in a couple of weeks time so may pop in and see if he can get me on the launch monitor...

As they say, watch this space... :thup: