Second shot jitters

[Brian 222]

I can get off the tee 10 out of 10. Always straight. Always in the fairway.
Approaching second shot the doubts begin. Because the ball is on the ground. Which club? How hard ?
Contact is what I worry about.
Near the green I can chip and putt pretty well but that second shot kills my score.
I will go to the range and work on it.
Thanks for listening.

 

[Orikoru]

On every hole?? Or are we talking about fairway woods off the deck on a long hole here?

 

[Brian 222]

On every hole?? Or are we talking about fairway woods off the deck on a long hole here?

Fairway woods. Mainly 3 wood. 7 wood not so much.

 

[Imurg]

Simple...ditch the 3w and put in a 4 or 5 wood.
Extra loft, shorter shaft equals more consistency.
A lot of people won't like it and there's always exceptions to the rule but 95% of amateur golfers shouldn't even own a 3w let alone have one in the bag....

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Simple...ditch the 3w and put in a 4 or 5 wood.
Extra loft, shorter shaft equals more consistency.
A lot of people won't like it and there's always exceptions to the rule but 95% of amateur golfers shouldn't even own a 3w let alone have one in the bag....

Sums it perfectly for me. Majority of club golfers have absolutely zero need for a 3 wood, they also don’t tend to create enough consistency of strike to use one regular and wasn’t it proven that it’s only something like 5% more accurate off the tee and loss of distance doesn’t make it a significant enough improvement to warrant that being the reason to keep it.

Again there’s going to be the odd exception but much better off just ditching it and using a 5 wood.

 

[Depreston]

Sums it perfectly for me. Majority of club golfers have absolutely zero need for a 3 wood, they also don’t tend to create enough consistency of strike to use one regular and wasn’t it proven that it’s only something like 5% more accurate off the tee and loss of distance doesn’t make it a significant enough improvement to warrant that being the reason to keep it.

Again there’s going to be the odd exception but much better off just ditching it and using a 5 wood.

Yep since 7 wood went in my bag the 3s been gathering dust

There is about 2-3 holes I used it off the tee and tbh I’ve hardly lost any distance using the 7 wood on them and because it’s easier to hit off the deck im probably seeing better distance off the deck on the long par 4s and the 2 5s

 

[Orikoru]

Fairway woods. Mainly 3 wood. 7 wood not so much.

You may find you don't have enough loft in your hands. Most players wouldn't have enough speed to launch a 13° club for example. Not sure what yours is of course, but getting something with 16° or more would help you out a lot. Maybe even a 4 wood or strong 5 wood instead.

 

[Bagger Vance]

My course has 4 or 5 holes where trouble begins around driver distance for my length off the tee so a 3 wood is a necessity in my bag. It’s not a simple case of saying amateurs shouldn’t have one in their bag.

 

[Orikoru]

My course has 4 or 5 holes where trouble begins around driver distance for my length off the tee so a 3 wood is a necessity in my bag. It’s not a simple case of saying amateurs shouldn’t have one in their bag.

It wouldn't be much use if you couldn't hit it any further than a 5 or 7 wood though. That was the point being made.

 

[irip]

My course has 4 or 5 holes where trouble begins around driver distance for my length off the tee so a 3 wood is a necessity in my bag. It’s not a simple case of saying amateurs shouldn’t have one in their bag.

That only works if you can hit a 3 wood decently though,
If it’s an important club for you at your course and you struggled with it I would suggest getting a lesson on just that club.

 

[Bagger Vance]

It wouldn't be much use if you couldn't hit it any further than a 5 or 7 wood though. That was the point being made.

My 3w goes about 245 and my 5w goes about 220 so my gapping is spot on. People often buy clubs to fill a gap based on the club number or loft without actually checking the distance it goes.

 

[Slab]

Hmm, currently have two 3woods in the bag, that must make me either a) odd or b) exception(al)
Usually just have one of them at a time but am enjoying having the choice

1 degree diff in loft and one of them has a low-profile head making it much (very) easy to hit off the fairway

edit, just realised I had these on laptop.

File pics of my two three woods, couldn't be more different

 

[Bagger Vance]

That only works if you can hit a 3 wood decently though,
If it’s an important club for you at your course and you struggled with it I would suggest getting a lesson on just that club.

I’m more inclined to think that handicap golfers should take driver out of the bag rather than 3 wood but that’s just my opinion.

 

[irip]

I’m more inclined to think that handicap golfers should take driver out of the bag rather than 3 wood but that’s just my opinion.

Whichever suits them better.
We are all different.
I used to hit driver better than 3 wood off the tee

 

[Orikoru]

I’m more inclined to think that handicap golfers should take driver out of the bag rather than 3 wood but that’s just my opinion.

Very old school mentality. Nowadays drivers are very forgiving, and most people are aware that sacrificing distance is detrimental to scoring.

 

[IanM]

It's not quite as black and white as that.

I'm far more consistent hitting a 3 wood off a low tee, than I am hitting any driver.

If the OP is worried about 2nd shot and hitting a 3 wood, he shouldn't be going anywhere near one! Anything getting you safely down the fairway within comfortable short iron range is good! (Especially if getting a shot!)

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Start hitting the longest club that you are consistent with. That might be a 5 wood, a hybrid, a 6 iron. It might not give you the distance you want but it gets you closer and it will build your confidence up. Work on the longer 2nd shot in practice whilst you are hitting the consistent shot out on the course.

You may have to accept that the big glorious 3 wood off the fairway is not for you

 

[timd77]

I mentioned this is another similar thread recently. Pick and choose when you use the 3 wood off the deck. It’s very easy to get to the ball, check the yardage ‘yep, that’s a 3 wood’ and go for that regardless of the lie. But for me, if it’s not sat nicely and looking ideal for a fairway wood (5 wood for me), I’m using a different club, even if that means a lay up on a par 4.

How often is your 2nd shot a 3 wood distance?

 

[Orikoru]

I mentioned this is another similar thread recently. Pick and choose when you use the 3 wood off the deck. It’s very easy to get to the ball, check the yardage ‘yep, that’s a 3 wood’ and go for that regardless of the lie. But for me, if it’s not sat nicely and looking ideal for a fairway wood (5 wood for me), I’m using a different club, even if that means a lay up on a par 4.

How often is your 2nd shot a 3 wood distance?

Agree with this. On a par 5 second shot, if I cannot reach the green with 3 wood, then I'll hit my 5 wood (or 7W in the past) instead, because I'm more likely to hit it nicely and leave myself a wedge into the green. I'll only hit the 3 wood if I think I can reach the front of the green with it.

 

[jim8flog]

2nd shot, I assume you are talking about irons.

Know the yardage to the back of the green and what club hit with your very best shot will get you to the back of the green and take that club. Very very few of us hit our very best shot most of the time so the ball should always go the distance to get on to the green if you hit a 'straightish' shot.

You will always be confident that you can hit the shot full out without worrying about how hard.