Swap 3 wood for a 4/5 wood?

[kevster84]

Hitting my driver really well and where width of fairway/ distance allows I use this off the tee. Have a 3 wood (14.5 deg) that I really struggle with off the fairway. I could adjust it to 16 deg but then distance will be close to my 18 degree Adams hybrid. Thinking of selling the hybrid (and maybe purchasing a 20 deg - 4 iron is 22 deg) and going driver, 4 or 5 wood then my 4 iron? Thoughts appreciated.

 

[LCW]

I think your on the right lines.

Too many people are focused on a max distance instead of A distance. You end up with bunched up numbers for different clubs.

I recently went from Driver > 3 wood > hybrid > 4 iron as my gaps and shot types where just too similar.

I now run Driver > HL 3 wood so essentially a 4 wood > 2 iron.

I have a much nice gaping with this over my old setup and I have a club I can sting low ( 2 iron ) and a high bomber the 4 wood. Give me more variation but the most important part is its given me a club in the other end of the bag. I went from PW > 54 > 58 deg and I had a yardage gap of 30 yrds from my PW to 54. A nice 50 deg wedge has sorted that out :fore:

 

[shewy]

Your 3 wood will still go much further than your 18 hybrid, longer shaft, fwiw I go driver, 4 wood, then 20 degree hybrid, 23 degree iron next, perfect gaps

 

[spongebob59]

I did this as there wasn't a great difference between my 3 and 5 woods simply because I hit the 5 wood better.

Now need to do a gapping session to fix the correct setting.

 

[duncan mackie]

Hitting my driver really well and where width of fairway/ distance allows I use this off the tee. Have a 3 wood (14.5 deg) that I really struggle with off the fairway. I could adjust it to 16 deg but then distance will be close to my 18 degree Adams hybrid. Thinking of selling the hybrid (and maybe purchasing a 20 deg - 4 iron is 22 deg) and going driver, 4 or 5 wood then my 4 iron? Thoughts appreciated.

Far to much focus on lofts from what you have written.

Your use of the future tense re increasing the 3 wood loft to 16 is also strange - just do it and establish whether it makes a difference to the club's usability for you from the deck, and what the resultant trajectory and distances really are for you. Now you can make your decisions.

An average 18 degree hybrid and 16 degree 3 wood will have a significant difference in trajectory and distances in the hands of a machine, but for the average handicap golfer it will generally come down to which they get on with better! In the same vein a 20 hybrid and a 4 iron can be similar, or very different.

 

[kevster84]

I have tried it at 16 and was easier. However find that to get more consistent strikes I choke down an inch.

This is the reason for thinking an adjustable 5 wood set at 17 deg may work.

 

[Tiger]

I have tried it at 16 and was easier. However find that to get more consistent strikes I choke down an inch.

This is the reason for thinking an adjustable 5 wood set at 17 deg may work.

I saw a Cobra guy at a fitting day back in the Winter. He had me hitting the 3 wood in its highest loft with the 5 wood shaft. The shorter shaft made a big difference but I wasn't consistent enough on the day to justify the purchase.

Fast forward 9 months and I recently bought a Cobra Baffler 4/5 wood. Even shorter shaft length - just 41.25" I think. Absolute dream to hit and even better from crap lies. Great review in this month's GM (Rory cover). I'd highly recommend trying one of those.

No driver for me at the moment so 4 wood set stronger than it will be when I get one. But once the 4 wood us in my bag will go 4 wood, 20.5 deg hybrid, 24 deg iron. However the most important thing are my carry distances - about 20 yards between each club. Happy shopping

 

[Sats]

I read and heard that you should look to gap at 15 yards roughly throughout the set - If I were getting fitted this is what I'd tell the fitter I wanted and just use what sat in those gaps rather than worry about specific lofts.

 

[Trojan615]

Don't forget head size change from 3 - 5 wood ..

 

[RobertB]

FWIW I'm now Driver, 3W(15) 916H2(18) and 4I (22.5) rationale is....

3W falls in 230-210 from tee/to off-deck, 916H2 covers 210-190 and 4I does 195-185 bit...

high numbers are the max out, low ones poorest or from iffy lies. I has 5w but swapped for 916H as I felt it gave better options, shorter shaft meant easier for those 200 yds from semi/rough and not as high off tee.

TBH I'm not going to go for green at 210+ yds unless penalty for miss is low. So 3w is predominatley off tee. The 916 is there to give that ~200-210 yds approach flexibility.

 

[kevster84]

An update - the 16 deg is easier to hit .ive sold the Adams so seriously considering driver > 5 wood (17.5) > 4 iron (22).

 

[bobmac]

Hitting my driver really well and where width of fairway/ distance allows I use this off the tee. Have a 3 wood (14.5 deg) that I really struggle with off the fairway. I could adjust it to 16 deg but then distance will be close to my 18 degree Adams hybrid. Thinking of selling the hybrid (and maybe purchasing a 20 deg - 4 iron is 22 deg) and going driver, 4 or 5 wood then my 4 iron? Thoughts appreciated.

What's your h/cap?

 

[351DRIVER]

Never really got on with a 3 wood, figure if you are looking for accuracy hit a long iron, or hybrid these days, if you are hitting long, use the big dog.

A 3 wood is still pretty easy to put in the hay, only 50 yards short of the driver

 

[kevster84]

22 handicap

 

[Dan2501]

I've always struggled to hit a 3-wood. Went to Callaway for a Fairway wood fitting and was recommended a 4-wood, and I love it. It's an absolute weapon for me. Love hitting it off the tee but confident off the fairway too. Been a great buy!

 

[hines57]

I went for a fitting on Tuesday, convinced that a 4 wood was the answer to hitting from the deck. Having tried a 3 wood, 4 wood and 5 wood - the 5 came out tops. Easier to hit from the ground and it actually went 10 yards further than the 4 wood!

 

[apj0524]

I have tried and tried using a 4 iron but at 17 hcp and my slower swing speed I just can't hit it consistently, and when I get a good strike it is not much longer than my 5i, so I tried G30 5h, which is loverly a good next club to the 5i with a high flight and my go to club out of rough and semi rough. Fair play if you have the swing speed to launch the 4i

 

[harpo_72]

Currently using driver, 5w, occasionally put the 7 wood in, and 4 hybrid ... Dropped the 3 wood because I wasn't using it. The driver was okay the fairways seemed wide enough.
I love my 3wood, but it really depends where you play.