Swopping the driver for 3 wood

[drawboy]

I'm thinking of ditching the driver in favour of a 3 wood. I am hitting my 5 wood well at the moment and getting solid contact with it from the tee peg. It feels really good off the face completely different to the spongy feel I get from the face of my Ping Anser. Actually what I think I need is a really solid feeling driver, one that gives a bit more feedback then the Anser, one that lets you know when you have hit it out of the center of the club.
Can anyone recommend a solid feeling driver?

 

[Deleted member 18121]

SLDR mate.... I haven't looked back since getting it.

 

[Pin-seeker]

I bought a X hot 3deep off of a forumer as I was struggling with the driver. Only played one round with it but it was awesome. Only used it off the tee. It's 14.5deg & the shaft is almost as long as a driver so it's basically a smaller headed driver.

 

[drawboy]

I'm not struggling with the driver I just do not like the feel of it off the face. I love the solid whack you get with the steel headed club as opposed to the hollow feeling of the driver.

 

[ger147]

I bought a X hot 3deep off of a forumer as I was struggling with the driver. Only played one round with it but it was awesome. Only used it off the tee. It's 14.5deg & the shaft is almost as long as a driver so it's basically a smaller headed driver.

Glad you've got off to a good start with it.

 

[stevie_r]

Took my driver out of the bag in favour of my 13.5 3 wood, I'm in no rush to swap back. I am more accurate, catch more out of the middle and therefore haven't lost much in distance.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Glad you've got off to a good start with it.

Cheers mate. Pleasure to do business :thup:

 

[nemicu]

I can't recommend any driver in particular, but I would recommend getting properly fit. A lot of golfers tend to hit their 3 & 5 woods better simply because they have more loft and the shaft is shorter - making it much easier to get a decent contact on the ball. If you applied the same logic to the driver, then finding the middle of the club face is paramount. Even though the area of the face is relatively large (compared to other clubs in the bag) handicap golfers struggle with control shafts of 45" and over which seems to be the norm for OEM's in their relentless search for "longer" stats. Shorter drivers in the range of 44" or less are far easier to control and find the sweetspot. Find the optimal length, the right weight and the correct flex and it's almost a revelation to some of the guys and gals I've seen fitted. If you really want "solid" then maybe go back a few years and try the old Titleist 975D - bloody lovely driver.

 

[Rooter]

don't discount #boomross, seriously i was very impressed when i hit one, if in doubt ask any of the guys from this weeks fitting! £149 is their new one with genuine aldila shafts.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

Got a Cleveland Classic XL 3 wood for £60 for a backup off the tee when the driver is not working.

The 3 wood is not much shorter than the driver and as I often get a better contact with the 3 wood I can out drive my friends with it, if i'm totally honest I should use the 3 wood more often but lets be honest i'm a man and I have a driver so I don't

 

[drawboy]

I can't recommend any driver in particular, but I would recommend getting properly fit. A lot of golfers tend to hit their 3 & 5 woods better simply because they have more loft and the shaft is shorter - making it much easier to get a decent contact on the ball. If you applied the same logic to the driver, then finding the middle of the club face is paramount. Even though the area of the face is relatively large (compared to other clubs in the bag) handicap golfers struggle with control shafts of 45" and over which seems to be the norm for OEM's in their relentless search for "longer" stats. Shorter drivers in the range of 44" or less are far easier to control and find the sweetspot. Find the optimal length, the right weight and the correct flex and it's almost a revelation to some of the guys and gals I've seen fitted. If you really want "solid" then maybe go back a few years and try the old Titleist 975D - bloody lovely driver.

Cheers mate but I do not do fitted.

 

[nemicu]

It's not so bad. It's not like they ask you to strip off naked while everyone watches you swing. The club, that is.

 

[TeeItHigh]

I'm thinking of ditching the driver in favour of a 3 wood. I am hitting my 5 wood well at the moment and getting solid contact with it from the tee peg. It feels really good off the face completely different to the spongy feel I get from the face of my Ping Anser. Actually what I think I need is a really solid feeling driver, one that gives a bit more feedback then the Anser, one that lets you know when you have hit it out of the center of the club.
Can anyone recommend a solid feeling driver?

I know exactly what you mean, I have a ping G20 which is quite sponges off the face which I like but wanted to try a lower loft and had the use of a Ping I20 which I found to be harder off the face, I don't know how it would compare with the Anser!

 

[drawboy]

It's not that pal. I do not believe in it for the average handicap golfer who like me cannot produce a repeatable swing. The swing I am fitted for will be different by the weekend that is a certainty. So I do not see the point. As long as I have the right flex for my swing speed the rest is down to personnel preference in my book, rightly or wrongly.

 

[nemicu]

It's not that pal. I do not believe in it for the average handicap golfer who like me cannot produce a repeatable swing. The swing I am fitted for will be different by the weekend that is a certainty. So I do not see the point. As long as I have the right flex for my swing speed the rest is down to personnel preference in my book, rightly or wrongly.

An interesting take on the fitting process. However, if you accept the fact that a correctly fitted club is easier and more controllable to swing, then your margins of error decreases - regardless of your own frailties. Your erratic swing may well be due to a badly fitting driver in the first place. It's not about a flawless swing though - even pros are human. It's all about percentages and reducing your margin of error. If you can do this, scoring becomes a lot easier. Trust me, I'm the biggest sceptic in the world and I've seen the difference it can make.

 

[Robobum]

Surely it is better to get the right driver for you rather than discard altogether!?

A 3wood is something I want to hit x amount of yards maximum - a driver is there to hit as far as possible, the further the better.

Anyone who says the dont want more yardage on their drives is kidding themselves

 

[Foxholer]

Anyone who says the dont want more yardage on their drives is kidding themselves

As long as it's on the fairway! Why would I want to be further into the long(er) grass!

@Drawboy Have you actually hit it out of the sweet spot yet?

I'm afraid the 'schkwack' sound/feel has gone out of fashion somewhat. Adams seems to give a betterfeel than most. My Cobra L4V is the worst for that 'hard' feel that I know, though my gamer FT3 Donk is 'distinctive'! Certain old TMs were rather good - Superquad springs to mind and a fine Driver - possibly their best - Driver imo!

 

[Andy]

Certain old TMs were rather good - Superquad springs to mind and a fine Driver - possibly their best - Driver imo!

Awesome driver, was actually going to recommend one to DB

I have 2 that I alternate. Whiteboard in the TP and Devotion in std head. Low and running v's higher and carry.

 

[drawboy]

@Drawboy Have you actually hit it out of the sweet spot yet?

I try not to, they are worth more on trade in with an unused sweetspot.

 

[kid2]

Solid feeling driver that you can feel....

Get yourself a 910....
Im selling mine as i need something with a little more forgiveness.... What i find with the 910 is that its a bit penalizing on off centre hits and you get great feedback from where the ball contacts the face... Out of the middle its a rather dull thump and it feels like you've just clattered the ball with a sledge hammer.... Catch it low on the face out on the toe or off the heel and you'll instantly know what part of the face you hit and also you'll be 40 yards shorter than a good hit...


But if your after something that you can hit straight and not have to worry about shaping one way or the other my advice would be to get something with a high lofted head but a low spinning one and also a low spinning shaft....

Best of both worlds....
Iv hit a ping K15 12.0 degree head with a Project X 5.5 shaft and it was an animal of a club... I couldnt hit this thing right if i aimed there... It either wanted to travel with a 4 yard draw or it went dead straight.....
I opened up my stance to hit a cut and i couldnt....
Ok it might border on the look of training wheels on the tee in front of everyone else and their kit but you'll be the one playing off the short stuff more often..