Time to ditch the 3 wood?

[Robster59]

I've just been looking at my Shotscope figures and I've released that I'm hitting my 5 wood as long as, if not longer than, my 3 wood. They are both Cleveland Classic XL, but they do have different shafts.
I've always felt the 5 wood to have a strong, powerful flight ever since I got it. Also the fact that it is a slightly higher loft may just help me in getting that little more distance.
I've used fairway woods off the deck all my life, so hitting them off there holds no fears. I'm not sure if the 3 wood would be better off the tee, but off the fairway, there really is no benefit to having the two in my bag.

 

[Bdill93]

I've just been looking at my Shotscope figures and I've released that I'm hitting my 5 wood as long as, if not longer than, my 3 wood. They are both Cleveland Classic XL, but they do have different shafts.
I've always felt the 5 wood to have a strong, powerful flight ever since I got it. Also the fact that it is a slightly higher loft may just help me in getting that little more distance.
I've used fairway woods off the deck all my life, so hitting them off there holds no fears. I'm not sure if the 3 wood would be better off the tee, but off the fairway, there really is no benefit to having the two in my bag.

Do you not get more roll out in summer with the 3?

 

[Robster59]

Do you not get more roll out in summer with the 3?

Shot Scope gives me total distance, and I checked on my figures in the summer and overall distance is pretty much the same.

 

[Imurg]

This why I've been a convert to the 4 wood for many years...
16/17 degrees and I probably don't lose any distance on the 3w and it goes a bit further than the 5w
Still a decent high flight.
Most amateurs just don't generate enough swing speed to make a 3 wood work as it should.
There will be exceptions to that "rule" but not many.
4w/7w is the new 3w/5w......

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I've done that with other clubs before. It's a good little exercise every so often, take a step back and look at clubs which effectively duplicate each other or simply don't do the job they are supposed to. Well worth it, get the 3 wood on Ebay ?

 

[Orikoru]

I gave up on 3 woods a long time ago. Strong 5 wood is much easier to hit off the deck. My driver is high-lofted at 11.5 and I hit it better than anything else so I don't need a 3W off the tee either, and there's not much of a gap between D and 5W anyway. Would be a waste of a spot in the bag. My course is short but with quick, slopey greens so having one more wedge is much more useful.

 

[Oddsocks]

This why I've been a convert to the 4 wood for many years...
16/17 degrees and I probably don't lose any distance on the 3w and it goes a bit further than the 5w
Still a decent high flight.
Most amateurs just don't generate enough swing speed to make a 3 wood work as it should.
There will be exceptions to that "rule" but not many.
4w/7w is the new 3w/5w......

*this*
I’ve always loved a 3wood but the new gen variants I’ve cranked mine up to 16.5* (4w) and now looking for a high launch 5w or 7w. Cobra did an f8 5-6w but I can’t find one in decent condition.

 

[howbow88]

3W was always my weak club. When I hit it well, it was great... but when I didn't I either duffed it, skulled it, or just hit it miles right or left. Absolutely no consistency and so no confidence.

In the Summer I got the Ping G425 Max 3W and I hit it so much better now.

So why not just spend several hundred quid on a shiny new club? It will almost certainly fix your problem

 

[Backsticks]

Do you not get more roll out in summer with the 3?

Is a good question though, and have wondered how the machines estimate roll. Can you program them to different conditions ? We all know there can be a huge difference between a soft even if not plugging fairway, and a hard baked summer one.

 

[benjo09]

When I went for a fitting last year, my pro steered me away from a 5 wood for this exact reason. Ended up with a 3/4 wood and a hybrid as I was never going to hit the hybrid as far as the 3 wood but could hit the 5 wood as far on occasion.

 

[Backache]

If I needed another club in the bag I might drop the 3 wood but I don't really need one.
Use it on the occasional long par 3's and sometimes on the fairway particularly into the wind when it stays lower than a 5 wood though I'm not sure that I benefit in terms of consistent it definitely goes further in dry conditions.

 

[Tashyboy]

*this*
I’ve always loved a 3wood but the new gen variants I’ve cranked mine up to 16.5* (4w) and now looking for a high launch 5w or 7w. Cobra did an f8 5-6w but I can’t find one in decent condition.

COBRA KING F8 5-6 Wood Fairway | 17-20° | Tensei Blue 50 A-Flex £169 on eBay

 

[AliMc]

As I have mentioned before on another thread on this subject not if you play on a links course when the wind is blowing a hoolie and you want to get anywhere near par 5's or long par 4's, I've already got mine adjusted down by 1.5 degrees in an attempt to keep the ball down

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I don’t have the swing speed for a 3 wood … I use a 5 and a 7.

 

[Oddsocks]

COBRA KING F8 5-6 Wood Fairway | 17-20° | Tensei Blue 50 A-Flex £169 on eBay

Stupid money! Rad speeds will be that in coming weeks.

 

[Oddsocks]

If I needed another club in the bag I might drop the 3 wood but I don't really need one.
Use it on the occasional long par 3's and sometimes on the fairway particularly into the wind when it stays lower than a 5 wood though I'm not sure that I benefit in terms of consistent it definitely goes further in dry conditions.

17/16* hybrid.

 

[Tashyboy]

Stupid money! Rad speeds will be that in coming weeks.

To be honest ave not a clue what they go for. But thought boom Ave found one for you ?

 

[patricks148]

Personally couldn't do without it, probably the strongest club in the bag

 

[AliMc]

Personally couldn't do without it, probably the strongest club in the bag

Yeah it probably is for me too !

 

[Tashyboy]

Personally couldn't do without it, probably the strongest club in the bag

The way my driving has been this last 9 months if I did not have the 3 wood I would not reach a green in three. 8/10 shots I am very happy with it.