Opinion & Analysis
The Formidable 3-Wood vs. The Indomitable Driver
In more than 50 years of playing, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the driver. Being the longest club in the bag, it’s not an easy club to master. We stand farther from the ball than any other club, and though the club head is the largest, now up to 460 cubic centimeters, and the entire club the lightest, the shaft is both the longest and the whippiest in the bag. For these reasons, along with the reality of facing an often tree-lined fairway with sand or water near the edges, I’ve always been a bit intimidated by the driver. But a well-struck driver travels farther than any other arrow in our quiver, and the temptation is huge to use it time and again.
The driver is also the chief weapon/tool of the often-vulnerable golfer’s ego, a fact that club manufacturers have used to their advantage in offering up a new and improved menu of promised distance and forgiveness each year. Their advertising enters our brain like a fresh ball in a pinball machine (anybody remember them?), promising new hope for a longer hit and a better score. Out on the range or at the golf shop’s simulator, there are no trees or water hazards or bunkers to contend with, so you appear invincible as the numbers register obstacle-free distance and accuracy, convincing you that “This is it. This is the baby that’ll change my game. Yep, wrap it up. I’ll take it,” you confidently tell the smiling salesman, who continues to compliment you on how well you swing, attempting to further solidify the sale.
But then you take the behemoth out to the course for its first real spin, and the trees get in your head, along with the water to your right, and … ”Where did that slice come from? The guy in the store said this thing had a draw bias!” And soon you start feeling like Ulysses, drawn to the song of the beautiful, tantalizing Sirens (in this case, your driver), and avoiding certain death on the rocks by plugging his ears with beeswax, and having his men strap him to the mast so they could safely pass and continue on their epic journey. Then having passed the Sirens’ call without heeding their intoxicating song, they would be silenced, as legend has it, and die.
Are present-day drivers and the ad boys’ presentation of their winsome possibilities for game improvement equivalent to the song of the Sirens that tempted Ulysses? Perhaps. Which is why you might want to consider the endangered 3-wood on the tee. I say endangered, because despite Henrik Stenson’s noted proficiency with this long-time weapon, the 3-wood has been increasingly devalued as a viable substitute for the driver off the tee. Why? After all, with its shorter length, it can be more accurate in finding the short grass, which could definitely result in lower scores. Blow a driver into the trees, and one or two shots are lost right then and there. Keep a 3-wood in the fairway, and you restrict your losses to a bogey, and open the possibilities of par on a tight hole.
Of course, we all know why the 3-wood hasn’t caught on with handicappers: loss of distance when compared with the driver. And it’s true: A solidly hit three-wood could result in 20-30 yards less carry than a well-struck driver. But the keyword here is “well-struck.” How often do you strike a driver solidly when compared with a 3-wood?
Now I suggest you do some simple personal research around this issue, for looking at generalized stats from other golfers or even from Iron Byron will be mostly irrelevant to your situation. It’s not just physical factors involved, but mental. With a shorter club and swing, your confidence may increase as you face a fairway where obstacles abound. Take 20 swings on the range with each club and compare the number of solid contacts you make with each. Which club won: the 3-wood or the driver?
Of course, this exercise is only for those who, as I, have struggled with the driver more times than not. If your driver is consistent and works to your satisfaction, keep it in the bag and use it often. But if you depend on a hope and a prayer every time you step up to the tee box, then consider switching to the 3-wood (or 4- or 5-wood, or even 20-degree hybrid) as your club of choice off the tee.
In reality, a well hit 3-wood will go farther and more accurately than a poorly hit driver. Now many handicappers unfortunately are not willing to face this particular reality. Remember Einstein’s definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. That’s what the fanatical among us, myself included, do with the driver. We just won’t let go of expecting beyond expectation, into the realm of delusion, different results. Again, I think the ad boys have accomplished their goal of getting into the brains of we unsuspecting, innocent golfers, and conditioning us to the possibility that we may be capable of huge, booming drives smack down the middle of tight fairways, with long hang time, clearing all obstacles, and rolling out to 290, even 300 yards. These are powerful images, honed by watching pros on TV, as well as the occasional Teamster in your foursome who hits the cover off the ball.
But please consider the lowly 3-wood if you are driver-impaired (Mine’s a trusty Ping G10, a freebee from my buddy Rob Wallace. My driver is the great G30, but those turbulators aren’t always my friend). I hesitate to guarantee success, but I almost do with respect to accuracy and enough distance to get you to 150-yard range on most holes (depending how hard the wind’s blowing). You’ll be looking at more at pars and bogeys than doubles and triples. True, you’ll often be hitting your approaches first, but they will be on short grass instead of pine needles, tree roots, and over and under hanging branches that look much nicer from a distance.
Note: In the course of my research on this subject, I’ve stumbled on an interesting side effect to 3-wood use off the tee. As you get more and more proficient with this workhorse club, skill with the driver will improve as well. Why? Confidence increases, and, truly, golf is a game of confidence. I assert that eventually you can move back to the driver for holes where it’s really necessary, such as wide-open fairways without many obstacles like traps or water or whatever else can inch its way into your head and play with your timing. But now you will have a choice: both can be viable and usable clubs under the right circumstances.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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pvisser
Jul 21, 2016 at 9:43 am
You say with a shorter club and shorter swing you confidence will increase. Sure but why would you swing your 3 wood shorter when on the tee? Why not swing your driver shorter then? Problem with the driver is that the large club head tempts you to swing like a madman. The smaller 3 wood does not invite you to do that nearly as much. In my experience a wild swing with a 3 wood gives me bigger disaster hits than an equally wild hit with a driver, probably as it is easier to hit it on the toe or swing under the teed-up ball. But I don’t because the club head is much smaller and the ball closer to the ground.
The length of the shaft can be a bit of an issue – I choke down on the shaft and, as with all clubs, that gives more control. But the biggest point is to swing in control, and you will hit just as many fairways as with your 3 wood.
Dave
Jul 20, 2016 at 8:55 pm
Yo Uno do you know how far 310 yards really is better check your reader. Love these guys that hit it 300 yards and can’t brake 100.
Monts
Jul 20, 2016 at 6:57 pm
No truer words have been written.
especially in my case. I have been playing golf for 46 years and was as accurate a driver of the ball as anyone, but have lacked Club head speed to generate distances over 230yds. I wanted more distance.
Since the advent of the super drivers I have lost the straightness and have spent thousands of dollars trying to find the holy grail of Drivers, still without success, this includes many many shafts as well.
What i did purchase 2 years ago was the Galloway 3 deep pro ( skeptical again at that time) This 3 wood has saved me from the fetal position many times over an over again once the driver started misbehaving.
I actually hit it longer and more accurately 90% of the time so I mix and match with my driver all the time.
The issue with me is IF I use the 3 wood all the time it starts reacting the same as the driver figure that one out!!!
myron miller
Jul 20, 2016 at 5:58 pm
I am very skeptical of using 3-wood all the time to replace driver, especially for older players. Today I played and measured my good drives – avg. 168. hit 11-12 fairways. Two times I used a 3-wood. Averaged off the tee 75 yards off the tee (hit it skyward too often) and no fairways. Off the fairway if I’m lucky i’ll hit 3 wood about 150-155 measured max is 175-180. But really good drive is 200-215 with moderate roll (zero roll today, very very soft fairways.
Have tried 3-wood lots of time and never close. And losing 20-30 yards from 180 is not good and makes holes play even longer than they are.
Back when I was a typical WRXer and hit it a mile, I did use 3 wood a lot on holes less than 350 that were for one reason or another not driveable.
But nowadays, I’ve worked with the driver and hit it not very far but generally always in play. If not, it wouldn’t make much difference with 3-wood as it was super bad swing. Duck hook push slice and I can do that with any club. generally avg 10-11 out of 14 fairways with driver.
And I see a lot of senior golfers that hit it down the middle – not super far but generally always pretty much in play – if not in fairway in first cut or so and usually playable. Anybody can hit it bad with a bad swing but if its generally in the fairway why switch. And I use a 47″ length down from the 48 I used for years. Just because the 48 was too close to max length and depending upon how measured arguments could say it was too long. And 47 gives me a little more breathing room.
Extra length adds a little swing speed that adds a little distance. Just some extra practice gives enough control to keep it generally close to in play.
Besides, as others have said, once you learn how to hit 3-wood off tee consistently, you can generally hit driver pretty good as well. Stenson hits his 3 wood 305. And that’s plenty far for most holes and keeps him out of the trouble that driver could get into if it were much longer. Even for a 500 yard par 4, 305 leaves less than 200 left which is a 5-6 iron and his iron play is superb. So why does he need more length.
Personally if people have trouble with full sized driver, quite often the mini-driver will work better than the 3-wood and is much easier to hit off the tee, I’ve found.
Ocho Cinco
Jul 20, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Great article. I have seen many golfers starting to hit 3-wood off the tee and become more accurate.
But, what about the Mini Drivers? I have a golf buddy who put his driver away for a while because he couldn’t hit it straight. He switched to hit his 3-wood off the tee on every driving hole and was extremely accurate. Now he bought a mini driver and loves it. I had same issue. Every time I played with him, I would slice my driver on some holes and lose shots to him because he would hit his 3 wood on the fairway. So I decided to try it…I started using my old backup 3-wood (Nike SQ Sumo2 Squared 3-Wood) as a mini-driver and this helped me gain confidence on the tee. I was almost hitting it as far as my driver and definitely straighter. I was even out-driving some of my buddies! Now I am playing with driver, and hit more fairways, but am strongly considering a Mini-Driver! Waiting for Nike to come out with one.
Jo
Jul 20, 2016 at 1:04 pm
A mini driver is basically a modern day version of the old steel drivers. The difference is they are titanium heads now, but the CCs are still about the same (330 last time I saw). They also play with a modern 3w length shaft, which surprisingly is the same length old drivers used to be.
The benefit is it can replace a 3w and driver because the loft is usually higher, around 14* or so. The smaller 330cc head makes it easier to hit off the fairway than a driver head at say 430cc, and is why it can replace the 3w as well.
However; if for some reason you can’t hit a mini driver very well, the alternative is to build a better mini driver. Get a 430cc head and use a 43.5″ shaft and you basically also have a mini driver, without the capability of hitting it off the fairway.
Piter
Jul 20, 2016 at 4:26 pm
You are right on Jo. Had thought the same: isn’t a mini driver just a modern version of the smaller sized drivers’ from before? Had not checked the figures so thanks for that. For that matter, modern 3 woods are about the same size as drivers of even longer ago. But likewise with more loft.
Instead a changing to a shorter shaft on your driver, why not just choke down your grip? It is what I have been doing recently and have been hitting it much straighter. Too good effect, have won 4 out the last 5 longest drives (c-grade) during Saturday comp. Playing with a 10 yr old TM Burner btw.
jo
Jul 21, 2016 at 6:49 am
I’ve tried choking down before and it just doesn’t feel right for some reason. The only club I can comfortably choke down on is my lob wedge lol. I’m not sure if it is the grip design being tapered or what.
Steve Dodds
Jul 19, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Most people hit their driver straighter than their 3 wood.
http://pluggedingolf.com/tee-shot-myth-golf-myths-unplugged/
Uno
Jul 19, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Oh, and I have NEVER hit my 3 wood farther than my Driver. I wouldn’t know how. My driver is 30 to 40 yards ahead of my 3 wood, even on mishits. And I don’t miss my driver that much. But I definitely don’t get that much out of the 3 wood.
You all should go find a driver and a driver swing that gets you out there. Tee it up high and rip it
dos
Jul 19, 2016 at 1:47 pm
It not hard to hit a 3 wood farther than a driver actually. If you hit a driver 200 off the tee on a par 5 and follow it up with a 215 yard hit with a 3 wood, guess what…You just hit a 3 wood farther than a driver….That is the whole point to the article. I’ve even done it with my own clubs.
On a par 5 I ripped a drive 235 yards right down the middle with my driver off the tee. This left me with 265 yards to the hole. I pulled my 3 wood out and smashed the ball again. I hit 246 yards thanks to a downhill roll and wind at my back. So again entirely possible.
I will say this. If you aren’t hitting your driver 20-30 yards further than your typical distance with a 3 wood, than something is off with your driver. My actual typical distance with my driver is around 235-245. With my 3 wood my actual typical distance is 215-225.
I have recorded shots with my driver over 300 yards, and also with drives well under 200 yards. I also have 3 wood shots maxed around 250 and some as low as 80 yards.
Goes to show some truth to the story. You can out hit your driver with a 3w, and on days when the driver isn’t working for you, highly recommended pulling out a 3w.
Tres
Jul 19, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Cuatro, Cinco, Seis
Uno
Jul 20, 2016 at 2:57 am
No, I don’t think I can hit my 3w longer than my driver. I’ve tried. I hit my driver around 310, and no matter how hard I try I can only hit my 3w to about 280, max, down wind with slight downhill into a par 5 with no hazards in front of green and open roll to the pin. Carry’s only about 260 though for that shot. But then I would have hit my driver about 335 with the same wind at my back. I don’t think I’ll hit my 2 hybrid in that situation.
My distance gaps with all my clubs are where I want them.
If I reversed the wind, and it’s into me, about the same speed, I would probably hit that drive about 280 max, and the 3w would only go about 250 tops if I get lucky, without to much spin on the hit, which is hard to do since I’m hitting down on it so much.
Jack
Jul 20, 2016 at 5:45 am
So clearly you’re an excellent player who averages 310 for your driver and 270 for your 3 wood. Congrats. You should really at least be playing on the smaller tours.
Merde Smizzle
Jul 20, 2016 at 9:47 am
Yeah except that he’s only an average putter. You have to be able to putt well and have an amazing short game to get on Tour. Anybody can hit it far these days. Look at all them college kids
Kevin
Jul 20, 2016 at 11:22 am
Yea, except he does not. The 3 and the 2 must be backwards on his keyboard
Dos
Jul 20, 2016 at 9:14 am
So here in lies the issue with your example. You base everything on max distance.
In a typical round how many times do you hit 310 yards? All 14 drivable holes, 1/2, 1/4, 3/4?
It is very easy to say, yeah I don’t hit my 3w longer than my driver, when you only look at max distance every time. My max distance with a 3 wood is 256 and had a lot of help from a fast green. My max distance with a driver is 311. So clearly I can’t hit my 3w longer than my driver either. But…
On the hole where I snap hook a driver and it goes 189 yards into the trees, yes I can hit my 3w farther. Or the hole where I sky high a ball and hit the turf behind the ball with my driver and get maybe 210 yards. Yes I can hit my 3w farther then too.
Point is, if all you do is look at max distance, yes you should not be able to hit a 3w farther. You have to look at the holes where you miss hit, hook, slice, sky one, top one, hit a tree, etc. That is the point of the article. When your driver is playing like crap, chances are you can hit your 3w farther. Especially if you are not getting pro distance.
Mr. Wedge
Jul 20, 2016 at 12:26 pm
In my experience people drastically overestimate how far they hit their driver. Everyone who says they can hit it out to 300 if they rip it, usually averages about 250-260. That one time you hit it 300 with a perfect swing, downhill roll, with wind at your back, doesn’t mean you are a 300 yard hitter. My guess is this guy hits it 265-270.
Jo
Jul 20, 2016 at 1:11 pm
This is very true. I know so many people who play off the theory of max distance as their average distance.
I use a shot tracking device and my longest recorded drive is 311. It had assistance from a cart path and downhill. My average is around 225. My typical, which is a completely different stat, which factors out miss hits is 245. So 3 completely different numbers. My range of distance is 200-311 according to my shot tracking. That accounts for every drive I’ve hit.
Anything under 200 and it considers it a miss hit because it has calculated what distances I hit the most often. I’ll usually have 1 to 2 shots below 200 per round.
Anyways, it goes to show that actual distance can vary greatly. Mine is a 100 yard slide. I know I can expect to get 225-245 with my driver. It is well above my miss hit range, and well below what I’ve maxed out at.
cody
Jul 19, 2016 at 12:10 pm
a lot of negativity here. i actually thought it was a good article. yes there is a bit of captain obvious to it, but it was good. lighten up everyone. I dont think anyone gets paid to right these articles they do it for the enjoyment of golf.
Smitty
Jul 19, 2016 at 10:02 am
Probably the least insightful article I’ve read on WRX.
Jake Anderson
Jul 19, 2016 at 3:22 am
this article was completely pointless.
Uno
Jul 19, 2016 at 3:12 am
I enjoy hitting up on the driver. I don’t understand what’s so difficult about hitting these giant heads. I hit my giant driver nice. It’s such an easy club to use nowadays, compared to the tiny headed persimmons or the original metals. You don’t have to hit down and all you have to do is take it off the tee. So forgiving.
Hitting down with the 3 wood is too scary, the shaft’s too long to hit down, it’s so far away from my body I can’t control hitting down on it so good, I’m also one to hit a 3 iron type club than a 3 wood
Mat
Jul 18, 2016 at 11:41 pm
This is all garbage. All that’s being done here is a more controllable shaft length. This whole post could be summed up with “get a 43.5″ driver shaft”.
bingo
Jul 19, 2016 at 1:51 pm
As my name implies…bingo! I recently switched to a 43.5″ shaft that I took directly from my 3w. To make it fair I even took a 5w shaft at 42.5″ and put it in my 3w. Never looked back.
The results will surprise you though. I don’t hit it any farther, but I do hit it a lot more accurate. I have not seen any loss of distance though. I have a ton of shots logged through game golf to back it up. If I just put up my typical distance with my old driver it is 220, with my shorter driver, my typical is 231. However; it has gone up only because I hit less balls short, not because I hit more balls farther. So same distance, but not nearly as many miss hits…
3w has the same results.
no3w4me
Jul 18, 2016 at 10:22 pm
I hit my driver so perfectly that no 3 wood ever matches it and I get scared about even pulling it out of the bag, I prefer to hit a 3 iron than a 3 wood
that guy
Jul 19, 2016 at 3:26 pm
Yeah I feel ya. I don’t even use a driver. I smash a 1 iron further than I do a driver. Don’t even game a wood now. just 1 iron down….Beast Mode!!!
other paul
Jul 18, 2016 at 8:59 pm
Golf balls go so far these days that I don’t even use a 3 wood off the tee anymore. 4i at the most. The farther a ball goes the more offline. I play my best rounds aiming for 100 yards markers.
Charles
Jul 18, 2016 at 3:02 pm
You can find an “old” driver like SLDR for less than $80. Go by one with 12° loft, cut the shaft to make 43 in total club length. Go play a casual round and discover how is funny to hit every fairway. It worked well for me. With this setup (mine is a SLDR 12, 43 in) I rarely miss a fairway, and my few misses are very playable.
snowman
Jul 18, 2016 at 2:29 pm
good thought IF you hit 3 wood far enough. I hit my driver about 30 yards farther than my 3 wood, so playing the proper tees for me that’s a lot of ground to give up and on many courses could make several par 4’s barely or unreachable. As you say, if you just cannot hit driver, then great pull the 3 wood, but spend some time finding and practicing with a Driver. It is Very important for your potential as a golfer.
Hawks
Jul 19, 2016 at 3:29 pm
This is a great point. I think what the article is trying to point out is that for the average player the driver is really no longer than a 3w. When you consider the average driving distance of a 95s golfer is 200 yards, it really puts things into perspective that yes, you can in fact hit a 3w farther than a driver.
I do agree that everyone needs practice with a driver to get it dialed in. You should be hitting a driver 20+ yards more than a 3w on a typical drive.
LISTEN TO ME
Jul 18, 2016 at 2:27 pm
Go get an M2 3 wood! It is incredibly hot! I don’t use driver anymore. Don’t need it!
Bofhus
Jul 19, 2016 at 7:24 am
Agreed – the M2 three wood is a game changer. If only it came in the 13* then my (M2) driver might be left behind to collect dust!
Steve Barnhurst
Jul 18, 2016 at 2:23 pm
I’ve carried a strong 3 wood for years – 13′ loft, 1.5″ longer than standard and it is my go to club. Great for tight par 4’s when you want a ‘good safe shot’ plus I can get it off the deck when I need to and let’s not forget about first tee nerves with the driver. It’s more forgiving and well hit, is up there with most drivers and not far behind others. Just about to upgrade to the Ping Stretch I think as nothing else out there on the market that appears to come close! right now.
Scott
Jul 18, 2016 at 12:46 pm
Didn’t this website just have at least one article indicting that you might as well just hit driver, because the average player can’t hit a 3 wood either?
http://www.golfwrx.com/336404/is-your-3-wood-really-more-accurate-than-your-driver-off-the-tee/
Ian
Jul 18, 2016 at 3:21 pm
Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
ng
Jul 19, 2016 at 3:07 am
You’re too clever for this website, Scott
SV
Jul 18, 2016 at 12:16 pm
Until about 10 years ago I used a 2 wood (13*) off of the tee instead of a driver. With the larger heads I was finally able to hit a driver. While I am fairly accurate off of the tee, I am not as accurate as with the 2 wood. Also, with the 2 wood I wasn’t trying to outdrive anyone, thus I made better contact and usually was not that far behind others or even up with them.
The conclusion (mine) is that most people playing the correct tees would be better using either a 12*-13* driver or a strong 3 wood (13*-14*). The smoother swing will result in better contact, getting better distance combined with accuracy.
Rancho
Jul 18, 2016 at 11:44 am
Not that the message is wrong, but there’s much debate that the quote about insanity was actually from Einstein and the phrasing of your relation of the tale of Ulysses and the Sirens isn’t accurate. Ulysses’ crew plugged their ears with beeswax, but Ulysses was tied to the mast so he could hear their song.
Pedantry aside, there a lot to be said for a shorter club off the tee. I learned that following the Nationwide tour players around Empire Lakes and learning that they rarely took out the driver before the fifth hole.