3-wood opinions

[Eracer]

I am seriously considering taking the driver out of my bag and replacing it with a 3-wood. I find myself teeing off with my 4-wood often, and when I do use my driver (no matter which one I own) it's a crapshoot.

I have a Callaway "X" 4-wood with the Uniflex steel shaft that is money. I can hit it around 220-240 off the tee, and it's very reliably straight.

I'm considering two different clubs and want some opinions.

One choice is the Callaway "X Hot - 15-deg." This club has a bigger head and a 44" shaft, and reviews I've read seem to say that it is good off the tee, but not so good off the fairway.

The other choice is the Callaway "X Tour - 13-deg." with the uniflex steel shaft. It is a strong 3-wood, and has the steel shaft, which I really like in the 4-wood. I'm not sure what the "Tour" designation means.

The club I buy is intended to be a driver replacement, so my initial thought would be to go with the "X Hot", since it has more "driver-like" characteristics. And it is available in a bunch of nice shafts. I don't intend to ever use it off the fairway (well - maybe once or twice...) so I'm not too concerned with the negative press about it's performance off the deck.

Thanks for your good opinions.

 

[FKA19]

get a 13* X tour with a nice graphite shaft at around 75 grams. maybe a ys-7+ or something.

 

[demon]

depends on your swing, 13* is no drop in the bucket to hit off the fairway. If you can dig it out with your current swing then I say go for the 13*. Or get them both and alternate between demands. I go with a 15* and still hit that 275 off the tee and 260 off the deck but the conditions have to be good. When I played with my 13* I would always hit these low worm burners because it was so hard to get it up so on par 5's that meant I was constantly in trouble around the greens.

 

[Eracer]

Like I said, I'm not buying this club to use from the fairway. It seems like the "X Hot", even at 15-deg. loft, will give me the distance I'm looking for, because of the longer shaft. I'm really not looking for anything more than a reliable 250-yard club from the tee.

Maybe if I pair it with a lower launch shaft?

 

[Sandy]

Keep the 4w in the bag and get a driver with 12* or 13* loft. Will straighten out your drives, you can still use the 4w off the tee if you need it, and there's no guarantee you'd hit the strong 3w off the fairway anyway...

 

[Eracer]

get a 13* X tour with a nice graphite shaft at around 75 grams. maybe a ys-7+ or something.

You think the 13-deg. club is a better choice for a driver replacement?

 

[Eracer]

Keep the 4w in the bag and get a driver with 12* or 13* loft. Will straighten out your drives, you can still use the 4w off the tee if you need it, and there's no guarantee you'd hit the strong 3w off the fairway anyway...

I don't think it's a loft issue. I hit my Sumo on a very nice trajectory - when I hit it well. I'm beginning to think that I just don't get along with big-headed clubs on long shafts. I hit my 4-wood so well off the tee, and it's got a very small head. That's why I'm looking at the Callaway fairway woods to replace the driver - because I want to emulate the 4-wood, and add about 30 yards of distance.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[RickinMA]

I was just reading about other people doing this - if you're not hitting it from the fairway, it frees you to get a 13*

If you like the steel shaft in the 4 wood and get good results, try the strong 3

If you're considering the vista pro shaft - how about throwing one of these on it? Tom Wishon Golf Technology

my other thought, - if you're looking for something in the 13* range that you don't plan to hit off the tee - how about a high lofted driver? like Nike's lucky 13 or whatever it's called - maybe with a bit of extra loft, a shorter shaft, and some of the forgiveness in the big head, you'll find something that works for you?

 

[flomarilius]

Nike T-60. Shallow face that when makes great contact travels miles . I dont have much trouble getting 240-250 with this club off the tee. Takes a little bit to get the hang of it but man it really does travel.

 

[chemboy2]

What's this Cally talk?! Get a "Lucky 13" SQ and be done with it already!

Both the original SQ and the SUMO come in this flavor. Use the 44.5" stock shaft or just trim the Epic down to 44/44.5 and you'll have exactly what you're looking for!

Fwiw, switching to a 44" driver shaft has turned out to be the best move I ever made for my tee game.

 

[Eracer]

I was just reading about other people doing this - if you're not hitting it from the fairway, it frees you to get a 13*

If you like the steel shaft in the 4 wood and get good results, try the strong 3?

That makes sense.

If you're considering the vista pro shaft - how about throwing one of these on it? Tom Wishon Golf Technology?

Now that looks nice - I may just pay a visit to my local Wishon guy...looks very nice.

my other thought, - if you're looking for something in the 13* range that you don't plan to hit off the tee - how about a high lofted driver? like Nike's lucky 13 or whatever it's called - maybe with a bit of extra loft, a shorter shaft, and some of the forgiveness in the big head, you'll find something that works for you?

I think I want to go with a smaller head.

 

[Pa Jayhawk]

May be worth looking at a 13* driver as well. I am about 50~50 at this point on grabbing my 17* 5w or my driver on certain holes. I dumped my 3w, probably permanently, because it would cost me strokes about 1/2 the time. I am not long enough off the tee to really warrant needing the extra 15 yards my 3w would buy me over the more reliable 5w (plays like a 4w) which is much more reliable. Although with the larger head, if I need the extra distance I will go with the driver. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't mind having a 11~12* driver. I actually get almost as much carry on my 5w, but can swing a little more with my driver and still hit it well because of the size of the head.

My driver is just easier to hit longer consistently because of the head, and my 5w is long enough off the deck for what I need. For me, off the deck it is all about being able to get the ball in the air and being able to play it out of rough. My 3w would not do either very well, and would usually only use it off the tee anyways.

 

[SiberianDVM]

Been there, done that. Remember my thread from last month NO DRIVER THIS MONTH?

What I did to cure my driver ails:
1-grip down on the driver to 43.5", about 3 wood length
2- swing down the aimline like I was hitting under a tree branch, and not stand up as I hit the ball, which was my big swing fault. Took a teaching pro about 5 seconds to spot that and it helped a lot.

 

[dave.]

A 460cc driver at 12 degrees and a properly fitted shaft should be no harder to hit than a 13 or 15* 3 wood.Rather than rushing into this I would go for a lesson and figure out why are struggling.You have suggested the length or the club is a problem,well a 3 wood isn't much shorter and with a smaller head all you get is a little bit more loft,yet you say its not loft.So there seems to be some contradictions here,and imho when that happens its always best to take a step back and think first.

 

[ezra76]

I carry both the driver and the 13*. My next club is the 17.5*, which I can hit off the deck no problem. I can hit the 13* off the deck but usually only attempt a fade with it. I really can't rely on a consitant strike and yardage with it off the deck. Most of the time I pull it to advance the ball, especially when I have to hit a big slice or hook around something, it's very workable to curve and control height.

I hit the 13* pretty long off the tee and wonder myself why I don't hit it more often. The truth is though, with a good swing/strike, there is no substitute for the driver. It's 20yds. longer than the 13*, that's 2 clubs less on the approach.