3-wood opinions

[Eracer]

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.

Yes - but isn't it true that nearly every midcapper like me has more trouble with the driver than with any other club? Look at all the hoing going on with drivers. You don't see the same frantic search happening with 3-woods. Not that people don't ho 3-woods - just not as crazily as they (myself included) ho drivers.

And is it not also true that common wisdom says to use a 3-wood off the tee for more accuracy? I'm pretty happy with 250-yards off the tee, and I'm long enough that I can get that yardage with a good 3-wood. I don't play 7,000 yard courses, and having a reliable club that can put the ball in the fairway and leave me a 7-iron in on 400-yard par 4's is all I really need. I'm not going to hit a driver 300 yards down the fairway every time. I might as well just accept that. So it makes more sense (to me) to focus on accuracy - thus, the 3-wood.

Does that not make sense?

I've heard it said many times that most amateurs should not carry a driver, and should give up 20 yards for the ability to hit the fairway. I've resisted that thought for my entire golfing life, because I too like to smack a driver 280 yards over water or around trees. But scoring is more about playing percentages, and I'm beginning to accept that someone of my skill level is just plain better off forgetting the driver altogether.

 

[ualtim]

I think the biggest issue with us mid cappers and drivers is the mind set over the ball. Its the driver, I need to really amp up and hit the snot of this thing. I am going to crush this ball. I need to hit this thing way out there. With all those thoughts running through the mind we try to overswing and hit those weak toppers, pop flys, bommerang slices, worm burners, or duck hooks.

Try hitting your driver with the mentality of hitting a mid iron approach shot. Smooth back and through thinking about accuracy rather than all out distance. It works for me, expcept when I try to get another 20 yards out of it and hook it.:laugh:

A high lofted driver would also help with your confidence as you will get a more consistant ball flight, but will give up distance. I have a 14* driver I have used in the past that was the most consistant driver I have ever hit. It completely took the right side out of play and provided a nice 5 to 10 yard draw. I could still hit bad shots with it, but it provided me a larger window of error before it would start to really affect the shot. Once I learned to stop trying to destroy the ball with my driver, I was able to go back to a normal lofted driver and still get good accuracy plus the added distance. If I ever falter, again, I would not hesitate to go back to the 14*.

If you are dead set on getting a 3W for your tee club, try out the TEE 13*. You will not find a longer 3W on the market and it is amazingly forgiving for such a hot fairway wood.

Hope this helps,

ualtim