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Which 3 wood for beginner?

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Alan

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Hey guys, I am brand new at this. Pretty athletic, but have never played golf.

I am piecing a set of clubs together and so far I have a combo set of Mizuno jpx hd 800 irons and hybrids, an Odyssey Jailbird putter, and a Callaway International sand wedge.

I need something to hit off the tee with and I have heard it may be better to start off with a fairway wood, rather than a driver.

In your infinite wisdom, could you answer me this: as a beginner using it as my farthest club, should I go with a Cleveland Classic XL 3 wood, or a Callaway Razr X Black 3 wood? Or something else?

Thanks!

Alan
 
Honestly it's so different depending on how you swing, I would say go and get one fitted for you. I personally really like the cobra amp cell woods, straightest ones I have ever hit.
 
I've swung the Cleveland a couple of times and really liked it, I shot it a bit straighter than normal which is always a plus. No real experience with that particular Callaway, but I'd encourage hitting both at a Golf Galaxy or Golfsmith just to see how they feel. Count my vote for the Cleveland.

Edit: Or, try out a Taylormade. I love my Taylormade wood and rescue, definitely the longest wood I have hit.
 
At this point I have no swing. All I have is a business card to call a guy and get lessons.
 
If he does it for a living, I'd bet he has a few different woods you could try before you pull the trigger.
 
Alan said:
At this point I have no swing. All I have is a business card to call a guy and get lessons.
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Go with something with a thin face like the X Hot from Callaway or even consider a hybrid.
 
I went to the store with the intention of buying the Cleveland and the sales guy, who played D1 golf told me that the Cleveland was too big and that I might have a tough time with that, topping the ball. He recommended the Callaway. They didn't look that different to me, but I want to try and set myself up for success the best I can.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
Go with something with a thin face like the X Hot from Callaway or even consider a hybrid.
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Hey Hoosier--I am in Westfield.

So you think I would be better off with a thin face as a beginner? The Callaway Razr X has a thin face. What's the difference between that and the X Hot?
 
Callaway xhot or taylormade rbz stage 2.. both are long, fairly easy to hit, and set up rather nice address. Also its great and all to start off with a FW from the tee when first learning but a higher lofted driver works just as well. Try hitting a 11.5 or 12 degree lofted driver.
 
I like Callaway fws. I've done both Razr X Black and XHOT, among other. I prefer the XHOT. But you should go to a store and swing a bunch. If you are topping the ball, maybe a deeper face 3w would help. In that case XHOT, X2HOT, and Razr Hawk (older model) have deeper faces.
 
Go Swing a bunch and see what works best for you
 
Which 3 wood for beginner?

You might want to look into a 4w as well if you're hitting off the deck, but if you're going just off the tee, there are a lot of great 3w out there. I like the covert and xhot 3w from recent years.
 
The Tour Edge XRAil is a nice FW that you can hit off the deck and the tee. Look at the 4W. Can be had for a decent price too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
If you are looking for a 3 wood to hit off a tee, might ne good to check out the new Taylor Made SLDR mini driver 14 or 16 degree. Have never hit one, but it sounds like it may be a good option if looking mainly for something off the tee.
 
Alan said:
I went to the store with the intention of buying the Cleveland and the sales guy, who played D1 golf told me that the Cleveland was too big and that I might have a tough time with that, topping the ball. He recommended the Callaway. They didn't look that different to me, but I want to try and set myself up for success the best I can.
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I would have thought as a complete beginner, a bigger headed 3 wood would give a little more confidence. From what I've heard, they are scarily easy to get up in the air and get good reviews online. Personally, I don't see the point of spending too much on getting a 3 wood that's been fitted to your swing if you don't yet really have a swing. You can pick up a Cleveland Classic 3 wood direct from Cleveland on their pre-owned eBay sit for around 70 bucks. Once you have had a few lessons, and feel you have a swing, then you can get fitted for a 3 wood if the Cleveland is working out. That's what I would do anyway ;)
 
If you want super easy to hit and straight go with Cobra Baffler XL. I'm a 18 handicap and struggle with fairway woods but the Baffler is easy for me to hit. I have one for sale in the classifieds for a very reasonable price, I'm selling it due to getting a 4 wood as a gift.
 
Some quick thoughts:
- FW off the deck is one of the toughest non-specialty shot in golf. I probably wouldn't advise it.
- FW off the tee may or may not be easier for a beginner. Most beginners I've seen really struggle with a repeatable swing plane, so the driver actually gives them more surface area to at least make contact with something. I always recommend beginners look into a shorter shafted, higher launching driver (e.g. 13 degree Callaway IMIX) to start with.
- Don't over think this. If golf turns out to be for you, it will be a long journey filled with ups and downs. It will come with many bag changes.
- Most beginners struggle with a slice, particularly on the long clubs.

If you know you want a FW, know you want to hit it from the tee and the deck and are like most beginners and slice it some, check out the Ping K15 3W. It has 16 degrees of loft, so it will give you a little more forgiving and give you a bit more carry. It has heel weighting which will help the face square up at impact. It is fairly shallow and that will help you elevate the ball off the deck. Finally, it's an older model that is down the depreciation curve. It won't cost as much as some of the newer models people are suggesting, and because it is a Ping (and a club of Ping's with a very strong following), it will retain its value well for when you decide to move on.

Hope this helps!
 
Ping K15 would be my recommendation. Very easy to elevate and make solid contact with
 
Cobra Bafflers, or Cleveland Mashie fairway woods would be my recommendation.
 
Adams Tight Lies.
 
I'd look at the Cleveland Mashie line from a couple years ago. They'd be had for cheap now and were and still are, very underrated.
 
I usually score around 100. I have decent SS but I flip the club so I dont get good distance, so many long par 4s just arent reachable for me. I have played an R11, Mashie, and now a X2 Hot 3 wood. I may still be in the honeymoon period with the X2, but wow. I hit a green from about 220 out off the deck, which is HUGE for me. Lots of distance and pretty easy to hit IMO.

If you have a golfsmiths around you just go there and hit a bunch of different 3woods until you find one you really like. Wait a day or two, go back and see if you still hit it well. If so, buy it. :)
 
Everybody has an opinion on here and here is mine. I think that it really doesn't matter so much if you are just starting to learn to play golf. You will learn to hit whatever club you get. It would probably be more satisfying early on for you to have something fairly forgiving. I think last years Callaway X Hot fairway woods are a good choice like many other options previously posted. They are forgiving and have a somewhat medium face depth and are easy to hit off the deck or the tee and can also be had for cheap.

Secondly, the advice that starting off just hitting 3 wood off the tee is very outdated advice. When I was learning to play at around 12 years old, that was what I heard and experienced but the golf clubs that I learned with were my Great Great Uncle's old Ben Hogan blades and persimmon woods. I had a 1, 2, 3 and 4 wood. I used the 3 wood off the tee almost exclusively because the driver and 2 wood were too long for me at that age and the loft of the 3 wood was probably only about 13° compared the typical 15° 3 metal woods of today. It was nearly impossible for me or most humans to get that persimmon driver up in the air. The drivers of today are worlds apart from back then. You can get a 12° or even 13° driver in some cases that is just as easy to hit off the tee as any 3 wood. I say don't be scared of starting learning to hit driver just like any other club. You can find something that will get the ball in the air and probably go a little further than a 3 wood.
 
High lofted 460cc driver is easier off the tee than a 3 wood. Bigger head and more forgiveness will keep you in the short grass, just play it at 43.5-44.5 inches. I recommend the PING G25, it's a hard driver to hit crooked.

As far as 3 woods for beginners, I would say as others have said and get a 4 wood 17-18 degree. Easier off the deck and works well off the tee as well. I'm not new to golf and I still play a 12 degree driver and 17 degree 4 wood.
 
Alan said:
Hey guys, I am brand new at this. Pretty athletic, but have never played golf.

I am piecing a set of clubs together and so far I have a combo set of Mizuno jpx hd 800 irons and hybrids, an Odyssey Jailbird putter, and a Callaway International sand wedge.

I need something to hit off the tee with and I have heard it may be better to start off with a fairway wood, rather than a driver.

In your infinite wisdom, could you answer me this: as a beginner using it as my farthest club, should I go with a Cleveland Classic XL 3 wood, or a Callaway Razr X Black 3 wood? Or something else?

Thanks!

Alan
Click to expand...

Go to a used sporting goods store and get one that is 2-3 years old for ~$30. When you're just starting there is no right answer as you still havent found your swing. After playing with used clubs for a year or so and after you find your swing, then go out and get a set you like.
 
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