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Why Do I Hit My 3W So Well But Not My Driver?

spaceace414

spaceace414

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I tend to just really hit my 3W very well off the tee. I can usually get it out there 250 to 270 on most days. I have been struggling with my driver, spraying it all over the place. On a good hit, I can put it out there 280 to 310.

Why do I hit my 3W so much better and more consistent?

Is this a mental thing? It's not like the driver is that much longer. Plus the head is much larger and has more forgiveness. I just can't figure it out.

I am thinking on my next round I will keep the driver in the bag and just use the 3W to see what happens. Maybe I will finally break 80.
 
He'll a 3 wood going those distances is nothing to disregard. That's awesome. If I could do that with my 3 wood I wouldn't even bother hitting the driver...

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The 3w has more loft and a shorter shaft is the simple answer.
 
More loft = more confidence You know you hit it well, so the confidence is there with the 3W just not with the driver.

The mental aspect of the game is a hard one to deal with. Pull the driver & just think to yourself that it's the 3 wood in your hand. Choke down on it a bit for control so it plays just like your 3W. This has worked for me.

I have the same issue sometimes. I hit my strong 3W further than most people hit their driver. And it just feels more comfortable in my hands. It may turn out that you can play more consistent with the 3W anyway, especially if your hitting it 270 yards. Hitting it that far is plenty of distance to tackle any course ... so why even take the driver out?
 
I am letting my ego get the best of me for the reason of not putting the driver in the bag for good. I am working so hard on correcting my misses, but it truly is affecting my game.
 
spaceace414 said:
I tend to just really hit my 3W very well off the tee. I can usually get it out there 250 to 270 on most days. I have been struggling with my driver, spraying it all over the place. On a good hit, I can put it out there 280 to 310.

Why do I hit my 3W so much better and more consistent?

Is this a mental thing? It's not like the driver is that much longer. Plus the head is much larger and has more forgiveness. I just can't figure it out.

I am thinking on my next round I will keep the driver in the bag and just use the 3W to see what happens. Maybe I will finally break 80.
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Driver's are longer and have lower loft which makes them harder to hit straight. You are hitting your 3 wood long enough to be a scratch golfer, it's the rest of your game that probably needs improvement. I hit my 3 wood about 260 off the tee like you do and because of this acceptable distance, I only pull driver about 4 times per round on a course unless I'm playing from beyond 6700 yards.
 
golfinnut said:
More loft = more confidence You know you hit it well, so the confidence is there with the 3W just not with the driver.

The mental aspect of the game is a hard one to deal with. Pull the driver & just think to yourself that it's the 3 wood in your hand. Choke down on it a bit for control so it plays just like your 3W. This has worked for me.

I have the same issue sometimes. I hit my strong 3W further than most people hit their driver. And it just feels more comfortable in my hands. It may turn out that you can play more consistent with the 3W anyway, especially if your hitting it 270 yards. Hitting it that far is plenty of distance to tackle any course ... so why even take the driver out?
Click to expand...

I like the idea of choking down a bit. May try that on the range.

I am serious about playing a round with keeping it in the bag. Damn ego.
 
I kept the driver at home for years. Basically until the late 2000s. As others have said, loft and shaft length make a huge difference.
 
for me, driver was difficult because it's on a tee and teed up quite a bit higher than any other club i will hit in my bag. what that means for me is that the swing for that one club is different than the swing for any other club. now, i know conceptually that it's supposed to be the same swing for all clubs, i'm just too thick-headed to believe and be confident in that.
 
How well I hit my 3w lead to me cutting down my driver, gives me a touch more control with no noticeable distance loss. However, I still pull 3w when I absolutely need to find the short grass but need 240+ off the tee.

At your distance, embrace the 3w and just play what works, there is no section for comments or ego on the scorecard.
 
I had the same issues with driver, and I haven't touched it in 2 months. Don't need it. I don't hit my 3 wood quite as long as you (230-250 depending on conditions), but it gives me plenty of distance and it's so much more consistent.
 
Most of what has already been said covers it, but the swing dynamics of a 3 wood are closer to an iron than the driver. It's easier to swing a 3 wood down and out, versus the up (or down) and left that happens for many with the driver. Teeing the ball forward to ensure hitting up on the ball compounds this problem for most amateurs. I'm not saying you shouldn't tee the ball forward, you just have to make other adjustments or a slight swing change to ensure your swing direction is correct.

This is a recent article/video that covers the topic:

http://blog.trackmangolf.com/attack-angle-can-effect-ball-flight/

[video=youtube;-KqO9TwgXOk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KqO9TwgXOk[/video]
 
While the driver head is bigger and, offers more forgiveness, that bigness, also, opens up the opportunity to miss the sweet spot. You need to check to see where on the club face, you are hitting the ball. With your swing speed, a small miss hit becomes a wild shot.

Another factor, is that we have been told to hit up on the driver, which, is a different swing, than, what we use on the rest of our clubs. You might try teeing the ball lower, and, try swinging your driver like your 3 wood.
 
I hit my 3W more on the center than my driver even though the head on the 3W is much smaller. With the distance you are getting I would have no issues playing it off the tee until you can figure out your driver.
 
Welcome to the club. My driver is out of the bag right now and I have two 3 Woods. A no left missile launcher for the tee, and a high launch 3 wood for the fairway and shorter distances.

What I think is the problem for me and what might be for you too is the driver just isn't fit for our swings anymore. Get a driver fitting.

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Sharkguy95 said:
What I think is the problem for me and what might be for you too is the driver just isn't fit for our swings anymore. Get a driver fitting.
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this is worth looking into. 9 degree loft might not be the right loft for your driver swing..
 
What's your driver length? I'd seriously consider trying a shorter shaft.

I just cut the driver version of my 3W shaft (fujikura orochi) to 43.5"and put a Taylormade adapter on it for my M2 and absolutely love it.

Personally, I have a lot of lag and I can't release a long driver and get the clubface square reliably and trying to do that really screws up my swing
 
I actually got fit for my new driver this summer. I have the new Ping G Series driver. I hit about six different drivers and this one had the best stats and ball flight for my swing. I hit the driver very well in the bay as well.

I think with me right now it is more mental than anything and some mechanics with my swing.
 
Part of it might be confidence???
 
Want a fun test? Find the exact same Ping shaft you have. Cut it down to the length of your 3 wood. Then, swing it like you would your 3 wood.

Don't choke up on your driver. That's cheating. Stock shaft should be cheap enough.

Dollar says it cuts 10 yards off your best drives, but ends up as straight as your 3wood
 
It's a mental thing with me.
My 3 wood is smaller, so I KNOW that I have to make good contact.
The driver is big like a balloon. I think I can't miss with the huge driver, and try to kill it.

Jack
 
spaceace414 said:
I tend to just really hit my 3W very well off the tee. I can usually get it out there 250 to 270 on most days. I have been struggling with my driver, spraying it all over the place. On a good hit, I can put it out there 280 to 310.

Why do I hit my 3W so much better and more consistent?

Is this a mental thing? It's not like the driver is that much longer. Plus the head is much larger and has more forgiveness. I just can't figure it out.

I am thinking on my next round I will keep the driver in the bag and just use the 3W to see what happens. Maybe I will finally break 80.
Click to expand...

Oh, the age old question. Like my PGA Pro once told me when I asked that same question, go home sit down and think about it. Hint: loft and shaft length......
 
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