7 Wood or 3 Hybrid, what I'm missing in my thought process?

Iceman!

THPer formerly known as "markm778"
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So I have one open spot in my bag for either a JGR 7W or JGR 3 Hybrid - both at 21°. I have an 175yd gap that either on of these clubs would fill. I don't have another "True" hybrid in my bag even though my Irons are call "Hybrid Irons" I have a 5i at 21° but it's a little harder to hit than the rest of my irons.

The 3 Hybrid comes in a 84g shaft and feels a little "Boardy" to me however I understand that what a hybrid is used for sometimes that it needs that shaft strength.

The 7W is as sweet as it can get. I can hit it pure and the shaft is lighter and longer at 70g. I also have a 3w & 5w in the bag.

Both are D2 weights.

I'm thinking that has time goes on, the hybrid is going to needed more that the fairway wood getting of the rough and spot where I would hit a "Hybrid Chip"

Anything I'm missing in my thought process?
 
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If they go the same distance and you hit them equally well but will use one more than the other then I think you need to go with the one you'd use more often


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is there any way you can test both out of the rough? i cant think of many situations in which you would gain that much more with the hybrid than you would the 7w, so if you are more confident with the 7w that seems to be the better option.
 
Sounds like the 7W is the right choice you. I would worry about your typical use of the club as opposed to a potential occasional use and go with the one that suits the typical need better.
 
If you look in the Heavenwood thread, you'll see a lot of people who have gone with the higher lofted fairways. I think, for slower swingers especially, the fairway is a nice option just because it gets the ball up in the air higher.

With the irons you're playing, you've got a pretty solid hybrid-style iron for getting out of the rough when you need to. When I put the wood in the bag instead of the 3 hybrid, one thing I thought about was that if I was 200 or so yards out and in a gnarly lie in the rough, do I really want to try to go for the green? I'd use your 5i in those scenarios, and put the 7W in there so you can be aggressive when you're set up nice.
 
If you look in the Heavenwood thread, you'll see a lot of people who have gone with the higher lofted fairways. I think, for slower swingers especially, the fairway is a nice option just because it gets the ball up in the air higher.

With the irons you're playing, you've got a pretty solid hybrid-style iron for getting out of the rough when you need to. When I put the wood in the bag instead of the 3 hybrid, one thing I thought about was that if I was 200 or so yards out and in a gnarly lie in the rough, do I really want to try to go for the green? I'd use your 5i in those scenarios, and put the 7W in there so you can be aggressive when you're set up nice.

And these response is why I posted this Thread and the THP is the best. "Stuff" just rattles around in your head and it's so great to ask other golfers to tap into their experiences and give their thoughts. Keep'em coming!
 
I've switched from a 3 hybrid to a 7 wood and am in the process of replacing my 4 hybrid with an 11 wood. I'm more of a sweeper and fairway woods are just easier for me to hit.

I hit my 7 wood around 210ish. If I have a bad lie from 210 out I'm not hitting a hybrid or a fairway wood so the little extra versatility of a hybrid isn't enough for me. Also, I'm finding that fairway woods these days are much more versatile than in the past, maybe not as much as hybrids but I can still hit a fairway wood out of the rough.
 
When I put the wood in the bag instead of the 3 hybrid, one thing I thought about was that if I was 200 or so yards out and in a gnarly lie in the rough, do I really want to try to go for the green? I'd use your 5i in those scenarios, and put the 7W in there so you can be aggressive when you're set up nice.

this is what i was getting at, only said much better than i could. if you need to hit a 3 hybrid and you're out of the rough, the percentage chance that you're going to hit a bad shot is much higher than hitting a good shot for the vast majority of golfers myself included. in those situations, take your medicine, advance the ball to a better lie and a comfortable yardage, and try to make par from a better position.
 
I have carried a 7w since I first hit a Bertha steelhead III about 12 years ago. One of my go to clubs when I am looking to shape the ball or hit a low stinger which makes no sense. I could press all the loft off the club and hit a Tigeresk screamer from almost any position. This season I have decided, with all the advanced tech of hybrids to add them to my bag. I'm hoping to reinvent my long iron play.

Good topic, good luck with your decision!

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Sounds like the 7W is the right club for you in how you talk about them. Hit what you like and feel comfortable with.
 
I too went through the hybrid/fw debate. I had a 3h, but found I hit it too low and couldn't get it to land soft enough. I recently bought a 5w (turned up to 19.5*) and it's so much better for me. When I have that 235ish carry shots into greens I can hit it high and land it soft. At the end of the day you have to be comfortable and confident with the clubs in your bag, and I never truly felt comfortable swinging a hybrid. I tried (5 different hybrids in the last 3 years)... just could never get there.
 
For a few practice rounds throw both in your bag.
Every time you come to a shot where you would use one, drop another ball and hit both.
Should be pretty evident which one is more useful
 
So I have one open spot in my bag for either a JGR 7W or JGR 3 Hybrid - both at 21°. I have an 175yd gap that either on of these clubs would fill. I don't have another "True" hybrid in my bag even though my Irons are call "Hybrid Irons" I have a 5i at 21° but it's a little harder to hit than the rest of my irons.

The 3 Hybrid comes in a 84g shaft and feels a little "Boardy" to me however I understand that what a hybrid is used for sometimes that it needs that shaft strength.

The 7W is as sweet as it can get. I can hit it pure and the shaft is lighter and longer at 70g. I also have a 3w & 5w in the bag.

Both are D2 weights.

I'm thinking that has time goes on, the hybrid is going to needed more that the fairway wood getting of the rough and spot where I would hit a "Hybrid Chip"

Anything I'm missing in my thought process?

I honestly dont understand a lot of this and I dont mean that as a slight. Some questions.

How do you know how far they go without hitting them? Loft is only part of the equation. I will use this example. You tested two drivers of similar loft. You said you hit one 15 yards further than the other. So in this instance, how do you know they go the same distance?

Can you explain further the shaft strength part in the hybrid part? I got a bit confused (im not that smart) and want to know more about that, as I am the opposite.

Is there a reason you want to chip with a hybrid? Lots of downhill links style greens played?
 
7 Wood or 3 Hybrid, what I'm missing in my thought process?

I honestly dont understand a lot of this and I dont mean that as a slight. Some questions.

How do you know how far they go without hitting them? Loft is only part of the equation. I will use this example. You tested two drivers of similar loft. You said you hit one 15 yards further than the other. So in this instance, how do you know they go the same distance?

Can you explain further the shaft strength part in the hybrid part? I got a bit confused (im not that smart) and want to know more about that, as I am the opposite.

Is there a reason you want to chip with a hybrid? Lots of downhill links style greens played?

Sure - here are the thoughts ratting around in my head:

How do you know how far they go without hitting them? Loft is only part of the equation. I will use this example. You tested two drivers of similar loft. You said you hit one 15 yards further than the other. So in this instance, how do you know they go the same distance? - I tested both clubs on the PGATSS Monitor at the same day, it's what I have to go on. They both go the relatively the distance. What I have ,I believe are clubs with different heads and lengths.

Can you explain further the shaft strength part in the hybrid part? I got a bit confused (im not that smart) and want to know more about that, as I am the opposite. With my game, I end up in the rough or in some "Narley" areas on the course. To me, the 85g shaft feels "Stouter" and will take the torque as you try to get out of areas and back in to play. I guess to me the Hybrid feels like "Bulldog" and the Fairway like a "Greyhound"

Is there a reason you want to chip with a hybrid? Lots of downhill links style greens played: - I do play a fair amount of links style of courses, not always down hill, however I do use the bump and run every so once and while with a lower lofted club.

Hope this make sense.
 
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I have both... that said it really depends upon the intended course that I'm playing. Some courses the 7w is the preferred choice to carry in the bag, while others the 3h plays better.I like keeping those options open... the local course I play, the 7w plays best, but the course down the road the hybrids play best. Know thy course & select the proper tools to attack it with. JMO
 
I will be another one that says the 7W. I recently went from a 3H to a 7W and couldn't be happier. Also the 7W I went with is the JGR. Just found that if I am in a bad lie i will use a higher lofted hybrid since at that distance I am not "attacking" greens, I am trying to play smart and get back in play.
 
I'm probably one of a very few who carry a 3 hybrid and a 7 wood. The 7 wood is my go to off the tee from 185-195 which is a little beyond my 5 iron.

The 3 hybrid is 200-210 and better off the turf.
 
Several thoughts here.....

1. 7 wood is much better with hits when the clubface is open or closed. More backspin, less side spin. Errors are not as bad. This is why my 3H sits.

2. Today's 7 wood is the 5 wood of my youth.

3. The 7 wood may be better out of deep rough because it will get the ball up quicker.

4. I now game a 7W 1" longer than standard shaft. I can pound that Titleist (latest gen) 210-235 yds. The 4iron gets me 200. No room for a hybrid, not much need for the old 3 wood that I hit so poorly either. I'll take the extra (64 degree) wedge instead.
 
Really like the thoughts about using a 7 wood vs a 3 hybrid. I also have a question and would like anyone's thoughts or knowledge. I have a heavenwood (20.5* loft), isn't that about the same as a 7 wood? Also, I'm considering a replacement for a 3-4 hybrid and was pondering a 9 wood.....any thoughts or suggestions?
 
I don't have both, but based on what you said it doesn't make sense to be carrying a club that you can't hit reliably well, so I'll go with the 7 wood. I don't know how often you use the 3 h for chipping, don't you have any other club, say 5 iron or 7 iron, for bump and runs?
 
I love my 7 wood. I'm a sweeper with woods, so I also have hybrids for out of the rough longer shots.
 
Really like the thoughts about using a 7 wood vs a 3 hybrid. I also have a question and would like anyone's thoughts or knowledge. I have a heavenwood (20.5* loft), isn't that about the same as a 7 wood? Also, I'm considering a replacement for a 3-4 hybrid and was pondering a 9 wood.....any thoughts or suggestions?

I have 3 Heavenwoods of varying lofts, including 20.5 and one stronger. They cannot hit the ball nearly as far as my 7 wood, nor nearly as high. My 915 F 7 wood with a shaft 1" longer a than standard is much longer and hits the ball much higher. Can't speak about 9 woods. Never hit one or neaded one.
 
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Thanks for everyone's input. I went with the 7w yesterday. I rehit both clubs and for what ever reason, I kept pushing the hybrid to the right where I was hitting the 7w relatively straight.
 
Thanks for everyone's input. I went with the 7w yesterday. I rehit both clubs and for what ever reason, I kept pushing the hybrid to the right where I was hitting the 7w relatively straight.

What do you see in your 7wood/hybrid comparison? Other than being straighter, is the distance/ball flight similar?
 
I just hit the 7W so much better then the 3H, nice high ball flight with a reliable draw. The home club has 3 shots where this is essential (depending on where your tee ball is placed) and I wouldn't have the same level of confidence hitting the 3H.
 
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