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anybody playing driver-5 wood, no 3-wood ?

I don't have a 3w currently, but that's what I usually play. I don't have it for gapping reasons. I have it to be able to hit it as far as possible on 2nd shot par 5s when it makes sense. I don't hit it very far off the tee, so I'm either laying up on the par 5 due to a forced carry or due to trouble around the green, or I am trying to hit it as far as possible to either have a chance to be on or around the green for the eagle putt/chip.

Although, I do need to possible look into a 3 HL to see if I get better distance and dispersion from the typical 15* or possibly 17* with a lengthened shaft. I don't really care too much about carry vs roll with that spot (well it needs to be carrying at least 200-205 to be realistic), but anything total distance of 215+ is what I am looking for in that spot
 
I used to game a 3hl but it was too short off the tee. Switched to a proper 3 wood (XR) and found it much better off the tee. And for on fairway shots I just choke down a bit on the grip and focus on hitting down on it a little more.
 
I play Driver-4Wood.

Never got along with 3Wood. Did mess around with a Cobra 5Wood several years ago. Nothing I liked or disliked about it.
 
I had been playing Driver (10.5), adjustable 3 wood (14.5 or 15.5), and adjustable 3 hybrid (19.5).

This year I switched to Driver, adjustable 5 wood (17) and adjusted the 3 hybrid to 20.5, which I think will more effectively gap with my longest iron (22.5).

So far the 5 wood (which is basically a 4) is higher and easier to hit off the deck (but not immune to a classic topped shot) and has been straighter than my 3 wood off the tee.
 
3W is long gone and the 5W is right behind it. Driver, then 3H for me.
 
I have a 3w that I can hit just fine off the tee or fairway but I don’t use it much at the courses I play so I never carry it. So it’s driver-5w for me right now. I may throw it back in the bag this year for s&g.
 
Top end of my bag is Driver, 5w, 4hy
Covers all the distances I need and the 5w gives me an option off the tee if the Driver is struggling.
 
kevin81002 said:
I carry driver, 3w, 5w. I use the driver and 3w off the tees, and my 5w for most fairway shots in to par 5's. Rarely do I swing the 3w from anything other than the teebox.
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You sound like an excellent candidate for the shorter, higher lofted driver. Ever try it?
 
Quickstrike said:
I often play rounds without touching my 4 wood essentially using driver (10.5*) and 19* hybrid. I think the gap between driver and fairway wood/hybrid is the least important spot in your bag.
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Maybe if you're very, very confident in your driver. I don't think I could live without my 3wd. I hit it almost as far and much straighter than my driver.
 
I'm similar to others here:

Driver 9.5, maybe 275 total
4w 230-240?
3h- 210-220
4i- 200

I just couldn't launch a 3w and always sliced it baaaaaad.. people here suggested rogue 4w and it's worked out quite well

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
OGputtnfool said:
You sound like an excellent candidate for the shorter, higher lofted driver. Ever try it?
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Most of my drivers are cut down to somewhere in the 44"- 44 1/4" range and weighted to somewhere in the D3-D4 range, and I played more loft than most for my swing speed until recently. With some swing changes, I'm generating more spin than I used to so I've dropped the loft from somewhere in the 11* range back down in the 9* range, and getting good results with it. I prefer carrying a 3w over a second driver personally. I just feel I have more control over it and still get it out there a decent amount.
 
greekelite said:
I'm similar to others here:

Driver 9.5, maybe 275 total
4w 230-240?
3h- 210-220
4i- 200

I just couldn't launch a 3w and always sliced it baaaaaad.. people here suggested rogue 4w and it's worked out quite well

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
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Pretty much my setup
 
I carry a 3W, but we typically aren't on speaking terms. My 5W and I are tight though.
 
I used to go driver, 4-wood, 4-iron. I briefly considered going with 5-wood instead of 4-wood but I was able to find woods that were easy enough to hit so I opted for the greater distance.

But today, although a different club altogether, I did similar as to the thought of bagging a more forgiving club after driver. Perhaps sacrificing some distance for repeatability, I now go from driver to 2H and haven't looked back. I get great distance off the tee with my 17° Exotics EX9 and it's so darn easy to hit off the deck too. To me, the step up in precision necessary to get consistently similar results from a 5 or 4 wood just isn't worth it.
 
I play a 11-12 degree driver (adjustable based on my swing that day) and then go to a 5 wood. If Im being honest, I really need to spend some time gapping the top and bottom of my bag because I think my 5W and 3H are about the same in distance, but each club has advantages in different lies. Also my GW and PW wedge may be close enough in distance to eliminate the GW and add a 50* wedge that would be a bit more versatile than the GW.

I struggle with a 3W off the deck unless i have a very fluffy lie. The 5W is somewhat more reliable off the deck for me but if there is trouble then Ill go with the 3H which is more reliable than the 5W.
 
I play driver 10.5*, 3W @ 16*, 5W @ 18*, then 4I. I can't hit a hybrid consistently to save my life. I'm currently updating to F9 irons so I think the landscape will need to change a bit to correct my gapping as I think the new 4I will be getting too close to the 5W.

I'm looking at updating my FW's as well now because of that....and they are getting a bit dated. I'm looking at playing 3W @ 14.5* and the 5W @ 17*.
 
I carry driver 5W and a 22 degree hybrid. I have a difficult time hitting fairway woods with any consistency. They are usually low and hooking left. I find the Cobra 5W in my bag to be very forgiving, and if I slow down I can usually get it airborne, and somewhat straight. I have no chance with a 3W.
 
I used to always carry a driver and 4 wood. However, the 4 is just a number especially these days...
So technically no, but specifically yes? Yeah... I think those were the specs.
 
Driver and 4 wood here.
 
I played that way quite a bit for most of last year, then I went to driver, 4wd, 4H and on down. The only issue was that I started playing courses that I never played before which were longer and/or they had tee box layup shots with longer second shots then my 5wd or 4wd would work for so I started carrying a 3wd and 5wd for those few times where I need more! This year I may stay 3wd/5wd setup or try 3wd, 3HL and 4H.
 
Outstanding video on fairway wood loft for the average guy:



Dave
 
dthrog00 said:
Outstanding video on fairway wood loft for the average guy:



Dave
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I don't think there is any doubt that with today's large fairway wood heads and relatively long graphite shafts , for playing shots off the ground a head in the 17* to 20* range, combined with a 41.5" to 42.5" shaft length, for most players is ideal.
My opinion is that 20 years ago Orlimar's Tri-Metal was the first to introduce a mainstream 43" 3-wood, and soon thereafter every company began offering 43" long graphite shafted 3-woods, setting the path for 3-woods to become extra long distance clubs most suitable for tee box play.
 
I played driver 5W last season for a bit. I was really struggling with my woods. At first I went Driver, 3W, 5W. Then I added a wedge, nixed the 3W and ran with the 5w. Now I'm alternating between 3W and 4W.

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