I just started hitting a five wood. I played without one for the longest time because I really didn't have a gap between my driver and my hybrids. And then once a gap developed, I still wasn't straight enough (consistently) for it to matter if I could fill the gap. But over this summer, there have been a handful of holes where I just don't have enough distance with my hybrids to set me up with a good chance at par, and I don't have enough accuracy with my driver to keep it in the fairway. So I picked up a 5w. Until today, though, I really couldn't hit it from anywhere but the tee box. But I worked on it by hitting about two dozen balls off the deck at the driving range this evening, and I started to get some good shots. I'm anxious to see it used on the course, though. I have three mid/long distance clubs in my bag right now that are still new to me, and in learning how to hit them, my mid/short iron game has suffered a bit.

I carry a 3, 4 and 7 wood but don`t hit them great.

Just thought I'd update...I had a 5w shot on the course I played on Wednesday (hardest course I've played to date) that I could have never made three weeks ago. It was off a tee on a 205 yard par three that played uphill into the wind. I hit it 205, pin high, just to the left of the green. I wish I could say that I went up and down to save par, but alas, I missed the putt. But I never would have even had a shot at going up and down to save par before I got my 5w.

The reality is that a 3W is harder to hit off the deck than any other club in your bag (except maybe a 1-iron, but only God....and maybe Lee Trevino carry---and can hit---one of them). However, add a couple degrees of loft and a 1/2 inch shorter shaft and you have a much more hittable 4W, which will only be a few yards shorter than a well struck 3W. Theoretically, I figure I hit a good clean 3W 5 out of 10 times, yet, I hit a 4W 7-8 out of 10 times. Keeping that in mind, losing 10 yards with a 4W, but gaining confidence, control and ultimately more accuracy, goes a long way to lowering scores overall. Skip the 3 and 5 woods, put in a 4W and a hybrid or two.

Actually, I find that a couple inches choked down on a 3 hybrid will give me the equivalent of a 4 hybrid, giving me the option to skip the 4H and put in another scoring club. I have done that, not only with hybrids, but have left out my 5 iron---when trying to get in at 14 clubs---and choked down on my 4H to get almost the same result I might get with my 5 iron.

Of course, in the above post, a driver is more difficult to hit than a 3W off the deck, but I figured before I got called out on it, I would qualify that I meant: of the clubs you would NORMALLY try to hit off the deck.'

No need to overstaff your long clubs if you can't hit confidently with distance. If you are playing a 3 iron, or 3 Iron hybrid then I'd say gap 4 degrees down from your lowest iron and play a Hybrid as they are more versatile than a 4,5,6,7 wood.

sepfeiff wrote:

No need to overstaff your long clubs if you can't hit confidently with distance. If you are playing a 3 iron, or 3 Iron hybrid then I'd say gap 4 degrees down from your lowest iron and play a Hybrid as they are more versatile than a 4,5,6,7 wood.

+1 for hybrids and confidence, but I do carry a 3w. I'm thinking about getting a new 3w though at 15.5* would make it closer to some 4w, but close enough to my 19* 3Hy to close the gaps.

My basic thought on long clubs is to just have a few that you are confident with. I'll layup with my 3Hy instead of going with my 3w because I know I'll hit a good shot.

I think it's easier to hit a 5W than a hybrid. Theoretically, you give up a little control, but what good is that added control if you can't strike the ball as well with the hybrid? I just bought a 5W 18* last week to replace my 19* hybrid. Took both clubs to the range to compare. I probably had 1 mis-hit with the 5W to every 5 mis-hits with the hybrid. And when comparing solidly hit shots from each club, I found the 5W to be easier to control. I feel like that stems from the confidence I have in knowing I'll hit a solid shot. It's not like I was throwing darts with either club, so I'll take the one I'm going to hit more consistently any day of the week.

I dont own a 3 or a 5 wood at the moment , they're definitely not the most used clubs but , I personally struggle with a controlled draw of the tee so a 3 wood is great of the tee and you definitely need a 5 wood in the bag.
Since youre not playing for that long i would wait until your swing is solid with the irons , then maybe look out for a couple of woods