Equipment
Why your traditional 3-wood might be extinct
Golfers of all skill levels either love or hate their 3-woods. It can be an arch-nemesis or a safety blanket depending on the day and the shots you are trying to hit, but most golfers know—when you find a good one, you hold onto it.
What makes the 3-wood unique from almost any other club in the bag is that it has to be multi-faceted, since, depending on the golfer, it will be used off the tee, from the fairway, or from the rough. And, after the driver, it’s the largest-volume club in the bag.
This is why, for club designers, it’s crucial to keep the intended target audience in mind when designing fairway woods, and why you see multiple options from each OEM—one size does not fit all!
The Callaway Mavrik line offers 3 distinct fairway models
With modern equipment technology, including low spin golf balls, combined with higher-launching, fast-faced, lower-spinning fairway woods, the question becomes “at what point do you still need a 3-wood in your bag?” You see, at lower swing speeds, the ability to create launch and spin becomes much more difficult—it’s the same reason traditional longer irons have become more difficult to keep in the air, because to create enough lift to maximize carry, you need a lot of speed.
Maximizing your 3-wood for its intended purpose is no different than making sure your irons create the correct descent angle (This is the most important iron fitting parameter), because if you don’t create enough lift, you are leaving precious yards on the table.
How to maximize your fairway wood potential
A common question I hear from golfers when they are hitting fairway woods is
“How come I hit my 5-wood further than my 3-wood from the fairway. Shouldn’t my 3-wood go further because it has less loft?”
You would hypothesize that a 3-wood (for argument’s sake a club with 15 degrees of loft) would travel further than 5-wood (a club with 18 degrees of loft), because, just like irons or wedges the lower-lofted ones should travel further—FALSE!
Creating extra distance, especially carry distance, is all about creating the best possible dynamics at impact, and if that means using a higher loft in your longest fairway wood, then so be it. It’s the same reason some golfers hit a 10-degree driver further than a 7-degree one—it’s all about optimizing launch conditions, and eventually, you will get to a point of diminishing return.
Not enough launch and spin
Using the Flightscope Trajectory Optimizer (be sure to check it out, it’s a fun tool), I created some standard launch conditions for a medium speed player creating 135 mph ball speed. The biggest takeaway is how low the peak height is and how far the ball carried: only 202 yards rolling out to 219.
More ideal launch and spin
This shot was created using the same 135 mph ball speed, but with five-degree higher launch and 250 more rpm. The distance gain is over 15 yards of carry and a more impressive 7 total yards. If it was between these two clubs, the below option offers much greater playability and better scoring opportunities for the golfer.
The solution
When looking for your next 3-wood/longest club after your driver, worry less about the loft on the club, and instead, focus on the dynamics of the ball flight to make sure you are creating ideal launch conditions. Be sure to test 4 and 5-wood options and dial in the loft if you are hitting a club with an adjustable hosel.
Adjustable sleeves allow you to fine-tune loft and launch conditions.
This could mean taking a 3-wood and adding loft, or starting with a 5-wood and removing loft to find your ideal club. If you use your 3-wood a lot, then it’s important to have a club you can trust and have confidence in it because, as a fitter, it’s my goal to make every club your favorite club!
Jason Day is back in his V3 Avoda prototype irons. That’s not new for him. He’s been switching between irons this year to help as he goes through phases of what shots he’s looking to hit. One set will shape the ball more naturally for the Australian, while the other helps straighten up his ball flight.
What is new this week at the 2026 Memorial Tournament, hosted at Jack Nicklaus’ Muirfield Village Golf Club, is the concept of progressive swing weighting through Day’s iron setup. Each head has now been weighted using lead tape through the longer irons to increase the swing weight.
“We’ve seen that the majority of players, as the ball moves forwards in their stance, fractionally increasing the swing weight just helps delay the release a little bit,” said Tom Bailey, Avoda Golf Founder, when GolfWRX caught up with him to talk about Day’s newest endeavor. ” It gives them more time to get to that forward ball position.”
It’s a pretty simple philosophy for a company that does some really in-depth club concepts. Basically, the further back the ball position is, the more a golfer will need to release the clubhead earlier to square it up. Then, as the ball gets further forward in the stance, the time to release the club extends, and the golfer will need to do it later in the sequence.
Bailey likes to think of it as Avoda’s own take on moment of inertia matching, where clubs are built to require the same amount of force.
“We just did some testing over the last couple of weeks and found that he (Day) does get along better with a progressively heavier swing weight,” Bailey added. “He gets fractionally heavier by about half a swing weight, so he gets a few swing weights through the set and then through to his woods; they continue progressing.”
Day’s scoring clubs start at around D3 in swing weight, and then, with a little Andrew Von Lossow lead tape action, he transitions up to D5 in his 4-iron, which works perfectly as Day’s 7-wood is D6. Bailey told GolfWRX that Day’s woods continue to progress up to D9 in his driver.
The progressive weighting isn’t the only new option in Day’s bag for Muirfield Village. He’s added a brand-new sand wedge, or should it say sand iron.
“He’s hitting his pitching wedge and his 9-iron and going, these just go through the turf so good, I wish I could have this in my wedges as well,” Bailey added. “… So, we started with making him an iron-head gap wedge. And he used that straight away instead of a wedge-head … He called and said, ‘I don’t really open the face of my sand wedge much either, so why don’t I just have my sand wedge the same as my irons.’ So we built him the exact same head shape, and sole as he’s got on his irons.”
The sand wedge in Day’s bag is similar to the blade prototype irons, which he used earlier this year at the RBC Heritage, if you’re able to keep up.
Odyssey Golf announced Tuesday that the already popular Damascus Milled putter lineup is getting more options.
Initially launched back in April, only in a Damascus Milled #7 head (in plumbers or double bend configurations), the family grows to four with a One Wide, Two and Rossie S shape, all available in the second limited-edition drop at retail on June 6th.
“Damascus Steel is a beautiful material, and the patterns tell the story, because every one is different” said Odyssey General Manager, Jacob Davidson. “But what stands out is that as beautiful as these putters are, the feedback from Tour has been the exceptional feel of these putters. We wanted to deliver the most premium performance-driven putter we’ve ever done at Odyssey. When you look at this product, we have so much confidence because there is not one thing we’d do different. On this one we really took our time over the last couple years to try to perfect the design.”
Created from a layered construction of multiple steel alloys, this Damascus Steel insert is forged, folded and pressed to create a unique, striking pattern in every piece. Think of it like a fingerprint. Each Damascus construction comes with its own 1-of-1 style pattern. No offerings will ever look the same.
The layered structure, combined with a specialized heat treatment, delivers a finely tuned, highly responsive feel different from other insert materials. The Damascus steel is audibly different compared to other inserts, potentially with slightly more feedback. Odyssey also uses AI-designed back contours to maintain consistent ball speed across the face, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern tech.
Each head in the line is precision-milled from stainless steel and features a blasted silver finish to complement the Damascus insert and sole plates.
With Tour feedback, Odyssey has also developed, in collaboration with Golf Pride, a grip featuring meticulously crafted edges, pistol shaping and a classic modern tour feel.
L.A.B. Golf has been the pioneer when it comes to Lie Angle Balanced putters for years now. When you talk to another golfer and zero torque putters comes up, as it will since it is the hottest thing in golf, the first brand out of their mouthes is L.A.B. Golf. Currently their putter line up has something for every golfer, wether your like blades or mallets. But the company has a new creation for golfers that we saw out on tour just a few weeks ago and is now available to us, the VZN.1i putter.
One of the big stories with the new VZN.1i putter is alignment in the form of the shape. L.A.B. has always given us plenty of alignment options in their putters with different line formations and shapes that can be laser etched onto the top of the putter. With this new design they used the shape of the head and the open cavity in the middle to help enhance the alignment for players. These shapes help players lock into their intended line to improve accuracy and concistency.
“VZN.1i was approached formulaically by combining everything we’ve learned from the success of previous L.A.B. Golf models into a familiar mallet shape that’s easy on the eyes and even easier to putt with,” said Cameron Day, Senior Vice President of Product at L.A.B. Golf. “Every L.A.B. putter is engineered to roll the ball on its intended line through Lie Angle Balance technology. With VZN.1i, we took things a step further by simplifying another critical aspect of putting: alignment.”
Like most of the other L.A.B. mallet putters the VZN.1i is machined from a solid block of aluminum and features a 303 stainless steel face insert. Steel face inserts on all L.A.B. putters not only enhance the sound and feel but they improve ball speed for better distance control. The new shaping also offers two ways of picking up your ball, using the sole or the rear flange can scoop up the ball. The company is offering the VZN.1i with a 1.5 degree forward shaft lean or a vertical shaft option in order to fit more golfers. Each VZN.1i is hand balanced and 10 other stages before it is complete and ready to ship. L.A.B. has its custom program where the golfer can select their length and lie but also head color, shaft upgrades, and grips to make their VZN.1i fit them perfectly.
The VZN.1i is available now starting at $499 for stock models and $599 for custom.
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Sandman
Aug 12, 2020 at 9:36 am
If you can’t hit a 3w, you need to work on your swing.
Justblewbyyou
Sep 12, 2022 at 8:17 pm
how is your 1 iron?
Miguel A Donate
Jul 23, 2020 at 9:46 am
Great article!! Thanks.
And that Flightscope Trajectory Optimizer tool is awesome.
nomad golfer
Jul 17, 2020 at 12:06 am
One reason my Launcher 3 wood will be staying in the bag is because I “don’t” use it from the fairway – that’s what the 5 & 9 woods are for. The 3 wood, which is closer in loft to a 4 wood goes off the tee when needed. Knowing what role each club is for helps a lot in this game.
Delbert
Jul 16, 2020 at 11:40 pm
My old Exotics 3 wood still rocks! Why change and spend the money?
richknine
Jul 10, 2020 at 12:26 am
I have a 16° 3W & a 19° 5strong Tight Lies, good old reliable. As long as I can hit them straight out of a fairway bunker, they stay in the bag.
Jack Nash
Jun 29, 2020 at 3:08 pm
Got rid of the 3wd years ago and have had a 4 Hot X ever since and it’s worth it’s weight in gold.
Rob Infanti
Jun 28, 2020 at 10:20 am
About 15 years ago, I gave up on my 3 wood. Once I found that I was hitting my 5 wood further, I pulled it out of my bag. When I bought new clubs a few years back, I didn’t even bother with a 3 wood. I have a swing speed of about 80mph and just cannot generate enough spin. The same goes for my long irons. My 3 and 4 irons don’t go any further than my 5 iron. I replaced them with a 3 hybrid that fit perfectly distance-wise between my 5 wood and 5 iron.
Mike
Jul 4, 2020 at 9:41 am
Great post. I just “rediscovered” this recently when I purchased (at a great, almost silly price) a Callaway Epic Flash. Had been struggling w/ 3W “off the deck” for years but thought this time, w/ some recent swing improvements, it might work. It didn’t; trajectory was way too low (even upping the loft to 17). was decent off the tee but still not as good as expected. Ended up: a) getting a slightly lighter shaft for the 3W & then bought the same model in a 5W. My home course doesn’t give me too many opportunities to use a 3W off the tee but I’m loving that club now when I do use it! But I don’t use it off the fairway anymore unless it’s a super windy day & I need to keep the ball really low. I’m loving that 5W off the deck though!
Years ago I had done some fairway wood testing & found, at my slow-to-moderate swing speed, that hitting a 3W off the deck offered my no more (& sometimes less total yardage) that a 4W or even a 5W. Sometimes in golf (as in life) we “have to get out of our own way”.
Karsten's Ghost
Jun 28, 2020 at 6:31 am
This misses the point for mid- to high-handicappers.
“3-woods” are two categories of clubs; either they’re tee-box clubs (tall face) or they are advancement (short face).
A 10 or less can strike a ball well enough that most fairway woods are ok for both scenarios. But for the 15+ crowd, it’s not recommended. Either buy one that you plan to normally tee up, or get a 5 wood for off the deck. If you’re a 15+, never buy anything lower than 16º as your second club, unless you have wicked speed and no short game.
It’s a shame this article does not differentiate the two styles. Even for better players, it’s a decision point. Either way, choose well for your game, and don’t be afraid to go driver-17hybrid, either. Whatever you hit well.
dave
Jun 28, 2020 at 2:56 am
How the low-spin modern ball affects slow- and medium-speed swingers’ trajectories when hitting longer clubs off turf is something I don’t think gets picked up enough in club/ball fitting with modern gear.
I played a lot til about 2000, then played once a year while raising kids, started playing 80-100x a year again three years ago. So I left the game just as the V1 came in. Lowest previous hcp was 9, currently 8.5. Guessing I swing the driver around 95 mph based on my carry distance.
In other words, I don’t hit it very hard.
I love/loved my 1972 Hogan Apex blades, which I bought used in the early 90s. But I noticed right away as I started playing again that I couldn’t launch the new balls with the long irons like I could when I played high-spinning balata in the 80s and 90s. Playing Mizuno blades right now but finally understand that it’s horses for courses and I need to get some long irons that have more mass lower down and/or a hotter face to get a decent launch angle with the modern ball at my swing speeds.
Matt
Jun 29, 2020 at 1:40 pm
Balls also differ, so find the optimal ball for your swing speed. Soft compression ball is better for slower swing speeds
Phil
Jun 27, 2020 at 10:59 pm
14 degree 3 wood is always in mybag. Can work it both ways and hit it constantly straight. Use it off the tee for tight par 4’s.
Only use the 7.5 degree drive on long holes or holes with open fairways.
Looking at getting a 4 wood to give a bit more distance than the 2 iron in winter.
People should use the 3 wood more, rather than always pulling out the drive. It is more than just a club to use on second shots to par 5’s.
ChipNRun
Jun 30, 2020 at 2:22 pm
Phil,
People who are hit-and-miss with 3W (good days and bad days) may suffer from not using it enough. On occasion they should play a 3W for all tee shots and longer fairway shots. Hitting the 3W 15 times a round rather than just two or three can help you get the groove.
I do this on occasion with my 4W. (I’m a longtime 4W + 7W guy)
Mick
Jun 27, 2020 at 8:57 pm
Forget that. 3 wood is my fave club!!. Titleist TS2- rocket launcher. Will never give it up. People need to learn to hit it, anyone can with practice.
Sam
Jun 27, 2020 at 8:45 pm
It all has to do with launch angle and spin rate. How you achieve the correct launch angle and spin rate is of course based on loft, shaft, angle of decent, etc… And all those numbers depend on the golfer. Don’t let your ego get in the way if a 16* fairway goes further than your 13*, or your 18 goes further than your 15. Hybrids can’t match the center of gravity of a fairway but for some their steep angle of attack makes hybrids work better for them. Experiment, check your ego’s, and have some fun. That’s what makes golf such a blast.
Twiggy1980
Jun 27, 2020 at 6:39 pm
Golf Wrx always talks a load of bollocks
BJ
Jun 28, 2020 at 10:42 am
Why is the word “bollocks” so funny to me lol
sandtrap
Jun 27, 2020 at 6:35 pm
Much better basis for the descent angle argument this time Ryan. No weird variables. The last paragraph emphasising the importance of loft and not the number on the club nailed it!
Curt
Jun 27, 2020 at 3:12 pm
The hybrid will kill the 5 wood first .
gwelfgulfer
Jun 27, 2020 at 8:22 pm
Has it yet? Won’t happen. All you need to do is stop with the nonesense of very light weight shafts in woods and just go shorter and heavier. It’ll out launch a hybrid.
Jifmoli
Jul 26, 2020 at 5:17 pm
Shorter and heavier.. so like a hybrid? I agree with Curt, hybrids are much better than woods except maybe off a tee.
Adrian Rodriguez
Jul 9, 2020 at 2:09 am
Not in my case. I had a Ping G410 5W and it was the best! Averaging 220-235 yds, decided to switch it for a 3W just to see the difference and OMG I’m going back to Roger Dunn tomorrow for that 5W lol. Hybrid will not kill the 5W, 100%.
nomad golfer
Jul 17, 2020 at 12:15 am
I did a similar thing Adrian with my TaylorMade RBZ 5W which was a honey of a club but sold it with the TM set. I now have an elderly Brosnan Regent 5w which is good but not as good as the one I sold.
Funkaholic
Aug 12, 2020 at 9:35 am
I agree, just look at the selection at the PGA store or other big box retailer, you don’t see many 5w in the racks but plenty of hybrids, that should tell you what the best sellers are.
Jordan Evans
Jun 27, 2020 at 3:05 pm
So true. I’ve recently gone to a 16.5 deg 4 wood, 21 deg 7 wood and 25 deg hybrid. Everyone of them performs better than the lower lofted clubs they replaced. Higher launch, more carry and better distance. My swing speed is just under 100mph but I tend to deloft most of my clubs and hit down on the ball. For the first time ever I now have 14 clubs in the bag that I have confidence in.
Zach Bartness
Jun 27, 2020 at 3:50 pm
What’s after your 25 degree hybrid?
Jordan Evans
Jun 27, 2020 at 9:52 pm
5 iron.
Slats
Jun 28, 2020 at 5:13 am
Yes. Likewise. Realised my traditional 15 deg three wood wasn’t working for me and now have the 16.5 TS2, and 19 and 22 degree hybrid in front of my 5 iron.