3 Irons ARE NOT What They Used To Be…. This Could Be The Missing Link to Your Golf Game

Summary

In this instructional golf video, a teaching pro explores the efficiency of the three-wood compared to the five-wood and hybrid clubs. With advancements in technology, the three-wood is now larger and more forgiving, challenging the obsolescence of the five-wood. The video presents a three-ball test for each club, analyzing consistency in ball flight, direction, spin rates, and distance. The results show the three-wood offers a higher carry distance with less loss on mishits, while the five-wood provides more spin and a lower launch angle. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of personal testing and visual assessment alongside data for club selection.

Takeaways

• 🏌️ The video discusses the potential return of the three-iron to golf bags, questioning if it's now more efficient than a five-wood or hybrid.
• 🚀 The three-iron and five-wood have almost identical lofts, with 0.5° difference, suggesting minimal distance variation between them.
• 📏 The five-wood is slightly longer than the three-iron, which might contribute to higher club head speed and potentially greater distance.
• 🔍 The video emphasizes the technological advancements in clubs, particularly the five-wood, which includes perimeter weighting for off-center hits and a center of gravity designed for better launch.
• 🧍 Both clubs were custom fit to the instructor, eliminating the excuse of ill-fitting clubs affecting performance.
• 📊 A three-ball test was conducted for both clubs to evaluate consistency in ball flight, direction, spin rates, and distance.
• 🌳 The test was performed at the Bristol Golf Club on a challenging hole with specific target distances in mind.
• 📉 The three-iron showed a significant difference in distance between the best and worst shots, indicating inconsistency.
• 💥 The five-wood demonstrated a higher club head speed and more consistent distance, albeit with a tendency to spin more.
• 🎯 Despite the numbers, the instructor stresses the importance of visual and physical feel when testing clubs, not just relying on data.
• 🤔 The video concludes with the instructor considering which club to 'game', highlighting the personal decision-making process in club selection.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The video discusses whether the three-wood should be reintroduced into a golfer's bag, comparing its efficiency and performance with a five-wood and hybrid clubs.

Why have some golfers left their three, four, and five irons at home or used them as door stops according to the teaching pro?

The teaching pro mentions that this has been due to the introduction of hybrids, which have become more popular as they offer similar loft but with smaller heads and shorter lengths, making them easier to play.

What is the difference in loft between the three iron and the five-wood in the video?

The three iron has a loft of 20°, while the five-wood has a loft of 19.5°, which is only 0.5° difference.

How does the length of the club affect the expected distance in the video?

The five-wood is about an inch and a half to two inches longer than the three iron, which is expected to result in more club head speed and potentially greater distance.

What technological advancements in the five-wood are mentioned in the video?

The five-wood has more perimeter weighting for off-center hits, a center of gravity positioned further back to help get the ball airborne, and a larger club head for more forgiveness.

Where were the clubs used in the video custom fit to the golfer?

The clubs were custom fit at the Belfrey, which has a specialist Titleist fitting center.

What was the purpose of the three-ball test with both clubs?

The three-ball test aimed to assess consistency in ball flight, direction, spin rates, and distance for both the three iron and the five-wood.

What was the maximum carry distance achieved with the three iron in the video?

The maximum carry distance achieved with the three iron was 230 yards.

How did the golfer's mishit with the five-wood compare to their mishit with the three iron in terms of distance?

A mishit with the five-wood was still longer than the golfer's 4 iron, whereas a mishit with the three iron was shorter than the 4 iron and back into the five-iron distance.

What is the conclusion the golfer came to regarding the use of the three iron and five-wood based on the test?

The golfer concluded that both clubs have their merits, with the five-wood offering more consistency and forgiveness on mishits, while the three iron may be preferred for certain situations depending on the golfer's comfort and consistency.

What advice does the video give for testing golf clubs?

The video advises not to rely solely on numbers when testing golf clubs, but also to consider the visual perspective and feel of the shots, as this can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the club's performance.