Man, what a solid video. Great job of describing when and how to use it and straight up..."if you're not breaking 80 consistently put it away". So true, I feel much more comfortable being a little shorter but its a better hit with an iron.
Last 5 minutes risk : reward is great advice!! If you can't obtain a consistent stroke with the wood, the iron is a better option for scoring and consistency purposes.
Best Fairway wood advice yet! I struggle with fairway woods and long irons off the turf! HyBrids treat me pretty good! I do ok with fairway woods off the tee. With that said, I’m a low experienced golfer with a couple good solid years under my belt. Love the game and I appreciate the advice!!
I'm 63 and I will use my 5 wood even if I know it can't reach the green. I also went with a 4 wood in the bag instead of a stock 3 wood, for those fairways that are generous in width. Do they still sell 4 woods? If they do, I highly recommend them. They are useful off the tee too. Thanks Eric.
Best advice I've received yet for the 3 wood...dont use it unless your shooting below 90 and you've practiced with it so you know you can hit it. He just saved me incredible amounts of time and worry...
I'm not sure club makers will thank you ! But I do 🙂Personally I only have 3 hybrids and no FW in my bag. All brands trie to persuade us that changing our gear every 2 years (particularly "the king driver") is THE solution to lower our score. I fully recognize that technologie improves and is useful sometimes. However I prefer to spend my money in golf lessons to change my mind and my swing.
Thanks Eric. Your timing for this video could not have been better for me. A few years ago, I was able to hit 3w/5W great off the deck, but now, it's a different story. You are correct, the risk of a bad shot is the highest with those clubs, unless one has dialed in consistency with them. I find that my scoring potential is higher if I DON'T use them off the deck. Only if it is "teed up" in light rough - then the risk percentage decreases. Thanks for the well presented guidance Eric!
Hi Eric. Exactly what i was looking for. Do you have or Can you tell me, how do you categorise your irons? Low, mid, High, hybrids, woods. And how would you like to see of Ball position in the categories?? I Seem to struggle with 6, 5, 4 irons. Not my 5 Wood, but i do strugle my 3 Wood. I cant Seem to find any video detailled in your library as i like your detailes.
Hey Soren! "Do you have or Can you tell me, how do you categorise your irons? Low, mid, High, hybrids, woods." -I really dont. I dont think you need to either. "Do you have or Can you tell me, how do you categorise your irons? Low, mid, High, hybrids, woods." -Never behind shirt logo or left eye. Try playing them all there and just changing feet width. If that doesn't help start off leg eye/shirt logo and move slightly forward as clubs get longer. "Not my 5 Wood, but i do strugle my 3 Wood. I cant Seem to find any video detailled in your library as i like your detailes." -Of course this MAY or MAY not have anything to do with setup/ball position. Could be YOUR SWING....could be the CLUB. I would really have to see a video of your swing and know more to help better. Check out www.cogornogolf.com if you dont get it sorted. I have more info on this subject in there and I could see your swing and really help!
My dear Eric, a question please. My fairway woods doesn´t work good in the moment. I have to flat ball flights, sometimes topping etc. I try to bring the arms under the plane in the downswing like my driver or irons. So, I hear in you´re video, this is not good. is this correct Sir? My sternum should be over the ball? Thank you very much, Erich from Vienna
Sounds right! Of course I would need to see your swing on video to say for sure exactly whats going on to say how to fix This may help: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iYvQIEoJAic.html
Loved the advice Eric, thanks for the content, really good as always. Some say it's safer to play a 3 wood off the tee instead of Driver. Would you make any adjustments to the set up, ball position and swing for using it off the tee? Do you hit up on the ball off the tee?
Thanks, Rodrigo! I would only use 3 wood instead of driver if you are a high speed player and can afford the distance difference. If someone doesnt have as much speed they NEED to learn to hit driver and get that driver properly fit for them. 3 wood off the tee vs of the ground I wouldn't make many adjustments if at all...
I didnt have a fairway wood in my bag for many years...got to scratch without ever using a fairway wood...it's not essential but can help down the line. I think there's a lot of value off the tee as a back up club
@@CogornoGolf Yes, I tried it today and hit all my fairway woods much better. I imagined a bounce at the bottom of the fairway wood (like a sand wedge) and let it glide through the grass.
LIttle late to the party and sligthly OT but what is the reason for little or no gapping between various hybrid lofts and fairway woods? I hit my 19*, 25*, 4W, and 3W all very similar distances. Is it all about my limited 76-80 mph Senior club head speed with these 4 clubs?
Yes....100% The LOWER the clubbed speed the smaller the gaps. The HIGHER the clubhead speed the larger the gaps. I wouldn't worry about it. I would eliminate one or two of those and add in another wedge or other club that might help!
My experience with woods off the deck is that this video is 100% correct because the TEMPTATION to over swing a 3 wood into the ball is so great that its really the original sin in the garden of Eden. Adam saw a ball on a perfect lie and pulled a 3 wood and topped it, and got himself thrown out of the Eden Country Club. Long irons are so much straighter and safer to hit, and we just cannot do the right thing. You should make a video on DECISIONS with the second shot. Our poor decisions on the second shot are about 90% why we shoot 20 over. Thats why I went out and bought a Sunday bag, that holds 6 clubs. I just removed the 8 riskiest clubs. Drastic yes.
Great advice thanks. Any difference if I'm hitting 3W off the tee, other than to tee it low? I leave my driver at home and use 3W off the tee, and sometimes 4H as my second shot.
@@CogornoGolf thx. I've had some great drives with it but im inconsistent with a hard fade at times. I keep tweaking everything, but ill remember what you said about hitting the ground after contact not before, and striking the centre part of club face rather than top.
When most people hit fairway woods, the loft is intimidating. They naturally lift the ball. Trusting the loft is the key to hitting these clubs in my opinion.
Another great video Eric. I hit my fairway woods 3/5, very well from tee and off the deck. However my miss with them (and hybrid) are hooks, yet my miss with driver is complete opposite. I know hard to tell w/o seeing swing but is that common? Reason?
Get in front of a mirror Take your setup So long as your right shoulder isnt way lower than you left shoulder your fine. If you right shoulder is way lower than your left, you need to level them out some (right shoulder should only be slightly lower. If your right shoulder is higher than your left shoulder once again you need to level out
I'm sorry, but this was the most generic info out there. My grandad told me these things when I was 10 yrs old. It's not professional advice, it's basic advice. Just sayin
I guess it’s just ego that makes me want to use my fairway woods. I’ve always hated using them off the turf. I hit them well off a tee but struggle off the grass. I’ve always said I should just leave my fairway woods in the car so I’m not tempted to use them, maybe next time I will!! Great video, thanks for the different perspective.
12:06 "If you hit your fairway wood good all the time..." then you probably don't know how great Eric is and you're not watching these videos like us weekend warriors haha. Keep up the good work Eric!
Great advise! I typically mess up by hitting my driver when I should use my 3 wood off the tee. Also using fairway woods off the ground - I now only use my Hybrid or 6 typically 7 iron then try to catch up around the greens !
Great advice. Gotta remember that risk reward. More folks should probably loft up to a 4 or 5 wood. I have been struggling with my 15 degree 3 wood off the deck recently. It may be the worst stick in my bag when before I loved hitting a 3 wood off the ground and tee. I’ve experimented moving the ball back and hitting down more instead of sweeping and have been getting better results. I’ve also weakened the loft to 4 wood standards of 16.5. The ball flight is still pretty low for what I’d like and the ball is flying 220 at best. This past weekend I hit a close to perfect shot at 225 out on a par 5 and it landed on the green about 215, which isn’t much further than my best 3 hybrid off the turf. I’d like to be able to fly it 220-230. I just bought a 16.5 with a higher launching and lighter shaft to help keep the ball in the air a little longer and get a little more speed. Will it help? We’ll see...
The risk reward strategy intrigues me most about this video , wonder what your feelings are on hitting high lofted woods, I use a M2 5Hl at 21 degrees which just seems to work for me , however I am all about the hybrids as well . Is the risk more a loft issue or shaft length issue with woods compared to say a hybrid .
I litterally smash my 5 wood and 3 off the tea, but my driver forget about it.... im going spare tryimg to fix it..... off the fairway my 3s and 5s are straight and my long irons are dreadful...
Get a 3 wood with even less loft...maybe 12,13,14* and just use that as driver. I see that pattern often. Usually angle or attack and or dyanmic loft issues causing it.
As you have often and clearly instructed in your excellent videos, to hit irons correctly, you need to brace the trail or right leg on the backswing in order not to sway, turn the shoulders while staying over the ball, then shift your weight on to the lead or left leg just BEFORE completing the backswing. That allows you to rotate correctly and strike the ball with the downward angle you showed with your 8 iron data. That shift has been the hardest thing for me to execute in all the over 60 years I have been playing golf (I am 82). I have been working hard on this at my local PGA Superstore practice bays with their Foresight GC Hawk launch monitors in order to get actual data. I am finally beginning to get it right, and it makes a huge difference in good contact. Coupled with remembering to make a full turn back and other things you have explained in your excellent videos about the right arm, adduction and external rotation, elbow ahead of wrist, left wrist flat or bowed, and right wrist in extension, this has helped me increase my carry distance and trajectory. Given my age, over the past year I have bought a 21 degree 7 wood and 24 degree 9 wood to replace my 2, 3 and 4 irons and even make the 5 iron an option. It sure didn't hurt to see that many pros, like Dustin Johnson, are also carrying these high lofted woods. Not just for little ladies and old geezers in L and A flex any more. I love it when I hit these new fairway woods correctly and get those very high trajectories they are supposed to produce and get the ball to stop on the green. But I have had trouble at times hitting them too low. I wondered if somehow my effort to shift my weight to my left leg and doing so before finishing my backswing in order to get rotation and shaft lean with my irons was the wrong set of swing mechanics for these fairway woods. However, I see from your advice and data as well as that from a handful of others, that the proper swing for a fairway wood is slightly descending with the low point just in front of the ball, not behind it. Thus it seems the weight shift I have been working on for irons should still be he correct way to swing the fairway woods. You did not specifically mention that, but it looks like you do it when you swing.
I started playing golf as an old fat man of 52 - I barely am able to hit the ball out of my own shadow! After many experiments with long irons and hybrids, I have finally settled on: (Driver), 4-wood, 7-wood, 9-wood, then 6-iron, etc.. This combination seems to work best for me: Because I can hit them more cleanly from fairway lies, my distance control and direction are much better with the woods than ever they were with the hybrids. DIFFERENT STROKES...
I would DEFINITELY learn from the pros. Just like I want to learn nutrition and fitness from those in great shape and learn to make money from those who built wealth!
Wow. Just watched this video. I've been trying to hit a 5w consistently for "years"! Unfortunately very "inconsistently". You have finally pointed out why! Great video and good advise. I'm placing my hybrid back in bag
Spot On Eric! Arnold Palmer said to leave you more yards on the approach, get wedge worthy and be more relaxed then 6 yards from the green with a Flag that's upfront.
You've earned a sub. The information presented is what I understand best, and is presented concisely, without excess explanation, and without ego. Great job sir.
Interesting but true concept with the fairway woods. For my golf swing it’s to consistently focus on knowing exactly where’s my low point right after contact with the golf ball.
I've seen a drop in my score on a consistent basis since I began using this advice. I never use it anymore, except for maybe punching the ball out of a batch of trees or something
Great explanation. Always thought 3 was a must on the course . I have a totally different view now . Course management is key relating to your ability . Great
First ! ( I think ) - Great content Eric - I am a bit surprised to see the height with 8-iron is the same or similar to 3 Wood ( even though you hit the 8-iron low on the face this time ) - I would have thought an 8-iron goes abt 20 feet higher than a 3-wood ? - Normally.
yeah, You may very well be right, Colm McCaffery - The launch and flight is obviously different and that may have been what tricked me - 6but peak height could be close to identical for 8 iron and 3 Wood, now that I think about it. - Never thought of that before.
Love it - "absolute worst case scenario to hit a 3w off the fairway" - "put it in the bag, you're not allowed to use it" - golf quote of the year! I believe this strongly also. I don't carry a standard 3w because of this but carry a 13degree strong 3wood as a 2nd off the tee club - cut down to 42.5" for more control - I can smoke it 255 with roll but usually it is my smooth 230 carry roll to 240 on any tight hole. I then have 2 & 4 Hybrids that I use for high cuts only off the fairway (I draw all my other clubs) - I can draw both off a tee if required but for the 2H it is still much, much, much safer to commit to a fade only shot to remove the trouble. Put it in the bag, you're not allow to use it. (EC 2018)
Just found you on RU-vid here in England. Understand what you are saying and easy to relate with my own game. Will put your lesson and advice on a regular practice schedule and look for better results on the course. Thanks
Great tip about NOT hitting it off the deck. I'm a 5 hcap and I still don't use my 3w off the deck - mainly because I really don't have the skill to do so to get a predictable result (or acceptable result) 8/10 times. I've been giving myself so much grief for "losing opportunities" from 240-250y range - so I'm very grateful for having come across this video with this perspective. Question though, would you say hitting a 3w off the deck is just a little harder than hitting a drive off the deck?
Yes- smart man. Play the odds...no need to hit that shot! Driver off the deck is harder than 3 wood. Less loft and design of the clubhead dictates that.
My second favorite club after my putter is my 3wood. I have the most confidence in this club. But.. I don’t ever use it to go after greens anymore. If it takes a 19* to a 13* wood to the green, I’ll split the distance 50/50 or 75/25.