Hitting 3-wood instead of driver off the tee? Keep these 3 things in mind

The decision of whether or not to hit 3-wood instead of driver off the tee can sometimes make or break your round. Choosing the incorrect club can cause you to end up where you don’t want to be: too short to reach the green in regulation, or into trouble off the fairway, complicating your escape (and potentially ruining your score).

Sometimes, hitting 3-wood is the best call, especially if there’s a specific penalty area you want to avoid, or simply because you’re trying to be as accurate as possible.

In the instances in which hitting a 3-wood is essential, it’s important to remember a few best-practices. Check out the three tips below, courtesy of GOLF’s Top 100 Teachers.

Setup is key

“Mind where you play the ball in your stance,” says Top 100 Teacher Lou Guzzi. “With driver, set it just inside the heel of your front foot; with 3-wood, one to two inches behind that.”

Gear

Tee height matters

“The only real difference between hitting driver and 3-wood off the tee is tee height, which, for the smaller-sized 3-wood, should be lower,” says Top 100 Teacher Michael Hunt. “Otherwise, let ’er rip just like you do with your driver.”

Think about your body position

“With driver, your upper body tends to tilt away from the target at both address and impact, creating needed space to extend and swing up on the ball,” says Top 100 Teacher Joe Plecker. “With 3-wood, you’re a lot more centered, so less need to swing up.”

Need swing help? Drop a line to our instruction pros! E-mail askthetop100@golf.com.