One common question that newer golfers have is when to use the wide variety of available clubs. With a maximum of 14 clubs per bag in a round, there are a lot of options for you to use on every shot. The knowledge to select the proper club before each shot will help players perform better and give them more confidence over the ball, knowing they have the right club in hand.

Variation in Golf Bags

A few areas in the golf bag are pretty commonly standardized, although there is no actual rule saying that any bag has to contain any particular clubs. Generally, most players will have a driver, a full set of irons, and a putter. The real variation between one set of clubs to another generally comes in selecting woods, hybrids, and wedges.

Wedges are generally found in the bag; the combination of wedges varies from player to player. Woods and hybrids, however, are a bit more complex. Although many players use a 3-wood, some players don’t. It is becoming increasingly more common for players to use different woods or maybe not any. Instead, some players will opt for a low-lofted hybrid, especially if they hit the ball far enough not to miss the distance they get with a 3-wood.

So, is a 3-wood a good replacement for a 3-hybrid and vice versa? We will explore the pros and cons of each club and dive into the details so that after reading this article, you can be well-informed and decide what you want to carry in your golf bag.

What’s in the Bag: 3-Wood

Most players who carry a 3-wood use it as the second longest club in their bag after their driver. While a driver is most commonly hit exclusively off the tee, a 3-wood carries versatility. For players who struggle with consistency off of the tee box, a 3-wood offers a secondary option to keep the ball in play off of the tee. In addition, the smaller clubhead makes it easier to have accuracy with a 3-wood than a driver. It is also much easier to hit off the fairway than a driver and is commonly used for second shots on a par 5.

3-woods generally come with a loft of around 15°, although there are stronger 3-woods that are lower lofted around 13°. The lower lofts that 3-woods are played at can make it difficult for a beginner player to get the ball high off the ground, given that the club doesn’t contain much natural face angle to help elevate the ball. Some players recently have been opting for a 5-wood or 7-wood to combat this. In some instances, players who struggle with the 3-wood can hit a higher lofted wood further because the launch angle of the golf ball's trajectory off of the clubface at impact is more optimal.

3-woods are much easier to hit off the fairway, given that the low face angle does not cut through taller grass well as the club comes into impact. For this reason, even advanced golfers can struggle to hit a 3-wood well out of the rough. The ability to deliver such a low lofted club to the ball in the rough with accuracy depends largely on the lie of the golf ball. If it is sitting up above the grass, a 3-wood might be able to make solid contact. However, if the ball is sitting down in the rough and the player needs to go down after it to dig it out of that lie, it is very difficult to do that effectively with a 3-wood.

What’s in the Bag: 3-Hybrid

Hybrids were created as a blend between woods and irons. As such, you can purchase hybrids that appear more like wood and ones that appear more like iron. The iron hybrids are generally referred to as a “utility iron” or “driving iron.” For this comparison, we will focus on standard wood-shaped 3-hybrids.

A 3-hybrid is a great option, especially for amateur golfers, over a 3-iron. There are a few reasons for this. First, the hybrid has a much lower center of gravity than its iron counterpart. This allows the club to assist players in getting the ball up into the air. This low center of gravity is a fairway wood trait copied into a hybrid design to assist players in achieving a more optimal launch angle, especially for players with slower swing speeds. A graphite shaft is standard in woods hybrids, which also helps players with a slower swing speed generate more clubhead speed than stainless steel shafts in some irons.

Hybrids also are much easier to hit out of the rough than their iron counterparts. The design of the hybrid, with its lower center of gravity and higher lofted face, helps it to cut through the heavier grass much more efficiently than a low lofted wood or iron. It is especially helpful for players who do not have a steep swing and aren’t going down after the ball to dig it out of the rough.

Hybrids have a larger sweet spot than long irons and have more forgiveness, especially for off-center shots. The face design and weight of the head also make hybrids a unique choice for some shots around the green, such as bumps and runs or when the ball is stuck between the fringe and the rough between cuts. Hybrids are a more versatile club than their iron counterparts.

Hybrids can also be used off for tee shots instead of a driver or wood, but generally lack distance compared to both options. However, they generally perform more accurately than both, given the even smaller clubhead and difference in shaft lengths. Most high handicappers and intermediate players would benefit from switching long irons to hybrids.

3-Wood vs. 3-Hybrid

So how do you decide which clubs to put in your bag? Well, each club is uniquely positioned to help with different types of conditions and lies. Each club also varies in distance. Generally, a 3-hybrid has more face angle than a 3-wood. Players who have mastered launch angle and ball carry generally will hit a 3-wood further than a 3-hybrid. Given the bag’s space, I see no reason that both clubs couldn’t make it into your rotation.

I recommend reviewing the conditions of each individual shot before making a decision.

• Do you need to get some extra distance out of the shot?
• If you’re on the tee, is the yardage you lose by hitting a hybrid worth the extra accuracy over a 3-wood?
• Where are you on the golf course?
• Do you need extra height on the ball?
• How is the lie?

A variety of factors should go into a player’s consideration before playing every shot. Carrying both a 3-wood and a 3-hybrid, or at least one wood and one hybrid, allows players to have both clubs ready to go in conditions that play to either club’s strengths. Using clubs strategically can significantly improve your scores and help you get these longer shots up toward the green easier.

If you need help figuring out if you should play a 3-wood, please see my article Do I Have to Play a 3-Wood? Properly Spacing Woods, Hybrids, and Irons. If you want to explore how many woods and hybrids you’d like in your bag, please see my article Do I Want More Woods or More Hybrids in My Bag?

Final Thoughts

As always, if you need help discussing your options at the top of your golf bag, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or my fellow Curated Golfing Experts. We would be happy to talk you through the differences between woods and hybrids and why both have strategic advantages to being in your bag. In addition, we can help if you are also struggling with hitting these clubs, as we know that the longer clubs in the bag are some of the most difficult to get up in the air and start hitting consistently, especially when you are just starting to play this wonderful game.