One of the first lessons that any golf fan must learn when starting in this sport is to differentiate between all the golf clubs that exist and learn which one to use in each situation. The 5 fairway wood and the 3 hybrid club are becoming increasingly popular among golfers, but there are many questions about the best time to use them.
With the evolution of golf over the past few years and longer courses, it’s essential to have a trustworthy club when you’re a long distance from the green. Should you choose a 5 wood or a 3 hybrid? We will differentiate between these popular clubs in this 5 wood vs. 3 hybrid comparison article. We will also advise you on making the right choice of club.
First, you must know that traditional fairway woods start at #2 and can go to #15. In modern golf, fairway woods #3 and #5 are by far the most used. #3 woods typically have a loft of 15°, and #5 woods have a loft of 19°.
5 fairway woods have slightly shorter shafts and more loft. The fairway woods are primarily used where they’re most suited on the fairway. However, You can also use them from the tee or for tighter than average holes that require more precision than distance.
These fairway woods have lofts similar to long irons and generally hit the ball longer distances because their heads are slightly larger. In addition, the 5 fairway kinds of wood are more found, especially in the list of the best golf club set under $500.
5 woods have larger clubheads and bigger sweet spots. So, they ensure a larger moment of inertia (MoI). Although its name is often confusing, the woods are not made of this material today (they were made that way in the past Trusted Source History of Golf Clubs In the early form of the sport of golf, small pebbles were hit around the sand dunes of Scotland using wooden stick www.topendsports.com ).
The 5 woods are very similar to the Driver but with a slightly shorter shaft and a smaller head. They are also often longer at around 42 inches. They are often made of lightweight graphite for more swing speed, whip, and flexibility. As you can see, the top fairway woods like the Callaway X Hot 5 are made of graphite.
The most commonly used woods in golf are the 3-wood and the 5-wood. Tiger Woods is known to use the TaylorMade M3 5-wood Trusted Source A look at Tiger Woods' equipment for the Masters Tiger Woods last teed it up in competition at the 2021 PNC Championship, alongside his son Charlie. Woods has certainly made physical changes and improvements since then, but as far as his gear setup is concerned, he hasn’t made many alterations. www.pgatour.com more. They are often used for second shots on par 5 holes, where we need to get a lot of distance on our second shot. They can also be used off the tee as a first shot on holes with more complicated tees.
It’s no wonder many high handicap players opt for a #5 wood.
A 3 hybrid golf club is a replacement for those not comfortable with an iron, especially the long ones. 3-hybrids are much easier for those who want to hit higher with consistency and lesser skill.
Hybrids are clubs that blend the characteristics of both wood and iron Trusted Source Hybrid (golf) - Wikipedia A hybrid is a type of club used in the sport of golf with a design borrowing from both irons and woods while differing from both. en.wikipedia.org . They mix the distance of the woods with the precision of the irons, the result is a very manageable club, but that also provides us with a very long path with the ball.
The hybrid has gradually replaced the long irons, as from around the 4-iron on, players begin to struggle with distance, needing a club that offers more power.
Many pro golfers (37%) do have a hybrid Trusted Source Do Pros Use Hybrids? (You Might Be Surprised) Plenty of amateur golfers carry them, yet you don’t hear much banter about them during a Sunday afternoon PGA TOUR broadcast. www.underpargoals.com in the bag, just in case. Tiger Woods is one of the exceptions. He remains loyal to woods, no pun intended. But regardless, almost all professional tour players always have a hybrid.
Like a 5 wood, the characteristics of a 3 hybrid are summarized in a larger head. Their clubheads are larger than standard irons, which generates a larger sweet spot. They also have a low center of gravity that facilitates the ball’s flight.
Also, the shaft of a 3 hybrid and a 5 wood is always the same. A 3 hybrid typically measures 41 inches. However, 3 hybrids have steel shafts, in contrast to the graphite shafts of 5 woods. This means 5 woods are lighter and easier to use than 3 hybrids. However, you can also find 3 hybrids like the TaylorMade M4 that are made of graphite rather than steel. So, they combine the qualities of a hybrid and wood more.
In general, 3 hybrids are more forgiving for mishits due to their denser structures.
This type of golf club became popular as it was used regularly by some of the best professional players in the world. However, it is more chosen by lower handicap golfers. In addition, being designed to facilitate the achievement of distance, the hybrid stick is ideal for senior players, who will see the loss of power compensated.
The beginning player will also feel really comfortable playing with this type of stick, allowing easier handling due to its shorter length.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of both golf clubs based on the criteria common to golfers.
Each golf club is used differently, depending on the distance we want to go with them. For example, while a fairway wood 5 can hit 200 – 240 yards, a hybrid 3 can go from 180 to 210 yards.
Again, a fairway wood 5 allows for more ball speed. In a test by TXG Tour Experience Trusted Source Hybrid VS 5 Wood - YouTube Join our new community on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/tourexperiencegolfhttp://txg.ca – In this video we test a hybrid against a 5 wood with identical … youtu.be , the 5 fairway wood generates 4 mph more speed than a 3-hybrid golf club. In addition, a fairway wood can hit more distances and achieve more speeds because it allows for more flexible swings due to its lighter graphite shaft.
It’s logical; if a 5 wood can achieve more ball speed and distances than a 3 hybrid, that means it helps achieve more revolution per minute of spin. Again, according to TXG, a 5 wood in the test produced approximately 600 rpm of more spin than a 3-hybrid golf club. Here’s a look at the test video once more.
Flight trajectory is determined by the degrees or loft of the club face Trusted Source Understanding Your Ball Flight | Ship Sticks The flight of your ball can tell you almost everything about your swing. www.shipsticks.com . The club’s loft is the degree that the face of the club has with respect to a vertical line perpendicular to the ground. These degrees are the ones that will mark the height with which the ball will be thrown at the moment of impact. For example, 3 hybrids are known to have more loft than 5 woods which averages 19 degrees.
Longer distance clubs (such as 5 woods) have fewer degrees of loft, which is why they can send the ball farther with a lower ball flight path. On the other hand, clubs with more degrees of loft (such as wedges) are the clubs that lift the ball a lot at impact, creating a higher flight path, thus making less distance.
Where the hybrid edges the wood is that it helps get a controlled long shot. If you still have a long way to the green, about 170 yards, the hybrid can give you a good boost with very controlled ball flight. Some players use a hybrid teeing ground for short holes to get a straight, controlled tee shot. Finally, some players even use this club to get out of fairway bunkers under challenging situations.
Also, the 3 hybrid golf club is more forgiving than the 5 wood. The hybrid is designed to be easy to swing, helping to correct off-center shots and making other clubs more accurate. It’s typically made of steel and feels denser. A lighter 5 wood is not denser enough to offer forgiveness against mishits.
Where you play most often also matters. If you’re playing courses with long par 3s and need to hit the ball high, so it comes to rest quickly on the greens, the 5 wood option is probably best. On the other hand, if you are playing on a course where the long grass is dense, the hybrid will make your job a lot easier.
Players with a high or low handicap need to know what they are putting in their bags. So here’s an analysis of which is best for high and medium handicappers.
Many players at this level will want to opt for a #3 wood and a #5 wood than a 3 hybrid. You will immediately notice that the trajectory obtained is higher than with your drivers, which means the ball will land a little softer. The best fairway woods for high handicappers are ideal for covering long distances.
A 5 wood is also ideal for second shots, which are also useful for players with higher handicaps, as is the use of fairway woods to make shots from the tee.
If you’re a medium handicap player, then you’re well on your way to stepping up a notch. You should already have a good command of the fairway woods, but you may still be missing a few keys. But a 3 hybrid is more suitable for mid-handicappers. However, still, mid handicappers need to also worry about the golf ball. The best golf balls for a mid-handicapper are low compression balls that are able to provide more ball spins.
5 woods are the best if you want more speed, distance, and spins. The center of gravity of 5 woods is positioned at the back of the head. Thanks to this, it will be very easy for you to lift the ball in the air. It’s ideal for reaching greens with a high trajectory. However, it will be more difficult for you to play a low ball.
However, we love the versatility of a hybrid 3. The user is able to control their trajectories when they need to. You can hit the hybrid to attack a par 5 in two or for a long par 3. And you’re not limited to the fairway. With this 5 wood vs. 3 hybrid comparison, we hope it’s now easier for you to differentiate between the two golf clubs.
