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RE: .0
The real questions to ask are these:
Will the extra 10 or so yards put you on the green?
Will you be able to hit the club accurately enough to be on the
green so that you have a good chance for the bird?
Can you even hit a 2 wood off the fairway?
Some comments on these questions. (Not that I'm opinionated!!)
Hitting a 2 wood off the fairway is nontrival. After all it's just
a high lofted driver with a shorter shaft. I would guess that a
mis-hit 2 wood won't go as far a a well hit 3 wood.
The question of accuarcy always comes up, I won't dwell on that
because we've all had to hunt it down after hitting it.
About being on the green. If you end up on the green, you'll make
more birdies that bogeys. If you're not on the green, what kind
of shot do you have left? Can you really play that shot? In other
words, with a 3 wood you end in a certain spot with a particular
kind of shot. With a 2 wood you end up in a different spot with
perhaps a different shot. Which shot would you prefer to play?
There are other alternatives also. A low loft 3 wood, a second
driver....... The important thing to remember is that 'there ain't
no pictures on the score card.' You have to play the hole as designed
considering the conditions and most importantly the strengths and
weakness of your game. If an extra 10 or 15 yards leaves you a
shot that you're good at then go for it. If the extra distance
leaves you a shot you don't like, take a pass on it.
My opinion, a 2 wood is a good substitute off the tee when you're
trying to keep the tee ball in play. Trying to hit it off the fairway
ain't worth the effort. When I can't get home in 2 on a par 5
(which lately is most if the time) I either lay up for a full 3rd
shot of position myself for a bump and run into the slope of the
green.
Good luck
KO
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| RE .2
I find just the opposite to be true with *most* not all,
metal woods. Mine, as an example, are 10 degrees for the driver
and 14 degrees for the 3 wood. As oppossed to the average, or
standard, 12 to 12 1/2 for a driver, and 16 for a 3 wood. This
lesser loft on metal woods is because of the lower center of gravity
in metal clubs which allow you to get the ball up into the air much
quicker than wooden woods.
I think .1 said it pretty well. Not many people hit drivers
out of the fairways and a 2 wood is just a more lofted driver.
Today, drivers come in a great variety of lofts, anywhere from 7
degrees to 13 1/2. If you're really persistant and want to pursue
this course, I would suggest looking for a less lofted, metal 3
wood, as opposed to a 2 wood.
Just for informational purposes, I very rarely hit even a 3
wood off the fairway. Occaisionally, but I use it mostly off the
tee, where position is more of an issue than distance. I do hit
the ball rather long though, and haven't had that many situations
where I needed to hit a 3 wood. I hit my 2 iron about 210 to 220
yards and my 5 wood about 230. The only time I do hit a 3 wood
out of the fairway, is when I do not have a shot at reaching the
green, I have a good sized landing area and I have a good lie to
begin with. Otherwise, I usually choose to lay back a little and
just hit one mor club in for my next shot. Some people may go for
the green with a 3wood, but it's a difficult shot, with the distance
and accuracy required, and more times than not, you'll end up worse
off for it, than if you hit 1 or 2 clubs less and layed up short.
I have hit greens with my 3 wood before, but it really wasn't on
purpose, I just happened to really catch one and hit it straight.
Beak
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