I had a 3-hybrid in my bag for a long time. It was easy to control, but I struggled to get the distance I wanted. I replaced it with a 5-wood, but I haven’t noticed any difference in my results. This made me wonder what the best solution is. Shot Scope pulled some handicap-specific information to help us answer that question. As always, you’ll want to verify this with a custom fit, but here’s some data and insight to get you started.
Comparison of Traditional Lofts
The 5-wood has about 18 to 20 degrees of loft. It’s ideal for long shots to the green or even tee shots where you might need a little more height than a driver or 3-wood would give you.
The 3-hybrid generally has Lofts ranging from 20 to 22 degrees. Those few extra degrees translate into less distance potential, but a chance for more accuracy and forgiveness.
A traditional 5-wood for men is between 41 and 42 inches. 3-hybridon the other hand, it is generally less than 41 inches in length.
Performance data (5-wood vs. 3-hybrid)
The first things to explore are average distance, greens hit percentage, proximity to the pin and average shots to finish for the 5-wood. You will see that we divide this data into a low, medium and high group. Nothing too surprising here: low-handicap players get more distance on average, hit more greens and get the ball a little closer to the hole.
| Permanent | Average Distance (YDS) | hit green % % | Avg prox to pin (ft) | AVG shots to finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 167 | 4.9% | 294 | 5.1 |
| 15 | 208 | 5.2% | 281 | 4.7 |
| 5 | 231 | 5.5% | 245 | 4.3 |
3-hybrid
Low handicappers hit their 3-hybrid about 211 yards and take about four shots to finish the hole. The 25-handicap players averaged about 164 yards, taking the closest five shots to finish.
| Permanent | Average Distance (YDS) | hit green % % | Avg prox to pin (ft) | AVG shots to finish |
| 25 | 164 | 5.9% | 251 | 4.8 |
| 15 | 193 | 10% | 199 | 4.4 |
| 5 | 211 | 13.7% | 174 | 4.0 |
Distance comparison
5-wood win When it comes to average distance. However, the difference in distance performance between 5-wood and 3-hybrid is more pronounced at lower handicaps.
- For 25-handicaps, the 5-wood is only three feet longer than the 3-hybrid (167 vs. 164 yards).
- For 5-handicaps, the gap increases to 20 yards (231 vs. 211).
The lower your handicap, and the more you value distance, the better the 5-wood becomes as a club selection in your bag.
Benchmarking green success
The difference in greens hit percentage with the 3-hybrid compared to the 5-wood is noticeable.
For 15-handicaps, the 3-hybrid earns a 10 percent green-to-green rate compared to just 5.2 percent for the 5-wood. In addition, the 3-hybrid is finishing approximately 82 yards closer to the pin.
If greens in regulation are a problem in your game, the 3-hybrid is the best choice.
Comparison of average shots to finish
Perhaps the most important stat to watch, and what Amateur players do not pay enough attention, it’s the average shot to finish. Data on average shots to finish gives you insight into how many shots it takes to put the ball in the hole when you have a 3-hybrid in your hand versus a 5-wood.
The 3-hybrid consistently outperforms the 5-wood in terms of shots to finish.
When we looked at all the handicap data, the 3-hybrid saves .3 strokes compared to a 5-wood.
Who should use which club?
The data confirms my opinion that the 5-wood helped me in the distance, but it didn’t do much for my score. I’ll keep it in the bag for now because the distance change is significant and I’m enjoying those yards as an option off the tee, but it’s not the solution for approach shots.
If you’re still on the fence about 5-wood vs. 3-hybrid, here are some thoughts to consider.
- High Handicaps (20+): The 3-hybrid is likely the best choice as its accuracy, green success rate and proximity to the pin offer clear advantages. You’re also only losing a few yards of total distance on average, not enough to keep the 5-wood in the bag for its distance potential.
- Medium handicaps (10-20): The 3-Hybrid is the way to go if you prioritize accuracy and scoring efficiency. However, if you’re fairly accurate overall and need more distance, the 5-wood can be a worthwhile addition.
- Low handicaps (under 10): Low-handicap players who can maximize the distance of the 5-wood may prefer it for its yardage potential. However, when it comes to saving shots, the 3-hybrid is the winner.
Final thoughts
While the 5-wood offers more distance, especially for lower handicaps, it certainly won’t save you strokes. The accuracy and precision of the 3-Hybrid make it a better choice for most players looking to lower their scores (especially those with higher handicaps). Which one do you have in your bag? Is it right for your game?
office 5-wood vs. 3-hybrid: Which one should you keep based on the data? appeared first on Mygolfspy.
