Do you find yourself debating 3 wood vs 5 wood and what is best for your game?
Most golfers are trying to get the perfect combination of 14 clubs.
Golfers will often question 3 wood vs 5 wood and which fairway wood they would get the most benefit from, but never really test what is best for their game. So we are doing the test for you!
To help all golfers, I decided to test the 3 wood and 5 wood with 4 ranges of golfers: a low handicap golfer, a mid handicap golfer, a high handicap golfer and a senior golfer.
Process: We hit 10 shots from the fairway with a 3 wood and then a 5 wood.
Goal: Help golfers determine which club (3 wood vs 5 wood) is best for their ability level.
Data Collected: Total distance numbers for 3 wood and 5 wood for each level golfer.
Questions to Explore: We want to answer the following questions:
- 3 wood vs 5 wood loft
- 3 wood vs 5 wood distance
- How far should you hit your 3 wood?
- How far should you hit your 5 wood?
- Does a 3 wood or 5 wood go further?
- 3 wood or 5 wood for beginner?
- What is a 3 wood used for?
- What is a 5 wood used for?
- Why do you hit your 5 wood farther than your 3 wood?
3 Wood vs 5 Wood Loft?
The typical 3 wood will have 15 degrees of loft with the typical 5 wood at 18 degrees of loft. The 3 wood will also be about .5” to .75” longer than a 5 wood.
Chart of various fairway lofts, lies and lengths:
| Model | Loft | Lie | Length |
| Strong 3 Wood | 13.5° | 55° | 43.25″ |
| 3 Wood | 15° | 56° | 43.25″ |
| 4 Wood | 16.5° | 56° | 43.00″ |
| 5 Wood | 18° | 56.5° | 42.50″ |
| 7 Wood | 21° | 57° | 42.25″ |
Source: Callaway website for the Mavrik model
3 wood vs 5 wood Distance
Here is where the fun begins looking at the data we collected.
3 Wood Distance (Locally Tested)
| Golfer and Level | Average Distance (10 Shots) |
| Low Handicap Golfer | 237 |
| Mid Handicap Golfer | 221 |
| High Handicap Golfer | 210 |
| Senior Handicap Golfer (Mid Handicap) | 190 |
| Average | 214.5 |
5 Wood Distance (Locally Tested)
| Golfer and Level | Average Distance (10 Shots) |
| Low Handicap Golfer | 218 |
| Mid Handicap Golfer | 210 |
| High Handicap Golfer | 212 |
| Senior Handicap Golfer (Mid Handicap) | 185 |
| Average | 206.25 |
How far should you hit your 3 wood?
The average total distance is 204 yards with a range of between 176 on the low end and 243 on the high end depending on your current handicap level. Swing speed has a significant impact on total distance and can be improved through the proper training.
For this next set of data we consider the arccos data with the 26 million drivers hit and multiplied the average by .88 to determine the 3 wood distance. The PGA Tour data is from the Trackman website.
3 Wood Distance by Handicap
| Handicap Range | Median Driver Distance Average |
| PGA Tour Professional | 243 |
| Scratch | 220 |
| 0-5 | 214 |
| 6-10 | 203 |
| 11-15 | 193 |
| 16-20 | 184 |
| 21-25 | 176 |
| Total Average of 0-25 | 204 |
The following factors will impact your total distance with your 3 wood:
- Loft of your 3 wood
- Length of the shaft in your 3 wood
- Swing speed
- Center face contact (impacts ball speed)
- Spin Rate
- Angle of Attack
- Launch Angle
How far should you hit your 5 wood?
The average total distance is 195 yards with a range between 168 on the low end and 236 on the high end depending on your current handicap level. Swing speed has a significant impact on total distance and can be improved through the proper training.
For this next set of data we consider the arccos data with the 26 million drivers hit and multiplied the average by .84 to determine the 5 wood distance. The PGA Tour data is from the Trackman website.
5 Wood Distance by Handicap
| Handicap Range | Median Driver Distance Average |
| PGA Tour Professional | 231 |
| Scratch | 210 |
| 0-5 | 204 |
| 6-10 | 194 |
| 11-15 | 184 |
| 16-20 | 176 |
| 21-25 | 168 |
| Total Average of 0-25 | 195 |
The following factors will impact your total distance with your 5 wood:
- Loft of your 5 wood
- Length of the shaft in your 5 wood
- Swing speed
- Center face contact (impacts ball speed)
- Spin Rate
- Angle of Attack
- Launch Angle
Does a 3 wood or 5 wood go further?
In our test, the golfers averaged 214 with a 3 wood and 206 with a 5 wood. However, if you struggle with the lower lofted 3 wood, some golfers might experience better launch conditions including launch angle, spin rate and ball speed, with a 5 wood which could cause the 5 wood to travel further. Some golfers will struggle to strike the ball solid with a 3 wood.
3 wood or 5 wood for a beginner?
We would recommend the 5 wood for the beginner. The extra loft will provide for a greater margin for error and provide a better launch angle for the beginner golfer. The minimum distance they might sacrifice on the well struck shot doesn’t make up for the difficulty the 3 wood can provide for the beginner.
As the golfer improves, he or she can eventually add the 3 wood. But starting off, a quality driver with a quality 5 wood is a good combination of fairway woods, especially for the beginner golfer on a tight budget.
As a golfer gets close to a 20 handicap, it is time to consider a 3 wood.
What is a 3 wood used for?
Tee shots and shots from the fairway or rough. When a golfer needs a shot between 200 and 250 yards on avearge, the 3 wood is a quality option. A golfer will want to consider the lie and the amount of space to land the shots between trees or other obstacles.
It is typically the 2nd longest club in the bag, only behind the driver. A driver is only hit from the tee box by 99% of golfers and this is where the 3 wood comes into play when a golfer needs a longer distance shot on the 2nd or 3rd shot of the hole.
What is a 5 wood used for?
Tess shots and shots from the fairway, rough or even fairway bunkers. When a golfer needs a shot between 175 and 225 yards on average, the 5 wood is a quality option. The 5 wood provides enough loft and forgiveness to allow the majority of golfers to experience success with the club.
It is typically the 2nd or 3rd longest club in the bag, behind the driver and 3 wood. A 5 wood is known for its versatility and easy to launch features.
Why Do I Hit My 5 Wood Farther Than My 3 Wood?
The other factor we see golfers struggle when it comes to the 3 wood is hitting it off of a tight fairway lie. Some golfers are going to have more success with the 5 wood from the fairway if the conditions are premium with a tightly mowed fairway.
The longer the fairway grass, the easier and more margin for error for the mid to high handicap golfer.
3 Wood vs 5 Wood: Final Thoughts
Golfers need to test out what is best for their game. Of course, they could use the data above as a starting point to see where each club might benefit them from a distance perspective. The great news is that 3 woods and 5 woods have never been easier to hit higher and further than before. The low center of gravity, forgiving sweet spot and advanced technology has made both clubs easier to hit compared to 30 years ago.