How Far Should You Hit A 3 Wood? (Complete Overview)

If you want to play golf at a scratch level, you will want to carry your 3 wood 220 yards plus. If you are simply trying to reach the single digit handicap level, a carry distance of 200 yards is a quality distance. If you are only trying to break 100, simply hitting in the air and carrying it at least 150 yards gets you headed in the right direction.

A high percentage of golfers carry a 3 wood.

It can be a very important club not only off the tee on short or narrow par 4s and 5s, but also from the fairway or rough when trying to reach a par 5 in two or after a poor driver leaving you a lot of ground to cover with your approach shot.

The golfer that is able to carry their 3 wood a quality distance will have an advantage over the golfer that struggles to barely carry their 3 wood even 180 yards.

Did you know the following?

The average PGA Tour player carries a 3 wood 243 yards with a clubhead speed of 107 miles per hour.

The average LPGA Tour player carries a 3 wood 195 yards with a clubhead speed of 90 miles per hour.
Source: https://blog.trackmangolf.com/trackman-average-tour-stats/

So how far should an amateur golfer carry their 3 wood? Do they need to hit is as long as a PGA Tour player?

How Far Should You Hit A 3 Wood?

My Journey: Early on as a junior golfer, the 3 wood was my favorite club. If you are playing golf courses too long for your game, the 3 wood becomes much more important as you are hitting it as the 2nd shot on many par 4s and 5s. As your game improves, the 3 wood becomes less important and hit less frequently. In today’s game you will see the professional use the 3 wood off the tee less than 20 years ago. However, attacking par 5s and getting around the green in 2 is a major part of today’s professional game and has been made clear by analytics that distance and proximity to the pin are vital in the game.

Quick Recap:

Scratch Level – Carry a 3 wood 220 yards plus.
Single Digit Handicap – Carry a 3 wood 200 yards.
Break 100 Level – Carry a 3 wood 150, but more important hit is solid each time.

Golf is a great game. The good news is that we can compete again each other using the handicap system, but golfers are always looking to improve.

One of the fastest ways to improve is to increase your swing speed and overall distance. Distance dominates the game of golf now and it is a great strength to have.

Related Post: How far should you hit a 5 iron?

Related Post: How far should you hit a 7 iron?

Did you know that the average driver distance of a scratch golfer is 251 yards? To reach more about playing golf at the scratch level, check out this link: How to become a scratch golfer

Difficult courses like this might require the 3 wood off the tee more frequently!

Here is a quick reference chart for many of the common golf clubs found in a bag:

	Senior	Average	Low Handicap	Tour Pro

Driver Swing Speed	91 and Below	91-101	102-112	113-123
Driver Distance	210 and Below	210-235	235-275	275-300
3 Wood Distance	200	220	230	243
Hybrid Distance	190	205	215	225
4 iron Distance	170	185	195	203
5 iron Distance	160	175	185	194
6 iron Distance	150	163	173	183
7 iron Distance	140	153	163	172
8 iron Distance	130	143	153	160
9 iron Distance	120	131	141	148
pw Distance	110	121	131	136
sw Distance	90	100	110	120
lw Distance	70	80	90	105

How long does it take to become a scratch golfer?

If you are someone looking to hit your 3 wood further, consider the different factors that influence distance with every club in the bag.

Factors That Influence Distance

Clubhead Speed
Ball Speed

Spin Rate
Launch Angle

Clubhead Speed

Clubhead speed is the single most important item of the 4 factors above. The good news is that clubhead speed can be increased through the proper training and speed training protocols. Products like SuperSpeed Golf have provided plenty of increases for many golfers over the past 3-5 years. The product works!

Check current price on SuperSpeed Golf, here!

Even if the golfer optimizes their center face contact and has the ideal spin rate and launch angle for their swing speed, if the swing speed isn’t at a certain level the golf just won’t carry far enough.

Gone are the days of being stuck at your current swing speed or feeling like, “I am just not a long hitter!”

My own personal story around overspeed training saw my driver increase from around 101 miles per hour to a max of 117 miles per hour with an average of right in the 112 mile per hour range. My carry distance with the driver is now right around 270 with a 3 wood carry distance in the low 240s!

If you want extra distance with your 3 wood, start some speed training and then work on optimizing the next 3 areas!

Ball Speed

Ball speed is a result of the swing speed and center face hits. Without one or the other, you are going to struggle to have a quality ball speed. For comparison, the average on the PGA Tour is 158mph ball speed with the 3 wood. While the LPGA Tour is 132mph. Golfers at this level are able to maximize their ball speed by striking the ball solid.

Amateur golfers can work on hitting the center of the face by getting feedback from impact tape or certain sprays that can be used to see where you are striking the ball. At the end of the day, the best practice is hitting plenty of golf balls and of course being aware of where you are striking the ball on the clubface.

Where should the golf ball hit the clubface?

Spin Rate

Have you ever hit the shot that felt like it carried forever? Or the shot that balloons and struggles to get past 200 yards? Both of these are a result of spin rate. In the first example, you have an optimum spin rate, more than likely somewhere in the 2000-3000 RPM range. In the 2nd example, the spin rate was more than likely 4000 RPM or higher. Excess spin reduces your carry distance! While you need some spin to help the ball carry, too much spin destroys your distance.

Do I need to carry fairway woods?

Spin rate will be impacted by your angle of attack and the shaft in your golf club. Making sure you have the right equipment and that you are striking the ball correctly will help get the ideal spin rate.

Everyone wants to spin the ball with the wedges and make the ball dance, but with your driver and 3 wood, where distance matters, you want a spin rate in the 2000 RPM range for most swing speeds.

Launch Angle

There is an optimum launch angle for every swing speed and spin rate combination. With the driver, the recent advice has been to tee it high and let it fly to get an optimum launch angle with a lower spin rate. The 3 wood is a bit more tricky as half the shots with it might come out of the fairway or rough and requires a negative angle of attack to ensure the ball flies in the air and clean contact is achieved.

TIP: Seek Feedback Through A Launch Monitor

My number one recommendation for all four of these categories is to get a device like the Skytrak Launch Monitor, which can provide immediate feedback on every shot you hit during your practice sessions. This helps the golfer make adjustments in the swing or the equipment he or she is using.

I highly recommend the Skytrak Launch Monitor. There are two other quality options at a similar price point linked below.

Here are the top 3 Launch Monitor options to check out:

The data you can get after every shot includes the following:

Ball and Club Speed
Carry and Total Distance
Spin Rate

Spin Axis
Launch Angle

In addition to this key information you will also see a shot tracer to help you control your clubface and swing path and develop a stock shot to finally play the consistent golf you seek!

What is the most important part of the golf swing?

How To Hit Your 3 Wood Further?

The number one tip is to swing faster. How do you accomplish this? Through training!

What is the best training option? SuperSpeed Golf! The three speed sticks that come with the purchase of the SuperSpeed System have a club that is 20% lighter, 10% lighter and 5% heavier. The protocols are simple to follow and take 15-30 minutes per training session and you train every other day.

Golfers can expect to see a 5-8% increase as early as the first session and the speed will become more permanent after about 30 days of training. Stick with the training for a continued increase in swing speed, which will come at about a 1-2 miles per hour increase every several months. The thought process or science behind this approach is known as overspeed training.

3 Wood vs Driver Distance

The idea is that you are training both your mind and your body to swing faster than you normally do. The mind and body start to adapt to this new speed as the mind builds confidence in doing this safely and the body trains to move faster.

The SuperSpeed System will help you experience additional speed through every club in the bag and you will soon find yourself hitting the ball further, hitting the ball closer and making more putts.

The analytics are pretty clear in golf! The further you hit your driver, the shorter approach shot you have left. The shorter approach shot, results in a closer proximity to the pin on average. With the final outcome being more made putts because you are putting putts closer to the hole.

The make percentage on the PGA tour from 8 feet is significantly better than 15 feet. The bottom line is that you need shorter putts to make more putts and this starts on the tee by hitting your driver further!

Check current price on SuperSpeed Golf, here!

A complete game changer and highly recommended!

MAJOR KEY: Understanding How Far You Hit Each Club

I would highly recommend each golfer create a distance chart like the sample below:

Club	Carry Distance (100%)	90%	80%
2 Utility Iron	210
4 iron	190
5 iron	181
6 iron	171
7 iron	163
8 iron	153
9 iron	143
P Club	130	123	115
Pitching Wedge	118	110	102
SW Club	105	97	91
LW Club	90	82	74

This might be the most important information you can use to help you play quality golf. I have heard so many stories and have seen it first hand where golfers completely over estimate how far they hit each iron.

I have seen one too many times the golfer that thinks they can carry their 3 wood or 5 wood over a hazard to reach a par 5, only to have the golf ball come up way short of the green. Too many golfers overestimate how far they hit every club in their bag, but especially their driver and fairway woods. Having accurate information might hurt the ego, but it can help you manage your game!

Complete Post: How Can I Improve My Distance Control?

How can you create your own chart?

BEST OPTION: I would highly recommend a launch monitor!

These portable devices can be used at the driving range, golf course or set up in your home net or golf simulator. These devices are game changers not only on being able to map your bag and know your distances, but they also provide quality feedback after on every shot and provide the following information:

Carry Distance

Spin Rate
Launch Angle
Spin Axis

Total Distance
Ball Speed

This information will help you map your bag, decide on which clubs are best for your game, develop a stock shot and much more. I love using my SkyTrak 365 days a year in my golf simulator setup.

Best swing path for irons?

The process for mapping your bag can looking something like this:

Hit 5 shots with each club in your bag.
Log the carry distance and total distance for each shot.

Eliminate any outlier numbers (poor hits or low spin rates).
Take the average and create a map of your bag.

If you visit any PGA Tour event you will see plenty of golfers utilizing their launch monitors. While most can’t afford a Trackman, there are some very affordable options in the 500-2000 dollar range. I own the SkyTrak and think the world of it.

Here are the top 3 options to check out:

Final Thoughts: Have Fun!

Whether you are trying to score better through improving the short game or gaining extra distance, make sure you have fun on your journey! The exciting news that golfers can gain distance is a game changer for many. We have seen some of the golfers as they reach 50 actually dive into speed training and improve their driver distance!

Wish you hit the ball further? Here are two great resources:

When playing a par 5 like the one above, a combination of accuracy and distance is important. This is where a 3 wood becomes an important golf club!

My Secret To Golf Improvement

Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About four years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.

This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.

It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.

Some direct links to Rain or Shine Golf for pricing and financing:

Rain or Shine Golf Packages

Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better

What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:

1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:

Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:

2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:

Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:

3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:

We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.

4 – Practice Frequently

Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions: