Luke is an avid weekend-warrior golfer from the East Coast who plays golf more than he cares to admit.
This is a great question for all golfers, not just those learning how to hit a 3 wood. That’s because hitting the ball straight and far is an integral skill. But it’s not the only one. There’s also grip pressure, release, posture, and swing path.
The 3 wood is a mid to high-range driver. It’s a reliable shot and is a workhorse for the average golfer. Here’s the secret to hitting the ball straight and long!
These are the grip and swing techniques for hitting a 3 wood golf shot. In order to hit a 3 wood, you need to take a few shots off the tee and then adjust to the wind. In this guide, I show you how, so find out more here!
Step-By-Step Instructions
This particular guide will be explaining how you should be hitting your 3 wood from the turf and not as much off the tee.
However, you will be able to use these techniques and skills for when you are hitting it off the tee because you will use a 3 would for both depending on the hole.
Equipment
You need to make sure you have the right equipment that is the best for you to hit that ball. You need to make sure it is the right length for you and feels comfortable to use because this is an important factor.
It is also important to pay attention to the types of balls you are using because that can make a big difference to the overall shot.
There are hard balls and softballs, some are better for beginners and some work better for people either trying to perform better on greens and chipping and distance.
Target
You need to make sure you are focusing on where you are trying to hit your target.
This is especially important with the longer clubs because the closer you get to the target, the easier it will be for you to see where the flag is and where you need to go from there.
You do not want to be just swinging anywhere because you want to be hitting accurately and know that your shot is going where it needs to go to line up the next shot!
Setting It Up
When you are setting up, you need to think about your stance and how you are actually going to strike the ball. You first need to bend your knees and put your feet apart about shoulder width.
Most beginners tend to struggle with their shot because they think they get all of their power from the back foot, but that is not always the case. For these types of shots, they need to be working off the front foot.
Once you are quite evenly distributed, you are able to focus on the arms in front of you making the triangular shape where you are holding the club.
What About Your Grip?
Most people are holding the club much tighter then they need to be because they think it will make them control the club better.
However, you need to be more relaxed with your grip and swing. If you are gripping the club too much it can cause more strain in your arms which you do not need more.
Movement
When you are moving your club backwards, this is an important part of the full process because it needs to be going in the right direction.
You need to be thinking both low and wide to make sure you are getting the distance you want with this club.
Turning
You need to be making a full turn on your club which needs to be kept in mind for your woods and irons.
The turn is the most important movement in terms of the distance you want to create because your power will come from this movement.
An important point is where your clubface needs to be when traveling back down on the swing. Making sure the clubface is perpendicular to your back right before transitioning into your downswing is very important.
Your Swing
The most common mistake that beginners will make with their 3 wood is thinning the ball. They are not making really good contact with the ball from underneath to get height and distance.
If you are hitting the top or middle of the ball, you will not be able to hit the ball very far because it could make the ball spin off anywhere and you will not have control over it.
You might be taking a bit of the ground out because you need that low contact with the ball.
Balance
By the end of the shot, you might have watched how people finish after their shot where they watch the ball fly through the air.
You want to be finishing feeling balanced at the end of your shot and holding that position for a good two seconds afterwards.
Conclusion
Overall, when it comes to using your 3 wood you need to think of all of these steps to help you master your shot.
Golf is definitely one of the most difficult sports in the world because it is very technical and it can take a long time to perfect.
Therefore, follow steps like these and practicing them over and over and knowing when to use them is very important for your game and enhancing your skills.
Hopefully this guide will improve your skill when using a 3 wood and also make you think about different areas of your skill you need to improve.
You can look at what your doing now in terms of your stance and the way you are striking the ball, and make small changes to increase the chances of hitting a shot that will put you in a better position.
