3 Iron Vs 4 Iron – Which Club To Use And When
The 3 and 4 Iron are similar clubs, separated simply by loft in most cases.
Both the 3 and the 4 iron have come under increasing pressure from the surge in popularity of Hybrid clubs which are a mix between fairway woods and Hybrids.
The 3 Iron is the longer club by about 10 yards and it has a stronger loft.
Since the lofts of the irons keep getting stronger over the years, what is today classed as a 4 iron would have in the passed been considered a 3 iron and some sets just skip the 3 Iron nowadays and start with the 4 iron.
For the purposes of this article, we are classifying a 3 Iron as 21 degrees of loft and the 4 Iron as 25 degrees of loft.
3 Iron Overview
The 3 Iron is a versatile club that can be used in a number of ways.
Off the tee on a dog leg, par three or when precision is needed.
Off the fairway, light to mid rough when aiming for the green.
The irons come in many different versions from game improvement to blades to suit different levels of player.
The flight path of the three iron is lower, flatter and farther than the 4 iron by about 10 yards for most players.
As mentioned already, long irons are being replaced by hybrids more and more in beginner sets and even in the bags of pros.
4 Irons Overview
A 4 iron is very similar to a 3 iron, it just has more loft in the club.
This extra loft leads to a higher and shorter flight path with less roll out.
The extra loft also adds more spin to the club and this allows for more workability and increased pin hunting ability for players of all ages.
A hybrid will have straighter and more consistent shots for high handicappers generally and the 4 iron will be more precise for the better players.
The 4 irons extra loft means it cuts the turf better and that means better shots from the light to heavy rough as well.
The 4 iron is perfect when you are a bit closer to the green and within firing range.
The 3 and 4 iron are both similar but cover different distances to ensure no gaps. If you struggle to hit long irons, you can consider replacing them with hybrids instead.
3 Iron Quick Facts
Category – Long Iron
When To Use: From Fairway, Light-Mid Rough, Tee
Average Distance: 180
Longer Hitter: 200
Shorter Hitter: 165
Typical Loft: 21 Degrees
Club Importance: 91/100
4 Iron Quick Facts
Category – Mid-Long Range
When To Use: From Fairway, Tee Or Light To Mid-Heavy Rough
Average Distance: 170
Longer Hitter: 180
Shorter Hitter: 160
Typical Loft: 25 Degrees
Club Importance: 93/100
3 Iron Overview & First Impressions
3 Irons have long slender heads and come in various styles from players irons, game improvement irons to distance irons.
A 3 iron is usually favoured by players looking for precision or else to work the ball with a draw or a fade.
It can often be used on par 3’s, shots from the fairway and light to mid rough along with shots looking for the green from a distance of about 180 yards.
Since the 3 irons flight path is low and quite far, it can be a great option in windy conditions to ensure the ball doesn’t get carried away.
The 3 iron is slightly less popular these days with many beginners and pros alike starting to favor hybrids.
A 3 iron can also be used in a driving iron format when looking for precision off the tee or in bad weather.
When the ball is sitting up perfectly in the fairway and light rough, it can be a pleasure to launch the ball towards the green with precision
One Club Up – 3 Hybrid
The three hybrid is a combination of a wood and hybrid with a thicker head and it results is a higher and slightly longer flight path too. Since it has a sharper leading edge, it can also be used very effectively from the rough.
One Club Down – 4 Iron
A common club that we see nowadays one down from the 5 is the three hybrid. Great for accuracy and distance from fairway and rough, it has a sharp leading edge for hitting from the rough, earning it’s name as the rescue club.
4 Iron Overview & First Impressions
The 4 iron is an impressive mid to long range club with a slender compact head, aimed at precision and accuracy.
The longer irons have come under attack from hybrids in recent years and this has caused the irons to up their game too.
The 4 iron hits on average of about 170 yards making it ideal for hitting the green in two on a par 4 and also for hitting the green off the tee on a par 3.
The 4 iron is high flying, with more spin and it also has a shorter shaft offering more control and precision with the club.
While the Hybrid maybe longer and more consistently straight, it lacks the workability of the 4 iron.
Since the lofts of irons keep getting stronger over the years, there are plenty of sets that now start with the 4 iron, excluding the 3.
4 Irons come in many variations from game improvement irons, to blades to distance irons, all catered to different levels.
It’s loft and excellent turf interaction make the club effective from the mid to heavy rough but a clean strike from the fairway is the ideal position to use it from.
One Club Up – 3 Iron
The 3 iron has a stronger loft than the 4 iron @ 21 Degrees and it hits the ball generally about 10 yards further than the 4 iron. It has less launch, less spin and less precision than the 4 Iron.
One Club Down – 5 Iron
The 5 iron has more loft than the 4 iron, it hits the ball a shorter distance, has more spin, control and workability and it hits the ball about 10 yards less.
3 Iron Selling Points
- Excellent Precision
- Low Ball Flight, Good Distance
- Great In Windy Conditions
- Can Add A Draw Or A Fade
- Great Off The Tee On Par’s
4 Iron Selling Points
- Precision Club With Plenty Of Accuracy
- Different Iron Styles To Suit All Levels
- Great For Pin Hunting
- Higher Spin Rates And More Workable Than 3 Iron
- Works Well From The Rough
Who Are 3 Irons For?
Being honest, you wouldn’t be surprised to see a 3 iron in any golfers bag for it’s versatility and usefulness.
With beginners it can be a go to club or a club to use as a driving iron off the tee, while some beginners will prefer to use a 3 or 4 hybrid. It comes down to a matter of personal preference.
Better players are going to get more use out of a 3 iron as they are able to work the ball more for left to right.
They can also use a 3 iron to target precise locations on the course.
It’s long, low ball flight makes it ideal in windy conditions or as a lay up on a dog leg.
If’ you aren’t carrying a replacement hybrid, everybody should have a 3 iron in their bag.
Our Favorite 3 Iron – Callaway Mavrik
Callaway are a mammoth when it comes to high performing golfing irons and the Mavrik is one of the more forgiving clubs they have made, available in a max forgiveness, normal and pro version to suit all players.
You are going to get tons of distance with this alongside forgiveness and you can also work the irons quite a bit.
If you are in the market for solid 3 iron as a high to mid handicapper, we recommend the Mavrik.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 94/100
Forgiveness: 93/100
Feel and Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 94/100
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Who Are 4 Irons For?
The 4 Iron is a club you can find it any level of golfers bag.
There is a necessity to cover that 170 yard distance and if you aren’t going to be using a hybrid, you will most likely be using a 4 iron.
While the Hybrid might be straighter and more consistent, the 4 Iron is going to be a lot more workable for better players who want more control over the ball.
Our Favorite 4 Iron – The Taylormade Sim Max
If you are looking for a club set that has some of the very best technology and packs in forgiveness alongside distance and accuracy, the Taylormade Sim Max is a serious option.
While the Sim is measured at mid handicappers, the Sim Max offers more in the way of forgiveness with a huge sweet spot expanded by a speed pocket and ICT technology and with a speed bridge giving an excellent feel, you really can’t go too far wrong with a Sim Max 4 iron.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 95/100
Forgiveness: 95/100
Feel and Control: 92/100
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Aidan Lehane here, I’m a Mid-low handicap golfer who has made tremendous progress in breaking 90 in just over 1 year of playing golf seriously.
I get out to the course or range as often as possible and review all the equipment I’ve come across on this blog.
