4 Wood Vs 3 Iron – Which Club To Use And When
The 3 Iron has been one of the most popular clubs in golfs history and the 4 Wood is somewhat of a novelty club often overlooked for the familiar 3 & 5 Wood combination.
The 3 Iron is a shorter club than the 4 wood with a 21 degree loft and an average hitting distance of about 180 yards.
The 4 wood has a larger head, an 16.5/17 degree loft and it hits lower, flatter and longer shots with more distance.
3 Iron Overview
3 irons come in many guises from the players iron to driving iron to the game improvement iron.
Each variation should offer varying degrees of workability, shot shaping, forgiveness and distance.
3 irons can be a difficult club to master for beginners which is why we have seen the popularity of Hybrid clubs surge in recent times, often replacing the 3 iron in many golfers bags.
The 3 iron does however more precision than the likes of a 4 wood or a hybrid. It allows the better golfer to hunt the pin when within distance, rather than hunting the green with he rangier 4 wood.
A 3 iron is quite a versatile club, it can be used effectively from the tee on par threes, from the fairway and light to mid rough. It can be used at any time when precision is called for, on a layup or attacking the pin.
Pros players will also be able to add a fade or draw to their shots with ultimate precision, unavailable in the blunter but longer 4 wood.
4 Wood Overview
The 4 wood itself is a bit of an anomaly. It is usually not considered as most golfers use the 3 and 5 wood combo to cover their key distances.
For someone with a slower swing speed however, that might use a driver with a 12 degree loft, the 4 wood can be a logical next step and if you replace the 3 wood with a 4 wood you are also likely to want a 7 wood instead of the 5 wood.
The 4 wood can also be used as a single fairway wood and this allows the golfer to carry an extra hybrid, short iron or chipper as part of the 14 club strategy.
The 4 wood is lighter, shorter and easier to hit straight than a 3 wood, especially for beginners and slower swing speeds.
Comparing a 4 wood to a 3 iron, both hit the ball close enough to the same distance.
The 4 Wood is more blunt, it will get you close to the green or on it but with the 3 iron you can aim more directly and precisely to the green.
A 4 wood is an excellent club that can be used in the same way as a 3 wood, off the tee, off the fairway or from the light rough.
These are two useful and versatile clubs that can be used in conjunction with each other. The 4 wood is longer and more forgiving while the 3 iron is more precise and workable.
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 Wood Quick Facts
Category – Longer Club
When To Use: From Fairway, Tee Or Light Rough
Average Distance: 205
Longer Hitter: 225
Shorter Hitter: 185
Typical Loft: 16.5 Degrees
Club Importance: 89/100
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 Wood Overview & First Impressions
If the 3 wood is a bit big a daunting for yo, the 4 wood is very similar but it is more compact and possibly less daunting for some.
The 4 wood is often overlooked and the 3 wood is preferred instead in combination with the 5 wood but there is no one size fits all and many golfers will prefer to carry a 4 wood as their solo fairway wood or in combination with a 7 wood.
Those with slower swing speeds might have 12 degrees of loft in their driver and the next logical progression for them will be the 4 wood.
It is easier to carry and wield for those with slower swing speeds and it might be used as a solo wood for a fast swinger looking to carry an extra hybrid or a chipper for around the greens.
Whatever your circumstance is, you should carry clubs that suit your game optimally.
The 4 wood has a higher, shorter flight path with less roll out than the next club down in the 3 wood, which it will almost always replace.
The club is used effectively off the tee on par 3’s or dog legs and also off the fairway and in the light rough.
Golf is a game of tradition but you shouldn’t hesitate to break that if a 4 wood will be beneficial to your game.
One Club Up – 3 Wood
The 3 wood is longer, heavier and produces a longer, lower flight path with more roll out. It is far more popular and the 3 + 5 Wood combo is the one we see most often, especially in average and above swing speeds.
One Club Down – 5 Wood
You would almost never carry a 3 and 4 wood together, they are too similar. When carrying a 4 wood, you may be better off carrying an extra hybrid or a 7 wood over a 4 wood. A 5 wood produces a higher, shorter ball flight with less rollout than a 4 wood.
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 Wood Selling Points
- Excellent For Slower Swing Speeds
- Can Be Used As A Replace For 3 And 5 Wood
- Easy To Hit From Good Lies
- Versatile Club From Tee Or Off The Deck
- More Precise Than A 3 Wood
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 theMavrik.
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 Woods For?
A 4 wood is not as popular a club as we feel it should be.
It’s excellent for slower swing speeds who find a 3 wood more difficult to wield.
It’s also perfect for those looking to carry a 4 wood + 7 Wood combo and those who want to carry 1 solitary wood in favor of an extra hybrid or iron.
A very similar club to the 3 and 5 wood and there is no reason it shouldn’t used more if it fills the distance gaps effectively.
Our Favorite 4 Wood – Cobra Men’s Fly Z
Cobra have made big progress as a golf brand in recent years and our preferred 4 wood right now is their Fly Xl model from 2021.
The club is light and easy to strike and it also has an adjustable loft which means you can switch it from a 3 Wood to a 4 wood easier with the use of an allen key.
The club itself is well priced and has a ton of distance and forgiveness features included.
Distance: 94/100
Accuracy: 93/100
Forgiveness: 92/100
Feel and Control: 91/100
Overall Score: 93/100
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.
