I had a 3-hybrid in my bag for a long time. It was easy to control but I struggled to get the distance I wanted. I replaced it with a 5-wood but I haven’t noticed any difference in my scores. That made me question which is the better choice. Shot Scope pulled some handicap-specific information to help us answer that question. As always, you’ll want to verify this with a custom fitting but here’s some data and insight to get you started.
Comparing traditional lofts
The 5-wood has about 18 to 20 degrees of loft. It’s ideal for long shots into the green or even tee shots where you may need a little more height than a driver or 3-wood would give you.
The 3-hybrid generally has lofts ranging from 20 to 22 degrees. Those few extra degrees translate to less distance potential but a chance at more accuracy and forgiveness.
A traditional 5-wood for men is between 41 and 42 inches. The 3-hybrid, on the other hand, is generally less than 41 inches in length.
Performance data (5-wood versus 3-hybrid)
The first things to explore are the average distance, greens hit percentage, proximity to the pin and average shots to finish for the 5-wood. You’ll see we split this data into a low-, mid- and high-handicap group. Nothing too surprising here: lower-handicap golfers get more distance on average, hit more greens and get the ball a little closer to the hole.
| Handicap | Average Distance (yds) | Green Hit % | Avg Prox to Pin (ft) | Avg Shots to Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 167 | 4.9% | 294 | 5.1 |
| 15 | 208 | 5.2% | 281 | 4.7 |
| 5 | 231 | 5.5% | 245 | 4.3 |
3-hybrid
The lower-handicap players hit their 3-hybrid around 211 yards and take about four shots to finish the hole. The 25-handicap players hit their 3-hybrid about 164 yards on average, taking closer to five shots to finish.
| Handicap | Average Distance (yds) | Green Hit % | Avg Prox to Pin (ft) | Avg Shots to Finish |
| 25 | 164 | 5.9% | 251 | 4.8 |
| 15 | 193 | 10% | 199 | 4.4 |
| 5 | 211 | 13.7% | 174 | 4.0 |
Comparing distance
The 5-wood wins when it comes to average distance. However, the difference between the 5-wood and 3-hybrid distance performance is more pronounced at lower handicaps.
- For 25-handicaps, the 5-wood is only three yards longer than the 3-hybrid (167 versus 164 yards).
- For 5-handicaps, the gap increases to 20 yards (231 versus 211).
The lower your handicap is, and the more you value distance, the better the 5-wood becomes as a club selection in your bag.
Comparing green success
The difference in greens hit percentage with the 3-hybrid compared to the 5-wood is noticeable.
For 15-handicaps, the 3-hybrid earns a 10-percent green hit rate compared to just 5.2 percent for the 5-wood. In addition, the 3-hybrid is finishing approximately 82 feet closer to the pin.
If greens in regulation is a problem in your game, the 3-hybrid is the better choice.
Comparing average shots to finish
Perhaps the most important stat to look at, and the one that amateur golfers don’t pay enough attention to, is average shots to finish. The data on average shots to finish gives you insight into how many shots it takes to get the ball into the hole when you have a 3-hybrid in your hand versus a 5-wood.
The 3-hybrid consistently outperforms the 5-wood in terms of strokes to finish.
When we looked at all handicap data, the 3-hybrid saves .3 strokes compared to a 5-wood.
Who should use which club?
The data confirms my thought that the 5-wood helped me with distance but didn’t do much for my scoring. I’ll keep it in the bag for now because the difference in distance is significant and I’m enjoying those yards as an option off the tee but it’s not the solution for approach shots.
If you are still on the fence about the 5-wood versus 3-hybrid, here are some thoughts to consider.
- High Handicaps (20+): The 3-hybrid is likely the better choice as its accuracy, green success rate and proximity to the pin provide clear advantages. You are also only losing a few yards of total distance on average, not enough to keep the 5-wood in the bag for its distance potential.
- Mid Handicaps (10-20): The 3-hybrid is the way to go if you prioritize precision and scoring efficiency. However, if you’re pretty accurate overall and need more distance, the 5-wood can be a valuable addition.
- Low Handicaps (Below 10): Lower-handicap players who can maximize the distance of the 5-wood may prefer it for its yardage potential. Still, when it comes to saving shots, the 3-hybrid is the winner.
Final thoughts
While the 5-wood offers more distance, especially for lower handicaps, it will probably not save you strokes. The precision and accuracy of the 3-hybrid make it a better choice for most golfers looking to lower their scores (especially those with higher handicaps). Which one do you have in the bag? Is it the right one for your game?
Dave
1 year ago
I believe age group would be a lot better comparison than handicap. A 70 year old man who’s a 8 handicap with a slow swing speed might elevate fairway woods better than hybrids.
Alex
1 year ago
Yup. I’d also consider whether you have to deal with wind or more forced carries to elevated greens when choosing 5 wood v. 3 hybrid.
FrankW
1 year ago
I agree, a low handicap with speed would probably do better with a 3 iron by contrast.
While the hybrid is more versatile, the FW is easier to hit well consistently.
I’d like to see a 7 wood VS 5 comparison at slow to mid speeds also.