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Difference between 5 wood and 3 Hybrid

Building your Bag: 5 Wood vs 3 Hybrid

While golf isn’t an easy sport to play, club manufacturers are helping the average player make it slightly easier. High lofted woods, hybrids, and utility irons are making some of the most difficult shots in golf a lot easier than they were in the past.

No longer do players have to hit long, heavy irons that look more like butter knives than golf clubs. Honestly, if you look back at some equipment the great players won with, it’s astounding what they were able to do.

Now, there are almost too many options and makes it easy for golfers to get overwhelmed with what type of equipment they should play. You might be there now asking yourself, “Should I play a 5-wood vs. a 3 hybrid? Or, a utility iron?” 

These are great questions to ask yourself as they can have a big impact on your long game. Before heading to your local golf store to buy a new club, let’s dig in on the pros/cons of each club.

Keep reading to learn more about each of these clubs and when to hit them on the course to improve your golf game.

5-Wood vs. 3 Hybrid – Finding The Right Club For You

For the longest time, the common set of clubs was a driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, 3-PW, SW, LW, and putter. But times have changed and the setup for most golfers is quite different. 

Some players have a driver, a mini-driver (sort of like a 2W), and a hybrid golf club. Others have two or three hybrids in the bags. While others carry a mix of woods, hybrids, and utility irons. Some even experiment with a seven wood.

So, which club should you add in your golf bag?

The one that matches your game and swing! Amateur golfers can benefit from the right golf equipment to help get the ball airborne… even with slower swing speeds.

Too many male golfers settle for clubs their golf buddies tell them too or use the ones that come stock with the set. This is oftentimes the wrong idea and makes long shots even harder. As you’ll see, 5 woods and hybrids are some of the most versatile clubs available.

Let’s review some aspects of each club to see which is right for you.

Forgiveness 

Forgiveness is an important factor when deciding between a 5-wood vs. 3 hybrid. Each is a forgiving club, with a large sweet spot, and even if you don’t make solid contact, still perform better than a long iron.

So, which one is more forgiving? It depends on the lie and specific shot. 

This one is kind of tricky as hitting high-lofted fairway woods are generally easier on tee shots for the average golfer (here are some forgiving fairway woods for beginners). But some golfers struggle hitting down on them for a proper strike in the fairway or rough.

If you plan to use the club from all sorts of lies, I would suggest a rescue club vs. a 5-wood as it’s the most versatile. Whether you’re in the rough or a thin lie, hybrid clubs are so much easier to hit in those situations.

Should I carry a 5 wood or 3 Hybrid

Overall, both clubs are much more forgiving than a long iron of the same loft and provide more distance. Remember, hybrids are shorter than woods so that can make them more forgiving. 

Plus, the size of the clubhead is another big factor. Some companies now have large, oversized heads while other hybrids might be the “pro” model and less forgiving.

While the clubhead is important, the shaft will also play a big role in making sure it rewards off center hits too. This is a case by case basis but in general, you don’t have to worry about forgiveness very much as it’s the sole objective of these clubs. 

Ultimately, a hybrid might not go as far but it’s more forgiving. Your shot dispersion should be smaller, which leads to better misses, and hopefully lower scores. 

Carry Distance & Total Distance

The second factor in figuring out which club is right for you is thinking about distance. 

Ask yourself, how far do you want the ball to go? Is there a big gap between your 3-wood and the longest iron in the bag? Or, what shot do you find on the course that you wish you had a go-to club for?

Working backward will make it easier to figure out which club will help you the most. For example, some golfers don’t like having a 3-wood (15 degrees loft) and 5 wood (18 degrees loft) as they’re too close in distance and not very helpful. While other golfers prefer a hybrid as it’s more versatile and easier to hit off the turf. 

So, what club will go further? Typically, a 5-wood will go longer than the hybrid even if they are the same loft. Even with the same ball speed and swing speed data.

Why?

Because a hybrid is smaller and doesn’t have as much mass behind the ball. While a fairway wood is bigger and the extra mass of the golf club will lead to extra distance. 

Not to mention, a lot of equivalent woods are longer than hybrids. A longer shaft will also impact the total distance too.

So while a 5-wood will go further in terms of distance, it might have a larger shot dispersion and negatively impact your score. Pairing your 5-wood with the right shaft is also something to consider as a shaft that has too much flex can hurt accuracy as well. 

Launch Angle

Another thing to think about when choosing between a 5-wood vs. 3 hybrid is the launch angle. First off, you might be thinking, what is launch angle?

Let’s defer to Trackman Golf for a formal explanation. “The vertical angle relative to the horizon of the golf ball’s center of gravity movement immediately after leaving the club face.”

As noted in the same Trackman article, launch angle will result in the height and distance of the shot. If you’re looking for the highest launching of the two, I would go with a 5-wood. Even though the loft is the same as a 3H, its longer shaft and bigger clubhead will increase launch angle.

Hybrids typically fly lower thanks to the design and shaft length.

But you can make hybrids launch higher by ensuring that you have a higher launching shaft too. The key is to make sure it isn’t too high and “balloons” up in the air, and will lose so much distance if it’s windy weather conditions. 

Trackman Case Study   

2nd Swing Golf did a great YouTube video breaking down the difference between a 5W and 2H, both of which are 17 degrees. You can learn even more about landing angle, spin rates, ball speed, swing speed, and other data from the launch monitor

Lie Angle

While launch angle is important, what about lie angle? Let’s refer to TGW to give us the definition of it and how it impacts your longer clubs in the bag. According to TGW

“Lie angle is the angle created between the center of the shaft and ground when you put your iron down in the address position. If you have the proper lie angle, the center of the sole will rest squarely on the ground when you put the club down behind the ball.

Then the lie angle is the space created between the shaft and the ground on the heel side of the club head. Lie angle also increases as the loft increases.”

Your lie angle needs to match your swing, otherwise you will consistently miss to the right or left if the club is too upright or flat. This is an easy fix with irons and wedges as you can have someone bend the hosel to adjust loft and lie. Obviously, this isn’t the case with hybrids and woods as they’re not made of the same material.

Go here to learn more about a Golf Club’s lie angle.

Luckily, a lot of hybrids and high lofted woods do have adjustable hosels which will affect the line angle. But club designs have changed lately and most hosels aren’t adjustable, which means the lie angle is fixed. 

Let’s take a look at the Callaway Rogue woods and hybrids to compare lie angle. The Rogue ST Max 5 wood is 18 degrees loft, 42.75 inches long, and a lie angle of 56.5 degrees. While the 3H is 18 degrees loft, 40.50 inches long, and a lie angle of 58.0 degrees. 

While it might seem like a big difference (1.5 degrees) in terms of lie angle, it’s important to remember the 5W is longer. Longer clubs are flatter in terms of life angle as they’re also longer. 

Overall, just make sure your new hybrid or fairway wood has the right lie angle for your swing. Or, make sure you buy a club that can be adjusted so the lie angle matches the rest of your irons. 

Versatility  

One reason I think so many hybrids caught on with a majority of the golfing population is how versatile they are. You can use them off the tee, from the fairway, in the rough, around the green, and even from under trees. While woods aren’t quite as versatile as many golfers would like.

I’m confident in saying that hybrids are more versatile than woods (hence the name, “Rescue” clubs). I personally use my hybrid for all sorts of shots; attacking par 5s in two, punching shots under branches, and even chips around the greens. 

Also, don’t forget about working the golf ball with these clubs too. Both are pretty equal in terms of shaping shots right to left or left to right. This also depends on the type of clubs you buy.

Some hybrids are much more workable than others. For example, the Callaway Rogue ST hybrids have a Max, normal, and Pro model. The Max model is more like a fairway wood and not as easy to shape shots. While the Pro model is smaller and more like an iron, so it’s easier to shape shots on the golf course. 

Once again, this comes down to your personal preference and what you’re looking for in a club. Higher handicap golfers will generally have larger, more forgiving woods/hybrids that emphasize a straighter ball flight. While lower handicap golfers will prefer smaller club heads so it’s easier to adjust trajectory and shot shape. 

5 Wood versus 3 Hybrid

Next Longest Club 

The final thing to think about is the next longest club in your bag. The last thing you want is a 25-35 yard gap in distances from 180-250 yards, depending on your skill level.

Here’s my setup to provide a better understanding of how I gap my clubs to set myself up for success:

  • 3W = 270
  • 2H = 250 (off a tee) – 235-240 off the deck 
  • Utility 4 iron = 220-230 yards 

As you can see, I have a solid club for almost any yardage and can always choke up on a club to take off 10-15 yards of distance. Having this type of setup will give you 10X more confidence on any shot you face on the course. 

Utility Irons 

While we’ve covered a lot of different factors when comparing the two clubs, it’s important to bring up longer irons too. Long irons can be really tough to hit. Most long irons that are standard with sets are much less forgiving than hybrids or fairway woods. But as many golfers want alternatives for long irons, there are now utility irons as well.

These are larger, easier to hit long irons that are a good substitute for hybrids. Some players simply prefer swinging irons vs. hybrids or wedges and utility irons are a great way to get extra distance and forgiveness.

As I mentioned in the previous point, I carry a 3W, 2H, and utility 4-iron. This gives me enough versatility to hit all types of shots based on playing conditions and types of lies. Whether I’m in the rough, under trees, or need to hit it high from 230-250, I have a club that can make it happen.

To match the loft of a 5-wood, you would need to buy 2 or strong 3 iron. A 1-iron is usually 16 degrees and even though utility irons are easier to hit, still not a great option for everyday players. Plus, as the old saying goes, “Even God himself can’t hit a 1-iron.”

That being said, there are some great looking and high-performing utility irons that might help fill this distance in your bag. Here are some of our favorites long iron substitutes.

Titleist U-505

As Titleist said, “Looks like an iron, flies like a hybrid.” These irons are used by a wide range of players and work in a variety of situations on the golf course. These are high launching and have a thin forged L-face that creates maximum speed off the face. 

Looks wise, they have a great design that looks like a large cavity back but isn’t overly bulky. You should be able to hit these from the fairways quite easily but might not be a great fit from thick rough. 

Compared to the popular TSi2 hybrid, this iron is .75 inches shorter so it might not go as far in terms of distance. But it will launch higher thanks to the design and it comes with a hybrid shaft too. Choose from 16, 18, 20, and 22 degrees of loft. 

TaylorMade Stealth DHY 

Along with new woods and drivers, the Stealth line from TaylorMade expands to driving iron too. These Stealth DHY is a great club to hit par 5s in two and find accuracy off the tee on tight driving holes. 

This iron is a mid-to low launching club and ideal for more skilled players. But they’re still plenty forgiving thanks to a big sweet spot and wider sole. 

Want to learn more about driving irons? Check out our favorites right here

FAQs About Fairway Woods and Hybrids

Still not sure if you should play a 5-wood or a 3-hybrid (or something else)? No problem, we’ll help make your buying decision easy with our commonly asked questions and answers section below.

Does a 5-wood go further than a 3-hybrid?

A 5-wood can go further than a 3-hybrid and depends on the loft, length, and type of club. For example, if both clubs are the same loft, the 5-wood will still probably go further as there is more mass behind the ball. You’ll notice this same effect when comparing hybrid distances to iron distances.

Plus, a lot of fairway woods are longer than hybrids which also impacts distance. Remember, the longer the club, the longer the distance! 

If you’re losing distance with age, a 5 wood might help more than a hybrid in your golf bag.

What hybrid is equal to a 5-wood?

Each club manufacturer is different in terms of loft and lie. In general, a 5-wood loft is between 18-20 degrees. To match that with a hybrid, it would be a 2 or 3 model. 

How do you hit a hybrid?

A hybrid is similar to a fairway wood but since it’s shorter and has a different lie angle, does require some changes in the swing. Click here to learn how to hit hybrids

Should I carry more than one hybrid?

My biggest advice here is to get rid of the ego and play the clubs that work best for you. If you hate long irons, play several hybrids. If you need more forgiveness in your irons, buy hybrid-style or cavity back. 

Don’t let your ego get in the way of playing your best golf. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment with different club setup to see what suits your game the best. 

Read our article on what hybrids you should carry.

Is a 5-wood easier to hit than a hybrid?

Some golfers might think a 5-wood is easier to hit than a hybrid while others might think the opposite. I think it comes down to a number of factors including:

  • Loft
  • Shaft flex/weight
  • Type of swing (shallow vs. steep) 
  • Hitting the ball from the rough vs. fairway vs. off the tee 

Ultimately, you want to pick the club that will give you the most confidence for the majority of shots. For example, if you love your 5-wood but can only hit it off the tee, it’s not as versatile as a hybrid. Or, if your 5-wood goes too high and gets knocked down in the wind and you play in those conditions a lot, it might not be as effective. 

Should I play a hybrid or 5 wood? 

You should play the club that gives you the most confidence and hits the shots that you want to hit. Before buying one or the other, think about how you want the club to perform.

Ask yourself some questions like:

  • What is my ideal ball flight?
  • Do I need help getting the ball airborne?
  • How far do I want the ball to go? Do I need more distance?
  • Will I use this off the tee, from the fairway, and rough?

Should I carry a 3H and 5-wood?

No, this is not recommended as they’re so similar and have about the same average loft. Better options would include:

  • 5W and 4H 
  • 2H and 3W 
  • 5W and utility iron

Otherwise, the clubs will play a very similar role in your bag and likely leave a big gap in distances. Or, leave a big gap in your wedge game and negatively impact your short game too.

Instead, play with golf clubs that minimize 15-20 yard gaps in your distances. This will give you the best chance of scoring well on any given day. 

Do I need both a 3 and 5 wood? 

It’s a common setup for a lot of golfers including PGA and LPGA players. Ultimately, it depends on the rest of your bag setup and making sure you don’t have any big distance gaps between clubs. 

I think it’s more useful to have one fairway wood and one hybrid for maximum versatility. A hybrid can save you from tough spots around the golf course when a 5-wood isn’t a solid option.

But to read the full pros and cons of each, check out our full article on 3 wood versus 5 wood.

Final Thoughts 

There is no one size fits all answer when it comes to picking a 5 wood or 3 hybrid. Both are very useful clubs and typically, quite easy to hit for everyday golfers. They’re much easier to hit than a 2 or 3 iron as even the best golfers on the planet struggle at times with these clubs. 

Here’s a quick recap about hybrids:

  • More versatile
  • Lower ball flight 
  • Easy to hit and more forgiving 
  • Shorter shaft allows for more control but limits distance 

While high lofted woods have their advantages too:

  • Longer off the tee
  • Higher ball flight 
  • Easier to hit off the tee when playing for position

Ultimately, you need to think about a variety of factors before pulling the trigger on the 5-wood vs 3 hybrid debate. Make sure to consider the ideal distance you want the club to go and have it gapped properly with your next longest club. That way you can avoid large distance gaps and get the best performance out of your long game. 

Take advantage of new technology so you can get the ball closer to the green or on in regulation. A large head vs. smaller irons will make a massive difference in your long club game.