3-iron v 3-hybrid – what the data tells us
It’s a conundrum many golfers face, but it can be tricky to know which route to go down for this slot in the bag. Our data partnership with Arccos gives us greater insight into the actual performance differences of both these clubs from a data set of more than 300 million shots recorded over five million rounds. It unearthed a few interesting trends for this particular pickle.
The first is that the 3-iron is not dead. In fact, handicaps of 10 and below hit their 3-iron further than their 3-hybrid. This is likely because 3-iron shots will have lower spin and therefore run out more. It isn’t until we get to 17-handicappers that the 3-hybrid becomes longer.
The second trend is that golfers are selecting the 3-hybrid on shots where a 3-wood would be a better choice. Handicaps of 5 and under typically pull their 3-iron or 3-hybrid facing shots of 220-230 yards, but actually average 197-210 yards with their 3-wood.
Interestingly, for Arccos players in the 20- to 25-handicap range, the extra distance provided by the 3-wood’s loft, lie and shaft length is negligible (five to seven yards) over the 3-iron and 3-hybrid. With the 3-hybrid being a much easier club to get airborne off the fairway, and its dispersion being lower, it’s the smarter play for bogey golfers.
I feel like over a wide spectrum of shots, a 3-hybrid would produce more consistent results, but a 3-iron is a better play off the tee.