Putting a 3 wood shaft in the driver is an intriguing equipment experiment for golfers seeking more accuracy and confidence with their tee shots.
Testing shows that the shorter, heavier 3 wood shaft reduces shot dispersion while maintaining ball speed. By making it easier to locate the center of the clubface, a 3 wood shaft can lead to reduced slices and hooks.
If you struggle with the longer driver shaft, inserting a 3 wood shaft could be the answer to finding more fairways. Changing the shaft on your driver is also a straightforward process doable at home with some basic tools.
Read on to learn more about the potential benefits and simple process of installing a 3 wood shaft in your driver. It could be a game-changer!
3 Wood Shaft in Driver: Worth It?
Using a 3 wood shaft in your driver can help increase your confidence over tee shots. As 3 wood shafts are shorter than typical driver shafts, this makes it easier to find the center of the clubface consistently. This helps to reduce shot dispersion, increase accuracy, and find more fairways.
Why Put a 3 Wood Shaft in Your Driver?
There are two main reasons to put a 3 wood shaft in the driver:
- Comfort: Easier to use a shorter shaft
- Dispersion: Better accuracy off the tee
Let’s take a look at each reason in some more detail.
Comfort
The driver is an imposing club for many amateur golfers.
Often, it’s more difficult to hit consistently good shots with a longer shaft as there is less control over striking the center of the clubface.
The swing arc is long, and the club head speed is fast, yet the sweet spot of the driver head is relatively small. Essentially, lots can go wrong!
For many golfers, a shorter driver shaft is more comfortable to use. And by comfort, I mean confidence in the ability to find the center of the face.
Likewise, using a 3 wood shaft in the driver can help golfers regain control of their driver swing. This helps them to find the center of the clubface more consistently.
This feeling of comfort when standing over a tee shot generates confidence, which is vitally important if you want to hit fairways more consistently.
Dispersion
By increasing confidence over the ball, a shorter shaft in the driver can lead to decreased dispersion.
Dispersion is the measure of how far from left-to-right each of your shots span, and how far from back-to-front.
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Essentially, dispersion determines how accurate your shots are.
By using a 3 wood shaft with the big stick, amateur golfers are likely to see dispersion patterns decrease and accuracy increase. The shorter shaft makes it easier to find the center of the clubface, resulting in more fairways found.
Check out the video below, where Peter Finch tested both a 3 wood and driver shaft with the same Ping G400 driver head.
The results found that the 3 wood shaft outperformed the driver shaft, proving to be more accurate without compromising ball speed.
Are 3 Wood Shafts the Same as Driver Shafts?
We’ve touched on the main reasons why some golfers choose to put a 3 wood shaft in their driver. But what are the differences between 3 wood shafts and driver shafts?
Ultimately, there are two key differences:
- Shaft length: 3 wood shafts are shorter than driver shafts
- Shaft weight: 3 wood shafts are heavier than driver shafts
So, what’s the reason for these differences? And how do they affect the golf swing? Let me explain each variable in more detail.
Shaft Length
A major difference between 3 wood and driver shafts is the length of the shaft.
Usually, a standard driver shaft is between 45 and 46 inches.
By contrast, 3 wood shafts are a couple of inches shorter. The standard 3 wood shaft length is 43 inches for most manufacturers.
As mentioned earlier, shorter shafts can make it easier to locate the center of the clubface, with greater control of the club throughout the driver swing.
Shaft Weight
While 3 wood shafts are shorter than driver shafts, they are also heavier.
Typically, a 3 wood shaft weight is around 10 grams more than a driver shaft.
The main reason for this extra weight is accuracy, according to the U.S. Golf Teachers Federation. By increasing the shaft weight, the club becomes easier to control. This makes it easier to locate the center of the clubface.
How to Change the Shaft on a Driver
If you’re interested in changing the shaft on your driver, you’ll be pleased to know that the process is fairly straightforward and can be done at home.
Simply follow the steps below, and use the supporting video guide.
Before You Start
You will need a few tools to change the shaft on a driver:
- Vice with a rubber clamp
- Blowtorch or heat gun
- Work gloves
- Sandpaper
- Two-part epoxy glue
Let’s start by removing the driver head from the shaft.
Step 1: Remove the Existing Shaft
First, clamp the driver shaft horizontally into the vice. When doing this, make sure that you have clear access to the hosel.
Then, using either a blowtorch or heat gun, apply heat to the hosel. This is where the shaft connects to the driver head via glue.
Applying heat melts the existing glue, breaking the bond between the driver head and shaft.
After a few seconds, twist off the driver head to separate it from the shaft.
PRO TIP: It doesn’t require much heat to soften the glue – just apply heat for a few seconds on each side.
Step 2: Clean the Hosel
Next, remove excess glue residue in the hosel using a brush or a small drill bit. This step is important as it makes it easier for the new shaft to fit into the hosel.
You can also apply some denatured alcohol to ease the cleaning process.
Step 3: Insert the New Shaft
Next, mix the two-part epoxy into a smooth gel-like texture.
Apply a thin layer of epoxy inside the hosel, as well as a thin coating onto the prepped tip of the replacement shaft.
Place the tip of the shaft into the hosel, rotating it a few times for even coverage.
Finally, wipe away any excess glue and leave it to cure for several hours.
PRO TIP: Use a clean cloth and some denatured alcohol to help remove any fingerprints or epoxy residue.
The video below demonstrates how to change the shaft on a driver. Also, it shows how you can shorten a driver shaft rather than buy a new shaft.
Final Thoughts
In summary, there are two main reasons to put a 3 wood shaft in your driver:
- Comfort: Easier to use a shorter shaft
- Dispersion: Better accuracy off the tee
If your swing feels more comfortable with a shorter shaft, you should definitely consider the switch. It can help you find the center of the clubface, increasing accuracy and giving you the confidence to find more fairways with your driver.
However, if you do switch to a 3 wood shaft in your driver, I highly recommend you test it at the driving range and out on the course before making a final decision.
If you’re still struggling with accuracy off the tee, make sure your driver grip is correct. This can often be a flaw that leads to hooks and slices.
