Love Hate is the best description....Love it off the deck or in light rough...Hate it off the tee

I used to fear the 3 wood also until I decided to get a 5 wood I could hit that club amazing it was a little more forgiving and easier to manage over a 3 wood. So I got rid of the 3 wood until a few years ago when I was going to replace the 5 wood I tested a few 3 woods and realized that I could now hit them. Now I will take out my 3 wood all the time no fear.

Lessons, with your local pro.

I had the same problem. I was able overcome it by making sure i turn hard through the ball and this allowed me to be able get rid of one of my misses. Allowing me to account for my miss and play better.

A committed string of practice on the range is the best remedy. But get some work in w/ a teaching professional to see if there are any flaws in your swing to start.

To answer your first question, I LOVE my 915F 3W. No lie, I've made two eagles that were inside 5ft with my 3w on two short par 4's (270 yrds, and 280 yrds).

A tip to help you hit it better, learn to brush the ground with your woods. Feel like you're skipping the sole on the turf. Was the tip that really helped me out.

-J

I used to fear it. I do find that some days I need to think a little differently about the way that I swing it, but usually one small swing thought helps it. When I used to struggle, the key for me was thinking about my left knee. If I kept that still with the right swing, I'd smash it where I wanted. If I move/sway/slide, it can go either way.

Try it, or have someone take a video of you and find out what you're doing.

Had the 915 also and exactly like yourself I could not get consistent with it. It's the one club I've always had trouble with that Titleist make. Sound is so hollow and it's hard to know if you are really hitting it well. Unfortunately I had to take it out of the bag.

Maybe try and back off a little- do some range work and choke up on the club with smaller swing till you can build it back up again. If that's not it, you might need to go with a pro or video like others offered/suggested to fix that.

Generally 3 woods are easier than a driver.

I had a 913 and now love my 915.

You are coming too far from inside to out on your path. I've battled that a few times.....

Alot of good advice I'll have to try out. I guess that it all boils down to practicing more with that particular club.
Thanks TT!

I used to fear the 3W. Now I have confidence in it most days, provided I am swinging well with all my other clubs that day.

For a 2 year period when I was struggling with FWs, I took my Titleist 909 3W out of the bag and put a low-profile png 4W in to use off the fairways. My next club down at the time was a 19* 913H. The low-profile 4W gave me more confidence on thin lies. After a couple years playing the 4W, I added a Titleist 915 3W, but only used it off the tee when I needed less-than-driver distance. After gaining some confidence with the 4W swing, every now and then when my ball sat up in real light/short rough, I would hit the Titleist 3W. I hit it so well I started trying to hit it off the fairway more and more, with great success. Eventually, I took the png out of my bag, added a 915 5W and find I use the 3W every time I need distance from the fairway or light rough. The 915 5W is relegated to special lie situations and/or a specific distance range. I am now about as confident with my 3W as I am with any mid iron or longer club in my bag. Rarely do I have an unacceptable result with it. Once you start to trust your swing, hitting a 3W isn't that much harder than hitting hybrid or 4 iron. You just have to swing through the ball and make a complete body turn. Once you start making solid center contact with a good turn through the ball, you will start to love your 3W.

My bag is 100% Titleist now, but in part, it is so as a result of gaining confidence off the fairway with that old png 4W, which was the only non-Titleist club in my bag at the time.

I love mine and off the tee, just a few yards behind my driver. Love the flight, accuracy and the distance is unreal. Off the deck, I have to remember to not to over swing and ball position. Go see your pro, he will take care of you in a few short swings. This club is a monster if you play under control.

I love my 913Fd, off the tee I'm more accurate/consistent than with my driver but off the deck I'm less accurate than my 4 iron.
I think a couple of lessons with a pro should be able to help you

I never hated my 3 wood but my 915f 5 wood is so easy to hit and so long that I don't even own a 3 wood at this point. Sometimes you gotta just go with what works.

I used to fear it off the deck and the tee. That changed for me with the 915 fairway. After a bit of shaft tinkering I got to where I could hit it fairly well. The key for me ended up being ball position. I used to play the ball too far forward for a fairway wood. Once I played it back a little, it worked a lot better.

I got the 917F2, 16.5 wood, and its been great. A little shorter shaft, a little more loft, very easy to elevate off the turf, but still fantastic off the tee. Its been the best 3/4wd I have ever used.

I have a 915F set to C3. I have learned to love mine...I previously had a love hate relationship with the 3w. I have found that when I struggle it is because I am standing too far from the ball (thinking I will hit it harder/farther). I now know to not stand too far and let the club do what it is suppose to do with out me trying to help it (lol).

Mid- to High- handicappers often have trouble with the lack of forgiveness with the length and loft of a 15 degree fairway. Working with a professional to evaluate your swing, you can work on the best length/loft fit for your swing. 16.5-18 is suitable for a wide range of players. BTW, the 917 smokes the 915, all else equal. I wouldn't have said that about the 913/915 versions.

Dan O, what are the distinct differences in performance between the 917 and 915? I currently still game the 915 woods (Driver and 3w) but I was considering doing a Titleist Thursday to compare the two.

I was having the same struggles as you with my 915Fd 3-wood. I had a private lesson last week and the pro took one look at my swing and the ball flight and knew something was off. I was "custom fit" for the 915Fd, but it was not done well. He switched out his heavier 3-wood shaft into my 3-wood and I started to hit the 3-wood SO much better. I would maybe see if your shaft if you dont have the correct shaft in it.