I'm thinking about doing this...

With my driver, I just have no confidence in hitting a draw. Probably because I was a slicer for so long. If I stand over a shot with driver in hand and the gameplan is to movie it right to left, it is usually just a recipe for disaster. There was a time when I was consistently hitting a 5-10 yard fade and I was always really confident in my driver. I need some work to get back to that, but I think with practice I can get there.

With 3-wood I don't have the same kind of mental issues. I can't always pull off the shot in my mind, but I have some decent success with hitting a draw. I think it could be a reliable shot for me with some work.

Does anyone else out there use this set-up (or vice versa)? Where you like to hit your driver left to right, but if you absolutely have to hit a draw off the tee then you can just hit your 3-wood? If so, how is it working for you?

I used to have your same issue, it was as simple as me standing to far away with my driver, step in 2 or 3 inches closer so it feels "uncomfortable" and swing your normal swing.

I think bagger is overthinking a little. I typically don't think about how I want to shape my drive until a few seconds before I start my swing. It's usually a power fade, but I'll often play a pull or slight draw.

But yes, I can draw my 3w (which is basically a 2nd driver... SLDR Mini 12*) easier than my driver. I can hit a 30-yard draw with my hybrid that goes forever if I really need it. I hit a slight draw or pull with my irons unless I'm too lazy to adjust my alignment and need to play a little cut.

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I think bagger is overthinking a little. I typically don't think about how I want to shape my drive until a few seconds before I start my swing. It's usually a power fade, but I'll often play a pull or slight draw.

But yes, I can draw my 3w (which is basically a 2nd driver... SLDR Mini 12*) easier than my driver. I can hit a 30-yard draw with my hybrid that goes forever if I really need it. I hit a slight draw or pull with my irons unless I'm too lazy to adjust my alignment and need to play a little cut.

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Overthinking = story of my life, man.

Usually I am fine just hitting a fade with the driver. I don't play super tight courses and it fits a lot of situations. Probably 9 times out of 10. But occasionally, the fade just doesn't look good to me from the tee box. Maybe a dog leg left or a big slice wind or big trouble on the right (when I miss with the fade it usually is because I overcook it and it becomes a nasty slice). I feel like my game would be stronger if I had a good shot available for those situations.

I was thinking just using a draw as my stock shot with a 3-wood might be a good solution.

Didn't read any of the other posts so sorry if I repeat any other advice, but I'm a big believer that ever swing should be the same. Wedges, short irons, long irons, fairway woods, and driver should all have the same swing. Now if you want to hit a draw you should have a draw swing that you can apply to every club. Same goes for a cut or fade. Having various swings for various clubs always ends in disaster. Having the confidence to hit it both ways with every club opens your mind to the course and gives you confidence. Now obviously that sounds too good to be true to some and it may very well be. So until you can do that I would say pick one swing, whether it be a draw, fade, or dead straight and hit it with every club. That is just my advice though and I'm a hack.

Just learn to hit it dead straight

Aren't most 3 woods designed to promote a draw? I don't know where I read that.

My shot most of the time is a draw. I can pretty much hit either a draw or fade with my driver (big hook or big slice as well:-)) but my 4 wood draws the majority of the time. I have to really get out there to hit a fade, but it's very easy to draw it and hook it when it's too much. Most of the time when I try to give it a fade instead of my natural draw, I just end up hitting it straight. It's very similar to how I hit my irons now that I think about it. My driver is one of the only clubs I can fade whenever I want.

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Aren't most 3 woods designed to promote a draw? I don't know where I read that.

My shot most of the time is a draw. I can pretty much hit either a draw or fade with my driver (big hook or big slice as well:-)) but my 4 wood draws the majority of the time. I have to really get out there to hit a fade, but it's very easy to draw it and hook it when it's too much. Most of the time when I try to give it a fade instead of my natural draw, I just end up hitting it straight. It's very similar to how I hit my irons now that I think about it. My driver is one of the only clubs I can fade whenever I want.

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Has mostly to do with the design and loft of a club. The relative lack of loft a driver has, makes it more difficult to draw and keep it airborne. A 15-degree fairway wood is much easier for most people to draw, including tour professionals. Just count how many 3 woods you see hit off of 10 and 13 at Augusta in a few weeks.

I tried to formulate the same thing yesterday but couldn't put it into words . Well said.

Yes, I hit my driver left to right and my 3-wood right to left. It works fine for me.

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I think bagger is overthinking a little. I typically don't think about how I want to shape my drive until a few seconds before I start my swing. It's usually a power fade, but I'll often play a pull or slight draw.

But yes, I can draw my 3w (which is basically a 2nd driver... SLDR Mini 12*) easier than my driver. I can hit a 30-yard draw with my hybrid that goes forever if I really need it. I hit a slight draw or pull with my irons unless I'm too lazy to adjust my alignment and need to play a little cut.

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How much can you get out of your SLDR mini? If I really catch one I can get it to the 260-270 range, but I have so many flaws in my swing I am horribly inconsistent. One will be out there, a few others may slice, and the other I may flub. At the moment Im just playing the SLDR mini and no driver because Im still not comfortable with the driver I got fitted for.

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I think bagger is overthinking a little. I typically don't think about how I want to shape my drive until a few seconds before I start my swing. It's usually a power fade, but I'll often play a pull or slight draw.

But yes, I can draw my 3w (which is basically a 2nd driver... SLDR Mini 12*) easier than my driver. I can hit a 30-yard draw with my hybrid that goes forever if I really need it. I hit a slight draw or pull with my irons unless I'm too lazy to adjust my alignment and need to play a little cut.

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How much can you get out of your SLDR mini? If I really catch one I can get it to the 260-270 range, but I have so many flaws in my swing I am horribly inconsistent. One will be out there, a few others may slice, and the other I may flub. At the moment Im just playing the SLDR mini and no driver because Im still not comfortable with the driver I got fitted for.

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I hit my SLDR mini 395 on the 1st hole yesterday. I turned it over bigtime & the hole plays 20+ yards downhill and plays right to left... and I live in Denver. As good as that drive was, I then overcooked it OB Left on 9 to ruin my great start (-5 thru 8).

In general, I hit my SLDR mini in the 330-340 range. I can hit it about the same as my current driver (R9 Supertri) if I swing hard. It doesn't feel all that great, but I really like the performance.

Well, my driver has put its foot down and said no more fading. Need to hit the range and decide if I want to fight it out or just play the draw.

Been working on this for a week or so, 3-4 range sessions

Sim driver 8 degree playing a power fade. Basically picking out the left side of fairway and anything 20-25 yards right is that is a good shot. I have no problem drawing anything so the drive is tuned to fade, weight in fade bias, club .75 degree low and 1.5 degrees open.
I probably hit 35 drivers with it and probably 28 landed in the good zone. Rest were right or pulled left. But it's getting better.
3 wood m4 14 degree is set up standard loft and lie with weight just slightly to draw bias. Aimed right side of fairway and anything 20 yards or less left of that was good. Here was pretty good. Out of 35 shots I think I left 2 out right of my intended line but both would have still been in play. A lot of good high draws, a few hooks that would have been left rough.

I'm going to try and stick with it. I can hit the driver a long way but I can't control the snap hook that ruins a round.