fairway woods ball flight

Question
first im 5'4" tall with a short back swing but generate very good swing speed about 100 mph with driver250 yds carry distance. my problem is i cannot get my 3 wood in the air and only carry it about 210 yds im currently using a regular shaft. how can i get it in the ball in the air my shot pattern is straight to a slight pull or draw im using a 13degree driver 44"  long and the three wood is 42 1/2" long and using ping irons that are 4 degreees flat lie and i hit these real good 7iron 165 yds.i generate my power from my leg drive and wieght shift not so much with turn please help i ask you this question because you to are short like me

Answer
Hello Scott:

Much like myself.  5'2", short backswing, about 265 with a driver.  I had the exact same problem, couldn't get my 3 wood airborne.  I tried many different clubs, lies, shafts, etc.  It really was finding the right head with the right shaft.  But if you hit a 13 degree driver, I would think your next club in your bag might be a hybrid of some sorts with 15-17 degrees of loft.  Do you have a hybrid Scott?  I would think you would want something with a small face, meaning something thin from top to bottom, like a hybrid.  The thin, smaller face will help lower the center of gravity of the club which would make it easier to get the ball up in the air.  Try some hybrids or try some 3 woods.  Make sure there is enough loft on them.  I would think you would need a stiff shaft, judging from the numbers you gave me.  7 iron 165 and driver 250 carry, you hit it plenty hard enough to use a stiff shaft.  Check out some hybrids, check out some shallow faced woods, and try to hit them before you purchase them.  I finally found a Titleist 3 wood with 15 degrees of loft that I have no trouble getting airborne.  It is about 2 years old now and is the traditional pear shaped head of the Titleist woods.  But it has a small, shallow face and a cambered sole (rounded).  The rounded sole helps get the ball airborne.  Most hybrids have a rounded sole, that is one reason why they are so easy to hit.  So do some checking around and see if you can't hit some shallow faced, 15-17 degree fairway woods or hybrids with a more rounded sole.  I bet you'll solve your problem.  Good luck Scott.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member