I have a favorite Benross three wood which when I hit it flush can strike the ball so perfectly that I can attain distances nearly as far as with my driver. The five wood I have is also really nice.

There I was at the driving range happily slamming one ball after the other with that famous three wood. Each ball I hit better and it went farther. I felt like my body and mind were energized with some hidden force. I was completely without thought in a state of mind that couldn't be stopped no matter what.

I was snapped abruptly out of this euphoric mood when the club shaft broke just below the grip. In slow motion, the head of the club stopped in mid air, its weight magically balanced with the remaining shaft, rotating in mid-air along the axis defining the new center of mass.

The rotating length wobbled frantically in the air as it fell back to earth sliding just past my left ear, the jagged end of the shaft nearly penetrating my neck.

It all happened so quickly. As I held my follow through up high where it belong, I was frozen longer than usual at the finish, in shock and thinking whew that was a close one.

After I realized that I had barely survived near death on the driving range, I felt intense sadness that my dear, poor three wood had broken and was no more.

Turns out that in order to repair the shaft it'll cost me almost as much as buying a new wood. This one is no longer available, meaning that if I'd have to buy a later version which would no longer match my five wood.

For the time being I purchased a second-hand three wood as a temporary substitute until I find a better one. Who knows, if it works out I may just keep using it forever.