Picking up a great fairway wood is important for itâs the most important golf club in a golferâs arsenal. Fairway Woods have been quite popular but since the introduction of hybrid clubs, the usage has been on the decline. Often used in the Fairways as an alternative to drivers or golf blade irons. fairway woods are also referred to as a 3 wood or a 4 wood.
The woods get their name from the fact that their club heads used to be made from wood, but in more modern times they have been replaced with lightweight metals like graphite used in drivers. The main difference between a fairway wood and a driver is the decreased height of the shaft and the smaller head of the driver.
Ultimate Product - Callaway Men's XR Fairway Wood
- Higher Ball Speed And Forgiveness Across The Face We've developed a lighter, thinner next generation Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup; It makes the face up to 36% thinner to increase ball speed
- More Distance And Versatility For Any Shot A 20% lower CG, 200 rpm less spin and even more ball speed are what we get when we move the weight low and forward with our re-engineered Internal Standing Wave
- Completely Redesigned Head Shape You can see by the look of these clubs that they have flatter leading edges and a higher toe; The face height is shallower vs. X2 Hot for players who use these clubs mostly from the fairway
Last update on 2019-07-25 at 18:22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Over the past few years, no one has put more time into the design of their woods than Callaway. From Big Berthas to X Hots, they have produced a wide range of options to meet all golfersâ needs. The XR has now arrived to take the place of the X Hot, claiming to give more speed than any club prior.
Most Forgiving Fairway Woods In The Market
Last update on 2019-07-25 at 18:22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best 3 Woods Golf Club Reviews
â Top Pick â
1. Adams Golf Most Forgiving Fairway Wood
Specifications
Adams golf has spent a good time and effort in making the club as adjustable and user-friendly as possible. With a choice of either 13, 15 or 18-degree models and the heads being paired with a lightweight 70g Mitsubishi Kuro Kage shaft, it really is a great partnership.
The Adams Golf super LS wood has been designed to have a titanium crown and face which are welded onto a stainless steel sole. This makes the LS extremely hot with shots off the face, giving a spring effect which is near to the USGAâs legal limit, but it does have a low center of gravity which Adams claim gives a 20% higher ball launch than on their previous models.
PROS:
â˝ Performs well in a number of situations. From sand too tight lies.
â˝ Shots are still straight even on off-center hits.
â˝ Has a professional and sleek look
â˝ Slimmer version of TaylorMadeâs best-selling
CONS:
â˝Not as much forgiveness as many people were expecting..
â˝ Many people noticed slower swing speeds when using this club.
â˝ Many people are not fans of the white head and white shaft.
Conclusion
This is quite possibly one of the best fairway woods on the market today, having seen a number of professionals use it on tour. The feel of the club is natural and traditional, especially when it came to impact with the ball, as well as the sound. Many people donât like the high price point, but in our opinion, we believe it is one of the best quality golf fairway woods out there.
â Top Picks â
2. Cobra Menâs Strong 3 Wood
Last update on 2019-07-25 at 18:22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Specifications
â Speed Channel Face
â Crown Zone Weighting Technology
â Forged E9 Zone Face Structure
â MyFly8 Technology
â SmartPad Technology
The Cobra Fly-Z fairway wood has a new face which Cobra says expands the sweet spot by up to 20%. As well as this new face, they have added in a speed channel around the edge of the face. There are two benefits to these, which are allowing the face to flex more and it helps to save weight around the face which can be moved to what they call the Cobra CG Zone.
PROS:
â˝ Playability â The Cobra Fly-Z produces a low but consistent flight with a great run out. Going through several testing stages, we found that it was easy to work for both left and right shots.
â˝ Distance â Many players feel that this club gives a huge amount of power when teeing off. But, others donât really see the increased speed results but hugely appreciate the forgiveness.
â˝ Look â The look of the head with a contrasting face helps to give better alignment when it comes to shots.
CONS:
â˝ This club is not for those people who are looking for a high ball flight.
â˝ Is very restrictive and best suited to for professional or more advanced players.
â˝ High handicappers may struggle from rough or uneven lines.
Conclusion
The overall aesthetics of the club gives you a big boost in confidence for the club and ideally, it should help improve your performance. With the heavier head design, you will definitely feel the weight on the swing and be able to hit with more accuracy, helping to improve consistency and ball flight.
â Top Pick â
3. Callaway Menâs Best 3 Woods For High Handicappers
Last update on 2019-07-25 at 18:22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Specifications
â Higher Ball Speed
â More Distance And Versatility For Any Shot
â Completely Redesigned Head Shape
â It produces maximum shaft load during the downswing
â 16% larger sweet spot
Over the past few years, no one has put more time into the design of their woods than Callaway. From Big Berthas to X Hots, they have produced a wide range of options to meet all golfersâ needs. The XR has now arrived to take the place of the X Hot, claiming to give more speed than any club prior.
PROS:
â˝ The shallow face helps to launch the ball easily.
â˝ Overall the club offers a more compact head size/shape and gives more fade bias.
â˝ The clubs are long and extremely forgiving, great for those beginner and amateur golfers.
CONS:
â˝ Many people donât like the fact that it isnât adjustable.
â˝ Normal ball flight was low for some people.
â˝ Some people would prefer a softer vibration on impact.
â˝ Golfers have said that it does take a long time to get used to.
Conclusion
For stronger golfers this would definitely be ideal, the XR delivers a powerful flight and consistent shots. You can use the XR to tee off or on the fairway and have a great number of results. It is a strong wood that offers something different than some of the other clubs from Callaway. The long shaft helps to give a great swing and the XR club is just as easy to hit with similar to all the other clubs in the Callaway range. If you are looking for more speed and loft whilst out on the fairway, then this is definitely a club you should take into account.
â Top Pick â
4. TaylorMade Menâs Most Forgiving 3 Wood
Last update on 2019-07-25 at 18:22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Specifications
â New aerodynamic shape
â Highest strength face material
â PVD face and linear AeroBurner crown graphic
TaylorMade has produced the AeroBurner to replace their previous model the Jetspeed Fairway. With the Aeroburner R15 being aimed at players who are more experienced and are looking to have a low, forward center of gravity. Not only this but golfers who also want more forgiveness and increased ball speed. When the R15 was created, TaylorMade brought something new to the market, it has the first sliding weight track available on a fairway wood. The 25-gram weight which is available to slide can be positioned either closer to the heel or the toe depending on the bias you want.
PROS:
â˝ Performs well in a number of situations. From sand too tight lies.
â˝ Shots are still straight even on off-center hits.
â˝ Has a professional and sleek look.
â˝ Slimmer version of TaylorMadeâs best-selling
CONS:
â˝ Not as much forgiveness as many people were expecting.
â˝ Many people noticed slower swing speeds when using this club.
â˝ Many people are not fans of the white head and white shaft.
Conclusion
This is quite possibly one of the best fairway woods on the market today, having seen a number of professionals use it on tour. The feel of the club is natural and traditional, especially when it came to impact with the ball, as well as the sound. Many people donât like the high price point, but in our opinion, we believe it is one of the best quality golf fairway woods out there.
â Top Pick â
5. Cleveland Golf High Lofted Fairway Woods
Specifications
â HiBore Crown
â New launcher cup-face
â Unique flex-fins
The Cleveland Golf 588 Fairway Wood is a fixed hosel club. It is available in 4 loft types, these are 14, 15.5, 18 and 20.5 degrees. The 14 and 20.5 degrees are made for right-handed golfers only, whilst the 15.5 and 18-degree heads are produced in both left and right hand.
PROS:
â˝ Launch the ball with minimal amounts of effort.
â˝ Works great even when in the rough.
â˝ Higher skilled players can turn over shots with minimal effort.
â˝ Forgiveness â There are a number of things Cleveland golf has done to ensure the club is accurate on mishits and off-center hits remain on the course/in a straight line.
â˝ Mishits still go a fair distance.
CONS:
â˝ Many people have claimed that they lost distance when using this club.
â˝ There is a hard draw bias for hard swingers.
â˝ Can be difficult to hit the ball cleanly.
Conclusion
We feel that there has been a good amount of research put into this wood to make it the ideal club for any golfer. This club has a good amount of forgiveness which means that you can hit clean shots all day without then being centered to the face. We found that nothing distracted us whilst using this club which helped to focus on the game.
What Are Fairway Woods?
There are a number of factors that we believe make up the best fairway wood and we believe that we have come up with the best way to rank them. We have gone through a huge range of woods that are available currently on the market, using our scoring system to pick out only the best few we believe to be worth your time. We selected clubs that were a wide range in terms of handicaps and different lengths, club weight and much more. All of the factors we measured makes us believe that we have come up with the best few clubs which you can purchase right now.
When Should You Use These Golf Woods?
Of course, the title fairway woods gives a good indication of where you should be putting these woods to use, on the fairway. But many people donât know when exactly they should be using them whilst they are on the fairway and which number to use. Ideally, if the end hole is around 450 yards from the tee-off point to the green then you would use wood over a driver to hit to the green. This means that you wonât over hit the ball and end up either in the roof or out of bounds. It is recommended to use wood if you are more than 175 yards away from the green.
Should I Get A Fairway Wood Or A Hybrid?
One of the problems that many golfers face is the decision of whether to purchase a fairway wood or hybrid. Both clubs have a very unique role to play when it comes to your game on the course, sometimes their functions will overlap and it is important that you need to choose something which will give you the most benefits and improve your performance easily. There is a great amount of choice to select when it comes to both woods and hybrids. It all comes down to the golferâs personal preference and what they are looking to get out of their club set.
What To Look For In The Easiest Fairway Woods To Hit?
Handicap â High, Low Or Mid
When purchasing golf clubs for beginners or experienced player it is always a good idea to take into account your handicap level. This will help to determine your performance and experience that you will get out of the club for your purchase. The highest handicappers would be best with a club which allowed for more loft usually around a wood 3, this will allow for a more solid hit. Mid and low-level handicappers will want to go with a club that has a lower loft, but it is important that a club is selected to make shots from the fairway easy and comfortable.
Length
Lengths of fairway woods greatly depend on the manufacturer and are still definitely something that should be taken into account when looking to buy wood. When it comes to fairway woods the higher the number the shorter it tends to be. The 3 wood would be around 42-43 inches and a 5 wood will be around 41-42 inches and the 7 wood is around 40-41 inches in length. If you donât have the budget to purchase more than 1 fairway wood then it would be best to select one which is appropriate to your handicap.
Head Design
The head design is by far the most important part of any fairway wood club head. This being the main part where the ball comes into contact with the club, making it the most important piece of any fairway wood. The overall shape and size of the club head will have a big impact on how the wood plays. The broader the face of the club the more efficient it will be from teeing off but, the more shallow the face, hitting the balls out in the fairway will be much easier. There is also the ability to have a flat bottom edge, this will allow you to strike the ball cleanly from tight positions.
Head Size
When it comes to the head size of a fairway wood, they are usually a similar size to drivers. But, there are many different variations produced by manufacturers that give the club different properties. If you find yourself with a shallower design you will find that there is a high amount of loft. With a much deeper head, you will find that it will keep the ball on a lower flight path.
Adjustability
Although not as common in drivers, some manufacturers are going down the route of adding adjustability into their fairway woods, which allows the player to adjust their ability to customize the club to get a better swing and change settings under the conditions. There are a number of different ways that these fairway woods can be adjusted, mainly 3 different aspects.
Loft
As many people are aware, the loft decides how far and high the ball will travel. In technical terms, this is known as the trajectory. It is a good idea to purchase a fairway wood that has an adjustable loft, these days most fairway woods come with an adjustable hosel so you wonât need to worry about looking for a specific type of club to be loft adjustable. The ideal amount of loft a good fairway wood should supply is around 5 degrees.
When changing the loft of the wood it will also change the lie which is the angle of the shaft to the ground at address. Changing the lie will also have an impact on the horizontal flight of your shot and ball flight. Some of the adjustable hosels will allow you to change the angle of the loft without affecting the lie angle, which is something you should look out for when you are coming to purchase your fairway wood.
Adjustable clubs are made to allow for a more optimized ball flight and overall performance so it would be best to pick a loft and lie which will allow for you to get exactly what you want from your fairway wood.
Face Angle
Another aspect that can be adjusted in many clubs in the face angle. This is the angle of the face at address. A square face angle will sit perpendicular to the target with an open clubface facing away from the player, with a closed clubface being faced towards the player. An open clubface will decrease the loft from a shot whilst having a closed face will increase it.
The face angle is down to personal preference but it should be noted that it will have an impact on the ball’s flight. A closed clubface may help those players who tend to slice their shots whilst an open face will help those players who have a tendency to hook the ball.
Moveable Weights
Although these are less common in woods, there are many manufacturers who offer clubs that have weighted screws or as they are also known moveable weights. This will help to manipulate the weight and where it is placed at the clubhead, which in turn will have a bigger influence on the flight of the ball. These weights are only adjustable as part of a custom fit process rather than by the actual golfer, so it is important to check it is possible to fine-tune with the manufacturer before purchase.
Materials
Steel
One of the most common materials used is steel and this is due to the durability it provides. Many of the fairway woods currently on the market will have their heads constructed with steel due to the head being smaller than what is required in a good golf driver. Steel gives a strong yet forgiving element which helps with those who have a harder time hitting centered shots. It being an inexpensive metal helps to reduce the overall price of the club as well as being easily manufactured in a smaller head.
Titanium
The second most common material used in fairway woods is titanium. This is mainly down the lightweight nature it offers and makes it ideal to be used as the material on the face of fairway woods. It is common that titanium is reserved for those heads that are slightly larger. Titanium is becoming more and more common amongst manufacturers due to its lightweight and tensile properties.
Thanks to the lightweight properties of the material are meant that the face can be thinner than other materials which help to reduce weight and decrease the center of gravity. This helps to improve the forgiveness of the club making it great all-round, even on off-center hits. There is only one small downside to using titanium in the club and this is the price tag, putting these fairway woods at the top of anyoneâs budget.
Composite
There are a small amount of composite material woods making their way into the marketplace, which lighter materials like carbon being placed on the crown or at the rear of the clubhead which allows for manufacturers to lower the overall weight of the head and around the perimeter. This helps to make the club on par or better for forgiveness than titanium. Some of the models use heavier materials such as tungsten which help to shift the weight into the perimeter helping to increase overall forgiveness.
Shafts
Steel Shaft
There are a huge amount of positives when it comes to a steel shaft as well as some negatives. With the main benefit of a steel shaft being the high amount of vibrations that go up the shaft to the playerâs hands. The more professional and regular golfers prefer this as it gives nice feedback to them. Many players are able to tell exactly what they have done wrong or right by simply feeling these feedback vibrations. A steel shaft tends to be a fair amount heavier than a graphite shaft, this will have an effect on the swing speed and control of the club overall.
Graphite Shaft
Graphite shafts are much more lightweight than steel shafts, which result in better swing speed and overall shot distance. This will be greatly beneficial to any players who have a slower swing tempo. Many golfers are able to increase their distance at least 5 yards with each club. These shafts help make an easier swing for those who have issues with their arms, hands or back as it is less weight to put through the swinging motion. Vibrations on a graphite shaft are usually more muffled on mishits which in turn makes them less stressful on the playerâs hands.
Must Read The Detail Reviews On:
Benefits Of Using The Good Quality Fairway Wood Sets Ever
Accuracy
Having a fairway wood does help to increase your overall accuracy whilst on the course. There are several main reasons for this, mainly being that they are made from steel and are often more forgiving. Often leading to the club hitting straight even when the ball is hit off-center. Ensuring that you have a great amount of accuracy will help you in difficult spots and also will make sure that you can hit straight even on the fairway. Having a fairway wood with a weighted head and lighter shaft also means that you are able to get a better and more accurate swing.
Versatility
One positive benefit of using a fairway wood is that it can be used in a huge range of different positions and functions. If you are on a smaller course that has the end hold around 450 yards away, you would use your fairway wood to tee off, which would help prevent any overhit and unnecessary power. Whilst on the fairway, these woods will have adjustable hosels which will help with increasing or decreasing the loft. Not to mention many of the woods now come with an adjustable weight set to help you choose where and how much weight should be in the head. If you are a golf lover you may also like to read about golf yardage finders.
Workability
The ability to have a huge amount of control over where the ball is going either left or right. Having the ability in the club to produce a shot like this will help you to play to your strengths as well as getting to the correct position for your next shot. Many fairway kinds of wood have a great amount of workability which will help many golfers to manage their shots. Making a decision and being able to execute is a big thing for many golfers. Ensuring that you have a workable fairway wood is definitely not a bad thing.
Style
Having a club that has a great look will not only improve your confidence on the course but it will also help to make you look more professional whilst youâre playing. Style is a major factor for many golfers, this is mainly down to personal preferences and the fact that they want a good looking wood. But, it is important that you donât just select wood based on its appearance alone, although this should be a big factor in the decision-making process. Ensure that you have considered all the other variables and features of woods before selecting one because of the style.
What Are The Fairway Wood Degrees?
When it comes to explaining the loft degrees for fairway woods it can be difficult. There are two types of woods, first of all, these being strong and standard. Strong wood has a lower loft than the standard wood, even when they are the same number. This means that there is a lower but longer shot when compared with the regular club. Wood sizes also represent their length within a set, a strong wood which a similar loft angle to the club below it, with a similar shaft length will give better control for many players. Given in simple numbers there are woods that have angles as low as 13 degrees ranging right up to 22 degrees.
What Mistake To Avoid With Your High Launch Fairway Woods?
There are many common mistakes made by a number of golfers when it comes to using their fairway woods. These are:
Positioning
Many people donât realize that their overall stance and posture affects how their swing turns out. Usually, people blame this on the balance on their club but for some, it will be less noticeable, the reason being they may have a more forgiving club which makes mistakes less noticeable.
Lifting The Club HeadÂ
It is important that the clubhead is swept back instead of lifted. In order to avoid this, you should sweep the club head along the ground to help create an extension on your backswing. This will be at the point your natural hip and shoulder turn lifts the clubhead from the ground instead of your arms doing the lifting.
Conclusion
As more hybrids begin to come onto the market, it is important to note that best fairway woods are still hugely relevant. In order to get the most out of them, it is good to make an educated choice and there are a huge number of points throughout this article which will help you to make that decision. However, make sure that you read through other fairway wood reviews before making your final decision. If it is possible you should ensure that you try out the club before purchasing as this will help you to select a club that is best suited to your game style.
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