As drivers get bigger and keep you straighter and those new oh-so-easy-to-hit hybrids begin to fill more golf bags, one might think that the fairway wood might be going the way of the gutta percha ball. But fear not, there will always be room for that 3-wood. And for those who trust their lucky 5-wood, there is good news. The fairway wood is alive and well and is getting even better.
Equipment manufacturers are striving to take the success derived from their big drivers and making their collection of fairway woods, not only resemble their big brothers, but they also include much of the same technology. But like many younger siblings, they have a temper all their own. Need to reach that par 5 in two? Want to fly over that trouble in front of the green? That’s where the fairway wood comes in and wait until you see what’s in store at your local pro shop now!
What you will find in today’s fairway woods is a cleaner, hotter shot off the club face and improved stability based on the new technology that manufacturers are using in all their new offerings. You know what that means: they are easier to hit, making you a more confident golfer.
For instance, Callaway’s Big Bertha fairway wood offers a larger head but is incredibly easy to hit off the deck. The high launch and the forgiveness factor that’s built-in is making a club that used to be hard to hit, much easier.
Nike has turned out a fairway wood with a much lower profile head, but it’s thin, tempered steel face is designed to offer increased ball speed and the lower center of gravity comes from moving weight to the back of the club. It’s not just the big brother drivers getting all the new technology! There is even a rail on the sole of the club that reduces turf drag and makes it easier to hit, no matter the lie.
Tour professionals continue to rely on these clubs, even though the hybrid offerings have become more pronounced. In fact, Tiger Woods has Nike fairway woods in his bag, and does not carry a hybrid. Pros use them when drivers go awry and often, when certain holes demand a specific distance off the tee, it will be the fairway wood that is handed to them by their caddy.
Perhaps it’s time to upgrade the fairway woods that has been sitting in your bag. In the following pages, our testers have taken the latest offerings, and hit them on the range and at their clubs and you will read what they experienced with them. Find the description that best suits what you need from a fairway wood and then get to your local pro shop or golf club retailer and get one in your hands. This way, you can tell what’s best for you.
Once you do, lower scores and a more enjoyable day on the links will follow.
Adams Insight BUL www.adamsgolf.com | 800-709-6142 | $200
Unique Features: The Insight BUL utilizes patented Upside-Down technology to create a more stable head at impact. Combine that with a Power-Brazed titanium crown and stainless steel body, and the Insight BUL has maximum forgiveness on off-center hits. The thin titanium face gives it a high COR and low center of gravity.
Tester Comments: Solid Feel and Sound … Gets the ball airborne quickly … Really solid sound and great off the tee.
Bob Burns No Bananas www.bobburnscustomclubs.com | 920-991-9663 | $180
Unique Features: Slicers, say goodbye to the rough. That’s because the Bob Burns No Bananas fairway wood eliminates slices. Extra draw-inducing adjustable weight screws allow users to personalize the club to fit their swing. The offset hosel design helps promote a square clubface at impact, making accuracy the least of your worries.
Tester Comments: Got rid of my slice and added about 10 yards in distance to my shots … Not as good looking as my fairway wood, but it worked better by getting rid of my slice … This really does fight a slice.
Bridgestone J33 www.bridgestonegolf.com | 770-787-7400 | $249
Unique Features: The Bridgestone J33 makes good golfers even better. With an elastomer compound insert and a Tungsten weight, the J33 gives golfers a high ball velocity and an optimized center of gravity. Each shot has a solid feel and a true finish every time. You’ll love the consistency the J33 provides.
Tester Comments: Really classic look that just goes straight … Very forgiving and easy to hit from all lies, even out of sand … I could work this right or left, high or low – very nice fairway.
Callaway Big Bertha www.callawaygolf.com | 800-588-9836 | $199
Unique Features: The Callaway Big Bertha makes use of Variable Face Technology to maximize perimeter weighting and ball speed off the face. New S2H2 technology extends the shaft through the clubhead, increasing control and feel. The hollowed-out hosel makes it easier to distribute weight around the clubhead for even more stability and control.
Tester Comments: Really gets the ball in the air quickly and great distance … This was the easiest to hit fairway wood I’ve ever hit … Everything went straight, there was no sidespin or curve, awesome club.
Callaway X Hot www.callawaygolf.com | 1-800-228-2767 | $175 Steel $200 Graphite
Unique Features: Tru-Bore technology creates excellent feel and increased clubhead control in the Callaway X Hybrid, while the X-Sole design lowers the club’s leading edge so that the ball gets airborne quickly. S2H2 technology delivers an increase in perimeter weight to give this explosive hybrid more stability on off-center hits.
Tester Comments: Nice shape and sits square behind the ball … Hits good from all lies, even heavier rough … Solid sound and easy to hit off bare lies.
Cleveland HiBore www.clevelandgolf.com | 800-999-6263 | $219
Unique Features: Like the HiBore driver, the fairways use distance driven geometry to make hitting shots from the fairway easy. They have an inverted crown design, that aids in effectively placing the sweet spot right in the center of the clubface, helping a golfer attain maximum ball speed and the optimal launch for each fairway wood. The large face area minimizes any loss of distance on off-center hits.
Tester Comments: Every hit felt as if it was dead-center … Very Forgiving and high flying … Ball landed softly on the green on the par 5, but I missed the putt.
Dunlop LoCo Dart www.dunlopsport.com | 800-235-5516 | $119.99
Unique Features: The LoCo Dart features an innovative weight system that allows golfers to adjust their club’s center of gravity. Two aluminum weights and two brass weights give the LoCo Dart the versatility of some of today’s variable weight drivers, while keeping the control golfers expect to keep the ball going straight. The Stainless Steel body and face give a satisfying click and finish to every shot.
Tester Comments: Solid Club at a good price … Had fun adjusting weights … Not as long as some, but very playable.
MacGregor MacTec NVG2 Draw www.macgregorgolf.com | 800-841-4358 | $200
Unique Features: MacGregor’s new fairway wood combines the distance of a driver with new heel-side weighting that promotes a draw and renders the right-side rough a thing of the past. The two high-density tungsten weights in the clubhead minimize club rotation and twisting. The Cup Face 360 technology and 450 Maraging Steel face with plasma welding create tremendous distance that might make your driver jealous.
Tester Comments: All my shots had draw tendency and were longer than my normal fade … Shallow face made it easy to hit out of rough … Solid feel, but better for someone who slices the ball.
Mizuno F-50 www.mizuno.com | 800-966-1211 | $254
Unique Features: The Mizuno F-50 boasts a lightweight carbon crown, which allows extra weight to be added deeper in the club, lowering the center of gravity for more solid, high-flying shots. Mizuno’s Speed Plate design minimizes turf drag, meaning no lie is too ugly to hit a long, majestic shot from. CORTECH technology varies the thickness of the clubface, which aids in creating a higher initial ball velocity and more distance.
Tester Comments: Very Classic look and easy to hit … Ball gets up quickly and stays in the air a long time … Loved it off the tee box.
Nickent 4DX www.nickentgolf.com | 888-NICKENT | $199
Unique Features: The Nickent 4DX’s sweet spot is huge, and so is its MOI. This is due in part to brazing technology, which allows titanium to be fused with stainless steel without an extra adhesive agent. This means less wasted material and more force directed at the golf ball. Nickent’s XW Inserts provide the benefits of high-density weight screws without sacrificing any feel at impact.
Tester Comments: This was really long, almost as long as my driver…Looks great and feels even better, very solid performer … Even my bad swings got good results with this fairway wood.
Nicklaus Dual Point www.nicklaus-golf.com | 800-322-1872 | $170
Unique Features: The Nicklaus Dual Point hits the ball a long way. The club features an optimal face flex point for extra distance and a multi-layered face that expands the sweet spot. Thirty-five grams of weight are placed deep in the club to increase launch angle and optimize spin, making longer, straighter drives. The Dual Point is available in regular and offset models to suit any player’s game.
Tester Comments: A little unforgiving on my less than good swings … Very long and nice high ball flight, but off-center hits were less than forgiving … Loved the length and look of the club.
Nike Sasquatch Squared www.nikegolf.com | 800-806-6453 | $240
Unique Features: The Nike Sasquatch 2 is known for its distance, but it should be equally recognized for its proficience from any lie. This is due to its new Monorail Sole that cuts through any grass clumps, sand dunes, or worse. The Sasquatch 2 also features extra weight in the perimeter of its patented PowerBow, which moves the center of gravity further back for a higher launch and greater distance.
Tester Comments: This was awesome out of the rough, so easy to hit … Sits nicely behind the ball and flies straight and far, I am buying one … This is my new Old Faithful
Orlimar Fury Tour www.orlimar.com | 888-502-4653 | $170
Unique Features: The Orlimar Fury Tour’s patented Bi-Metal technology is made possible by plasma welding a titanium face and crown to a stainless steel body. This positions the center of gravity in an optimal spot for increased distance and forgiveness from any lie. The metal combination also strikes the perfect balance between club weight and feel. Each shot sounds great as it flies off the 6-4 titanium face.
Tester Comments: Solid fell at impact and glided through turf …Like the look although it demanded my best swings for good results … Not the most forgiving, but good on solid contact.
Ping Rapture www.pinggolf.com | 800-474-6434 | $299
Unique Features: The oversized titanium head on the Ping Rapture is one of the most forgiving in golf. The interal weight pad below the equator of the club increases the launch angle and reduces spin to produce long, high shots that slice less than most clubs. A robotically plasma-welded thin titanium face produces the same excellent result time after time, rewarding every good swing you make while minimizing the damage on poor swings.
Tester Comments: Very forgiving and easy to get in the air, even though it looks like it would be hard to hit off tight lies … Great off the tee ... Got lots of height from my fairway shots and works well enough from rough.
TaylorMade r7 Steel www.taylormadegolf.com | 800-888-CLUB | $200
Unique Features: Continuing its tradition of customization, TaylorMade has placed two movable weight ports in the high-strength steel body of the r7 Steel. The r7 Steel is extremely workable, making it an ideal choice off the tee on severe doglegs, or from the rough on a long hole with obstacles blocking the green. Perimeter TLC ports increase forgiveness on mis-hits and create a more stable clubhead throughout the swing.
Tester Comments: Great look and solid feedback at impact, loved it … Liked the moveable weights to customize ball flight … No the longest but might be the most playable fairway wood I tried.
TaylorMade Burner www.taylormadegolf.com | 800-888-CLUB | $235
Unique Features: Players with high swing speeds and a penchant for low scores can stop looking for a fairway wood right now. The Burner is back. TaylorMade claims that the Burner has the highest MOI of any fairway club in golf. The high MOI means the Burner is forgiving in direction and built retains a powerful transfer of energy through the ball. The Burner has a low profile with a far-back Center of Gravity, making these fairways extremely easy to hit.
Tester Comments: Nice low profile makes this easy to hit from any lie … This is long and straight and so easy to hit, it should be illegal … I reached a par-5 I never have gotten to before with this, it is the best I tried.
Tour Edge Exotics CB2 www.touredge.com | 800-515-3343 | $349
Unique Features: The CB2 features the same steel body with a titanium cup-face design as the original Exotics fairway. However, in the CB2 the titanium is lighter and the clubhead is stretched farther back for an even higher MOI and greater forgiveness than its predecessor. The CB2 has a high launch angle and lower spin rate making it easy to get the ball in the air. This results in a higher flying shot with less spin for greater distance
Tester Comments: I hit high flying shots that seemed to go forever … Great balanced look and easy to hit, a sweet feeling club … I don’t need my driver anymore.
Warrior Golf www.warriorcustomgolf.com | 800-223-0198
Unique Features: This new fairway woods is a progressive shallow-faced club combined with specially designed filament wound graphite shaft providing the lowest center of gravity possible for increased control and superior performance. And to give you the professional edge, each Warrior club is custom made exactly to your specifications for maximum results. This fairway provides the consistency and performance that produces increased confidence to improve your game.
Tester Comments: Never heard of Warrior, but these are great fairway woods … Easy to hit and very forgiving … this club really surprised me at how well it performed.
Wilson Staff Df6 www.wilsongolf.com | 773-714-6400 | $130
Unique Features: Wilson’s exclusive ETF technology gives its Df6 an enormous sweet spot, or “Hot Zone.” Whereas most woods suffer from a dispersal of energy at impact, the Wilson Staff Df6 has a built-in line of resistance that redirects energy back out through the clubface and into the ball. Wilson’s proprietary L-Pod weights in the back of the club increase the Df6’s launch angle and add forgiveness to all shots.
Tester Comments: Shots stayed in play no matter how badly I hit them … A good solid fairway club … Better for a higher handicapper.
