What is the Best Fairway Wood?

The fairway wood is one of the most important weapons in your arsenal. Not only do you need a club that can get the ball cleanly off the short grass or dig out of thick rough, but you also need one that you can control off the tee. Accomplishing all these goals with clubs of previous generations was quite difficult for most golfers. However, modern technological advancements have allowed today’s designers to create multi-purpose fairway woods that are more effective and easier to hit from a variety of lies. Determining which fairway wood is best for you depends largely on your personal preferences and style of play, but understanding the features of some of today’s leading designers may help you choose.

Callaway

Callaway has long been one of the game’s leaders in driver and fairway wood innovation. Its original Big Bertha woods of the 1980s served as one of the most revolutionary designs in golf’s history. Since then, Callaway has not stopped paving the way in club design research. Its latest fairway wood edition, the X Hot, was recently awarded Golf Digest’s Gold certificate based on reviews by 34 scientists, retailers and amateur players. One of the most popular woods on tour, the X Hot was also the category leader for performance among all 2013 models, and its compact shape enhances the clubs versatility and speed. As in years past the Speed Frame face has been shown to increase ball speed, resulting in greater distance.

TaylorMade

TaylorMade has also been a forerunner in fairway wood design, originally for its Burner model of the 1970s — the first to feature a steel club head. Its Rocketballz fairway woods are widely popular among tour professionals, and its latest Stage 2 model was also a recipient of Golf Digest’s 2013 Gold award. Besides the white club head finish and adjustable weight system, the Rocketballz’s most notable feature is its Speed Pocket — a groove between the club face and body, which increases the flexibility of the face, and subsequently the ball speed. The Rocketballz also features a low center of gravity and shallow face for an extremely easy launch.

Titleist

Titleist has generally been a brand favored by more advanced golfers, and produces models that feature more classic designs, while also taking advantage of modern technological advancements. The company continued this trend with its 910 and 913 fairway woods, also recipients of Golf Digest’s 2012 and 2013 Gold awards. The 910/913 fairway woods pack cutting edge technology into a surprisingly classic look. Also containing an adjustable hosel and low center of gravity, the 910/913 boasts a Variable Geometry Face — an ultra-thin insert designed to generate maximum distance.

Golfers of varying levels has different brand affinities and are more comfortable playing certain brands. These are just a few examples from some of the top brands in golf. As always, the only way to figure out the best club for you is to get out on the course and play!