If you want to be able to drive the ball a long distance then you want to make sure that you have a driver that is capable of doing so. There are certain things that can cause a driver to not act the way you want it top resulting in a missed opportunity and a duffed or missed ball.
In order to avoid this from happening as much as possible, we have created a fairway woods buying guide that you can use in order to be able to make sure that you are buying a good quality club. We have also come up with a list of our top five picks for the best fairway woods on the market so that you can have some examples of some of the quality products that are on the market.
Top 5 Best Fairways Woods for the Money
ratings based on value, quality, and performance
What To Look For In A Fairway Wood
Hand orientation:
This is a simple thing that you likely already know unless you are new to the golfing world. Always make sure that you are buying the proper orientation of club for your needs. If you didn’t already know, clubs can be right or left handed and if you want to be able to shoot properly and effectively it is essential to make sure that you are buying the correct handed club at the checkout.
Brand Name:
Especially when it comes to golf, a lot of us like to stick with our favorite brands or the same brand as the rest of our golf clubs. This is reasonable as it just makes the golf club look like it is meant to be in your set of clubs. However, you really are limiting yourself by not opening yourself up to purchasing clubs that are made by different brands and you may want to reconsider. Especially if you get the chance to try out new clubs before you purchase them, you definitely should. Technology keeps advancing in the golf club world and the club you may be able to hit a long distance with now may hardly compare with the club that is sitting out there waiting for you to pick up in the near future. Do your research and find something that works for you that will help your golf game out the most.
Flexibility:
If you want to be able to hit the ball a long distance while putting in minimal effort, club flex is going to be your friend. A lot of the time, you will be able to choose the flex of the club at the checkout to suit your needs and playing style. Some people have a much harder time swinging a flexible club if they normally have a fast swing. A fast swing combined with a flexible club can result in a ball going a really long distance, but you can lose a lot of accuracy in your shot. Normally you will see flex options such as regular, senior, stiff and sometimes even options like extra-stiff.
How important is the “sweet spot”?
Depending on how much you golf, you may or may not know what a “sweet spot” is. This term is a golfing term that is used in order to explain the size of the location on the face of the club in which when you hit the ball, the ball travels straight and in the direction that you were aiming. Missing the “sweet spot” when you swing can result in a duffed ball or it can result in the ball zooming off to one side or another away from the direction you were aiming. Sometimes on a club, you will find that the sweet spot is actually marked directly on the face of the club, to show you where you need to line up the ball when you swing. It is important to realize that all clubs have a sweet spot in their designs and if you want to be able to hit the ball effectively to the location you are aiming, you will also want to pay attention to the “sweet spot” of a club when you purchase it. The larger the sweet spot is, the easier it is going to be to be able to hit the ball to the location that you desire. However, a larger face is what you are going to find a club that is harder to swing has (a wood) so just keep in mind that “sweet spot” size can vary and bigger isn’t always better, but in most cases it is.
The Shaft:
If you don’t see flex options for your golf club available, this may mean that it is made from a steel shaft. A steel shaft does not offer anything in the way of flex, but it does offer a heavier club. Some people prefer the feeling that a steel shaft gives, especially if they swing their club at a fast speed on their follow through. Graphite is the type of shaft that you will generally find in a club that has flex options at the checkout and it is generally the more expensive type of club largely due to the extra power that can be gained from having a bit of flex in the shaft of the club.
Loft:
You should always make sure that you check out the degree of loft on any club before purchasing it. The degree of the loft has a direct impact on how far you can hit the ball as well as how high the ball will travel up in the air. For a fairway wood, it is generally recommended to try to search for something that has a loft angle that is around 15-23 degrees depending on which wood you are purchasing. A three wood would be on the lower side of the scale, while a seven wood, would be on the higher portion of the scale.
Surface interaction:
Since, unlike a driver, you are swinging at a ball that isn’t located on a golf tee, you are going to want to make sure that the club you are thinking of purchasing is going to drag on the ground as little as possible. Fairway woods aren’t as long as regular drivers and you should try to make sure that the club you are purchasing is the proper size for your body type, before deciding on what club you are buying. The smaller the club is, the easier it is going to be for you to be able to swing it properly, which is why irons are easier to hit than a driver. However, you want something that still allows you to be able to hit the ball a long distance and most of all feels comfortable to use, which is the most important thing in terms of improvement over time.
Our Favorites: Fairway Woods Reviews
Adams Golf Tight Lies Fairway Wood Review
image courtesy of Walmart
If you are on a budget and you want to get a fairway wood, you should definitely make sure you take a look at this club. This is a very nice club made by Adams that can be customized at the checkout to suit your golfing needs. This club uses a graphite shaft in its design and is definitely capable of producing some awesome fairway shots when used correctly.
Pros
- The golf club is available in both a left-handed as well as a right-handed design
- The unit comes in a regular, senior or a stiff flex so that you can get something that suits your style
- The loft on this club can either be 16 or 19 degrees at the checkout
- This clubs is designed to have minimal impact with the ground so that you can hit the ball a longer distance
- The lower price tag of this club helps it to appeal to a broad spectrum of people
- Large “sweet spot” on the club will help to ensure a more accurate shot time after time
- Lightweight design of this club makes it easy and fast to swing, which produces a further hit
Cons
- May not come in the loft that you desire to fit properly in with your other clubs
Verdict
This highly customizable club is the ideal club for someone who is running on a tight budget. This club can be modified to fit into many golf bags, no matter your orientation or flex preferences. It is hard to beat a fairway wood for this low of a price tag, especially considering the fact that this club is built to be able to have very little minimal ground impact. This design is definitely one that you should consider if you want to save some money on a fairway wood, but still, want something capable of being able to hit the ball a long distance away.
Callaway Men’s Big Bertha V Series Heavenwood Review
image courtesy of Jet.com
If you have a moderate budget for a fairway wood and you want to get a club made from one of the biggest brand names in golf, you should make sure that you check out this club. This is a right-handed design and is available in a variety of different flexes according to your needs. The unit is capable of hitting the ball at great speeds without the use of a tee and it is designed to be of use in almost every golfer’s bag.
Pros
- The head of this club is designed to be lightweight in order to provide maximum speed and shot distance
- The unit is designed to launch the ball high up into the air and therefore does not have much impact on the ground
- The golf club comes available in a regular, senior and a stiff flex design according to your needs
- This golf club has a graphite shaft, which will help you to be able to launch the ball further distances with ease
- Fairly large “sweet spot” on the club will allow you to hit a long distance almost every time
- The lightweight design of this club makes it extremely easy to handle and assists in allowing you to be able to shoot the ball a long distance
Cons
- The club has a bit of a higher price tag, which partially may be due to the brand name of the club
- The unit only comes with a 20.5-degree loft, which may not be one that you are interested in
Verdict
As long as the loft of this club works for you and you don’t mind paying a bit of money to be able to purchase the unit, you are not going to be disappointed with the results that this club can provide. This is a very high-quality club and since you have the ability to be able to change the flex of the unit to suit your needs, it is hard to dislike what this club is capable of.
TaylorMade Men’s AeroBurner Fairway Wood Review
image courtesy of TaylorMade
If you are looking to get a club made by one of the biggest names in golf and price isn’t an issue, you will definitely want to make sure that you check this one out. This is an awesome club that has a ton of customizations that you can choose from to suit your needs. The club uses a graphite shaft and is definitely a club that is capable of shooting the ball both accurately as well as a long distance when you are shooting off of the fairway.
Pros
- The unit is available in both a left as well as a right-handed orientation
- The club comes in a regular, senior, a stiff option as well as an extra stiff flexibility option
- The unit comes in five different angles of loft so that you can get anything you need for your bag
- The “sweet spot” on this club is quite large allowing you to be able to maintain a long distance, accurate shot on a regular basis
- This is one of the most eye-appealing clubs money can buy thanks to the white matte finish and stylish head design
- Aerodynamic technology in the head of this club will allow you to be able to swing faster and drive the ball further
- High-strength face on this golf club will keep your shots consistent, no matter how long you golf
Cons
- The product definitely carries a higher price tag along with it
- The design of this club may not match that of the other clubs in your bag if you don’t have a set of TaylorMade clubs
Verdict
As long as you can afford the higher price of this club and you don’t mind having a fancy looking club sitting in your bag, you are going to be thrilled with what this club brings to the table. With all of the customizations you can do to this club at the checkout, you are going to be able to take quality shots with this fairway wood time after time. This club has almost every option you could want to choose from at the checkout and the fact that this is made by one of the largest brand names in gold, makes this golf club a huge competitor in the marketplace.
Callaway Women’s XR 16 Fairway Wood Review
image courtesy of Walmart
If you are a lady and have been waiting to see if we picked any ladies club’s out, we have one just for you. This is a great women’s club made from a well-known brand in the golfing world. The club may be a bit on the expensive side of things, but if you are looking for quality, you are looking at it in this club. The club’s shaft is made out of graphite material and you have the ability to be able to choose from a number of customizations at the checkout to suit your golfing needs.
Pros
- This club comes in both a left as well as a right-handed option
- The loft on this club is available in an array of sizes such as 15, 17, 19, 21, 23 and even 25 degrees
- The design is built with a larger head, which is more forgiving and allows for a large “sweet spot”
- The low center of gravity on the unit allows you to be able to swing fast and hit the ball harder, while not impacting the ground
- The face of this club is designed to be quite thin, which results in a larger and more substantial impact with the ball
- There is an aerodynamic head on this unit, which will allow you to be able to swing faster and more effectively
- The graphite design of the club helps to make the club lightweight in design and allows for more speed during your swing
- The unit includes a head cover with your purchase so that you can keep the unit nicely protected when you aren’t using it
- When you buy a Callaway product, you know it is made by a quality brand and that it is going to perform
Cons
- The unit does have a high price tag that comes with it
Verdict
If you can afford to pay the higher price of this product and you know exactly what you are looking for, you are probably going to like the level of customization offered by Callaway for their fairway wood. This is a great quality club that is capable of allowing you to be able to hit the ball a long distance without sacrificing accuracy. This is definitely a top of the line ladies fairway wood and if you want to make sure you are getting the best, you may want to consider this one.
Bullet Golf .444 Hi Loft Fairway Wood Review
image courtesy Jet.com
If you are new to fairway woods or you just want a low budget, cheap club to add to your bag, you should take a look at what this club has to offer. This is a very nice club that comes with varying degrees of loft and comes in a graphite design. This club is different than a lot of the fairway woods on the market as it has some very high degrees of loft available.
Pros
- The golf club comes available with 27, 31 and 37 degrees of loft according to your needs
- The graphite design of this unit allows the club to be lightweight allowing you to be able to swing faster and hit the ball harder
- The low price tag of this product is among some of the cheapest fairway woods on the market
- The head of this unit is designed to have low impact to the ground so that you have a more accurate shot with less chance of duffing the ball on a swing
- The length of the club is given to you for each size, which is great for determining whether or not this club would be a good fit for you
Cons
- The unit only comes in a right-handed design
- There is only one Uniflex option available for this product
- Not made by a big name brand in the golf world
Verdict
As long as you are looking for a low budget club and you don’t mind buying a club made by a brand that you likely haven’t heard of before, you will want to take a careful look at this club. This is definitely a nice club and with three degrees of loft available, it is hard to not find a missing hole in your golf bag to fit one of these in. The design is built to be able to hit the ball hard, but while still maintaining accuracy in your shots. If you want to save some money, this may be a good choice.
To Conclude:
This article has hopefully allowed you to be able to have a better grasp on what sorts of features are available in the marketplace. Price can definitely have an impact on the quality of the club as generally the highest priced clubs on the market have been more thoroughly tested before they were released. If you follow these tips or go with one of these clubs you will stand a much better chance of finding a club that you like and one that hits balls how you actually want them to be hit. Good luck in your search for a new fairway driver and hope you get something that lands you some great drives!
top image credit: By http://www.flickr.com/photos/wkulicki/4010582747/ [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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