16 minute read
Fairway Woods
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “It has a sound that connotes power, like you’re always hitting it well even on slight mis-hits. The distance is there for me, and the turf interaction is exceptional.”
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “It feels compact through the swing, like every molecule of the club is going into the ball—a real thumper at impact.”
callaway
ROGUE ST MAX/MAX D/LS RRP AED 1,750
what it does: Callaway has used its computer-driven, machinelearning platform to improve the “jailbreak” internal support structure in its woods for years. That system stiff ens the body, directing more fl ex into the face. But high-speed computers are relentlessly smart, so the structure has been updated. Rather than two bars joining the crown and sole directly behind the middle of the face, the new frame is pushed to the extreme heel and toe. This frees up the centre of the wraparound cupface for better fl exing where most hits occur. The carbon-composite crown and an internal, forward tungsten weight produce a low centre of gravity for higher launch with less spin. The internal weighting is used to produce three versions: the ultra-forgiving Max, the high-launching, slicer-friendly Max D and the low-spinning LS for players trying to fl ight their fairway woods down. why we like it: The new jailbreak system is smart, and so is making fairway woods that launch high without excessive spin. Even smarter: 14 lofts across three versions. This includes a 20-degree model with a 4-wood shaft. So beloved was it by legendary founder Ely Callaway that his name for it has stuck, the Heavenwood.
lofts 15, 16.5, 18, 20, 21, 24, 27 (max); 16, 19, 22 (max d); 13.5, 15, 16.5, 18 (ls) cobra
LTDx/LS/MAX RRP AED 1,395
what it does: All three models use a tungsten weight slug low and forward in the sole to reduce spin and increase ball speed for more distance. The carbon-composite crown reduces weight on top so that more mass is free to create three performance characteristics. The standard LTDx off ers forgiveness with an extra weight chip in the rear, the Max includes more mass in the heel to fi ght any slice tendencies and the LS is the lowest-spinning option with front heel- and toe-weight ports to tweak fade or draw preferences. why we like it: That each design produces less spin without sacrifi cing off -centre-hit forgiveness is no small feat. But the special thing about Cobra’s fairway woods for decades has been the sole rails. They are hollow to help improve the way the face fl exes, and they have been removed on the 3-wood, which generally requires a more sweeping stroke in which the rails aren’t as eff ective. Also clever: The LS model, which is for better players, features a large 3-wood (best as a backup driver), and the 5-wood, which is mostly hit off the fairway, is the most compact head across the entire line, just what the better players targeted by the LS prefer.
lofts 15, 18.5, 22.5 (ltdx); 15.5, 18.5, 22.5 (max); 14.5, 18.5 (ls); adjustable
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
★★★★ ½
demand
★★★★ ½
player comment “The fi nish and minimalist alignment go hand in hand. Sharp looking with a nice low profi le. The LST is perfect with a boring trajectory and powerful sound.”
performance
★★★★ ½
innovation
★★★★ ½
look • sound • feel
★★★★ ½
demand
★★ ½
player comment “It has ample forgiveness with serious length, and the club does it without being loud. Cushiony feel and quiet, almost like the clubhead is covered in a down blanket.”
ping
G425 MAX/SFT/LST RRP AED 1,750
what it does: Ping’s three-model fairway-wood family includes the Max (the most forgiving in the line for the broadest set of golfers), the anti-slice SFT and the low-spinning LST 3-wood. All of the clubheads feature Ping’s fi rst wraparound face design, which is made of highstrength maraging steel to produce faster ball speeds. The Max uses a rear tungsten weight to create high stability on off -centre hits, but the smaller size on the LST means the tungsten weight results in spin reduction. The SFT is the largest, and the weight chip favours the heel side to make it easier to square the face at impact. why we like it: Sometimes it’s the barely seen enhancements that can produce visible change, like the microscopically forgettable curvature of the face from top to bottom, known as roll. Past fairway woods have featured a more symmetric roll in which the bottom of the face would have naturally less loft than the centre to reduce spin, but these woods cut that decrease in loft in half. That allows shots to launch with more speed and loft yet with less spin. This produces more consistent results for centre shots and mis-hits, which, of course, should be very easy to see.
lofts 14.5, 17.5, 20.5, 23.5 (max); 16, 19, 22 (sft); 14.5 (lst) pxg
0341 X/XF (GEN 4) RRP AED 1,745
what it does: PXG reduced the movable sole weights from three to two, but call this addition by subtraction. The dual weights are now more functional, allowing for precise fitting options and giving players a simpler choice between less spin or more draw bias. The change also frees up the two models to fulfi ll two distinct orientations: The X model targets better players with its more compact size and emphasis on low spin, and the XF, larger with a taller face, focuses on forgiveness with its turf-gliding sole rails. Both models use a thermoplastic-elastomer honeycomb pad inside to improve sound and feel by minimising unwanted vibrations. why we like it: PXG is among the growing number of companies using a carbon-composite crown in fairway woods, but PXG’s approach is a little diff erent—and it’s not just the unique two-tone color scheme. The carbon composite is in that lighter-colored middle section, specially strengthened with aluminum vapor, like some high-end shafts. By fl anking the carbon composite with steel sections on the heel and toe, the crown is more rigid to direct more energy into the high-strength steel alloy in the face.
lofts 13, 15, 18, 21 (x); 16, 19, 22 (xf)
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “Great proportions from heel to toe and front to back. The tech is there without yelling at you. A sledgehammer at impact, adding launch and speed without eff ort.”
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
★★★★ ½
demand
★★★ ½
player comment “A lightweight yet aggressive feel through impact. The clubhead easily slid through the turf. Impact was like a soft trampoline with incredible spring.”
taylormade
STEALTH RRP AED 1,575
what it does: Fairway woods aren’t like drivers. You can’t just make them larger to create a more forgiving head. The larger they are, the harder they can be to hit off the ground, which is, after all, where fairway woods are hit the most. But this design upgrade actually keeps the heads more compact than current models and still maintains the same high stability on mis-hits. The key diff erences are a carbon-composite crown that now wraps around the toe to save more weight to redistribute elsewhere and a fl atter sole shape to keep the centre of gravity low. The cut-through slot in the sole, the company’s most aggressive design, creates more fl exibility in the face, especially on low-face impacts. why we like it: When they hear the word “compact” and “fairway wood,” many average golfers—for whom this club is designed for (see the 9-wood loft)—think “unhittable.” But these actually feature a lower CG and more mis-hit protection than some of TaylorMade’s recent larger models. Making the club even easier to hit is a sleeker V-shaped sole pattern, a softer leading edge and a nifty laser-etched topline that makes the face angle at address more apparent.
lofts 15, 16.5, 18, 21, 24 taylormade
STEALTH PLUS RRP AED 1,975
what it does: The first attempts at titanium fairway woods a generation ago were only about half right. Titanium can produce better face-fl exing for distance, but unlike drivers, bigger isn’t better in fairway woods. That’s why a couple years ago TaylorMade focused on a compact titanium model—the SIM Ti—that accomplished the goal of a faster face with a special titanium alloy, combined with a lightweight composite crown and a heavy steel sole to lower the centre of gravity. This made for faster ball speeds and a high launch with low spin—a complete distance recipe with a steroid garnish. why we like it: The Stealth Plus represents a step forward in several small ways. First, a larger, lighter carbon-composite crown creates even more discretionary weight, and a larger face with a fl atter leading edge makes it even more user friendly. So although this club generally favours average to above-average speeds and skills, that shaping shift has made it more playable. This latest version also reshapes that steel soleplate for a lower, deeper CG and better heel-to-toe stability so that the moment of inertia is almost 20 percent higher than it was with the original SIM Ti.
lofts 13.5, 15, 19 ; adjustable
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “The head is a perfect pear shape. That clean fi nish just looks classy. It has that full feel and nice luscious sound. Gives you a feeling of power.”
titleist
TSi1/TSi2/TSi3 RRP AED 1,450
what it does: A great fairway-wood lineup fi nds a way to make the ball go farther, whether you’re a tour player or a grandfather. Titleist handles the distance part by cutting a channel in the front portion of the sole. This helps the face fl ex better (more distance) and results in a higher launch, especially for impacts lower on the face (where most fairway-wood strikes occur regardless of your skill level). For golfers who aren’t exactly tour level, Titleist off ers three models, including the lightweight TSi1 version, which is almost 50 grams lighter than standard models and features a 23-degree option. why we like it: The construction of that channel in the sole is lighter than before. This means the head can be lighter in the TSi1, and the TSi2 can use that saved weight elsewhere in the head to make it more forgiving. The TSi3 can use it to add an adjustable weight track in the sole. The latter is especially well-conceived because not only does it move 12 grams among three settings heel to toe, it hides fl ush within the sole to keep turf interaction smooth. If you can’t fi nd one of these that works for you, look again. There are 13 separate lofts in the family, and each is adjustable 16 ways.
lofts 15, 18, 20, 23 (tsi1); 13.5, 15, 16.5, 18, 21 (tsi2); 13.5, 15, 16.5, 18 (tsi3); adjustable summit snapshot: let the big dog loose
Clubhead options and shafts galore make the right fi t easier
▶ without question driver-testing day is one of the most anticipated by our Hot List player panelists. Not only do they get a chance to swing the big stick, but they get to swing some 20 of them, including many that won’t be seen by the public for several months. It’s one of the reasons each panelist must sign a non-disclosure agreement. Manufacturers are entrusting Golf Digest, and by extension, our panelists, not to dish on any of the clubs they see or hit at the Hot List Summit. That means no talking to friends, no talking with media and certainly no posting photos or information on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or any other social media site. As for testing, manufacturers are encouraged to send as many models, lofts and shafts as they feel necessary to cover the array of launch conditions possessed by our players. Often that means bagfuls of clubs and shafts. What you see in this photo are clubs and shafts for a single driver family. To help our testers in their navigation of that matrix, we have two fitters present— Chris Marchini and Garth Murszewski from Golf Galaxy. They’re keenly aware that the club-setup needs are going to be different for longtime tester Paul Ianniello (below), a 60-year-old, smoothswinging 5-handicapper and Jason Guss, a professional whose swing speed with a driver exceeds 110 miles per hour. —emj
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “The thin profi le of the face gives it a compact look and feel despite the larger head. Easy to keep shots straight and high. Sonically pleasing at impact.”
performance
innovation
★★★★ ½
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “A hot metallic sound. A little louder, but it doesn’t bother me. It’s announcing its presence. Great turf interaction. Consistently gets the ball up.”
cleveland
LAUNCHER XL HALO RRP AED 1,145
what it does: Like Cleveland’s drivers, these fairway woods show that the best way to make a hotter face is to look beyond the face. By alternating stiff er and more fl exible sections in the crown and sole, the club’s body returns more energy to the ball. The rails on the sole help in the same way, especially for average golfers who tend to swing up with their fairway woods. That type of swing can make contact with the ground before reaching the ball, which results in less speed at impact. The rails here counteract those chunked shots, and the club maintains its velocity as it moves into the ball. why we like it: A larger size improves stability on off -centre hits for better overall distance, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easier to hit. (Driver off the deck, anyone?) Instead, these heads exude being larger and more forgiving than ever by having a lower face height than their immediate (and smaller) predecessors. That, combined with a stepdown-crown feature, results in a lower centre of gravity, which means an easier launch to go with that forgiveness. Also, the low toe and heel sit closer to the ground so that there’s more face area low where average golfers need the most help.
lofts 15, 18, 21 mizuno
ST-X 220 AED TBC
what it does: Not all fairway-wood lofts are used in the same way. Specifi cally, for a lot of players, the 3-wood essentially serves as a second driver instead of a club used for approach shots. That’s why the 3-wood here is treated more like a driver. It features a larger size and an all-titanium construction. (The 5-wood and 7-wood, however, use steel for a more compact footprint.) The 3-wood incorporates the same high-strength beta-titanium alloy that gives the Mizuno drivers extra pop. A wave structure at the front of the sole on all lofts helps increase ball speed as well. why we like it: You don’t have to be a tour player to need a backup driver in your bag, but the clubs that often fi ll that role in the market aren’t always designed with forgiveness in mind. This more forgiving 3-wood also features a slightly heelward centre of gravity. That makes it easier to square the face at impact and provides a little more draw spin for those who fi ght a slice. Also, whether titanium or steel, both feature a waffl e pattern on the interior of the crown. This makes it thinner and lighter to allow more mass to be shifted low for reduced spin and higher launch.
lofts 16, 18.5, 21.5
performance
innovation
look • sound • feel
★★★★ ½
demand player comment “Carbon-fi ber look is cool, and it feels stable through the swing. Performs above its weight class in size, with a rising trajectory and a real ripping sound at impact.”
performance
★★★★ ½
innovation
★★★★ ½
look • sound • feel
demand player comment “Very modern looking. It’s a little triangular, which makes it look compact. The ball comes off hot with a lowish sound to it— powerful without even seeing the shot.”
mizuno
ST-Z RRP AED 1,495
what it does: Better players are the target for this fairway wood. Although its two lofts are an early obvious sign (highly skilled players aren’t clamoring for 9-woods), there are subtle elements here that will appeal to low-handicappers. Those include a fl atter lie angle and a more open-face angle at address (better to ward off unwanted hooks). Another key element is the adjustable hosel, which lets these two heads accommodate a range that runs from 13 to 20 degrees, or the full gamut that any better player would prefer. why we like it: Better players aren’t going to be impressed with lofts, lies and face angles if they’re not accompanied by some serious ball speed. Toward that end, Mizuno supplies a highstrength steel alloy in the face that is the thinnest in company history. It also has re-engineered the wave structure in the front part of the sole. By making it thinner and more compact, additional weight can be moved to the back for maximum energy return on off -centre hits. An ultra-thin carbon-composite crown saves even more weight. That creates a lower centre of gravity so that those solid, high-speed strikes come free of distance-robbing high spin.
lofts 15, 18 ; adjustable srixon
ZX RRP AED 945
what it does: Making a fairway-wood face fl ex like a driver is more than having a thin face. A metal wood with its multiple connected parts is a system. Srixon’s team discovered with its ZX drivers that one way to get that face to propel the ball more effi ciently is to focus elsewhere. So these fairway woods change the stiff ness patterns of the sections around the face. Immediately adjacent to the face is a region that’s as much as 43 percent thicker than on past models to stiff en and concentrate more fl ex in the face. But that stiff er section is surrounded by more fl exible regions in the crown and sole, which in turn fl ow into stiff er sections. This arrangement of fl exible/stiff / fl exible/stiff aims to return energy more effi ciently to the ball at impact for extra speed and, ultimately, distance. why we like it: Of course, a fast face, no matter how you achieve it, isn’t enough. The internal weight pad is forward in the sole to provide a low centre of gravity to reduce spin (even lower on the low-lofted 3-wood with its carbon crown). The pad is shaped with a little overhang. This allows the thin region of the sole to give more at impact, helping the face to fl ex better on low shots.
