Many golfers find it difficult to hit fairway woods, but if they can find one that they are comfortable with, it can greatly improve their game and lower their scores.
If you are a high-handicap golfer, who consistently slices or fades the ball and wants to improve your game, you are at the right place!
In this guide, we will be looking at the best fairway woods that you can buy as a beginner or high-handicapper golfer.
Here's What's In Store For You...
Top 3 Fairway Woods For High Handicappers At A Glance
- CG: Ultra Low
- DrawBias: Yes
- MOI: Mid-High
Play Like a Pro: Best Fairway Woods to Improve Your Game as a High Handicapper
Taylormade Stealth Fairway
The TaylorMade Stealth Fairway is one of the most popular clubs among high-handicap golfers due to its larger head that offers effortless distance and room for forgiveness.
This golf club replaces the TaylorMade SIM2 Max fairway, whereas, the Stealth Plus is a direct replacement for the more powerful TaylorMade SIM2 Ti fairway.
Its sleek design and ease of use make it one of the best fairway woods for high handicappers and our top pick for this list of fairway woods.
Features
- It features the 3D Carbon Crown that is lightweight and allows TaylorMade to shift weight lower and deeper in the clubhead, giving a higher MOI and more forgiveness.
- C300 Steel Face is strong and durable, delivering a powerful launch.
- It comes equipped with Twist Face technology that provides a curvature to the face to keep off-center hits straight.
- V Steel Sole – helps players launch the ball while reducing friction with the turf.
- Stretching across the top of the face, the laser alignment helps beginner golfers align their shots.
- Stealth fairway wood has a classy matte-black finish with a glossy black topline; it’s noticeably different from the SIM range that features a white one.
- The Stealth fairway wood has a large profile. Its 190cc head gives players confidence when they address the ball.
Pros
- It offers an extended sweet spot that makes it an excellent fairway wood for the high handicapper.
- Offers excellent forgiveness, so any mishits will perform well and go straighter.
- High handicappers will find it quite easy to launch the golf ball and produce more height to add distance.
- It also gives good spin characteristics on off-center strikes with the Stealth, which means fewer yards, but the added spin gives you more control and straighter shots.
- Higher spin rates also help to stop the ball faster on the greens.
- The lower positioned center of gravity in the clubhead increases the MOI, providing added forgiveness.
- Also, the large profile adds to the forgiveness on offer; the Stealth has an expanded hitting area compared to the Stealth Plus+.
Cons
- The TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood has a non-adjustable loft that can be a deal breaker for some.
- The headcover is tight and awkward to pull on and off, making players store their club.
The TaylorMade Stealth Fairway is one of the most forgiving fairway woods out there, making it an excellent choice for high handicappers.
With its versatile features and excellent utility, this fairway wood is our Top Pick from this list of best fairway woods.
Callaway Big Bertha B21
In this list, one of the easiest fairway woods to launch is the Callaway Big Bertha, making it the go-to choice for high handicappers.
Over the years golf clubs have become increasingly sophisticated making it difficult to use them on the golf course, but the Big Bertha hits the sweet spot when it combines technology and tradition to give low spin and forgiveness with the slice-fighting capability.
Features
- The quirky update on this fairway wood is the Flash Face SS21, which is an A. I designed a face that gives higher ball speed regardless of which part of the face you hit, providing more distance on mis-hits.
- The low and forward-positioned center of gravity on the Big Bertha is another great feature that produces higher launch and lowers spin to give excellent distance.
- It has internal weighting that promotes more draw, so if you struggle with slicing and swing speed, you do not need to worry anymore.
- The Jailbreak features consist of titanium bars connecting the crown and sole, which places more impact load on the face and increases the ball speed.
- T2C is a very light carbon triaxial fabric that allows for maximum weight savings and distributes it in the head to raise the moment of inertia (MOI), resulting in more forgiveness.
- The face architecture of the Big Bertha b21 is lighter than traditional titanium and very strong.
- It is available in 9°, 10.5°, and 12.5° standard lofts at 460 CC.
- The Big Bertha B21 comes with an Optifit hosel that allows you to adjust the loft and lie.
- The stock graphite shaft is the Callaway RCH (40/50/60), and the stock grip is the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360.
Pros
- It is a forgiving fairway wood that offers forgiveness in both speed and direction (draw bias helps here) are both very good.
- Very easy to hit and feels great through the swing with the stock shaft, so you can hit straight or with a slightly faded ball flight.
- The light stock shaft, combined with the solid build quality and feel, gives you a premium experience.
- Its strong draw bias helps slicers create a stronger ball flight.
- Adjustable hosel means you can get fully dialed in.
Cons
- Everyone might not like the aesthetic look of this fairway wood.
The Callaway Big Bertha is the best fairway wood for producing a good launch and distance, making it our Editor’s choice from this list.
With its combination of the latest technology and excellent craftsmanship, it is a must-have for most golfers.
PING G425 Fairway Wood
The latest offering fairway wood from PING is the G425 Max, which blends new quirks and features with time-proven design to give out results that are quite impressive.
The PING G425 is an excellent choice for golfers looking to get more loft and cover more distance with a lot of forgiveness.
Features
- It features the Face Wrap Technology that uses maraging steel, which cups around the whole face of the club head and provides added stability and flex to the face, crown, and sole.
- With its ovoid shape, the club face helps with the launch angle and spin rate when the ball impacts the top or bottom of the face.
- Featuring Trajectory 2.0, this golf club allows eight different settings that depend on the loft and lie for fine-tuning. The loft can be changed by up to 1.5 degrees.
- You can also attach Arccos GPS tags to track your shot data and get feedback on your performance.
- It comes with a sophisticated black and silver color scheme of the sole without any flashy highlights that might compromise its aesthetic.
- At address, the G425 Max fairway is an even bigger departure from the previous model due to the absence of distinctive turbulators.
- PING added a 3-dot alignment feature that directs you to the proper contact point and, as I quickly learned, helps with aiming the face.
Pros
- The PING G425 is visually appealing and will be a great addition to your golf game.
- It looks amazing with Turbolators.
- Its compact head shape combined with low-positioned tungsten weights adds to the launch equation.
- It is forgiving and consistent thanks to its use of time-tested features combined with the latest upgrades.
- Spinsistency works quite well and provides spin all along the face curvature regardless of where you hit.
Cons
- It is not as long or fast as other brands’ golf clubs offer.
- The price might be a deal breaker for some.
The PING G425 Fairway Wood is one of the best options available in the market right now due to its consistency and forgiveness.
It is an all-around performer that will benefit all young or old golfers.
TaylorMade Stealth Steel Fairway
The TaylorMade Stealth Steel Fairway Wood is the new fairway wood in the manufacturer's stealth lineup.
This versatile fairway wood offers excellent spin, ball flight and shaft flex and will be a great addition to your golf bag collection.
Features
- Providing vital contrast between face and crown, the laser-etched alignment aid is designed to highlight directional alignment for boosted confidence and accurate aim.
- Refined weight distribution for enhanced forgiveness while maintaining optimal launch properties. It stays true to its heritage by improving turf interaction and versatility.
- Uses corrective face angles to overcome inherent golfer tendencies on mishits and produce straighter shots.
- Our most flexible Speed Pocket design is engineered to maximize ball speeds and produce additional forgiveness on low-face strikes.
- 3D Carbon Crown makes it lightweight and has allowed TaylorMade to shift more weight lower and deeper in the clubhead. That means a higher MOI and more forgiveness.
- It also features the C300 steel face to produce a power launch.
- The curved design of the face, known as the Twist Face, is another great addition.
- To improve turf interaction and reduce friction, it uses V Steel Sole.
- This fairway wood comes with a classy matter-black finish that is not found on any other fairway woods.
Pros
- Provides an extended sweet spot that makes it harder to hit an off-center strike and forgiveness means any mishits will perform well and go straighter.
- The Stealth helps many players boost their launch and height and helps them add distance.
- Provides good spin characteristics on off-center strikes giving you more control and straighter shots.
- The stealth steel provides spin rates that high handicappers and average players need.
- It allows players to stop the ball faster on the greens.
- It offers amazing forgiveness because TaylorMade has crafted it with a low center of gravity to increase MOI giving effective results.
Cons
- The TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood has a non-adjustable loft that can be a deal breaker for some.
- Headcovers are tight and awkward to pull on and off, which leads to players not storing their clubs properly.
The TaylorMade Stealth Fairway wood is the right fairway wood for newbies and mid-handicappers out there due to its great utility and quirky features.
We recommend it if you are interested in buying fairway wood from the TaylorMade brand.
Cobra LTDx Max Fairway
The Cobra LTDx Fairway wood is the pinnacle of modern golf clubs and a benchmark in the fairway wood category.
Touring players recommend it other due to its low center of gravity, accuracy, and good distance which is a must-have for every golfer.
This adjustable fairway wood offers different weighting settings to give you a tailored experience.
All of this combined with good looks and design make it one of the best fairway woods for high handicappers.
Features
- The Cobra Fairway woods LTDx Max features Cobra PWR-COR, H.O.T FACE technology, and a carbon fiber crown.
- It has a lower and forward-skewed CG in the club head for faster ball speed and increased MOI for forgiveness and stability.
- At the address, the carbon fiber crown has a muted black matt finish, which is on trend and looks great behind the ball. It’s more compact than you’d expect for Max’s head.
- There are two adjustable weights (12g and 3g) in the head, one positioned back for a higher launch and the other deep towards the heel for a draw-biased shot shape making it easier to launch the ball higher, dampen down a slice or create a high power draw.
- The New H.O.T FACE technology uses machine learning to choose and create multiple zones from thousands of simulations of different thicknesses across the face, increasing ball speed across a larger part of the face.
- The HOT Face Technology makes it thinner, fast, and more energetic.
Pros
- The H.O.T Face Technology has revolutionized the player experience for the users of this golf club.
- The Heel Draw-bias weighting helps golfers who struggle to swing their fairway woods straight and helps them square the ball in a straighter line.
- This is an adjustable golf club with two premium mid-high launch lightweight shafts.
- Launching the ball high with it ly easy, and you don’t have to think much before you go for a swing.
Cons
- The Max Fairway Wood Cobra LTDX is not as long as other models from this lineup.
- High launch can be a little tricky due to incorrect weighting.
Cobra LTDx Max is one of the best fairway woods in the market due to its ease of use and forgiveness, giving the average player more confidence on long par 4s and 5s.
This makes it a perfect package for versatility and visually appealing aesthetics.
Mizuno ST-Z Fairway Wood
The Mizuno ST-Z Fairway Wood is a unique golf club by the manufacturer in terms of its performance because it is designed for a blend of low spin and stability not commonly found in most fairway woods.
A throwback shape combined with modern performance makes this fairway wood ideal for the modern golfer.
It offers a major upgrade over the outgoing Mizuno ST2000 model, performs extremely well, and offers head-turning visuals.
All-in-all, this premium offering is a great option for avid golfers who are still developing their technique.
Features
- This fairway wood features a club face made from MAS1C maraging steel, which is the 3rd generation of MAS1C and is stronger than ever. It is so strong that Mizuno can make a face thinner to produce the hottest face ever on a Mizuno fairway wood.
- The multi-thickness CORTECH face boosts ball speed near the legal limit all over the club face.
- Mizuno then used an ultra-lightweight carbon crown on top of the club that helped create a lower center of gravity for improved spin and high-MOI performance.
- It also features a sole light design known as the wave soleplate; it has a more compact Wave structure that is more forgiving and faster on shots hit low on the face.
- Mizuno says it’s improved to lower the COG (center of gravity) for better spin and MOI (moment of inertia) performance.
- This golf club has a construction philosophy that focuses on saving weight.
- With a lower CG, the club head offers a better launch and MOI.
Pros
- Designed for optimal distance and accuracy
- Features a “Wave” technology sole for improved stability and ball speed
- Has a low center of gravity for a higher launch angle
- Available in a variety of lofts to suit different player preferences
- Has a sleek, aesthetically pleasing design
- Has a high level of workability, allowing players to shape their shots as desired
- The Maraging steel face provides a strong and fast ball speed
- Offers a great balance between distance and control.
Cons
- Some golfers may find the clubhead slightly heavier than other fairway woods, making it more difficult to achieve optimal swing speed and distance.
The Mizuno ST-Z Fairway is a good fairway wood that offers the most premium features and excellent performance among other competitors.
Ultimately, we will recommend it to players who play regularly and want to improve their experience.
TaylorMade SiM 2 Max Draw Fairway
Featuring the larger club head among the SiM 2 lineup the SiM 2 Max Draw Fairway Wood is the best budget fairway wood on our list due to its amazing utility and overall performance.
It is a very high handicapper's dream fairway wood due to its amazing forgiveness and draw-biased club that gives the player confidence.
Features
- The TaylorMade SiM 2 Max Draw Fairway features a new ultra-low CG design that promotes a high launch and low spin, resulting in squared hits with great accuracy.
- The clubhead features V steel, providing great interaction between the ground and the club.
- The Twist Face technology helps to stabilize the clubhead for improved accuracy and distance, even on off-center hits.
- The 195 cc clubface allows for a larger sweet spot and improved ball speed and accuracy on off-center hits.
- This fairway wood features a Draw-Bias design which helps to reduce slice spin and promote a straighter ball flight.
- Thru-Slot Speed Pocket provides increased face flexibility and preservation of ball speed and distance, especially on low-face strikes.
- The fairway wood is available in various loft options, allowing golfers to choose the perfect club for their game.
Pros
- Ultra-low CG design promotes a high launch and low spin for optimal distance and accuracy.
- Multi-material construction provides better launch and distance and an improved feel.
- Twist Face technology for improved accuracy and distance on off-center hits.
- Draw-Bias design reduces slice spin and promotes straighter ball flight
- Available in multiple loft options for customized performance
- Helps golfers who struggle with slicing to hit straighter shots.
- Budget-friendly fairway wood
Cons
- The Draw-Bias design may not be suitable for golfers who prefer to hit a fade or for those who prefer a more neutral club.
- The club may require some time to get used to and adjust to the unique design and technology.
The higher spin rate on this fairway wood reduces the distance traveled by the golf ball, but it provides more control on a poor swing.
This fairway wood is geared towards high handicappers, but players with more experience can also use it to eliminate one side of the fairway.
Ultimately, its attractive price point and overall great performance make it the best fairway wood you can buy right now, and our budget pick for the list.
How To Choose The Right Fairway Wood
When choosing the right fairway wood for your golf adventures, you will come across many choices, but choosing the right one for yourself can be hard.
Before making the decision, you must understand a few things to get the most out of your fairway woods for high handicappers.
1) Adjustability
Most manufacturers now offer adjustable golf clubs that also include fairway woods so the players buying them can change them according to the conditions of the golf course and have a tailored experience.
Most adjustability within these fairway woods can be broken down into three aspects.
2) Loft
A fairway wood’s loft can be changed by using an adjustable hosel.
The process involves removing a screw from the club’s heel, which connects the shaft to the club head and then re-attaching it to a different setting.
This can alter the club’s loft by as much as 4 or 5 degrees, giving players more control over their shots.
When adjusting the loft of a fairway wood, it’s important to note that the lie angle will also be affected.
The lie angle refers to the angle of the shaft to the ground at the address.
Changing the lie can impact the horizontal flight of the ball. Some adjustable hosels allow you to adjust the loft angle independently from the lie angle, so it’s important to consider this when purchasing an adjustable club.
3) Face Angle
Face angle refers to the angle of the clubface at the address.
A square face angle is when the clubface is perpendicular to the target, with an open clubface facing away from the player and a closed clubface facing towards the player.
An open clubface decreases the loft, and a closed clubface increases it.
The choice of face angle is mainly a personal preference, but it can impact the ball’s flight.
A closed clubface may be helpful for players who struggle with a slice, while an open clubface can help improve the impact position for players who tend to hook the ball.
4) Moveable Weights
Certain manufacturers are also offering moveable weights that can be adjusted to change the performance of a fairway wood.
5) Materials
The three most commonly used materials for the construction of fairway woods are Steel, Titanium, and Composite.
Each has its advantages and drawbacks; ultimately, it will be up to you what suits you the best.
6) Shafts
Shafts are the most vital part of the club. The shaft of the fairway club aims to offer more distance with higher speeds.
Although sacrificing a certain degree of control, the function of a fairway wood is primarily distance.
Most fairway woods come with graphite shafts because they are lighter and different flexes will suit all swing speeds.
Final Thoughts
This list of best fairway wood for high handicappers contains some of the most popular and distinguished names that provide top-notch performance and add to the utility of their owner’s golf bag.
However, each fairway wood featured on this list can be the best for you and exactly what you may have been looking for as a high handicapper.
If you are still having trouble deciding which one to go with, pick any of our top 3 options to get the best value for your money and arguably the best overall performance.
