Updated January 5, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: TaylorMade RBZ 3 Wood
“With its shallow profile and deep center of gravity, the TaylorMade RBZ 3 wood delivers high launch, extended carry, and long-distance at a low price highly accessible to beginning golfers.”
Most Forgiving 3 Wood: TaylorMade M6 3 Wood
“Featuring several of TaylorMade’s more popular innovations, including the Speed Pocket, the TPU Insert, and the Twist Face technology that helps with forgiveness, the M6 Fairway Wood is the most forgiving 3 wood for low handicappers.”
Best For Mid Handicappers: Callaway Rogue 3 Wood
“Having the features like Jailbreak Technology, rear stationary weight, and well-balanced Triaxial Carbon Crown, Callaway’s Rogue 3 wood provides an exceptional feel, response, and workability – great for mid handicappers.”
One of the more underrated clubs in a golfer’s bag is the 3 wood – usually lofted around 16 degrees, can be used on the tee box or from the fairway.
What makes the 3 wood great, is its low center of gravity. Instead of having to help the ball get into the air, the fairway club does all of the work. For high-speed swingers, the low spin of the 3 wood reduces the frequency of slices and hooks.




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Last updated on 2023-01-12. The links are affiliate links. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
Table of Contents
Best 3 Wood in 2023
Here are the best 3 wood:
- Best Overall Fairway Wood: TaylorMade RBZ 3 Wood
- Most Forgiving 3 Wood: TaylorMade M6 3 Wood
- Best Fairway Wood for Mid Handicappers: Callaway Rogue 3 Wood
- Best Fairway Wood for Beginners: Callaway Mavrik Max 3 Wood
- Best All-Around 3 Wood: Callaway Mavrik 3 Wood
- Terrific Distance and Accuracy Fairway Wood: Callaway Epic Flash 3 Wood
- Best Fairway Wood for High Handicappers: TaylorMade SIM MAX 3 Wood
- Best Fairway Wood For Low Handicappers: Cobra Speedzone 3 Wood
- Luxury Fairway Wood Option: TaylorMade SIM 3 Wood
- Best Fairway Wood with Adjustable Features: TaylorMade M5 Titanium 3 Wood
TaylorMade RBZ 3 Wood
Best Overall Fairway Wood: Most Affordable 3 Wood for Beginning Golfers
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PROS
- Speed Pocket behind the face improves flexibility while boosting launch and carry
- Low, shallow profile gets under the ball making the club easy to hit from fairway or tee box
- Mass pad at rear of the head helps lower the center of gravity for maximized launch angle and feel
CONS
TaylorMade’s RBZ 3 wood has long been a pillar of strength and dependability for high handicappers and beginning golfers. Not only is this club one of the easiest fairway woods to hit, but its performance continues to dazzle into 2023.
The club’s power comes from the patented Speed Pocket behind the face. The empty area helps increase the face’s flexibility for better forgiveness and longer distance. The pocket also offers a smooth feel with the response you would expect from an advanced luxury 3 wood.
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TaylorMade M6 3 Wood
Premium Fairway Wood Option: Most Forgiving 3 Wood for Low Handicappers
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PROS
- Twist Face technology helps reduce side spin for outstanding forgiveness that keeps shots straight and accurate
- Large mass held inside the club head helps boost shot speed with lower center of gravity for higher shots
- New Speed Pocket combines with TPU Insert for more playability and increased ball speed after impact
CONS
TaylorMade’s newest line, the M6 series, offers a wide range of exceptional features that increase distance, improve accuracy, and boost launch angle. The M6 3 wood, set at a standard 15 degrees, comes with a fixed hosel for a reliability that is hard to top when compared to other fairway woods.
The M6 features several of TaylorMade’s more popular innovations including the Speed Pocket, the TPU Insert, and the Twist Face technology that helps with forgiveness. In fact, the M6 Fairway Wood is our choice as the most forgiving 3 wood for low handicappers.
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Callaway Rogue 3 Wood
Runner-Up Choice: Longest 3 Wood for Mid Handicappers
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PROS
- Jailbreak Technology stiffens the center of the face for exceptional distance and ball speed
- Rear stationary weight deepens the center of gravity for higher launch with longer carry
- The lightweight, well-balanced Triaxial Carbon Crown provides excellent feel and response
CONS
Callaway’s Rogue 3 wood provides exceptional feel, response, and workability for mid handicappers looking to take the next step in their golf game. Easily one of the best 3 fairway woods on the market today, the revamped Rogue delivers length, accuracy, and sophistication.
For the Rogue, it all starts with the lethal combination of Jailbreak Technology and the X-Face VFT technology. The Jailbreak Technology inserts two stiff steel rods that fortify the crown to redirect energy onto the golf ball at impact. The X-Face VFT feature also boosts shot speed and quality of contact.
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Callaway Mavrik Max 3 Wood
Best Draw-Bias 3 Wood for Beginning Golfers
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PROS
- Dual weighting offers solid solution to correcting a draw bias for straighter, more consistent shots
- Shallow profile with low center of gravity helps boost launch angle with improved exit velocity for more distance
- Flash Face SS20 accelerates swing speed for better contact and length from either fairway or tee box
CONS
Beginning golfers can accelerate their development with the right club choice. With exceptional lift that translates into long carry, the Mavrik Max also offers draw bias weighting that reduces the punishment of a slice with better accuracy and precision in a package smaller than a driver.
The club’s shallow profile really benefits high handicappers by providing a wide sweet spot that provides muscle with each swing. Weekend warriors will see a marked improvement in carry and distance with this club within a short time frame.
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Callaway Mavrik 3 Wood
Best All-Around 3 Wood for All Golfers
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PROS
- Interchangeable weight in rear of the club boosts launch angle with lower center of gravity
- Jailbreak Technology creates staggering power behind the face to boost speed with dead center strikes off face
- Incredible performance with high ranging workability coupled with high swing speed for more distance
CONS
Our choice for the best all-around 3 wood on the list goes to the Callaway Mavrik. The company’s newest line of fairway woods and drivers offers players the ability to increase distance and accuracy with effortless power.
The Mavrik 3 wood features all of the company’s most popular long standing features including the crown stiffening Jailbreak Technology, the Flash Face SS20 feature, and an OptiFit hosel that adjusts launch angle.
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Callaway Epic Flash 3 Wood
Terrific Distance and Accuracy 3 Wood for Advanced Golfers
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PROS
- Forged steel head with Face Cup technology maximizes swing speed for longer distance
- Flash Face technology creates a thinner, hotter face for faster shot speed even on off-center strikes
- Adjustable loft sleeve reduces or raises launch angle for more customization with your shot height
CONS
When Callaway set out to redesign their fairway wood line, they wanted to build clubs that reached maximum distance with better accuracy and forgiveness, much like their complementing driver line of the same name. The resulting club, the Callaway Epic Flash, certainly registered among golfers everywhere as a marvelous piece of equipment.
Built around their new Flash Face technology, the Epic Flash 3 wood is incredibly long and customizable with the adjustable loft sleeve. The Flash Face gives you one of the company’s thinnest and hottest faces on a fairway wood. The combination of the two specs helps power the golf ball with stunning length on swing after swing.
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TaylorMade SIM MAX 3 Wood
Best 3 Wood for High Handicappers
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PROS
- Ultra low center of gravity helps propel the shot upward for outstanding distance and improved carry
- Twist Face Technology reduces side spin while ramping up the forgiveness for straighter, longer shots
- Speed Pocket behind the face increases flexibility for better feel, response, and exit velocity
CONS
Made for amateurs that want to boost their distance and precision, the TaylorMade SIM MAX is our choice for the best 3 wood for High Handicappers. The company’s intention with the SIM MAX is to provide players with a Fairway Wood that extends the course. This club is wholly successful at allowing you to reach areas of the fairway you’ve never experienced or find the green on longer par 5s.
Powering the SIM MAX is the company’s patented Speed Pocket. The open area provides better feel and more flexibility at impact. Golfers can really reach back and ramp up the swing speed with this 3 wood due to the Speed Pocket.
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Cobra Speedzone 3 Wood
Best Adjustable Features 3 Wood for Low Handicappers
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PROS
- CNC Milled Face provides reduced side spin for better forgiveness and straighter shots
- Hollow split rails along the sole improves turf interaction for higher launch
- Carbon fiber crown redistributes the weight around the head for better balance
CONS
Cobra’s Speedzone 3 wood stands among the best, although it remains one of the smallest fairway woods on the market. The compact shape works well for low handicappers looking for an adjustable features club that offers premium workability from the fairway.
The face of the Speedzone Fairway Wood stands out as the CNC Milling runs up to the legal limit for thinness. As a result, the milling helps create a hot, fast face that boosts your golf ball speeds for better distance. The low profile face also concentrates its contact to the lower half of the ball for higher launch.
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TaylorMade SIM 3 Wood
Outstanding Luxury 3 Wood for Low Handicappers
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PROS
- Forward weighting helps keep shots low with less side spin for more accuracy and precision
- Remarkable feel and response with each shot due to low, shallow profile that directs energy to lower half of golf ball
- Adjustable hosel sleeve adds or subtracts loft from face for customized shot height
CONS
For advanced players who want the performance of the TaylorMade SIM line of fairway woods, the 3 wood is an absolute dazzler. With the weighting moved forward, toward the face, the SIM 3 wood delivers muscle to the golf ball with maximum swing speed.
Another aspect of the SIM that we enjoyed is the low, shallow profile of the club. Not only does the fairway wood provide excellent turf interaction that allows the club to effortlessly slide through the impact zone, but you’ll feel the club lifting the shot with authority on each swing.
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TaylorMade M5 Titanium 3 Wood
Best Adjustable Features, Long Distance 3 Wood for Low Handicappers
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PROS
- Adjustable weighting, directly behind face, reduces shot height for low piercing flight that stretches for unbelievable distance
- Aerodynamic head reduces drag for cleaner approach to golf ball with better shot shape
- Low spin and long distance with a dependability that provides confidence on shot after shot
CONS
For weekend warriors who love premium fairway woods, the TaylorMade M5 Titanium 3 wood is highly desirable due to its length and adjustability.
The M5 Titanium features the Twist Face technology that helps provide outstanding forgiveness on off-center strikes. This 3 wood is one of the best at reducing the punishment of side spin as the ball flight is mid-range with low spin for terrific length from the tee box or fairway.
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Things to Consider When Buying a Fairway Wood
Loft
The 3-wood typically features a 15-degree loft. While the loft is certainly lower than a driver, the additional loft provides higher launch when compared to a #1 wood. Of course, that comes at the cost of distance. While a 3-wood certainly gets the ball down the fairway, a driver hits the ball roughly 15-30 yards further when measuring full-strength swings.
With an adjustable loft sleeve, golfers can raise or lower the loft of the face for lower shot height and more distance or higher arc with shorter results. The customization of the loft and offset also increases workability for shot-shaping from side to side.
Budget
Most new 3-woods cost a pretty penny, coming close to the cost of a new driver. While the 3-wood is cheaper, a well-made fairway wood will certainly come at a significant price. The most expensive 3-wood options usually have bells and whistles, such as a high-grade shaft, adjustable loft sleeve, and weighting.
Value 3-woods come at a significantly lower price, close to the cost of first-rate wedges. While their performance might not reach the heights of a name-brand version, the value fairway woods certainly hold their own.
As with any club purchase, the cost of a fairway wood should be factored into a budget considering the entire club set.
Looks
The appearance of a 3-wood can instill confidence in a golfer. With a strong look, a first-rate fairway wood can back up its exceptional appearance with high performance.
Modern fairway woods feature a sleek, sharp design that offers a cutting-edge look. The rounded crown of the head offers a shiny or matte finish that can either dazzle or attract playing partners with questions of curiosity.
While most fairway woods have a busy sole with a chaotic look, the chaos comes with a purpose. If the sole features stationary weighting, the chrome can stand out against the backdrop of the primary design.
Adjustability
Most 3-woods do not have adjustable features. The fixed hosel and lack of movable weighting provides a more stable appearance and consistent performance.
On the 3-woods that do offer adjustability, golfers can expect to find a loft sleeve that increases or decreases lie angle and potentially adds slight offset. For advanced players, the loft sleeve offers ultimate customization.
Sole weighting is another feature that occasionally finds its way onto a new, name-brand 3-wood. The weighting allows to set the club up to hit a fade or draw with more ease.
While there are advantages to customization, most amateurs are best served by fixed features.
Forgiveness
Most 3-woods feature a smaller head when compared to a hybrid. The compact head shape allows for maximum swing speed to increase distance, but the elongated face provides for ample impact area.
Modern 3-woods utilize the latest innovations to increase forgiveness when the ball comes into contact off-center on the face. Even on impact away from the sweet spot, the 3-woods of today do a wonderful job of keeping the ball along the target line.
The compact head does provide better stability, similar to a hybrid, to reduce twisting and the dreaded side spin that causes slicing and hook shots.
Versatility
The 3-wood can be used in a variety of areas on the course. The most obvious use is from the fairway on longer par 5s. Since most golfers face a second shot of over 250 yards, the 3-wood can provide the distance with better accuracy.
Other golfers love hitting their 3-wood off the tee box. On tighter par 4s with a narrow fairway, the 3-wood offers distance benefits along with tighter shot dispersion.
Finally, the 3-wood can actually be used in the short game. In deeper rough off the green, the 3-wood can smoothly move through the grass without twisting for clean contact.
Conclusion
A great 3-wood can help a golfer become better rounded and more adept at posting low scores.
The club’s ability to lift the golf ball while gaining serious yardage is an asset that only benefits amateur golfers.
Our choice for the best 3-wood, the TaylorMade RBZ, offers an affordable price with high launch and long carry. The club’s deep, low center of gravity drives the ball with authority, making it a weapon from the fairway or when you need to stay out of the rough from the tee box.
If you are struggling to gain distance on long par 5s or need more accuracy off the tee box, a well-fitting 3-wood can provide quite the boost to your overall game.