Updated April 26, 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.
Well-made fairway woods can transform the game of a high handicapper. Instead of using a driver off the tee box, which can be difficult to hit consistently, golfers working on their fundamentals can enjoy the loft and easy launch of a fairway wood.
Also, a fairway wood can reach the green on a long par 3 or help cover the extended yardage of a lengthy par 5.
In this extensive list of the best fairway woods for high handicappers, we’ll take a firsthand look at the top clubs to add to your bag and how each of them can help your game.
Our Top 10 Fairway Woods for High Handicappers
After testing a number of woods, here are our recommendations for the best fairway woods for high handicap golfers:
- TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood
- Wilson Dynapower Fairway Wood
- Titleist TSR3 Fairway Wood
- Callaway Rogue ST Max D Fairway
- Cobra LTDx Max Fairway Wood
- TaylorMade Stealth Fairway
- Mizuno ST-Z Fairway Wood
- Ping G425 Max Fairway Wood
- TaylorMade SIM2 MAX Fairway Wood
- Pinemeadow PGX Offset Golf Fairway Wood
TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood
Best All-Around Fairway Wood
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Specs
- Loft: 15°-24°
- Lie Angle: 59°-60.5°
- Shaft Length: 41.25”-43.25”
- Weight: D3
Pros
- Lightweight carbon crown delivers high swing speed
- Thru-Slot Speed Pocket generates maximum ball speed
- Low profile gets under the ball for high launch
Cons
- Doesn’t have adjustable features
The Stealth 2 fairway from TaylorMade improves upon the first Stealth by increasing launch behind the power provided by a lightweight club head.
Everything about the Stealth 2’s design dazzles, from the red and black color design to the compact head that packs a punch. The club’s V-Steel sole moves smoothly over the turf to provide a high MOI to the golf ball.
I loved how fluid this fairway wood felt during the swing. Its low profile and wide hitting area offered plenty of forgiveness on my off-center strikes. I found my ball speed and distance never suffered if my contact point leaked toward the toe.
Also, I really enjoyed how the distance you get with each swing comes with minimal effort. You don’t need to swing from your shoes with this fairway wood. You just have to be steady and compact with the golf ball to see results.
Check our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 Fairway Wood Review
Wilson Dynapower Fairway Wood
Best Fairway Wood For High Handicappers
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Specs
- Loft: 15°-21°
- Lie Angle: 57.5°-58.5°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43.25”
- Weight: D2
Pros
- Tour-inspired head shape boosts swing speed
- High MOI with high launch delivers long, straight shots
- Low spin from the tee box with tighter dispersion
Cons
- Doesn’t dazzle in the bag
Wilson’s Dynapower fairway offers fast ball speeds with high launch and extended carry. Great for beginners and high handicappers that want an affordable fairway to grow with their game, the Dynapower offers high MOI helping players return the face to square with relative ease.
I really love the long, low profile of the face of this fairway wood. The broad sweet spot helps with forgiveness on off-center strikes. Having this confidence to let it fly helps, especially on the tee box when using the wood to avoid trouble and land the drive in the fairway.
Although these golf clubs won’t turn any heads with their design and color palette, the wood remains one of the best releases of this year when it comes to helping high handicappers on the course hit more fairways.
Check our honest Wilson Dynapower Fairway Wood Review
Titleist TSR3 Fairway Wood
Best Advanced Fairway Wood
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Specs
- Loft: 13.5°-18°
- Lie Angle: 56.5°-57.5°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Weight: D3
Pros
- Low spin for tighter dispersion
- Workable with adjustability for customization
- Terrific sound and a dynamic feel
Cons
- Less forgiving than most fairway woods
The Titleist TSR3 fairway woods offer a powerful weapon from either the tee box or fairway. The modern head shape delivers impressive swing speed to the golf ball to help you power the ball down your target line.
The wood looks as sleek as a race car and after you hit the ball, you’ll believe it’s as fast as one too. It also has various shaft options to give you the right feel during your swing and at impact.
My favorite feature of the TSR3 fairway is the SureFit Adjustable CG Track System. With the quick turn of a bolt, you can customize your preferred shot shape with this fairway wood.
The loft sleeve also provides even more customization for high handicappers and beginners.
An easy choice for the best adjustable fairway wood, the Titleist TSR3 provides a low, deep CG that quickly lifts the ball into the air with extended carry.
Callaway Rogue ST Max D Fairway
Best Draw-Bias Fairway Wood for Beginners
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Specs
- Loft: 16°-22°
- Lie Angle: 58°-59°
- Shaft Length: 42.25”-43.25”
- Weight: D3
Pros
- Built like a tank producing jaw-dropping distance
- Over 10 yards of slice correction
- Low CG delivers high launch and extended carry
Cons
- Draw-bias club won’t grow with your game
Callaway’s stunning Rogue ST series gives beginners and high handicappers a fairway wood option if they’re struggling with a slice.
The new Rogue ST Max D fairway offers over 10 yards of slice correction to help you hit more fairways and find the green on long par 5s with more regularity.
When I tested the ST Max D on the range, I was floored by how quickly the club got the ball into the air. Along the sole, the sturdy Tungsten Speed Cartridge stiffens the club head to produce fast ball speed with minimal spin to keep the ball in the fairway.
If you are having trouble with a slice, this fairway wood offers significant correction by reducing side spin, boosting forgiveness, and maintaining ball speed. The complete package makes this Callaway wood easily one of the best slice-reducing fairways today.
Check our full Callaway Rogue ST Max Fairway Review
Cobra LTDx Max Fairway Wood
Best Adjustable Features Fairway for High Handicappers
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Specs
- Loft: 15.5°-21.5°
- Lie Angle: 59°-60.5°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Weight: D1
Pros
- Adjustable weighting can create slice correction
- Progressive rails help shallow club path for more consistent contact
- Lightweight crown boosts swing speed for maximum distance
Cons
- Small, compact head does limit forgiveness
Cobra’s LTDx Max fairway offers beginners enhanced slice correction for the tee box and from the short grass. The club’s adjustable weighting is a real asset as it boosts correction and increases launch with a steep landing angle that holds the green on long par 5s.
Although I’m not too crazy about the compact size of the club head, I can attest that the Cobra fairway delivers solid ball speed with high launch, two things high handicappers need for their game.
The wood also produces an exceptional feel with its lightweight crown, helping you confidently swing from the tee box or fairway.
Overall, the LTDx Max remains one of the best fairway woods for slice correction, delivering reliable results you can count upon during your next round.
Check our in-depth Cobra LTDx Fairway Wood Review
TaylorMade Stealth Fairway
Best Value Fairway Wood for High Handicappers
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Specs
- Loft: 15°-24°
- Lie Angle: 59°-60.5°
- Shaft Length: 41.25”-43.25”
- Weight: D3
Pros
- Sleek, rounded sole offers outstanding turf interaction
- Outstanding forgiveness on off-center strikes
- High launch with an extended carry for maximum distance
Cons
- No adjustable hosel or weighting
TaylorMade’s Stealth fairway offers all the bells and whistles of modern, sophisticated golf clubs with fixed settings to help high handicappers find stability in their mid-range game.
The long, low profile of the Stealth fairway offers exquisite forgiveness on off-center strikes, helping you reach your target with confidence.
What I adore about the Stealth is its swagger and intensity. This TaylorMade fairway wood delivers maximum yardage on every swing, including the bad ones.
By reducing side spin, you’ll find the Stealth delivers more shots that reach your intended target area with the distance and tight dispersion you need for the shot.
The club’s racecar-like appearance certainly instills confidence, something the wood can back up with its performance.
If you are serious about getting better at golf, golf clubs like the Stealth Fairway can help produce the results you are looking for to improve.
Check our full TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Review
Mizuno ST-Z Fairway Wood
Best Distance Fairway Wood for High Handicappers
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Specs
- Loft: 15°-18°
- Lie Angle: 57°-57.5°
- Shaft Length: 42.5”-43”
- Weight: D3/D2
Pros
- Loft sleeve customizes shot height
- Low profile packs a punch to the golf ball
- Rear weight boosts shot height
Cons
- No adjustable weighting
Mizuno’s fun and engaging ST-Z fairway wood provides a wider, healthy footprint for high handicappers that want a secondary club that rivals the size of a small driver.
Working well from the tee box and fairway, the ST-Z wood offers premium stability that translates into lightning fast ball speed.
I really took note of the wide face, helping me craft the shots I needed on the course. From the lightweight carbon crown to the smooth sole that provides exceptional turf interaction, the ST-Z remains one of my favorite fairway woods for up and coming golfers.
The ST-Z has many features, notably a quick switch hosel sleeve that adjusts loft and face angle up to four degrees. If you love customizing your shot shape, this fairway wood can grow with your golfing journey, even as you make it to the mid handicap range.
Ping G425 Max Fairway Wood
Innovative Fairway Wood with Adjustable Features
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Specs
- Loft: 14.5°-23.5°
- Lie Angle: 56.5°-58°
- Shaft Length: 41.5”-43”
- Weight: D1
Pros
- High MOI with easy alignment for better accuracy
- Consistent spin with accuracy and distance
- Facewrap design increases flex for more ball speeds
- Exceptionally long from the tee box or fairway
Cons
- Expensive for casual golfers
- Moderate launch restricts distance for beginners, high-handicappers
The Ping G425 Max offers advanced golfers the sophistication and craftsmanship long associated with the company. It minimizes spin for higher accuracy, along with high MOI with a distinct alignment line that keeps you aligned to the target.
Tungsten Sole Weighting
Positioned along the center-rear of the sole is an interchangeable tungsten weight. The weighting helps many areas but no more so than the launch of the golf ball.
Working in concert with several other notable features, the weighting is the engine behind the power that the G425 Max delivers on every swing.
With the impressive turf interaction, its features such as the sole weighting, provide exceptional shotmaking ability and unmatched versatility.
Increased Ball Spin for Distance
For golfers that need more distance via their versatile fairway wood, the G425 Max is well suited to the task. One of the areas where it excels is through spin rate.
Since advanced golfers want minimal spin from their woods, the G425 offers a severe reduction in spin to help tighten shot dispersion, along with maintaining the high speed needed for distance.
Although the club is tailored to the sophisticated golfer, mid handicappers will find that the G425 Max is very accessible to help them reach the next level in their game.
Facewrap Technology
Along with its gorgeous design and craftsmanship, the Ping G425 Max gets the company’s patented Facewrap Technology along the crown.
With a high-strength maraging steel face that extends from the crown and sole, increases flexibility for faster shotmaking with extended carry.
Check our honest Ping G425 Max Fairway Wood Review
TaylorMade SIM2 MAX Fairway Wood
Most Accurate Fairway
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Specs
- Loft: 15°-24°
- Lie Angle: 59°-60.5°
- Shaft Length: 41.25”-43.25”
- Weight: D3
Pros
- Extra heel weight minimizes sidespin that causes slices
- Twist Face redirects off-center strikes for better accuracy
- Exceptionally long from tee box or fairway
Cons
- High-priced model only for serious, frequent golfers
- No adjustability hinders sophisticated shotmaking ability
TaylorMade’s SIM2 MAX remains one of the best draw-bias fairway woods on the market. With a host of exciting features, it delivers a severe reduction in the sidespin that causes the golf ball to travel far to the right.
Instead, golfers find the club provides them with better accuracy and tighter shot dispersion.
Twist Face Technology
One of the biggest reasons why I wanted to highlight this feature is because of how the Twist Face keeps the ball from straying too far off the path. Even when I hit the ball off the toe, the shot stayed along my target line with maximum velocity.
An enjoyable discovery on the driving range, the Twist Face delivers an incredible feel and response on swing after swing.
Draw-Bias Design
When it comes to hitting balls with a draw-bias fairway wood, high handicappers need to understand how alignment benefits their game.
Since you don’t have to worry about hitting the ball to the right with such extremity, you can instead work on swinging the SIM2 Max with high speed.
With several features including a heel weight and the Twist Face, the club helps close the face allowing it to come back to the square position at impact.
Distance and Accuracy
As with any club, you want length and precision and I’m happy to report that the SIM2 MAX delivers exceptional performance in both categories. Shots travel high with the extended carry that high handicappers need to get the most from each swing.
From the fairway, this fairway wood offers crisp contact, and the large, rounded sole moves smoothly across the turf to square up the golf ball on the face.
Check our in-depth TaylorMade SIM2 MAX Fairway Review
Pinemeadow PGX Offset Golf Fairway Wood
Best Value Fairway Wood
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Specs
- Loft: 16°-37°
- Lie Angle: 57.5°-62°
- Shaft Length: 42”-43”
- Weight: D1
Pros
- Extreme offset offers dramatic slice correction
- Low price
Cons
- Offset is so extreme it may be hard to aim
- Scratches easily
The Pinemeadow PGX Offset fairway woods are flat-out the most offset woods I’ve ever encountered.
If you’ve tried mild offsets like the Cobra F-Max and you’re still hitting banana slices, you may want to look into this highly offset offering from Pinemeadow.
They’re high-loft, high-spin golf clubs designed to get the ball in the air and help high handicappers stop slicing.
Setting up
The PGX fairway woods have a set of small arrows for an alignment aid, and I wish it were just a dot instead. The offset makes it look like the arrows are pointed way left of the target when setting up.
This can cause aiming issues, especially for people with a bad slice who are used to aiming way left to begin with. The arrows may cause subconscious overcorrection, which is the last thing a slicer wants.
Ball flight
The PGX is focused on keeping the ball left, and it does a pretty good job of that. But overall distance and forgiveness are somewhat lacking. It just doesn’t have the lively face or high-tech design advantages of most of the other woods reviewed here. Ball flights are high but a bit short.
However, most importantly, they tend to draw or hook. So the one trick they attempt, they pull off.
The bottom line
The PGX is an inexpensive club geared at the recreational golfer who just wants to stop violently slicing the ball.
It won’t win any beauty contests (in fact, it gets scratched up pretty easily even if you’re diligent about keeping its headcover on), but at a price point around $50 and lofts available up to a 15-wood, it might be a lifesaver to the right high-handicapper.
Things to Consider When Buying the Best Fairway Woods for High Handicappers
Forgiveness
Even pros don’t hit the sweet spot every time, and high handicappers will hit the ball all over the club face. However, with the technology and materials available in golf clubs today, even mis-hits should be playable.
I’m looking for fairway woods that’ll turn a slice into a fade and will still provide useful distance on a poor swing. While no club can fix a chunk, some are better than others at turning bad shots into “that’ll work” and “just ok” shots into good ones.
Here’s our guide on how to fix a slice.
Distance
It also needs to be long no matter how forgiving a club is. Golf courses are getting longer and longer every day, so you don’t want to be stuck using a club that can’t keep up with the demands of the modern game.
You want fairway woods with a thin, lively face that launches it as far as possible down the fairway. Par 5s should be scoring opportunities instead of scary monsters. Distance has never been more critical in the game of golf.
Durability
Golf clubs get more and more expensive every year. With hand-crafted graphite shafts and carbon fiber compound clubheads becoming ever more common, the retail price tag reflects the manufacturing (and marketing) costs.
So when you pay that much for a golf club, you want it to last. Durability is reflected in the craftsmanship and build quality. A club should be well-made enough to last you several years, if not decades.
Value
If fairway woods cost twice as much as the one next to it, shouldn’t it hit it twice as far and twice as straight? You’d hope so, but of course, that’s not the case.
One club might eke a few more yards out of a mediocre swing than another, but if it costs exorbitantly more, it might not be worth the extra bucks.
Desirability
Is this the hot new fairway wood everyone’s talking about? Does it feature space-age materials to help the ball fly higher and longer? Is it from the same brand that all the pros use?
A more desirable club will have features you may not find in other fairway woods, and it’ll retain its value better if you ever try to re-sell it.
More recognizable brands will be more desirable for a good reason: they’re usually on the cutting edge of technology, with tons of money poured into research and development each year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should high handicappers use fairway woods?
Yes, high handicappers should use fairway woods, especially from the tee box.
Since drivers can cause problems with inexperienced golfers, fairway woods offer a smaller alternative that’s easier to hit. Fairway woods also allow the golfer to utilize the club’s loft to get the ball higher into the air to maximize carry and distance.
Should a high handicapper use a 3 or 5 wood?
High handicappers should use both a 3 and 5 wood on the course.
The 3-wood works excellent from the tee box because its loft is only slightly lower than a driver, so you can get plenty of distance with extended carry.
The 5-wood offers even more loft, making it a great weapon from the fairway. Both woods also provide a low profile to help you get under the golf ball to lift the shot into the air.
What is the easiest 3 wood for seniors to hit?
The easiest 3 wood for seniors to hit is the Stealth 2 from TaylorMade.
Senior golfers need to maximize their swing speed to get the most distance from each swing. The Stealth 2’s lightweight design also helps senior golfers maintain their current club head speed to maximize carry to get the most yardage from the tee box or fairway.
Is a 3 wood better than a hybrid for a high handicapper?
A hybrid remains easier to hit than a 3 wood for high handicappers.
This is because a hybrid offers a rounded sole that moves smoothly over the grass to guarantee solid contact with the golf ball. A 3 wood usually carries a loft of 15 degrees, making it tougher to hit consistently for a high handicapper.
Also, a hybrid has a loft similar to a mid-iron allowing the high handicapper to hit the ball higher with more consistency.
Conclusion
Our choice for the best fairway wood for high handicappers and beginners, the TaylorMade Stealth 2, offers a lightweight feel that generates fast swing speed to produce more distance on the course.
The fairway woods also deliver high-grade forgiveness, helping you on off-center strikes maintain ball speed and stay along the target line.
I feel that high handicappers can benefit from playing with the Stealth 2 for many years, and the club is so advanced that it will grow with your game as you improve.
A welcomed addition to any golfer’s bag, the Stealth 2 offers high launch, extended carry, and optimized ball speed to produce jaw-dropping distance with each swing.
