Best Women's Fairway Woods
Regardless of skill level and any other variable, getting the best fairway wood possible is imperative to filling the gap between the driver and the irons. Women can easily fall out of love with a fairway wood if they struggle to make good contact and get the ball airborne, which is usually due to poor clubhead speed.
The good news is that the latest technology in a modern fairway wood means that the overall weight of the club is lighter and the face has a larger impact area, which not only makes it more forgiving, but most importantly, helps women deliver effortless club and ball speed for high-launching long shots.
With low-profile shallower head shapes, this instills confidence to make a nice sweeping swing to pick the ball cleanly off the grass, rather than digging into the turf and taking an unwanted divot. Acknowledging all of this, here are some of the best women’s fairway woods. Alternatively we also recommend checking out our guides on the best fairway woods for high-handicappers, and finally the best fairway woods for mid-handicappers.
Best Women's Fairway Woods
If it’s forgiveness and a distance boost you’re after look no further than the Kalea 3 fairway wood, one of the best women's golf clubs we've tested in a long time. From a looks perspective, we loved it during testing thanks to the beautiful geometric patterns which are set off with an icy white design.
In terms of hitting, club nestles behind the ball invitingly even on the tightest of fairways, and if you are not as confident with a driver in your hand, the distance you get with this 3-wood, coupled with the accuracy should see it becoming a firm favorite for you off the tee.
A hugely appealing factor with the Kalea line of clubs is that you can own a matching set (opens in new tab) all the way through from the driver to your putter. So if coordinating is your thing then these clubs are right up your street and there’s a whole range of matching accessories available too.
The GS in the name of this fairway wood from Japanese brand Honma means ‘Gain Speed’, and the entire T//World GS range is aimed at golfers with slower swing speeds looking to increase ball speed and distance.
Looks wise, the women’s model is refreshing as there are no frills, just a simple and tasteful design in silver with subtle hints of yellow and white at the back of the crown. It’s also good to see the same colors running through the shaft, which adds to its luxurious appearance.
It sits nice and square to the ball and thanks to weight positioned low and deep, we found it easy to get the ball airborne with a fairly high trajectory from the fairway and the tee. The sound is good and it feels really solid at impact, but distance is where this club excels. The number of consistently long and straight shots took us aback, so without doubt this fairway wood performs exactly how Honma expects it to.
Complimenting Cobra’s LTDx driver range, the fairway wood is designed to help women sweep the ball effortlessly off the fairway. The LTDx fairways replace the Cobra Radspeed model, which last year ranked top overall performer in our annual test of the best fairway woods and the new models performed well for us as well.
It have a carbon fiber crown with a muted black matte finish and unlike the men's version which has an orange finish, the women's has a soft pink instead. Head is compact and sits nicely square. There are two adjustable weights (8g and 3g), one positioned back for a higher launch and the other deep towards the heel for a draw-biased shot shape. This is the kind of help that makes it easier to launch the ball higher, dampen down a slice or create a high powerful draw.
Callaway has released its Rogue ST Max Fairway to appeal to a wide range of golfers looking for distance, forgiveness and all-around performance. We loved the men's version and the same can be said of the women's mode.
One of three Rogue ST fairways, the Max is the most forgiving of the three thanks to the redeveloped Jailbreak system, and Speed Tuned Flash Face technology. Both combine to allow for greater ball speeds and we found the Max to be one of the most forgiving fairway woods (opens in new tab) on the market.
The sound of the Rogue ST Max is rather deeper and muted compared to the metallic ting of the Mavrik which feels energetic and punchy.
As part of the popular G Le2 women’s range, a thinner, faster maraging steel C300 forged face, a significantly higher MOI and an 8-lobe adjustable hosel is what distinguishes this fairway wood from its predecessor.
The added ball speed from the forged-face technology encourages greater distance and this combined with the shallower face provides a higher launch with impressive forgiveness. Overall the club weight is lighter, making it easier for women to swing the club for longer and straighter shots.
The adjustability features of the TSi2 fairway wood means that a fitter can fine-tune performance to ensure you get the most out of every swing.
By optimizing weight distribution, the ultra-thin crown and variable face thickness combine to drive the centre of gravity low for higher launch and lower spin, creating a powerful combination of speed and stability. The low centre of gravity pairs with the new Active Recoil Channel 4.0 to deliver greater face flexibility and faster ball speeds, especially low on the face.
- Read our full Titleist TSi2 Fairway Wood review (opens in new tab)
Power, forgiveness and accuracy are all on offer with the EZONE GS fairway wood. A high-tensile Honeycomb Structure Graphite Crown with more flex and a Power Groove Sole for maximum repulsion from low on the clubface are the combined technologies that make for an enlarged sweet spot and optimum ball speeds across the whole face.
Slanted grooves prevent moisture from coming in-between the clubface, so the ball flight can be stabilised for improved accuracy, and you can alter the loft and clubface angle through 8 settings of Yonex’s Quick Adjust System.
The women's 190cc Stealth Head comes in several options from 3-wood through to 9-wood. The red and silver Stealth color story is highly aspirational and under the hood, you’ll find TaylorMade’s most trusted tech, including V Steel sole, Twist Face and the Speed Pocket.
The striking 3D carbon coated head looks great at address and a new laser-etched alignment aid on the clubface makes it easy to line up. We also enjoyed the feel when hitting and the performance on offer.
Callaway has built the Big Bertha Reva so women can achieve greater distance off the fairway. Easy-to hit, the oversized Bertha shape with a shallower face enhances forgiveness for consistent contact and smooth turf interaction. It also incorporates Callaway’s Jailbreak technology, where two bars connect the crown and sole to increase stiffness and promote even more speed, whilst increased offset reduces slice to promote a draw ball flight.
It comes with a lightweight shaft that is specifically designed to boost swing speed and a Lamkin Women’s ST Soft Grip.
How we test fairway woods
When it comes to Golf Monthly's testing (opens in new tab) procedure, we use the same ethos and methodology for all golf products to make sure they are as insightful, honest and comprehensive as possible. When it comes to golf clubs, we usually attend product launches so we can meet with the manufacturer’s R&D experts to understand the new technology.
After we have an understanding here, our first port of call when hitting clubs is usually the indoor simulator at Foresight Sports, where the team can test in a controlled environment using premium balls and the GCQuad launch monitor. We also use TrackMan at golf facilities across the UK. We then do outdoor testing, usually on ranges at West Hill Golf Club, Surrey, The Wynyard Club in Teesside and at Brancepeth Castle Golf Club in Durham. We then put the clubs into play out on these golf courses.
Specifically for women's fairway woods, product testing is headed up by Alison Root (opens in new tab) and Katie Dawkins (opens in new tab). Until 2020, for over a decade Alison edited Women & Golf magazine and Katie is an Advanced PGA professional with over 20 years of coaching experience. Both are competitive golfers, and able to efficiently test the biggest product releases and successfully communicate equipment technology and product features to a wide golfing audience.
What to consider when buying a fairway wood
Loft - Figure out the specific gap to be filled in your golf bag. Ask yourself how far does my driver (opens in new tab) go, and how far do your longest irons (opens in new tab) or hybrids go? Knowing this will dictate the ideal loft for your fairway wood.
Forgiveness - Some fairway woods are more forgiving (opens in new tab) than others, especially because many manufacturers create different models for different levels of player. For example, there are three different Cobra LTDx fairways with different head sizes, shapes and they are designed for different golfers. If you need as much help as possible, a larger head will work for you, whilst if you are a better player and strike is more consistent, then forgiveness may not be a key factor for you.
Adjustability - Most modern fairway woods come with a degree of adjustability, whether that’s loft, moveable weights or shaft fittings. Think about how important adjustability is to you, because you can change the characteristics of a club’s performance with a turn of a wrench. Or, you can keep things simple and opt for a non-adjustable model with a stock shaft you hit well.
Versatility - Fairway woods must work well off the tee, on the ground from different lies and even around the green. If you have a model that works in only one of these areas, then there may be plenty of improvement and flexibility in upgrading your fairway woods.
Looks - You have to like how a golf club looks, especially when looking down on the golf ball. The fairway wood is one of the most difficult clubs to hit, which is why you need something that gives you confidence and may even spark a pang of jealousy in your playing partners. Our advice is go and pick several models, see how they look and feel in your hands and test them in a variety of situations and lies.
Budget - Be aware of your budget. You can go for more premium models or you can opt for cheaper designs. Wherever you fall in budget, our fairway wood guides will present you with good advice on buying a new fairway wood.
We hope you enjoyed this post on the best women's fairway woods.
