Katie Dawkins
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.
The Quick List
The Kalea Gold fairway wood is part of the new women's range from TaylorMade and it's exceptionally comfortable and easy to hit, even from light rough, so gives women a confidence boost for longer shots.
The looks and performance of the Titleist TSR1 fairway wood will make it a favorite among moderate swinging players. A really nicely weighted club that helps to generate good clubhead speed for a consistent high launch and a towering ball flight.
The faces have been designed to promote extreme consistency in spin, regardless of strike location, a feature that a lot of golfers will benefit from when hitting woods from the fairway. Available in 3, 5, 7, and 9 wood.
Super-sized, sophisticated in design and outstanding in performance. Put simply these are really easy woods to use. It's hard not to love the new Kalea Premier fairway wood from TaylorMade. A big thumb's up from us.
The Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood does exactly what it says on the tin, launch it higher for golfers who need extra help hitting a wood off the fairway or the tee. These fairway woods are simple, uncomplicated and designed for improving golfers.
Best Women's Fairway Woods
TaylorMade Kalea Gold Fairway Wood
Compared with TaylorMade’s previous generation of women’s clubs, Kalea Premier, which also made this guide, in my opinion the Kalea Gold looks far more elegant. The combination of the dark navy along with the silver and gold makes it striking and yet offers a premium look as dwell.
I like the look of the shiny carbon crown at address, which is always important for a confidence boost. It sits neatly behind the ball, and on my very first stroke using this club, I found it easy to launch.
When hitting shots I also noticed how powerful the ball felt coming off the face, with a penetrating flight and distance was pleasing, comparable with Titleist’s TSR1 fairway wood. I also like small TaylorMade logo on the top of the crown, it's a useful alignment aid. Overall this club was incredibly difficult to fault, but it is about an inch shorter than some other fairway woods, so the length might minimally impact some women. As such, a custom-fitting is advisable.
- Read our full TaylorMade Kalea Gold Fairway Wood review
Titleist TSR1 Fairway Wood
Designed for golfers with slower swing speeds of less than 90mph, the TSR1 fairway wood supplements the excellent TSR1 driver. Looking at its aesthetics, the TSR1 fairway boasts a classic-looking design, traditional of some of the best Titleist drivers on the market. It features a glossy design that gives it a deceptively compact feel at address. While that sleek styling also makes it seem smaller, we still found the TSR1 inspired a lot of confidence when sat next to the ball.
Interestingly, it comes with a slightly heavier clubhead than its predecessor, the TSi1. Titleist have really thought about how they can improve this club to make it more suitable to players who aren't able to generate as much speed in their metal woods. And that extra weight certainly helps you put a more favorable launch angle on each shot, while adding more spin and speed to the ball. Titleist have also combined this with a weight-saving open hosel that helps to put a deeper center of gravity on the club, which gives this metal-wood a higher MOI. That helps to improve its forgiveness and having tested it on the course, the updated design helped us to flight effortlessly high and straight shots. The powerful sound the club delivered was another standout feature of this club and something we really enjoyed when hitting off dewy fairways.
- Read our full Titleist TSR1 Fairway Wood Review
Ping G Le3 Women's Fairway Wood
The G Le3 fairway woods have been designed to promote maximum ball speeds by using the same Face Wrap technology found in the G430 fairway woods, widely considered some of the best fairway woods in golf. The faces have been designed to promote extreme consistency in spin, regardless of strike location, a feature that a lot of golfers will benefit from when hitting woods from the fairway. Available in 3, 5, 7, and 9 wood and all featuring adjustable hosels, there are plenty of options for golfers to find the perfect loft to fit in the top end of their bags.
TaylorMade Kalea Premier Women's Fairway Wood
Featuring in three loft choices (3, 5 & 7 woods), the emphasis in the design of the Kalea Premier has been placed on distance without compromising forgiveness. It does this by a weight-saving carbon crown, which combines with a flexible Speed Pocket behind the face to make them lighter, faster and longer.
Above all, what I loved about the TaylorMade Kalea Premier fairway wood was the versatility. I could use it easily off the tee to make sure I hit the fairway, but also attack long par-3's, and go for par-5's in two thanks to its performance on the ground. The desirable rainbow-shaped ball flight ensures the ball lands softly with the same control you'd expect from an iron.
At address, it is confidence inspiring, with TaylorMade boosting the club-head size by a significant 37% on the original Kalea. What's more, the woods have a shimmering blue finish with a subtle 't-shape' pattern like a honeycomb. It's eye-catching rather than distracting in bright sunlight and we liked the bold, white edging as it frames the ball nicely.
- Read our full TaylorMade Kalea Premier Women's Fairway Wood Review
Wilson Launch Pad Fairway
The Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood does exactly what it says on the tin and would make a great addition to any high handicappers golf bag. To begin with, the fairway woods are simple, uncomplicated and designed for improving golfers that want clubs that are easy to use and which correct some of their swing faults. In this case, the Wilson Launch Pad fairway will help dampen down a slice.
The most obvious thing you notice about the Wilson LP fairway wood is that it sits very closed and has an obvious draw bias. This naturally benefits the golfer who slices the ball, as it will help straighten up the ball flight.
What's more, the Evenflow shaft is light at 55g, but adds a premium touch to a value driven product. The Launch Pad inevitably flies high but has plenty of forward momentum suggesting that the shaft and head are well set up to keep spin rate down.
- Read our full Wilson Launch Pad Fairway Wood Review
How we test fairway woods
When it comes to Golf Monthly's testing 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 and Katie Dawkins. 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
Fairway woods can be some of the most technically advanced golf clubs in the game. That often means there's a lot of features to consider when purchasing your next set of fairway woods. But that's not a reason to be overwhelmed! We've put together the below list which sets out some of the key features you need to look out for when purchasing your next set of fairways.
1. Loft
Figure out the specific gap to be filled in your golf bag. Ask yourself how far does my driver go, and how far do your longest irons or hybrids go? Knowing this will dictate the ideal loft for your fairway wood.
2. Forgiveness
Some fairway woods are more forgiving 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
For more buying advice on clubs why not check out our guides on the most forgiving fairway woods and the best golf hybrid clubs.
FAQs
Where can I use a fairway wood?
Fairway woods can be used all around the course. If your driver's playing up or if you're on a short Par-4, you can use your fairways off the tee. You can also use your metalwoods on fairways and from the rough if you're feeling adventurous when targeting a green from long range. Plus you can also use a fairway wood around the greens for a short bump and run shot, if you're not feeling confident in your wedge game.
What fairway woods should I carry in my bag?
The number and kind of fairway woods you should carry in your bag can vary depending on your preferences as a golfer and how your gapping system works in your bag. Many golfers tend to carry a 3-wood and a 5-wood, two excellent clubs that bridge the gap between your long irons and driver. But if you find long irons a little less forgiving and harder to hit compared to your woods, you can opt to go for higher-lofted clubs like a 7-wood or even, perhaps, a 9-wood.
What irons do fairway woods replace?
Generally speaking, a 4-wood replaces a 2-iron at 17º of loft , a 5-wood replaces a 3-iron at 19º, 7-woods will step in for a 4-iron at around 22º and finally a 9-wood will replace a 5-iron at 25º.
