XXIO 14 Ladies Fairway Wood Review

This fairway wood forms part of the new range of XXIO 14 women’s clubs from the Japanese brand that follow the theme ‘Crafted for Effortless Play,’ Fairway woods are not always a female golfer’s favourite club, so I was looking forward to finding out if I could validate the claims by sweeping the ball off the fairway with minimal effort.

This fairway wood comes in five options, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9. In the US, XXIO has collaborated with luxury brand Vessel and you can purchase a XXIO 14 package set that includes a 5 and 7-wood and it comes with a beautiful white golf bag. There’s also a putter option to accompany the set, so women have every club they need straight away.

First impression of the 20 degree 5-wood, I like the blue aesthetic, which is not too dissimilar to its predecessor, XXIO 13, but a slightly lighter blue. The clubhead is complemented by a silvery colored shaft that has an abstract flowery pattern, which adds a feminine touch.

Like the XXIO 14 driver and XXIO 14 irons, the fairway woods incorporate the same ULTIFLEX technology. This brand new titanium alloy is stronger and thinner and this is the key ingredient that helps to maximise ball speed with minimal effort for women with a slower swing speed.

I’m not a regular 5-wood user, probably as a result of the gap between my ears, a few bad shots and it’s stayed in the bag. I prefer using a 3-wood when the lie allows, however, when I addressed the ball, it did instill confidence, as I felt comfortable with the slightly tacky-feeling grip and I like the look of the compact head shape. I’m also a fan of an alignment aid and I wasn’t disappointed, as there’s a small accent on top of the crown.

This club is very lightweight so I was able to make a smooth takeaway, and I was really impressed how responsive and stable it felt through my swing for a solid impact. I congratulate XXIO’s ActivWing technology that has refined steps on the crown and a new, larger step on the sole. It’s these that harness aerodynamic forces that stabilise the clubhead during the downswing for consistent results. I definitely found the sweet spot more often than not!

I can honestly say that it was effortless to get the ball airborne using this club, which can often be a struggle for some female golfers when using a fairway wood. The secret of XXIO 14 is the hollowed out design of the Cannon Sole with its floating weight pad, as this provides more face flex and a lower centre of gravity for a higher launch. I should also add that even in wet conditions and from light rough - the lies that you question whether you should use a fairway wood - I was pleasantly surprised by the launch, carry and distance.

I found renewed confidence with this 5-wood in my hands, so I would definitely add it to my list as one of the best women's fairway woods. It’s difficult to fault as it provides everything you need in a club to effortlessly get the ball up and away for long fairway shots.