Best Fairway Woods For High Handicappers 2023 – Get The Best For Beginners Here
Most people in golf rush to their Drivers and Irons without much consideration for their mid to long range game and the quality of Fairway Woods they are wielding.
Fairway woods are pivotal to a quality game of golf off the tee and from the fairway.
If you are just starting to play golf, you should not overlook the usefulness of fairway woods.
And if you are a high handicapper or an average player who is trying everything to shave strokes off their round and get closer to the green in fewer strokes, a good fairway wood may be the unique solution you have been searching for.
For a high handicapper, we are looking at a couple of criteria in our woods:
-
They have to be forgiving, with a big face and consistent when struck anywhere on the face.
-
They have to be easy launching so we arent’t hitting the ball along the ground too often.
-
They have to be configured correctly with the right shaft flex and length, as with every club.
They also have to suit all budgets, many will not want to overspend on clubs as high handicappers and others will to try and take thier game to the next level. With that being said, lets jump straight into todays list.
At A Glance
-
1. Cobra Speedzone Fairway Wood – (Best Choice)
-
2. Callaway Rogue St Max Fairway Woods – (Best Premium)
-
3. PXG 0211 Fairway Woods – (Best Budget)
-
4. Callaway Big Bertha B21 – (Best For A Slice)
-
5. Taylormade M6
-
6. Callaway Epic Flash
-
7. Cleveland Launcher Fairway Wood
-
8. Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood
-
9. Callaway XR Fairway Wood
-
10. Taylormade RBZ Fairway Wood
THE TOP 3
1. Cobra Speedzone Fairway Wood – Best Choice
Selling Points:
-
Great Distance
-
Easy Launch
-
Forgiving And Consistent
Overview:
Having picked up the Speedzone fairway wood for the first time in ages at a Trackman studio, I was instantly impressed with the consistency of this fairway wood.
The club was producing straight, long and high shots whenever needed and the confidence you have when picking up the Speedzone Woods, hybrids and drivers is exactly what you need as a high handicapper or beginner.
It’s also available for less than the other premium brands on the market and although its a couple of years old, this is a clssic club for golfers who want forgiveness.
Pros
- Adjustable weight and loft
- Baffler Rails For Stability
- Hollow Split Rails & Massive Sweet Spot
- Carbon Fibre Crown
Cons
- Not As Workable As Some Woods
- Too Large For Low Handicappers
Overall Score: 98/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
2. Callaway Rogue ST Max Fairway Wood – Best Premium
Selling Points:
-
Longest Wood From Callaway
-
Most Stable And Consistent
-
Designed With Artificial Intelligence
Overview:
Callaway has created a very sturdy and grounded fairway wood with the Rogue St Max.This one stays hit when you catch it and it travel a mile.
The AI designed jailbreak frame that reinforce the mostly hollow head steady the club on impact and cause the brunt of the impact to be borne by the face – the way it should be.
The result is very even weight distribution and a nice clean sound when you hit the ball square.
The tungsten sits right behind the C300 margaing steel face on this one for epic speed and the sweet spot is almost impossible to miss.
This one is a high handicappers dream if you are prepared to fork out the money.
Pros
- Design With A.I Jailbreak & Face Technology
- High quality C300 stainless steel maraging face
- Low And Frontal COG
- Design For Optimal Spin, Launch And Distance
Cons
- Most Expensive On Our List
- Lot of customization can be confusing
Overall Score: 97/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
3. PXG 0211 Fairway Wood – Best Choice
Selling Points:
-
High Speed Squared Face
-
Railed Sole Geometry For Low COG & High MOI
-
Low, Forward, Adjustable Weighting
Overview:
When the owner of Go Daddy decided to create a golf brand, plenty in the industry were sure that he wouldn’t succeed.
Creating high class golf clubs, he did just that and the PXG 0211 fairway woods are the budget option that delivers premium performance for high to mid handicappers.
the large, rounded HT1777 thin steel face provides plenty of distance and this one launches high and sounds amazing.
The PXG0211 range offers that everything that a high handicapper needs without the crushing price tag.
Pros
- Adjustable weight and loft
- Low And Forward Weighting
- Railed Sole Geometry
- Large Sweet Spot
Cons
- Not As Well Known
- Minimal Offset
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
4. Callaway Big Bertha B21 Fairway Wood – Best For Slicers
Selling Points:
-
High Launch
-
Towering Distance
-
Easiest Wood To Hit Straight
Overview:
Released in 2021, The Callaway Big Bertha Fairway woods quickly rose to prominence as the best woods in the game to kill a slice.
On top of that fact, they are also incredibly easy to hit straight for people who dont slice the ball and they are generated by A.I for superior performance and forgiveness.
Packed with the latest tech from Callway and with a huge head and sweet spot, these clubs are a dream for high handicappers, easy to hit, high flying, easy to launch off the deack and super consistent. they also feel superb when caught flush.
Pros
- Designed With A.I Jailbreak Tech
- Substantial Offset
- Low COG And High MOI
- Designed For Straight Launch And Distance
Cons
- More Expensive
- May Not Suit A Hooker
Overall Score: 96/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
5. Taylormade M6 Fairway Wood
Selling Points:
-
Massive Sweet Spot
-
Big Distance Tech
-
Incredible Sound & Feel
Overview
What makes this club good for beginners and average players alike? Try the twist face which is angled to correct off-center shots.
This club will make more of your off-center shots more straight and accurate alongside offering a ton of distance and forgiveness.
It features a carbon fiber crown which makes it both lightweight and durable. This is a great club for closing the gap between your driver and your 3 wood as it allows for more loft and spin control on fairway shots and tee-offs.
Pros
- The sole is substantial but lightweight
- Good amount of “forgiveness”
- Built-in cavity with a polyurethane insert improves ball speed
- Also available in draw bias version
Cons
- Does not include a head cover
- Still expensive despite being a few years older
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
6. Callaway Epic Flash Fairway Wood
Selling Points:
-
Massive Sweet Spot
-
Big Distance Tech
-
Incredible Sound & Feel
Overview
This adjustable fairway wood is designed with a flash face for optimal ball speeds and a low COG for high launching shots.
This club also features a Jailbreak head that reinforces the face cup design with two steel bars that makes the club exceptionally stable and the low center of gravity delivers a high launch.
The club is made of 455 grade carpenter steel but is surprisingly lightweight. We tried the 3 wood with 15 degree loft and found it perfectly adept off the tee, fairway and light rough.
Pros
- Combination of distance and forgiveness
- Flash Face Technology
- Forged Steel Construction For Awesome Speed
- Jailbreak Technology
Cons
- Not As Modern As Newer Models
- Minimal Offset
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
7. Cleveland HB Launcher Fairway Wood
Selling Points:
-
Great Distance
-
Excellent Off The Deck
-
Superior Feel Off The large Sweet Spot
Overview
The HB in the title stands for HiBore which refers to the profile of the crown. We found this feature to be useful for low and long shots – great for approaches.
The Launcher HB also features a bonded hosel which does a good job of stabilizing the club upon impact and making the ball fly true to the angle of impact. The Cup face design also does a good job of maintaining high ball speed.
Pros
- Comes in left and right-hand orientations
- Torque is generous which makes for more forgiving swings
- Very easy to hit off the rough
- Affordable Pricing
- Large Sweet Spot
Cons
- Partial to a slice at times
- Not as long as the Callaway Models
Overall Score: 93/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
8. Taylormade M4 Fairway Wood
Selling Points:
-
Upgraded In 2021
-
All Taylormade Ky Tech
-
Built For Distance And Workability
Overview
If ball speed is your issue as a newbie or average golfer, this is a great wood to have in your bag.
We used the stiff graphite shaft 5 wood with a 300 grade stainless steel face and were teeing off with virtually no letup in ball speed.
This club just sounds and feels great when you get solid contact. The cavity inside the head is what allows for such good ball speed and overall forgiveness.
The acoustics are great too. You can really tell when you hit the ball square which is great for learners and veterans alike.
Pros
- Features a fluted hosel for even better acoustics
- Carbon fiber crown makes it lightweight
- Good carry and loft
Cons
- Not the best for pure beginners
- Not as forgiving as other models
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
9. Callaway XR Steelhead Fairway Wood
Selling Points:
-
Excellent Forgiveness
-
Next Generation Face Cup Technology
-
Attractive Pricing
Overview
This was one of the more accurate woods we tried in terms of green positioning. The deep face really lets you get all of the ball and allows for better control of carry and distance.
The sloped head design gives it a lower center of gravity and drastically reduces ball spin, which adds to the accuracy of this club.
It was also very good with distance consistency which made it a reliable choice for a variety of shots.
Pro
- Designed for good distance off the tee
- Makes it easy to get under the ball for rough shots
- built for forgiviness
- Ultimate speed with face cup technology
Cons
- Not as forgiving as others
- Not as high lauunching
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
10. Taylormade RBZ Fairway Wood
Selling Points:
-
Great Value
-
Long And High Launching
-
Great Off The Tee Or The Deck
Overview
Last on our list is a golf novice’s dream. The RBZ lets you know exactly when you’ve hit an optimized shot with it’s “speed pocket” which provides good ball speed.
It comes with your choice of regular, stiff or senior shafts and a very handsome black/gold color scheme. But what makes it so great is the low profile, lightweight head that renders it very wieldy and forgiving for newbies.
Pros
- Minimal spin
- The stock grip feels good
- An affordable TaylorMade fairway wood
- Competitive against more expensive options
Cons
- Imparts a bit of bounce
- Doesn’t sound very good
Overall Score: 95/100
Check Out More Reviews Here:
Conclusion And Our Top Picks
We considered versatility as well as quality and ease of use in our decision. While all of the aforementioned clubs deliver on these criteria, some were a bit lacking in accuracy which can really be a problem when you are first learning or trying to improve your swing.
Of all the 10 fairway woods we tested, we found that the one that could be used in most instances and was easiest to pick up and rip with was the Cobra Speedzone. It provides all the carry and loft you need with very minimal learning curve.
While the shaft felt a bit flimsier than we would like, it didn’t seem to affect the distance of our shots. This is a great club off the tee, in the rough and near the green. It is a very versatile fairway wood to have in your bag as an average player.
And if you are just beginning, you will find it easy to learn and intuitive with its high-quality acoustics and great sound. Check it out whether you are a novice golfer or just need to take a few strokes off your handicap!
Hi, I am Matthew, a mid handicap golfer who likes to play as much as possible. I love trying out new gear and this blog is where you can find all the gear I have tested over the years!
