The Best 9 Woods in 2023

#1 – Callaway Golf 2021 Epic Max Fairway Wood 9 Wood – Best Choice

Selling Points:

• Adjustable weights
• Maraging steel face
• Jailbreak bracing bars

One of the best things about the Epic Max fairway is the maraging steel face. This is an extremely thin type of steel so you get explosive ball reaction whether you use it off the deck or from the tee. The Epic Max 9 wood also has a larger footprint than other fairway woods in the Epic family.

This makes it incredibly forgiving. Then there are adjustable 2 and 14 gram weights. This makes the Epic Max very versatile because you can promote higher launch and MOI by placing the heavy weight in the back or you can prevent spin and lower the launch angles by putting the heavy weight in the front port.

The shallow face profile gives this wood the forgiveness of a hybrid. You get a lot of lateral space to work with so even mis-hits go far. We would recommend this 9 wood to mid to high handicappers.

Pros:

• Very frogiving
• Great for attacking long par 4’s and 5’s
• Great apex height

Cons:

• A bit hard to work
• No adjustment tool provided

Overall Rating: 97/100

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#2 – Callaway Golf 2022 Rogue ST Max Fairway Wood – Best Premium

Selling Points:

• Tungsten cartridge
• Maraging steel face
• Flash Face cup

The revival of the Rogue series of clubs comes with much fanfare from players. The Rogue ST Max fairway woods lived up to the height. The 9 wood features a 27 gram tungsten cartridge is positioned low and slightly forward in the head to kill long-game spin.

Overall this was a very comfortable 9 wood to swing even if you are playing off of tall and thick turf. Again, we are dealing with a maraging steel face so ball speed was instantly increased for our testers. The feel is also very satisfying.

Maraging steel is very thin but also substantial which is why it is one of our favorite face materials. The Rogue ST Max has a more traditional head size than the Epic Max 9 wood so it plays a bit faster and is a bit more workable. This is a great choice for mid to low handicappers.

Pros:

• Satisfying feel
• Viable off the tee
• Low spin rates

Cons:

• Low launch
• A bit inconsistent

Overall Rating: 96/100

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#3 – Orlimar Golf Escape Fairway Wood – Best Budget

Selling Points:

• Stainless steel head
• Head cover included
• Low CG

We wanted to include an affordable 9 wood on our list but one that was actually capable of improving the games of our readers. The Orlimar Golf Escape Fairway Wood is the one. With a low CG that is perfect for smooth swing tempos, it will help you hit more consistently off the deck.

Like the Rogue ST Max 9 wood, the Orlimar Golf Escape Fairway Wood has a shallow face profile giving you more lateral forgiveness. The only knock we have on this wood is that it produces a somewhat unstable flight trajectory.

That’s partially because it launches so high but if you are able to keep that under control, it won’t be an issue. The Orlimar Golf Escape Fairway Wood has a large footprint so it should be congenial for all kinds of players including high handicappers.

Pros:

• Great price
• Great for smooth swing tempos
• Comes with a light, graphite shaft

Cons:

• Unpredictable trajectory
• Not very durable

Overall Rating: 94/100

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#4 – XXIO Women Eleven Fairway Wood – Best For Women

Selling Points:

• Thin sole
• Weighted bottom panel
• Weighted butt

This is a unique 9 wood because it has a weighted butt. The weighted butt essentially brings the CG higher to generate more power on the downswing. It also makes it much easier to find the top of the swing position so you know exactly when to start your downswing.

This was another very comfortable 9 wood to swing with and it will be a great benefit for lady golfers with a smooth swing motion and moderate swing speeds. The weighted sole also helps pull the club head down so it generates a lot of height relatively easily.

If you are looking for better distance and apex height from your 9 wood, then this would be a great choice.

Pros:

• Cool color scheme
• Lightweight
• Great for smooth swing tempos

Cons:

• Dents easily
• A bit pricey

Overall Rating: 94/100

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#5 – Founders Club Fresh Metal Golf Clubs Fairway Wood

Selling Point:

• Graphite stock shaft
• Half cord grip
• Sole rails

The Fresh Metal 9 wood from Founders Club is great if you are looking for optimal turf interaction. While it doesn’t play as long from the tee as some of the other 9 woods we tested, it certainly provides accuracy off the deck.

The Fresh Metal 9 wood also features pronounced offset so it produces a moderate draw – also a good choice if you tend to slice the ball. It’s pretty forgiving overall. Mis-hits were few and far in-between but when they did occur, it was pretty clear that it was because of the swing, not the club.

Pros:

• Forgiving
• Smooth turf interaction
• Great replacement for a 4 or 5 iron

Cons:

• Not as long as other 9 woods
• Not great off the tee

Overall Rating: 96/100

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#6 – Callaway Big Bertha B21 Fairway – Best For A Slice

Selling Points:

• Oversized head
• Shallow face profile
• Pronounced offset

Just look down at the Big Bertha 9 wood and you will be able to see the offset. This thing is a certified slice stopper. The great thing about the Big Bertha 9 wood is that it is just as effective off the tee as it is from the deck.

It promotes a smooth turf interaction and is very forgiving even if you are hitting from rough turf. Distance is also excellent. The SS21 flash face design provides plenty of ball speed and the larger head put a lot of power behind your full swing.

Pros:

• Great at correcting slices
• Very forgiving overall
• Very stable feel

Cons:

• A bit hard to work
• Not great for lower handicap players

Overall Rating: 95/100

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#7 – Callaway Golf Epic Flash

Selling Points:

• Forged face
• Jailbreak bracing bars
• Optifit hosel

The Epic Flash 9 wood would be a great selection for anyone who prioritizes feel. It features a forged 455 Carpenter steel face which imparts a smooth yet solid feel at impact. This is a great feeling 9 wood overall. Ball speed ain’t too shabby either.

The face flexes to a high degree to increase ball speed but the quality of the forged Carpenter steel doesn’t allow for instability. The Epic Flash even comes with an adjustable hosel so you can tune loft to adjust to different situations. Naturally, the Epic Flash already launches the ball high.

The Epic Flash is a relatively older model so you can get it for a great price. This is a fairway wood that has a lot to offer a wide variety of players.

Pros:

• Good price
• Promotes fast ball speed
• Incredible feel

Cons:

• A bit heavy
• No adjustable weight

Overall Rating: 94/100

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#8 – Pinemeadow PGX Offset Fairway Wood

Selling Points:

• Pronounced offset
• Graphite shaft
• Offset leading edge

Pinemeadow may not be the first name you think of when you think of fairway woods but you shouldn’t overlook the PGX. This is a great choice for anyone struggling against a slice. It looks great at point of address with an offset leading edge and head.

The PGX 9 wood was really helping our higher handicap testers square up to the ball on full swings. It’s great for producing straight shots that hold their lines very well. The face is made from 431 stainless steel so it has a solid feel at impact and produces a deep click that we really liked.

While ball speed wasn’t the greatest, the PGX 9 wood is still a viable replacement for a 4 or 5 iron.

Pros:

• Very affordable
• Great for staying on the fairway
• Good choice for beginners

Cons:

• The head has an unusual look
• Ball speed isn’t great

Overall Rating: 93/100

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#9 – Callaway Golf 2018 Rogue Fairway Wood

Selling Points:

• Triaxial carbon crown
• Aerospace grade metal
• Jailbreak bracing bars

We’ve always been a fan of the Rogue series and a big reason for that is the amazing feel and performance of the 455 Carpenter steel used for the face. This is an incredibly fast 9 wood that is likely to provide an instant increase in distance off the deck.

The Rogue has everything: a lightweight design, superior distance, excellent feel, stable trajectory, good consistency, low spin and high launch. We would recommend this fairway wood to just about anyone because it does nearly everything well.

The internal weight is positioned slightly forward to inhibit spin which is part of what makes this 9 wood so long.

Pros:

• Very predictable flight
• Great distance
• Excellent feel

Cons:

• A bit pricey
• No adjustable weight

Overall Rating: 98/100

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#10 – MW8 Moon Wood

Selling Points:

• Unique design
• Low profile face
• Graphite shaft

We conclude our list with one of the most uniquely designed 9 woods we have ever seen. The MW8 Moon Wood is essentially a cross between a traditional wood and an iron. It has a very shallow and wide face profile with an almost square body.

While it does take some getting used to, our higher handicap testers actually remarked that it looked better at point of address then a lot of the other 9 woods we tested. It produced a steep landing angle  so it was good for long approaches.

Pros:

• Plays long
• Easy to hit from the rough
• Lands softly

Cons:

• Takes some getting used to
• Not the most forgiving 9 wood

Overall Rating: 95/100

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Final Thoughts

A 9 wood may be just what you need to take your game to the next level. These are all great choices in their own right but we really liked the all-around performance of the Callaway Rogue 2018 9 wood. We would recommend it to nearly any kind of player. Be sure to check these fairway woods out for yourself!