We’re super lucky when it comes to fairway woods these days. The technology just keeps improving every year. And we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to the best fairway woods in 2023.
With all the options, however, you’d be forgiven for finding it hard to choose the best one for you. Every fairway wood seems to have multiple models, and some have a bewildering array of adjustment options. It can get confusing out there.
And that’s where we come in to help. Not only will we give you the 6 best fairway woods in 2023, but we’ll explain the features and different options. So, you’ll be able to choose the best fairway woods for you.
Best Fairway Woods: Our Top Picks
- Callaway Rogue ST Fairway Wood (Best Overall)
- TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood (Runner-Up)
- Cobra LTDx MAX Fairway Wood (Great Premium)
- Titleist TSi Fairway Wood (Also Great)
- Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Fairway Wood (Best Value)
- Tour Edge Hot Launch Fairway Wood (Best Budget)
Callaway Rogue ST Fairway Wood (Best Overall)
The Callaway Rogue ST fairway wood comes in three models: Max, Max D, and LS.
The Callaway Rogue ST fairway wood is the best overall fairway wood in 2023. It offers the best combination of distance, accuracy, launch, and forgiveness. This fairway wood gives you consistent performance, and the feel is incredible.
The Callaway Rogue ST fairway wood comes in three models: Max, Max D, and LS.
The Max and Max D models are the more forgiving options, with the latter giving you a draw bias. It’s a great choice if you’re battling a frustrating slice. The Max and Max D are more game-improvement models and suit mid to high handicappers.
However, the LS model is geared towards better players. It still offers excellent forgiveness, though.
The LS stands for low spin, so it suits players who tend to launch the ball high. Lowering the spin leads to a piercing ball flight and ultimately more distance.
With the Callaway Rogue ST Max, players get the most options. Check out the table below for the rundown on what’s available for each model.
| Model | Wood Name | Loft in Degrees | Availability |
| LS | 3+W | 13.5 | RH Only |
| All models | 3W | 15 | RH/LH |
| Max, LS | 3HL | 16.5 | RH Only |
| All models | 5W | 18 | RH/LH |
| Max | Heavenwood | 20 | RH Only |
| Max, Max D | 7W | 21 | RH/LH |
| Max | 9W | 24 | RH Only |
| Max | 11W | 27 | RH Only |
TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood (Runner-Up)
Available in two models: Stealth and the Stealth Plus+
The TaylorMade Stealth fairway-wood line is the runner-up for the best fairway wood in 2023. And there’s not much to separate the top two. Players get the choice of two models: the Stealth and the Stealth Plus+.
The Stealth fairway wood offers great distance and incredible forgiveness. It suits average to high handicappers.
Distance-wise, there’s not much between the TaylorMade Stealth and the Rogue ST fairway woods. However, the Rogue ST is slightly more forgiving and more accurate overall.
However, the Stealth is also a superb performer in fairway woods. The high launch and high spin make it an excellent option for the average golfer. You can be confident you’ll get the ball airborne and further down the fairway.
On the other hand, the TaylorMade Stealth Plus+ offers more distance than the Stealth and the Rogue. However, that extra distance comes at the cost of forgiveness. But that’s generally fine because it’s targeted at the better players.
The table below shows the specs for each model.
| Model | Wood Name | Loft in Degrees | Availability |
| Stealth Plus+ | Rocket 3 | 13.5 | RH |
| Both | 3W | 15 | RH/LH |
| Stealth | 3HL | 16.5 | RH/LH |
| Both | 5W | 18 (S) / 19 (S+) | RH/LH |
| Stealth | 7W | 21 | RH |
| Stealth | 9W | 24 | RH |
Cobra LTDx Fairway Woods (Great Premium)
Available in three models: LTDx, LTDx Max, and LTDx LS.
The Cobra LTDx fairway wood is a great premium option. It feels amazing off the face, is packed with forgiveness, and launches well. So, you can be confident hitting it in any situation.
On the downside, you won’t get as much distance with this fairway wood compared to the other options. But it’s not far behind.
Cobra’s new line has LTDx, LTDx Max, and LTDx LS.
With the first two models, golfers can choose between a 3-wood, 5-wood, and 7-wood. And the LS model comes in a 3-wood and 5-wood. This might seem limited, but the adjustability Cobra offers means you’ve got heaps of options.
For instance, each wood for every model has eight adjustability options. These decrease or increase the loft and add a draw.
The adjustability choices are as follows: -1.5 degrees / -1 degrees / -1 degrees draw / STD degrees / STD degrees draw / +1 degrees / +1 degrees draw / +1.5 degrees.
Check out the table below for the standard specs. Then, you can apply the adjustability options for all the available combinations.
| Model | Wood Name | STD Loft in Degrees | Availability |
| LTDx | 3W | 16 | RH/LH |
| LTDx Max & LS | 3W | 15.5 | RH/LH |
| All models | 5W | 18.5 | RH/LH |
| LTDx & LTDx Max | 7W | 22.5 | RH/LH |
Titleist TSi Fairway Woods (Also Great)
Available in three models: TSi1, TSi2, and TSi3
The Titleist TSi fairway-wood line is also a good premium option. This fairway wood performs well when compared to the others on the list. It comes in three models: TSi1, TSi2, and TSi3.
The TSi1 is lightweight and suits players with slower swing speeds. It has a high launch and spin with good forgiveness.
With the TSi2, players will get a high launch with low spin. This maximizes distance, but it also provides forgiveness.
The TSi3 is the workable model and targets batter players. It has mid-launch and low spin, suiting golfers with fast swings.
Each model feels solid when you hit the ball. That gives a feeling of confidence and control. And it sounds fantastic when hit out of the screws.
Check out the availability below.
| Model | Wood Name | Loft in Degrees | Availability |
| TSi2, TSi3 | 3W+ | 13.5 | RH/LH (TSi3 RH) |
| All models | 3W | 15 | RH/LH |
| TSi2, TSi3 | 3HL | 16.5 | RH/LH |
| All models | 5W | 18 | RH/LH (TSi3 RH) |
| TSi1, TSi2 | 7W | 20 (TSi1), 21 (TSi2) | RH |
| TSi1 | 9W | 23 | RH |
Cleveland Launcher XL Halo Fairway Wood (Best Value)
- Super easy to launch
- Easy to hit
- Excellent forgiveness
- Good distance
- Great price
- Performance slightly below premium options
- Unlikely to suit better players
The Cleveland Launcher XL Halo is a solid fairway wood that offers the best value for money.
It has a bigger head than the other options. That makes this fairway wood very easy to hit. And it’s easily launched, ensuring you can get the ball up in the air.
Moreover, excellent forgiveness means even if you connect badly, your distance and launch won’t be affected too much. So, you can be confident that even the lousy shots will do well.
With the Cleveland Launcher XL Halo fairway wood, you can get that confidence at a great price.
Let’s look at your options below.
| Wood Name | Loft in Degrees | Availability |
| 3W | 15 | RH/LH |
| 5W | 18 | RH/LH |
| 7W | 21 | RH |
Pros
- Excellent forgiveness
- Easy to hit
- Easy to launch
- Great price
Cons
- Shorter distance than premium options
- Limited options
Tour Edge Hot Launch Fairway Woods (Best Budget)
Available in two models in this range: C522 and E522
The Tour Edge Hot Launch fairway wood is the best budget fairway wood. It offers great performance at an excellent price. There are two models in this range: C522 and E522.
The Tour Edge Hot Launch C522 targets better players who want a budget fairway wood. On the other hand, the E522 suits high handicappers and beginners. It has more offset, and the face is 1-degree closed, helping players who slice the ball.
This fairway wood performs very well for this price range in distance, although it can’t compete with the other options.
However, both models offer great forgiveness. So, the Tour Edge Hot Launch fairway wood is worth considering if you want heaps of forgiveness at a budget price.
The table below shows availability.
| Model | Wood Name | Loft in Degrees | Availability |
| Both | 3W | 15 (C522), 16 (E522) | RH (C), RH/LH (E) |
| C522 | 4W | 17 | RH |
| Both | 5W | 19 (C), 20 (E) | RH (C), RH/LH (E) |
| Both | 7W | 22 (C), 23 (E) | RH (C), RH/LH (E) |
| E522 | 9W | 25 | LH |
| E522 | 11W | 27 | LH |
What to Consider When Buying a Fairway Wood
When buying a fairway wood, you’ll want to consider various factors. These are distance, forgiveness, accuracy, launch, price, and looks.
Distance
Distance is an essential factor when choosing a fairway wood. Average golfers typically need all the distance they can get. The more chances they have to get onto the green, the better.
All the choices on our list perform well on distance. However, the premium options perform the best here, which is to be expected. If distance is your main objective, then premium is the way to go.
Forgiveness
The forgiveness will affect distance on mishits, so that’s something to consider when buying a fairway wood. Not even the best golfers hit the center of the clubface every time. And you won’t either.
So, that’s where forgiveness comes in. It’ll rescue you on those mishits, meaning shots with fairway woods don’t suffer too much.
That could be the difference between landing in a water hazard or safely on the green. Therefore, forgiveness can potentially save you many shots over a round.
It’s a good thing all the fairway woods on the list offer this forgiveness.
Accuracy
When buying a fairway wood, you’ll want to consider accuracy. It’s no good hitting the ball the correct distance, only for it to go off target.
An accurate fairway wood gives you a better idea of where your ball will go. If you know your dispersion and can rely on it, you’ll hit more fairways and greens.
That’s precisely what you want from your 3-wood right up to your 9-wood, if you use one. Greater accuracy leads to more birdie and par chances.
Launch
The launch is an essential factor to consider when buying a fairway wood. Every option on the list makes launching the ball easier.
This is great news because many golfers struggle with launching the ball into the air. If that’s you, choosing the correct fairway wood will be a gamechanger.
The optimal launch will add distance with the 3-wood. Also, it’ll help with approach shots with, say, a 5-wood or 7-wood, your ball landing softly and stopping on the dance floor.
Price
You’ll want to consider the price when buying a fairway wood. Some golfers have specific needs that premium options can only meet. If you’re a better player, you’ll likely benefit more from the premium fairway woods.
However, other golfers can meet their needs with a value or budget option. The best thing to do is think about your needs. Then, you can find fairway woods in the price range that meet those needs.
That way, you can get the best fairway wood for you at the best price.
Looks
Many golfers want clubs that are easy on the eye. If you’re the same, you’ll want to consider the looks when buying the best fairway wood.
You must be comfortable looking down at the fairway wood you’re playing with. Being comfortable is a massive part of golf. It leads to better shots and scores, which we all want.
Frequently Asked Questions
Those are our choices for the best fairway woods in 2023. Now that you know the best ones and what to consider when buying a fairway wood, you’ll be able to pick the best one for you. But before you do, let’s cover a few more questions about fairway woods.
Do I need a 3-wood and a 5-wood?
A lot of players need a 3-wood and a 5-wood. A standard loft for the former is 15 degrees, and it’s 18 degrees for the latter. So, the 3-wood will give you more distance.
The average golfer hits a 3-wood about 210 yards and a 5-wood about 200 yards. That 10-yard gap is a good distance between clubs, not too short and not too long.
Say, for example, you didn’t have a 5-wood but carried a 3-wood and a 7-wood. The average distance for a 7-wood is about 180 yards. So that 30-yard gap between clubs is much too long.
So, you’ll likely need a 3-wood and a 5-wood if you hit the ball average distances.
How are fairway woods different from hybrids?
Fairway woods are different from hybrids in two main areas: the head and the shaft. The head of a fairway wood is larger than the head of a hybrid. This makes a fairway wood easier to hit for many golfers.
Also, fairway woods tend to have a larger hitting area, making them more forgiving. The wider sole of a fairway wood compared to a hybrid gives it a lower center of gravity that’s further back in the clubhead. That makes a fairway wood easier to launch when compared with a hybrid of the same loft.
Furthermore, the longer shaft means a fairway wood will go further than a hybrid. However, this longer shaft can make a fairway wood less accurate for some.
Conclusion
Having the best fairway woods for you can help your game. Whether you’re using a 3-wood for a tight tee shot or a 7-wood for a long approach shot, the best fairway wood can have a massive impact.
The combination of distance and forgiveness can be the difference between landing on the fairway, the green, or in that pesky water hazard. Golf can be a game of inches. And the best fairway woods often put you on the good side of those inches.
Our list gives you an awesome range of choices, from premium to budget. Also, you’ll now know what to consider when buying the best fairway woods in 2023. So make the right choice and see fantastic results for your game!
