If you’re getting into golf, a good fairway wood can be your best friend.
Typically, fairway woods are easier to hit than drivers and can help new players get off the tee easier and feel more confident with longer shots in the fairway.
A new player considering buying a fairway wood has a myriad of options, but not all woods are designed for beginners and some of them can be very difficult to hit consistently.
The last thing a new golfer wants to do is make an investment that doesn’t benefit their game, so finding the right wood for their swing is key.
Luckily, our team tested 20 of the most forgiving fairway woods for beginners on the market today and created a guide for players of different skill levels and swing speeds.
First up you will find our top choices, including options for the best distance, for ladies and an option for budget-conscious buyers as well. Looking for more in-depth info? Keep scrolling to find our full report.
Ready to find your new forgiving fairway wood?
Let’s dive in.
Most forgiving fairway woods
Golfible Picks:
Editor’s Choice: Callaway Golf Men’s Rogue Fairway Wood (click to see)
Budget Choice: Pinemeadow Yukon Fairway Wood (click to see on eBay)
Most Forgiving With Distance: TaylorMade Golf Men’s Aeroburner Black Fairway Wood (click to see)
Most Forgiving 3 Wood: TaylorMade Golf M6 Fairway Wood (click to see)
Most Forgiving Ladies Fairway Wood: TaylorMade 2018 Women’s Kalea Ultralite Fairway Wood (click to see)
Forgiving Fairway Wood Specification table Comparison
| Fairway Wood Name | Callaway Golf Men’s Rogue Fairway Wood | Pinemeadow Yukon Fairway Wood | TaylorMade Golf Men’s Aeroburner Black Fairway Wood | TaylorMade Golf M6 Fairway Wood | TaylorMade 2018 Women’s Kalea Ultralite Fairway Wood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our Rating | 9.5/10 Editor’s Choice | 9.1/10 Budget Choice | 9.0/10 Most Forgiving With Distance | 9.2/10 Most Forgiving 3 Wood | 9.3/10 Most Forgiving Ladies Fairway Wood |
| Pricing | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section | Jump To Pricing Section |
| Wood Available (Loft) | 3 Wood (15⁰ Loft) / 4 Wood (17⁰ Loft) / 5 Wood (18.5⁰ Loft) / Heavenwood (20⁰ Loft) / 7 Wood (21⁰ Loft) / 9 Wood (23⁰ Loft) / 11 Wood (25⁰ Loft) | 3 Wood (16⁰ Loft) / 5+ Wood (19⁰ Loft) / 7+ Wood (24⁰ Loft) / 9+ Wood (28⁰ Loft) / 11+ Wood (31⁰ Loft) / 13+ Wood (34⁰ Loft) / 15+ Wood (37⁰ Loft) | 3 Wood (15⁰ Loft) / 3HL Wood (16.5⁰ Loft) / 5 Wood (18⁰ Loft) / 5HL Wood (21⁰ Loft) / 7 Wood (23⁰ Loft) | Rocket 3 Wood (14⁰ Loft) / 3 Wood (15⁰ Loft) / 5 Wood (18⁰ Loft) / 7 Wood (21⁰ Loft) / 9 Wood (24⁰ Loft) | 3 Wood (17⁰ Loft) / 5 Wood (20⁰ Loft) / 7 Wood (23⁰ Loft) |
| Face Angle | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| Shaft | Aldila Synergy | Pinemeadow Limited Graphite | Matrix Speed RUL-Z 60 / Matrix Ozik White Tie 70X4 / Matrix Speed RUL-Z50 | Fujikura Atmos Orange | Ultralite Shaft |
| Grip | Callway Men’s Universal | Pinemeadow Standard Grip | TM Speed Grip / Lamkin UTX | TM Dual Feel | Taylormade Standard Ladies Grip |
| Read Review | Jump To Callaway Golf Men’s Rogue Review | Jump To Pinemeadow Yukon Review | Jump To TaylorMade Golf Men’s Aeroburner Black Review | Jump To TaylorMade Golf M6 Review | Jump To TaylorMade 2018 Women’s Kalea Ultralite Review |
Callaway Golf Men’s Rogue Fairway Wood
Editor’s Choice
Rating: 9.2 /10
USA Suppliers (Also Deliver To Canada. Globalgolf.ca Is Canadian Delivery Only)
Canada Suppliers
Pros
- Designed to increase average golfers’ clubhead speed.
- Center of gravity low and forward to help reduce spin.
- Available in a variety of options.
Cons
- Pricier than most woods on the market.
- Metallic black finish can scratch easily.
The Callaway Golf Rogue features jailbreak distance technology. The technology includes bars that make the body of the club more firm resulting in a higher “impact load” on the clubface which increases distance off the tee and ball speed.
Callaway included ultra-thin face and face-cup technology when producing the Rogue making the club forgiving on off-center hits and still able to produce loads of power when mishit.
Internal Standing Wave technology is an added bonus that is usually in Callaway’s irons but has now been added to the Rogue. The center of gravity is low and forward helping players to hit shots with less spin and high-loft for long tee shots.
The Rogue was designed to be extremely aerodynamic enabling golfers to swing the club harder and faster resulting in a high clubspeed.
The club is available for purchase in many different varieties ranging from a traditional 3-wood up to a non-traditional 9-wood. The shaft can be purchased in regular, stiff, extra stiff or a senior flex. Both left and right-handed golfers can purchase the club.
The appearance is sleek on the Rogue with a shiny black metallic look to it with a light blue outline and a white Callaway alignment aid.
All these great features were the reason we selected it as our editor’s choice.
Pinemeadow Yukon Fairway Wood
Budget Choice
Rating: 9.2 /10
Pros
- Smaller head makes it easier to hit like a hybrid.
- 16-degree loft makes it simpler to make solid contact.
- Lightweight shaft helps increase swing speed for increased distance.
Cons
- Relatively unknown brand.
- Doesn’t appear as durable as Taylormade or Callaway woods.
The Pinemeadow Yukon Fairway Wood is a lot cheaper than the other four woods in this list but its features are nearly on par.
The club was designed to replicate Adams Tight Lie woods that are known as some of the best performing in the golf world.
The club is available for purchase in a three, five, seven or nine wood. The 3-wood is 16 degrees making it slightly easier to hit than most standard 15 degree 3-woods. The clubhead is made smaller than most large three woods making it appear and feel more like a hybrid.
The club is suitable for golfers who have trouble hitting their long irons and traditional woods. The Yukon features a low-torque graphite shaft, making the club lighter and easier to swing.
The design of the club makes it forgiving and allows the golfer to have a good feel at impact. Pinemeadow claims it is the “most playable club” they make.
TaylorMade Golf Men’s Aeroburner Black Wood
Most Forgiving With Best Distance
Rating: 9.2 /10
USA Suppliers (Also Deliver To Canada. Globalgolf.ca Is Canadian Delivery Only)
Canada Suppliers
uK Suppliers
Pros
- Speed Pocket technology promotes increased distance.
- Large sweet spot.
- Shallow face limits drag.
Cons
- The alignment aid is dark so it might be difficult to see.
- Some users said the club felt heavy.
Taylormade designs high-performance clubs for all handicaps and professionals including some of the world’s greatest golfers such as Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy.
The AeroBurner fairway wood was designed with an aerodynamic clubhead featuring a raised center crown, shallower face and a hosel fin that limits drag for golfers with high swing speeds.
The sweet spot on this wood was enlarged compared to previous models which helps reduce spin allowing for more distance and forgiveness when not hit in the center of the face.
According to Taylormade executives, the new Speed Pocket feature has created “driver-like launch conditions” for the fairway woods.
The club includes a red alignment aid that reads “Aeroburner” making it easy to aim at a target from the tee box or in the fairway.
The Aeroburner is available in 15, 16.5 or 18 degrees. The club features an all-black finish on top of the head and a dark gray, red and white finish at the bottom.
The wood can be bought in a stiff or regular flex and is available for both right or left-handed golfers.
TaylorMade Golf M6 Fairway Wood
Most Forgiving 3 Wood
Rating: 9.2 /10
uSA Suppliers (Also deliver to Canada)
uK Suppliers
Pros
- Twist face technology promotes straighter shots.
- Inertia generator produces more clubhead speed.
- TPU insert increases forgiveness.
Cons
- Pricier than any other Taylormade fairway wood.
- Two-tone colored clubhead might cause distractions.
The M6 Fairway Wood is one of the most well-made and forgiving fairway woods currently for sale. It’s available in a variety of options including for left or right-handed golfers as well as in a regular, stiff, extra stiff or senior flex.
The club can be purchased as a 3-wood or a five, seven or 9-wood ranging from 15 to 24 degrees.
The M6 was created with Twist Face technology that enables a golfer to experience longer shots, a good feel and forgiveness all at the same time.
Taylormade’s new Inertia Generator helps increase clubhead speed due to its large amount of mass and aerodynamic sole. The company also added a large carbon crown and a deep face to help increase accuracy and make the club easier to hit.
A TPU slot was inserted to help with turf interaction and redesigned slot flexibility makes the club extremely forgiving when hit away from the center of the sweet spot.
The club is silver and black with Taylormade’s traditional “T” logo serving as the alignment aid.
The M6 is the most forgiving 3-wood in our list.
TaylorMade Women’s Kalea Ultralite Fairway Wood
Most Forgiving Ladies Fairway Wood
Rating: 9.2 /10
uSA Suppliers (Also deliver to Canada)
uK Suppliers
Pros
- Ultralite shaft makes club easy to swing.
- Icy white and silver design.
- Deep and low center of gravity improves ball flight.
Cons
- Lofts are two degrees higher on each club than standard woods.
- Not available in a 9-wood.
When Taylormade designed the the Kalea Ultralite fairway woods they put a focus on improving spin, carry, launch and feel.
The wood features an Ultralite shaft that enables higher clubhead speed. Speed Pocket Technology improves launch generating more carry and better results off the tee.
The center of gravity is deeper and lower so when struck correctly, ball flight will be high.
The club can be purchased as a 3-wood, (17 degrees) a 5-wood, (20 degrees) or as a 7-wood. (23 degrees)
The clubhead is all white and contains a silver alignment tool. The silver graphite shaft matches the color of the face and looks clean.
The wood can be purchased for both left and right handed golfers.
Forgiving vs. regular woods
In today’s golf market, there are not very many differences between a forgiving fairway wood and a regular fairway wood. Especially among the top brands.
Nowadays brands such as Callaway Golf, Taylormade and Titleist design fairway woods that are forgiving and meant for experienced low handicappers as well as easy to hit for beginners.
A more forgiving fairway wood will have better features than a regular wood such as a larger sweet spot, a low center of gravity and an aerodynamic and light clubhead.
How woods can help your game
Woods can help a golfer in a variety of different ways. When faced with a tight tree-lined fairway, a wood can be the perfect choice to play a safe shot instead of smashing a wayward drive.
Fairway woods can also help reach the green in two or layup when faced with a long shot on a par 5.
Even though the thought isn’t always popular, using a fairway wood around the greens is a great way to get up and down. When faced with a relatively flat chip around the green but needing a bump and run play, a fairway wood serves as a safer option than skulling a chip with a wedge.
Woods vs. Hybrids
The difference between fairway woods and hybrids are the construction and style in which they are hit. Woods are often larger and when hitting, should be in the front of your stance. Hybrids are smaller and played more like irons, closer to the middle of your stance. Hybrids are a combination of a long iron and wood.
Hybrids are typically shorter in length and lighter than woods. For example, a normal 5-wood is 42 inches in length versus a 2-iron that is 39 inches. Golfers sometimes struggle with longer shafts in maintaining a consistent swing.
Hybrid clubs are designed to substitute a player’s 2-iron through 5-iron depending on their preference. Many players have trouble hitting long irons so they swap to a more-forgiving hybrid as an alternative.
Hybrids feature a lower center of gravity than woods enabling them to be more forgiving and easier to achieve higher ball flight. A fairway wood features a much larger sole than a hybrid making it easier to hit the ground before the ball causing an errant shot.
Things to look for when buying a forgiving fairway wood
When looking to buy a forgiving fairway wood it is important to consider factors such as the clubhead, shaft, weight, grip and adjustability.
The clubhead should be light and aerodynamic with a large sweet spot. Having a large sweet spot will increase forgiveness leading to better results with off-center hits. Obtaining a set of the most forgiving fairway woods with huge sweet spots can help you achieve lower scores. Woods that are light and aerodynamic can also help a player increase clubhead speed in order to gain more distance.
Having the right shaft in a fairway wood can make a huge difference in how easy it is to hit. If you have a slow swing speed, a regular flex or senior flex shaft is a good option. If you have a high swing speed then a stiff flex is a better option.
The weight of the club makes a difference in how far you hit and for personal preference. If the club is heavy your swing speed might decrease and it might make your arms tired. Having a lighter club will make you feel smoother when swinging.
Grips are extremely important for feel and accuracy. Going to your local golf store and trying out different grips such as standard, midsize or oversized can lead to drastic changes in your game. There are a variety of grips from soft grips, firmer feeling grips to arthritic grips.
Some woods allow you to adjust the clubhead’s degrees, or to open or close the clubhead to promote a draw or fade. If you’re looking to experiment with different type of ball flights then it is strongly recommended to buy an adjustable fairway wood.
When you hit your woods on the marker you’re aiming for, you’ll feel relieved that you can hit one of the more difficult clubs in the bag straight and long.
Conclusion
After reviewing our five products, we found that the Callaway Rogue fairway wood was one of the top performing and most forgiving fairway woods in the golf world.
With its Internal Standing Wave technology and a low center of gravity reducing spin, players can enjoy increased distance off the tee and watch their ball sail through the air with a high, piercing flight.
The Rogue was designed to be extremely aerodynamic and can increase clubhead speed leading to better results.
FAQ
What woods should a high handicapper carry?
A high handicapper should carry a 5-wood.
• This club includes trajectory, distance, forgiveness and loft.
• The trajectory and distance can help you drive it down the fairway.
• Forgiveness helps make solid contact more consistently.
• A 3-wood can be more difficult to hit due to its lower loft.
Are PXG fairway woods forgiving?
PXG fairway woods are forgiving. The company instilled a huge sweet spot along with top materials to produce a long-lasting club that is easy to hit.
Is a 4 wood easier to hit than a 3 wood?
Yes, a 4-wood is easier to hit. This club has more loft than a 3-wood making it simpler to make solid contact. It’s easier to get the ball up into the air.
Should a high handicapper use a 3 or 5 wood?
A high handicapper should use a 5 wood. A 5-wood has more loft to it. This makes it easier to lift up into the air and strike cleanly. It’s also easier to control the accuracy in distance and trajectory. There is added spin to a 5-wood since the ball stays in the air longer than when hit by a 3-wood.
