Fairway Woods For Beginners High Handicappers

Fairway woods are among the most important clubs for a beginner to use because they have smaller heads and bigger lofts, making it easier to get the ball in the air. That can make them an attractive choice even off the tee for beginners for golfers having problems with their driver.

A fairway wood is designed to generate distance and loft for longer shots, getting the ball to where the wedges and putter can do their magic close to the green. It has a bigger clubhead and hitting surface than an iron, and is generally more forgiving. For that reason, beginners may want to have multiple woods in their bag, to take the place of the harder-to-hit longer irons.  A five-wood from the fairway is a lot easier for most beginning golfer to manage than a three-iron, and an off-center hit won’t prove as costly.

In searching for the right set of fairway woods, a beginner will want to look for something that's forgiving enough to steer mis-hits closer to the fairway. Clubs with larger head volumes and shallow face designs are often good fits. It's also important to find clubs with a high loft to get the ball in the air. Look for clubs with a high MOI and low center of gravity, as those are the most forgiving and can help off-center hits stay on target.

Fairway woods are engineered to hit the ball at the very bottom of the swing, so setting up correctly is important for beginners. The ball sits forward in the stance, and when swung correctly the fairway wood sweeps through the grass and picks the ball up cleanly.

In any case, it is important for beginners to pick the right club. Most beginning golfers overestimate how far they can hit the ball, so pick the fairway wood that represents how far you are likely to hit the ball in most cases, rather than the longest you’ve ever hit the club.

Fairway Woods for Advanced Players High Handicappers

Advanced players should already have a strong idea of what they're looking for in new clubs, and fairway woods are no exception.

Many advanced players are strong enough with their irons and their drivers that they aren't looking for a substitute to avoid hitting with an uncomfortable club. They’re  looking for woods that allow them to control their shots, forgiving enough to alleviate the damage from slight mis-hits but not focused on that at the expense of shot-shaping ability.

Most low-handicappers are looking for factors like feel and control as well as distance, though nobody is going to turn down a few extra yards. Some may prefer a lower-trajectory club to power through the air, while others might want a higher launch angle. That's a personal decision, but it's important to keep that in mind when looking in the pro shop, because a high-loft three-wood is useless to someone looking for a lower ball flight.

Another option that may appeal to some advanced players is the ability to adjust the weight, whether it's at the factory or on the first tee. That allows a draw bias or a neutral ball flight as desired.

Finally, advanced players should pay attention to the shaft. Most low handicappers have a faster swing speed, and should go with a steel shaft, which offers more control than graphite but requires that to generate the same distance. Those with slower swing speeds should pick a graphite shaft, which increases the speed but offers less control. Advanced players with faster swing speeds should pick a stiffer shaft, with those with slower speeds needing a more flexible shaft.

Advanced players probably have a good idea of what they’re looking for in a fairway wood. The big test is not to be blinded by all the shiny new clubs at the pro shop, but stay focused on what works for their games and can best do what they’re looking for.