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The fairway wood might be the hardest club in the bag to hit. Particularly from the fairway, it can be a challenging club to get your ball in the air with. However, some fairway woods are designed to be easy to hit. Here’s some of the best fairway woods for high handicappers 2023 had to offer.
There’s nothing more frustrating on the golf course than hitting a perfect drive, before then topping your 3-wood when going for the green on a par-5. However, there are some excellent fairway wood options that are made with forgiveness in mind.
Best fairway woods for high handicappers 2023
PROS
- Extremely forgiving
- Draw biased to eliminate slices
- Fantastic speed
CONS
- Not the cheapest on the list
Callaway’s Paradym range is one of the most popular of 2023 and for good reason. The line consists of the Paradym Triple Diamond, Paradym and Paradym X. The Paradym X is the most forgiving, making it ideal for a higher handicap player.
This fairway wood has been designed with high launch and a draw bias in mind. The Paradym range features forged carbon, which allows for fantastic redistribution of weight, making this a very long, but very forgiving club. The centre of gravity in the Callaway Paradym X is pushed low and forward, meaning that you’re going to get more speed and distance from your shots. This club is built with a more upright lie angle and sits neutral behind the ball, producing a draw-bias ball flight.
This is a fairway wood that is ideal for someone looking for a high-end, forgiving option, that will fly high and far.
PROS
- Sits very nicely behind the ball
- Adjustable weight system works well
- Delivers great ball speeds
CONS
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The Cobra Aerojet range is one of the most popular on tour when it comes to fairway woods. The Aerojet Max is Cobra’s most forgiving option for 2023, making it suitable for high handicap golfers.
The first thing to note is that this is a great looking fairway wood. The colour scheme will draw many golfers to testing this one out. An adjustable weight system features 12g and 3g weights that can be positioned in the back or the heel of the sole to fine tune between forgiveness and draw. If you want to make this very draw biased, then you can. As with other Aerojet woods, the PWR-Bridge weighting and PWRSHELL HOT Face technology deliver the fastest ball speed possible, while a carbon crown helps lower the CG location for high launch.
There’s a reason so many pros use the Cobra Aerojet fairway wood and the Max option is definitely one of the best for higher handicappers.
PROS
- Great forgiveness on mishits
- Appeals to a wide range of players
- Lots of adjustability
CONS
- Some players might want higher spin
This is another great looking fairway wood that offers high handicap golfers lots of forgiveness. You’ll notice the large Mizuno logo on the top, which will help you with your alignment, and it looks great too.
One positive from this club is that it’s very adjustable, so it can suit a wide variety of players. However, if you’re looking for forgiveness, this is a great option. In a normal setting, this is a draw biased, very forgiving fairway wood. Mizuno’s Cortech Chamber is key in delivering fast, high ball flights, which has helped elevate their woods’ performance.
If you’re looking for a great looking and affordable fairway wood, the Mizuno ST Z 230 is a fantastic option, that will work well for a variety of players.
PROS
- Shallow looks will inspire confidence
- Spinsistency works well on mishits
- Great combination of power and forgiveness
CONS
- Not a huge upgrade on the G425
Ping are well known for making top quality woods, and their G430 Max caters for players who need forgiveness in a fairway wood.
The Ping G430 Max comes with a Carbonfly wrap, which is an ultra-lightweight crown, making it easy to redistribute weight around the head. Also featured in the G430 Max is a maraging steel face, which wraps into the sole and crown, producing fast ball speeds. One of Ping’s big selling points is their spinsistency, which improves performance on strikes from low on the face, ideal if you tend to mishit your fairway woods. This club also has a weight in the back of the head, which promotes a high launch, perfect for shots from the fairway.
If you like to a fairway wood that is versatile and looks great, then a Ping G430 Max is a great contender.
PROS
- Weights offer plenty adjustability
- Not as expensive as you might expect from PXG
- Clever design gives great forgiveness
CONS
- Will struggle to compete with bigger name brands
Known for their premium products, PXG clubs have made their way into many professional’s bags, and the 0311XF Gen6 fairway is a great option. It’s PXG’s most forgiving fairway wood, so a good option for high handicappers.
This model is PXG’s most forgiving fairway wood. The 0311XG Gen6 comes with a HT1770 stainless steel face, which is engineered to position the club’s centre of gravity low, for a high launching ball flight. The club’s crown is made from high-end carbon fibre. This lightweight material saves weight across the clubhead, meaning more weight can be places in the perimeter, making it more forgiving on mishits. The club features precision weighting technology, with weight positioned in the outer perimeter of the head.
All in all, this is a super forgiving club from PXG. Certainly, one of the best fairway woods for high handicappers in 2023.
PROS
- Very large footprint inspires confidence
- Rebound frame works well for power
- Solid all-round choice
CONS
- There are more forgiving woods on the market
Although this fairway wood isn’t specifically designed for forgiveness, it’s still a great option for higher handicap players who want a solid performing fairway wood.
The Srixon ZX MkII fairway wood has a very large footprint, making it easy on the eye behind the ball. Inside that head is the rebound frame, which is made up of two pieces rather than one. This, Srixon say, makes it like a spring within a spring, for fantastic ball speeds.
Where normal clubs flex once at impact, the Srixon ZX MkII flexes twice. The Srixon ZX MkII is a great looking and performing fairway wood. Ideal for players looking for an all-round performer.
PROS
- Oversized head inspires forgiveness
- Produces a high and powerful ball flight
- Highest MOI wood from TaylorMade
CONS
- If anything, might be too much draw bias for some
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 range is one of the best known of 2023, and it features a fairway wood suitable for high handicappers.
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD is the brand’s highest MOI fairway metal, meaning it provides the most forgiveness possible. HD stands for high draw, and the club is biased to eliminate your slices on the course. The TaylorMade Stealth 2 HD also has an oversized 200cc head, making it easier on the eye and more forgiving, particularly off the deck. On the face is TaylorMade’s Inverted Cone technology, which is designed to keep ball speeds up across the face, while preserving durability.
With TaylorMade, you can be sure you’re getting quality, and the Stealth 2 HD fairway wood is exactly that. Perfect for golfers who want help producing a powerful ball flight.
PROS
- Incredibly easy to get in the air
- Large head is very confidence inspiring
- Lightweight design promotes speed
CONS
- Won't appeal to players with lots of speed
The Titleist TSR range features four lines, with the TSR1 fairway wood the club designed to be most forgiving. This is aimed at players with slow swing speeds and features a very large footprint.
The Titleist TSR1 was the last model to be released in the brand’s 2023 range. However, that certainly doesn’t mean you should discount it. It’s a super lightweight construction, 20 grams lighter than the TSR2, which is also a great option for players who have a fast swing but want forgiveness. With the Titleist TSR1, you’re going to gain club head speed, particularly if you’re not blessed with a fast swing.
This is a particularly good option if you struggle to get the ball off the ground for shots from the fairway. Incredibly easy to hit, it’s one of the best fairway woods of 2023 for high handicappers.
PROS
- AI face design makes these forgiving
- Tour-inspired looks will appeal to wide range
- The cheapest club on this list
CONS
- Not adjustable on the hosel
Wilson quite rightly has a reputation for making clubs that are affordable and great quality, and the Dynapower fairway wood is no different.
Featuring rear weighting and variable face thickness, this club is made to produce a high launching ball flight. With the help of AI, Wilson analysed thousands of options to give the best possible face thickness, which has resulted in great ball speeds and maximum forgiveness from mishits. Although this club features great levels of forgiveness, it also has a tour-inspired shape, so it will suit the eye of good players, who want more forgiveness.
If you’re looking for a fairway wood that is forgiving and has a clean look to it, this could be an option for you.
For more advice like our best fairway woods for high handicappers 2023 rundown, make sure you check out our gear pages and our YouTube Channel!
How we picked
Performance Consistency
We meticulously evaluated each piece of equipment's performance across a number of variables.
Forgiveness and Playability
With golf clubs, our assessment always considered the versatility and forgiveness levels, especially on off-centre strikes.
Innovative Technology
We scrutinise the incorporation of innovative technology in each piece of equipment we review.
Customisation
We consider factors like adjustable features and customisation options available to the buyer.
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