Fairway Woods

Best Fairway Woods of 2024

Phillip Bishop
Phillip Bishop
Hard Goods/Golf Club Testing Manager

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Best Fairway Woods of 2024

Is a fairway wood your kryptonite? Fairway woods appeal to every golfer. Your need for one will differ from your buddy’s. Thankfully, there are fairway wood options for everyone.

These testing results are backed by more than a decade of experience from MyGolfSpy, the industry leader in independent golf club testing.

Our 2024 Fairway Wood Test is an in-depth analysis of some of the hottest names in golf. This year’s test features 29 fairway wood models from the biggest names in golf along with smaller brands vying for your attention and dollars.

In total, our testing team spent more than 180 hours collecting and analyzing data from a test pool of 20 avid golfers just like you. To identify the best fairway woods, we evaluate accuracy, distance and forgiveness metrics.

The results of this test serve as an indispensable guide for the off-the-rack buyer or for anyone looking for a bit of extra insight before your next fitting. Whatever you’re looking for from your next fairway wood, you’ll find it here.

These are the best fairway woods of 2024.

Best Fairway Woods of 2024

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Fairway wood

Best Overall – Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

Wilson Dynapower Fairway Woods Review

Runner-Up Overall – Wilson Dynapower

TaylorMade Qi10 fairway wood review

3rd Place Overall – TaylorMade Qi10

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Fairway wood

Best For Distance – Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood review

Best For Accuracy – TaylorMade Qi10 Max

Best fairway wood for forgiveness Haywood golf

Best For Forgiveness – Haywood Golf

Wilson Dynapower Fairway Woods Review

Best Value – Wilson Dynapower

Show All

Best Overall Fairway Woods

Fairway woods meet the needs of almost every golfer. However, they are arguably the most difficult golf clubs to hit consistently, especially off the ground. These golf clubs are used primarily off the tee or on longer approach shots. For some, they might even replace your driver. Ultimately, you have to determine why you need a fairway wood.

We’ve included subjective feedback from our testers. However, it does not factor in the rankings. Performance should always trump opinion when it comes to purchasing a new golf club. Backed by more than a decade of golf club testing experience, we can confidently state that popular opinion doesn’t always match reality.

These are the best fairway woods overall.


Best Overall Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

score icon Review Score
9.1
accuracy icon Accuracy
9.4
distance icon Distance Score
9.2
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.5
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Fairway woods have the potential to be excessively hot off the face. Manufacturers tend to get the most out of the fairway woods they produce, especially in terms of ball speed and backspin performance. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond showcases great distance potential. It is the best fairway wood for distance in our test.

  • You prioritize accuracy:

    In addition to providing distance, Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is accurate. It ranks as the second-best fairway wood for accuracy. Although we don't implement a playable or straight shot percentage with fairway wood testing, Triple Diamond excels at these which is validated by its accuracy score. The accuracy score is derived from Strokes Gained. As a golf club produces distance and accuracy, its Strokes Gained score is only going to increase. It is the best blend of performance.

Don't Buy This If

  • You need spin:

    Strictly based on performance, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond should be considered by most golfers looking to replace their current fairway wood. However, if you are a low-spin golfer, you will want to proceed with caution. Triple Diamond's design features low spin components, which might not provide ideal launch conditions for some golfers.

Bottom Line

A fairway wood that offers accuracy and distance is a game changer. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is the best fairway wood of 2024. In our testing, it is 1st for distance and 2nd for accuracy. For fairway wood testing, we put an equal emphasis on distance and accuracy. They’re both key ingredients to performance in our fairway wood category. If you’re looking for a game changing golf club, Triple Diamond is a great starting point.

Testers' Feedback

“Even on mishits, the performance is evident. I didn’t miss many shots left. Most were straight or slightly cutting, which I like.”

“Feel across the face is phenomenal.”

“Stupid long…I might replace my driver with it.”

“I don’t love the looks, but the performance is stellar.”

Expert Take

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is the best for a reason – it is long and accurate. More so, it gives golfers a chance to have more playable shot outcomes given its distance. Subjectively, it is the best fairway wood for sound, feel, and likelihood of purchase according to our testers. However, this fairway wood isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t spin the golf ball enough already.


Runner-Up (Overall) Wilson Dynapower

score icon Review Score
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
9.4
distance icon Distance Score
8.9
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.7
dollar icon Price
$199.98

Buy This If

  • You want accuracy overall:

    Much like other golf club categories, our accuracy score is derived from Strokes Gained. Strokes Gained can be boosted by exceptional accuracy. Wilson Dynapower displays accuracy in a few different ways.: fairways hit off the tee and having shots end relatively close to the fairway with good distance performance relative to other competitors.

  • You want value:

    Wilson Dynapower offers tremendous value because it is a rock-solid performer. It places in the top 10 for our three scoring categories and is currently on sale for $199.98. One of the fairway woods you need to check out.

Don't Buy This If

  • You are skeptical about Wilson:

    For the hardcore golfer, Wilson has pedigree. However, the new wave of golfers might still be unaware of the prestige Wilson had years ago. It is fair to be skeptical about trying a Wilson product, especially as a new golfer. Other manufacturers have a larger presence in advertising, especially through different social channels. At this point, Wilson continues to perform well in specific categories, so you should give this fairway wood a try.

Bottom Line

Wilson Dynapower burst onto the scene last year and claimed the title of Most Wanted Fairway Wood. This time around, it continues its impressive performance by claiming 2nd place overall. It excels with accuracy and distance. It ranks in the Top 5 for each scoring category. Additionally, it offers above average forgiveness according to our scoring metrics. At the end of the day, it is one of the best fairway woods and it also receives our recognition as the best value fairway wood.

Testers' Feedback

“Seems forgiving and it looks good at address. Very stable.”

“It is impressive and consistent.”

“Performance wise, it is great. Looks are a bit bland, but it has a responsive feel and tends to launch the ball a tick higher.”

“I like the ball flight. Good shots are rewarding.”

Expert Take

For a consecutive year, Wilson Dynapower proves why it is one of the best fairway woods on the market. Dynapower is one of the few bonded fairway woods (no adjustable adaptor), which makes its performance even more impressive. It performs well for accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. For $199.99, you can’t find better performance value.


3rd Place (Overall) TaylorMade Qi10

score icon Review Score
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
9.3
distance icon Distance Score
9
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Distance is a priority for most golfers and that is what most fairway woods are designed to produce. Qi10 is another fairway wood in a long line of high-performance golf clubs made by TaylorMade. If you want distance, Qi10 ranks third overall in our testing. Check it out.

  • You want accuracy:

    Fairways wood are situational. Either you're using it off the tee or off the ground. Regardless of the situation, you need a fairway wood that provides accuracy. TaylorMade Qi10 ranks fourth overall for accuracy in our testing. We simulate hitting tee shots in fairway wood testing and TaylorMade Qi10 produces both fairways hit and shots that are playable even if you aren't hitting the fairway.

Don't Buy This If

  • You are keen on looks:

    Performance is TaylorMade Qi10's strength. Whether it is accuracy, distance or forgiveness, Qi10 checks off a bunch of boxes. However, our testing pool ranks it below average for looks. Some noted that they would prefer a matte finish or that the top line was a bit distracting at address.

Bottom Line

TaylorMade Qi10 fairway wood is impressive. It establishes itself as one of the best fairway woods for 2024 by finishing 4th for accuracy and 3rd for distance. A fairway wood that produces accuracy and distance is one worth trying out. Furthermore, TaylorMade Qi10 ranks 12th for forgiveness. All of these performance attributes make for an enticing fairway wood option across the board.

Testers' Feedback

“With the proper shaft, I’d consider it. But, it is too shiny for my liking.”

“Matte finish would be better. Performance is reliable and consistent. I felt like I had some of my best results with it.”

“Well balanced and meshes well with my swing. I like it.”

Expert Take

TaylorMade Qi10 finishes 3rd overall in our fairway wood testing and for good reason. It offers a high quality performance for both accuracy and distance. Additionally, it produces slightly above average forgiveness. Across the board, it is one of the best fairway woods on the market.


BEST Fairway Woods FOR ACCURACY

Accuracy should be your No. 1 priority for a fairway wood. Hitting fairways off the tee is critical to lowering your scores and giving you more playable shot scenarios. If you are putting a fairway wood in your golf bag, it will be used of the (primarily) or for approach shots. Either way, being near or around your intended target is essential.

These are the best fairway woods for accuracy.

Best for Accuracy TaylorMade Qi10 Max

score icon Review Score
8.8
accuracy icon Accuracy
9.5
distance icon Distance Score
8.2
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.7
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You prioritize accuracy:

    Strokes Gained plays an integral part in our accuracy scoring category. Additionally, there are two other components – playable and straight shot percentages. TaylorMade Qi10 Max is the best fairway wood for accuracy because it displays the best blend of Strokes Gained, playable shot percentage and straight shot percentage. If you are searching for playable, straight shot outcomes with a fairway wood, TaylorMade Qi10 Max is a great choice.

Don't Buy This If

  • You prioritize distance:

    TaylorMade Qi10 Max is the most accurate fairway wood. However, it lacks distance upside relative to the field. It is made to launch the ball high with spin. If you are a high swing speed player, be extra careful with trying this head as the stock shaft will not be ideal for you.

Bottom Line

TaylorMade Qi10 Max is accurate and easy to hit. If you are a mid to slow swing speed golfer, this might be the best fairway wood option for you. It does an excellent job at producing straight and playable shots, which can help lower your scores over time. If you have more speed, be wary of playing this fairway wood as it has certain design properties that won’t cater to your speed without a different shaft options.

Testers' Feedback

“Too large of a head profile, but damn, it is straight.”

“More impressed with this fairway wood than the Qi10 Tour”

“Subjectively, it is appealing. Performance is good.”

“Love everything about it, but it lacks distances and spins too much.”

 

Expert Take

TaylorMade Qi10 Max isn’t made for everyone. It is effortlessly straight, which all of us as golfers should crave. However, it lacks the firepower for higher swing speed golfers or golfers who already generate enough spin. This is why it suffers from a distance potential standpoint.

BUT, if you want to hit more fairways, land closer to your targets, and have reliable carry distances, this fairway wood is one of the best.

Best For Accuracy (Runner-Up) Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

score icon Review Score
9.1
accuracy icon Accuracy
9.4
distance icon Distance Score
9.2
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.5
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You prioritize accuracy:

    In addition to providing distance, Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is accurate. It ranks as the second-best fairway wood for accuracy. The accuracy score is derived from Strokes Gained and, as a golf club produces distance and accuracy, its Strokes Gained score is only going to increase. It is the best blend of performance.

  • You want distance:

    Fairway woods have the potential to be excessively hot off the face. Manufacturers tend to get the most out of the fairway woods they produce, especially in terms of ball speed and backspin performance. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond showcases great distance potential. It is the best fairway wood for distance in our test.

Don't Buy This If

  • You need spin:

    Strictly based on performance, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond should be considered by most golfers looking to replace their current fairway wood. However, if you are a low-spin golfer, you will want to proceed with caution. Triple Diamond's design features low spin components, which might not provide ideal launch conditions for some golfers.

Bottom Line

A fairway wood that offers accuracy and distance is a game changer. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is the best fairway wood of 2024. In our testing, it is 1st for distance and 2nd for accuracy. For fairway wood testing, we put an equal emphasis on distance and accuracy. They’re both key ingredients to performance in our fairway wood category. If you’re looking for a game changing golf club, Triple Diamond is a great starting point.

Testers' Feedback

“Even on mishits, the performance is evident. I didn’t miss many shots left. Most were straight or slightly cutting, which I like.”

“Feel across the face is phenomenal.”

“Stupid long…I might replace my driver with it.”

“I don’t love the looks, but the performance is stellar.”

Expert Take

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is the best for a reason – it is long and accurate. More so, it gives golfers a chance to have more playable shot outcomes given its distance. Subjectively, it is the best fairway wood for sound, feel, and likelihood of purchase according to our testers. However, this fairway wood isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t spin the golf ball enough already.


BEST FAIRWAY WOODS FOR DISTANCE

Which golf shot do you remember the most? Most likely the one you hit the farthest.

Fairway woods are made for distance as they’re specifically made for the top of your golf bag. Most fairway woods are going to be used off the tee or longer approach shots off the ground. For some of you, a fairway wood may replace your driver.

These are the best fairway woods for distance.


Best For Distance Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond

score icon Review Score
9.1
distance icon Distance Score
9.2
accuracy icon Accuracy
9.4
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.5
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Fairway woods have the potential to be excessively hot off the face. Manufacturers tend to get the most out of the fairway woods they produce, especially in terms of ball speed and backspin performance. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond showcases great distance potential. It is the best fairway wood for distance in our test.

  • You prioritize accuracy:

    In addition to providing distance, Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is accurate. It ranks as the second-best fairway wood for accuracy. Although we don't implement a playable or straight shot percentage with fairway wood testing, Triple Diamond excels at these attributes, which is validated by its accuracy score. The accuracy score is derived from Strokes Gained and, as a golf club produces distance and accuracy, its Strokes Gained score is only going to increase. It is the best blend of performance.

Don't Buy This If

  • You need spin:

    Strictly based on performance, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond should be considered by most golfers looking to replace their current fairway wood. However, if you are a low-spin golfer, you will want to proceed with caution. Triple Diamond's design features low-spin components, which might not provide ideal launch conditions for some golfers.

Bottom Line

A fairway wood that offers accuracy and distance is a game changer. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is the best fairway wood of 2024. In our testing, it is 1st for distance and 2nd for accuracy. For fairway wood testing, we put an equal emphasis on distance and accuracy. They’re both key ingredients to performance in our fairway wood category. If you’re looking for a game changing golf club, Triple Diamond is a great starting point.

Testers' Feedback

“Even on mishits, the performance is evident. I didn’t miss many shots left. Most were straight or slightly cutting, which I like.”

“Feel across the face is phenomenal.”

“Stupid long…I might replace my driver with it.”

“I don’t love the looks, but the performance is stellar.”

Expert Take

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond is the best for a reason – it is long and accurate. More so, it gives golfers a chance to have more playable shot outcomes given its distance. Subjectively, it is the best fairway wood for sound, feel, and likelihood of purchase according to our testers. However, this fairway wood isn’t for everyone, especially if you don’t spin the golf ball enough already.


Runner-Up (Distance) COBRA Darkspeed X

score icon Review Score
8.7
distance icon Distance Score
9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.6
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.4
dollar icon Price
$329.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    You should not shy away from trying the COBRA Darkspeed X. It packs a punch overall, specifically for distance. Distance is important with a fairway wood, especially if you find yourself using it off the tee often. If you're looking to add distance by means of a fairway wood, Darkspeed X is worth your consideration.

  • You like subjective appeal:

    Our subjective feedback includes: sound, feel, looks and likelihood of purchase. COBRA Darkspeed X ranks towards the top for each of these feedback categories. If you buy a club based on the subjective, you might find this one towards the top of your list.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want reliability:

    COBRA Darkspeed X is an underdog, or should we say, dark horse. Yes, it produces distance, which is a great attribute. However, it hovers in the middle of the pack for accuracy and forgiveness. Both ultimately hinder it from climbing up the ladder. Since it doesn't produce reliable accuracy or forgiveness, Darkspeed X is a fairway wood we highly recommend you get a fitting for to unlock its potential.

Bottom Line

COBRA Darkspeed X ranks 2nd overall for distance in our 2024 Most Wanted Fairway Wood. This is a remarkable accomplishment given there is plenty of distance competition in this category. Additionally, there are a handful of low-spin fairway wood models that it beats out. Another note, throughout testing, it was one of the fairway woods that caught most of our testers attention. Overall, it ranks highly for all of our subjective feedback categories.

Testers' Feedback

“Love the matte finish and setup at address.”

“Love the looks and feel. Having the UST shaft option is a great plus too.”

“To my eye, it looks too open at address. The performance is solid.”

“Very hot off the face. There isn’t enough contrast between the face and the crown. It makes it difficult to aim.”

 

Expert Take

Subjectively, COBRA Darkspeed X is one of our testing pool’s favorite fairway woods. It is confirmed in there feedback. Performance should always be your top priority and Darkspeed X definitely delivers from a distance perspective. It is purely average for accuracy and forgiveness, which is why we encourage a fitting to optimize performance. Darkspeed X is a fairway wood with unlocked potential.


BEST Fairway Woods FOR FORGIVENESS

“Forgiveness” is a nebulous term in the golf industry. It’s used often but rarely defined. As a golfer, do you want a fairway wood that performs consistently? Your answer should be a definitive “yes.” You should desire an club that produces similar results, shot to shot. Are the ball speed deviations tight? Are the carry distance deviations minimal? Are the dispersion ellipses compact? Does it produce consistent backspin? These are metrics we analyze when it comes to forgiveness within our fairway wood test.

Below are the best fairway woods for forgiveness.


Best for Forgiveness Haywood Golf

score icon Review Score
8.4
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.1
distance icon Distance Score
8.4
dollar icon Price
$239.00

Buy This If

  • You need forgiveness:

    In our testing, forgiveness is an analysis of how consistent a golf club is at producing similar shots repeatedly. We do so by evaluating ball speed, carry distance, backspin and dispersion. Each of these metrics highlight how efficient a golf club is across our entire test. Haywood Golf essentially produces the tightest standard deviations for this scoring category and making it the most forgiving fairway wood of 2024.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and distance:

    Haywood Golf fairway woods displays below-average accuracy and distance relative to other fairway woods. If these two performance attributes are a priority to you, you may want to look elsewhere. We highly recommend going through a professional fitting with this fairway wood to enhance these performance traits.

Purchase at

Bottom Line

To some of you, Haywood Golf may be new to your list of golf manufacturers. Much like other direct to consumers, they continue to develop and expand their golf club catalog. Haywood Golf’s fairway wood claims the title of best for forgiveness in our 2024 test. Haywood Golf displays consistent performance for ball speed deltas, carry distance deltas, backspin deltas, and dispersion.

Testers' Feedback

“Performance is way better than I was expecting. I think I hit it the best in today’s grouping.”

Underrated, very appealing, and I was able to hit a draw consistently.”

“Great feel, but the face sits too high and tall for my liking.”

“Performance was amazing. It isn’t the longest, but it was consistent.”

Expert Take

This is Haywood Golf’s first attempt at a fairway wood and it is a job well done. Performance wise, it is consistent and plenty of testers were pleasantly surprised by it. Most found it to be fairly straight, but with too much spin. Since it is adjustable, we advise you go through a professional fitting to dial in performance. For $239, it is worth checking out.

Runner-Up (Forgiveness) PING G430 SFT

score icon Review Score
8.5
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.9
distance icon Distance Score
8.4
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
dollar icon Price
$269.99

Buy This If

  • You want forgiveness:

    PING's SFT lines tend to be consistently forgiving in our Most Wanted tests. One of the metrics in our forgiveness scoring is dispersion. With PING G430 SFT, you have one of the most draw-biased heads on the market. This plays into how tight of a dispersion G430 SFT produces.

  • You want accuracy:

    Sometimes, tight dispersion isn't always a positive. There are cases where a club has consistent dispersion, but is it undesirable. Although PING G430 SFT is draw-biased, it produces above-average accuracy, which is a bonus to its overall performance.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want to fade the golf ball:

    If you don't like a draw shot shape, PING G430 SFT isn't for you. This fairway wood, much like the driver, will produce a draw. On the flip side, if you are a slicer of the golf ball, this is one golf club that might mitigate your wayward and undesirable miss.

Bottom Line

PING G430 SFT claims 2nd place for forgiveness in our 2024 Most Wanted Fairway Wood test. Forgiveness represents how consistent a fairway wood is shot-to-shot. Our forgiveness scoring category analyzes four key golf ball metrics: ball speed, carry distance, backspin and dispersion. Using these metrics, we can determine which golf clubs i.e. fairway woods perform most consistently throughout the entirety of the test.

Testers' Feedback

“I’ve hit this model in previous generations and it is the best to date. Performance is noticeably better.”

“I tend to fade the ball to much and this fairway wood helps limit that miss.”

“Super consistent, but not as long as other fairway woods in the test.”

Expert Take

PING G430 SFT isn’t going to blow your socks off with distance. However, it produces consistent outcomes and it helps control a fade/slice. In our experience, PING’s SFT offerings are constantly the most draw bias golf clubs in testing. Thus, we refer to it as the “slice killer“. If you struggle with a slice and want a fairway wood that is relatively easy to hit, check this one out.


How to choose a fairway wood

Our mission is to cut through the subjective BS and encourage golfers to buy based on performance. Performance should be your top priority. However, there are other things you need to consider when purchasing a new fairway wood.

Best fairway wood for forgiveness

Key components

If you’re new to golf, it can be useful to understand the parts of a fairway wood. Fairway woods consist of several parts: the clubhead, the shaft and the grip.

The clubhead is the portion that actually strikes the ball. The hosel connects the head to the shaft, which can vary in length and is commonly constructed from graphite. The grip can be chosen separately and you can always regrip your clubs. And if you really want to go the custom route, you can add a unique ferrule, too.

Nowadays, most fairway woods feature adjustability. There are a few that still lack it, and among those, there are some top performers. However, having an adjustable fairway wood can increase the chances of you optimizing performance quickly.

Cost

Pricing will always impact a purchasing decision. Depending on which fairway wood you’re considering, the cost will range between $330 and $400. Most of the newer fairway woods reach the $400 plateau. Thankfully, you can find some fantastic deals on high-performing fairway woods. There are quality options below $300, especially Wilson Dynapower.

Wilson Dynapower fairway wood reviewWilson Dynapower fairway wood review

Wilson Dynapower won our fairway wood test last year. Its performance carries over to this year as well as it proves to be one of the best fairway woods on the market. Due to this performance, it is receives our recognition as the best value fairway wood for 2024.

Shaft selection

Selecting the right shaft is critical for optimal performance. The proper shaft can positively impact launch conditions and overall accuracy. This is even more paramount for a fairway wood since they can be difficult to hit off the ground consistently. For slower swing speed golfers especially, switching to a lighter shaft that produces higher launch will likely benefit you.

Loft 

Many golfers have more than one fairway wood in their bag. If you plan on adding a 3-wood and a 5-wood, make sure that you take a look at the loft of your driver, long irons, or any hybrid you may have in your bag. Choosing an adjustable fairway wood with some versatility in the loft may make sense. 

You want to ensure you can pull off several shots with your longer clubs. It won’t help two clubs that perform in the exact same way.

How we test fairway woods

Our 2024 Most Wanted test took 180 testing hours. For 2024, the testing pool included 29 different fairway wood models.

MyGolfSpy’s test program is powered by four crucial components :

For fairway woods, we had 20 testers. Although fairway woods might be the most difficult golf club to hit consistently, the target market for them is broad. Therefore, our testing pool consists of low, mid and high swing speed golfers. Their skill levels vary as well. Some are plus handicaps. Others are single digits with the addition of a few higher handicap golfers. Some are looking to go for a green on a long par five and others need a club to get them in the fairway off the tee.

Our fairway wood test simulates tee shots, however, all shots are hit off the deck.

Best fairway woods of 2024 – Scoring

Providing you, the golfer and consumer, with insights into the best fairway woods on the market is our No. 1 goal with this test. We can’t do that without taking a diligent, in-depth approach to analyzing the data we collect throughout this process.

what are the best fairway woods?

Our scoring categories remain the same and we will review those below. However, we are taking a more extensive approach to our scoring categories.

Overall scores are now labeled as an MGS Score.

Testing is comprised of three scoring categories:

  • Accuracy
  • Distance
  • Forgiveness

These three categories are weighted with accuracy taking priority.

Accuracy

Accuracy is a game-changer. Hitting the golf ball on or around your intended target leads to better scores. For our accuracy category, we analyze one specific metric:

  • Strokes Gained

Distance

Driving irons offer distance potential and are specifically for use at the top of your golf bag. Our distance category analyzes two specific metrics:

  • Carry Distance
  • Total Yards

Forgiveness

We label forgiveness as how consistent a fairway wood is at producing consistent shot outcomes. For our forgiveness category, we asses four specific metrics:

  • Carry Distance Deltas – The difference between the longest and shortest carry distance for a given fairway wood.
  • Ball Speed Deltas – The difference between the fastest and slowest ball speed for a given fairway wood.
  • Backspin Deltas – The difference between the highest and lowest backspin for a given fairway wood.
  • Dispersion – Previously called Shot Area, dispersion is a measurement (yards/squared) of the elliptical distribution of a series of golf shots.
What fairway wood should I buy?

How the MGS Score is calculated

Scores are derived from the key metrics above with specific weighting going into each scoring category. For us, accuracy is always of utmost importance. However, for fairway woods, we put an equal emphasis on accuracy and distance. Each of these outweighs forgiveness.

For fairway woods, there is a noteworthy statistic golfers keep during a round of golf: fairways hit.

Hitting fewer fairways can raise your score, especially for amateur golfers. Rough is penalizing for a reason. Hitting more fairways can help lower your score. This is why accuracy is critical to how we assess fairway wood performance. Yet, distance is important as well in this category. You want to either be hitting fairways or having playable shot outcomes that land relatively near the fairway and, if you are doing so with distance, that is a long-term game changer and a path to becoming a better player.

The overall score is derived from the three scoring categories: accuracy, distance and forgiveness.

Best fairway woods of 2024 – Overall results

ProductOverall RankAccuracy RankDistance RankForgiveness Rank
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond1st2nd1st14th
Wilson Dynapower2nd3rd5th7th
TaylorMade Qi103rd4th3rd12th
TaylorMade Qi10 Max4th1st25th10th
PXG 0311 BlackOps5th5th16th8th
PING G430 LST6th8th11th13th
Tour Edge Exotics E7237th6th22nd3rd
COBRA Darkspeed X8th13th2nd19th
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D9th7th21st16th
PING G430 SFT10th10th20th2nd
Mizuno ST-230 Max11th9th23rd4th
PING G430 Max12th12th17th11th
Mizuno ST-G13th17th6th23rd
Titleist GT214th15th12th20th
Tour Edge Exotics C72315th14th18th17th
Srixon ZX Mk II16th18th10th21st
Sub 70 Pro V217th22nd4th28th
Haywood Haywood FW18th20th19th1st
Cleveland Halo XL19th16th24th18th
Tommy Armour 845+20th11th28th6th
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max21st21st13th15th
COBRA Darkspeed LS22nd25th8th22nd
COBRA Darkspeed LS+23rd26th7th29th
Titleist GT324th28th9th26th
COBRA Darkspeed Max25th23rd27th5th
TaylorMade Qi10 Tour26th27th14th25th
Takomo IGNIS27th19th29th9th
Mizuno ST-Z 23028th29th15th27th
XXIO XXIO 1329th24th26th24th

FAQ: Best best fairway woods of 2024

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Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Cancer Survivor. Amputee Golfer. Essentially, a OneLeggedBoss. When he isn't facilitating testing or analyzing data, Phillip enjoys his family time, practicing and playing golf, unwinding with video games, capturing photos of nature, or devouring pretzels.

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Driver Titleist TSR3 3 Wood Titleist TSR3
Driving Iron Titleist U505 Irons (5-6) Titleist T200
Irons (7-PW) Titleist T150 Wedges (50, 56, 60) Titleist Vokey SM10
Putter L.A.B. Mezz.1 Max Ball Titleist Pro V1x
Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop





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      P0ppl3r

      1 month ago

      I would very much like to like to see this test broken down into 3 / 5 and possibly 7 wood results, similar to what is done for irons.
      For now, I need a 4 wood / 7 wood configuration rather than just another 3 wood that will end up in the cupboard / on ebay…

      Reply

      Matt

      1 month ago

      I agree completely. Looking for a 7-wood myself. Any advice, Mr. Bishop?

      Reply

      Bart Sloat

      2 months ago

      Great job, Phillip Bishop! Very helpful. The new Titleist GT fairway woods are amazing.

      Reply

      Brad

      2 months ago

      Which of these fairway woods has the potential to be the most fade biased? I struggle with a hook, especially off the deck.

      Reply

      Phillip Bishop

      2 months ago

      Hey Brad! Great question. Fairway woods with a lower center of gravity tend to be more fade bias i.e. Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond, Titleist GT3, TaylorMade Qi10 Tour, Mizuno ST-G, and COBRA Darkspeed LS.

      However, if you are hooking it, there is a chance you aren’t producing enough spin. If that is the case, you might benefit from a TaylorMade Qi10 Max.

      Reply

      Tim

      2 months ago

      Ive long been a fan of My Golf Spy and the content. I am however, starting to seriously doubt the way they evaluate clubs. Im a 7 handicap, not a great player, but above average. I purchased the Takomo Fairway Woods and find them to be as long and as accurate as any Ive played. MGS data doesn’t support that. Not meant to be an endorsement for Takomo, but rather questioning how accurate vs subjective their club reviews are.

      Reply

      Not Tim

      2 months ago

      Tim from Takomo ‘not endorsing’ Takomo is the most takomo thing i’ve seen.

      Reply

      Tim

      2 months ago

      LMAO! I wish.

      Jason S

      2 months ago

      Your video stated that your testing was done off the tee only, not off the deck. Why is that? It’s a “fairway” wood, not a “tee” wood, so the testing should be done from off the deck. I understand what Phillip was saying in the video that they’re used a lot on the tee box. I personally use a 3w as a driver replacement, so I absolutely get it. They’re hardest to hit off the deck, thus that testing data is far more valuable than off a tee. If you’re only doing 3w, then there’s that. But if you’re doing 5w, 7w, others, off the deck is best.

      Reply

      Matt Peterman

      2 months ago

      Agree. Want to see off the deck testing results the most!

      Reply

      Phillip Bishop

      2 months ago

      Hey Jason! Thank you for the catch. Our fairway wood test simulates an “off the tee box” scenario. However, all of the shots hit in the test are off the deck. Apologies for the confusion in the video! Thank you for reading!

      Unfortunately, we don’t utilize 5-woods or 7-woods in testing. But, we would hit these off the deck as well.

      Reply

      Yaaqob

      2 months ago

      If they don’t go down to 7 wood, then don’t count them. Its 2024. As a major golf brand you should be able to make at least 3 fairway wood lofts in X Stiff, Stiff, Regular, Women’s, and Senior flex. Even DTC brands offer that much. (Sorry lefties…I can’t defend your abominable sect of devil golf)

      Reply

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