Fairway Woods

Best Fairway Woods of 2025

Phillip Bishop
Phillip Bishop
Director of Testing

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Best Fairway Woods of 2025

Fairway woods might be one of the most intriguing golf club options on the market. Our testing focuses on 3-woods specifically but even those vary in stock loft options. You have 14.5-, 15-, 15.5- and even 16-degree loft options. 

We see more and more golfers opting to use 5-woods and 7-woods. Finding the right fairway wood head for your golf game is paramount. As to which loft you implement, that needs to be determined by you.

The best fairway woods of 2025 excel in accuracy and distance. Each performance metric is equally important when choosing the right fairway wood.  

MyGolfSpy is the leader in independent golf club testing. Each test we release is backed by more than a decade of testing experience and expertise. There is no sugar coating. No marketing BS. Just results driven by data and objective testing.

For this test, we have 22 fairway woods. In total, our team conducted 160 hours of testing. Our testers were responsible for collecting 6,600 shots’ worth of data.

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 2025.

best fairway woods of 2025

Best Fairway Woods of 2025

PING G440 Max fairway wood review

Best Overall: PING G440 Max

PING G440 MAX

TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood review

Runner Up: TaylorMade Qi35

TaylorMade Qi35

PING G440 LST fairway wood review

3rd Place: PING G440 LST

PING G440 LST

TaylorMade Qi35 Max fairway wood review

Best for Accuracy: TaylorMade Qi35 Max

TaylorMade Qi35 Max

TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood review

Best for Distance: TaylorMade Qi35

TaylorMade Qi35

COBRA DS-Adapt Max D fairway wood review

Best for ForgivenessL COBRA DS-Adapt Max D

COBRA DS-Adapt Max D

Show All

Best overall fairway woods

Fairway woods are versatile golf clubs. You have 3-woods, 5-woods, 7-woods, 9-woods, even the iconic “heavenwood.” Choosing which fairway wood head gives you the best results is key regardless of which loft you ultimately choose.

The best fairway woods produce accuracy and distance. Consistency is important, but hitting the ball straight and long with a fairway wood is ideal. This applies to off the tee or a second shot into a par-5. 

These are the best overall fairway woods of 2025. 

Best Overall PING G440 Max

PING G440 MAX

score icon Review Score
8.9
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
9
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.8
dollar icon Price
$369.99

Buy This If

  • You want a fairway wood that performs:

    Fairway woods might be the one golf club that most golfers won't change often. I mean, how many of you have ole reliable and it is a fairway wood? Now, if you are considering a new fairway wood, you want one that performs and is consistent. PING G440 Max is the best fairway wood of 2025 for a reason. It performs. Across the board, it is the most consistent with performance. It excels in all three of our scoring categories. Another benefit, like most fairway woods nowadays, it is adjustable. Go check it out today.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want the longest fairway wood:

    Relative to the field, PING G440 Max is good for distance. However, it doesn't touch the distance that some other fairway woods produce. If you're looking for a fairway wood off the tee box specifically, there are better options.

Bottom Line

Do you want to be the best at one specific performance trait? Or, produce the best all around performance? If your choice is the latter, then you’re choosing this year’s best fairway wood – PING G440 Max. PING G440 Max produces the best overall consistency across all three of our scoring categories in the fairway wood test. It is accurate, it produces distance, and it is forgiving. Our testing focuses on 3-wood performance. But, be assured that performance can trickle down to 5-wood and 7-wood. If you’re looking for a new fairway wood and you want the ultimate option for consistency, PING G440 Max is the best choice.

Testers' Feedback

Very consistent, extremely accurate even on mishits. Inspires confidence.”

Really solid across the board, forgiving, consistent. Favorite of the grouping today.”

A solid option for almost any golfer.”

Really enjoyed it. Traditionally, I don’t like PINGs fairway woods, but it’s my favorite in the test so far.”

Expert Take

Balanced performance goes a long way. This leads to short term and long term success. PING G440 Max fairway wood isn’t a scoring category winner. Yet, it produces the highest overall score in our 2025 Most Wanted Fairway Wood test. This is all via exceptional scoring across all three of our scoring categories – accuracy, distance, and forgiveness. The best of the best excel in multiple areas and that is exactly what PING G440 Max does.

Runner Up TaylorMade Qi35

TaylorMade Qi35

score icon Review Score
8.8
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.2
distance icon Distance Score
9.8
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.2
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You are chasing distance:

    There are multiple golf clubs options at the top end of your golf bag. If you are looking for distance specifically, TaylorMade Qi35 is the best fairway wood for it. It is exceptionally longer than other fairway woods on the market. Furthermore, this isn't the first time a TaylorMade fairway wood has performed exceptionally for distance. TaylorMade excels in this scoring category. Distance is beneficial in a fairway wood because it can become a usable option off the tee box.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    There is a staggering difference in performance for the TaylorMade Qi35. It produces exceptional distance. However, it underwhelms for accuracy and distance. The best recommendation for Qi35 fairway wood is to go through a professional fitting to optimize it for accuracy and hopefully for forgiveness. The distance is there. The other two performance traits are lacking off-the-rack.

Bottom Line

TaylorMade has a knack for making fairway woods. At this point, it is one of their consistent strong suits. Their fairway woods are some of the best year in and year out. For 2025, TaylorMade Qi35 takes second overall in our fairway wood test. Qi35 is the best fairway wood for distance, which propels it to second place. This is despite lackluster performances in accuracy and forgiveness. If you’re looking for pure distance in a fairway wood, TaylorMade Qi35 is the best option.

Testers' Feedback

Money. Long. High launching and low spinning.”

Great feeling club and looks good at address.”

Not a fan of the silver. Solid performer though. I’d consider it.”

 

Expert Take

TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood is the best for distance. It’s a beast for distance, which will intrigue plenty of golfers. TaylorMade continues to produce top end fairway woods. The biggest recommendation we can make is if you are considering this fairway wood, go through a fitting.

3rd Place PING G440 LST

PING G440 LST

score icon Review Score
8.8
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.8
distance icon Distance Score
9
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.4
dollar icon Price
$579.99

Buy This If

  • You want a fairway wood that checks boxes:

    If you want accuracy, PING G440 LST produces it. If you want distance, PING G440 LST excels at it. There are the two boxes you want checked off when considering a new fairway wood. PING G440 LST is one of the fairway woods that could easily be used as a direct driver replacement off the tee box or it can be used to excessively reduce spin. It all depends on what your specific needs are.

Don't Buy This If

  • You have a budget and prioritize sound:

    Look, there is no reason why a 3-wood should cost almost as much as a driver on the market. Furthermore, more than mini drivers on the market. But, here we are with the PING G440 LST. Also, the acoustics on it are horrendous. Don't take my word for it. This is what are testers think.

Bottom Line

Accuracy and distance makeup 80% of our fairway wood scoring. These two scoring categories can make or break a fairway wood’s performance. PING G440 LST excels in both of these scoring categories. Enough so to where it claims third place overall in testing. PING G440 LST is in a league of its own for two things – price and sound. It is the most expensive fairway wood on the market and it is arguably the worst sounding. If you can get over these two negative factors, it is a damn good fairway wood to try out.

Testers' Feedback

Sound is very weird. Performance is solid.”

Acoustics are way too off-putting. Performance is solid, but I can’t get over the sound.”

Wanted to love this one because it was quite accurate, but couldn’t get past the sound. Worst of the fairway woods.”

Expert Take

PING G440 LST fairway wood performs, especially for accuracy and distance. At $579.99, some might say, it better perform, and it does. It can rival most fairway woods off the tee box specifically. Unfortunately, as our testers’ elaborated, the acoustics on the PING G440 LST are extremely off-putting. Proceed with this in mind if you are considering this fairway wood.

Best fairway woods of 2025

Best fairway woods for accuracy

Accuracy is paramount. It is a performance trait that should never be diluted or ignored when you’re choosing your next golf club. Hitting fairways off the tee with a fairway wood is important. You want to have playable shot outcomes. You want to have straight shot outcomes. 

These are the best fairway woods for accuracy. 

Best for Accuracy TaylorMade Qi35 Max

TaylorMade Qi35 Max

accuracy icon Accuracy
9
distance icon Distance Score
8.1
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
9.2
score icon Review Score
8.7
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You want playability:

    Accuracy and forgiveness are two key tells for a golf club and whether or not it produces playable shot outcomes. TaylorMade Qi35 Max fairway wood thrives with producing accuracy and forgiveness. This makes it a viable option for someone who is strongly considering a 5-wood or 7-wood in addition to a 3-wood. If you're looking for a fairway wood that you can hit easily from off the tee or into a green, TaylorMade Qi35 Max is a great option.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    TaylorMade Qi35 Max lacks distance relative to other fairway woods. Ultimately, you have to determine if distance is your priority in a fairway wood. Assess the situations you use a fairway wood and go from there.

Bottom Line

We saw the TaylorMade Qi35 Max hybrid perform well in hybrid testing. Now, we see the TaylorMade Qi35 Max fairway wood excel as well. The Qi35 Max is the best fairway wood for accuracy in 2025. Additionally, it is the third best fairway wood for forgiveness. If you’re looking for a fairway wood that produces playable shot outcomes, TaylorMade Qi35 Max is a great option. In a tight leaderboard, Qi35 Max fairway wood places sixth overall and this is mainly due to a lack of distance relative to the field.

Testers' Feedback

Looks good, performed well, trail side a little long on the club head.”

Larger profile, launches it high (love that).”

Soft feel off the face on impact. I knew exactly where I was hitting it on the face. I’d buy it.”

Expert Take

TaylorMade Qi35 Max fairway wood isn’t for everyone. It performs exactly as it is suppose to – it is accurate and forgiving. These are stellar performance traits. However, the lack of distance will turn golfers away. If you are a golfer who needs height on your fairway wood shots, this is a fairway wood worth trying.

Best for Accuracy (Runner Up) Tour Edge Exotics E725

Tour Edge Exotics E725

accuracy icon Accuracy
8.9
distance icon Distance Score
7.4
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
9
score icon Review Score
8.3
dollar icon Price
$249.99

Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    There are golf clubs that perform well in specific categories. Tour Edge Exotics E725 is a prime example of a fairway wood that shines for two performance traits – accuracy and forgiveness. Off-the-rack, you can expect accurate and consistent shot outcomes. For accuracy, this means straight and playable shot outcomes. This can be off the tee box or attacking the green with an approach shot. For forgiveness, this means E725 fairway wood is producing similar shot outcomes consistently. Tight standard deviations off the club face for ball speed, carry distance, spin, and dispersion.

Don't Buy This If

  • You can't sacrifice distance:

    Distance will always be important to golfers. If a product is left behind in the distance category, it is a steep hill to climb for consideration. Tour Edge Exotics E725 falls behind in the distance category for fairway woods. If you can't sacrifice losing some distance relative to other fairway woods, then you may want to look elsewhere.

Bottom Line

Tour Edge Exotics is a brand synonymous with underdogs. You don’t expect them to win. Some, might not even expect them to perform well. Yet, again and again, their products top others in certain performance categories in our testing. Tour Edge Exotics E725 is the second best fairway wood for accuracy in 2025. This shouldn’t surprise you. Tour Edge Exotics’ “E” series generally produces outstanding results for accuracy and forgiveness. Speaking of which, E725 fairway wood also ranks fourth for forgiveness.

Testers' Feedback

Forgiving, medium distance, more playable shots.”

Not a matte look fan, but loved the shaping and performs well.”

Very consistent. Shorter, but straight.”

Expert Take

Tour Edge Exotics E725 is an exceptional performer for accuracy and forgiveness. These two performance traits create consistent and reliable performance outcomes. You get straight shots, playable shots, and great dispersion. On the flip side, E725 is one of the shorter fairway woods. Ultimately, you have to pick which performance traits are important to you.

Best fairway woods for accuracy

Best fairway woods for distance

Distance, much like accuracy, is a key component in fairway wood performance. Ultimately, they are equally important. You want distance off the tee. You want distance with your approach shots into a par-5. For some of you, you simply want a golf club that isn’t your driver that you can hit the maximum distance. Fairway woods offer this type of performance. 

These are the best fairway woods for distance. 

Best for Distance TaylorMade Qi35

TaylorMade Qi35

distance icon Distance Score
9.8
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.2
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
8.2
score icon Review Score
8.8
dollar icon Price
$349.99

Buy This If

  • You are chasing distance:

    There are multiple golf clubs options at the top end of your golf bag. If you are looking for distance specifically, TaylorMade Qi35 is the best fairway wood for it. It is exceptionally longer than other fairway woods on the market. Furthermore, this isn't the first time a TaylorMade fairway wood has performed exceptionally for distance. TaylorMade excels in this scoring category. Distance is beneficial in a fairway wood because it can become a usable option off the tee box.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want accuracy and forgiveness:

    There is a staggering difference in performance for the TaylorMade Qi35. It produces exceptional distance. However, it underwhelms for accuracy and distance. The best recommendation for Qi35 fairway wood is to go through a professional fitting to optimize it for accuracy and hopefully for forgiveness. The distance is there. The other two performance traits are lacking off-the-rack.

Bottom Line

TaylorMade has a knack for making fairway woods. At this point, it is one of their consistent strong suits. Their fairway woods are some of the best year in and year out. For 2025, TaylorMade Qi35 takes second overall in our fairway wood test. Qi35 is the best fairway wood for distance, which propels it to second place. This is despite lackluster performances in accuracy and forgiveness. If you’re looking for pure distance in a fairway wood, TaylorMade Qi35 is the best option.

Testers' Feedback

Money. Long. High launching and low spinning.”

Great feeling club and looks good at address.”

Not a fan of the silver. Solid performer though. I’d consider it.”

 

Expert Take

TaylorMade Qi35 fairway wood is the best for distance. It’s a beast for distance, which will intrigue plenty of golfers. TaylorMade continues to produce top end fairway woods. The biggest recommendation we can make is if you are considering this fairway wood, go through a fitting.

Best for Distance (Runner Up) Callaway Elyte

Callaway Elyte

distance icon Distance Score
9.6
accuracy icon Accuracy
8
forgiveness icon Forgiveness
7.6
score icon Review Score
8.6
dollar icon Price
$369.99

Buy This If

  • You want distance:

    Hitting the Callaway Elyte fairway wood will impress you. It is hot off the face. As a result, it is the second longest fairway wood in the test. If distance is your priority, Callaway Eylte needs to be at the top of your list.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want off-the-rack accuracy and forgiveness:

    There are products that shine for specific performance metrics, but falter in others. Callaway Elyte is an example of how penalizing poor performance is to overall results. It did not perform well relative to the field for accuracy and forgiveness. This is a fairway wood that has untapped potential, and if you are considering it, we highly suggest you go through a professional fitting.

Bottom Line

Callaway’s Elyte series has impressed in 2025. Across the board, they’ve won several accolades in our testing. The Callaway Elyte fairway wood is the second best for distance in 2025. Our testers also rated it the highest for likelihood of purchase. Unfortunately, the Elyte fairway wood comes with some glaring weaknesses. It misses the mark for accuracy and forgiveness. If you’re considering Callaway Elyte fairway wood, go through a fitting to optimize performance.

Testers' Feedback

Best fairway woods of 2025″Like it. Good weighting. Great distance for me.”

Best of the test. I’d put it in the bag today.”

The Elyte fairway wood family is a home run. This is where I’d start if you’re looking for a fairway wood. Long and accurate.”

Expert Take

Callaway Elyte fairway wood keeps pace with the winner for distance. Personally, I loved hitting it. I was honestly shocked it ranked as low as it did. But, that is just my personal opinion. The data affirms it is an incredible fairway wood for distance. However, going through a professional fitting will ensure you fully optimize this fairway wood.

Best fairway woods for distance

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 a fairway wood that produces similar results off the clubface 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 each of our fairway wood tests.

These are the best fairway woods for forgiveness.

Best for Forgiveness COBRA DS-Adapt Max D

COBRA DS-Adapt Max D

forgiveness icon Forgiveness
9.5
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.7
distance icon Distance Score
7.9
score icon Review Score
8.5
dollar icon Price
$329.99

Buy This If

  • You want consistency:

    In golf, consistency is the name of the game. Why do you think professionals are so good? Yes, they are world class performers, but they're insanely consistent. Golf clubs that produce consistency (forgiveness) make the game of golf easier. COBRA DS-Adapt Max D is the best for consistency (forgiveness). It is a fairway wood that may make golf easier for some of you. Go check it out.

Don't Buy This If

  • You want off-the-rack distance:

    Even though COBRA DS-Adapt is a consistent performer, it lacks distance overall. Think of it a fairway finder. Super reliable. However, you will hit other fairway wood further. So, much like other golf clubs, you need to determine which performance traits are the best for your golf game.

Bottom Line

COBRA DS-Adapt Max D fairway wood is the best for forgiveness in 2025. Forgiveness is a tricky talking point. What does it even mean or imply when it comes to golf club performance? In our testing, we measure forgiveness by analyzing the performance of each golf club for specific metrics – ball speed, carry distance, backspin, and dispersion. These are identifiable and measurable performance outcomes that allow us to score clubs for forgiveness. COBRA DS-Adapt Max D performs excellently for all of these performance traits. Essentially, it produces consistent and reliable shot outcomes.

Testers' Feedback

Liked the consistency, down the middle on most shots.”

Good shots have good results. Forgiving.”

Better than I expected. The driver model was underwhelming, but this one has potential.”

 

Expert Take

COBRA DS-Adapt Max D is very consistent. Consistency is an underrated trait in a golf club. In our testing, it is a direct representation of forgiveness. Now, forgiveness can be a double-edged sword sometimes. Even though dispersion is tight, it can be mainly left or right as well. DS-Adapt Max D is a draw bias fairway wood, so keep this in mind if you are considering it.

Best for Forgiveness (Runner Up) PING G440 SFT

PING G440 SFT

forgiveness icon Forgiveness
9.3
accuracy icon Accuracy
8.4
distance icon Distance Score
7.5
score icon Review Score
8.2
dollar icon Price
$369.99

Buy This If

  • You want reliability:

    It isn't uncommon for PING's SFT model to be a top performer for forgiveness. Frankly, it is a scoring category where it shines consistently. If you're looking for a fairway wood that produces consistent and reliable shot outcomes, PING G440 SFT is a phenomenal option.

Don't Buy This If

  • You are looking for a hot fairway wood:

    PING G440 SFT fairway wood isn't made for extreme distance and this shows up in the data. Now, you will get consistent distance out of it, which is an underrated trait by most consumers. But, if you are looking for one of the longest fairway woods on the market, you'll be disappointed.

Bottom Line

PING G440 SFT fairway wood is the second best fairway wood for forgiveness. This is a category where PING’s “straight flight technology” model shines. If there is a manufacturer that outperforms others in the forgiveness or consistency category, it is PING’s. Our forgiveness category highlights the performance of a fairway wood for ball speed, carry distance, backspin, and dispersion. PING G440 SFT does a tremendous job of producing consistent numbers for each of these metrics.

Testers' Feedback

Best “Straight, consistent, but lacks the distance some golfers may be looking for.”

Produced a straight flight , but spin was an issue and it is not as long as others tested.”

Solid overall, fairly straight, tight dispersion.”

Expert Take

PING has made leaps and bounds with their SFT model. From drivers to fairway woods, it is an outstanding golf club for consistency and reliability. The PING G440 SFT fairway is the second best option for forgiveness in 2025. Furthermore, it isn’t as left bias as previous models.

Best fairway woods for forgiveness

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. Having said that, there are other things you need to consider when purchasing a new fairway wood.

Custom fitting 

If you’re here, you are a club junkie or you’re in the market for a fairway wood. Going for a custom fitting will help you determine subjective things like which feels better and/or looks better to your eye. But, most importantly, you’ll be able to fine-tune things like spin rate, launch angle and more to get your golf game to the next level. 

Additionally, you’ll discover which lofts fit your game better. While a 3-wood might give you the most distance on a single shot, you might effectively hit a 5-wood more consistently and with usable distances. This is something you can determine through a fairway wood fitting. 

A custom fitting will allow you to do just that, especially if you’re torn between a few fairway wood options. And, trust us, there are plenty of worthwhile options. 

Cost

Pricing will always impact a purchasing decision. The price range on fairway woods is broad. You have some options that run between $220-$270. On the flipside, there is PING G440 LST at $579.99. This might be the one category where price will greatly impact buying behavior. 

The best fairway woods often take some time to go on sale. If you have your eye on a specific club, don’t forget to check our coupons and deals page for all the latest and best savings options. (MyGolfSpy Coupons/Deals and Promo Codes)

Shaft selection

Selecting the right shaft is critical for optimal performance. The proper shaft can positively impact launch conditions and overall accuracy.

Nowadays, fairway wood shafts, much like drivers and hybrids, will be graphite. Yet, you still have various options in the graphite shaft world and they continue to be better. Whether you are choosing a stock shaft or an upgraded shaft offering, using the right one can lead to more consistency in your shot outcomes. It is part of the fitting process that shouldn’t be overlooked. 

Why choose a fairway wood?

There are several reasons to choose a fairway wood. 

You can use it as a driver replacement. It is very common for someone to say, “I hit my 3-wood off the tee because I can’t hit my driver.” The main reason might be the shorter shaft length of a 3-wood versus a driver. But you can still achieve acceptable distance off the tee with a fairway wood.

Fairway woods offer versatility at the top end of the golf bag. You can use it off the tee or hit it off the ground with good results. You can potentially advance shots further off the ground with it versus a long iron. Some fairway woods excel at producing playable launch conditions with good ball speeds. 

The fairway woods that do produce playable launch conditions have enhanced value. You could expand your fairway collection by adding a 5-wood, 7-wood or both to your golf bag. There is a chance you hit these better than a hybrid or driving iron and achieve more ideal launch conditions. 

Regardless of which fairway wood head you choose, go through a fitting to optimize your launch conditions and to properly gap the top end of your golf bag. 

How we test fairway woods

Our 2025 Most Wanted fairway woods test took 160 testing hours and included 22 different fairway wood models.

MyGolfSpy’s test program is powered by three crucial components.

  • Foresight GC Quad – Foresight is the gold standard in camera-based launch monitor technology because it produces data we can rely on with every shot hit. For this test, our GC Quads captured 6,600 shots.
  • Titleist Pro V1 golf balls are a key component in testing. Every shot hit in Most Wanted Testing utilizes these golf balls. It is one of many ways we try to eliminate variables and Titleist Pro V1 is our trusted golf ball.
  • The Indoor Golf Shop’s SIGPRO Premium – All of our testing is done indoors at our HQ in Yorktown, Va. With each test, our screens take an absolute beating. Thus, we need high-quality, durable impact screens to handle the workload. SIGPRO Premium exceeds our expectations.

Our 2025 fairway wood test consists of 6,600 shots’ worth of data. Testers hit each participating fairway wood, most of which were 15 degrees in loft. That being said, lofts vary slightly based on manufacturer and fairway wood model. All of the shots were hit off the deck. 

Best fairway woods of 2025 – 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.

Overall scores are now labeled as an MGS Score. The MGS Score is on a 10-point scale.

Fairway wood testing consists of three scoring categories.

  • Accuracy
  • Distance
  • Forgiveness

These three categories are weighted with accuracy taking a strong priority.

Accuracy

Accuracy is a game-changer. Getting the golf ball in play off the tee is critical as is hitting the ball near or around your intended target. Accuracy is the most important metric when shopping for new fairway woods. For our accuracy category, we analyze one specific metric.

  • Strokes Gained

Distance

Our distance category analyzes two specific metrics.

  • Carry Distance
  • Total Yards

Forgiveness

We identify forgiveness as how consistent a fairway wood is at producing consistent shot outcomes. For our forgiveness category, we assess three 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.

Best fairway woods of 2025 – Results

Fairway Wood ModelMGS ScoreAccuracy ScoreDistance ScoreForgiveness Score
PING G440 MAX8.98.89.08.8
TaylorMade Qi358.88.29.88.2
PING G440 LST8.88.89.08.4
Srixon ZXi8.88.49.28.7
COBRA DS-Adapt LS8.78.79.37.7
TaylorMade Qi35 Max8.79.08.19.2
TaylorMade Qi35 Tour8.68.58.98.3
Callaway Elyte8.68.09.67.6
TaylorMade Qi35 Max Lite8.68.98.18.9
COBRA DS-Adapt Max D8.58.77.99.5
Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon8.58.29.18.0
Ben Hogan PTX8.58.68.68.0
COBRA DS-Adapt X8.58.38.58.6
Wilson DYNAPWR Max8.48.18.88.1
Titleist GT18.48.87.88.5
Tour Edge Exotics E7258.38.97.49.0
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond8.38.18.48.3
Cleveland Halo XL Lite8.28.67.68.7
Callaway Elyte X8.28.38.37.8
PING G440 SFT8.28.47.59.3
Tour Edge Exotics C7258.18.28.37.8
Sub 70 959x8.18.57.68.2

How the MGS Score is calculated

Scores are derived strictly from ball launch monitor data by way of our Efficiency Values. Efficiency Values represent a cleaner version of raw averages as they remove certain outliers from the equation.

With this being said, scores are weighted with 40 percent of the score coming from accuracy metrics and 40 percent from our distance metrics. The remaining 20 percent accounts for our forgiveness metrics. You can reference the specific metrics within each scoring category in the previous heading section.

With our fairway wood test, we stress the importance of accuracy and distance. This is the one test where we weigh each category equally. We do this because fairway woods are used in multiple scenarios: you can hit them off the tee, use them for strategic positioning or hit them into a green. Whether you are hitting off the tee or hitting greens with a fairway wood, you need to have straight shot outcomes and distance.  

Finally, we reserve a very small percentage of the score to account for things like fitting considerations, excessive outliers and other details that fall outside the scope of the data.

Best fairway woods of 2025 – Data

Below, you will see the raw averages for each participating fairway wood model. Within the table, you’ll see several key metrics. Please note that these are purely raw averages.

Fairway Wood ModelAvg. Ball SpeedAvg. CarryAvg. TotalAvg. Launch AngleAvg. Back SpinAvg. Descent AngleAvg. Peak HgtAvg. OfflineShot Area
Ben Hogan PTX131.64204.49218.2512.333,04235.6024.90-0.133,055
Callaway Elyte133.75211.43225.4512.452,84935.2224.923.643,506
Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond131.22204.37216.9113.263,22837.4726.467.662,679
Callaway Elyte X132.23205.67218.0913.103,31538.1127.240.123,347
Cleveland Halo XL Lite131.29197.63209.1912.593,87438.9326.906.402,151
COBRA DS-Adapt LS133.71209.13223.4311.922,98835.0024.23-1.933,390
COBRA DS-Adapt Max D132.86202.79213.6713.003,78639.9328.49-4.471,940
COBRA DS-Adapt X132.76205.53217.3012.963,43538.6427.73-0.422,607
PING G440 LST133.62208.63221.1112.803,36238.3427.280.132,578
PING G440 MAX132.84207.27220.2412.483,25737.3626.15-1.952,442
PING G440 SFT131.94200.61211.1713.063,83539.9928.41-6.221,944
Srixon ZXi133.72209.57223.0612.443,07436.5225.97-1.982,739
Sub 70 959x131.34200.36212.1811.903,52436.6424.72-1.012,805
TaylorMade Qi35134.05213.53227.0812.962,88736.7726.74-0.073,027
TaylorMade Qi35 Max132.34204.47216.5113.283,50339.3728.44-1.632,049
TaylorMade Qi35 Max Lite131.96203.39215.4813.013,49338.7927.51-1.012,274
TaylorMade Qi35 Tour132.71206.70218.9213.203,35938.7027.75-0.982,922
Titleist GT1131.40202.12213.5313.423,62339.6828.460.712,659
Tour Edge Exotics C725132.10204.14215.8712.973,43038.2126.980.963,055
Tour Edge Exotics E725130.97199.27210.9612.993,67939.0827.61-0.412,142
Wilson DYNAPWR Carbon133.25207.13220.7312.113,17936.1425.118.133,178
Wilson DYNAPWR Max132.91206.30219.5512.113,19236.3825.392.722,913
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MyGolfSpy Testing Toolkit

World-class testing requires world-class equipment. This is the gear we trust to help us fulfill our Most Wanted testing.

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

Driver Titleist GT3 3 Wood Titleist GT3
7 Wood Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond Irons (5-PW) Srixon ZXi5
Wedges (46, 50, 54, 58) Titleist Vokey SM10 Putter L.A.B. MEZZ.1 MAX
Ball Titleist Pro V1x  
Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop

Phillip Bishop





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      Kap

      7 months ago

      What about PXG?

      Reply

      Andrew the Great!

      7 months ago

      Slight typo: “Don’t Buy This If
      You want accuracy and forgiveness:
      There is a staggering difference in performance for the TaylorMade Qi35. It produces exceptional distance. However, it underwhelms for accuracy and distance.”

      That last word should be “forgiveness”.

      Reply

      Hopp Man

      8 months ago

      Glas to see my Wilson Dynapower Carbon in the list. That club was a revelation for me in a 4wd, and for me it has a right bias, something I don’t see in any of my other clubs. Long with mostly not a hook.

      Reply

      Steve

      9 months ago

      I’m a big fan of Ping woods and hybrids. My Ping G430 max 4 wood is the best fairway wood I’ve ever had. I find it much easy to hit off the deck than a 3 wood and it flies high and straight. Love it.

      Reply

      Scott Hansen

      9 months ago

      No GT2, GT3 or Callaway TI??

      Reply

      Tom Bomb

      9 months ago

      They tested the GT2 and GT3 last year. They rarely, if ever, do the same model in back to back years.

      Reply

      Scott Hansen

      9 months ago

      Agreed but how can you have a solid list without comparing the current items from each vendor together. I love MGS lists and have helped me make decisions on clubs but this is a solid miss on their part.

      Chris Hall

      9 months ago

      Why would you include the Ping LST and not the Callaway Elyte TI when it is so much more affordable?

      Reply

      Guy

      9 months ago

      Callaway elyte ti?

      Reply

      Doug Mael

      7 months ago

      Callaway Elyte Titanium is (for me) the absolute best all-around fairway wood of the current generation, and probably the last several generations. I am a professional clubfitter, and have hit pretty much all of the current models, as well as those that have been available all the way back to the 1990s. The Elyte Ti is unbelievably great in every respect, as long as you have reasonably good clubhead speed and swing mechanics.

      Reply

      Dr Tee

      9 months ago

      Within the top 10 or 20, these clubs are almost indistinguishable–guys, it’s all about the shaft.
      I echo Dave’s comment above–where’s the ELyte Ti? After much work on the range and flight monitor I finally solved my fairway wood problem with an ELyte Ti 3HL with an Aretera shaft. (Ping, TM, Cobra fails)
      I would also suggest never buying a non-adjustable fairway.

      Reply

      Doug Mael

      7 months ago

      I’m with you 100%! See my comment above regarding the Elyte Ti (I happen to game the 3HL with an Aretera Alpha One 75 shaft, although sometimes I put a Kuro Kage TiNi Dual Core Prototype FW shaft (80 grams) in it

      Reply

      Dawg Golfer

      9 months ago

      4 TaylorMade clubs in the test, and only one from Titleist (the GT1 probably the worst choice for most players)?

      Reply

      Hopefully_OEMs_Are_Listening

      9 months ago

      It is great to see the raw data. Thank you.

      Reply

      Dave

      9 months ago

      Why no Callaway Elyte Ti?

      Reply

      Scott Hansen

      9 months ago

      Or either of the other GT models??

      Reply

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