Most Expensive Versus Least Expensive Fairway Wood 2025 (What’s The Difference?)

What separates the most expensive fairway wood from the least expensive? Sometimes, less than you’d think. In our 2025 Most Wanted Fairway Wood test, we evaluated accuracy, distance and forgiveness to see how every model stacked up when hit off the deck.

The PING G440 LST landed as the most expensive entry in the field and the Ben Hogan PTX was the most affordable. But, as our test results show, paying more doesn’t automatically buy you lower scores.

What do these fairway woods have in common?

At opposite ends of the price spectrum, the PING G440 LST and Ben Hogan PTX take different paths to performance. The PING focuses on precision and consistency, producing some of the tightest dispersion numbers in testing. The Hogan, while not as forgiving, offers balanced performance and strong accuracy for a relative fraction of the cost.

Both feature neutral flight profiles with minimal left-right bias and maintain spin rates that help keep the ball in play rather than chasing maximum distance.

In testing, those similarities stood out: strong accuracy scores (PING 8.8, Hogan 8.6) and nearly identical carry averages (208.6 versus 204.5 yards). Neither produced the absolute longest numbers.

Why is the PING so much more expensive?

The PING G440 LST earns its premium price by targeting a very specific player: the low-handicap, high-speed golfer who wants to reduce spin and tighten dispersion. “LST” stands for Low Spin Technology, designed to deliver a flatter, more penetrating trajectory that better players can control.

Compared to the PING G440 MAX, which prioritizes forgiveness, the LST model features a smaller head. It also has a more forward center of gravity and a slightly deeper face.

The combination of tour-level precision, specialized shaping and advanced weighting technology comes at a cost. The LST’s multi-material construction, adjustable hosel and aerodynamic shaping are built for a specific type of performance, not mass appeal.

Which is the better value?

The PING G440 LST and Ben Hogan PTX are built for different golfers, one for speed and precision and the other for playability and forgiveness. When the Hogan costs half the price less and still keeps pace in accuracy and distance, it proves price isn’t the only path to performance. For golfers who don’t need tour-level specs, the PTX delivers serious value without compromise.

Don’t see what you are looking for?

If neither of these fairway woods fits your golf game or your budget, look at our complete Best Fairway Woods of 2025.