ClubTest 2024: 16 new fairway woods tested and reviewed
Learn all about the best new fairway woods for 2024 below.
CLUB PHOTOS: COURTESY; DESIGN: TANYA DESELM
For the latest edition of GOLF magazine’s 2024 ClubTest, we crafted a two-pronged approach to deliver valuable insights into the new crop of fairway woods so that you can make better informed purchasing decisions. GOLF staffers tested the clubs ourselves to provide feedback and performance thoughts on gear from manufacturers big and small, while we also relied on the help of a swing robot and Golf Laboratories founder Gene Parente .
Below you will find our full reviews for 16 new fairway woods from top manufacturers like Callaway, Cleveland, Cobra, Mizuno, PXG, TaylorMade and XXIO. See something you like? Click through and buy your new fairway wood from Fairway Jockey today.
MORE CLUBTEST: 18 NEW DRIVERS REVIEWED | 22 NEW IRONS TESTED | 13 HYBRIDS REVIEWED
Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf.
BEST NEW FAIRWAY WOODS OF 2024
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Fairway Woods
Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Fairway Woods
MODELS: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max D, Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Max Fast and Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke TD
NEED TO KNOW: The same approach Callaway applied to create the Ai Smart Face architecture on the Paradym Ai Smoke drivers was used to shape the “swing code” on each Paradym Ai Smoke fairway wood. Categorizing real players’ swings made it possible to create distinct segmentation across all four models, especially when it came to impact location.
While the path and attack angle remained somewhat similar, Callaway’s supercomputer noticed that golfers using the low-spin Ai Smoke Triple Diamond had a most centered impact location when compared to the Ai Smoke Max’s shot concentration in the low heel and high toe. The dispersion was even wider across the low heel and toe on the draw-bias Ai Smoke Max D and lightweight Ai Smoke Max Fast.
Club Comparison
READ FULL REVIEW OF CALLAWAY’S PARADYM AI SMOKE FAIRWAY WOODS
Cleveland Halo XL Fairway Woods
Cleveland Halo XL Fairway Woods
MODELS: Cleveland Halo XL and Cleveland Halo XL Hy-Wood
NEED TO KNOW: A key attribute of the Halo XL woods line is the Glide Rails on the sole of the clubs to help lower the center of gravity by positioning extra mass on the sole and to help deliver more effective turf interaction to better maintain a square face through the impact zone. In essence, they act as rudders to help the club glide through the grass without digging and are especially effective from the rough.
On the inside, the Halo XL woods utilize the same AI-designed MainFrame XL technology as the Launcher XL2 drivers to expand the effective size of the sweet spot to boost distance and forgiveness, but with evolving variable face thickness through the entire Halo XL series woods to best match how each club is most often missed based on player testing data.
Club Comparison
READ THE FULL REVIEW OF CLEVELAND’S HALO XL FAIRWAY WOODS
Cobra Darkspeed Fairway Woods
Cobra Darkspeed X Fairway Woods
MODELS: Cobra Darkspeed X, Cobra Darkspeed Max and Cobra Darkspeed LS
NEED TO KNOW: All three of the new Darkspeed fairway woods feature a re-engineered PWR-Bridge structure behind the face to help transfer energy and position mass low within the head, which maximizes launch and spin characteristics. The Darkspeed fairway woods have a larger PWRSHELL H.O.T. Face insert, which has been re-engineered with the help of A.I. to create more efficient energy transfer, and a multi-material construction with lightweight carbon-crown plates to help boost MOI.
But the biggest change to the Darkspeed fairway wood lineup is the conversion from steel to titanium in the LS model, which helps shave a ton of weight from the body. This can then be repositioned around the head to create ideal launch characteristics for faster players who want to control their ball flight.
Club Comparison
READ THE FULL REVIEW OF COBRA’S DARKSPEED FAIRWAY WOODS
Mizuno ST-G and ST-Max 230 Fairway Woods
Mizuno ST-G 230 Fairway Woods
MODELS: Mizuno ST-G 230 and Mizuno ST-Max 230
NEED TO KNOW: The max forgiveness and geometry of the ST-Max driver continue with the new ST-Max 230 fairway woods by offering a larger footprint to help add MOI and stability around the entire head. Both the fairway woods and hybrids utilize a high-strength MAS1C steel face for ball speed that matches up with the larger Cortech chamber on the sole. A composite-wrap crown covers the toe section of the fairway wood heads to reduce overall mass higher in the head.
With the ST-G Titanium fairway woods, Mizuno has pulled out all the stops to deliver the most high-performance and ultra low-spin fairway wood they ever have by incorporating titanium, steel and their new Cortech chamber into one club.
Club Comparison
READ THE FULL REVIEW OF MIZUNO’S ST 230 FAIRWAY WOODS
PXG 0311 Black Ops Fairway Woods
PXG 0311 Black Ops Fairway Woods
MODELS: PXG 0311 Black Ops
NEED TO KNOW: When it comes to the Black Ops fairway woods and hybrids, the story remains much the same as the drivers thanks to a new proprietary high-strength steel face material that allows for a 12.5 percent thinner face construction to help boost ball speeds, increase launch, lower spin and save precious grams to help increase forgiveness.
Now when speaking to the level of forgiveness built into the new Black Ops fairway woods (only one model option unlike the drivers), they have an MOI that is almost comparable to the previous game improvement Gen6 XF design while also being more compact.
Club Comparison
READ THE FULL REVIEW OF PXG 0311 BLACK OPS FAIRWAY WOODS
TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway Woods
TaylorMade Qi10 Fairway Woods
MODELS: TaylorMade Qi10, TaylorMade Qi10 Max and TaylorMade Qi10 Tour
NEED TO KNOW: Just like the Qi10 drivers, the Qi10 woods have been refined and tuned to better fit the intended player for each model. The standard model remains, but there has also been a change in vocabulary. The plus or + model is now called the Qi10 Tour, and the HD is now called the Qi10 Max.
One of the most noticeable design enhancements to the fairway woods is the new infinity carbon crown. This new crown design covers almost the entire total surface on the top of the fairway woods — minus a small area near the hosel — an effort that saves mass throughout the head. With the extra mass, TaylorMade engineers were able to add some juice to the rest of the head, considerably improving performance.
Club Comparison
READ THE FULL REVIEW OF TAYLORMADE’S Qi10 FAIRWAY WOODS
XXIO 13 Fairway Woods
XXIO 13 Fairway Woods
MODELS: XXIO 13
NEED TO KNOW: When it comes to XXIO’s new 13 lineup, the goal is quite simple: Create a set of game-changing tools that add speed and consistency for someone who swings under 90 miles per hour. As one of the leaders in the lightweight club space, XXIO has become a go-to option thanks, in large part, to specialized technologies designed solely for the set.
The XXIO 13 fairways and hybrids offer a similar BiFlex face design to the new drivers and new cannon sole design that places mass lower in the head for a deeper center of gravity. An elevated weight pad located behind the face creates space for a thin sole portion to optimize ball speeds for shots hit low on the face, a common mishit location for many golfers. Similar to the driver, the goal behind the technologies is to increase the overall sweet spot while inducing a higher launch angle at the same time.
READ THE FULL REVIEW OF XXIO’S 13 FAIRWAY WOODS
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