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5 Best 3 Woods for Golfers of All Skill Levels

3 woods

(TaylorMade)

While many players have switched to hybrid golf clubs, fairway woods are still wildly popular among most golfers.

So we’ve compiled a list below of some of the top 3 woods on the market, most of which have made Golf Digest’s Hot List. Take a look and see which is the right club for you.

What are the Best 3 Woods?

callaway big bertha b21 3 woods Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Easy to launch
  • Excellent forgiveness
  • Innovative technology
Price: $335.00 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
cobra radspeed fairway wood Amazon Customer Reviews
  • High launch
  • Easy to hit
  • Forgiving
Price: $139.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
taylormade sim 2 max fairway woods Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Innovative technology
  • Very forgiving
  • Great look and feel
Price: $182.22 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
cleveland golf launcher hb turbo 3 woods Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Easy to hit
  • Very forgiving
  • Good value
Price: $169.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
tour edge exotics c721 fairway woods Amazon Customer Reviews
  • Innovative technology
  • Excellent sound
  • Excellent forgiveness
Price: $139.99 Shop at Amazon Shop now Read our review
Our Unbiased Reviews
  1. 1. Callaway Big Bertha B21 Fairway Wood

    Pros:
    • Shallow face and oversized clubhead promote smoother turf interaction for cleaner contact and easy, high launch
    • Flash Face SS21 and Jailbreak combine to promote faster speeds across a wider area of the face for greater distance
    • Moderate offset helps reduce slice for straigher shots with extra distance and forgiveness
    Cons:
    • A bit on the pricey side
    • The offset look may not be for everyone
    • You can't adjust the club in any way, including loft

    The Big Bertha B21 Woods are ideal for golfers looking for game improvement as they promote the easiest, highest launch and most forgiveness of Callaway’s game-improvement clubs

    The Artificially Intelligence-designed clubs have a shallow face and an oversized head which combine to produce smoother turf interaction for cleaner contact and performance. The Flash Face SS21 and Jailbreak technologies supplies faster speeds across a wider area, which lends to more distance. And the moderate offset helps reduce slicing for straighter, more forgiving shots with extra distance.

    The club is available in a number of shaft flexes and weights, all graphite in 45, 55, 65, or 75 grams.

    Interested in more Callaway clubs of this model? If so, check out the Big Bertha B21 irons, billed as the most forgiving irons from Callaway.

     

     

     

  2. 2. Cobra Radspeed Fairway 3 Wood

    Pros:
    • Radial draw weighting promotes high launch, forgiveness, and helps prevent slicing
    • Hollow rails in the front create the added flex needed for higher launch and faster speeds
    • Extra large CNC milled infinity face creates a larger area to get faster ball speeds on contact
    Cons:
    • The adjustable hosel could be difficult for newer players to learn how to use
    • A bit on the pricey side
    • Quantities might be limited

    The Cobra King Radspeed Fairway Wood features innovative RAD Technology designed to provide optimal spin, high launch, faster ball speeds, and excellent forgiveness.

    These 3 woods have 16 grams of internal weighting in the heel and 7 grams in the back for medium spin for a higher launch and forgiveness as it’s designed to help prevent slicing. The infinity face fattens the milled area by 95 percent for a larger zone to get max ball speeds and, thus, added distance.

    You’ll get 70 percent more flex on the sole behind the face for higher, easier launch and increased speeds, thanks to the two front hollow split rails. The thin carbon crown is lightweight and helps lower spin while increasing speeds.

    If you’re in the market for irons for mid handicap players, take a look at our recommendations, which include the Cobra Radspeed Irons.

     

     

     

     

  3. 3. TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Fairway

    Pros:
    • Thru-Slot Speed Pocket creates faster ball speeds for added distance
    • Strong C300 steel combines with Twist Face technology provides added forgiveness even on miss-hits
    • V Steel sole has a lower Center of Gravity (CG) improves turf interaction for cleaner contact for easier launch
    Cons:
    • There is fixed hosel, meaning there's no way to make adjustments
    • Doesn't have any draw bias
    • On the pricey side

    If you’re looking for easier, higher launch in your 3 woods, then the TaylorMade SIM Max 2 Fairway might be the club for you.

    The V Steel sole has a strategically-placed low Center of Gravity (CG) and they combine to promote smooth turf interaction for cleaner contact and higher launch with less effort.

    Other highlights include a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket which offers more flexibility and distance when contact is made lower on the face; a 300C steel Twist Face that provides plenty of forgiveness, even on miss-hits; a 190 CC head design; and it offers mid to low spin.

    If you’re in market for more TM clubs, browse a wider selection of TaylorMade Irons and Drivers for golfers of all skill levels.

     

  4. 4. Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo Fairway Woods

    Pros:
    • Turbocharged Face Cup offers a higher Coefficient of Restitution (COR) for faster speeds and distance
    • Deeper weighting increases the Moment of Inertia (MOI) for added forgiveness
    • Lightweight hosel lowers the Center of Gravity (CG), allowing for easier, higher launch
    Cons:
    • Some users felt they didn't get enough distance
    • It has a fixed hosel so you won't be able to make adjustments to loft, etc.
    • It's an older model so quantities might be limited

    The Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo is one of the most forgiving clubs when it comes to 3 woods as it has deep weighting, significantly increases the Moment of Inertia (MOI), which is a must when it comes to forgiveness.

    Unique to this Cleveland 3 wood is the Turbocharged Cup Face which creates a higher Coefficient of Restitution (COR) across a larger area of the face. It flexes on contact to promote super fast ball speeds and extra distance. 

    The Ultralight Hosel design keeps the Center of Gravity (CG) low and deep, helping get higher launch and added forgiveness. 

    The Cleveland Launcher HB Turbo Driver also makes our list of the top drivers for high handicappers.

     

     

  5. 5. Tour Edge Exotics C721 Fairway Woods

    Pros:
    • Ridgeback Technology is a "spine" within the carbon crown that helps create more power across the entire face
    • Dual Carbon Wings saves weight and allows for a deeper Center of Gravity (CG) for higher launch
    • Diamond Face 2.0 is designed to create ultra fast ball speeds and a larger sweet spot, adding forgiveness
    Cons:
    • The fixed hosel means you won't be able to adjust the club settings
    • In certain weather conditions, there could be a glare off the gloss finish
    • Quantities may be limited

    The Tour Edge Exotics C721 Fairway Woods are packed with some game-changing technology, all designed to promote easier launch, more forgiveness, added distance, and overall performance.

    The Ridgeback Technology is a titanium “spine” within the carbon crown which helps produce maximum power on clean shots, as well as added punch on off-center hits. The lighter weight Dual Carbon Wings allows for precisely position low Center of Gravity (CG) and high Moment of Inertia (MOI). The result is optimal launch and more control and forgiveness. 

    Diamond Face 2.0 is made up of 61 diamond shapes with varying thickness (5 different thicknesses) behind the club face. This combines with the Hyper-Steel Cup Face to help create faster ball speeds, a larger sweet spot, and more forgiveness over the entire face.

    Having trouble finding time to get to the range? Then take a peek at our recommendations for the best golf simulators and get practice sessions in whenever you’d like right in your own home.

     

     

     

     

     

     

What are the Differences Between Fairway Woods & Hybrids?

There are a few differences between fairway woods and hybrids, with the main ones being the clubhead shape and shaft length.

Fairway woods tend to have a larger clubhead and longer shaft length, while hybrids have a more contact head with shorter shafts. Hybrids replace the harder-to-hit longer irons in your golf bag.

Higher handicap players might prefer a hybrid club as they can be more forgiving. They have a deeper Center of Gravity (CG) and a higher Moment of Inertia (MOI), which combine to help get easier launch, higher ball flight, and more forgiveness. 

Fairway woods usually provide more distance than a hybrid with a lower ball flight.