Dan Box
By Dan Box

For many golfers, a reliable fairway wood can be one of the most important clubs in the bag. If you're having one of those days where the driver isn't your friend, a 3 or 5 wood can really help you get the ball in play off the tee and give you a chance to score. They can also be a useful weapon going into longer par 4s or par 5s as many golfers tend to find them easier to hit than longer irons.

Here at Golfalot HQ, we’ve had a look back through all of the fairway metals we’ve tested in 2018 and after much deliberation have come up with our top five. So if you’re considering upgrading your long game and making the switch, these are the five fairways you should look out for.

In no particular order:

Titleist TS2 Fairway Wood

Titleist TS2 TS3 Fairway Wood

What it's all about... Similar to the TS Driver range, the TS2 and TS3 fairways are based around creating extra ball speed for golfers, to increase distance and overall performance.

The tech... Unlike the previous 917 F2, the TS2 does not have the adjustable SureFit CG cylinder in the sole. Instead it has a single sole weight in the rear to draw the weight low and back.

What we say... With the TS2 in particular you have a fairway that can suit a wider range of handicaps right into the 20s so if you have never tried a Titleist fairway out before, then this could be the one for you.

Read the full review here

Callaway XR Speed Fairway Wood

Callaway XR Speed Fairway

What it's all about... Like the XR Speed driver, the Callaway XR Speed fairway is there to hit a specific price point below the Rogue fairway.

The tech... Despite not featuring Jailbreak technology, the fairway has an all steel head with Callaway's cambered Hawkeye sole for excellent turf interaction. The face is relatively shallow to make it forgiving and easy to launch and incorporates Callaway's latest Next-Gen Hyper Speed Face Cup to maximise ball speed.

What we say... The XR Speed is more of an all-rounder and looks and feels like some of the better fairways from the Callaway archive, of which there are many. It is also competitively priced against the fixed hosel fairway competition so if the performance suits your game then the XR Speed is going to be a great choice for a lot of golfers.

Read the full review here

Callaway Rogue Fairway Wood

Callaway Rogue Fairway

What it's all about... Jailbreak remains, with a number of other improvements made from the previous Epic model to create lower launch with higher ball speed and increased forgiveness.

The tech... The adjustable hosel of the Epic is now a fixed hosel in the Rogue, bringing weight lower and deeper into the head to help forgiveness. The sole still has the internal standing wave which is a line of metal on the inside that is there to bring the CG lower and in the correct position to get the ideal launch conditions.

What we say... The fixed hosel and other weight saving changes have helped make this one which must be considered for golfers, however deciding between Epic and Rogue is a tough decision we'll leave you to make.

Read the full review here

TaylorMade M3 Fairway Wood

TaylorMade M3 Fairway Wood

What it's all about... The TaylorMade M3 fairway wood continues with the M1 2017 design of a premium fairway for better players with an adjustable sliding weight.

The tech... The silver metal front section of the crown is thinner than before, whilst the remainder is made from a 5 layer carbon to save weight which can be redistributed elsewhere in the head.

What we say... The TaylorMade M3 fairway is a balanced club with a wider appeal. Add to that easier launch, and enough tour validation to see it in the bags of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, then the M3 is a real alternative to the M4 and the other hot fairways in the market.

Read the full review here

TaylorMade M4 Fairway Wood

TaylorMade M4 Fairway

What it's all about... Building on the back of the very successful M2 Fairway, small tweaks have been made to give the M4 a little more forgiveness and superior sound.

The tech... The Inverted Cone design on the inside of the face raises ball speed on off-centre hits thus to make the M4 fairway more forgiving. The GeoCoustic design refers to the recessed section of the sole that uses geometry to strengthen the body and improve the sound, hence the name.The Speed Pocket is still there and is the engine for producing the ball speed, especially on strikes low on the face.

What we say... A little weight saved here and moved there results in another excellent fairway from TaylorMade. It sounds a little better, is very easy to hit and with the additional forgiveness is still going to be one of the fairways to beat in the market.

Read the full review here

Summary

So there you have it. You've seen our choices, now all that's left is for you to decide which one is for you. As always, the best practise before making any purchase would be to get out and test so that you are completely confident with your club both on the tee and in play from different lies and situations.

As usual we want to hear what you think, so if you think we've missed anything, let us know what your favourite fairway wood of 2018 was below.

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