Are you looking for a 3 wood that delivers from the moment you hit the ball whether you use it off the tee or the fairway? We’ve tested the best 3 woods available today and we bring you the top performers. Whether you’re a mid to high handicapper, straight shooter, woman, or senior, we’ve got you covered.
Highly Recommended
TaylorMade SIM2 Max
- Straight and long
- Easy to swing
- Great loft and distance
- Incredible forgiveness
Our Top Picks: Best 3 Wood
- Top choice: TaylorMade SIM 2 Max
- Best for long distance shots: Cobra F9 Speedback Fairway
- Best for low to mid handicappers: TaylorMade SIM Ti
- Best for control: Tour Edge Exotics EXS 220
- Best ball speeds: TaylorMade RBZ
- Best for high handicappers: Cobra F MAX Airspeed Fairway Wood
- Most Forgiving: PING G410
- Top choice for women: TaylorMade Women’s M2 Fairway Wood
When it comes to choosing your golf clubs, most people want to go with the mainstream clubs thinking they must be the best on the market. But are they really?
In order to choose the best 3 wood, you first need to decide how you plan on using it. Of course, the main goal is to be able to use a 3 wood you can hit off the tee – but what about from the fairway?
There are many options for picking good fairway woods to meet your specific needs and we decided to make it easy for you. We gathered all the necessary details needed and tested the best fairway woods available today.
So regardless if you’re a mid to high handicapper, straight shooter, women, or senior – we’ve got you covered in our buyer’s guide below!
Quick Answers: Best 3 Woods
1. TaylorMade SIM 2 Max
Top Choice
This is our Best Overall Pick for the best 3 wood. We give the TaylorMade SIM 2 Max 5 out of 5 stars.
The innovative design of the TaylorMade SIM 2 Max does not leave much room for debate for us over which club is the best 3 wood.
The TaylorMade SiM 2 Max 3 wood is one of the hottest selling new releases for fairways. It takes the design of the famously popular TaylorMade SIM Max and improves upon it by adding even more forgiveness.
The features that define the performance of this wood is a low center of gravity, multi-material construction, efficient weight distribution and C300 Steel Face paired with Twist Face for improved turf interaction. With this 3 wood, you can get more distance, higher launches, lower spin, and more forgiveness.
What we liked most:
- Larger head design for more distance and forgiveness
- Weight distribution perfected for high launch with low spin
- The V steel design improves turf interaction
- Low center of gravity enhances performance on long distance shots
Specs
- Flex – Regular, Stiff, Senior, Ladies, Extra Stiff
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 15, 16.5, 19, 21, 24 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right or Left
- Length – Standard
2. Cobra F9 Speedback Fairway Wood
Best Value
We found the Cobra F9 Speedback to be the Best Value 3 wood and we gave it 4.9 stars out of 5!
Cobra is known for introducing more and more clubs with a focus on forgiveness and distance. They really knocked it out of the park with this Cobra F9 Speedback fairway wood when it comes to the distance, this club takes your ball super far on the fairways. With the baffler rails under the club, you can get through the turf without digging!
The F9 Speedback has the option of letting you change the loft of the face by removing and reinserting the shaft to fit your desired length. This is great for anybody wanting to try out different lofts.
What we liked most:
- The forged 475 stainless steel insert making it more precise
- Prevents sticking with smooth rails under the sole
- Hits distance like no other 3 wood
- Very forgiving off the tee, fairway, and even from the rough
- Improved launch and club speed with the speed back baffler technology
Specs
- Flex – Regular, Stiff, Senior
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 16 to 19 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Speedback with Baffler Technology
- Ultralight Carbon Wrap Crown
- Eight Adjustable Loft Settings
Cons
● No headcover
3. TaylorMade SIM Titanium
Top Choice for Low Handicappers
We found the TaylorMade SIM 2 Titanium to be the Best 3 wood for low to mid handicappers and we gave it 4.8 stars out of 5!
If you’re a low to mid handicapper looking for a little bit of forgiveness, then the SIM2 Titanium Fairway Wood is worth checking out.
If you have a habit of being in the short grass, then you will love the new technology TaylorMade for this 3 wood, allowing the center of gravity to be quite low. We were taken back by the ability this club gave us to stay in the game.
If you like hearing the sound of the club hitting the ball, then you’ll love how this ZaTech Titanium Face gives the perfect ting sound every time.
What we liked most:
- The newly invented V Steel Sole
- Smooth ZaTech Titanium Face
- Twist Face corrective angles for producing straighter shots
- Next-Gen Speed Pocket creating additional ball speed
- Good forgiveness on low-face mis-hits
Specs
- Flex – Regular, Stiff, Extra Stiff
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 14, 15, 19 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right or Left
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Adjustable Loft
- Carbon Crown
- Titanium Face
Cons
● Newer to the market and needs more testing
4. Edge Exotics EXS 220 3 Wood
Top Pick For High Ball Flight
We found the Tour Edge Exotic EXS 220 to be the Best 3 wood For Ball Flight and we gave it 4.8 stars out of 5!
The Tour Edge Exotic EXS 220 3 Wood just might be the best-kept secret in your golf bag! Tour Edge Exotics makes some of the best fairway woods on the market, but yet, they are not as mainstream as some of the other top brands.
With the choice of shaft weights (50g, 60g, and 70g) you have more control over your swing than ever before. Plus, there are four different lofts you can choose from.
We were excited to see how this 3 wood worked for all skilled players and didn’t disappoint with ball flight. It was simple to align and very easy to hit off the fairways.
If you’re looking for a high flying ball, this 3 wood delivers from the moment you hit the ball. Whether you use this on the tee or the fairway, you will be happy this 3 wood is in your bag.
What we liked most:
- Variety of lofts to choose from
- Large face and launches high
- A simple and classic design is very impressive and easy on the eye
- Cup Face Technology with Face Thickness (VFT Technology)
- Easy to hit off the fairways or from the tee
Specs
- Flex – Regular
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 15 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Three High-Quality Shaft Options
- Interchangeable Weights
- Flight Tuning System (FTS)
Cons
● Minimal marketing – low brand recognition
5. TaylorMade RBZ Black Fairway
Top Pick For Mid to High Handicappers
We found the RBZ Black Fairway HL to be the Best Mid to High Handicappers 3 wood and we gave it 4.7 stars out of 5!
One of the most popular clubs on the fairway is the Taylormade RBZ line and this HL is perfect for mid to high handicappers. If you want to experience higher loft and launch, then the TaylorMade RBZ Fairway Wood will deliver the desired results for any beginners, slow swingers, and even senior golfers.
If you are looking for a powerful performance from your 3 wood, you won’t be disappointed with the RBZ HL. It has all the technology to make you feel competitive, but at the same time, it is so simple to use and feels great.
What we liked most:
- Very forgiving on mishits
- Great fairway wood for slower swingers, seniors, and all beginners
- Perfect for mid to high handicappers with the 16.5 degrees
- Legendary speed pocket for high launching and a good distance
- Increased speed and distance with the Lightweight 55 RocketFuel shaft
Specs
- Flex – Regular, Stiff, Senior
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 15, 16.5 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right or Left
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Increased Playability From the Fairway
- Optimal Launch, Sound, and Feel
- Lightweight 55 RocketFuel
Cons
● No Adjustable Loft
6. Cobra F MAX Airspeed Fairway Wood
Top Pick for Beginners
We found the Cobra F Max Airspeed Fairway wood to be the Best 3 Wood Beginners and High Handicappers and we gave it 4.6 stars out of 5!
When Cobra introduced the F Max series into their line of clubs, the anticipation started to develop. This is by far one of the most forgiving woods for high handicappers and truly helps you square up the face angle at impact.
The back heel weighting keeps your shots in control and consistent when hitting down the fairways.
The Cobra F-Max Airspeed Fairway wood takes less effort while swinging at a faster pace due to how light it is. It also helps with reducing your slice and hitting straighter drives.
What we liked most:
- Super lightweight design is perfect for the slower swingers
- Back heel weighting and a low center of gravity
- Helps moderate swingers swing faster
- Corrects rightward tendencies with the offset hosel
- Helps to find the middle of the fairway easier
Specs
- Flex – Regular, Stiff, Senior
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 16, 20, 23 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Lighter Head with Fiber Carbon Crown
- Offset Hosel Design
- Maintains a high MOI
Cons
● Might be too light for some golfers
7. Callaway Mavrik
The Callaway Mavrik Fairway Wood has a large and expansive hitting area that gives you a lot of confidence when striking the ball. This fairway wood has a progressive leading edge geometry that adds to the design of the speed for your ball.
We thought the Flash Face SS20 and the Forged C300 Maraging Steel really helped us optimize our performance. Add the jailbreak technology, and you’ve got a beast of a golf club. We highly recommend this fairway wood to players with moderate to higher clubhead speed.
What we liked most:
- Really good feel when striking the ball
- Maximized ball speed from the unique design of the loft
- Pulls CG low and back in the head for high launch and flat trajectory
- Nicely combines distance with forgiveness
- The head is weighted, allowing your swing speed to increase drastically
Specs
- Models – Mavrik, Mavrik Max, Mavrik Sub Zero
- Flex – Regular, Stiff, Extra Stiff, Senior
- Swing Weight – D3
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Loft Configurations – 18 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right or Left
Pros
- High Launch and Flat Trajectory
- Longest Fairway Wood from Callaway
- Different Launch Angles from Various Weighting Options
Cons
- Might Be Heavy for Some Golfers
8. PING G410 Fairway Wood
Most Forgiving
We found the Ping G410 Fairway Wood to be the Most Forgiving fairway wood and we gave it 4.5 stars out of 5!
PING is notoriously known for being one of the exclusive lines that most professional golfers consider when choosing their 14 clubs for their tournaments.
Their design is almost always different than all the other leading brands and always looks sleek on the course. The PING G410 Fairway Wood is no different with its hybrid shaped face that perfectly lines up with your ball!
But what’s most impressive about this 3 wood is the forgiveness, seriously – it’s super easy to hit with and very high launching. This club has a clever tech design with a shallow head, delivers solid contact, and carries your ball quite well in distance.
What we liked most:
- Very forgiving
- Hits very straight time after time
- Accuracy and distance is right on the money
- Sits perfectly flat on the ground – accommodates all conditions
- A super-thin face with distinct lines
Specs
- Flex – Regular, Senior
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 16 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right or Left
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Less Spin From Turf
- Higher Launch
- Good Overall Distance
Cons
- Minimum Loft Adjustment
9. TaylorMade Women’s M2 Fairway Wood
Top Choice for Women
We found the TaylorMade M2 Fairway Wood to be the Best fairway wood for women and we gave it 4.9 stars out of 5!
The TaylorMade Women’s M2 Fairway Wood was specifically designed for women who want long-distance fairway drives. You can easily control this 3 wood with the variable weight graphite shaft using TaylorMade’s Matrix Velox T Technology.
This wood feels great, gives awesome swing speed, and allows you to hit the ball with the perfect high launch.
This 3 wood is great for limiting the amount of spin with its low and well-forward center of gravity. You will easily gain maximum airspeed with the optimal launch and loft.
What we liked most:
- Variable weight graphite shaft offering impeccable swing and feel
- The Speed Pocket sweet spot encourages the ball speed for the long-distance drives
- Forward and low CG helps limit the spin and enhances the loft
- Shifts weight low for optimal launch
- Shallow head design for ultimate playability
Specs
- Flex – Ladies
- Shaft Material – Graphite
- Grip – Standard
- Loft Configurations – 16.5 Degrees
- Hand Orientation – Right
- Length – Standard
Pros
- Carbon Composite Crown
- Superior Performance Grip
- Speed Pocket Design
Cons
● Might offer too much forgiveness for the advanced golfer
Our Buyer’s Guide For Choosing The Best Fairway Woods
You mostly hear golfers bragging about their drivers and comparing their clubs to their buddies. However, one of the biggest mistakes some golfers make is not putting enough emphasis on their woods, especially their 3 wood.
In fact, you could even say that the 3 wood is just as valuable as the perfect driver since it can often be the club of choice for the average golfer.
The 3 wood is a great alternative to the driver if you struggle with slicing and find your driver a bit too intimidating in some situations. The 3 wood is perfect for the long par 3’s that you probably can’t achieve with your irons or hybrids.
There are so many situations where your 3 wood could be used, you’d be crazy to not give it credit where credit is due!
What Is The Best Fairway Wood On Market?
The perfect answer is of course the one that your most comfortable with, but if you take into consideration all the options a 3 wood can have – then we’d say the best overall 3 wood driver is hands down our #1 top choice, TaylorMade SIM 2 Max 3 wood. The quality and overall design are top-notch!
When you choose the best 3 wood for you, you should always consider what type of golfer you are and choose one based on your needs and experience. Too often people purchase drivers or woods that are not compatible with their abilities, and that’s not giving them the confidence they need to play successfully.
What Are The Advantages Of Using A 3 Wood?
It can be used for tee shots, long-distance shots, and on par’s three through five. So basically it is the most versatile club you could carry in your bag.
Another great feature about using a 3 wood is how easily you can customize it to fit your needs on any particular hole. The new designs on the 3 woods offer many loft options and adjustable weights.
Another big advantage is the cost of the 3 wood vs the drivers – if you want to save a few bucks and still play a fantastic game, then maybe choosing a 3 wood is perfect for your budget and your game!
How To Choose The Right Degree For Your 3 Wood
You need to consider your swing speed before anything else when choosing the right loft for your 3 wood.
Normally they say that if you have a fast swing, then you will need less loft to launch your ball high. Look at it from this angle when choosing the right degree for your 3 wood:
- If your swing speed is over 100 mph – choose a loft between 13 and 15 degrees
- If your swing speed is below 100 mph – choose a loft between 15 and 17
Note: If you are a slower swinger a higher degree loft will provide you with the best combination of high initial launching with an optimal spin – creating the perfect scenario for maximizing your distance.
What Distance Should You Be Hitting With A 3 Wood?
If you’re an average golfer who swings their 3 wood around approximately 70 to 80 miles an hour, you should probably be able to carry the golf ball between 220 to 240 yards.
So if you fall into this category and you have an average swing speed and aren’t able to carry the ball within this range, you may need to consider getting a different shaft or clubhead for your 3 wood.
Imagine this, while some of the best male golfers in the world can hit their 3 wood over 300 yards on average, most other golfers need to just focus on their swing speed and try to maximize how far their 3 wood drives the ball down the fairway.
Using the right 3 wood, like the PING G410 can help you accomplish distance and straight shots.
What Does Low Center Of Gravity Do For Your Game?
One of the key elements for choosing a 3 wood with a low center-of-gravity is for increasing the initial launch with minimal spin. Most mainstream golf club manufacturers achieve a low center of gravity by trying to move as much weight as possible from the crown and clubface to the rear section of the sole.
So if you’re a golfer who has been struggling with getting your ball up in the air for a higher launch, choosing the right 3 wood like the Cobra F MAX Airspeed Fairway Wood can help you immensely with their impressive low center of gravity feature for assisting high handicap golfers.
How Important Is The Shaft On Your Fairway Wood
Technically it can be very important since the material used in the shaft of a 3 wood can affect the weight of the wood and also how easily the wood can be controlled during the swing. It used to be that most golfers used steel shafts in all of their golf clubs, including all the fairway woods.
But fast forward to the technology that has improved the way we play golf and you will find that most fairway woods are now being sold with graphite shafts.
In fact, one of the most important reasons why your 3 wood utilizes graphite over steel shafts is because the lighter the shafts are, the easier they will be to swing faster, which is what every golfer dreams of.
A long time ago the average steel shaft that most golfers were using weighed 100 grams or more! Nowadays, most golfers are using shafts that are made of graphite and weigh in the range of 50 to 75 grams.
In fact, it’s been proven that you can gain more distance by using a graphite shaft without ever compromising the consistency or the feel.
When it comes to the flex of the shaft, both steel and graphite follow the same guidelines, here are your flex options:
- Regular
- Stiff
- Extra Stiff
- Senior
- Ladies
Note: It’s important to keep in mind that your swing speed will actually determine which shaft flex would work best for you. If you don’t know your swing speed – you can get it measured at most pro shops and or driving ranges.
Do You Need An Adjustable Fairway Wood?
One of the main reasons behind having an adjustable 3 wood is very similar to why you would even carry a 3 wood versus long irons or even hybrids. And the answer is quite simple – versatility.
Many of the 3 wood manufacturers today are offering adjustable lofts and or weights in order to make the game easier for the golfer.
Think about how much the weather or course conditions change, sometimes even during the same game of golf you will endure different challenges.
This is when having an adjustable setting comes in handy because you’ll be able to configure the 3 wood to your desired setting to optimize your game.
So instead of packing fourteen different clubs in your golf bag, one for every different scenario that may come up, you can easily adjust your 3 wood before you approach the shot to optimize its playability for any conditions on any particular day.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When should you use a 3 wood?
The 3 wood is probably the most versatile club in your bag. With achieving distances like a driver since their technology has improved over the years, they are giving golfers more and more options on how to approach the next green.
Since a driver is normally useless outside of the tee box, your 3 wood can be the club of choice for long-distance shots on anywhere from a par 3 to taking just two shots on a par 5. In fact, many of the 3 woods designs today are capable of hitting quality shots out of the rough.
Can you tee off with a 3 wood?
Absolutely! Actually, some golfers now prefer to use a 3 wood over their driver on some holes due to the control of the club. You will find that golfers who can achieve long-distance shots with no issues will choose to pull out their 3 wood over their driver on the shorter distance holes.
When you use a 3 wood, you have a better chance of keeping the ball in play. It all comes down to accuracy vs distance, and to be honest – accuracy trumps distance every single time. Nobody likes hitting the ball long distances only to lose it in the woods or water.
Watch how to tee off with a 3 wood.
What is the easiest 3 wood to hit?
The easiest 3 wood to hit with will depend highly on what type of golfer you are – low, mid, or high handicapper. Are you normally a straight shooter and do you consider yourself to be more advanced than the average golfer?
There are so many variables to consider, you first need to evaluate your swing performance before deciding which category you fall into.
If you’re a low to mid handicapper, then you will probably love our pick for low to mid handicappers, TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Fairway Wood, it has an impressive twist face with corrective angles for hitting straighter shots one right after another.
What is the best 3 wood for a high handicapper?
When playing golf the main goal is to try and keep your ball on the fairway. A lot of golfers with high handicaps need a little extra help in driving the ball straight down the fairway.
We’d be lying if we didn’t say we also like the options 3 woods catered to high handicappers offer.
Most high handicappers have an issue with hitting the ball high and straight, so they need a 3 wood that helps them achieve their desired outcome on the fairway.
A 3 wood with more loft and a lower center of gravity can help most handicappers hit the ball higher without enduring too much spin – which helps control the ball and lessens the actual amount of curve on the ball.
Keep in mind that not all 3 wood club faces are created equal, in fact, a lot of them have different variations in thickness.
By simply decreasing the thickness of a clubface and pointing it more towards the heel and toe, the 3 wood with this kind of variable face thickness will prove to be even more forgiving and even more stable – making it the ideal 3 wood for the high handicap golfer looking to maximize his or her game.
After testing many 3 woods for high handicappers we were all drawn to our top pick, the Cobra F MAX Airspeed Fairway Wood. It’s the perfect lightweight 3 wood for slow swingers and it corrects rightward tendencies which are definitely needed if you’re a golfer with a high handicap.
Should I carry a 3 wood and 3 hybrid?
The simple answer is yes, however; depending on where you are playing and how many clubs you have in your bag might be the deciding factor.
The 3 wood is going to give you a better distance over the 3 hybrid, but if accuracy is more important to you – then the 3 hybrid might be the better choice.
Both clubs have their advantages and offer you proven selling points. But if it were us, we’d choose the 3 wood over the 3 hybrid if our bag space is limited because the 3 wood is more versatile than the 3 hybrid in more ways than one.
Should I carry a 3 wood and 5 wood?
Honestly, choosing between the 3 wood and the 5 wood boils down to personal choice. We know that’s not the answer you were hoping for, but it’s the truth.
Beginners need to be more cautious when choosing the 3 wood because they should be able to reach the green on a lot of shots and sometimes their confidence in the game will prohibit them from going all the way.
However, if you’ve been playing the game of golf for a while now and this isn’t your first rodeo, then choosing a 3 wood over a 5 wood is pretty common for a lot of golfers because of the versatility that the 3 wood offers over the 5 wood.
The best way to know is to actually use both and see which one or if both are a comfortable fit for you.
Do I Have To Carry A Driver And A 3 Wood?
Yes, we strongly suggest you always carry a driver in your golf bag along with your 3 wood. Depending on the conditions of the golf course and or the weather conditions – it is always better to be prepared than to be stuck without the right clubs in your bag.
The main idea behind carrying up to fourteen clubs in your golf bag is to give yourself the option of having as many different options as possible so you’re always prepared.
Wrapping Up
While reviewing all the 3 woods we’ve included in our list for the best 3 woods, we all agreed that the TaylorMade Sim 2 Max 3 Wood with its lightweight design and launchability was clearly the winner. This wood hits perfectly on our checklist of what a 3 wood should do and we all thoroughly enjoyed trying this wood out on the course.
However, if you want some amazing distance on the long holes, then you really need to check out our first runner-up, the Cobra King F9 Speedback. It’s our top choice for long-distance shots and it’s delivered every time we use it. But if you want good forgiveness, then you might enjoy using the other runner-up, the TaylorMade SIM 2 Titanium, it’s our top choice for low to mid handicappers.
The best 3 wood for you will be the one that offers you the most benefits to improve your game of golf. You have to be comfortable with your choice and by all means, enjoy the game!
