All About High Lofted Fairway Woods

For many golfers, deciding how to transition from their wood to their irons is a dilemma. With so many options out there, such as traditional long irons, utility irons, and hybrids, it can be difficult to know which is right for you. However, a quality option that many golfers should consider, but often don’t, is a high-lofted fairway wood, such as a 7-wood or 9-wood.

While typically viewed as a piece of equipment reserved for golfers with more moderate swing speeds, many professionals on both the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour have put higher-lofted fairway woods in their bags in recent years.

Higher-lofted fairway woods boast several advantages over alternative options like long irons and utility clubs. First, the high-MOI nature of a fairway wood makes it highly forgiving, meaning golfers don’t have to produce consistently great strikes to perform well with it. Fairway woods also sport deep faces with low centers of gravity, making it easy to launch the golf ball up in the air and get it to land softly on greens.

As higher-lofted fairway woods feature longer shafts compared to those found in long irons, golfers will find it comparatively easier to generate speed with a 7-wood or 9-wood. While speed is generally interpreted as simply more distance, it also leads to more height and enhanced performance out of the rough.

Generally speaking, higher-handicap golfers tend to strike the ball with a sweeping motion, as opposed to a descending motion. Due to their large soles and deep faces, few fairway wood shots are struck with descending blows. As such, golfers who identify themselves as “sweepers” may find fairway woods to be the ideal replacement for 3-irons and 4-irons.

While they have typically been viewed as niche clubs for players with moderate swing speeds, higher-lofted fairway woods have found a resurgence in use among the best in the world recently. The club that is right for a 35-handicapper and Nelly Korda is likely a club that is right for your game.

All golfers, no matter their skill level, will find a fairway wood easier to launch the ball high and far out of more lies than a long iron or utility club.

To find the perfect fairway wood for your game, search 2nd Swing’s expansive selection online, or call us at 612-216-4152 to speak to a master fitter over the phone.