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The Titleist GT3 fairway wood delivers excellent versatility – off the tee, off the turf, and into the green.  Lots of ball speed and strong forgiveness.  Adjustable hosel and weight allow it to work for a wide variety of golfers.

Introduction

Whether you’re looking for a traditionally lofted 3W or one of the trendier higher lofted fairway woods, most of us want versatility.  Fairway woods earn their spot in the bag by providing a blend of distance and precision, value off the tee and for second shots.  The new Titleist GT3 fairway wood has all that versatility with hefty doses of forgiveness and adjustability to boot.

Looks

When a club is named “Generational Technology,” you might expect a look that’s dramatically different than what came before it, but that is not the Titleist way.  The Titleist GT3 fairway wood still has the classic, traditional good looks that players expect from the brand.  At address, the head is just below average in size with a slight pear shape, and the face is among the deepest or tallest I’ve measured.  The gloss black crown is only interrupted by the small “GT” alignment aid because the Seamless Thermoform Crown leaves no trace, as the name implies.

In the bag, the GT3 fairway wood is even more understated than its predecessor.  Almost the entire sole is black, with just a wisp of silver under the “GT3” branding.  The SureFit Adjustable CG Track System is extremely subtle, masking the fact that this is a very adjustable club.

Comparing the Titleist GT3 fairway wood to the GT2 [review HERE], I found that they were more similar than different.  There is a difference in volume – the GT2 is larger – but my eye felt that the difference was more in shape than size.  The GT2 is closer to symmetrical with a little more bulk toward the heel than the GT3.

Sound & Feel

I loved the whisper quiet impact sound of the TSR3 fairway wood, and the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is just as understated.  What has changed is that the GT3 has little to no metallic characteristic to the sound.  It’s more “thud” than “tink.”  This makes the audio feedback a little less obvious, but you can still hear a difference between pure strikes and misses.

The feeling of impact is solid more than anything else.  You won’t need a launch monitor to tell you that this club is fast – the results speak for themselves – but the feel is more traditional than technological.  Feedback through the hands is precise, as you would expect from Titleist.  From the first swings, the GT3 fairway wood clearly let me know where the ball met the face.

Performance

Regular readers may know that this is the first season that I’ve carried a fairway wood in my bag [full WITB HERE].  Historically, I haven’t carried one because I hit them too low to be useful.  However, during my Titleist fitting, I found I was actually hitting my gamer a bit too high with too much spin to optimize distance.  This was unexpected, but it’s why it’s important to check on your clubs regularly.

With the Titleist GT3 fairway wood, I saw a much more penetrating ball flight with lower spin.  Per Titleist, the GT3 FW is “High” launch with “Mid” spin.  Personally, I would rate the GT3 FW as mid launch with mid-low spin, but I’m a lower launching, lower spinning player.  As always, your mileage may vary, so it’s important to be fit.  Regardless, this stronger ball flight paired with excellent ball speed to help me pick up substantial carry distance during my fitting.

In further testing of the Titleist GT3 fairway wood, what impressed me is the consistency of the launch.  Most players struggle with fairway woods because they launch them too low, and that certainly applies to me.  Though the GT3 has a very tall face and a strong ball flight, the Forged L-Cup Face and weight saving from the Seamless Thermoform Crown work together to elevate even thin strikes to playable trajectories.  I had no problem hitting the GT3 FW, even off bare lies.

Comparing the GT3 to the GT2, Titleist rates both heads as “High” launch, but the GT2 has lower spin.  They also state that the GT3 is “Workable” where the GT2 is “Forgiving.”  While this isn’t wrong, I don’t think the difference is that black and white.  Both heads have good ball speed consistency across the face.  For me, the biggest difference is that the GT2 has a little draw bias; the GT3 feels more neutral.

Another advantage of the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is the enhanced adjustability.  Both the GT2 and GT3 have Titleist’s 16-position SureFit Hosel which allows for extensive loft, lie, and face angle adjustments.  To that the GT3 FW adds a “refined” SureFit Adjustable CG Track System that has five positions.  As with the TSR3 fairway wood [review HERE], this makes a noticeable impact on ball flight, but it’s not going to single-handedly fix a big hook or slice.

In sum, I think the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is highly versatile and surprisingly forgiving.  This club can work for players off the tee and off the turf, and it can straighten out moderately crooked shots in either direction.  While it’s not a club for high handicap players, I think it’s something that any mid-handicap or better golfer should test.

Conclusion

It would be easy to see the Titleist name and the clean address look and think that this club is for Tour use only.  And it would have been easy for Titleist to make that club.  Instead, the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is a club with classic looks and modern, versatile, forgiving performance.  If you need a new long game option in your bag, this is worth a serious look.

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Titleist GT3 Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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The Titleist GT2 fairway is easy to launch and delivers strong, repeatable results.  Classic looks with wonderful sound and feel.  Loft options and adjustability make the GT2 a great option for a wide range of golfers.

Introduction

While product releases put the spotlight on drivers, team PIG chose to kick of our coverage of the new Titleist GT metals with the GT2 fairway.  The ‘team’ aspect is a slight exaggeration as I basically bypassed our usual conventions to suit my own needs.  As you may have noted from my WITB page [find it HERE], I’ve gamed the Titleist TSR2 fairway [full review HERE] for quite some time.  Following a thorough GT fitting session with Joe Butler, my local Titleist rep, I was super impressed with the new lineup.  So much so that the recommended Titleist GT2 fairway went straight from the delivery box to my bag.

Looks

At address, the Titleist GT2 fairway maintains the classic clean look of its predecessor.  With the two models side by side, my eyes instantly noted one key difference – the GT2’s flatter crown.  The difference isn’t substantial, but it does make the head appear to sit lower on the turf.  Overall, the head is medium in size, with a lovely curvature.

The Titleist GT headcover looks and feels upscale and coordinates brilliantly with the finishes it helps protect.  The wider silver center segment and sleeker side wings on the sole visually communicate more power than the TSR2.  And I realize that shaft colors can vary, but the black HZRDUS shaft I was fit makes for a stellar looking club.

Sound & Feel

I was pleased to discover that the designers didn’t mess around with what they call their “signature sound and feel.”  The Titleist GT2 fairway sounded intimately familiar with its soft “smack.”  To my ear, the sound is a mid-tone that leans more woodsy rich than metallic bright.

The feel with good contact was light with a touch of strength – like a perfect handshake.  I could discern impact location, but it was subtle.  My favorite aspect about the combination of both sound and feel was knowing that the ball was well struck even before looking.  There’s nothing more satisfying than the anticipation of hearing “nice shot.”

Performance

Let’s get some housekeeping out of the way – please don’t leave a comment that the launch monitor data is missing.  Since the GT2 fairway I was fitted for is 21°, Editor In Chief Saternus and I thought it best to not post the data.  While we always discourage numbers comparisons between reviews, posting 7 wood versus 3 wood data seemed downright counterproductive.

I wasn’t surprised to end up with a 7 wood as I’ve learned that with age comes the need for more loft.  For me, the 21° loft of the Titleist GT2 fairway produced a mid to mid-high ball flight that maximized distance.  Much like they have in drivers, designers have lowered spin in fairways to gain distance.  That’s great for fast swing speeds, but for us slower swinging mortals, low spin and low loft is a recipe for unhappiness.  The 21° GT2 fairway brings a big smile to my face.

The Titleist GT2 fairway has several new features that are worth noting.  The first is the use of a new proprietary matrix polymer to create a seamless crown.  Lighter than stainless steel, the Thermoform Crown freed designers to redistribute mass for improved performance, while maintaining the signature sound and feel mentioned earlier.

The new body structure allowed Titleist to incorporate a forged L-Cup face that wraps around the leading edge of the sole.  The design helps preserve ball speed and launch on low struck balls.  As I’ve revealed many times, thin shots are my nemesis and the GT2 truly showed its colors hitting off the tight fairways of my primary golf course.   As I reviewed launch monitor data, the consistency of the Titleist GT2 fairway really stood out.

One final new feature that ties much of the performance together is the CoG – Titleist moved it forward and lower.  The shift provides for higher launch and lower spin.  In addition to the tight lie performance I noted above, I also observed an overall performance improvement over the TSR2 when hitting out of the rough.  Not surprisingly, I found teeing the ball fairly low was best for tee shots with the GT2.

In addition to the featured shafts listed in the graphic at the bottom of this review, you’ll find Graphite Design Tour AD “premium” shafts highlighted on the Titleist website.  The website also offers a huge variety of alternate shafts.  The GT2 fairway features Titleist’s SureFit Hosel with 16 loft and lie settings, and SureFit weight options for swingweight adjustments.

Find more adjustability in the Titleist GT3 fairway wood HERE

Conclusion

In this first Plugged In Golf review of a Titleist GT club, it’s also appropriate to let readers know that GT stands for Generational Technology.  While shaping, CoG placement, and the likes are important to advancing designs, the generational aspect comes from the development and implementation of the Thermoform crown.  That technology is a more dominant feature in the GT drivers as you’ll learn in upcoming reviews.  As for the Titleist GT2 fairway, it’s strong across the board.  I loved the ball flight and how easy it was to hit from a variety of lies.  The consistency was confidence boosting – once I had the proper loft.

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Titleist GT2 Fairway Price & Specs

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The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood is low spin, low launch.  The neutral face setup lends itself to the better player who wants more distance without the fear of the hook.

Introduction

The biggest story coming from Cobra this year is their use of computational air movement when designing their clubs.  Cobra found that through the study of high speed cars and aviation they could reconfigure the shaping of each of the DARKSPEED fairway woods.  This lead to improved club head speeds and added distance across the board.  While much of these studies and designs are done on a computer or in a lab, I was able to get the Cobra DARKSPEED LS to review to see how well it performs in real life.

Looks

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood is completely murdered out.  At address the crown is matte black with just a singular Cobra “C” logo as the alignment aid.  The head shape is symmetrically rounded and sits a fraction open behind the ball.  The horizontal white face lines are visible at address and can assist in alignment.

The sole hosts three interchangeable weights with two towards the face and one in the rear of the club.  The adjustable hosel is visible along the neck of the club with a small loft-identifying window.  “Cobra DARKSPEED” is etched along the toe of the sole but because everything is black, this and much of the lettering disappears into the background which presents a sleek look.

Sound & Feel

Cobra nailed the sound and feel in the DARKSPEED LS fairway wood.  Each strike elicits a low, muted “tink” and feels solid.  It doesn’t sound hollow or empty like many fairway woods can.  Off center shots are more dull in sound and louder in volume.  There is not a drastic difference between good and bad shots, but you can discern a true center strike.

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood feels just as good as the sound.   Impact feels both stable and repeatable, meaning I felt I could reproduce shots with ease off the tee or from the fairway.  Center face contact delivered soft feel through the hands, while less than perfect strikes generated a gradual oscillation through the shaft and grip.  You know when you hit it well.

Performance

Cobra developed three distinct fairway woods for their 2024 DARKSPEED line – the Max, the X [review HERE], and the LS.  The LS, which is what I reviewed here, is described as the lowest spinning model with an emphasis on a neutral setup for the better player with high swing speeds.

New for 2024 is a change in the weighting which works two-fold.  First, the aerospace grade titanium construction maximizes the ability for Cobra to save weight throughout the head and disperse it into other areas for more balance.  Second, because of this weight savings, 38 grams of tungsten was added in the heel and toe to stabilize the head at impact.  The results speak for themselves as it only took a few swings to feel entirely comfortable with the Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood.  I started by hitting three balls in the dead center of the face.  My dispersion spanned a measly 40 yards over the course of my Trackman testing.

This titanium construction is also primarily responsible for its low spin.  One of the first swings I had with the DARKSPEED LS produced a shot with around 2500 rpms of spin.  While my average shot hovered closer to the low 3000 range, I was impressed with how much potential sits inside the LS head.

As with many other low spin heads, most shots were in the lower launch range.  This is perfect for those higher swing speed players but works against a player with a slower swing.  The only downside here is that the neutral setup tended to magnify my left-to-right ball flight on poor swings.  If you struggle with a slice or an extreme fade, consider the DARKSPEED Max FW [review HERE].

Setting aside my own personal swing shortcomings, the most interesting aspect of the Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood was fine tuning the numerous adjustable settings.  The three removeable sole weights not only affect spin and trajectory but also influence forgiveness.  This is the first low spin Cobra fairway wood to incorporate a rear weight, allowing for more forgiveness.  This made it easy for a fade player like myself to manipulate the heavier weight to the heel side to not only reduce spin but also correct a right miss.  

Cobra’s stock setup comes with two fifteen gram weights and one three gram weight.  Additional weights of up to sixteen grams are offered on Cobra’s website. 

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood’s stock shaft is the UST LIN-Q M40X but there are a few other custom shafts in case you are looking for something with a different profile.  Add in the lofts of 13, 14.5, and 17.5 degrees and there is ample amount of choice available.  Whatever you choose, each fairway wood comes in at $329.

Conclusion

Cobra continues to improve upon its ability to manufacture some of the most underrated woods on the market.  The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood is a testament to that with its low spin, low launch characteristics that offers max distance and a ball flight to the fade side.

Visit Cobra Golf HERE

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Cobra DARKSPEED LS Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is made for the better player seeking fast ball speeds with a touch of forgiveness.  The adjustable settings allows for dialing in ball flight and custom preferences.

Introduction

Cobra continues to fly under the radar in the category of woods, particularly the fairway woods.  For a long time, we saw the use of the double sole rails, but Cobra has since moved in a new direction.  Part of that new direction is the input from aviation and high speed cars to create better speeds and more efficient clubs.  I took the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood out for review to see if these improvements can help the regular golfer.

Looks

The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood follows in the footsteps of its driver counterpart [review HERE] with an almost entirely black head.  The crown is matte black with only the crown “C” logo as an alignment aid and “DARKSPEED” that outlines the rear of the club.  At address, the clubhead sits slightly closed because of the offset but still frames the ball nicely.

In the bag, the DARKSPEED X fairway wood shows off its removable rear weight and adjustable hosel while still sitting flush to the ground.  The majority of the sole is wrapped in matte black with a hint of royal blue accents that would make any Royals, Colts, or Blue Devils fan happy.

Sound & Feel

The sound and feel of the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is what impressed me the most.  The sound at impact was a deep, solid “click” that I immediately wanted more of.  My fitter James at Club Champion commented that it sounded like a rocket in the Trackman studio.  We were both intrigued.

The feel was just as good as the sound.  Each strike felt hot off the face and made it easier to feel a better tempo in subsequent swings.  Swings near the center of the face deliver minimal resonance through the shaft and hands.

It was only once I truly missed one that I felt an increased buzz through the grip with a slightly more metallic sound.  Overall, the sound and feel were quite enjoyable.

Performance

Cobra offers three different variations of the new DARKSPEED fairway woods to fit the largest variety of golfers – the MAX [review HERE], LS [review HERE], and X.  The DARKSPEED X fairway wood sits right between the MAX and LS in terms of forgiveness and playability and is the updated version to the standard AEROJET from 2023 [review HERE].

At first glance, the DARKSPEED X fairway wood did not undergo large, wholesale changes, outside of the aesthetics which I covered above.  Instead, the focus was on fine tuning and making subtle, yet impactful adjustments like the redesigned face and improved power bridge.

Starting with the previously seen AI H.O.T. (Highly Optimized Topography) club face, Cobra gave it a refresh for 2024 that helped improve overall forgiveness.  Shots across the face held their ball speeds consistently with predictable distances.  My worst shot resulted in distance very close to some of my best strikes.  I also credit some of this to the updated power bridge which allows the face to flex upon impact and provide improved distance.

Concerning launch and spin characteristics, the DARKSPEED X delivers a mid to low launch with moderate spin.  Since I am a high spin player and generally have a positive angle of attack, I settled on the lightest rear weight.  Just in case you need something a little different, Cobra offers three, eight, twelve, and sixteen gram weights that can be easily swapped in to achieve your desired performance.  Paired with the adjustable hosel, this weighting allows the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood to be fit to a wide array of swings.

On the course, the playability factor is where this shined.  I was able to shape shots without losing a ball too far left or right.  Dispersion was consistent and I felt like I could go after the ball and not worry about throwing one into the woods.  Having this type of predictability is exactly what we all want in a fairway wood.  The key is ensuring which Cobra DARKSPEED fairway wood is best fit for you.  On Cobra’s website, the X has four different stock loft offerings with two UST Lin-Q stock shafts at no upcharge.

Conclusion

The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is a perfect club for the better player that needs a little more forgiveness without the high spin attributes of a game improvement fairway wood.  The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood’s adjustability and easy to launch characteristics make it ideal for a large variety of players and should be on every player’s test list for 2024.

Visit Cobra Golf HERE

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Cobra DARKSPEED X Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood is forgiving, consistent, and looks great at address.  A serious contender for a wide range of players looking for a new fairway wood this season.

Introduction

Whether being used off the tee or on the fairway, amateur golfers need their fairway wood to be versatile, forgiving, and long.  The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood checks all three boxes. Cobra made a few tweaks to its head design to help keep ball speeds up across the face as well as boost launch.  Read on to find out how the club performed for me and whether or not it will earn a spot in my bag.

Looks

I don’t know what “DARKSPEED” is but the look of the club is definitely dark.  In the words of Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, “How much more black could it be? The answer is none. None more black.”  Silly film references aside, the Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood has a very attractive deep matte black finish.  There’s a subtle carbon fiber pattern on the crown that fades as you get closer to the face.  There is the traditional Cobra “C” logo alignment aid.

In terms of shaping and footprint, it is the largest of the three DARKSPEED fairway offerings, but it doesn’t look that big, compared to some other “max” fairway models I’ve seen.  The shape is on the rounder side with the face height being low and the club head stretched back.  Overall, I find it to be a very attractive looking club at address and in the bag.

Sound & Feel

Impact off the face feels great.  Center contact is appropriately satisfying.  Miss it heel- or toe-side and you can easily discern strike location via feeling in your hands.

Sound-wise, the Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood has something in common with its matte black finish.  I wouldn’t call it dull by any means, but it’s lower pitched, medium volume, accompanied by an authoritative thump.

Performance

The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood boasts great distance and tight dispersion, an elite combo in a fairway wood.  During my testing, numerous shots were not too far behind the driver I was testing that day.  I quickly gained a sense of confidence about where the ball was headed.

On the course, the Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood produced one stunning moment where, having felt the ball come squarely off the toe, I saw it fly remarkably high and straight, landing right where I was aiming, maybe just a few yards short of the ideal position.  I assume that the club’s AI-designed HOT face technology is to thank and that this result could be repeated given similar inputs.

I’m not comfortable branding any club a “slice killer.”  That’s a recipe for over-promising and under-delivering.  However, this club definitely seems to limit hard turns and keep shaping more neutral.  If I’m teeing off on a tight par 4 or trying to get close to a par 5 with a narrow or well-defended landing area, I place a premium on having a small margin for error.  After a relatively short amount of time with the DARKSPEED Max in hand, I had a lot of confidence in it.

Don’t need draw bias?  Check out the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood HERE

As usual with Cobra, there is plenty of adjustability available via a standard club tool.  Loft can be adjusted +/- 1.5 degrees, and +/- 1 degree in “draw” setting.  Weights in the heel and back (15g and 3g) can be switched around to promote more or less of a draw.  And the club is available in 3, 5, and 7 woods.

Find lower spin in the DARKSPEED LS fairway wood HERE

Unfortunately, the stock shaft offerings are quite limited.  The UST LIN-Q M40X Red 5, a mid-high launch, mid-spin shaft, is the only stock option.  It’s on the lighter, more active side, and while it works well for what it is, it may not be the best fit for everybody.  As always, it’s a reminder to get fit if you really want to maximize what your clubs are able to do for you.

Conclusion

The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood is fantastic and well-suited to a wide range of players.  With its crisp matte finish and compact look, it’s the best looking metal wood from Cobra that I have seen.  I wish there were more options available for stock shafts, but it’s a good reminder to get fit if you want optimal performance.  I could easily game this club but ultimately I prefer continuity between my driver and fairway wood so I’ll be going a different direction with my gamer this year.  Check out my updated WITB HERE.

Visit Cobra Golf HERE

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Cobra DARKSPEED Max Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood is extremely fast with strong forgiveness.  Mid-low spin and mid launch make it very long for a wide range of players.

Introduction

Callaway calls their new Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood their “most complete fairway wood offering.”  While that speaks in part to the wide variety of lofts available, it’s also a good way to describe the performance of the club.  Regardless of how you use your fairway woods, the Paradym Ai Smoke Max is likely to excel.

Looks

The address look of the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood is very close to my Platonic ideal for a modern fairway wood.  It’s round and symmetrical with a size that’s about average.  The face height is just tall enough to be confidence inspiring off the tee without being scary to hit off the turf.  Grey carbon fiber covers the majority of the crown, but the stripe of solid grey at the leading edge keeps that from being distracting.

In the bag, the forged carbon sole gives the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood a ton of character.  Branding is similar to what we see in the Paradym FW [review HERE] with the model name across the middle and other markings pushed the toe and heel.

Comparing the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood (above, right) to the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW, there’s surprisingly little difference in size and shape.  Callaway lists the Triple Diamond as “Compact” and the Max as “Modern,” and perhaps the differences are greater at other lofts, but there’s only 1 cc difference between them in the 3W.  The Max is a little longer from heel to toe, but I’d have a hard time telling them apart if they weren’t side by side.  There is a more noticeable difference in face height – the Max is about 1/8″ shorter.

Sound & Feel

Despite its cutting edge use of materials, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood produces an impact sound that I would describe as traditional.  It’s fairly high pitched and metallic, medium in volume.  There’s a little too much body to this sound to call it a “tink,” but it’s not as robust as the Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW.

The feel of the Ai Smoke Max, on the other hand, is quite similar to the 3D.  It’s quick and punchy.  The face feels strong behind the ball, but it’s most fast than solid.

Feedback comes through clearly in both the hands and ears.  You can feel the location of impact with good precision, and the sensation dulls as you move away from the sweet spot.  The sound of impact also becomes more clunky when you strike the heel or toe.

Performance

In their brief description, Callaway notes that the Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood has “consistent launch, neutral ball flight, and progressive shaping.”  This is a good starting point.  To round out the overview, I’ll add strong forgiveness, elite ball speed, and mid-low spin.  Now let’s dig into the details.

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood features a Carbon Chassis like the original Paradym FW, but this design has been refined to save even more weight.  Callaway split the weight savings evenly – 12 grams near the face in the Tungsten Speed Cartridge to optimize launch and spin, 12 grams at the rear for stability and forgiveness.  Interestingly, the full Carbon Chassis is only offered in the three lowest lofts.  The 7W and Heavenwood have carbon crowns with steel soles, and the 9W and 11W are entirely steel.

Check out the new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid HERE

I noticed both the elevated forgiveness and higher, consistent launch in my testing.  The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood produced mid-high launch angles on good strikes, and it did a good job getting my thin strikes into the air.  The spin, while higher than the Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW [review HERE], is still fairly low.  My stock shots were getting ample roll out.

The face technology and ball speed are what continue to set Callaway’s fairway woods apart from the rest.  Ai Smart Face shines in this club, producing excellent ball speed on centered strikes and giving up very little on mishits.  The combination of the Max’s superior stability with the Ai Smart Face meant that every reasonable strike sent the ball a long way.

Finally, Callaway gave the Ai Smoke Max a neutral ball flight, allowing it to serve a wider range of players.  Often this level of forgiveness is reserved for draw biased models, but that’s not the case here.  I found that the Max was capable of shaping the ball in both directions, but it really wanted to go straight.  The 15 and 16.5 degree models do feature an adjustable hosel, so you can tune them to favor a fade or draw.

Conclusion

Off the tee and the turf, the new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood is a consistent performer with elite distance potential.  You won’t find a fairway wood with more ball speed, so get the launch and spin dialed in with your fitter, and you’ll be reaching par 5s like never before.

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Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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The Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 fairway wood offers strong all-around performance at a price almost anyone can afford.  The Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 fairway wood cranks up the launch and draw bias to be one of the easiest-to-hit FWs on the market.

Introduction

You don’t need to spend much time in our comments section to know that a lot of golfers are upset about the price of new clubs.  As usual, Tour Edge – a brand that claims to be “Golf’s Most Solid Investment” – has come to the rescue with their new Hot Launch line.

Designed for both the accomplished player with Hot Launch C524 and the recreational golfer with Hot Launch E524, this is a family of fairway woods that has something for everyone.

Looks

In the address position, you can see that both the Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 fairway wood and the Hot Launch E524 fairway wood borrow technology from their upscale Tour Edge Exotics brothers.  Most obvious is the Ridgeback Technology which splits the carbon fiber crown to improve alignment as well as sound and feel.  The C524 (left) has a more traditional appearance, though it does have a larger footprint.  The Hot Launch E524 FW is smaller front to back, but it has significant offset to help battle the slice and get the ball airborne.

Both models offer a substantially different look than the C523 and E523 fairway woods [review HERE].  Most obviously, the red has been traded for blue, but the sole design is the bigger and better change.  To me, the new Hot Launch 524 fairway woods have a much cleaner, more premium look in the bag.

Sound & Feel

Both of the Tour Edge Hot Launch 524 fairway woods have a similar sound and feel at impact.  They produce a quick “snap” on center with slightly above average volume.  This pairs with a feel that’s more quick than solid but is closer to the middle of that spectrum than either extreme.

Both clubs communicate mishits loudly and clearly.  There’s as much sound change across the face of these clubs as any in recent memory.  Thin strikes sound a bit dead, losing the crispness of pure strikes.  Moving to the heel or toe changes the sound to a slightly unpleasant “clack.”  You can feel the impact location as well, but your ears will be the first to let you know when you missed the center of the face.

Performance

Fairway woods occupy a funny place in the bag of newer players.  On one hand, these are some of the toughest clubs to hit consistently.  However, newer players need them more as they’re typically further from the green for their approach.  The Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 fairway wood responds to this situation by being incredibly easy to hit.

Thanks to an extra degree of loft and a bit of offset, the E524 FW is designed to get the ball airborne.  This club launches high and consistently, two things that almost all golfers need in their fairway woods.  Additionally, Tour Edge specs out the E524 FW a half inch shorter than standard which should help most players make better contact.

Like all the clubs on the E side of the Hot Launch line, the E524 fairway wood has a strong draw bias.  Tour Edge makes that visible by putting the weight all the way in the heel.  As someone who tends to hit a draw, I had to work to hit the E524 FW straight.  This club really wants to go left which will make it a great fit for golfers who fight a slice.

Finally, the Hot Launch E524 fairway wood features Tour Edge’s Houdini Sole.  This triangular shape is part of how they get the center of gravity so low, and it also helps the club slide easily through the turf.  From the sole up – literally – this club is built to help the recreational golfer get the ball in the air with some speed, and it does a great job.

While the Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 fairway wood has less loft and no offset, it still gets the ball up in the air with ease.  In fact, if it weren’t for its brother, I would say this is the highest launching fairway wood I’ve tested in a while.  This is in part due to the C524’s own special sole design – Ryzersole.  It’s not as dramatic looking as Houdini, and it doesn’t glide through the turf quite the same way, but it does a similar job in terms of lowering the CG for higher, easier launch.

The two other major differences between the E524 and C524 are the draw bias and the face size.  While I still found the Hot Launch C524 fairway wood to be easier to draw than cut, it’s not nearly as draw biased as the E524.  Additionally, the C524 has a deeper face which makes it more inviting to hit off a tee.

Both Hot Launch fairway woods use Tour Edge’s Diamond Face VFT to provide strong ball speed from heel to toe.  My ball speed with these clubs was not as high as other FWs, in large part due to the shaft not being a great fit, but the speed was consistent across the face.  Both the E524 and C524 do a good job turning mishits into playable results.

Finally, my testing showed both the C524 and E524 fairway woods to be fairly high spin.  In spite of what most dumbed down golf media will tell you, spin is not your enemy.  Players with less ball speed need more spin to maximize their distance, and all players need spin to keep the ball on the green.  As always, fitting is the key to finding your optimal fit for distance and control.

Conclusion

Tour Edge continues to offer golfers more bang for the buck than other any OEM.  The Hot Launch E524 fairway wood is exactly what recreational golfers need: a slice-buster that gets virtually every shot up in the air.  The Hot Launch C524 fairway wood has great forgiveness but also more versatility for the better player.  Whichever one you choose, get fit for the right shaft and loft to get the most out of it.

Visit Tour Edge HERE

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Tour Edge Hot Launch C524 Fairway Wood Specs

Tour Edge Hot Launch E524 Fairway Wood Specs

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50 Words or Less

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood creates tremendous ball speed with lower launch and spin.  Impressive face technology.  Sacrifices some consistency for workability – a good trade for the better player.

Introduction

Regular readers know that I constantly talk about the importance of club fitting.  I rarely give a direct answer to those asking for club recommendations.  But for the last couple years, if you asked me what fairway woods will produce the fastest ball speed across the biggest portion of the face, I could give you a simple answer: Callaway.  The Callaway Paradym fairway woods [review HERE] left Matt Meeker “ecstatic,” so I was eager to see how the new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood performs for the player seeking high speed with lower spin.

Looks

At address, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood is just below average in size with a round, symmetrical shape.  The face is fairly deep, making it an appealing choice off the tee.  There’s a thick band of matte grey in front of a mostly carbon fiber crown.  It sits slightly open in the neutral setting, and there is no alignment aid.

In the bag, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood stands apart from the rest of the line.  The sole is a “plain” dark grey where the other Ai Smoke FWs have the Forged Carbon across the sole.  In terms of branding, Callaway stuck to the modern playbook with “Paradym Ai Smoke” sized tastefully across the middle and “Callaway” and the club designation pushed to the toe and heel.

Comparing the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood (above, left) to the Paradym Ai Smoke Max FW [review HERE], there’s surprisingly little difference in size and shape.  Callaway lists the Triple Diamond as “Compact” and the Max as “Modern,” and perhaps the differences are greater at other lofts, but there’s only 1 cc difference between them in the 3W.  The Triple Diamond is a little tighter from heel to toe, but I’d have a hard time telling them apart if they weren’t side by side.  There is a more noticeable difference in face height – the Triple Diamond is about 1/8″ taller.

Sound & Feel

My first swing with the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood put the ball perfectly on the center of the face, producing a satisfying sound that I liken to a snare drum.  It’s medium in volume, a mid-pitch, metallic “pop.”  Small misses produce a more high pitched, prototypical fairway wood sound.  Big misses create a dull “thud” that’s quite disappointing in comparison.

The feel of the Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW is quick and punchy.  Like the sound, the feel loses its snap when you miss badly.  Regardless of the quality of the strike, it’s easy to feel the exact location of impact.

Performance

With the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood, the tech talk has been dialed down to put the focus on what this club does for the golfer.  The only fancy term is Ai Smart Face, a design that definitely deserves its own moniker.  On center, this club is as fast as any fairway wood I’ve tested.  What’s more impressive is how it retains speed off center.  Especially for a players club, the amount of speed it puts into mishits feels unfair.  You need to get to the edges of the face to see the ball speed dip substantially.

Like the Paradym Triple Diamond fairway wood [review HERE], the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond pushes more weight low and forward to produce lower spin.  This is done with a weight screw and a steel sole.  Callaway rates the launch as “Penetrating” and the spin as “Lowest,” and I’d agree with them on both counts.  As a lower launching player, most of my good strikes were launched in the single digits with low spin.  Even when I hit a flare right, the ball flight was quite strong.

Despite being a players club, I found the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood fairly friendly.  A big part of that comes from the face technology.  Additionally, though the face is on the tall side, the full face scoring lines make it appear shorter to my eye and inviting to hit off the turf.  Though it doesn’t want to launch the ball high, good strikes find a consistent trajectory.

While the Triple Diamond does sacrifice some forgiveness compared to the Max, the benefit is more workability.  High level ball strikers will be able to curve this in both directions with ease and even hit higher flying shots.  One final note: the adjustable hosel seen in these photos is only available in the 15 degree 3W.  The 18 and 20 degree models have a traditional fixed hosel.

Conclusion

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond fairway wood does a great job offering the latest in face technology alongside the control and trajectory that better players prefer.  Whether off the tee or turf, this club is built to produce piercing, high speed golf shots.

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Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond Fairway Wood

Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

The Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood has excellent ball speed on center.  Compact, attractive address look.  Adjustable weights change performance noticeably.

Introduction

Over the last few years, Sub 70 has carved out a niche for themselves in the direct to consumer market designing numerous clubs for the better player.  Offerings like the 949x Pro Hybrid [review HERE] and Tommy Armour III Wedges [review HERE] prove that you don’t have to break the bank to get high performance sticks.  The latest from Sub 70 is the Pro V2 fairway wood, a versatile offering with adjustability you don’t usually see in this price range.

Looks

At address, the Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood has the “all black everything” look.  The crown is matte black without any alignment aids.  There is a segment of carbon fiber in the middle, but it’s subtle.  What struck me is the black paint fill on the scoring lines. It’s a very stealthy, unusual look.  In terms of shape and size, the Pro V2 FW is compact, round, and symmetrical with an average face height.  It has a players look without being overly intimidating.

That same black-on-black aesthetic continues on the sole.  There’s a black, medium-sized Sub 70 logo positioned between the two movable weights.  The “Pro” near the toe and the club designation near the heel are easy to overlook due to the black paint.

Sound & Feel

The player appeal of the Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood continues with its impact sensation.  My first note was how quiet it is, something better players typically appreciate.  The character of the sound is unusual – it’s non-metallic but still somehow prototypical.  It has the quick, staccato nature, but it’s more of a “click” than a “tink.”  Its feel is similarly perplexing being quick without seeming hollow or thin.  But we don’t need to overthink it: it feels great.

Feedback from the Pro V2 FW is excellent.  Through the hands, I was able to locate the impact location precisely.  The audio feedback is more subtle, but it’s present.  Mishits don’t sound discordant, but they’re not as sweet as pure strikes.

Performance

In the pursuit of higher ball speed, Sub 70 is employing something unique in the Pro V2 fairway wood: Dual Face Technology.  Per Sub 70, this is two separate faces – one with gradient thickness, one constant – separated by a thin layer of TPE resin.  The idea is that contact presses the front face into the TPE and rear face, creating a rebounding, springlike effect.

My testing of the Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood revealed very strong ball speed on center.  Good strikes registered the sought after 1.5 smash factors that we’re all searching for.  Thin, heel, and toe strikes retain a majority of their ball speed.  Bigger misses can slow down substantially, reminding you that this is a players club.

The other key performance feature in the Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood is the Dual Weight System.  This club comes with six weights (2, 4, 6, 8, 9, and 10 grams) that can plug into either of the ports on the sole.  Changing the weights made a small but noticeable difference in the feel when I tested the most extreme settings.  This is not meant to be multiple clubs in one the way TaylorMade’s Qi10 Tour FW is with its 50 gram slider [review HERE].

While the feel difference wasn’t huge, I did note a meaningful change in performance.  With the heavy weight forward, my ball speed was slightly higher and my launch and spin were a bit lower.  That flipped when I put the heavier weight back.  Ultimately, I found the most consistent performance with a balanced weight set up.  Putting the heavier weight back also boosted the club’s stability, though it’s still meant for better ball strikers.

That focus on the “Pro” player means that the Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood defaults to a slightly lower launch and spin but is capable of hitting a lot of different shots.  With my newfound competence with fairway woods, I had a good time asking the Pro V2 FW to curve the ball right and left.  My trajectory control is still a work in progress, but I could see that the ability is within the club, in the right hands.

Finally, Sub 70 offers their clubs with a wide array of shafts.  The options that keep the price at $209 are the HZRDUS Smoke Red and Blue RDX.  Shafts from UST, Fujikura, Aldila, and Graphite Design can cause the price to more than double.  As always, getting fit before you spend your money is the best move.

Conclusion

For the skilled ball striker who doesn’t want to empty their pockets, the Sub 70 Pro V2 fairway wood is an excellent choice.  On centered strikes, you won’t find a faster fairway wood, and it has enough forgiveness to keep the low handicappers happy.  The Dual Weight System is a tremendous addition at this price and gives the club a lot of fitting options.

Visit Sub 70 Golf HERE

Sub 70 Pro V2 Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

The TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood is a joy to hit.  Easy to launch.  Great ball speed.  Speed and distance are extremely robust.

Introduction

Even with my new fairway wood friendlier outlook, “fun to hit” is not a phrase I typically use to describe these clubs, but that’s exactly what I typed into my notes for the TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood.  With a large footprint, shallow face, and high MOI, this is a club that you’ll be happy to pull out of the bag.

Looks

The TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood looks the part of an uber forgiving FW.  It has a very large, bulbous footprint and a shallow face which makes it inviting to hit off the turf.  Despite the large size, it does sit square at address.

One change from the Stealth 2 HD FW [review HERE] is the crown.  The Qi10 Max has a very clean, all carbon look versus the segmented crown of the Stealth 2 HD.  There is some Qi10 branding on the trailing edge, but it’s so faint that it’s barely noticeable.

Putting the Qi10 fairway wood [review HERE] next to the Qi10 Max, there’s a clear difference.  The Max is fuller in the heel and longer from front to back.  Though the two clubs are only 5 cc apart, the footprint of the Max is so much larger because the face is shorter.

Sound & Feel

There is a slight “cost” to the larger footprint when it comes to the impact sound.  To my ear, the TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood sounds a little thinner than the standard Qi10.  The overall impression is similar – quick and snappy remain good descriptives – but the sound isn’t as robust.  Additionally, the Max is a hair louder.

Interestingly, this doesn’t translate to the feel.  If I were to plug my ears and close my eyes, I don’t think I could tell the difference between the standard Qi10 and the Max.  Both feel very solid across the entire face and provide good feedback through the hands.

Performance

What makes the TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood “fun to hit”?  It’s a combination of very good top end performance with forgiveness that allows you to swing freely.

As you can see in the LM data, the Qi10 Max FW is fast.  On center, it’s basically a driver, producing smash factors of 1.5.  That pairs well with the naturally high launch and mid-high spin to produce long carry distances when you stripe it.  High spin players may find more distance with a lower spinning shaft, which is one reason why we always encourage fitting.

While that top end performance is exciting, most fairway woods can deliver when you hit it pure.   What makes the Qi10 Max so much fun is what it does when your swing isn’t ideal.  The consistency of the ball speed feels almost criminal.  I have four separate places in my testing notes where I said some version of, “The ball speed on mishits is ridiculous.”

Of course, ball speed alone is not going to make a fairway wood fun to hit.  A shot launched at two degrees can have all the speed in the world, and it still won’t go anywhere.  The Qi10 Max, thankfully, puts virtually every shot high into the air.  Even for me, a low ball hitter, I was seeing thin shots rise to beautiful mid trajectories.  This equation of easy launch plus some spin plus robust ball speed leads to long and consistent carry distances.

Finally, the TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood does have a noticeable draw bias.  This is far from the most anti-slice club I’ve hit, but it definitely prefers the left side of the fairway.  Again, this is a place where fitting can really dial in this club.  If you need more slice reduction, the right shaft can emphasize this club’s leftward tendencies.  If you want the forgiveness without the draw bias, the right shaft can help to keep this club a bit straighter.

Conclusion

If you like the feeling of shaking hands and sweaty palms when you uncover your fairway wood, this club is not for you.  However, if you want a big smile on your face when you prepare to go for the green on a par 5, consider putting the TaylorMade Qi10 Max fairway wood in your bag.

Visit TaylorMade Golf HERE

TaylorMade Qi10 Max Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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