Fairwaywoods Buying Guide
Woods are the longest clubs in a set of golf clubs and, with their large, hollow-bodied heads, are used mainly for long shots. A typical set of club includes a 1 wood (or driver), a 3 wood and 5 wood. Together, these are known as the "standard woods".
The driver has the biggest head and designed for use off the tee. The 2 to 4 woods are mainly used as tee-shot alternatives to drivers or long irons, while the 5-11 woods (or fairway woods) are used as an alternative to longer irons or when playing shots out of the rough. In general, as the wood number increases, the potential distance that can be attained decreases, due to the increased loft of the club.
Don't get confused by the name. Woods are so named because their heads were originally made of wood, but since the 1980's they have been made from metals such as hollow steel, titanium or metal composites. This switch to metal means the wood has a lower center of gravity and perimeter weighting for a larger sweet spot (a greater area on the face of the club that will result in a good hit). The low centre of gravity is advantageous because it helps increase the height that the ball comes off the club face, thus reducing the likelihood of miss-hits into the ground.
Wood Heads
Most woods' heads are stainless steel or coated with titanium. A steel club is strong while still being forgiving on the course, whereas the more lightweight titanium head can be bigger without being heavier. This bigger head moves the centre of gravity lower, making it far more playable. A titanium-coated club is, however, more expensive than a plain steel one. Woods made with composite metals like carbon allow the club head to weigh less than a steel head, while making it less expensive than a titanium-coated club.
Wood Shaft
The shaft in a wood varies from about 40-48 inches in length and is usually made from either steel of graphite. Steel is cheaper and offers a solid, consistent shot which makes it suited to low handicap players who produce a fast swing speed and do not need the extra distance. Lower handicap players who do require more distance should opt for a graphite shaft which, although more expensive, is more lightweight and allows a higher clubhead speed to be generated with less effort.
Wood Flex
A club's flex refers to the amount of bend in the shaft, and should be matched to the speed of a player's swing. A player with an average swing should opt for a more flexible shaft, while players with a stronger swing (100 to 120 mph) should opt for a stiffer shaft with less flex that will provide more control. The flex of a driver's shaft differs among club manufacturers, but overall, the shaft of a wood should be flexible enough to provide distance and accuracy while still keeping the swing under control.
Wood Numbering System
Generally speaking, the higher the number of club, the higher the loft (and the shorter the club length).
No 1 - referred to as "the driver"
Nos 3 and 5 - referred to as the "Fairway woods" as they're usually used for the second shot of play, after the ball has supposedly landed on the fairway! With a smaller head and shaft than the driver, they offer more control and ease of getting airborne.
Nos. 6-11 - Higher lofted woods, such as the 7,9,11 etc are referred to as "utility woods" offering a lower centre of gravity and greater forgiveness. This assists in producing a higher, more consistent ball trajectory.
A plus sign next to the wood number indicates that the loft is stronger than the number normally associated with that wood, although the head size remains the same.