Fairway Wood Sessions
A fairway wood has to work in two completely different situations — off a tee and off the turf — and most golfers only ever test it in one of them before buying.
Both Lies, Same Session
Every demo head gets tested off a tee and off a turf mat, with both monitors capturing launch, spin, and strike location on each. A head that launches beautifully off a tee can behave completely differently once the sole has to interact with real turf resistance.
We also check attack angle specifically for fairway wood strikes, since a driver-style ascending hit and a slightly descending fairway strike call for different sole geometry to avoid digging or skulling contact.
What Actually Changes in a Fairway Wood Session
Sole Design
A wider, shallower sole tends to glide through turf more forgivingly; a smaller, deeper-faced head suits a steeper, more descending strike. Tested against your own attack angle.
Loft
A three-wood built too strong can leave a launch gap behind the driver. We check actual carry separation, not just the number stamped on the head.
Shaft Weight
Fairway wood shafts often play a half-flex firmer than a driver shaft in the same nominal flex — worth testing independently rather than assuming a matched set.
Center of Gravity
A lower, more forward CG raises launch and trims spin off the turf; a higher, more rearward CG helps get the ball airborne from tighter lies.
Length
Fairway woods run shorter than a driver but still vary meaningfully between models — strike consistency off turf usually improves with a slightly shorter build.
Adjustable Hosel
Loft and lie adjustability let us fine-tune launch after the head is otherwise settled, without needing a full re-order.
What a Fairway Wood Session Usually Fixes
Skulled or Thin Contact Off the Deck
Often a sole-design and attack-angle mismatch rather than a swing flaw — a wider, more forgiving sole frequently resolves it directly.
A Launch Gap Behind the Driver
If your three-wood carries almost as far as your driver, the loft or shaft combination is likely too strong for your swing speed off the tee.
Digging Into Turf
A narrow, deep-soled head paired with a steep attack angle tends to dig rather than glide. A shallower sole design usually corrects this without changing your swing.
Inconsistent Off the Tee Vs. Off the Deck
A head that performs well from one lie but not the other points to a sole geometry mismatch, caught directly by testing both situations in the same session.
Test Both Lies in One Visit
Fairway wood sessions run 45 to 60 minutes with strikes captured off both a tee and a turf mat.