As underrated as it can get, you might be looking for a bit of knowledge on Fairway wood or Hybrid for Beginners? Well, they are surely not the most popular choice but when you have to get the right distance with a larger shaft, Fairway wood is the exceptional choice.
Still, if your old wood driver is costing you a lot of hits, then leaving them at your home and getting your hands on Hybrids is the right choice because they have that sweet forgiveness and absolute landing spot, being a mixture of both irons and woods.
Due to this reason, they are most favorable to beginners or high handicap lovers. As a newbie, making a justified decision from a bunch can be tough, and for that reason, we compiled this article. So, let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Hybrid to the Rescue:
At the end of the century, these types came into play. While the first ones to produce them were Cobra, by the name of Bafflers which was made to help the golf players hit at various lies.
While the Cobra was the first one to make them, TaylorMade made competitors by the name of Rescue Clubs, which were publicly available in the year 2003 and made these kinds of clubs more famous.
As a matter of fact, in comparison to the traditional wood, the hybrid club heads are not so deep but they surely have more sweet spots. This is due to their Center of Gravity being deeper and much lower.
Talking about their length, the shafts are much longer than those iron ones but they are a bit shorter than the wood ones. This in return made the community take the long irons out of their leagues and use these ones in their bags.
So, this made the Rescue statement seem correct in certain ways!
When to use a Fairway Wood:
You might ask, what is Fairwood for? They are not the most famous out of the bunch, but they do have a specific purpose because you can sweep that ball of yours with a much wider swing and a much better stance.
Generally speaking, these points will let you know that they are going to work exceptionally for you or not!
- You are playing in a condition where the wind is favorable.
- You have a very good lie
- The place where you are playing doesn’t consist of hazards
- You don’t have a tighter lie
When to use a Hybrid:
In the Fairway wood or Hybrid for beginners competition, it becomes way harder for a beginner to know which one is the right one, especially when you focus more on the second one because they are much more popular.
Hybrids are used where you have to hit the ball with a much shorter while a steeper swing. It is much similar to the iron while creating a divot.
- You are playing at the place of downwind
- You will have to hit at the part of the hazard
- Playing from the bunker or the rough surface
- A higher trajectory is required and a much softer landing too.
Fairway Wood or Hybrid for Beginners:
Looking for some clubs from both of these choices? Well, we got you covered, here are some of the best ones that you can choose from!
1. Cobra 2020 Speedzone Fairway Wood
The first one we have here is the Cobra, which is a carbon-fiber crown made product. Talking about its design, it is a mid-shaped one, which is best for all types of swings. It can combine that better loft adjustment features with that back and front moving Center of Gravity.
While, the results are more forgiveness with better distance, providing you with better spin and more ball speed. The amazing thing about this driver is that it is the first one that comes with this back and front moving Center of Gravity settings.
You might ask, what is its purpose? Well, the front one can provide you with more ball flight penetration, having more rolls. The back one, on the other hand, can offer you a much higher and better ball flight, while the forgiveness is also much more. You can choose the favorite one amongst them without even worrying about being a beginner.
Being a cobra product, it comes with that signature Speed Channel technology. It is a channel that is present around the perimeter of the design that provides a much more compact face while also increasing the speed of the ball, providing more distance than usual.
Lastly, the Speedway from Cobra comes with dual baffler rails, which provide excellent stability and speed through the turf, allowing the club to glide effortlessly out of any lie. Precisely, there are around eight of them for Loft, which can help you set up the trajectory accordingly and you can tune the launch minimizing and maximizing the distance. You can also set up the swing speed with those weight adjustment features.
- Back and Forward CG
- More adjustability options
- Better built quality
- Heavier Shaft
2. Taylormade Sim Max Fairway Wood
Well, here we have a classic Taylormade quality club and when we are talking about these products, there is nothing that comes near to the TaylorMade brand drivers. The TaylorMade may make the perfect driver for distance and is the best one out there for lovers of high handicap
If you really want your ball to advance much more in comparison to the wood ones, then this club is the right choice. It has those raised stripes at the crown center, while it also has that longer alignment aid for you.
Being much more lightweight and having a lighter shaft, you can easily handle it but its crown is not that light, rather more on the weight side. But its design, aerodynamics, speed pockets, and that face can improvise your play distance considerably.
Also, it has that advanced aerodynamic that can aid the faster club speed and the better distance through the raised crown center. It can keep that airflow through it longer and can reduce the air drag. While the thinner face combined with that larger sweet spot can help you in many ways.
All in one, you know that the courses are getting larger and larger, so having this driver can help you increase your distance as a beginner golfer. Also, you can read a comparison of Taylormade SLDR vs SLDR s fairway wood here.
- More distance
- Faster ball speed
- Easy handling for beginners
- No adjustability options
3. Callaway Mavrik Fairway Woods
Again, we have here a Fairway driver and you know what, it is a product by the famous Callaway brand. Well, it is one of the most famous drivers in the market, but the manufacturers have a pure lineup of them, having Mavrik Hybrids too.
Just like the name suggests, it is meant specifically to help the newbies or beginners, even the high handicappers can use them effortlessly due to their higher distance shots and maximum forgiveness.
You can easily hit the shots without even using the full swings or using specific balls to help you. It even comes with some special features that can make you purchase it instantly as a beginner.
First of all, it has that amazing shaft option included, which can give you that beautifully designed Helium Black UST 50 grams and that X Project Evenflo Riptide 60 to 70 grams. You also have the option to get one of those custom shafts suitable for it.
Secondly, it has the famous Golf Pride tour velvet grip which is gray and makes the handling comfortable. On the adjustment sides, you can adjust the weight accordingly between the 2 grams and 14 grams weights.
Lastly, it has an Artificial Intelligence Optimized Face that makes it better on all types of angles, which the crown is none other than T2C carbon, making it easy to handle.
- Custom shaft support
- Adjustable weights
- Compact and sleeker design
- Comes with a much larger footprint
Related article: https://golfarise.com/callaway-xr-vs-xr-16-fairway-wood/
What should a Beginner Look for in a Fairway Wood?
Well, we covered the main points in Fairway wood or Hybrid for beginners, but still, you might ask, what should I look for in a Fairway Wood as a beginner? Don’t you worry my friend, because we have a buying guide which deals with all the essential points to get you covered? So, let us hop right into these points!
Forgiveness:
If you are hitting about two to three inches behind the aim, then no driver in the world will help you. But, there is an exception to the modern shafts that you find, that can correct your mishits and enhance your skills.
But out of all the factors needed to consider while purchasing a club, a beginner should be focused on forgiveness the most and it is the most important thing that makes it worth a shot.
Launch:
It is not a secret that launching a ball using a fairway is a difficult task, especially for newbies. If you know this, then the manufacturers also know this, due to this reason they improved the overall experience.
They positioned the weight more on the low side, while also on the back of the clubhead for exceptional launch. You should look out for that secondly in these types of drivers.
Spin:
Now comes the Spin, and combining that higher launch with that lower spin will give you that sweet distance. But be cautious, it’s a dangerous thing for newbies. Seasonal players tend to go for some backspin, this will give a bit more rise and of the backspin providing green stopping power.
Spin is usually the enemy of the inexperienced, for that reason fairways are made especially for the lovers of high handicaps that can reduce the overall spin. So, keep in mind, more spin can make you lose the bet!
Center of Gravity Weights:
Next up we have the CG or commonly called the Center of Gravity. While most newbies don’t know that there are weights that can change the CG, you can either move them or remove them and even interchange them with new ones. They are found on the clubhead.
Don’t be hasty now, having more adjustments can cause a problem for beginners because the more positioning you have, the more it becomes harder to adjust and find the perfect spot for CG.
You can also lower the angle or make it rise, while also changing a bit of tendency to slice or even control the overall spin of the ball.
So, all the favor goes to those who set up CG at the perfect spot. You also require a special tool or screw to change weights, remove them or change them completely. This tool can be lost and makes a problem for professionals.
As of now, even some top manufacturers make beginner-friendly drivers that don’t come with weight adjustments or have minor of them, which don’t affect much
Adjustable Lie and Loft:
Last but not least, we have here the adjustments which are in the form of Loft and Lie. Just like the weights or CG adjustments, there is a hosel that can customize the overall experience or performance of the product.
The Lie can aid in lowering or raising the shaft of the club, making you more comfortable in gripping and providing the best angle to you around the ground. While, the loft can help you set up the trajectory, which can in return change your overall swing. So, be careful when choosing the product!
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
What is easier to hit a Fairway wood or Hybrid?
You can hit lower but further with Fairway due to the larger sole and head. Hybrids are easier to hit due to more forgiveness. So, this makes the Hybrid ones easier to hit!
Should I get 5 wood or 3 hybrids?
Five wood can be easier for hitting off a tee, but in comparison, the 3 Hybrid has more versatility. So, you should get the 3 Hybrid which is a great option for various situations.
Should I use a hybrid or Fairway wood?
Hybrids have shorter lengths and this makes them easier to hit. The playing style is similar to that of irons. In comparison to that, the Fairways are lengthy and are good options for people looking out for distance from a good lie.
What is the easiest fairway wood to hit?
The easiest one out there is none other than the Callaway Mavrik which has a larger head and feels much like a driver.
Conclusion:
For Beginners, there is nothing better than the Fairway Wood and the Hybrid clubs, but there is a bit of catch to them. When you want more distance and longer length, you can go for the first one. On the other hand, when you want an easy hit with a smaller shaft, then you can go for the Hybrid ones. They both are different from one another, this makes the whole thing difficult for beginners.
For that specific reason, we compiled this article on Fairway wood or Hybrid for beginners and made a buying guide to help you make a fair decision. Still, if you find it hard to choose a singular product, then we recommend Callaway Mavrik Max 2020.
