Fairway Woods

CLUBS LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

* Category Leader

: ADAMS INSIGHT XTD; February 2008; STREET PRICE $200
WEBSITE: adamsgolf.com
LOFTS
13, 15, 18 in a3; 15, 18, 21, 24 in a3OS

TECH STORY
Using its hybrid knowledge to address the needs of different types of players, Adams has developed two hybrid-like fairway woods. Both feature "boxer" technology (that is, stretched corners) to increase the moment of inertia without constraining the center-of-gravity location. The regular a3 has a CG closer to the face; the a3OS has a 10-percent higher MOI. Shaft lengths were shortened by half an inch to help average golfers contact the center of the face more frequently.

PLAYER COMMENTS
"There's no arguing with the results. It's incredibly solid. . . . This club just takes the ball up into the air by itself. . . . Stable is the key word. It has the most stability on mis-hits."

HOT
Adams is boldly attempting to meld the best of fairway woods and hybrids into a new breed of club -- an impressive way to take advantage of all the benefits of shape, size and length. Sole engineering is subtle, inventive, effective.

NOT
Square is still not a natural look.

: CALLAWAY FT; STREET PRICE $250
WEBSITE: callawaygolf.com
LOFTS
15, 17, 19, 21, 23; 13 and 15 (Tour)

TECH STORY
The club has a stainless-steel face and body and a tungsten-infused soleplate that accounts for 44 percent of the clubhead's weight. The dual-runner sole helps with turf interaction, and the leading edge has been lowered to work better with more types of swings. OptiFit allows for draw or neutral weighting.

PLAYER COMMENTS
"This baby's coming home with me. It really performs well. No bad feeling at impact. . . . Ball flies high off any lie. . . . An excellent look, with power. The ball just seemed to penetrate what slight headwind we had, while others ballooned."

HOT
The look of a player's club with technology that works for all levels. Replacing Callaway's iconic S2H2 hosel will appeal to better players.

NOT
Callaway has done more with multiple materials than anyone. Makes one wonder why a composite crown wasn't incorporated into this high-end product.

: CALLAWAY X; STREET PRICE $200
WEBSITE: callawaygolf.com
LOFTS
15, 18, 21; 13 and 15 (Tour)

TECH STORY
The X fairway features the modified X-sole design used in the X hybrid. The purpose is to lower the leading edge for better turf interaction. A slightly larger head (175 cubic centimeters versus 160cc in the FT 3-wood) and internal perimeter weighting increase the MOI. In addition to standard 3-woods, the X Hot 3-wood with a longer shaft (44 inches) and larger head (202cc) is part of the series.

PLAYER COMMENTS
"Runway No. 2, you've got clearance. The ball takes off like a jet. . . . The shaft-head relationship felt very one-piece. It has that help-out-the-slow-swinger feel. . . . It's hard to hit this anywhere but straight."

HOT
A solid entry that maintains a proven Callaway fairway wood tradition. Deeper face translates to greater hitting area and more confidence.

NOT
Doesn't feature the cool face technology of the new driver or use the Carpenter steel found in the X Hot 3-wood. Not including a 9-wood, even in women's, seems wrong.

: NIKE SQ SUMO²; STREET PRICE $230
WEBSITE: nikegolf.com
LOFTS
13, 15, 17, 19, 21

TECH STORY
The square shape pushes weight to the corners, increasing the MOI. A lightweight cryogenic-steel face helps improve ball speed and save weight. The "powerbow" weighting at the back of the head is designed to lower the CG and promote a higher launch angle.

PLAYER COMMENTS
"A little unorthodox. It's almost as long as a driver off the tee but performs like a smaller club from a tight lie. . . . Performance in a box. Good distance, solid. . . . Loved how it felt. Loved the trajectory and roll. The mis-hits were five yards off target at most."

HOT
It would have been easy to take the Sumo2 gargantuan-driver philosophy and dump it into a fairway wood, but the smaller box is smarter and works nicely through the turf. Most important, it still contains the MOI benefits of its geometry. Stock shaft is a sturdy Diamana Graphite by Mitsubishi.

NOT
Addition of a 4-wood is clever, but not giving left-handers that option isn't.