FAIRWAY WOODS

CLUBS LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

: CALLAWAY FT; STREET PRICE: $250
WEBSITE: callawaygolf.com
LOFTS: 15*, 17*, 19*, 21?, 23? (*also in draw, ?draw only); tour: 13, 15

TECH TALK: Fusion technology is the foundation of Callaway's research and development. TheFT features a stainless-steel face and body fused to a soleplate featuring heavy tungsten.This gave company engineers the ability to situate the CG where they wanted to improve launchand ball flight. Dual runners on the sole help with turf interaction.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (M) "I feel like it straightened out some of my mis-hits." ... (L) "I had a big mis-hit off a tee, and it still went a long way." ... (T) "If you need to hit it in the fairway on a tight hole and not lose distance, this is the club." ... (T) "Stands out. Must have its goodies in the right places inside the head."

HOT: Inspired technology finds a way to look classic. The tungsten soleplate serves as a launching pad for long, high shots.

NOT: All 7-woods are draw versions? Maybe it makes sense, but it doesn't look right.

: NIKE SQ DYMO/DYMO²; STREET PRICE: $230
WEBSITE: nikegolf.com
LOFTS: Dymo: 13; Dymo2: 15, 17, 19, 21

TECH TALK: Its Quad Keel sole design results in only four points of the club interacting with the ground, diminishing the likelihood of turf interference with the swing. The back of the sole is elevated, reducing friction with the turf. Like in its big brother, the DYMO driver, its characteristics (CG, MOI, lie angle) are adjusted as lofts and head styles change.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (M) "Wait out that first impression, because this thing works. Even fat shots were going 200 yards." ... (L) "I love this club, even though it looks like a shovel to me. The ball flight was exactly what I look for, and it might be the straightest of the bunch." ... (T) "Great club off the tee and the fairway."

HOT: This club delivers a punch, but its real strength is a sole design that's a Ginty-like throwback. Add some 21st-century horsepower and thinking, and you have a genuine winner.

NOT: Square look of Dymo² is still a tough sell.

CLUBS LISTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER

: PING RAPTURE V2; STREET PRICE: $250
WEBSITE: pinggolf.com

LOFTS: 16, 17.5, 19, 22

TECH TALK: The 61-gram tungsten soleplate on the 17-4 stainless-steel head moves the CG low and deep, reducing spin and encouraging a higher launch. The wide sole and steeply tapered crown are designed to improve forgiveness. The variable-thickness face is intended to help enhance ball speed even on off-center strikes.

PLAYER COMMENTS: (T) "Looks Martian-y, and I hit it off the planet, too." ...(L) "Its traditional look instills confidence at setup. I felt like the club was made precisely for me." ... (T) "Great sound. If you get used to hearing the sound of a great shot, psychologically you're more apt to hit one." ... (M) "This is really long despite being a degree weaker."

HOT: There's a lot of technical expertise in the mixing of materials, and isn't a 16-degree 3-wood an idea whose time has come?

NOT: The six-piece alignment decal is at least five pieces too many.