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The PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a set built for new players or those who want more help on the course.  Nine club set makes great sense for many players.  Strong value.

Introduction

When PXG first entered the game, the one thing that everyone knew was that their clubs were expensive.  Several years later, there is not a single OEM doing more for the budget-conscious golfer.  The PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a follow up to the 0211 Z line [review HERE] and arguably the best way for new and higher handicap players to get a sensible set of clubs with great performance at a reasonable price.

Looks

Overall, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs have a sharp, premium look that’s largely in line with the rest of PXG’s offerings.  The black and silver color scheme is the same, the PXG branding is the same, and the black headcovers even have the same QuickStick magnets.  You’re not going to see the elaborate mill marks like on the Sugar Daddy III wedges [review HERE], but that’s reflective of the price gap.

Starting at the top of the bag, the PXG Wildcat driver looks really good.  The crown is a high gloss black with a white stripe that gives the shape definition.  It’s round and symmetrical, not stretched or leaning toward the heel.  The only sign that it’s meant for higher handicap players is that the face is a little closed.

You get a very similar story with the PXG Wildcat fairway wood.  It has a traditional, symmetrical shape that I found really appealing.  The face depth is average, making it comfortable to hit off the tee or turf.  It’s also a little closed at address, which makes sense for the target audience.

While all three of the woods are better looking than I expected, the PXG Wildcat hybrid may take top prize.  It’s slightly pear shaped, which is something we usually only see in players hybrids.  The alignment mark skews slightly toward the heel and there’s some offset, both of which nod toward a draw bias.

Finally, the PXG Wildcat irons are thick.  In the bag, they show off their ultra wide, anti-digging soles.  At address, the top line is thick and softly rounded, there’s a healthy dose of offset, and the large face encourages players to take a confident swing.

Sound & Feel

Starting again at the top of the bag, the PXG Wildcat driver was a pleasant surprise.  Most “high handicap” drivers are loud and unrefined.  This club, in contrast, has medium volume with a concentrated, mid-pitch, metallic tone.  The ball feels fast off the face.  There’s moderate feedback through the hands and ears when you have more than a slight mishit.

Both the Wildcat hybrid and fairway wood lean toward the prototypical fairway wood sound.  Both are quieter than the driver but higher pitched and more metallic in tone.  The feel in both is more fast than solid, which should provide confidence and excitement for the newer player.

Finally, the PXG Wildcat irons have the soft, bouncy feel that I’ve come to associate with many of PXG’s premium irons.  The ball feels like it’s springing off the face, even on slight mishits.  This feel accompanies a quiet “thud” which doesn’t change unless you hit only the bottom groove.

Performance

The PXG Wildcat driver is the club that really helps the Wildcat golf set stand apart from other premium options.  It’s built to 44″ with 16 degrees of loft, so it’s engineered to be a fairway finder.  And PXG didn’t skimp on the materials either, making the entire head and face from titanium for durability and ball speed.  This is a high launch, high spin club – largely as a result of the loft – but these are good things for a new player or any player without a lot of swing speed.  But the real selling point is the dispersion.  Players can stand on the tee feeling confident that their shot is going to go in the right direction and get the hole started the right way.

Both the PXG Wildcat fairway wood and PXG Wildcat hybrid carry forward that idea of making the long game less intimidating.  Both of these clubs have more loft than you might expect – 19 and 26 degrees, respectively – but, as with the driver, that’s the key to making them work so well.  That added loft gets the ball airborne, and strong ball speed across the face gives every shot the potential to carry a long way.  The additional loft also helps those longer shots to land softer – something golfers struggle with at almost every handicap level.  There is a notable draw bias in these clubs, which will help players fight that hated slice.

From a technology standpoint, the PXG Wildcat irons might be the most exciting and best value in this set.  These irons feature the same proprietary XCOR2 polymer core that PXG uses in their Black Ops irons [review HERE].  This material supports an ultra-thin face which means that players get exceptional ball speed, even on mishits.  The thick soles help player by lowering the CG for higher ball flight and providing insurance against digging.

While these irons are miles from my gamers [the PXG 0317 T, review HERE], I had a ball hitting them.  Every shot launched high and carried forever.  With so much forgiveness, I felt free to swing away.  That freedom led to exceptional accuracy.  PXG put a note in this box saying that these irons aren’t for me, but I’m not so sure about that.

Overall, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs deliver on their promise of exceptional performance for the new or high handicap golfer.  Every club is easy to hit with a look that promotes confidence.  It is worth noting that this set is offered with graphite shafts only – Project X Cypher – in R, A, or L flex.

If you’re wondering about the PXG Black Hawk putter which can be included in the Wildcat set, I have a full review HERE

Conclusion

Available as a complete set or individually, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a great choice for a new golfer, someone coming back to the game, or any higher handicap player looking for great value.  As a nine-club set, this covers everything that most players need without giving them things they don’t, and it lets players take advantage of great technology without breaking the bank.

Visit PXG HERE

The post PXG Wildcat Golf Clubs Review appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

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The PXG Secret Weapon is a mini driver that can keep you in play off the tee and bring long par 5s into reach.  Excellent ball speed and accuracy.  Loads of customization potential with four weight ports and an adjustable hosel.

Introduction

It’s hard to keep a secret when that secret is helping to win a PGA Tour event.  The new PXG Secret Weapon was officially under embargo until last week, but that embargo was just a formality after Jake Knapp used the Secret Weapon to win the Grant Thornton Invitational.  Jake called this mini driver “so reliable” and a “game changer” after securing the victory, and there’s no doubt it can be both of those things for you, too.

Looks

At address, the 300 cc PXG Secret Weapon looks more like an oversized fairway wood than a driver.  Setting it next to my PXG Black Ops fairway wood [review HERE], it’s a bit bigger in every dimension, but the proportions are similar.  The one exception is the face depth, which is substantial.

For those that want all the details, I measured the face height of the Secret Weapon at 1.75″ compared to 1.375″ and 2″ for the Black Ops fairway wood and driver, respectively.  That same gap – about 3/8″ bigger than the FW and 1/4″ smaller than the driver – is true of the heel-to-toe measurement. From front to back, the Secret Weapon is almost perfectly between the 3″ Black Ops FW and 4.5″ Black Ops driver [review HERE].

The aesthetic package of the PXG Secret Weapon is otherwise very similar to Black Ops.  The club is almost entirely black with a carbon fiber crown.  There are four weight ports on the sole, surrounding a silver PXG logo.

Finally, there’s no way that I wasn’t going to shout out this head cover.  The “Shhh” Skull is fantastic – simultaneously tough and funny.  Yellow is not remotely my color, and I’m generally allergic to stock covers, but this one is staying in the bag.  Standing ovation to PXG for this.

Sound & Feel

I started hitting the PXG Secret Weapon off the turf and found a slightly hollow, mid-pitch “pop” at impact.  It was a pleasant sound, but it didn’t match the excellent ball speed the club was producing.  When I got the ball onto a short tee – and the strike onto the center of the face – the sound became much more solid and forceful.

This same level of feedback clarity is found in the hands.  Off-center shots feel poppy, like the ball is bouncing off the club face.  Again, not bad, but not super satisfying.  When you pure the ball, you get a strong, solid feel that matches the sound and makes you want to hit the Secret Weapon exclusively.

Performance

The concept of mini drivers is very appealing: you get a more forgiving, more accurate driver alternative and a “Bombs away!” fairway club all in one.  For players who struggle with a traditional 15 degree 3W, however, this promise is more fiction than fact since they can’t get much out of these clubs off the turf.  In that same vein, the bigger the club is, the harder it can be to hit from the ground.  Make it too small, and it’s no better off the tee than a normal 3W.  All that to say, designing a mini driver that delivers on its promises is hard.

I put the PXG Secret Weapon to the torture test right away, attempting to hit it off the turf with my rusty winter swing.  Despite the face height, the excellent proportions and slightly open face made me think I could produce some good shots, and I did.  The launch angle never cracked double digits, but the ball speed was outstanding, and the spin was extremely low.  What these shots lacked in carry distance, they made up for with Kipchoge-esque run outs.

Before I get into how the PXG Secret Weapon performed off the tee, I want to say a word about mini drivers in general.  Since they are neither a driver or a fairway wood, you will likely need to do some experimenting with tee height.  Similarly, the unique shaft length and head size might require you to find something a bit different than your pure driver or fairway wood swing.  If you’re going to give a mini driver a try, be prepared for a little break-in period.  

Off the tee, I treated the PXG Secret Weapon like a fairway wood more than a driver (trying to swing level or even a bit down), and I teed it fairly low.  This combination produced outstanding results.  The launch angle jumped up and the spin moved up into the optimal range.  I was giving up little distance compared to my driver, but the accuracy with the shorter shaft and increased loft was exceptional.

What separates the Secret Weapon from any other mini driver is the ability to tune it to your needs.  This club has four weight ports and comes stock with two 2.5 gram weights and two 15 gram weights.  PXG offers weights from 2.5 to 20 grams, so you can make this draw or fade biased, high or low spin, heavy or light.  I used the heavier stock weights in the toe and rear to offer more forgiveness and fade bias, and it performed beautifully.  Players that are willing to trade forgiveness for lower spin and even more ball speed can pack more weight closer to the face.  The hosel is also adjustable, tuning the loft from 11.5 to 13.5 degrees.

Overall, the PXG Secret Weapon delivers on the promise of the mini driver.  This is a versatile club that goes long and straight from the tee or turf.  When you add in the ability to tune the weighting and hosel, this is a club that almost all golfers should consider for their long game.

Conclusion

If you want to play out of the short grass more often this season – or reach longer par 5s in two – consider putting the PXG Secret Weapon in your bag.  There are endless possibilities with loft, shaft, and weighting, so work with a PXG fitter to get this built to your needs.  When your friends see the results, you’ll have as hard a time keeping this club secret as Jake Knapp.

Visit PXG HERE

PXG Secret Weapon Price & Specs

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The Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood is the more forgiving model of the company’s latest offerings.  Excellent looks, sound, and feel.

Introduction

Tour Edge is a perennial underdog and generally speaking, I like an underdog.  However, they have to reward my faith in order to keep me as a fan.  Historically, Tour Edge has done that.  In this review, I’ll take a look the Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood, the more forgiving of the company’s two new fairway woods released for 2025.  I was very impressed by the C725 (review HERE).  Keep reading to find out how the E model stacks up.

Looks

Despite impressing me with their performance, Tour Edge clubs haven’t always been the most attractive, to my eye.  The Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood is a definite exception.  With a combination of matte gray carbon fiber crown and a darker frame, it recalls several recent models from big OEMs, yet retains enough of its own style to look unique.

The shaping of the clubhead is built for forgiveness.  It is wider and more stretched back, with a shorter face compared to the C725.  Another key difference is the lack of adjustability.  The E725 fairway wood has a bonded hosel and a single 10g weight at the back of the clubhead to help with MOI.  Weights in different measures are available to purchase for golfers looking to fine-tune their swing weight.

Sound & Feel

The sound of the Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood is moderate in pitch and volume.  To my ear, it strikes a great balance of a lower pitched ‘thud’ and a higher-pitched ‘tink’.  It sounds powerful, with the caveat that the sound naturally diminishes in volume and quality the further you stray from the face.

The feel is wonderfully solid.  Center strikes have that unique feeling of effortless power, the ball exploding off the clubface with only the slightest sensation through the hands.  From a sensory point of view, the E725 fairway wood is well-tuned.

Performance

The Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood gets the ball flying long and straight.  Everything from the stock shaft options to the high MOI to the combination of RyzerSole and Power Channel are designed to get the ball in the air quickly and keep it there for as long as your swing can accommodate.

This club is so forgiving that there were multiple instances of what I’m calling “oh-oh” during my testing.  The first “oh” is the sound I make right away when I feel that I’ve missed the sweet spot by some margin.  The second “oh” is one of pleasant surprise when I see that the ball is carrying shockingly long and straight given where it’s been struck.  The Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood certainly isn’t the only modern club to provide this experience, but it’s always exciting to find.

This club features Tour Edge’s 3D Diamond Face, which is essentially a bunch of small sweet spots fanning out from the center.  I assume this is part of what’s taking effect during these moments.

It’s hard not to compare the E725 to its sibling, the C725 because I reviewed them at the same time.  For whatever reason, I got along better with the less forgiving club, just getting a bit more out of it in terms of consistency and distance.  My fitter Adam and I weren’t sure why, but we speculated that my preference for the look of the smaller clubhead allowed me to deliver it with a better attack angle.  It’s a reminder that clubs can only perform with what we give them and finding clubs that work with our unique swings is an important part of the process.

Another difference for players to consider is the fact that the E725 is available in higher lofts than the C725, including 21°.  Raise your hand if you’re thinking about bagging a 7 wood this year!

Conclusion

The Tour Edge Exotics E725 fairway wood is another winner from Tour Edge.  From an aesthetic and performance point of view, this club does everything it needs to do to place itself comfortably among its contemporaries from bigger OEMs.  If you’re in the market for a forgiving fairway wood for 2025, this one should be on your list to try.

Visit Tour Edge HERE

Tour Edge Exotics E725 Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

The Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood is another high-performance offering from a perennial underdog in the golf equipment market.  Convincing tech, pleasurable sound and feel.

Introduction

I’ve had the pleasure to review a number of Tour Edge products in my time with Plugged In Golf.  Almost invariably, it has been an enlightening reminder that bigger doesn’t always mean better.  In Tour Edge’s case, it is a company without the resources to do battle with the big OEMs in the realms of marketing and endorsement deals.  But they do compete when it comes to performance.  Recently I noticed that the old reliable TEE hybrid was finally knocked out of Matt’s bag after several years of besting all challengers to that spot (check out his updated WITB HERE).  Today, we have a review of their newest, the Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood.

Looks

To my eye, the Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood is a standout.  As soon as I unboxed it, I thought “Wow, that is sharp.”  Looking down at the crown, you’ve got a subtle contrast between a gray matte carbon fiber crown and a matte black frame.  My fitter at Club Champion, Adam, was also surprised and impressed by the look.  The “725” alignment aid isn’t my favorite as I’d prefer something more simple, but it’s only a minor complaint.

The Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood (above left) is the “better player’s” shape while the other model, the E725 [review HERE] is designed to provide more forgiveness.  Therefore, the C725 is noticeably more compact.  In addition to the shaping, you’ll notice an adjustable hosel and a weight in the sole and a moveable draw/fade/neutral weight at the back.  Tour Edge refers to this as the Flight Tuning System.

Sound & Feel

I loved the feeling of a pure strike with a premium ball off the face of the Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood.  Not overly loud, the sound is condensed and powerful, a medium-pitched ‘crack.’  Heel strikes (my miss) sound and feel less impactful, and you can definitely get a sense of where the miss occurred through the hands.  I assume a toe-side miss will feel similar – if you find out, let me know in the comments below.  My fitter, Adam, was impressed and wanted to get his hands on it after my testing was complete.

Performance

As I mentioned above, the Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood is the “better player’s” club between the two models.  But if you’re wondering which club is a better fit for you, it isn’t necessarily as simple as determining whether you’re a high or low capper.

Case in point, I’ve referenced a couple of times now that my fitter at Club Champion was impressed with this club.  When we started to collect data for the C725, he assumed it was the E725 because of how well it was performing for me and what he knows about my game and swing.  It turned out that this was the better fitting club for me, despite the fact that I would be a better fit for the E725 on paper.

My review of the E725 is coming soon but one key difference that I can mention now is the adjustability.  That club is built to do a couple of things really well, while this club is built to help you configure it in a way to do whatever you need it to.  The Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood has an adjustable hosel that allows you to change the loft +/- 1.5 degrees, in addition to the ability to change the back weight to draw, fade, or neutral setting.

I was able to squeeze a lot of performance out of this club in its stock ‘straight’ setting.  It’s interesting to note that the Flight Tuning System has been adjusted in this most recent iteration to match the C725 driver.  There are front and back weight ports, and the back port gives you options for draw/neutral/fade.  This is an upgrade over the back/front weight placement on the C723 fairway wood (review HERE).  I did not test that club so unfortunately I can’t offer any comparisons between the two.

In terms of launch monitor numbers, I was very satisfied with the output relative to the input of my golf swing.  While I had a bit of the pulls, I consistently saw tight dispersion and long, straight shots that would translate to fairway finders off the tee and potentially even holding greens approaching an accessible par 5.

Another piece of tech I thought was cool and seemed to positively impact the performance is the 3D Diamond Face, which is made up of 61 three-dimensional diamond shapes of variable face thickness behind the face and serve as “mini-trampolines” that aid ball speed.

I always appreciate the stock shaft offerings from Tour Edge Exotics.  In this case, there are two different shafts that provide a solid option for every golfer.  I tested the recently-released Project X Denali Blue and found it to be an approachable, smooth-but-not-whippy shaft that I think will be a great fit for a lot of players (available in R and S flexes).  The other option is the Project X HZRDUS Black Gen 5, which will be a better fit for faster swingers (available in S and X).

Conclusion

Tour Edge Exotics has done it again.  While not the sexiest brand on the market, they continue to prove that they deserve consideration from golfers looking to upgrade their clubs.  The Tour Edge Exotics C725 fairway wood is a versatile, high-performer that looks and sounds great.

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Visit Tour Edge Exotics HERE

Tour Edge Exotics C725 Fairway Price & Specs

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The Titleist GT3 fairway wood delivers excellent versatility – off the tee, off the turf, and into the green.  Lots of ball speed and strong forgiveness.  Adjustable hosel and weight allow it to work for a wide variety of golfers.

Introduction

Whether you’re looking for a traditionally lofted 3W or one of the trendier higher lofted fairway woods, most of us want versatility.  Fairway woods earn their spot in the bag by providing a blend of distance and precision, value off the tee and for second shots.  The new Titleist GT3 fairway wood has all that versatility with hefty doses of forgiveness and adjustability to boot.

Looks

When a club is named “Generational Technology,” you might expect a look that’s dramatically different than what came before it, but that is not the Titleist way.  The Titleist GT3 fairway wood still has the classic, traditional good looks that players expect from the brand.  At address, the head is just below average in size with a slight pear shape, and the face is among the deepest or tallest I’ve measured.  The gloss black crown is only interrupted by the small “GT” alignment aid because the Seamless Thermoform Crown leaves no trace, as the name implies.

In the bag, the GT3 fairway wood is even more understated than its predecessor.  Almost the entire sole is black, with just a wisp of silver under the “GT3” branding.  The SureFit Adjustable CG Track System is extremely subtle, masking the fact that this is a very adjustable club.

Comparing the Titleist GT3 fairway wood to the GT2 [review HERE], I found that they were more similar than different.  There is a difference in volume – the GT2 is larger – but my eye felt that the difference was more in shape than size.  The GT2 is closer to symmetrical with a little more bulk toward the heel than the GT3.

Sound & Feel

I loved the whisper quiet impact sound of the TSR3 fairway wood, and the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is just as understated.  What has changed is that the GT3 has little to no metallic characteristic to the sound.  It’s more “thud” than “tink.”  This makes the audio feedback a little less obvious, but you can still hear a difference between pure strikes and misses.

The feeling of impact is solid more than anything else.  You won’t need a launch monitor to tell you that this club is fast – the results speak for themselves – but the feel is more traditional than technological.  Feedback through the hands is precise, as you would expect from Titleist.  From the first swings, the GT3 fairway wood clearly let me know where the ball met the face.

Performance

Regular readers may know that this is the first season that I’ve carried a fairway wood in my bag [full WITB HERE].  Historically, I haven’t carried one because I hit them too low to be useful.  However, during my Titleist fitting, I found I was actually hitting my gamer a bit too high with too much spin to optimize distance.  This was unexpected, but it’s why it’s important to check on your clubs regularly.

With the Titleist GT3 fairway wood, I saw a much more penetrating ball flight with lower spin.  Per Titleist, the GT3 FW is “High” launch with “Mid” spin.  Personally, I would rate the GT3 FW as mid launch with mid-low spin, but I’m a lower launching, lower spinning player.  As always, your mileage may vary, so it’s important to be fit.  Regardless, this stronger ball flight paired with excellent ball speed to help me pick up substantial carry distance during my fitting.

In further testing of the Titleist GT3 fairway wood, what impressed me is the consistency of the launch.  Most players struggle with fairway woods because they launch them too low, and that certainly applies to me.  Though the GT3 has a very tall face and a strong ball flight, the Forged L-Cup Face and weight saving from the Seamless Thermoform Crown work together to elevate even thin strikes to playable trajectories.  I had no problem hitting the GT3 FW, even off bare lies.

Comparing the GT3 to the GT2, Titleist rates both heads as “High” launch, but the GT2 has lower spin.  They also state that the GT3 is “Workable” where the GT2 is “Forgiving.”  While this isn’t wrong, I don’t think the difference is that black and white.  Both heads have good ball speed consistency across the face.  For me, the biggest difference is that the GT2 has a little draw bias; the GT3 feels more neutral.

Another advantage of the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is the enhanced adjustability.  Both the GT2 and GT3 have Titleist’s 16-position SureFit Hosel which allows for extensive loft, lie, and face angle adjustments.  To that the GT3 FW adds a “refined” SureFit Adjustable CG Track System that has five positions.  As with the TSR3 fairway wood [review HERE], this makes a noticeable impact on ball flight, but it’s not going to single-handedly fix a big hook or slice.

In sum, I think the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is highly versatile and surprisingly forgiving.  This club can work for players off the tee and off the turf, and it can straighten out moderately crooked shots in either direction.  While it’s not a club for high handicap players, I think it’s something that any mid-handicap or better golfer should test.

Conclusion

It would be easy to see the Titleist name and the clean address look and think that this club is for Tour use only.  And it would have been easy for Titleist to make that club.  Instead, the Titleist GT3 fairway wood is a club with classic looks and modern, versatile, forgiving performance.  If you need a new long game option in your bag, this is worth a serious look.

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Titleist GT3 Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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The Titleist GT2 fairway is easy to launch and delivers strong, repeatable results.  Classic looks with wonderful sound and feel.  Loft options and adjustability make the GT2 a great option for a wide range of golfers.

Introduction

While product releases put the spotlight on drivers, team PIG chose to kick of our coverage of the new Titleist GT metals with the GT2 fairway.  The ‘team’ aspect is a slight exaggeration as I basically bypassed our usual conventions to suit my own needs.  As you may have noted from my WITB page [find it HERE], I’ve gamed the Titleist TSR2 fairway [full review HERE] for quite some time.  Following a thorough GT fitting session with Joe Butler, my local Titleist rep, I was super impressed with the new lineup.  So much so that the recommended Titleist GT2 fairway went straight from the delivery box to my bag.

Looks

At address, the Titleist GT2 fairway maintains the classic clean look of its predecessor.  With the two models side by side, my eyes instantly noted one key difference – the GT2’s flatter crown.  The difference isn’t substantial, but it does make the head appear to sit lower on the turf.  Overall, the head is medium in size, with a lovely curvature.

The Titleist GT headcover looks and feels upscale and coordinates brilliantly with the finishes it helps protect.  The wider silver center segment and sleeker side wings on the sole visually communicate more power than the TSR2.  And I realize that shaft colors can vary, but the black HZRDUS shaft I was fit makes for a stellar looking club.

Sound & Feel

I was pleased to discover that the designers didn’t mess around with what they call their “signature sound and feel.”  The Titleist GT2 fairway sounded intimately familiar with its soft “smack.”  To my ear, the sound is a mid-tone that leans more woodsy rich than metallic bright.

The feel with good contact was light with a touch of strength – like a perfect handshake.  I could discern impact location, but it was subtle.  My favorite aspect about the combination of both sound and feel was knowing that the ball was well struck even before looking.  There’s nothing more satisfying than the anticipation of hearing “nice shot.”

Performance

Let’s get some housekeeping out of the way – please don’t leave a comment that the launch monitor data is missing.  Since the GT2 fairway I was fitted for is 21°, Editor In Chief Saternus and I thought it best to not post the data.  While we always discourage numbers comparisons between reviews, posting 7 wood versus 3 wood data seemed downright counterproductive.

I wasn’t surprised to end up with a 7 wood as I’ve learned that with age comes the need for more loft.  For me, the 21° loft of the Titleist GT2 fairway produced a mid to mid-high ball flight that maximized distance.  Much like they have in drivers, designers have lowered spin in fairways to gain distance.  That’s great for fast swing speeds, but for us slower swinging mortals, low spin and low loft is a recipe for unhappiness.  The 21° GT2 fairway brings a big smile to my face.

The Titleist GT2 fairway has several new features that are worth noting.  The first is the use of a new proprietary matrix polymer to create a seamless crown.  Lighter than stainless steel, the Thermoform Crown freed designers to redistribute mass for improved performance, while maintaining the signature sound and feel mentioned earlier.

The new body structure allowed Titleist to incorporate a forged L-Cup face that wraps around the leading edge of the sole.  The design helps preserve ball speed and launch on low struck balls.  As I’ve revealed many times, thin shots are my nemesis and the GT2 truly showed its colors hitting off the tight fairways of my primary golf course.   As I reviewed launch monitor data, the consistency of the Titleist GT2 fairway really stood out.

One final new feature that ties much of the performance together is the CoG – Titleist moved it forward and lower.  The shift provides for higher launch and lower spin.  In addition to the tight lie performance I noted above, I also observed an overall performance improvement over the TSR2 when hitting out of the rough.  Not surprisingly, I found teeing the ball fairly low was best for tee shots with the GT2.

In addition to the featured shafts listed in the graphic at the bottom of this review, you’ll find Graphite Design Tour AD “premium” shafts highlighted on the Titleist website.  The website also offers a huge variety of alternate shafts.  The GT2 fairway features Titleist’s SureFit Hosel with 16 loft and lie settings, and SureFit weight options for swingweight adjustments.

Find more adjustability in the Titleist GT3 fairway wood HERE

Conclusion

In this first Plugged In Golf review of a Titleist GT club, it’s also appropriate to let readers know that GT stands for Generational Technology.  While shaping, CoG placement, and the likes are important to advancing designs, the generational aspect comes from the development and implementation of the Thermoform crown.  That technology is a more dominant feature in the GT drivers as you’ll learn in upcoming reviews.  As for the Titleist GT2 fairway, it’s strong across the board.  I loved the ball flight and how easy it was to hit from a variety of lies.  The consistency was confidence boosting – once I had the proper loft.

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Titleist GT2 Fairway Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood is low spin, low launch.  The neutral face setup lends itself to the better player who wants more distance without the fear of the hook.

Introduction

The biggest story coming from Cobra this year is their use of computational air movement when designing their clubs.  Cobra found that through the study of high speed cars and aviation they could reconfigure the shaping of each of the DARKSPEED fairway woods.  This lead to improved club head speeds and added distance across the board.  While much of these studies and designs are done on a computer or in a lab, I was able to get the Cobra DARKSPEED LS to review to see how well it performs in real life.

Looks

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood is completely murdered out.  At address the crown is matte black with just a singular Cobra “C” logo as the alignment aid.  The head shape is symmetrically rounded and sits a fraction open behind the ball.  The horizontal white face lines are visible at address and can assist in alignment.

The sole hosts three interchangeable weights with two towards the face and one in the rear of the club.  The adjustable hosel is visible along the neck of the club with a small loft-identifying window.  “Cobra DARKSPEED” is etched along the toe of the sole but because everything is black, this and much of the lettering disappears into the background which presents a sleek look.

Sound & Feel

Cobra nailed the sound and feel in the DARKSPEED LS fairway wood.  Each strike elicits a low, muted “tink” and feels solid.  It doesn’t sound hollow or empty like many fairway woods can.  Off center shots are more dull in sound and louder in volume.  There is not a drastic difference between good and bad shots, but you can discern a true center strike.

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood feels just as good as the sound.   Impact feels both stable and repeatable, meaning I felt I could reproduce shots with ease off the tee or from the fairway.  Center face contact delivered soft feel through the hands, while less than perfect strikes generated a gradual oscillation through the shaft and grip.  You know when you hit it well.

Performance

Cobra developed three distinct fairway woods for their 2024 DARKSPEED line – the Max, the X [review HERE], and the LS.  The LS, which is what I reviewed here, is described as the lowest spinning model with an emphasis on a neutral setup for the better player with high swing speeds.

New for 2024 is a change in the weighting which works two-fold.  First, the aerospace grade titanium construction maximizes the ability for Cobra to save weight throughout the head and disperse it into other areas for more balance.  Second, because of this weight savings, 38 grams of tungsten was added in the heel and toe to stabilize the head at impact.  The results speak for themselves as it only took a few swings to feel entirely comfortable with the Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood.  I started by hitting three balls in the dead center of the face.  My dispersion spanned a measly 40 yards over the course of my Trackman testing.

This titanium construction is also primarily responsible for its low spin.  One of the first swings I had with the DARKSPEED LS produced a shot with around 2500 rpms of spin.  While my average shot hovered closer to the low 3000 range, I was impressed with how much potential sits inside the LS head.

As with many other low spin heads, most shots were in the lower launch range.  This is perfect for those higher swing speed players but works against a player with a slower swing.  The only downside here is that the neutral setup tended to magnify my left-to-right ball flight on poor swings.  If you struggle with a slice or an extreme fade, consider the DARKSPEED Max FW [review HERE].

Setting aside my own personal swing shortcomings, the most interesting aspect of the Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood was fine tuning the numerous adjustable settings.  The three removeable sole weights not only affect spin and trajectory but also influence forgiveness.  This is the first low spin Cobra fairway wood to incorporate a rear weight, allowing for more forgiveness.  This made it easy for a fade player like myself to manipulate the heavier weight to the heel side to not only reduce spin but also correct a right miss.  

Cobra’s stock setup comes with two fifteen gram weights and one three gram weight.  Additional weights of up to sixteen grams are offered on Cobra’s website. 

The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood’s stock shaft is the UST LIN-Q M40X but there are a few other custom shafts in case you are looking for something with a different profile.  Add in the lofts of 13, 14.5, and 17.5 degrees and there is ample amount of choice available.  Whatever you choose, each fairway wood comes in at $329.

Conclusion

Cobra continues to improve upon its ability to manufacture some of the most underrated woods on the market.  The Cobra DARKSPEED LS fairway wood is a testament to that with its low spin, low launch characteristics that offers max distance and a ball flight to the fade side.

Visit Cobra Golf HERE

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Cobra DARKSPEED LS Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is made for the better player seeking fast ball speeds with a touch of forgiveness.  The adjustable settings allows for dialing in ball flight and custom preferences.

Introduction

Cobra continues to fly under the radar in the category of woods, particularly the fairway woods.  For a long time, we saw the use of the double sole rails, but Cobra has since moved in a new direction.  Part of that new direction is the input from aviation and high speed cars to create better speeds and more efficient clubs.  I took the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood out for review to see if these improvements can help the regular golfer.

Looks

The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood follows in the footsteps of its driver counterpart [review HERE] with an almost entirely black head.  The crown is matte black with only the crown “C” logo as an alignment aid and “DARKSPEED” that outlines the rear of the club.  At address, the clubhead sits slightly closed because of the offset but still frames the ball nicely.

In the bag, the DARKSPEED X fairway wood shows off its removable rear weight and adjustable hosel while still sitting flush to the ground.  The majority of the sole is wrapped in matte black with a hint of royal blue accents that would make any Royals, Colts, or Blue Devils fan happy.

Sound & Feel

The sound and feel of the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is what impressed me the most.  The sound at impact was a deep, solid “click” that I immediately wanted more of.  My fitter James at Club Champion commented that it sounded like a rocket in the Trackman studio.  We were both intrigued.

The feel was just as good as the sound.  Each strike felt hot off the face and made it easier to feel a better tempo in subsequent swings.  Swings near the center of the face deliver minimal resonance through the shaft and hands.

It was only once I truly missed one that I felt an increased buzz through the grip with a slightly more metallic sound.  Overall, the sound and feel were quite enjoyable.

Performance

Cobra offers three different variations of the new DARKSPEED fairway woods to fit the largest variety of golfers – the MAX [review HERE], LS [review HERE], and X.  The DARKSPEED X fairway wood sits right between the MAX and LS in terms of forgiveness and playability and is the updated version to the standard AEROJET from 2023 [review HERE].

At first glance, the DARKSPEED X fairway wood did not undergo large, wholesale changes, outside of the aesthetics which I covered above.  Instead, the focus was on fine tuning and making subtle, yet impactful adjustments like the redesigned face and improved power bridge.

Starting with the previously seen AI H.O.T. (Highly Optimized Topography) club face, Cobra gave it a refresh for 2024 that helped improve overall forgiveness.  Shots across the face held their ball speeds consistently with predictable distances.  My worst shot resulted in distance very close to some of my best strikes.  I also credit some of this to the updated power bridge which allows the face to flex upon impact and provide improved distance.

Concerning launch and spin characteristics, the DARKSPEED X delivers a mid to low launch with moderate spin.  Since I am a high spin player and generally have a positive angle of attack, I settled on the lightest rear weight.  Just in case you need something a little different, Cobra offers three, eight, twelve, and sixteen gram weights that can be easily swapped in to achieve your desired performance.  Paired with the adjustable hosel, this weighting allows the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood to be fit to a wide array of swings.

On the course, the playability factor is where this shined.  I was able to shape shots without losing a ball too far left or right.  Dispersion was consistent and I felt like I could go after the ball and not worry about throwing one into the woods.  Having this type of predictability is exactly what we all want in a fairway wood.  The key is ensuring which Cobra DARKSPEED fairway wood is best fit for you.  On Cobra’s website, the X has four different stock loft offerings with two UST Lin-Q stock shafts at no upcharge.

Conclusion

The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood is a perfect club for the better player that needs a little more forgiveness without the high spin attributes of a game improvement fairway wood.  The Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood’s adjustability and easy to launch characteristics make it ideal for a large variety of players and should be on every player’s test list for 2024.

Visit Cobra Golf HERE

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Cobra DARKSPEED X Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood is forgiving, consistent, and looks great at address.  A serious contender for a wide range of players looking for a new fairway wood this season.

Introduction

Whether being used off the tee or on the fairway, amateur golfers need their fairway wood to be versatile, forgiving, and long.  The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood checks all three boxes. Cobra made a few tweaks to its head design to help keep ball speeds up across the face as well as boost launch.  Read on to find out how the club performed for me and whether or not it will earn a spot in my bag.

Looks

I don’t know what “DARKSPEED” is but the look of the club is definitely dark.  In the words of Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap, “How much more black could it be? The answer is none. None more black.”  Silly film references aside, the Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood has a very attractive deep matte black finish.  There’s a subtle carbon fiber pattern on the crown that fades as you get closer to the face.  There is the traditional Cobra “C” logo alignment aid.

In terms of shaping and footprint, it is the largest of the three DARKSPEED fairway offerings, but it doesn’t look that big, compared to some other “max” fairway models I’ve seen.  The shape is on the rounder side with the face height being low and the club head stretched back.  Overall, I find it to be a very attractive looking club at address and in the bag.

Sound & Feel

Impact off the face feels great.  Center contact is appropriately satisfying.  Miss it heel- or toe-side and you can easily discern strike location via feeling in your hands.

Sound-wise, the Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood has something in common with its matte black finish.  I wouldn’t call it dull by any means, but it’s lower pitched, medium volume, accompanied by an authoritative thump.

Performance

The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood boasts great distance and tight dispersion, an elite combo in a fairway wood.  During my testing, numerous shots were not too far behind the driver I was testing that day.  I quickly gained a sense of confidence about where the ball was headed.

On the course, the Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood produced one stunning moment where, having felt the ball come squarely off the toe, I saw it fly remarkably high and straight, landing right where I was aiming, maybe just a few yards short of the ideal position.  I assume that the club’s AI-designed HOT face technology is to thank and that this result could be repeated given similar inputs.

I’m not comfortable branding any club a “slice killer.”  That’s a recipe for over-promising and under-delivering.  However, this club definitely seems to limit hard turns and keep shaping more neutral.  If I’m teeing off on a tight par 4 or trying to get close to a par 5 with a narrow or well-defended landing area, I place a premium on having a small margin for error.  After a relatively short amount of time with the DARKSPEED Max in hand, I had a lot of confidence in it.

Don’t need draw bias?  Check out the Cobra DARKSPEED X fairway wood HERE

As usual with Cobra, there is plenty of adjustability available via a standard club tool.  Loft can be adjusted +/- 1.5 degrees, and +/- 1 degree in “draw” setting.  Weights in the heel and back (15g and 3g) can be switched around to promote more or less of a draw.  And the club is available in 3, 5, and 7 woods.

Find lower spin in the DARKSPEED LS fairway wood HERE

Unfortunately, the stock shaft offerings are quite limited.  The UST LIN-Q M40X Red 5, a mid-high launch, mid-spin shaft, is the only stock option.  It’s on the lighter, more active side, and while it works well for what it is, it may not be the best fit for everybody.  As always, it’s a reminder to get fit if you really want to maximize what your clubs are able to do for you.

Conclusion

The Cobra DARKSPEED Max fairway wood is fantastic and well-suited to a wide range of players.  With its crisp matte finish and compact look, it’s the best looking metal wood from Cobra that I have seen.  I wish there were more options available for stock shafts, but it’s a good reminder to get fit if you want optimal performance.  I could easily game this club but ultimately I prefer continuity between my driver and fairway wood so I’ll be going a different direction with my gamer this year.  Check out my updated WITB HERE.

Visit Cobra Golf HERE

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Cobra DARKSPEED Max Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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50 Words or Less

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood is extremely fast with strong forgiveness.  Mid-low spin and mid launch make it very long for a wide range of players.

Introduction

Callaway calls their new Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood their “most complete fairway wood offering.”  While that speaks in part to the wide variety of lofts available, it’s also a good way to describe the performance of the club.  Regardless of how you use your fairway woods, the Paradym Ai Smoke Max is likely to excel.

Looks

The address look of the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood is very close to my Platonic ideal for a modern fairway wood.  It’s round and symmetrical with a size that’s about average.  The face height is just tall enough to be confidence inspiring off the tee without being scary to hit off the turf.  Grey carbon fiber covers the majority of the crown, but the stripe of solid grey at the leading edge keeps that from being distracting.

In the bag, the forged carbon sole gives the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood a ton of character.  Branding is similar to what we see in the Paradym FW [review HERE] with the model name across the middle and other markings pushed the toe and heel.

Comparing the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood (above, right) to the Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW, there’s surprisingly little difference in size and shape.  Callaway lists the Triple Diamond as “Compact” and the Max as “Modern,” and perhaps the differences are greater at other lofts, but there’s only 1 cc difference between them in the 3W.  The Max is a little longer from heel to toe, but I’d have a hard time telling them apart if they weren’t side by side.  There is a more noticeable difference in face height – the Max is about 1/8″ shorter.

Sound & Feel

Despite its cutting edge use of materials, the Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood produces an impact sound that I would describe as traditional.  It’s fairly high pitched and metallic, medium in volume.  There’s a little too much body to this sound to call it a “tink,” but it’s not as robust as the Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW.

The feel of the Ai Smoke Max, on the other hand, is quite similar to the 3D.  It’s quick and punchy.  The face feels strong behind the ball, but it’s most fast than solid.

Feedback comes through clearly in both the hands and ears.  You can feel the location of impact with good precision, and the sensation dulls as you move away from the sweet spot.  The sound of impact also becomes more clunky when you strike the heel or toe.

Performance

In their brief description, Callaway notes that the Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood has “consistent launch, neutral ball flight, and progressive shaping.”  This is a good starting point.  To round out the overview, I’ll add strong forgiveness, elite ball speed, and mid-low spin.  Now let’s dig into the details.

The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood features a Carbon Chassis like the original Paradym FW, but this design has been refined to save even more weight.  Callaway split the weight savings evenly – 12 grams near the face in the Tungsten Speed Cartridge to optimize launch and spin, 12 grams at the rear for stability and forgiveness.  Interestingly, the full Carbon Chassis is only offered in the three lowest lofts.  The 7W and Heavenwood have carbon crowns with steel soles, and the 9W and 11W are entirely steel.

Check out the new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid HERE

I noticed both the elevated forgiveness and higher, consistent launch in my testing.  The Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood produced mid-high launch angles on good strikes, and it did a good job getting my thin strikes into the air.  The spin, while higher than the Ai Smoke Triple Diamond FW [review HERE], is still fairly low.  My stock shots were getting ample roll out.

The face technology and ball speed are what continue to set Callaway’s fairway woods apart from the rest.  Ai Smart Face shines in this club, producing excellent ball speed on centered strikes and giving up very little on mishits.  The combination of the Max’s superior stability with the Ai Smart Face meant that every reasonable strike sent the ball a long way.

Finally, Callaway gave the Ai Smoke Max a neutral ball flight, allowing it to serve a wider range of players.  Often this level of forgiveness is reserved for draw biased models, but that’s not the case here.  I found that the Max was capable of shaping the ball in both directions, but it really wanted to go straight.  The 15 and 16.5 degree models do feature an adjustable hosel, so you can tune them to favor a fade or draw.

Conclusion

Off the tee and the turf, the new Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX fairway wood is a consistent performer with elite distance potential.  You won’t find a fairway wood with more ball speed, so get the launch and spin dialed in with your fitter, and you’ll be reaching par 5s like never before.

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Visit Callaway Golf HERE

Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke MAX Fairway Wood Price & Specs

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