TaylorMade

What it does: The first attempts at titanium fairway woods a generation ago were only about half right. Titanium can produce better face-flexing for distance, but unlike drivers, bigger isn’t better in fairway woods. That’s why a couple years ago TaylorMade focused on a compact titanium model – the SIM Ti – that accomplished the goal of a faster face with a special titanium alloy, combined with a lightweight composite crown and a heavy steel sole to lower the centre of gravity. This made for faster ball speeds and a high launch with low spin – a complete distance recipe with a steroid garnish. 

Why we like it: The Stealth Plus represents a step forward in several small ways. First, a larger, lighter carbon-composite crown creates even more discretionary weight, and a larger face with a flatter leading edge makes it even more user friendly. So although this club generally favours average to above-average speeds and skills, that shaping shift has made it more playable. This latest version also reshapes that steel soleplate for a lower, deeper CG and better heel-to-toe stability so that the moment of inertia is almost 20 percent higher than it was with the original SIM Ti.

Lofts 13.5, 15, 19; adjustable