Finding a good fairway wood that you like and can hit consistently is not a task for the faint-hearted. Fairway woods are some of the hardest clubs in the bag to hit and because of this, once you find one you like, you better stick with it.
Many tour pros will hit Fairway Woods that are a few years old while they will almost always have the newest possible driver in the bag.
This being said, just like all other golf clubs, technology improves from year to year and it could be worth checking out something new, it could be worth checking out the TaylorMade Stealth fairway woods.
The TaylorMade Stealth fairway wood is for the player not concerned with adjustability but is looking to pick up both speed and forgiveness. It is for the player looking for a reliable option for when the pressure gets high and the margin of error gets razor-thin.
In this article, we will discuss the Stealth’s features including, sound, look, feel, forgiveness, and distance.
We will also talk about its stock shaft options, pros, cons, and finally give our recommendation based on our team’s experience.
TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Woods
The TaylorMade Stealth fairway woods came to the market in 2022 and just like the driver, did not disappoint.
Unlike the TaylorMade Stealth driver, they do not feature a carbon face but TaylorMade did make the crown entirely out of carbon which allowed developers to move weight lower and farther back, increasing MOI.
The Stealth fairway wood is available in right-handed for lofts of 15 degrees (3-wood), 16.5 degrees (3HL-wood), 18 degree (5-wood), 21 degree (7-wood), and 24 degrees (9-wood).
The left-handed version offers the same lofts except for the seven and nine wood options. The stock swing weight for all options is D3 and the heads range in size from 190cc with the three wood all the way down to 155cc with the nine wood.
TaylorMade also offers the Stealth fairway woods in a plus option which promotes a lower ball flight along with added adjustability.
The Stealth Fairway Wood is also offered in a woman’s head which is essentially the same club with additional shaft options.
Sound, Look, and Feel
Our team absolutely loved the look of the Stealth fairway woods.
They feature a matt black carbon crown that is separated from the black, steel face by a laser-etched line. The club sits wonderfully neutral behind the ball and is very easy to set up consistently every time as the 80-gram V-Steel cut-out wraps around the Stealth logo seamlessly.
The sound and feel were also right on point. Using a C300 steel face, these fairway woods gave us a very responsive sound and feel which all of our team enjoyed.
When you hit a good shot, you know it, and when you hit a bad one, you know it too.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is where we feel that these clubs separate themselves from the pack. Equipped with a 3D carbon crown to reduce weight, TaylorMade was able to shift mass lower and further back in the head which helps increase MOI and forgiveness.
In addition to this redistribution of weight, the Stealth heads feature TaylorMade’s patented Twist Face technology which helps to keep off-center shots on line.
These clubs also feature a V-steel design on the sole which increases stability and turf interaction. All of these great features do their job wonderfully.
Throughout our team’s extensive testing, we found that the Stealth fairway woods are some of the most forgiving on the market and make these clubs truly stand out.
Distance
In addition to great forgiveness, the Stealth Fairway woods also were extremely long. The larger than usual 190cc club head paired with the C300 steel face helps players produce extremely fast ball speeds which is key for most amateur players.
Also, the Stealth head encourages a high launch which can help slower swing speed players get the ball in the air and keep it in the air.
Our team, once again gave the distance category a strong pass as they all picked up anywhere from 3-10 yards compared to their current fairway woods.
Stealth Fairway Woods Key Technologies
To help the TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Woods deliver in all relevant categories such as sounds, fee, forgiveness, and distance, they have instituted several key cutting-edge features.
These include a lightweight 3D Carbon Composite crown, Twist Face curvature, a Thru-Slot Speed Pocket, Precision Laser Milling, and a V-Shaped sole profile.
By optimizing weight distribution, face design, flexibility, and construction, TaylorMade has created one of the longest and most forgiving fairway woods available today.
Let’s take a closer look at some of these innovative performance-enhancing technologies.
3D Carbon Crown
Lighter than its titanium neighbor, carbon is the new future when it comes to golf club design.
This new carbon crown allowed TaylorMade to pull weight from the top of the club and reposition it lower and further back; this increases MOI and ultimately forgiveness.
Advanced Laser Alignment
To help separate the matt black crown from the black steel face, TaylorMade has implemented an advanced laser-etched line to ensure a consistent and seamless setup for players.
V Steel Sole Design
The V-Steel sole is one of the timeless features that TaylorMade uses on nearly all of their fairway woods; why fix something that isn’t broken?
This sole not only pulls weight lower and further back to increase forgiveness but also improves turf interaction and versatility.
Twist Face Technology
Starting in 2018, TaylorMade’s twist face has become another one of the staples on their fairway woods and drivers.
The twist face is made to ensure off-center hits curve back to the target, making it easier to keep the ball in play.
Thru-Slot Speed Pocket
This speed pocket is meant to preserve ball speeds on off-center hits.
Just like the driver, this is a small pocket positioned directly behind the face that aids in face flexion.
TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Woods Specifications
The TaylorMade Stealth fairway wood is available in a range of lofts from 15 to 24 degrees to accommodate different playing styles and swing speeds.
The clubs feature varying head volumes from 190cc down to 155cc as the lofts increase and overall club length decreases.
Regardless of the loft, the Stealth maintains a consistent 59 to 60.5 degree lie angle and D3 swing weight to promote a square face at impact.
Refer to the chart below for a detailed breakdown of the loft, hand orientation, lie angle, head volume, length, and swing weight across the full range of Stealth fairway woods.
Shaft Options
The two stock shaft options for the TaylorMade Stealth fairway woods are the Fujikura Ventus Red 5 and Fujikura Ventus Red 6. You can CLICK HERE to learn more about these shafts.
TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Wood Pros and Cons
The TaylorMade Stealth fairway wood provides excellent distance and forgiveness thanks to technologies like a carbon composite crown and Twist Face curvature.
However, the club may not be suitable for all player types and swing speeds. Below we have highlighted the key benefits as well as areas of consideration in a pros/cons breakdown.
Carefully weigh these positives and negatives to determine if the Stealth is the right fairway wood for your game.
Pros
- Ultra forgiving and easy to get into the air
- Pleasing to the eye and easy to set up consistently every time
- Matt black finish on the crown prevents glare from the sun
- Traditional sound and feel due to the steel face
- Fast ball speeds and long-distance
Cons
- No adjustability may be an issue for players who like to dial in their equipment
- Larger clubhead that some players may like to see
- Higher launch and higher spin than some high-speed players need
Recommendation
As evident from the observation, the Stealth fairway wood boasts an impressive appearance, delivers a satisfying feel, produces a pleasing sound, has exceptional forgiveness, and integrates advanced technology seamlessly.
Notably forgiving and capable of impressive distance, these woods present an excellent opportunity for acquisition, given their attractive pricing owed to being more than a year old.
Just like in every review that we do, they are not for every player though.
If you are a player who does not care about adjustment features, likes to see a little bigger head at address, needs a higher launching head, and wants maximum forgiveness, this club is for you!
If you are a player that is looking to be able to adjust their fairway looks in regards to loft and shot control, the Stealth really is not the club you are looking for and you should check out the Stealth Plus.
Also, if you want a club with a slightly smaller head that promotes a lower launch with less spin, the Stealth Plus would be a better fit as well.
