50 Words or Less
The XXIO 14 fairway wood is an excellent all-around performer for golfers with moderate swing speeds seeking distance and forgiveness. Refined looks, reserved sound, premium price.
Introduction
If you’re a frequent reader of Plugged In Golf you’re likely familiar with the fact that XXIO clubs are designed for golfers with slow to moderate swing speeds. If that’s news to you, check out my review of the XXIO 14 driver HERE. One key focus for XXIO is weight, and they meticulously craft clubs that are lighter in weight from the grip down to the head. Does the new XXIO 14 fairway wood deliver a harmonious lightweight design? I grabbed one to find out.
Looks
From an ‘in the bag’ perspective, the XXIO 14 fairway is protected by a high-end looking head cover. While most OEMs utilize a generic headcover with an adjustable number doohickey, the XXIO fairway wood embroidered the number on the headcover. The segments of grey and blueish grey colors create visual interest and the pebbled finish adds to a very well executed design.
Slipping off the cover, that same blueish grey color serves as the background for the club number and loft. The segmented sole plate (more on that in the Performance section) outlined in a chrome finish looks sharp. The face looks invitingly wide and the dual finishes intriguing. [See Price / Buy]
At address, the XXIO 14 fairway wood has a lovely roundness that’s a bit toe-centric. Although the crown can appear as a simple glossy black, there’s actually a subtle sparkle in the finish – and the color is more of a midnight blue to my eyes. Towards the heel, two triangular elements rise from the crown. Printed just above a crisp pinstripe on the trailing edge is “ActivWing,” which you’ll learn more about shortly.
Sound & Feel
The XXIO 14 fairway wood produced a muted metallic ‘crack’ with an almost lively tone. On a 1 – 10 volume scale, I’d give it a 4. I didn’t discern any audible difference in strike location until I truly ventured towards the perimeters of the face.
To my hands, contact location was notable – but subtle. The head felt wonderfully stable. And I really enjoyed that high, low, or centered strikes all felt powerful.
Performance
Before posting a comment that I forgot to include the performance chart, please know this was intentional. While we never recommend comparing numbers between reviews and reviewers, posting them for the 7 wood I tested would be even more fruitless for readers than usual. That said, I’m happy to report that the XXIO 14 fairway wood produced good ball speeds. Spin was less than optimal for holding a green but ideal for maximizing distance. I gained a consistent 5 yards over my gamer 7 wood.
Consistency was notable in all my data sectors. The tight shot dispersion was a true testament to the forgiveness of the XXIO 14 fairway wood. And for a club that I hit only a handful of times in a typical round, it’s reassuring to know that the XXIO 14 fairway will deliver reliable results even when my contact isn’t perfect. [See Price / Buy]
XXIO packed a lot of design features into the XXIO 14 fairway woods. Let’s start with the sole plate that I alluded to in the Looks section. If you look closely at that area of the sole you can see the outline groove doesn’t continue fully around the plate. The design, and variations in sole thickness, increase flex low in the face.
To increase flex high on the face, XXIO engineers actually stiffened the top edge where the crown and face come together. Sounds odd right? Well, that’s only part of the equation. XXIO also thinned the crown and face, and the combination increased flex – which boosts ball speeds.
Circling back to ActivWing, the integrated steps in the crown are designed to harness aerodynamic forces to aid in guiding the clubhead for “optimal strike position.” I don’t have any way to definitely test the technology, but it does seem feasible – and the Japanese engineers I’ve worked with for decades aren’t prone to exaggeration. I will say that I found the XXIO 14 fairway responsive to input. With my normal swing or trying to give it a little more, the club responded.
Prefer hybrids? Check out the XXIO 14 hybrid HERE
Conclusion
To answer the question I posed in the intro – yes, the XXIO 14 fairway wood is a well designed club that checks all the boxes for moderate to slow swinging golfers looking for distance and forgiveness. The only drawback is the price – the XXIO 14 driver is a serious investment. Is it right for you? XXIO put their answer right on the sole – “experience the difference.” [See Price / Buy]
An excellent all-around performer for golfers with moderate swing speeds seeking distance and forgiveness.
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3 Comments
It seems that a club marketing to slower to moderate swing speeds, which many seniors are in that category, would have a senior flex option.
XXIO regular is comparable to senior flex.
Ditto with anonymous, The MP shafts feel 1 flex less than stated. That is not the case with the JDM XXIO shafts. The JDM shafts are usually Miyazaki shafts and are more to US standards.