How does Wilson’s super easy-to-hit fairway wood perform? Find out in our Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood review…
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Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood review: First Impressions
NCG SUMMARY
Definitely one of the easiest-to-launch fairway woods on the market at the moment. Wilson have done a great job building a fairway for golfers who might have previously struggled to hit their woods from the ground.
The Launch Pad fairway is going to give you a high launch and neutralise your fade with its offset club face. This is great for golfers who are looking for a good deal and inconsistent ball strikers.
PROS
- Offset face really helps curve the ball left
- High launch from all strike locations
- Forgiving on off-centre strikes
CONS
- Relatively short compared to the other 3 woods that are available
Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood review: First Impressions
As soon as I put the club behind the ball I felt like I could get the ball up in the air and moving left straight away. Both of these are good things for the golfer this club is aimed at. The Launch Pad fairway feels light, easy to swing and looks very inviting.
Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood review: NCG Verdict
The Launch Pad fairway knows what it is, and is not trying to hide it. I like that. It’s hard not to notice the offset face and the club sitting very closed, but for someone who regularly slices it, this is a good thing.
A fairway wood will curve as much if not more than any other club in the bag, so if you’re a slicer you will know the pain of watching the ball sail to the right towards a hazard. The Launch Pad will go a long way in making sure this doesnt happen again.
To combat the slice, the Launch Pad has an upright lie angle, 13 grams of weight in the heel and the offset hosel. These features combined definitely worked for me as you can see from my shot pattern all bar 1 shot went to the left of the target.
The shots I hit with the Launch Pad all got up in the air easily and went pretty high. Wilson this year opted to make the Launch Pad fairway 16 degrees of loft, which is more than what you see from other manufacturers. This does result in lost distance but does make the club really easy to hit.
If you’re a player who struggles to hit fairway woods, distance shouldn’t be your priority, your priority should be finding a club that goes longer than your longest iron or hybrid CONSISTENTLY. The Launch Pad will be a serious contender for this.
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Something else I liked about the Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood is how light it is. This might be personal preference, but lighter clubs make me feel more confident standing over the ball.
Wilson has used lightweight components on the Launch Pad to decrease the overall weight, allowing a player to gain some clubhead speed and hit it further. This is another characteristic that high handicappers, beginners, or just inconsistent fairway wood ball strikers should be looking for.
I was actually pretty impressed at how this fairway holds its own compared to the other fairway woods I’ve hit this year. It might not be the longest, but it is definitely up there as one of the easiest to hit and has great draw bias technology that actually works.
This is a great club at a brilliant price point and should be considered by many golfers. If we can remove ourselves from the distance obsession and just think about finding a club that consistently goes far enough, the Launch Pad might just be for you!
Wilson Launch Pad fairway wood review: The Details
Available: Now!
RRP: £199
Lofts: 16°, 19°
Shaft: Project X Evenflow: Light, Regular, Stiff
More information: Wilson Website
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