Long Term Review of the TaylorMade Stealth 3 Wood

TaylorMade officially graduated from its SIM and SIM2 club lines, which were first revealed in 2020, and brought a new Stealth lineup to the market for 2022. While the Stealth driver has taken the market by storm, and for a good reason, the Stealth lineup of fairway woods deserves its own moment in the spotlight. It offers forgiveness, incredible distance, and an appearance that makes even the most elementary ball strikers thirsty for more.

I have had my Stealth 3 wood for three months, replacing a Callaway Big Bertha Steelhead given to me when I started playing several years ago. The Big Bertha is nearly 30 years old, according to my research. It was the best club in my bag for a long time; I was most consistent and felt that it was made for me in a way. However, the time came when I questioned whether I should stick with the old faithful Big Bertha or try the new kid on the block. I made the switch, and I could not be happier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First Impressions

Right out of the bag, the TaylorMade Stealth Fairway Woods lacks the red, 60x Carbon Twist Face equipped on the Driver. Instead, it features a C300 Steel face with TaylorMade’s Twist Face Technology, which helps to correct off-center impacts with a specially designed curvature. It is still a great-looking club, not overly intimidating, but compared to old 3 Woods, like the one I came from, it is definitely something to get used to. 

I got mine with the Golf Pride Align Grips and a Fujikura Ventus Red Shaft. Typically, I have used the Align Grips on all of my Fairway Woods, Hybrids, and Long Irons, which is what feels most comfortable to me. It also came about an inch longer than my Big Bertha is, so I was sure to have it cut down when it got here.

A Confident Appearance

One of the first things I noticed about the Stealth 3 Wood was how confident I felt over the ball. 3 woods have always been my strength. Early in my playing days, I actually didn’t use a driver and focused on fairway woods and long irons to find more fairways. My days of pulling out my hybrid or a long iron off the tee are relatively void after hitting the Stealth 3 Wood. I never lack confidence while over the ball, and I credit that to the appearance.

Coming with a 190cc club head, there is plenty of size to not shy away from taking on a tougher shot. Even hitting balls off of tight fairways when you want to push to get on that short Par 5 in two shots, or the long Par 4 in regulation, isn’t too tall of a task. 

One of my favorite features is the matte-finished head crown. On the Titleist TSi2 Hybrid, the glossy face is definitely a distraction, especially on Sunny days. While it all comes down to personal preference, the matte finish is much cleaner and less distracting than other options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Feel and Performance

Going from a Steelhead 3 wood to one predominantly comprised of carbon fiber and steel, the first huge difference is the weight. Even friends who have fairway woods from the past two or three years feel the weight difference in the Stealth compared to their clubs. The lack of weight still provides a striking bit of stability through the backswing and downswing, helping create better consistency from shot to shot.

Contact results are fed by not only the lack of weight, but also the enhanced V Steel design TaylorMade equipped on the Stealth. It is extremely rare that fat or chunked shots occur with this club, even with tight or difficult lies. 

The solid sound of the Stealth Fairway Wood won’t turn any heads, but it is a solid and compact noise that reminds me of visiting tour events. We all hit clubs that are used on tour but rarely does the sound that pros produce come from an amateur’s club. The Stealth will definitely add a bit of swagger to your game based on the sound alone. The forgiveness offered by the Twist Face will also help those who hear the solid sound of a ball strike see what will likely be a strong shot.

My Big Bertha used to get me around 225 in the air and somewhere around 240 total in ideal conditions. One of the first rounds on my Stealth 3 Wood, I had about 270 to the pin on a Par 5, water to the right on an elevated green. Laying up didn’t seem to be in the cards for this shot, especially because I wanted to test what the Stealth could do. I managed to carry this shot dead straight at 245, bouncing up onto the green after colliding with a sharp uphill preceding the putting surface. 262 yards later, I was just over 20 feet for eagle (Spoiler: I settled for a birdie).

New stealth 3 wood👌⛳️ pic.twitter.com/FhyHjZIyur

— R W COLSH (@RColsh) February 4, 2022

Is the Stealth Fairway Wood worth the price tag?

This is where everyone’s budget and how much they play really comes into question. For the routine player who is out on the range on getting a quick 9 in after work, preparing for a foursome with friends on a weekend, the Stealth Fairway is a pleasant option. I would personally not be able to justify the smaller, less forgiving Stealth+ because it is more challenging to hit, and it’s $100 more than the regular Stealth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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But even for the casual player, the Stealth Fairway is definitely worth the extra price. While the tag alone is perhaps the only con I can think of when reviewing the club, it still isn’t terrible compared to similar designs. The technology, confidence, and appearance alone were enough for me to justify giving it a shot. 

After a few range sessions and a couple rounds to test its versatility, the Stealth Three Wood is a club I would personally recommend to anyone looking to improve distance, performance, and ball striking through its incredible forgiveness. The sound and appearance are just add-ons, but they’re supplemental support for an already amazing club.

Cover Image Via TaylorMade