From the moment I pulled it out of the bag, the XXIO Prime Royal Edition ladies fairway wood, which forms part of the latest range from the Japanese brand, makes a visual statement. With a rich, chocolate brown head accented by gold and bronze detailing, it is a premium looking club.
The graphite shaft is finished with gold ion plating and the refined Royal Edition branding adds a luxurious touch. Even the headcover is a standout - cream with gold piping and intricate embroidery, which wouldn’t look out of place in a designer handbag collection!
The overall styling leans towards the ornate, which may divide opinion. Personally, I prefer a more traditional blue or black aesthetic, like Titleist’s TSR1, but that’s a matter of taste. Ultimately what counts is whether or not the club performs as one of the best women’s fairway woods and I was keen to test the 20-degree 5-wood.
It’s engineered for moderate swing speeds and it did feel exceptionally light and well-balanced from the moment I gripped it. Of course, depending on swing speed, some women will find it too light.
It almost swings itself, with the ultralight SP-1300K shaft and aerodynamic shaping, which seemed to work well together to deliver speed. I didn’t fall in love with the fairway wood as quickly as the XXIO Prime Royal Edition hybrid or XXIO Prime Royal Edition driver, but after several hits, I felt more comfortable and it became effortless to launch the ball. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt, it was probably me and not the club!
What really impressed me was the consistency across the face. The BiFlex face and expanded Rebound Frame technology clearly helps to maintain ball speed, carry and distance, even when I didn’t strike it perfectly. I also appreciated the very compact head shape, for example, more so than TaylorMade’s Kalea Gold fairway wood, as it gave me a great sense of control.
The ActivWing tech also deserves a mention as it seems to stabilise the clubhead from mid-swing through impact for a solid feel and satisfying sound, which ultimately gave me confidence after a number of fairway shots.
In short, the XXIO Prime Royal Edition ladies fairway wood delivers where it really matters. For golfers with a moderate swing speed looking for a forgiving, reliable, and easy-to-swing club, it’s a top-tier performer and well worth considering.
