Do Boccieri Heavy Fairway Woods Deliver Good Performance?

Boccieri Heavy fairway woods apply a novel approach to golf clubs. If you ask me, the approach is kind of refreshing … if it works. While the other club manufacturers are looking for ways to promote more distance, with these fairway woods the emphasis is on control and accuracy. Well, that’s the theory anyway. Read this review to find out if Boccieri hit its target, so to speak.

Other club makers are building ultra-light drivers and fairway woods that are intended to promote faster swing speeds and more distance by removing unnecessary weight. Not Boccieri – in fact, this company takes a completely opposite approach. It believes that properly positioned additional weight improves control and accuracy. That’s why there are Boccieri Heavy putters, wedges and irons. And now, Boccieri has applied its theory to woods, resulting in the development of Boccieri Heavy fairway woods.

So, is Boccieri onto something here, or is it a “lone wolf” for good reason?

The odd thing about these fairway woods is that they’re quite heavy, but they have an extremely light swingweight. This means that although the heads of these clubs are heavier than the heads of typical fairway woods, their “balance point” is closer to the hands. Although some is in the head, most of the club’s additional weight is actually positioned in the grip (there’s a 50-gram back-weighting system).

In theory, the design gives golfers better feel and additional control throughout their swings. According to Boccieri Golf, some of the specific benefits provided by the design of Boccieri Heavy fairway woods include:

• A takeaway that’s more on-plane;
• A smoother transition at the top;
• A greater chance of squaring the face at impact; and
• A fuller extension through impact.

What Boccieri doesn’t claim is more distance. And that’s a distinct departure from the claims made by other club manufacturers. It’s good that Boccieri doesn’t claim its Heavy design promotes more distance, because objective test results show these clubs are actually 10 to 15 yards shorter than many other fairway woods.

Okay, they don’t deliver more distance, but do Boccieri Heavy fairway woods at least give you more accuracy? The answer is a qualified yes – mostly because the improvements in accuracy are marginal at best.

Hmm. No more distance (in fact, less) and essentially insignificant improvements in accuracy. Not a good combination.

But the news isn’t all bad. For one thing, the conventionally-shaped head’s compact, fairly shallow design can help you feel like you’re about to strike the ball cleanly. And the club sets up to the ball nicely at address.

On the other hand, you’d better like having a green alignment aid on the crown, because that’s what Boccieri Heavy fairway woods use. You may (or may not) like it but it’s certainly not traditional. However, there’s nothing controversial about the sole design – it’s clean and simple.

Some portion of the club’s lack of distance might be attributable to the additional weight. All things being equal, the same person won’t swing a heavier club as fast as a lighter club, and a slower swing speed is a direct cause of a loss of distance. But the additional weight might have an indirect impact on distance (and accuracy) too.

Here’s what I mean when I refer to an indirect impact. Boccieri Heavy fairway woods are measurably, distinctly, “feel-ably” heavier than other fairway woods. It can take a while to get used to swinging a club that’s this different. Poor testing results might be an indirect result of the testers not having sufficient time to acclimate themselves to the additional weight. After a few rounds, however, the testers might adjust to the different feel and the clubs’ distance and accuracy might improve. These are clubs you need to practice with before buying.

If you’re interested in Boccieri Heavy fairway woods, your choices are limited. Two lofts (a 15-degree 3-wood and a 19-degree 5-wood) and two shaft flexes (regular and stiff) are the only options for right-handers. Lefties are completely out of luck because the company doesn’t make any left-handed Boccieri Heavy fairway woods. The stock shaft is a 75-gram Aldila NVS that’s ¼ inch shorter than the shafts in most fairway woods. The intention there is to promote accuracy, but it probably harms distance. The head’s body is made of 17-4 stainless steel, with a 455 Carpenter steel face.

The Bottom Line: Boccieri has an intriguing theory, but I doubt it works in Boccieri Heavy fairway woods. The clubs are shorter than many other fairway woods and the minimal improvement in accuracy isn’t enough to compensate for the distance loss. Accuracy plays a crucial role in golf, but distance is important too. I think Boccieri might want to go back to the drawing board on this one. Maybe there’s a way the company can retain the accuracy without sacrificing too much distance. In my opinion, they just haven’t found it yet.

From Boccieri Heavy Fairway Woods to other golf club reviews.