Fairway woods have noticeably smaller heads than drivers. With a smaller head you can have more control. Most beginners figure out the best way to find a fairway is to use the fairway wood instead of the driver. Higher lofts and smaller heads of fairway woods help get the ball high into the air. Fairway woods have typically shorter shafts to allow for more control than your basic driver. In simple words, drivers are used to hit the ball on the upswing and fairway woods are used to hit the ball at swing bottom.

The Callaway X Hot Fairway Wood is an exception to the rule. It is an excellent fairway wood off the tee or from the fairway.