YAMAHA inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood

Test Review: YAMAHA inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood

Today, I had the chance to test the YAMAHA inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood.

The club I tested was the YAMAHA inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood, 5-wood model.

It was equipped with the M423f shaft.

Loft: 17°, Length: 42.75 inches, Shaft Flex: S, Shaft Weight: 59g, Balance: D2, Total Weight: 311g.

This is YAMAHA’s newest fairway wood from the inpres series.

I recently tested the DRIVESTAR Driver, and today I got to test the fairway wood.

The design is extremely simple.

YAMAHA has often favored simplicity in the past, while many other manufacturers tend to go for a more “busy” aesthetic. So this clean look feels refreshing.

Some may think that having visible tech like weights and external parts means better performance—but that’s not always true.

In fact, many unnecessary features have been added to clubs over the years that didn’t actually improve performance, despite looking high-tech.

Of course, bold designs can leave a visual impression.

The neck length is standard.

Even from this angle, the club looks stunning—classic YAMAHA craftsmanship.

It’s rare to find a club that looks beautiful just from the shape of its outline.

This is an ultra-shallow face.

Although shallow faces have become the norm lately, I’ve always had a bit of a mental block with them.

If the face height is too low, I struggle to find the confidence to make solid contact.

As a beginner, I often hit high off the crown and left big marks on the top of my woods.

Maybe I had too strong of a downward strike, even with my driver.

Back in the persimmon days, hitting down with the driver was standard. But through practice, I learned the importance of a level or even slightly upward swing.

Experienced players have clubs that just look cool—used consistently with purposeful wear marks.

Mine were the opposite. Not because the clubs were bad—in fact, they were great—but because my inconsistent swings caused wear all over the club.

Veteran caddies say they can estimate a player’s handicap just by looking at the clubs in their bag. In my case, it must’ve looked rough from the start.

The ball would often curve wildly—I was definitely not the easiest playing partner.

The face design is simple and elegant.

There are no scorelines in the main hitting area—perhaps to thin out the face as much as possible?

When I took a practice swing, it felt quite soft and very lightweight.

It gave me the impression of being a “thin” or “soft” shaft.

Now, when I say “soft,” I don’t mean low quality or lacking in durability—I mean that during impact, it felt like the shaft might not fully hold up.

Ideally, a shaft should have enough strength to drive the ball firmly forward, but such specs might not appeal to the average player.

At address, it gave me a good feeling.

The head looks great.

Perhaps because the rear of the head doesn’t extend too far back, it appeared slightly elongated, but there’s no major visual quirk.

It looked like the face was slightly closed, but just subtly—likely an intentional YAMAHA touch.

Some manufacturers feel a bit rough around the edges, but YAMAHA always gives off a refined, precise vibe.

You can also tell it uses carbon composite materials just by looking at the head.

Test Hitting Begins

The feel at impact is soft and pleasant.

It matches the club’s elegant appearance—very satisfying.

Thanks to the shallow face, the sweet spot feels huge, covering nearly the entire face.

The sound is quiet and clean.

It matches the visual impression and is pleasing to the ear.

It almost has a “stone-like” sound—not metallic, but more like a natural, slightly hard material.

The ball launches easily—almost effortlessly.

As long as you make contact, the ball rises naturally.

Judging by its behavior, this club likely has a deep center of gravity.

Clubs with forward CG tend to keep the face square or even downward at impact, while rear CG clubs like this one help the ball launch higher.

It’s a stylish, high-quality club with no intimidation factor.

YAMAHA clearly intended to make a beautiful, forgiving club accessible to a wide range of golfers.

The club offers excellent stability—no wild shots.

However, I did hit a few hooks—possibly due to the soft shaft or because I naturally draw the ball.

I found it easier to control when shaping a slight draw from the right.

It’s tough to achieve zero side spin and pure backspin—but that seems to be common with modern clubs.

Distance performance is solid—this fairway wood delivers consistent yardage.

You can feel how well it launches and how easy it is to square the face.

Even if you hit it fat, the ball still gets airborne. That forgiveness is one of this club’s biggest strengths.

It’s not about max distance—it’s about consistent carry. A great club for raising your average.

It feels slightly automatic, but I did tend to hit draws more easily.

Part of that may be the face angle, but I think the shaft’s tendency to rotate also plays a role—which requires some caution for players like me who naturally hook the ball.

I tried fading it too, but the club’s strong grip on the ball made it tough to curve significantly to the right.

Post-Test Impressions

A beautifully crafted club—true to YAMAHA’s aesthetic.

Some brands focus heavily on drivers while neglecting their fairway woods—but that’s not the case with YAMAHA.

This club reflects deep research and careful design.

YAMAHA fairway woods have long been known for distance, but this model emphasizes ease of launch and consistency over raw power.

I tried to intentionally mishit by hitting it thin, but every shot still flew high.

These are the kind of shots you’d feel confident using in competition.

Trying to miss—but failing to miss—makes you wonder if that’s a kind of miss itself!

It’s not a perfectly neutral club—it leans slightly to the left with its strong grip on the ball.

But that characteristic probably matches the needs of most golfers today.

Shallow face, lightweight, and soft.

It’s true that I had to be a bit more careful with this club.

But deep faces are no longer trending, and as long as low-spin balls dominate the market, we may not see them much anymore.

5-woods already have a high loft, so I think a deeper face would have been fine—but maybe that’s saved for another model.

It’s a fairway wood that offers beauty, premium feel, and incredible forgiveness.

☆

Ease of Setup: ☆☆☆
Feel at Impact: ☆☆☆☆
Sound: ☆☆☆
Ease of Launch: ☆☆☆☆☆
Forgiveness: ☆☆☆
Distance Performance: ☆☆☆☆
Workability: ☆☆

*Addition: Introduction to this club (I researched this club after writing this article)

Yamaha inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood Review

High Launch, Forgiveness, and Distance—Engineered for the Average Golfer

The Yamaha inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood is designed to make fairway shots easier and more forgiving for mid-to-slow swing speed golfers. It offers ultra-low CG for high launch, generous forgiveness, and optimized distance performance, all wrapped in a clean, confidence-inspiring design. This is not a club for speed demons or shot-shapers, but a high-performance tool for those who want to hit it straight, high, and far—consistently.

Yamaha has incorporated several premium technologies that support launch, forgiveness, and distance for a wide range of golfers—particularly those with driver head speeds below 45 m/s (~100 mph). Let’s examine the evidence.

1. Key Technologies

X37 Precision Casting Body + Carbon Crown

The DRIVESTAR fairway wood features a lightweight carbon crown paired with an X37 precision-cast body, allowing Yamaha to lower the CG to just 19mm. This extremely low CG leads to:

• Higher launch angle

• Easier lift from the fairway

• Enhanced stability and forgiveness

Fact: The CG height of 19 mm is 2 mm lower than Yamaha’s previous model.

⚙️ Thin Face Structure with Variable Thickness

The lower face thickness is just 1.4 mm, helping maximize rebound even on low-face strikes—where most amateur golfers tend to miss. This results in better ball speeds on mishits and consistent distance performance.

Higher MOI (Moment of Inertia)

The wider footprint and optimized internal weighting boost MOI, making the club more stable through impact and less likely to twist on off-center strikes. The result: straighter, more forgiving shots.

2. Official Specifications (Per Yamaha Japan)

• All fairway woods come with the same head design, CG height (19 mm), and face tech.

• Shaft torque varies by flex: S (4.6), SR (5.1), R (5.6)

• Mid-kick point promotes stability and control.

Source: Yamaha Golf Official Product Page

3. Head Speed vs. Distance Estimates

Based on available real-world reviews and known data, here’s an estimated carry performance chart for average players:

Fact: Verified user tests at ~42 m/s showed carry of 155–165 yards with 5W.

4. Pros & Cons (Based on Verified Reviews)

✅ Pros

• Extremely easy to launch — thanks to ultra-low CG

• Great forgiveness on off-center hits, especially low face

• Ideal for moderate swing speeds (R/SR flex weight separation is well-executed)

• Clean and confidence-inspiring face angle

• Excellent for golfers who struggle with right misses (slicers)

❌ Cons

• Too lightweight for faster swings — swing weight may feel unstable for 45+ m/s

• Not ideal for shot shaping — built for straight ball flight

• Thin head profile may not suit those who prefer deep-faced woods

• R/SR/S weight gap is ~18g, making fitting important

5. Who Is This Club For?

Best Suited For:

• Mid- to slow-swing speed golfers (35–45 m/s)

• Golfers who value forgiveness and high launch

• Those who struggle with slicing or inconsistent fairway wood contact

• Players who prefer a “point-and-shoot” fairway wood without worrying about shaping

Not Recommended For:

• Players with fast swing speeds (45+ m/s)

• Low handicappers seeking workability or low-spin flight

• Golfers who prefer heavy shafts or deep-faced fairway woods

6. Verified User Feedback (Translated & Summarized)

“Launches high effortlessly. I finally hit fairway woods confidently again.” – Verified user via Gridge.info

“Perfect for my ~40 m/s swing. Easy to square up at impact. Straighter shots.” – GolfGear.top review

“Face looks good behind the ball. Surprising forgiveness for something this sleek.” – Golf Digest Japan Review

7. Final Verdict – Should You Buy the DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood?

If you’re a mid-to-high handicap golfer with a moderate swing speed, the Yamaha inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood could be a game-changer. The combination of high launch, low CG, lightweight shaft, and maximum forgiveness creates a unique fairway wood that doesn’t require perfect strikes or aggressive swings.

However, golfers with higher speeds or aggressive transitions might find it too soft or too upright. Like many Japan Domestic Market (JDM) offerings, it’s engineered with precision for a specific player segment—and if you’re in that segment, it’s hard to beat.

Yamaha’s inpres DRIVESTAR Fairway Wood delivers on its promise: launch it high, hit it straight, and play with confidence. For the average golfer looking to finally tame their fairway wood game, this club is a smart and rewarding investment.

Sources / References

1. Yamaha Golf Official Product Page (Japan)

2. Golf Digest Japan – Fairway Wood Reviews

3. Gridge.info – User Test Review

4. GolfGear.top – In-depth DRIVESTAR Fairway Review

5. AtomicGolf – Product Weight Listings

More Yamaha Reviews

More Fairway Wood Reviews

Want to read the original article in Japanese? Click here