KZG Gemini Fairway Woods Make an Accurate Statement

KZG's Gemini driver was one of the best-reviewed drivers of 2004 (including by us - we named it one of our Top 2 drivers of the year). It utilized twin-face technology - a second clubface positioned right behind the outer one - to increase the accuracy of drives. The Gemini Fairway Woods take the same approach, with the same result: these are highly regarded clubs where accuracy is the key.

The KZG Gemini Fairway Woods are available in 3, 5 and 7 models for right-handers, and 3 and 5 models for left-handers. We, and those golfers helping us, used the 15-degree 3-wood while reviewing these clubs. It was outfitted with KZG's proprietary Nova Tech shaft, this one a stiff 7000 model, with a Lamkin Perma Wrap grip.

But it's the dual face that gives the Gemini its name and its reputation. That twin face got KZG in trouble with the USGA when the Gemini driver was first submitted for approval; the USGA said no, even though the driver did not exceed the .830 COR limit. After an appeal, the USGA changed its ruling and the driver came to market.

As we wrote in our review of the driver, "Some industry insiders have suggested that what the USGA was concerned about was not that the clubface was too 'hot,' but that its constuction simply made the club too forgiving."

So what does "twin-face techology" mean? In KZG's able hands, it means there are two faceplates. An inner face is affixed to the perimeter of the outer faceplate in order to add greater stability and reduce side spin.

The point, KZG says, is to create a larger sweet spot and to limit the loss of distance and accuracy on off-center hits to little or none.

Forgiveness, resulting in better results on off-center strikes, is the key with these clubs. And most of the higher-handicappers who tried the 3-wood with us came away feeling that the Gemini Fairway Wood would definitely give them a better chance of keeping the ball in the fairway, or on target.

Just as with the Gemini Driver, forgiveness - accuracy - was the major selling point of the fairway wood with our testers.

As for distance, some of our lower-handicappers felt that the Gemini Fairway Wood was just a smidge shorter than some other top-of-the-line fairway woods. The effect was very small, and it's tough to say whether that result is "real" without doing a direct comparison to other 3-woods using identical shafts.

What everyone did agree on is that the KZG Gemini Fairway Wood is extremely easy to get up into the air, and that distance remains consistent, or falls over very little, even when the contact point is off-center.

The look and size of the 3-wood was popular, too. The Gemini Fairway Woods feature a mid-profile - not too shallow, not too deep - that was popular. The face depth is easily sufficient to make good contact and get the ball airborne. But it's not too deep that it limits the areas and lies from which the club is effective.

The KZG Gemini Fairway Woods also featured a "Uni-Size" body. Unlike many sets of fairway woods where the clubhead sizes decrease as the loft increases (the 5-wood is smaller than the 3-wood, the 7-wood smaller than the 5-wood), the 3, 5 and 7 Gemini woods are all the same size. "Gemini Fairway Woods maintain the same body size and face depth throughout, making the Gemini Fairway Woods even easier to hit with greater accuracy," the company says.

Since we were hitting just the 3-wood, rather than the full set, we weren't able to ask for opinions directly on this feature. But in describing it to our testers, everyone found the feature interesting. Some higher handicappers felt they'd have more confidence with such a setup, but some lower handicappers said they preferred smaller heads on higher-lofted woods. The popularity of "Uni-Sizing" will (like so many things in golf) simply be a matter of personal preference.

One thing we can say with certainty about KZG's line of twin-faced Gemini clubs - including the fairway woods - is that the preference of most people we've hit them with is to keep on hitting them.