Woods
Golf woods originally got their name because they were made from wood with a metal club face attached to the wood club head. Times have changed, now woods are hollow metal club heads.
Types of Golf Woods
Golf woods are very recognizable by their shape. A driver is technically a wood, although it is rarely referred to as a “1 wood.” Most golf club sets come with a 3 wood and a 5 wood but there are others out there, they are just less common.
3 and 5 woods are often called fairway woods because they are commonly used in the fairway on longer holes. Woods can often be easier to hit of of the fairway than other golf clubs because their long wide sole prevents the leading edge of the club face from digging into the turf.
In other words its really hard to hit a fat shot with a wood. 
Woods tend to hit the ball farther than irons with the same loft for several reasons.
- Woods at least modern ones have a greater trampoline effect on the club face which sends the ball further from a given swing speed
- Woods are generally longer meaning club head velocity will be greater than it would be with a shorter club (longer lever arm).
- Woods often have graphite shafts which have more flex. This flex allows for a stronger shaft kick at impact, boosting club head velocity.