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Today, I’ll be reviewing the PXG 0311 Black Ops driver.
The 0311 Black Ops is a versatile driver built for high launch, low spin, and extreme power and forgiveness. PXG has innovated to unlock the best performance of any PXG driver yet.
How does the 0311 Black Ops driver actually perform when put to the test? How does it compare to the 0311 GEN6? Who is it best suited for? Is it worth putting in the bag?
Here’s what will be covered in the review:
Read on to learn what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The PXG 0311 GEN6 driver has been received very positively overall by both critics and users.
People have noted the very strong performance across the board which rivals or surpasses many drivers from well-known brands, and many find it to be longer and more forgiving than the 0311 GEN6.
What People Like
- incredible length and forgiveness
- contemporary looks
- excellent all-around performer
- solid feel
- satisfying sound at impact
What People Don’t Like
- results may vary from person to person
- a custom fitting is especially important
The Features
PXG has upped their technology game with the 0311 Black Ops compared to older models like the 0311 GEN6. Key technologies include:
Advanced Material Face (AMF)
This high-strength, flexible titanium alloy face produces superior face deflection, higher launch, and lower spin compared to the 0311 GEN6.
A non-uniform bulge and roll profile optimizes forgiveness and overall performance across the entire face.
Carbon Fiber Crown & Sole
The crown and sole inserts are made of a high-strength, high-grade carbon fiber pre-preg that is just 0.03″ thick.
This allows for weight savings which are redistributed to the perimeter of the clubhead, pushing the CG low and back, increasing MOI, and improving forgiveness.
Precision Weighting
A special structure consists of three weights (two 2.5g and one 12.5g) strategically placed in the perimeter of the clubhead and anchored to the outer wall.
These weights are interchangeable and can be used to add draw or fade bias or increase stability. Depending on the configuration, MOI can reach upwards of 10000g/cm².
Natural Frequency Optimization
The natural resonances and vibrations of the driver have been fine-tuned to create the most desirable feel and sound possible.
More technically, four of the primary frequencies of the driver were increased by up to 1000 Hz.
Stock Info
The 0311 Black Ops driver is available in 8°, 9°, 10.5° and 12° standard lofts.
Included is a lightweight adjustable hosel that allows you to adjust loft and lie. There are numerous configurations that allow you to change the loft by ±1.5° and introduce a 2° or 3° flat lie angle. Hence, this adapter can be used to introduce a fade bias to your ball flight.
PXG offers a selection of shafts for the 0311 Black Ops at no additional charge including the Project X EvenFlow Riptide CB and Mitsubishi TENSEI AV Xlink Blue. The stock grips are the PXG Z5 Black and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360. Full details on all available shafts and grips can be found here.
Below are the specs. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
Based on my testing at the range with a Foresight GC3 launch monitor, the 0311 Black Ops appears to have a slight edge in ball speed (1-2 mph) over the GEN6 model.
In addition, I was getting a marginally higher launch and lower spin by a couple hundred RPMs. Spin is on the low side as far as drivers go.
For me, personally, this added up to a pretty significant distance gain over the GEN6 of up to 10 yards, and sometimes even more. Your mileage may vary, but this thing is definitely longer than its predecessor.
Forgiveness
The 0311 Black Ops is built to be more of a game-improvement driver just by its shape alone, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s also more forgiving than the GEN6.
In this case, the MOI can surpass 10000g/cm², which is a benchmark that many other OEMs have developed their latest driver models around.
I found the biggest gain in forgiveness over the GEN6 to be in the upper and lower regions of the face, but I also noticed a performance boost towards the heel and toe. Ball speed and trajectory are well-preserved on mis-hits, and dispersions are some of the tightest I’ve seen this season.
Playability/Trajectory
Typical trajectories with 0311 Black Ops driver (with the default sole weight configuration) are mid-high. I would classify the spin as mid-low, albeit lower than the GEN6 model. Penetration is great, but the driver isn’t as easy to shape shots with compared to GEN6.
You can experiment with the sole weights to change the flight bias and characteristics of the driver. Concentrating more weight towards the heel or toe will introduce draw or fade biases, respectively, while putting more weight in the back will increase spin.
In addition to the weights that come on the driver, PXG sells a weight kit that includes 5g, 7.5g, 10g, 12.5g, 15g, 17.5g, and 20g weights, so you have plenty of room to find a configuration that works best for you. This is some of the most powerful adjustability of any driver on the market.
The Look
The 0311 Black Ops has the same premium construction as previous GEN6 and GEN5 models, with high-quality geometry, details and finishing in a monochrome scheme. There are a few key differences, though, that set it apart from its predecessors.
First, PXG has moved away from matte on the crown to a glossy finish, which some would argue gives it even more of a premium aesthetic. The detailing around the perimeter and alignment aid have also undergone some minor alterations.
Second, the 0311 Black Ops is more elongated from front to back and has more of a triangular shape than the 0311 GEN6, which is an indication that it’s designed to be more forgiving. However, this evidently doesn’t repel better players, as many pros have opted for this model instead of the more pear-shaped Tour model.
Third, the sole now features a carbon fiber plate. As previously mentioned, this region unlocks more weight savings which are used to enhance the performance of the driver.
While the headcover that comes with the 0311 GEN6 is great, I actually prefer the Black Ops headcover a little more; I like that the PXG logo doesn’t dominate the exterior as much.
The Sound & Feel
At impact, I find that the 0311 Black Ops driver feels solid and responsive like the 0311 GEN6, but it’s just a touch more satisfying off the face.
The sound is a mid-pitched “smack” — there’s not as much metallic reverberation as with the 0311 GEN6, and it’s marginally quieter overall, but the pitch seems to be a bit higher which is consistent with the work done on the natural frequencies. The sound mostly just gets duller as you move away from the sweet spot into mis-hit regions.
Sound and feel of PXG drivers has historically not been my cup of tea compared to other OEMs, but PXG’s efforts to improve on this front have paid dividends. I feel confident in saying that this is the best-feeling and best-sounding PXG driver yet.
Where To Buy This Driver Online
PXG makes it easy to get everything you need on their online store. Not only can you custom order the 0311 Black Ops driver, but you can also book an affordable PXG fitting directly from their site.
Aside from the PXG store, the best place to get the 0311 Black Ops driver at a good price is eBay. You can typically find deals there that you can’t find anywhere else.
PXG offers a robust fitting process which may be available in your local area. I highly recommend a PXG fitting if possible so that you know which configuration works best for you.
Final Thoughts
In my view, the PXG 0311 Black Ops driver is generally superior to the 0311 GEN6 — it’s longer, more forgiving, spins less, and has better sound and feel, all of which more than make up for the slightly reduced workability.
This driver does everything well and has no standout weaknesses. It’s certainly one of the best-performing drivers I’ve tested this year out of any OEM, and one that I believe is worth the high price tag.
Are you interested in the 0311 Black Ops driver? Have you played it? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.
