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In this review, I’ll be taking a comprehensive look at the PXG 0311 Black Ops fairway wood.
The 0311 Black Ops is a versatile fairway wood engineered for players of a wide range of skill levels. Various technologies and a low profile contribute to a high launch, big distance, exceptional forgiveness, and optimized feel and sound.
How does the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood actually perform when put to the test? 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 find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating clubs and the 3W is evaluated in the case of fairway woods. 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?
Critics and users have praised the PXG 0311 Black Ops fairway wood for its strong performance across the board, from forgiveness to distance to playability. The club won a gold medal on the 2024 Golf Digest Hot List.
What People Like
- ample sole adjustability
- easy to hit from a variety of lies
- longer and more forgiving than previous PXG fairway woods
- sleek looks
What People Don’t Like
- some would like a more traditional look at address
- expensive
The Features
Low-Profile Design
The 0311 Black Ops fairway wood is made from AM 355, a chromium-nickel-molybdenum stainless steel. A squared face and flat sole make up a low-profile design that shifts the CG (mass) low and towards the perimeter, resulting in higher MOI and forgiveness.
The stainless steel face of the club is 12.5% thinner than previous PXG fairway wood models, leading to greater energy transfer at impact.
In addition, the squared face allows for a more vertical perimeter skirt, which creates more surface area for the ball to impact and hence more forgiveness.
Carbon Fiber Crown
PXG continues the industry trend of using carbon fiber crowns in woods. The carbon fiber crown of the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood enables weight savings which are used to further shift mass to the perimeter, increasing launch and forgiveness.
It also contributes to optimized, more consistent performance across the face.
Robotic Polishing
The 0311 Black Ops fairway wood has undergone an advanced manufacturing process that ensures precise face thickness and face curvature (bulge and roll) profiles.
This not only enhances overall performance, but also imparts corrective spin on off-center strikes to minimize the negative effects of mis-hits.
Precision Weighting Technology
The 0311 Black Ops fairway wood has a supported weight structure represented by three sole weights that are positioned in the perimeter of the clubhead.
This stable, stiff structure is anchored to the outer wall and was engineered by PXG, based on modal analysis, to generate high-frequency vibrations for an optimal sound and feel at impact.
Stock Info
The 0311 Black Ops fairway wood is available in 3W (15°), 4W (17°), 5W (18°), 7W (21°), and 9W (24°) lofts.
The fairway wood features three interchangeable sole weights (two 2.5g and one 12.5g) that can be used to alter ball flight characteristics.
There’s also 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.
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 of the PXG 0311 Black Ops fairway wood. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
The 0311 Black Ops fairway wood is supposedly longer than both the 0311 GEN6 and 0311 XF GEN6 models.
My testing did suggest that this was the case with the 0311 XF in particular (around 1-2 mph more ball speed and 10 yards of added distance), but the length seems pretty similar to the 0311.
That said, the 0311 Black Ops produces very competitive ball speeds and carry distances relative to other OEMs.
Forgiveness
I also found during my field test that the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood was more forgiving than both GEN6 models. Loss in ball speed on mis-hits was minimal, and dispersions were small.
It’s worth noting that despite the 0311 Black Ops having a substantially smaller footprint than the 0311 XF GEN6, its moment of inertia (MOI) is almost as high. This gives the 0311 Black Ops a significant performance advantage.
Playability/Trajectory
Typical trajectories with the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood are mid-high with low-mid spin. The flight bias is neutral, but draw or fade biases can be introduced via the club’s extensive adjustability.
With the heavy 12.5g weight in the back of the sole, you get a higher launch with more spin, stability and forgiveness. This can help slower swingers achieve more distance and accuracy.
On the other hand, putting more weight in the heel position introduces a draw bias, while more weight in the toe position introduces a fade bias. Many better players will put heavier weight in the toe in order to square out a natural draw shot shape and keep spin down.
In addition to the weights that come on the fairway wood, 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 fairway wood on the market.
The Look
The 0311 Black Ops fairway wood is marked by a squared face and flat sole as part of a low-profile design. This keeps the center of gravity low, contributing to a high launch, and makes the club easier to hit off of tight lies.
Although the head isn’t oversized, it’s quite long from front to back, implying higher MOI and forgiveness.
Other physical features include a carbon fiber crown with glossy finish, white-outline “X” alignment aid, white perimeter crown accents, and three weight ports on the sole.
This club stays true to the monochrome (black/white) theme PXG is known for, with the carbon fiber crown’s grey tone adding a touch more sophistication to the overall aesthetic.
The Sound & Feel
The best way I can describe the feel of the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood is “firm responsiveness”. Impact produces a crisp smack with some reverberation.
When it comes to sound and feel, I find the combination of pitch, sharpness, and responsiveness to be quite nice, although I personally would have preferred a tighter, more muted sound.
As you move away from the center of the face, the sound becomes quieter and less crisp, but the feel maintains a surprising degree of responsiveness. Nevertheless, mis-hit feedback is clear, which is excellent considering how forgiving this fairway wood is; it’s pretty easy to tell where you make contact.
Where To Buy This Fairway Wood Online
PXG makes it easy to get everything you need via their online store. Not only can you custom order the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood, 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 fairway wood 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.
Final Thoughts
The PXG 0311 Black Ops is a versatile fairway wood that will appeal to a wide range of golfers. It’s easy to hit and easy to launch, but more than that, it’s longer and more forgiving than any of PXG’s previous fairway woods, and it gets high marks in the looks and feel departments too.
Moreover, between an adjustable hosel and interchangeable sole weight system, there is plenty of leeway to dial in a ball flight that works best for you whether you’re a low or high handicapper.
Interested in the 0311 Black Ops fairway wood? Have you played it? What’s your experience? Let us know in the comments below.
