When you work for Bob Parson, the founder of PXG, you can expect a suggestion or two. For the company’s latest line of Gen2 metalwoods, Parsons simply asked Brad Schweigert, PXG’s chief product officer, the following: “Can we make it look like a muscle car?”
With that as inspiration, Schweigert and team went about producing a new line of woods with a crown design that reflects the aggressive hoods of muscle cars. But just like with an automotive, it’s under the hood that really counts.
In the company’s new 0811 X and 0311 XF Gen 2 drivers, that means using a honeycomb-like thermoplastic elastomer insert on the base of the inside the clubhead. Although the structures differ slightly on the two drivers, each is designed to do the same thing—damp vibration and enhance sound and feel.
On the top of the club, the matte-finish carbon-fiber crown doubles as an alignment aid. The crown has a variable thickness geometry as well that creates a stiffer structure for more rebound, while enhancing aerodynamics.
The company’s hallmark rivetyah-like weights remain, but in a different fashion. For starters, the tungsten weights now weigh 4 grams as opposed to 2 grams. The location of the weights also changed. On the 0811 X, three weights are in front, three in the back heel area and three in the center back area. There are none on the toe. On the 0811 XF there are six weights ports in the back ranging from center to slightly towards the heel. Depending on where the heavier weights are placed, ball flight or spin rate can be adjusted.
The 0811 X is designed to be a low-spin driver with the center of gravity located below the neutral axis (an imaginary line perpendicular to the loft and through the geometric center of the face). The 0811 XF is a more forgiving club designed to assist with launch.
The new fairway woods (0341 X Gen2) and hybrids (0317X) also are designed for lower spin compared to the current models through a low, forward center of gravity.
“We wanted to get the center of gravity down and forward in these clubs,” Schweigert said. These clubs are designed to be hit off the ground as well as off the tee and by driving the CG down, you get more energy and better ball speed on those shots with lower spin.” Schweigert also noted that the sole and crown regions were stiffened to boost ball speed as well. A honeycomb TPE sole insert is used on the sole, but more forward than in the drivers. The fairway woods also feature eight sole weights, four 4.1-gram weights are positioned close to the face and two each in the heel and toe region (0.8-gram). The larger weights allow for more significant ball-flight adjustment than in the previous version as they are adjusted to different positions.
The 0317 X Gen2 hybrids continue the raised carbon-crown look, as well as weight-forward design and honeycomb TPE sole insert.
The 0811X (9-, 10.5- and 12-degree lofts) and 0811 XF (9-, 10.5- and 12-degree lofts) each come with with an adjustable hosel. The 0341X fairway woods, which also feature the adjustable hosel, are available in 13-, 15-, 18- and 21-degree lofts. The 0317X hybrids, also with the adjustable hosel, are available in 17-, 19-, 22-, 25- and 28-degree lofts.
One big surprise is the pricing. While previous PXG drivers were $850, the prices for the new drivers is $575 while fairway wood and hybrid pricing will be $425 and $375.
“We’ve achieved enough scale in our business that we can reduce the manufacturing cost while upping the quality and performance of the clubs,” explained Parsons. “We decided to pass that savings along to the consumer to allow us to be more price competitive in the marketplace.”
Just another suggestion from the boss that was implemented.
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