After getting the chance to review the PXG Black Ops 0311 driver a few weeks ago, I was delighted to see the new Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 driver on my doorstep ready for testing. I was very impressed with the all round performance of the standard model, so was interested to see the differences, and eager to see if the Tour-1 version could compete against the best drivers on the market.
From a technology point of view, PXG has created a titanium alloy face design that it is referring to as AMF Technology. It claims that the higher strength and increased flexibility increases face deflection and produces a higher launch and lower spin.
As with the standard model, the Tour-1 version features three adjustable weight ports but differentiates itself with a slightly larger sole pop out feature, as a result of the taller, deeper face. This is very noticeable from certain angles but you can’t see this from the address position at all.
When you put the Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 down behind the ball, you are greeted with a somewhat busy aesthetic, and whilst I would generally prefer a simpler look, PXG has pulled this fussier visual off well, with an all gloss finish, carbon crown and subtle, light grey accent graphics.
The profile is a little pear shaped, and I find the rounder look of the standard model preferable, but it seems that the shaping is necessary to facilitate the difference in performance. On the whole though, this is a very premium looking driver.
Although I wasn’t fitted directly for the Tour-1 head, PXG kindly sent me this version in the same specs I was fitted into with the standard model. This was the 8 degree head with an Accra TZ5 X flex shaft at 45.5 inches, and a D3.5 swing weight.
Before I move on to the sound and performance, I simply can't let the headcover go without a mention! It's absolutely superb quality, feels and looks great. Top marks there.
I absolutely loved the sound and feel of the standard model, so much so, I actually named it my winner for 2024 in that category in our recent ‘Best Drivers of 2024’ YouTube video. Thankfully, the Tour-1 version is basically identical, in that lovely middle ground of lively without being harsh, producing a really satisfying audio. PXG has definitely hit the right notes with the audio of the Black Ops driver range.
The performance of the Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 driver was on the whole very good and I feel PXG has achieved what it set out to here. Very aggressive spin numbers and strong ball speeds will please many of the high speed players among you.
In fact, I barely achieved a single spin number over 2000 rpm throughout testing and coupled with a relatively low launch angle, this produced an extremely low, penetrating ball flight. For context, when compared with the TaylorMade Qi10 LS driver that I tested earlier this year, although it produced around 200 rpm more spin for me, the launch angle was on average a full degree lower from the Black Ops Tour-1 which produced a slightly lower peak height overall. Carry and total distance of these two models were very comparable with less than 2 yards between them in either category, but it was the PXG driver that just edged it in both.
This aggressive flight obviously won’t suit everyone’s requirements but for high speed players with excessive spin, this could very well be the driver they’ve been looking for. From my testing, I would suggest there was a marginal fade bias in the Tour-1 head but nothing too extreme.
One point to note is that I did find the Tour-1 version a little more volatile in terms of left to right dispersion on mishits than the standard Black Ops 0311 driver. My toe strikes produced a bit more hook spin than I would like to see and predictably fell out of the air pretty quickly given the already low base spin numbers. Heel strikes I found a touch more forgiving as they tend to produce more spin, so my carry didn’t suffer as much with these, but once again the curvature was magnified a little more than I would hope for.
This is often a consequence of design when looking to lower spin, and just something to be aware of. However, when you strike this driver from the middle, the ball speeds and aggressive spin numbers produce one of the hottest flights on the driver market, and with that some seriously impressive total distance numbers.
At £599, it is at the higher end of the price scale for the 2024 driver releases.
Whilst its performance characteristics will prove somewhat niche, for the right player type, the PXG Black Ops 0311 Tour-1 will be a rocket ship.
