Equipment

2024 PXG Black Ops irons – GolfWRX Launch Report

Published

2 years ago

Aug 7, 2024

What you need to know: Golf is all about having fun and limiting your misses. Accordingly, PXG went all-in on stability and forgiveness with the Black Ops irons. Typically irons built for maximum distance and forgiveness have lacked the good feel and sound that more player-focused irons have. With its 2024 Black Ops irons, PXG decided that you shouldn’t have to compromise with your irons and pushed its engineers to design an iron that combines it all.

2024 PXG Black Ops Irons: What’s new, key technology

Dual Cavity Design: Going with a Dual Cavity Design gives the Black Ops irons a big increase in MOI to make it easy to hit high and long. PXG uses a lightweight insert in the back of the iron that removes mass from the center of the club and pushes it to the perimeter. This increases MOI on toe and heel misses but also adds forgiveness to the bottom and top of the club for help with misses high or low on the face. PXG has tested a lot of competitor irons in this category and says it is seeing up to a 14.5-percent increase of MOI over those models.

Large but versatile: While PXG won’t try and hide the large size of the Black Ops iron, it isn’t oil tanker large. If you compare the Black Ops to the Gen6 XP irons you will see that the sizes are actually similar. Black Ops will have a little more offset and a slightly thicker topline, but the blade length is the same. The face on the Black Ops iron is 4.3 percent larger than Gen6 XP to give it more of a trampoline effect and better ball speed. A thicker topline and seeing a slight bit more of the face gives higher handicap players more confidence in hitting a more solid shot. A wider sole is also engineered into the Black Ops for moving the center of gravity low and back for higher-launching, lower-spinning shots. Forgiveness with the turf is another advantage of having a wider sole as it will reduce digging and glide over the ground to help shots hit slightly fat.

XCOR2 Polymer: First used in the Gen6 irons, XCOR2 is a polymer that not only supports the thin face but helps with creating higher ball speeds. The need for a lightweight polymer that still performed at a high level took years of development for PXG engineers. Filling the Black Ops irons with XCOR2 allows weight to be moved from the middle of the club to the perimeter where it can help with CG and MOI. The XCOR2 works hand-in-hand with the ultra-thin face on the new Black Ops irons. Like the Gen7 irons, Black Ops uses high-strength HT1770 stainless steel to create maximum ball speed in a massive sweet spot. PXG’s Power Channel is milled into the back for additional flex and a higher launch. This polymer is also what gives the Black Ops irons such a soft feel and muted sound at impact.

What PXG says

“PXG Black Ops Drivers and Metal Woods are complimented by a brand-new game-improvement offering, PXG Black Ops Irons. Black Ops Irons perform exceptionally well for a wide variety of players. High strength maraging steel technology allows the face geometry to be extremely thin. Combined with PXG’s proprietary core, the combo generates a feel that is better than forged, provides superior forgiveness, and explosive ball speed.”

Pricing, shaft specs, and availability

Price: $150 ($1,200 8-piece set)
At retail: Now

Equipment

Interesting clubs at top of bag – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

17 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, users are talking about top of bag setups that are non-traditional or thought-provoking in some way. Original poster @SuperSpurs106 inquired about other members who might use unorthodox set-ups to help with gapping issues or weak spots.

They wrote:

“I currently have a PING G430 driver, TM Qi35 3W and a TM Qi4D 7W. Driver and 7W are fine but can’t get on with my 3W and have always struggling with this club over the years. Thinking of adding a 2H which I know would look odd. Just wondering if anyone else had a weird set up at the top of their bag?”

Our members in the forum have offered up their thoughts and personal experiences with non-traditional top of bag set-ups, and their reasoning for thinking outside of the box to begin with. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

BowMain42: “Don’t worry about what “looks” odd. If the club does what you need it to do, it’s the right club.”
scooterhd2: “I cant hit 3 woods either. Thats why I roll with a unicorn XL Hibore 2 wood. 400 cc head at 16 degrees of loft and its just a monster 3 wood off the tee. Off the deck, we are playing the f6 baffler. 5 wood at 41.75 inches and its easy to control.”
phizzy30: “I had driver, 3 metal, 2/4 hybrid once upon a time as a higher ss player. 4 hybrid is gone and in place is a driving iron nowadays. I don’t think what you’re proposing is weird in anyway, however the yardage gap might be glaringly huge between driver and 2 hybrid. What is it about your 3 metal that has got you all messed up? You could always go 4 metal with shorter shaft and see if that works.”

Entire Thread: “Interesting clubs at top of bag”

If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!

Equipment

Members of the Mini Driver Club – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

17 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

Will Schube

In our forums, one user has gone searching for fellow users of a mini driver. In a post, @TightFade asked for other mini driver users to chime in with their weapon of choice, the reason for employing a mini, and what club follows it in the bag.

@TightFade asked:

“What mini are you playing? What spot in the bag did it take over? What’s the next club after it? For me: Elyte mini 13.5. Replacing 3w. Next up club looks like it’ll be 5w.”

Our members in the forum have been sharing their own bag setups featuring the mini driver, and the various reasons they purchased one in the first place. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

RCGA: “Ping G430 Max 12* ‘Thriver.’ Next club is a 4w and 2i (I play a weird course).”
JMB3: “R7 at 12.75 with Diamana BB 63s. 3w replacement. Next Club: Elyte Ti 5w at 17*.”
ColdOkieGolf: “R7 15.5 turned down to 13.5 It replaces the 3w. I found it surprisingly easy to hit off the deck, and it’s very rare that I need or want to hit something beyond 250 from the fairway, so next club is my 7w.”
ChaosTheory: “I’m sub-90 MPH with driver. But I’m able to hit DOD. I have been wanting something like the R7 15.5, so I just ordered one. I have a spot in the bag so nothing has to go. But I could see it replacing my trusty 4 wood, which I never use for approach shots. Just tee shots and lay ups. If I drop the 4 wood, I will turn my 7 wood down to ~20 degrees and will have good gaps. I recently tried a thriver build: 12 degree driver turned to 14, with a heavier 44 inch shaft and added head weight. I hit it great. Very accurate and not overly high, but the problem was that it sometimes went as far as a typical drive. And that’s not what I needed. So I will probably turn the 15.5 up to 16.5 or even 17.5. It’s all theoretical at this point. ?”

Entire Thread: “Members of the Mini Driver Club…Check In.”

If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!

Whats in the Bag

Chris Gotterup WITB 2026 (June)

Published

17 hours ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

Chris Gotterup had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.

Drivers: TaylorMade Qi4D (8 degrees), Ping G440 LST (9 degrees @8), Ping G440 LST (7.5 degrees)
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS T1100 Handcrafted 6.5 TX 70 g, Project X HZRDUS Smoke Grey 6.5 TX 70 g