I tried it: This rarely seen club has helped fill a hole in my game

At GOLF.com, we stumble across all sorts of goodies. Here, we unveil some of our favorites from the past year.

Why this 4-wood was the best thing I used in 2024

Quick, name an iconic 4-wood shot.

If Gene Sarazen’s hole-out for albatross at the 1935 Masters is the first swing that comes to mind, well…that’s kind of the point: With a nod to Corey Pavin’s knockout punch at the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, 4-woods don’t exactly have a rich history in the game.

That’s true in recreational golf, too. Do you carry a 4-wood? Guessing not. Do many, or any, of your golf buddies? You don’t see them often. But you’ll find one in my bag, and for good reason.  

A couple of years ago, during a full-bag PXG fitting, I was telling my fitter, Nick, that I had been losing confidence in my 3-wood, especially when hitting it off the deck. Too much chunky contact. Nick’s diagnosis took all of about 7 seconds, or the time it took him to reach into his arsenal of clubs and extract a 4-wood — a 19-degree PXG 0311 XF Gen 6, to be exact.

PXG 0311 XF GEN6 Custom Fairway Wood

PXG 0311 XF GEN6 Fairways feature our most-advanced technology and are engineered for golfers seeking maximum forgiveness. The large, squared face expands the hitting zone to provide off-center hit forgiveness leading to faster ball speeds with greater distance. The Railed Sole helps the club move effortlessly through the turf, giving you the ability to get it up in their air and down the fairway for incredible distance.   ·Mid-spin Performance ·Fast Ball Speeds ·Great Distance ·High MOI ·Unbelievable Forgiveness ·High Trajectory ·Impeccable Sound and Feel

$299.99 from Fairway Jockey

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A few days later, I officially relegated my 3-wood to the corner of my basement storage space where golf clubs go to die, and my shiny new 4-wood had joined my starting 14. This was in 2023, but it wasn’t until this year that my 4-wood’s usefulness and reliability really began to resonate with me.

With a larger data set of swings, it become evident to me that I hit the less spinny 4-wood with far greater consistency than I did the 3-wood. That better contact (thanks to the Gen 6’s squared-off face) has resulted not only in improved accuracy but, with two degrees more loft than my 3-wood, also a higher, softer ball flight. Sure, the swap may have cost me a few yards, but when I’m staring down a meaty approach, I’d much rather hit a 200-yard shot with tight dispersion than a 215-yard yank or, worse yet, 20-yard sod-layer.

I dig the Gen 6’s aesthetics, too. The black-and-silver paint job is sleek, and the railed sole helps decrease turf friction. To me, it feels less like a fairway wood than it does a juiced-up hybrid.  

Here’s the larger point: We golfers tend to fall into habits — not just with our swings but also with our equipment. Just because most golfers play with some combination of a driver, 3-wood and 5-wood doesn’t mean you need to follow suit. Experiment in the seams. Try a 2-wood or 4-wood. Dabble with 7- and 9-woods. Carry four hybrids. Whatever. You might be surprised by the benefits. I know I was.

If you’re in the market for PXG’s latest generation of fairway woods, check out the 0311 Black Ops line below:

PXG 0311 Black Ops Custom Fairway Wood

High-Strength Carbon Fiber Crown Crown made entirely from high-grade carbon fiber. This lightweight material saves mass in the crown, allowing it to be redistributed low and to the perimeter of the clubhead for optimal CG and addedforgiveness. Supported Weight Structure Innovative supported weight structure that delivers unbelievable sound and feel. High-Speed, Squared Face PXG 0311 Black Ops Fairways present a proprietary stainless steel face engineered to position the CG low for high launch, optimal spin performance, and insanely fast ball speeds.

$349.99 from Fairway Jockey

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