50 Words or Less
The PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a set built for new players or those who want more help on the course. Nine club set makes great sense for many players. Strong value.
Introduction
When PXG first entered the game, the one thing that everyone knew was that their clubs were expensive. Several years later, there is not a single OEM doing more for the budget-conscious golfer. The PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a follow up to the 0211 Z line [review HERE] and arguably the best way for new and higher handicap players to get a sensible set of clubs with great performance at a reasonable price.
Looks
Overall, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs have a sharp, premium look that’s largely in line with the rest of PXG’s offerings. The black and silver color scheme is the same, the PXG branding is the same, and the black headcovers even have the same QuickStick magnets. You’re not going to see the elaborate mill marks like on the Sugar Daddy III wedges [review HERE], but that’s reflective of the price gap.
Starting at the top of the bag, the PXG Wildcat driver looks really good. The crown is a high gloss black with a white stripe that gives the shape definition. It’s round and symmetrical, not stretched or leaning toward the heel. The only sign that it’s meant for higher handicap players is that the face is a little closed.
You get a very similar story with the PXG Wildcat fairway wood. It has a traditional, symmetrical shape that I found really appealing. The face depth is average, making it comfortable to hit off the tee or turf. It’s also a little closed at address, which makes sense for the target audience.
While all three of the woods are better looking than I expected, the PXG Wildcat hybrid may take top prize. It’s slightly pear shaped, which is something we usually only see in players hybrids. The alignment mark skews slightly toward the heel and there’s some offset, both of which nod toward a draw bias.
Finally, the PXG Wildcat irons are thick. In the bag, they show off their ultra wide, anti-digging soles. At address, the top line is thick and softly rounded, there’s a healthy dose of offset, and the large face encourages players to take a confident swing.
Sound & Feel
Starting again at the top of the bag, the PXG Wildcat driver was a pleasant surprise. Most “high handicap” drivers are loud and unrefined. This club, in contrast, has medium volume with a concentrated, mid-pitch, metallic tone. The ball feels fast off the face. There’s moderate feedback through the hands and ears when you have more than a slight mishit.
Both the Wildcat hybrid and fairway wood lean toward the prototypical fairway wood sound. Both are quieter than the driver but higher pitched and more metallic in tone. The feel in both is more fast than solid, which should provide confidence and excitement for the newer player.
Finally, the PXG Wildcat irons have the soft, bouncy feel that I’ve come to associate with many of PXG’s premium irons. The ball feels like it’s springing off the face, even on slight mishits. This feel accompanies a quiet “thud” which doesn’t change unless you hit only the bottom groove.
Performance
The PXG Wildcat driver is the club that really helps the Wildcat golf set stand apart from other premium options. It’s built to 44″ with 16 degrees of loft, so it’s engineered to be a fairway finder. And PXG didn’t skimp on the materials either, making the entire head and face from titanium for durability and ball speed. This is a high launch, high spin club – largely as a result of the loft – but these are good things for a new player or any player without a lot of swing speed. But the real selling point is the dispersion. Players can stand on the tee feeling confident that their shot is going to go in the right direction and get the hole started the right way.
Both the PXG Wildcat fairway wood and PXG Wildcat hybrid carry forward that idea of making the long game less intimidating. Both of these clubs have more loft than you might expect – 19 and 26 degrees, respectively – but, as with the driver, that’s the key to making them work so well. That added loft gets the ball airborne, and strong ball speed across the face gives every shot the potential to carry a long way. The additional loft also helps those longer shots to land softer – something golfers struggle with at almost every handicap level. There is a notable draw bias in these clubs, which will help players fight that hated slice.
From a technology standpoint, the PXG Wildcat irons might be the most exciting and best value in this set. These irons feature the same proprietary XCOR2 polymer core that PXG uses in their Black Ops irons [review HERE]. This material supports an ultra-thin face which means that players get exceptional ball speed, even on mishits. The thick soles help player by lowering the CG for higher ball flight and providing insurance against digging.
While these irons are miles from my gamers [the PXG 0317 T, review HERE], I had a ball hitting them. Every shot launched high and carried forever. With so much forgiveness, I felt free to swing away. That freedom led to exceptional accuracy. PXG put a note in this box saying that these irons aren’t for me, but I’m not so sure about that.
Overall, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs deliver on their promise of exceptional performance for the new or high handicap golfer. Every club is easy to hit with a look that promotes confidence. It is worth noting that this set is offered with graphite shafts only – Project X Cypher – in R, A, or L flex.
If you’re wondering about the PXG Black Hawk putter which can be included in the Wildcat set, I’m going to give that it’s own review. It will be published tomorrow.
Conclusion
Available as a complete set or individually, the PXG Wildcat golf clubs are a great choice for a new golfer, someone coming back to the game, or any higher handicap player looking for great value. As a nine-club set, this covers everything that most players need without giving them things they don’t, and it lets players take advantage of great technology without breaking the bank.
Visit PXG HERE
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.