PXG releases its second-generation Secret Weapon mini driver at $499

PXG released a new version of its Secret Weapon mini driver on Thursday, October 22. It starts at $499 on PXG's website and is built to sit between a driver and a 3-wood.

The specs

The standard build has 13 degrees of loft, a 58.5-degree lie, a 43.25-inch length, a 215-gram head and a 300cc head volume, according to PXG's product page. It comes in right- and left-handed versions.

That head is about 35 percent smaller than a 460cc driver and about 50 percent larger than a 200cc 3-wood, Golfweek's David Dusek wrote. The 43.25-inch length is also shorter than the 45.5 or 45.75 inches typical of a driver.

What PXG changed

PXG says the face is 4.4 percent thinner than the previous generation and pushes characteristic time (CT) to the USGA limit, which the company says adds ball speed across more of the face. A carbon-fiber crown moves weight low and deep for an easier launch, and the head has more perimeter weighting and a reinforced internal sole, per Golfweek.

There are four sole weights, two at 7.5 grams and two at 2.5 grams, that move between heel, toe, front and rear ports. Weight forward lowers launch and spin, and weight toward the toe can help a fade, Golfweek reported. The hosel is adjustable for loft and trajectory. PXG also lowered the leading edge and made the profile shallower to help from the fairway.

Those performance claims are PXG's. Golfweek's own take is that most players will hit it almost entirely off the tee, since a 300cc head is harder to play from a tight lie than a 15-degree 3-wood.

If you're shopping

The club is aimed at golfers who want more control than their driver or more speed than their 3-wood off the tee. PXG sells it through a configure-and-buy page and also books fittings. If you have a launch monitor at home, compare it with your driver and 3-wood on carry and dispersion before deciding which club it replaces.