Six aspects were distinctive to the original Fox Uno 2k woods: a novel head design, hard “metal matrix composite” hitting surfaces, double-donut hosels, three-hump Trinodal shafts, brown leather grips and very heavy swingweights. So much quirky uniqueness in a single design guaranteed that many would have reservations about using it. That is the risk any designer takes when being too inventive. The first Uno 2k drivers and woods were quite popular with most of the testers. However, in spite of finding them very enjoyable, many were unsure of exactly how they actually felt about the clubs when it came to playing them full time.
The new Fox Uno 2k woods may look quite similar to the originals, but they have been noticeably modified. Consequently, they have become more mainstream in terms of feel and performance. They now hold greater appeal to a wider range of players. The brown leather grips have been replaced by black, half-cords. The shafts butts have been altered and swingweights have been moderated by more than seven points. The feel of these woods has become sturdier and more assertive. The old, heavy swingweights gave the shafts a whippier feel and the heads a less crisp sensation at impact.
Fox Uno 2k Nine-wood & Driver
Opinions have been uniform with our crew. All have liked the changes made by Fox. Each has agreed that the revised woods are superior in both feel and performance. Our stronger woods players appreciated the changes most, especially those who like to attack at the ball hard. The heavy swingweights of old favored those who decelerated through impact. The new versions are more aggressive and dynamic woods. Though still friendly, easy-to-hit woods, the new Unos take performance a step forward. They possess noticeably more punch than did their predecessors. There is a more pronounced sense of control as well as a more vibrant feel. At impact, they register a very brisk, high-pitched, titanium-like cracking sound.
Stability and consistency have been first-rate with the Unos. They have not been quite as good as that shown by the exceptionally stable, steel-tipped, Bi-Matrx Cleveland Launcher we have been testing, but they has been very close. Comparison hitting against other woods such as the Taylor Made 300 Ti’s, Cleveland Quadpros and Titleist 975F’s had the Fox’s dispersion patterns being equal to or better than those of their rivals.
The primary head design of the Uno 2k’s has remained constant. The contoured soles handle light to moderate rough quite well. The heavy swingweights off the older versions did provide some extra “pop” out of the thick stuff, however. Again, that is particularly true for those who decelerate through impact.
Off of tees, the Uno 2k’s have proved to be consistently accurate. The piercing trajectories and good lengths we have seen from the 3-wood make it a particularly safe, back-up driver. The heads of the Fox’s align intuitively, but much of the consistency we have seen stems from the stability provided by the low, 2.5-degree torque rating of the stiff-flexed shafts. Fox designs its filament-wound, Microfibre Trinodal shafts to vary in torque depending upon flex – from 2.5 to 4 degrees.
Head sizes are generous on all Fox woods. They resemble Ping woods. However, the Fox design predates the popular Ping design. Forgiveness is ample from the drivers all of the way down to the 9-wood. A player hitting the 5-wood may find himself checking the sole to make certain that he is not hitting the 3. Distance and trajectory each should be considered “strong” – meaning that a 5-wood should actually play like a 4-wood for many users. Every wood in the set hits with trajectories on the low and long side for their number designations.
Of particular note was the Uno 2k 9-wood. (See separate review) A long-shafted, strong nine, it hits huge, high shots. This Fox has proven to be one of the most consistently accurate high-lofted woods we have yet to test. This long-range mortar should hold particular appeal to players who want a trouble wood capable aggressively attacking tight pin locations.
A very nice feature on Fox’s own Microfibre shafts is the use of specific serial numbers. If a player wishes to add another wood, or to replace a shaft, the serial number system allows Fox to match new and replacement shafts closely to a customer’s existing shafts.
Summary
The Fox Uno 2k woods offer an extremely interesting alternative to the standard offerings. This is especially so considering that their retail prices are much lower than many other premium, OEM woods.
