For the last few years, my overall recommendation for newer golfers looking for their first real set of clubs has been Stix. The quality they deliver at the price point has consistently impressed me.
And now there’s a new version to talk about, the P02 Perform Series. This is the updated iteration of their flagship Perform line that’s generally the best fit for most people.
But the question is, is this updated version actually any better than the original Stix Perform set?
It’s been a couple of years since I did a proper Stix update, and a lot has changed. New model. New clubs in the bag. A beginner lineup that now includes a Nicklaus brand partnership on one end and the more player-oriented Compete series on the other. So before we get into this new Perform P02 model itself, let’s make sense of where everything fits.
A Quick Look at the Stix Lineup
As I mentioned, the Perform Series has always been their flagship. It’s the right-down-the-middle, best-for-most-people choice. That’s what we’re reviewing today, their version two Perform model.
For beginners, Stix now has a partnership with the Nicklaus brand. The Nicklaus sets replace what used to be called the Play series. This is a 10-club setup, with Golden Bear branding throughout, and geared toward someone just picking up the game.
On the other end, there’s the Compete series. Full 14-club set, built for better players (think maybe 10 to low teens handicap with aspirations of improvement). I’ve written reviews on the Compete driver and putter separately, and both are excellent.
The Perform series, and now the new P02 model, sits in the middle of all that. For most beginner-to-mid-skill level players, this is where you should be.
A look at the cavity-back Perform P02 irons.
After playing these clubs, I think the sweet spot here is for anyone with a low-20s handicap down to around a 10 or 12. That’s the range where this set is going to be a really good fit. You’ve dabbled in golf, you know you want to take it seriously, and you need a little extra help with distance and forgiveness. These clubs deliver that without getting in your way as you improve.
It’s also worth saying that these are a genuinely good option if you’re buying your very first real set. They’re not a beginner boxed set of mediocre clubs. They’re full-fledged golf clubs that you can grow into.
If you’re a 10 or 11 with single digits in your sights, I’d probably look at the Compete lineup or something from another brand. These will absolutely work, and they may legitimately surprise you, but there are probably better options for someone on that cusp.
First Impressions of the Stix P02 Perform 12-Club Set
On the surface, the irons look familiar. Stix’s signature matte black is here, and it still looks great. The red accent at the base of the face for alignment is back too, which is a great Stix signature touch across all their clubs.
The bigger change is in the cavity design. Instead of a traditional cavity back, these new irons use a deep cavity, which is aimed at improving forgiveness and distance. It feels like this paid off in particular with the longer irons.
A closer look at that deep cavity back design.
One small but nice improvement over some older Stix models is the club numbers. On the old Perform irons, the numbers were blacked out like everything else, which made grabbing the right club quickly a lot harder at a glance. They’ve lightened those up on this V2 model, and it’s a genuine improvement.
The grips are slightly different than the previous generation. Not better or worse. I wouldn’t rate them the tackiest or best overall grips, but perfectly fine under normal conditions.
This set comes with a Driver, 3-wood, 4-hybrid, 5 through pitching wedge, a 52-degree gap wedge, a 56-degree sand wedge and a putter. Twelve clubs total.
The 3-wood and 4-hybrid.
At first, having only 12 clubs gave me a moment of pause. When I think of Stix, part of the appeal has always been a full set for right around a grand. And 12 clubs is not a full set in my mind. But the reality is, for the golfer this set is targeting, those extra clubs aren’t really going to be missed.
One thing I’m happy to see back is the 5-iron. A previous Stix version had a 5-wood instead. I personally like having that long iron in the bag for the control it provides. And with the 3-wood and 4-hybrid both included, you’re still covered on the longer end.
Pricing is $999 for the 12-club set, $1,099 with the bag. You can use the Stix coupon code BE50 to save $50 off full sets as well.
Best Golf Club Set for Beginner to Mid-Handicappers
Stix Perform P02 Clubs
$999 (or $1,099 with bag included)
I think these are excellent golf clubs for anyone from a beginner all the way up to like a 10 or 12 handicap. This is not just a beginner boxed set of mediocre golf clubs. These are the real deal.
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Head Covers and the Bag
With previous Stix sets, I’ve thought of the headcovers as pretty much as waste. Just a general throw-away.
These new ones are definitely an improvement. They’re easier to get on and off, have a better color scheme, and are pretty much a total step up. Nothing amazing, but an improvement.
One exception is the putter cover. I do love that they include the Compete putter with this set, which I’ll discuss more in a minute, but the putter cover just doesn’t seem to fit right. It’s hard to get the magnetic clasp ends to align, and it just generally feels too small. That’s the cover in this set that I’d be looking to swap out pretty quickly.
The bag is a real upgrade over the old one, which definitely felt like the cheap $100 golf bag that it was. This one is better. The straps are adequate, the zippers are fine, and the storage works. For a $100 add-on to a club set, it does the job well.
Definitely a serviceable bag.
I wish that they could have brought this set to market with the bag included at that $999 price. But I do like how you now have the option to save 100 bucks if you don’t want the bag. And $1,099 for a 12-club set and a bag is still very reasonable.
A Quick Note on the Branding
Look, I love the Stix brand. I want to be clear about that.
But the branding with this P02 Perform model has gotten a little too strong for my taste. You’ve got a big logo on one side of the bag, Stix on the headcovers, a prominent Stix placement across the head of the driver, wood, and hybrid… I mean, it just gets a little bit too in your face.
Everywhere you look, it’s “Stix.” Here on the driver.
The previous model had a little more restraint. I’m just not sure this is the type of brand everyone wants to be a walking billboard for. Personally, I’d prefer a little more discretion.
Now, obviously, none of this affects performance in any way. It’s purely a personal preference. But I would have liked to see it toned down a bit.
On-Course Performance
Before taking the Perform 02s on the course, I did a full bag mapping session with the Bushnell Launch Pro and the new Foresight Golf app. By the end, I’d hit six or seven balls with every club in the bag.
Some data from the Foresight bag mapping session.
My current irons are the PXG 0311 XP Gen 7s. When I switched to those about a year and a half ago, every club went roughly 10 yards further than my old Mizunos, largely because of stronger lofts. Going into this bag mapping, I expected to give back around 5 to 7 yards per club with the Stix.
What actually happened was that, on average, the Stix clubs came within about 2 yards of my PXG distances.
That surprised me. The Stix were definitely flying further than I expected them to.
So I looked up the lofts. I expected the Stix to be comparably strong to the PGXs. They’re not. Across the board, the P02 irons are 2 to 3 degrees weaker than the PXGG XPs, more in line with the PXG P model or a TaylorMade P790.
What that means, in practical terms, is I’m hitting these clubs just as far with more loft. And more loft on approach shots means the ball lands softer and holds greens better. I’ve noticed this playing them. Better results on approaches and more controlled ball flight overall. In windy conditions, I did have some shots balloon a bit, which I’d mostly put on the graphite shafts.
For newer golfers and beginners, graphite makes a lot of sense. It’s lighter, more forgiving, and easier to generate speed with.
Graphite shafts throughout the bag in my set, but you do have the option to choose steel shafts.
Based on my experience with both generations of the Perform though, I continue to prefer steel. A little heavier, more stable, more control.
With this new P02 Perform set, you’ve got the option choose graphite or steel shafts with no price difference.
The Stix P02 Driver
This distance revelation that I had with these new P02s extended all the way up to the driver. I’m currently using the Callaway Elyte, which for the record is the best driver I’ve ever used. Still, my distances with this Stix driver were about 7 to 10 yards off what I’m seeing with the Callaway.
Driver forgiveness was also a strength. And the draw bias built into Stix clubs does its job. I didn’t have the big ballooning slices that have historically been my miss. For most new golfers, the slice compensation is going to be genuinely useful.
A look at the face.
One thing unchanged from the old Perform driver is the look at address. There’s a bulbous quality to the face that’s never quite inspired full confidence when I’m standing over it. But once I hit it, I’m always pleased. And the new carbon fiber on the crown, pulled straight from the Compete series, is a nice touch.
The driver look at address.
Overall, I’m rating this driver as a really solid option, especially for the beginner golfer.
The Irons
I’m telling you, these irons are for real.
One of the most meaningful improvements in the P02s is what’s happened to the draw bias in the irons. The old Perform irons were pronounced about it. My typical fade was turning into a draw, and I’d have to spend a few holes recalibrating every time I played them. This new version has that dialed back. Still present, but more subtle.
That said, if your miss is a slice, I do think these compensate better than the Takomo 101 mkii irons, which you may also be considering.
Beyond that, control just feels improved with these clubs. I could pick a shot shape and trust the club to execute it without having to constantly compensate.
And there hasn’t been any loss of forgiveness, which really is the defining quality of what the Perform series is trying to be.
The Putter
The putter included in this set is actually the Compete series putter, which on paper, makes it the best club in the bag.
The same putter as in the Compete set.
Feel off the face is very good. Distance control is easy to dial in.
It’s a center-shafted design, which some people will love and others won’t. If you’re newer to golf you may not have a strong preference either way, but it’s worth knowing before you get it in your hands.
Center-shafted may mean love it or hate it for some.
The One Performance Downside
Something I noticed pretty quickly is that the 9-iron and pitching wedge have a hollow feel. Performance is fine. The distances, control, and ball flight are all what you’d want.
But the sound and feel at impact is high-pitched and pingy in a way that the rest of the set isn’t. The 5-iron sounds like a solid thud. The 9-iron sounds noticeably different by comparison.
Performance doesn’t seem to suffer, but the 9-iron and pitching wedge sound and feel are hollow.
I didn’t notice this with the longer irons or with the 52 and 56 wedges. Just those two clubs. It’s something you get used to, and I don’t think it’s a reason not to buy them, but you will notice it.
Should You Buy the Stix Perform 02 Clubs?
If this feels like the right fit for you, it probably is. I would go with my gut.
These are real golf clubs. The distance is better than you’d expect. Control has taken a meaningful step forward over the previous generation. The putter is legitimately excellent. And the value is hard to argue with.
The simplicity factor is real too. Stix walks you through a handful of questions, your clubs show up at your door, and you can focus on playing and getting better rather than agonizing over equipment decisions. For a newer golfer, that matters.
My wife is actually playing the Nicklaus Women’s set right now. She came from an old Nike set that was about 15 years old, and the difference in her game was noticeable right away.
If you’re a golfer who really only rotates through the same four or five clubs per round, the Nicklaus 10-club set might actually be worth a look at a lower price point.
But for the golfer this newest version of the Perform series is built for, it’s one of the best options out there. Minor issues with branding and feel on a couple of clubs aside, this is a meaningful upgrade over the previous generation. And that was already a really good set.
Best Golf Club Set for Beginner to Mid-Handicappers
Stix Perform P02 Clubs
$999 (or $1,099 with bag included)
I think these are excellent golf clubs for anyone from a beginner all the way up to like a 10 or 12 handicap. This is not just a beginner boxed set of mediocre golf clubs. These are the real deal.
Buy Now
We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
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A meaningful upgrade over an already excellent set.
9.4
Great
The Stix P02 Perform delivers on everything that made the original Perform series the go-to recommendation for newer golfers, then raises the bar on overall performance. A few minor gripes about branding, the putter cover, some hollow feel in the short irons are easy to overlook when you consider what this set delivers at this price point.
The Good
Distance performance that will seriously surprise you
Meaningfully better control and reduced draw bias versus previous generation
Compete series putter included
5-iron is back, and the club selection is well thought out for the target golfer
Carbon crown driver is a nice step up from the previous Perform driver
The Bad
Hollow, pingy sound on the 9-iron and pitching wedge
Branding across the woods, bag, and headcovers has gotten heavier than I’d prefer
Putter headcover doesn’t fit quite right
Just 12 clubs, so not a complete set of 14
Presentation
9
Performance
10
Quality and Features
9
Price
10
Personal Affinity
9