Review: PXG 0311 Gen7 irons

PXG 0311 Gen7 irons review

A long established line of irons is taking a big step forward for PXG. The 0311 range is now in its seventh generation, and PXG say these irons are the longest and most forgiving they’ve ever made.

That’s thanks to what PXG say is the thinnest clubface in golf, sitting in front of a proprietary internal polymer, both of which combine to give you longer and straighter ball flights. There’s a lot to unpack in these irons, let’s take a closer look at what they have to offer.

The First Look

These are unmistakably PXG irons. From the back, you can see the adjustable weight, which might not be to everyone’s taste. Personally, I have no issue with it and since it serves a key purpose to the club, it’s worth having there.

Behind the ball, these look brilliant. These irons are definitely in the players’ distance iron category and from that perspective, they tick all the boxes when it comes to looks.

A fairly long blade length, combined with a moderately sized topline, make these pleasing on the eye. They certainly don’t induce fear into you when you’re lining up a long iron.

You can tell there’s plenty tech hidden away in these when you look at them, so let’s take a look at what they have to offer.

The Tech

Here’s what PXG have to say about the seventh edition of their flagship range of irons.

“A decade in development, PXG 0311 GEN7 Irons push the coefficient of restitution (C.O.R.) to the USGA limit to deliver the longest, best feeling, most forgiving irons in PXG’s history. These irons feature the thinnest face in golf, a mere 0.050” thick, combined with a new proprietary internal polymer called QuantumCORTM. QuantumCOR is exceptionally lightweight and helps reduce the mass of the core. This enables more weight to be positioned low and to the perimeter of the backside of the clubhead, dramatically increasing the moment-of-inertia (MOI). Combined with PXG’s variable face technology, the system maximises face deflection and delivers incredible ball speed while creating an exceptional sound and feel.

“Three strategic weighting technologies further enhance the clubhead design. PXG 0311 GEN7 Irons feature an internal 20-gram toe weight that balances the centre-of-gravity (CG) location in the centre of the face while boosting MOI to increase forgiveness. Precision Weighting Technology is employed near the CG on the back of the clubhead. This large weight is used to achieve optimal swing weight during an in-person fitting and the custom club build process.  New lightweight Titanium Bezel Technology provides housing for the Precision Weighting Technology. It effectively removes mass from the club’s centre for redistribution to the perimeter. Collectively, these weighting elements support a previously unattainable combination of distance, workability, and forgiveness.

“Five-times forged and then milled; GEN7 presents two clubhead options. PXG 0311 P GEN7 Irons are engineered to deliver an ideal balance of workability and forgiveness. Developed for low to mid-handicap players, these players’ irons feature moderate offset, a mid-size head design, a clean aesthetic, and a surprising amount of forgiveness. PXG 0311 XP GEN7 Irons, created for mid to high-handicap players, feature a larger head with more offset to deliver extreme distance performance and excellent forgiveness.”

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The bunkered Verdict

The PXG 0311 Gen7 irons are joining a crowded market of players’ distance irons. These are aimed at a huge swathe of golfers, from low single digit players to higher handicappers who strike the ball well.

It’s a part of the market PXG has already excelled in, with six other generations of these irons proving popular. I’ve got no doubt these will also do well.

When I hit these at PXG’s launch of the clubs, I can safely say I put some questionable strikes on the ball. But, even on those, these do offer a reasonable amount of help in getting the ball in the air.

On better strikes, you’ll notice a fairly firm feel, which is no bad thing, but if you’re someone who likes something softer, particularly in your short irons, you might want to consider that before purchasing these.

What I do like about these irons is the blade length. It really does promote confidence that even if you strike the ball out of the toe or heel, you’re going to see solid levels of performance. I tried out the 0311 P irons, but there’s also the XP range, which has an even longer blade length. If that’s something you like to see, you’ll be hard pressed to beat these.

The Precision Weighting Technology is what really sets these irons apart, in my opinion. It will give your PXG fitter the chance to dial in the specs that you need in your new clubs, meaning there really is no excuse for not hitting solid shots with these. Just like the PXG Sugar Daddy III wedges, there’s the chance to change this in two gram increments, so you can get very precise. PXG’s fitters are some of the best in the game, so if you go to see one of them to get a set of these clubs, you’ll be in safe hands.

PXG carry plenty of loyal followers and I anticipate these irons will be very popular with them.

The Details

RRP: £209 per club (Chrome), £219 per club (Xtreme Dark)
Available: Now
More info: PXG website

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