PXG Black Ops Irons Review
What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Hannah Holden brings you the low down on the new PXG Black Ops irons
PXG is back with a new addition to the Black Ops range, a game improvement iron. It’s the first time the brand has had a game improvement iron in its repertoire, so how does it perform? Find out in our PXG Black Ops irons review…
NCG SUMMARY
This is a great game improvement iron that most importantly is extremely easy to hit.
It looks great and sounds and feels remarkably soft for the size of build.
If you struggle to launch the ball, this adds extra height to shots and spun much more than I would have expected from a hollow body construction giving you added control.
PROS
- Great looking golf club
- Unbelievably soft feel
- Some help with height, forgiveness and distance without losing precision
CONS
- Fairly big for players irons
PXG Black Ops Iron Review: First Impressions
These are clean-looking game improvement irons. PXG have done a great job of tidying up the back of the golf club, so this looks more like a high-end players club when sat in the bag.
For those of you wanting confidence over the ball, these deliver plenty. They are oversized to help golfers feel like the club will give them that added forgiveness, speed and launch. These irons are 4.3% larger than the Gen 7 0311 XP players’ distance irons from PXG.
NCG Verdict
This iron has a dual-cavity design, meaning there are two separate cavities inside the club head. The first is a hollow cavity on the inside of the main club head, the separate is a cavity in the outer badge on the back of the club head. Because of this, I was expecting the feel to be quite harsh, but actually they sound and feel very soft for a game improvement club.
I found these extremely easy to hit and launch. This is thanks to the centre of gravity being low and back to support high launch and increased forgiveness. Talking about forgiveness, these performed exceptionally well on off-centre strikes, while I did see some drop off in distance in this scenario, my shots stayed incredibly straight which is definitely going to help with scoring!
Ball speed is boosted thanks to a few key technologies. The club face is extremely thin, just 1.27mm at its thinnest, which allows the face to flex more. This is also supported by a technology PXG called XCOR2. This is a lightweight polymer that supports the club face, helping to increase face deflection and ball speed.
You can see from the image below that this helped to boost ball speed and distance. The Black Ops 7-iron flew the furthest out of PXG’s latest iron line-up.
Overall, I really enjoyed testing these clubs due to the fact it felt like I could just swing, and the club would do the rest of the job. You don’t need perfection to hit these clubs well, which is key for a game improvement model.
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PXG Black Ops Irons Review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £139 per iron
Lofts: 7i – 28°
More information: PXG Website
Hannah Holden
Hannah Holden is the Equipment and Instruction Editor here at National Club Golfer. If you’re looking to improve your game, by changing your golf swing or upgrading your golf equipment she’ll have the answers.
As well as writing lots of features and reviews you can find her on our YouTube channel giving you insights on the latest rules, clubs and tips to improve your golf game.
Hannah is a member at Alwoodley golf club. You will either find her here or driving up and down the country playing in a variety of elite amateur events.
