We sometimes use affiliate links to products and services on retailer sites for which we can receive compensation if you click on those links or make purchases through them.
If you’ve got a few quid to spare and want to get dialled in like a tour player you must check out the new PXG irons, writes equipment editor James Savage
Our PXG 0311 Gen2 irons review took place at Northamptonshire County in their new state of the art fitting facility.
PXG 0311 Gen2 irons review – First impressions
As the name suggests these follow on from the original 0311 irons but we now have four models – T, P, XF and SGI.
As we’ve come to expect, these come with a super premium price tag because they are made, forged, from super premium materials.
So 5-PW set is going to cost £2,400 – that’s more than double what you’d expect to pay for a set by one of the market leading brands.
PXG 0311 Gen2 Irons Review - Golf Gear - National Club Golfer | National Club Golfer
You won’t find PXG clubs on the rack at American Golf and it would be quite rare to see them in your local pro shop.
So they would never sell their clubs ‘off the shelf’ and they won’t let media test their gear out for reviews unless they have been fitted.
On first inspection the 0311 Gen2 irons look similar to the original models.
The T (tour) is the sleekest, the P (players) is very similar, the XF (Xtreme forgiveness) is a tad larger but not what I would describe as a ‘game-improvement’ iron at all.
It’s the iron which will probably have the broadest appeal and will suit players from single figures to 20+ handicaps.
The fourth model SGI (super game-improvement) wasn’t actually available to test but fitter and PGA pro Matt Straughan told me they are all like driving irons.
The PXG 0311 Gen2 irons look stunning and were beautifully presented which adds to the premium experience.
PXG 0311 Gen2 irons review – The technology
These are hollow irons filled with an elastomer to improve the sound and feel.
PXG say they have a larger sweet spot than the original models and are hotter off the face thanks to the thinnest face they have ever produced.
Advertisement
They are forged from 8620 soft carbon steel and feature PXG’s signature perimeter weighting for stability.
Throughout the range, PXG said they have made the looks a bit sleeker with slightly less offset.
“PXG will never release a new club that is not notably better than what we currently offer. And we believe, PXG Gen2 irons set a new standard for the world’s finest.”
PXG 0311 Gen2 irons review – The results
This was a really interesting way to review clubs.
We went through a range of different shaft and head combinations to get things working well for me.
It showed me that PXG take fitting extremely seriously which was very refreshing to see.
By the end of the fitting session I was confident I had been fitted into the right set up.
Which was 0311 Gen2 P from 8-PW and then 0311 Gen2 XF from 7-5.
But with the right shaft (KBS $-Taper 120 stiff) Matt was able to control the spin rates to still allow me to launch it high.
When testing the T and P models, they did feel just a little bit crisper.
There was a bit more of a drop in ball speed on the mis-hits with the T compared to the P so Matt was happy the P would work best for me in the shorter irons.
It can be very hard to say which shaft ‘feels’ the best during a fitting as the differences can be difficult to detect on a few swings.
But when the differences in the shafts are explained to you, and why one wmight work and one might not, it makes the whole process a lot more worthwhile.
Advertisement
So if you’ve got a few quid to spare and want to get dialled in like a tour player, then visit the PXG website and get yourself booked in.
PXG 0311 Gen2 Irons details
SRP: £400 per iron (chrome), £475 (Xtreme dark)
Slow play and what actually happens on the European Tour