Forum Member Review: PXG 0311 Gen 7 Irons

Introduction

Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) isn’t afraid to make a bold and brash statement or two and they stuck to the script in launching the new 0311 Gen 7 family of irons. PXG calls Gen 7 “the greatest leap forward irons technology and performance in PXG history.” Touting maxed out COR to the USGA limit, new QuantumCOR and Titanium Bezel technologies and the thinnest face in golf, PXG aims to deliver a superior player’s or player’s distance iron.

PXG put three sets of 0311 Gen 7 P irons in the hands of MyGolfSpy Forum testers. From the fitting bay to the course, these golfers put PXG’s claims to the test. Read on to see if the Gen 7 line lives up to its billing.

Key highlights

• Aesthetics: PXG eschewed the signature industrial-looking screws of previous generations in favor of a simpler and cleaner look and testers loved it.
• On-course Feedback: Our testers hit more greens in regulation and shot lower scores with the 0311 Gen 7’s compared to their gamer clubs.
• Performance: Testers gained distance and enjoyed improved forgiveness over their gamer sets. Each tester was particularly impressed with the 0311 Gen 7’s ability to retain distance on off-center strikes.
• Likes: There’s a lot to like but testers were particularly impressed with the top-notch fitting and customer service.
• Dislikes: One tester did observe a lot of marks and nicks consistent with bag chatter during testing.

Aesthetics

Previous generations of PXG irons were easily distinguished from other brands by the industrial-looking use of weight screws on the back of the clubhead. For Gen 7, that look is gone. In its place is a clean milled finish with one titanium weight port. Our testers were big fans of the updated and refined look.

“…when the Gen 7 irons were released, they immediately got my eye with the new look. The did away with the multiple weight ports and bottom plates that could be changed by color to mix/match the iron. Personally, I am a huge fan of the new look and people tend to notice them and ask about them when I play. PXG also did an excellent job with the feel of these irons. Like most good forged heads, you get a buttery soft feel but also feel the pop off the face,” – Josh Parker

“PXG crafted some truly beautiful irons with these. If you’re a fan of the weighted screws and miss that more industrial look, to each his own. To me, these are the sharpest irons they’ve ever built and one of the best-looking sticks on the market today.,” – GolfSpy AFG

On-course feedback

After a memorable fitting experience (more on that in a bit), our testers were very eager to get the 0311 Gen 7 P’s out on the course. Over the course of the testing period, these golfers hit more greens and shot lower scores and, in some cases, lowered their handicaps as a result.

”That distance retention was a big contributor to some of the best iron play I’ve had in a long time. Now, I’ve unfortunately struggled monumentally off the tee and on the greens this summer, and so my handicap has actually regressed a shot. I was able to match my season low two rounds ago, and in that 75 I was able to hit 12 of 18 greens, well north of my historical 35% rating. I still missed some greens, but there’s no question these PXG irons have, on their own, significantly improved my iron play.” – GolfSpy AFG

“Since putting the Gen 7 irons in the bag, my dispersion has gotten smaller and smaller, my shots have been hit higher with no distance loss, and I am still able to work the ball in either direction….I think my fitter made the right decisions and I truly believe that I have a chance to break 70 before the end of the year with these irons.” – Josh Parker

“These clubs have seriously impressed me and immediately bettered my game; I started this test with a handicap of 13.3 and ended with an 11.9. From the fitting experience to the on-course benefits these have checked nearly every box I could have thought of and definitely some I didn’t. The amount of confidence I have in these clubs borders on delusional and that’s something I’ve never experienced.” – Coulter

Performance

Testers hit their shots farther with tighter dispersion across the set. Notably, each tester was thoroughly impressed with the 0311 Gen 7’s ability to retain distance on mishits. In turn, our testers reported feeling extremely confident as their time with the new irons continued.

“What has impressed me the most with this setup is the height I am getting out of my irons. As someone who has a very steep Angle of Attack, height has always been an issue and between my fitter, these irons and the setup they came with, I am getting almost double the height….I am seeing the same distance as my Srixons, but the accuracy and forgiveness whoops up on them any day and I would venture to say, there aren’t many clubs out there that offer more….One of the biggest things I have seen with these versus my other clubs is on off center strikes. Let’s face it, we all make those shots and with these irons, the distance loss is minimal…” – Josh Parker

“Throughout the set I’m getting about 5 yards further than my other set of irons. This wasn’t really something I was hoping to gain with these irons but is definitely impressive….Forgiveness: This is an area that if we could give a grade it would be a 12 out of 10! To be clear, I’m referring to distance retention on mishits. You step up to the ball, take your short, and know that you just hit the ball out on the toe and that brand new Maxfli Tour X is in the water. Then, somehow, you land on the front of the green safe…This happened to me multiple times and I can’t say enough how impressed I was was this. Through testing with my launch monitor I only found about a 5-8 yard loss on mishits. How’s that for forgiveness?” – Coulter

Likes

Much like our PXG Black Ops testers, the Gen 7 team of testers was thoroughly impressed with the customer service, quality fitting and overall experience with PXG. Each of our testers were contacted by the fitter in advance of their appointment and received a thorough and extremely in-depth fitting. After that fitting, PXG sent each tester continuous updates right up until the clubs arrived at their door and followed up weeks later to ensure the testers were satisfied with the fitting and club performance. According to our testers, the experience was top-notch from start to finish.

“First things first, the fitting! I truly believe that PXG has one of the best fittings around. From the initial contact until well after having the clubs in play, my fitter and fitting experience has been top notch. Performance and forgiveness is unreal and the ability they provide the player on off-center hits makes these clubs super playable.” – Josh Parker

“PXG’s marketing sometimes comes across as over-hyped, but I have to say, in my experience they live up to it. PXG clubs are premium, and supported by a premium fitting experience and premium customer service from start to finish. I’ve never had an OEM contact me asking how my fitting went. PXG did.” – GolfSpy AFG

Dislikes

There’s clearly a lot to like about the PXG 0311 Gen 7 line of irons. Needless to say, our testers rated them highly across the board. However, one tester did comment on the accumulation of bag chatter on the sole and back of his irons.

“…the sole and topline are more ‘polished’ and the back is more milled finish. I bring this up, because it’s where I deducted a point. Milled finishes tend to show wear quicker and for someone who plays 3-5 times a week on a track that is bumpy and rough, you can see the bag chatter after 30-40 rounds. Nothing that stops the performance and probably not something many have to worry about, but it was important to take note. I am also not one of those folks that will ever use iron covers and don’t mind the battle scars as long as the face of the club remains pure and free of wear. I have not had those issues…” – Josh Parker

Conclusion

True to form, PXG  debuted the 0311 Gen 7 lineup with considerable hype. When our testers got fitted and took the clubs to the course, they saw considerable performance gains in terms of distance and exceptional forgiveness as well as remarkable distance retention on mishits. If our testers’ experience is any indication, the 0311 Gen 7 line of irons may just live up to the claims and should get serious consideration to make your bag.