Just about three months after the launch of its flagship GEN5 irons, PXG is updating its more affordable lineup with the release of the 0211 XCOR2 irons.
If you’ve kept up with PXG over the years, it won’t come as any surprise that the 0211 XCOR2 irons share a good bit of their technology with the flagship GEN5 series. Dating back to the original 0211 irons, the strategy has been to launch new tech in the GEN lineup and trickle into the lower-priced offerings.
Nikon and Canon (and probably countless others) do the same thing. Anyway, here’s the rundown.
XCOR2 Core Material
XCOR2 is the latest iteration of PXG’s proprietary filler material (aka, the goo). The key points are that XCOR2 is lighter and faster than its prior-gen material.
The difference amounts to a weight savings of five to seven grams depending on the loft of the club. As you would expect, the weight is reallocated to the perimeter of the clubhead where it serves to boost MOI by two percent. That’s not huge by any means but it’s about what you should expect from one iteration to the next, regardless of the name on the club.
Where PXG really sees is its forgiveness advantage is over similarly sized cavity-back designs. For sure, it’s a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison but for those of you playing traditional cavity-back designs, PXG says it can offer about 10-percent more MOI (forgiveness).
As far as the “faster” part is concerned, the XCOR2 material has a higher COR (coefficient of restitution). That is to say, it’s more responsive. There’s some nuance to how it works but the bottom line is XCOR2 allows the face to flex a bit more which ultimately translates to a slight bump in ball speed.
HT1770
As with every PXG iron, the 0211 XCOR2 irons leverage an HT1770 face. The key attribute of the material is that it allows for exceptionally thin faces. A thin face is a fast face and at less than 1.5mm thick, PXG’s iron faces remain the thinnest.
Power Channel
Like the PXG 0311 GEN5 irons, the 0211 XCOR2 face includes what PXG calls a Power Channel. It’s basically an upside-down U carved into the back of the face and surrounding the hitting area. It serves to increase bending at the top portion of the face which ultimately leads to higher launch. Without it, the irons wouldn’t come close to launching high enough to support the lower spin rates.
431 Stainless Steel Body
One of the key differences between the 0211 series and the GEN-series is that the 0211 is cast whereas the flagship line is forged. A different manufacturing process calls for a different material.
While I remain convinced that the type of steel used in the head is the last thing golfers care about, it’s my job to point out the distinction and why it exists.
No Weights
Unlike nearly everything else in the PXG lineup, there are no adjustable weights (or even non-adjustable) weights visible in the 0211 XCOR2 heads.
One of the aims of the 0211 lineup is to keep things simple and provide an option for golfers who want something that just works.
The lack of weights also helps keep costs down which helps to lower the barrier to entry for those interested in the PXG brand.
Win-win—unless you really want to see screws in your irons. In that case, win-lose, I guess.
0211 XCOR2 – Progressive Design
With its flagship lineup, PXG offers three models (XP, P and T) that be bagged independently or mixed and matched to create your perfect blend.
With the 0211 XCOR2 irons, PXG has baked the blended-set idea into the design. It’s a combo set whether you want it or not.
The 0211 XCOR2 long irons have a similar shape to the 0311 XP. They’re longer from heel to toe, they have more offset and less bounce. The objective is an exceptionally easy launch with lots of forgiveness.
As you move into the mid and short irons, the shape of the 0211 XCOR2 more closely resembles an 0311 P iron. Blade lengths get progressively shorter, there’s less offset and bounce increases to support the steeper attack angles common with short-iron shots. Simply put: As 0211 XCOR2 irons get shorter, the performance balance tilts a little bit away from forgiveness and towards control and scoring.
Angled Top Rail
Lastly, PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons feature an angled top rail. It’s a design attribute that often goes unnoticed but it’s a key element of the performance.
On close inspection, you may notice there’s a slight bump-out in the high toe area. That bit of extra mass helps pull the center of gravity to the geometric center of the club face which isn’t as common as you might think within the largely heel-favoring game-improvement category.
What PXG does exceptionally well from an aesthetic perspective is hide the design at address. The angled design creates the look of a parallel topline and, from my perspective, makes the top line look less bulky.
It’s true that, for some, bulk means confidence but I find most golfers want a forgiving golf club that doesn’t look like a forgiving golf club. That’s one area where PXG excels.
PXG 0211 XCOR2 – Performance by the Numbers
With the requisite disclaimer that the data was provided by PXG, here’s what you can expect.
Ball speeds are a literal tick faster but with the combination of higher launch (just under half a degree higher) and lower spin (roughly 400 rpm), the 0211 XCOR2 is six yards longer in the air with another yard gained on the ground.
Simply put, the PXG 0211 XCOR12 iron is seven yards longer than the previous 0211 iron.
Of perhaps greater importance, using the same metric that we call Shot Area in Most Wanted testing, the 0211 XCOR2 produced 30-percent tighter dispersion with the most noticeable improvement being tighter groupings from left to right.
PXG would, no doubt, like me to let you know that the performance improvements are coming from technology, not from spec-jacking. Length and loft across the board haven’t changed from 0211DC.
That said, the lower spin is potentially problematic which should reinforce the idea that fitting is fundamental. Remember that lofts (and length) specs are just a starting point. If you need more spin, your fitter can help select the right shaft, or if necessary, bend the 0211s weaker to produce the desired launch and spin characteristics.
As practically always, you’ve got options. You just need to take advantage of them.
Two Finish Options
The PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons are available in two finish options. In addition to the satin chrome, for the first time ever in an 0211 iron PXG is offering its XTREME Dark finish. And surprisingly, to me anyway, the upcharge is palatable.
Retail price for the satin chrome finish starts at $159 per iron. That climbs to only $179 for the XTREME Dark. And, of course, not every shaft upgrade is free.
For those of you looking to buy now, PXG is offering introductory pricing of $129 ($149 – XTREME Dark) per iron. That’s still a bit higher than we’ve come to expect for a PXG iron but the company believes it still offers the best value in the iron category.
Sub 70 and New Level might have something to say about tha but we can discuss that some other time.
Regardless, the 0211 XCOR2 is priced below market average for the category and PXG history suggests prices will come down, probably by the end of the year.
PXG XCOR2 Irons – Availability
PXG 0211 XCOR2 irons are available now through PXG and other authorized fitters. All orders placed with PXG will ship within 10 days.
For more information, visit PXG.com.
Dr Tee
2 years ago
Not sure there is much of a difference from my last year’s 0211 DC irons which are now going for $79 bucks per club–which is in my mind a real bargain. I do believe, in spite of the claims about CG that the jacked lofts produce most of the so-called increased distance, and I have noted a distinct increase in roll out and lower ball flight compared with my P770’s and P790’s. The feel of the DC0211’s is almost forged-like however, I like the alignment aid of the white scoring line in the lowermost groove. Most of all, due to the price, I am not afraid for the airlines to lose them–so they are my traveling set, leaving my forged gamers at home. (sorry Shipstixs, but free or $25 on the airline beats the $100-130 bucks you want each way to send and receive my clubs when I travel)