PXG GEN7 and Black Ops irons: What you need to know

What you need to know: When PXG introduced its original 0311 iron line it took more than three years before its next introduction. Since that time, the cadence for new irons has been almost annual. For 2024 that means the introduction not only of its 0311 GEN7 irons, but a new Black Ops iron as well. The GEN7 irons (P and XP models) utilize a new proprietary internal polymer that boosts ball speed, while the Black Ops is a hollow-body, dual-cavity design with a larger profile designed to instill confidence for the game-improvement audience

Pricing/availability: The 0311 GEN7 P and XP irons along with the Black Ops irons are available immediately. The GEN7 irons are $230 per iron in chrome and $240 per iron in Xtreme Dark. The Black Ops irons are $150 per club.

3 Cool Things

1. Material matters

Long known for its use of internal polymers, PXG has been on a long journey to constantly improve the performance benefits of it. Originally used primarily to produce a pleasing sound and feel, subsequent iterations focused on keeping those traits intact while reaping more rebound.

“We wanted a material that is feels soft but behaves more like a super ball than a dampener,” said Brad Schweigert, chief product officer for PXG. “This material is unlike anything we’ve used before and it allows us to get the C.O.R. [a measure of springlike effect] close to the USGA limit.”

The result, according to internal testing by PXG, are the longest irons and the biggest distance gain from a previous iron in company history while maintaining the soft feel the company has come to be known for—not easy to accomplish considering the maraging-steel face is razor thin at .050 of an inch at its thinnest. Additionally, a channel around the hitting area of the face provides extra face flex.

2. Two for the show

The 0311 GEN7 line boasts the P and XP models, two decidedly different clubs that share a host of base technologies. A lightweight titanium insert in back saves 5 grams of weight that is redistributed to up forgiveness. A 20-gram tungsten toe weight pulls double duty by helping position the center of gravity in the middle of the face while further boosting the moment of inertia, which helps mitigate ball speed loss on mis-hits.

Each iron is five-times forged from 8620 carbon steel and has a milled back surface that produces a pleasing aesthetic. Speaking of which, both are offered in a Xtreme Dark finish in addition to chrome. Company CEO and founder Bob Parsons likes to refer to his company’s clubs as “sexy.” These hit the mark.

So what’s different? The P model is aimed at low to mid handicaps that appreciate a clubhead with a little less bulk and a moderate amount of offset that allows the player to control their ball flight. The XP is targeted at mid to high handicaps that don’t mind looking a little heftier clubhead with more aggressive offset and stronger lofts in exchange for chasing distance with forgiveness features built in.

3. Going to the dark side

Another option geared at the somewhat less skilled is the Black Ops irons. A hollow-body iron filled with the company’s XCOR2 polymer with a lightweight insert on the outer cavity. Together these technologies saves weight in the center of the club and allows it to be repositioned to foster forgiveness both heel-toe and high-low.

The Black Ops has the same thin face and power channel as the 0311 GEN7 line, but its larger face (nearly five percent larger than the 0311 XP GEN6) and thicker topline are geared more to the player seeking help in getting the ball airborne as opposed to getting it close to the pin. The help extends to the sole, which is wide enough to assist shots hit fat—and we all hit some shots fat.