PXG 0311 XP GEN7 Irons Review – Xtreme Performance

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PXG 0311 XP GEN7 Irons - 2 Perspectives

Today, I’ll be reviewing the PXG 0311 XP GEN7 irons.

The 0311 XP GEN7 is a players distance iron with strong game-improvement qualities. Compared to its sister model, the 0311 P GEN7, it has a slightly larger head with additional offset, maximized COR, and even more distance and forgiveness.

How do the 0311 XP GEN7 irons actually perform when put to the test? How do they compare to the P GEN7 and XP GEN6 models? Who are they best suited for? Are they worth putting in the bag?

Here’s what will be covered in the review:

Read on to learn what you need to know to make an informed purchase.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.


What are the reviews like?

The PXG 0311 XP GEN7 iron has been received very positively overall by both critics and users. Testers have noted the confidence-inspiring look and how easy it is to hit for a players distance iron.

  • impressive mis-hit performance
  • longer and more forgiving than the 0311 XP GEN6 irons
  • soft forged feel is exceptional
  • confidence-inspiring look at address
  • lower trajectory won’t suit everyone’s tastes
  • beefier footprint will turn away some better players

The Features

The 0311 XP GEN7 irons are packed with essentially the same technologies as the 0311 P GEN7, namely:

  • QuantumCOR: a new proprietary polymer filler that replaces the XCOR2 in previous models. It’s designed to produce more consistent ball speeds across the face and reduce the mass of the core so that more weight can be placed low and around the perimeter for significantly higher MOI.
  • Titanium Bezel: serves as the housing for the large Precision Weight on the back of the club. This piece of titanium further reduces the mass of the core, allowing weight to be shifted to the perimeter for higher MOI and forgiveness.
  • Variable Ultra-Thin Face: the face of the iron is just 0.05″ thick and made from high-strength HT1770 maraging steel. Combined with the new QuantumCOR, this leads to high ball speeds in mis-hit areas and a maximum COR value that sits at the USGA limit.
  • Precision Weighting Technology: a large weight on the back of the club near the center of gravity (CG) can be used to modify swing weight during a PXG fitting for optimal performance.
  • Internal Tungsten Weight: a 20g tungsten piece is positioned in the toe region to balance the CG and increase MOI.
  • Power Channel: this U-shaped imprint on the inside of the face improves face flexion in the top region, increasing ball speed and improving launch.
  • 5X Forged: forged five times from 8620 soft carbon steel, increasing strength, groove life, feel and looks.
  • Milled Back Surface: improves iron aesthetics without compromising performance.

What sets the XP apart from its sister model, however, is size and shape. The head is larger, with a slightly thicker top line, wider sole, longer blade length, and more offset.

The differences of the XP model lead to more forgiveness, distance, and a potential draw bias, but also a lower launch with less workability.

Stock Info

The 0311 XP GEN7 irons are available in 4-LW (18°-60°).

In addition to the standard chrome finish, PXG offers what they call an Xtreme Dark Finish with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating. This coating, which is unique to golf, has extremely high wear resistance.

A number of stock shafts (steel and graphite) are available for the irons at no extra cost from brands that include True TemperKBSProject XUST Mamiya, and Mitsubishi. You can view the full list of no-upcharge shafts here.

The stock grips are the PXG Z5 Black and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360.

Below are the specs of the 0311 XP GEN7 irons. Click or zoom to enlarge. Note that the specs are identical to the XP GEN6.

PXG 0311 XP GEN6 Irons Specs

The Performance

Distance

The 0311 XP GEN7 irons show an advantage in ball speeds over the P GEN7. My tests were showing an increase of 2-4 mph, which is consistent with the stronger lofts.

In my case, this not only led to a few more yards of carry, but also more rollout due to the lower flight and lower spin.

Ball speeds and distance seem to be a bit higher than the last-generation XP as well — by about 1 mph or so, which is consistent with PXG’s own testing.

Forgiveness

The 0311 XP GEN7 irons are very forgiving overall; in many ways, the forgiveness is comparable to a true game-improvement iron in terms of speed preservation and dispersions.

The irons apparently have an edge in forgiveness over the XP GEN6, although I found this difficult to discern in practice.

Ball speed is very well preserved in mis-hit regions, with only a few yards of lost distance. Dispersions are some of the tightest you’ll see for something classified as a players distance iron.

Playability/Trajectory

The trajectories I experienced with the 0311 XP GEN7 irons during my field test were not noticeably different from the XP GEN6: medium with mid spin. Stopping power coming into greens is good, but weaker than the P model.

I often found that my trajectories with the longest irons in the set were simply not high enough. I suspect that many slower swingers will want more help getting the ball up in the air.

The gapping issues that were present in the mid and short irons of the XP GEN6, a result of the strong lofts and fast face, return for the XP GEN7 irons and are just as problematic. You may have some trouble with club selection occasionally, but it comes with the territory.

These irons have some workability in them, but it’s limited. Players who want to shape shots are better off looking at the P model or PXG’s selection of players irons.


The Look

Not surprisingly, the 0311 XP GEN7 iron looks very similar to its predecessor, the XP GEN6, in terms of shape.

A longer blade length, wider sole, thicker top line, and additional offset compared to the P model are all evident as the more forgiving model in the family, although these “confidence” indicators aren’t as extreme as what you would typically find on a max GI iron.

Having said this, PXG has made a few aesthetic changes, particularly on the back of the iron.

The screw weights on either side of the Precision Weight have been removed, there is no longer a black bottom rail, and the PXG medallion now has a glossy chrome interior with a black outline, as opposed to the black interior of the previous generation. This results in a more consistent chrome theme that I would argue looks more classic.


The Sound & Feel

The feel of the 0311 XP GEN7 iron is forged-like, soft and responsive like GEN6, but with GEN7, I find it to have a touch more buttery softness to it. This is surely due to the new polymer fill, and I consider it to be an improvement even though I was pleased with the feel of the GEN6 model at the time.

The 0311 XP GEN7 also has a rather muted, quiet and crisp sound that is consistent across the face.

As you move away from the sweet spot into mis-hit regions, the responsiveness of the face holds up well. The feel becomes sharper and harsher, but not as much as the 0311 P GEN7.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised by is that the feedback felt just as informative as the slimmer P model, which is an improvement over the last generation. You shouldn’t have much trouble discerning the impact location, which is great for an iron this forgiving.


Where To Buy These Irons Online

PXG makes it easy to get everything you need on their online store. Not only can you custom order 0311 XP GEN7 irons in whatever set composition you want, but you can also book affordable PXG fittings directly from their site so you can figure out the exact configuration that works best for you.

For the Xtreme Dark finish, go here.

Aside from the PXG store, a really great place to get these irons at affordable prices is eBay. You can typically find deals there that you can’t find anywhere else.

PXG offers a robust fitting process which may be available in your local area.


Final Thoughts

While PXG’s 0311 XP GEN7 iron leans more in the game-improvement direction than its sister iron, the 0311 P GEN7, it is nevertheless considered to be a players distance iron that is geared towards mid or high handicappers.

Having said that, it’s one of the longest and most forgiving players distance irons on the market right now, with ball speeds and dispersions that are improved over last year’s XP GEN6. This is bolstered by premium looks and a soft forged feel.

Like the XP GEN6, however, lofts are on the strong side which somewhat limits stopping power into greens, and the very strong distance can lead to some gapping issues.


Are you interested in the 0311 XP GEN7 irons? Have you played them? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.

PXG 0311 XP GEN7 Iron - Featured
PXG 0311 XP GEN7 Iron
Distance
10
Forgiveness
9
Playability
8.7
Look
9.4
Sound & Feel
9.1
Pros
Incredible length
More ball speed and forgiveness than XP GEN6
Soft, crisp feel at impact
High-quality construction
Mis-hit feedback is surprisingly informative
Cons
Lower ball flight with strong lofts and less spin
Not as much stopping power as other players irons
9.2
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