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Today, I’ll be reviewing the PXG Black Ops irons.
The Black Ops is said by PXG to be their first true game-improvement iron. It’s engineered to deliver the ultimate in forgiveness and distance as well as a soft, premium feel, all in an easy-to-hit package.
How do the Black Ops irons actually perform when put to the test? How do they compare to PXG’s GEN6 irons and other OEMs? 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 Black Ops irons have been widely praised by critics.
What People Like
- confidence-inspiring head shape
- loads of distance
- highly forgiving
- very soft, satisfying impact feel
- not overly expensive
What People Don’t Like
- very thick top line and beefiness is off-putting for some, particularly in the short irons
The Features
The Black Ops irons carry forward many core technologies found in the 0311 GEN6 irons:
- 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 XCOR2, this leads to maximum COR and higher ball speeds in mis-hit areas.
- XCOR2: a proprietary polymer filling is injected behind the face. It’s very soft, and its light weight reduces the mass of the core so that more weight can be placed low and around the perimeter for higher 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.
Unique to the Black Ops irons, however, is a Dual Cavity Design consisting of an outer cavity and inner cavity.
While both cavities are engineered to shift mass away from the core of the head and move it into the perimeter for higher MOI and forgiveness, the outer cavity contains a weight-saving insert that allows the center of gravity (CG) to be moved lower and farther back, while the inner cavity is filled with the XCOR2 polymer mentioned above.
Stock Info
The Black Ops irons are available in 4-LW (19°-60°).
Stock shaft options include the True Temper Elevate MPH 95 (steel), KBS TOUR 110 (steel), and Mitsubishi MMT 70 (graphite). The stock grips are the PXG Z5 Black and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360. Custom options are available.
Below are the specs of the Black Ops irons. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
When it comes to speed and distance, the Black Ops irons are certainly competitive with leading irons from other OEMs such as TaylorMade’s Qi and Callaway’s Paradym Ai Smoke.
This iron packs a ton of ball speed, with above-average distance. At the same time, the launch is not excessively low, and the spin is on the high side, so there is plenty of stopping power as far as game-improvement irons go.
Forgiveness
The Black Ops irons are tremendously forgiving.
While the launch and ball flight is higher than many other GI irons I’ve played, ball speeds are remarkably consistent across the face. This is the strongest aspect of the forgiveness, although dispersions are relatively tight as well.
During my field test, even moderate mis-hits didn’t lose more than a few mph of ball speed.
Playability/Trajectory
I would consider the trajectory of the Black Ops irons to be mid-high, which suits my game personally. The fact that the ball flight is higher than most other GI irons is interesting considering the fact that the lofts aren’t any weaker.
I was surprised at the spin numbers during my field test — they were at least a couple hundred RPMs higher than I thought they would be.
While there isn’t a blade-level of control here, and while workability is rather poor, most golfers should have little issue with stopping the ball quickly on the green thanks to the high descent angles.
The Look
The Black Ops irons have the hallmarks of a typical game-improvement iron, namely a thick top line, wide sole, and decent amount of offset. The iron has a pretty beefy profile, and there’s quite a lot going on behind the face from the address perspective.
With PXG, I’m used to seeing a collection of tungsten weights on the back of their irons like the GEN6 and GEN5 models. The Black Ops, in contrast, has none of that, contributing to a relatively clean and simple exterior.
While the Black Ops deviates in some ways from the look we’ve come to expect from PXG irons, the design is very visually appealing, with a premium brushed chrome finish. The carbon fiber patterned badge and dark outlines add a very welcome point of contrast to the silver-dominated aesthetic.
The Sound & Feel
The one word that comes to mind when hitting the Black Ops irons is “soft”. The feel is almost like butter, and this is complemented by a responsiveness that makes hitting shots very satisfying, even if it’s a minor mis-hit.
No doubt contributing to this are the XCOR2 polymer filling, which prevents the face from collapsing, and the ultra-thin face.
Over the years of me testing PXG clubs, I’ve found that the irons produce a feel and sound combination that is uniquely PXG, meaning you know that you’re hitting a PXG iron and not some other OEM. The Black Ops irons continue this tradition, even though the feel isn’t quite the same as the GEN6 models.
Sound and feel are both consistent across the face, but there is a noticeable degradation of feel on more severe mis-hits. Feedback is not particularly good; it’s often difficult to discern the general area of contact aside from “toe” or “heel”, so don’t expect much help on that front.
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 Black Ops 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.
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
Apart from a lack of mis-hit feedback, I really can’t think of any negative or standout weak point of PXG’s first true game-improvement iron, the Black Ops, when evaluating it from a game-improvement perspective.
These things put out a ton of distance with high ball speeds, exceptional forgiveness, and a high launch that allows for plenty of stopping power into greens.
Add on a premium, soft feel, sleek looks, and affordable price tag, and you have a very viable game-improvement option that every mid and high handicapper ought to take a look at.
Are you interested in the Black Ops irons? Have you played them? What’s your experience? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Question: I am 78 years old but still have decent swing speed. About 90 mph with a driver. Would these irons be okay for my game. About 15 handicap these days.
Thanks for the comment. Given that you’re in the mid-handicap range, I would definitely give them a try if you can. 90 mph is on the threshold of low speed territory, so you may possibly find that the trajectory is lower than you want. But without knowing your swing, how steep you come into the ball, your goals, etc., I can’t say if they’ll suit you or not.