Launch Monitor Tested: PXG 0311 GEN6 P and XP Irons Review

Thanks to a 15% thinner face the PXG 0311 GEN6 P and XP irons offer more ball speed, improved dispersion, and better off-center hit consistency.

PXG founder Bob Parsons always said he’d never launch new products without first being convinced they outperform the company’s existing models. As PXG approaches its 10th anniversary and pulls the covers from its 6^th generation of equipment, that promise is getting harder and harder to fulfill.

But PXG isn’t like any other golf equipment brand. They don’t have scheduled launch dates to hit at the start of each year (like most brands). Instead, they prefer constantly developing new equipment and challenging boundaries with fresh new ideas. When their crack team of engineers comes up with a better-performing product, and it’s signed off by multi-billionaire founder Bob Parsons, they go for launch as quickly as possible. This means new products appear at any time and don’t follow any set pattern.

Thanks to approaching things differently, PXG has created some of the best golf irons available, and they love ensuring golfers know just how much better each new model is. So, for each new launch, through robot testing, they prove how each new generation stacks up against its older siblings. Thus convincing consumers of their value. This means golfers can confidently buy PXG equipment knowing they’re investing in the brand’s latest and greatest game-improving tech, as back or side steps to hit yearly product cycles, just aren’t an option.

Beautiful forged hollow body irons are where PXG has cut its teeth since entering the market in 2014. Whether it be what’s on the inside or additional weight tech on the outside, somehow PXG has squeezed more performance out of every generation since. Like the new GEN6 drivers, PXG has focused on upping off-center hit forgiveness consistency with this next generation of irons. PXG makes no secret of making the thinnest face irons, and GEN6 is 15% thinner, which frees up 5g from the face to nudge up MOI.

PXG says this means the face COR (flexibility/rigidity) is barely legal, but also means the models are the softest feeling, longest, and most forgiving they’ve ever made. And that’s a heck of a claim from an already brilliant iron maker.

At a glance:

PXG 0311 P GEN6 Iron

RRP: $219/£209 per club

Stock steel shafts: True Temper Elevate Tour and Elevate MP 95g, KBS Tour Lite, Nippon Modus Pro 125

Stock graphite shafts: UST Recoil dart 75g, Project X Cypher 60i, Mitsubishi MMT 70/80g

7-iron loft: 30°

Forgiveness rating: 2.5/5

Category: Players’ Distance Iron

PXG 0311 XP GEN6 Iron

RRP: $219/£209 per club

Stock steel shafts: True Temper Elevate Tour and Elevate MP 95g, KBS Tour Lite, Nippon Modus Pro 125

Stock graphite shafts: UST Recoil dart 75g, Project X Cypher 60i, Mitsubishi MMT 70/80g

7-iron loft: 27°

Forgiveness rating: 3-3.5/5

Category: Mid-Handicap Iron

Everything you need to know about the PXG 0311 GEN6 irons

P or XP?  

Usually, PXG GEN irons come in three flavors: T – Tour, P – Players’, and XP – Xtreme Performance. But with some new ideas coming for more ‘tour’ focused golfers later this year, this time around the T has been dropped from the family. The P remains very much the brand’s best players’ distance iron (with a 30° 7-iron loft) and PXG says it boasts 2.2% more MOI than the previous model. Expect a midsize head with moderate amounts of offset and a typical players’ distance iron loft.

Where the slightly bigger, stronger lofted XP (27° 7-iron loft) targets being one of the best mid-handicap irons available. It dines out on distance and offers an additional 3.7% MOI to decent speed game improvers. Expect a larger head with a little more offset. Inside both irons have the same XCOR2 polymer filling found in the previous GEN5 models.

How much better are the GEN6 irons?   

At an 86mph swing speed, PXG says the new 0311 P GEN6 iron adds 1mph of ball speed, and ups carry distance by 3.4 yards (dropping 243 RPM of backspin). It will also hit shots into a 36.5% tighter dispersion area than its predecessor.

At the same speed, the XP adds 0.6mph of ball speed and 2.1 yards of carry distance (dropping 192 RPM). It will also hit shots into a 37.6% smaller dispersion area, hence why PXG reckons this generation is all about adding off-center hit consistency and narrowing dispersion.  

The thinnest face in golf just got even thinner

From day one PXG has made a massive play of making the thinnest face irons available. The idea guarantees great feel and excellent ball speeds from the HT1770 springy maraging steel faces, (which are nearly twice as strong as traditional 17-4 stainless steel). For this generation the company CNC mills each face 15% thinner, saving 5g and creating an iron with a COR of 0.833. Thanks to an even thinner power channel running around the perimeter of the face this setup is barely legal.

The company isn’t lying when they say these are the fastest, softest feeling, and most forgiving irons they’ve created, the GEN6 irons are the best PXG irons ever.  

New top rail

To up consistency between on and off-center hits PXG’s engineers have focused on creating a new top rail structure. Without affecting the look from address, additional mass has been positioned along the top rail but further from the face. The idea ups MOI on high and low misses, which improves distance control potential by 2.2% in the P iron, and 3.7% in the XP (compared to the previous GEN5 models.

5X Forged and precision-weighted    

PXG’s premium irons have always been forged and it’s a trend that continues with the new GEN6 family. The body of each 8620 head is hit by the forged five times, squeezing it into the brand’s super complex and thin-walled shape. The back surface is then CNC milled to create an extremely precise iron head.

But the thing that sets PXG irons apart, is the large central weight on the back of both irons, which gives the ability to go longer or shorter, heavier or lighter without changing the center of gravity location. It means you get very precisely fit without altering feel, as the CG doesn’t shift to accommodate the shaft length or head weight that most benefits your game. It’s genius thinking in anybody’s book.  

Black Label Elite models are also available

If you’re feeling flush and like the look of darker finish irons, PXG offers both the 0311 GEN6 P and XP irons as premium Black Label Elite options too. Each Black Label iron comes with a durable black Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) finish and premium Steel Fiber Private Reserve shaft (or any other shaft in PXG’s fitting matrix). The make-up sets the franchise apart from its slightly more reasonably priced satin-clad siblings.   

Video: How does the PXG 0311 P GEN6 compare to other leading 2024 Players’ Distance irons?

Specs: PXG 0311 GEN6 P Irons

Verdict: PXG 0311 GEN6 P iron

PXG irons have excelled within this category since the company launched in 2014/15 as their hollow body construction allows the company to combine blade-like looks with cavity back levels of forgiveness, a very potent combination for lots of reasonable club golfers.

The 0311 iron family has won a stack of awards previously here at TG and the most recent GEN6 P is just about the best the company has to offer in the hollow body iron arena. Nobody I’ve ever spoken to doesn’t like the look or shape of PXG irons, it’s something designer/engineer Mike Nicolette has worked on tirelessly and absolutely nailed from day one. That profile shape is very slightly longer than some (which helps forgiveness), there’s a lovely crisp toe shape and beautifully clean blend into the hosel, which means the P is open to being used by quite a wide audience of players.  

In terms of performance, the P stuck stubbornly to our test averages for launch angle, backspin, shot height, and descent angle, but was faster, longer and produced a tighter carry distance drop-off and shot area. To me that says the model will be super playable out on the golf course versus some of the other models in the Players’ Distance Iron category.

The Players’ Distance Iron arena is incredibly crowded, there are lots of good options here. I’d choose PXG not only for the cracking sound and feel of their P offering, which is made possible thanks to the brand’s dedication to filling their models with lightweight polymer but also because the company has developed a second-to-none fitting system that allows golfers to go lighter, heavier, longer or shorter in their irons without the need to move the center of gravity. Yes, you’ll need a fitting to access this type of set-up but in my book, that’s time very well invested in helping get more from your iron play this year.   

Data comparison: How does the PXG 0311 XP GEN6 compare to leading competitor Players Distance Irons?

Iron	7-Iron Loft	Ball Speed	Launch Angle	Backspin	Height	Descent Angle	Carry Distance	Carry Distance Drop Off	Shot Area
Mizuno JPX923 Hot Metal Pro	28.5°	124.1 MPH (1)	14.6°	4881 RPM	28 YDS	41.8°	186 YDS (1)	22 YDS	741.4 SQ YDS
Srixon ZX5 MK II	31°	122.8 MPH (3)	15.8°	5292 RPM	30 YDS	44°	181 YDS (T2)	18 YDS	392.4 SQ YDS
Callaway Paradym	29°	123 MPH (2)	14.2°	5120 RPM	27 YDS	41.5°	181 YDS (T2)	15 YDS	360 SQ YDS
Mizuno JPX923 Forged	30°	122.4 MPH	14.5°	5117 RPM	27 YDS	41.8°	180 YDS	7 YDS (1)	210 SQ YDS
PXG 0311 P GEN 6	30°	122.2 MPH	14.6°	5520 RPM	28 YDS	42.6°	178 YDS	10 YDS	199 SQ YDS
Vega Mizar Tour	30°	122.3 MPH	13.5°	5381 RPM	26 YDS	40.8°	178 YDS	13 YDS	360.1 SQ YDS
Sub 70 699 Pro	30°	121.8 MPH	14.9°	5349 RPM	28 YDS	42.6°	178 YDS	10 YDS	166 SQ YDS (1)
Yonex Ezone CB702	31°	122.6 MPH	15.6°	5820 RPM	30 YDS	44.4°	177 YDS	23 YDS	533.6 SQ YDS
TaylorMade P790	30.5°	121.6 MPH	15.1°	5932 RPM	29 YDS	43.7°	175 YDS	8 YDS (T2)	180.8 SQ YDS (2)
Wilson Dynapower Forged	30.5°	120.8 MPH	13.9°	5482 RPM	26 YDS	41.1°	175 YDS	9 YDS	188.1 SQ YDS (3)
Ping i525	30.5°	120 MPH	15°	5666 RPM	28 YDS	42.7°	173 YDS	11 YDS	217.8 SQ YDS
Titleist T200	30.5°	119.7 MPH	15.4°	5760 RPM	28 YDS	43.3°	173 YDS	13 YDS	331.5 SQ YDS
Cobra Forged Tec	29.5°	119.4 MPH	14.7°	5558 RPM	27 YDS	41.9°	173 YDS	20 YDS	612 SQ YDS
Mizuno Pro 245	30°	119.3 MPH	16.1°	5481 RPM	29 YDS	43.6°	173 YDS	14 YDS	271.6 SQ YDS
Takomo 101 T	32°	116.7 MPH	16°	6383 RPM	28 YDS	43.9°	165 YDS	8 YDS (T2)	203.2 SQ YDS
Average		121.2 MPH	14.9°	5516.1 RPM	27.9 YDS	42.6°	176.4 YDS	13.4 YDS	331.2 SQ YDS

Verdict: PXG 0311 GEN6 XP iron

For decent speed mid-handicap players (that’s at the very least 75mph with a 7-iron) the PXG 0311 GEN6 XP is a great looking and feeling iron option too. I like how when compared to the competition (in the Mid-Handicap iron category) the head isn’t overly big and doesn’t have a ton of hosel offset. This cracking set-up makes the XP a super attractive and desirable choice.

If you’re a distance-focused golfer considering this model, make sure you get properly fit. That way you’ll ensure shots launch, spin, fly, and hit the green at levels that will maximize your scoring potential. In the right hands, and after some vigorous testing with our test pro, I can confidently say this is one of the very best Mid-Handicap Distance irons on the market in 2023.

Video: How does the PXG 0311 GEN6 XP compare to leading competitor Mid-Handicap Irons?

Specs: PXG 0311 GEN6 XP irons

PXG founder Bob Parsons on the GEN6 irons

“We’ve considered every detail and pushed the designs, materials, and technologies to the extreme in developing our new PXG GEN6 Golf Clubs. Our irons, which many people said couldn’t get any better, are faster, longer, and more accurate. In fact, they might be the finest irons ever made by anyone.”

READ NEXT:
– Which PXG iron best suits me?

PXG 0311 GEN6 P and XP Irons

PXG 0311 P GEN6 Iron

RRP: $219/£209 per club

Stock steel shafts: True Temper Elevate Tour and Elevate MP 95g, KBS Tour Lite, Nippon Modus Pro 125

Stock graphite shafts: UST Recoil dart 75g, Project X Cypher 60i, Mitsubishi MMT 70/80g

7-iron loft: 30°

Forgiveness rating: 2.5/5

Category: Players’ Distance Iron

PXG 0311 XP GEN6 Iron

RRP: $219/£209 per club

Stock steel shafts: True Temper Elevate Tour and Elevate MP 95g, KBS Tour Lite, Nippon Modus Pro 125

Stock graphite shafts: UST Recoil dart 75g, Project X Cypher 60i, Mitsubishi MMT 70/80g

7-iron loft: 27°

Forgiveness rating: 3-3.5/5

Category: Mid-Handicap Iron

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