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 approach their 10^th anniversary and pull the covers from their 6^th generation of equipment, that promise is getting harder and harder to fulfill.

But PXG aren’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 come 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. Which means new products appear at any time and don’t follow any set pattern.

Thanks to approaching things differently, PXG have 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 have cut their teeth since entering the market in 2014. Whether it be what’s on the inside or additional weight tech on the outside, somehow PXG have squeezed more performance out of every generation since. Like the new GEN6 drivers, PXG have focused on upping off-center hit forgiveness consistency with this next generation of irons. PXG make 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 say 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 say 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 say 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 reckon 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 have 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 set-up is barely legal.

The company aren’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 offer 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.   

WATCH: Best 2023 Players’ Distance Iron video

Specs: PXG 0311 GEN6 P Irons

Verdict: PXG 0311 GEN6 P iron

PXG’s premium irons have always been great, their shaping, feel and sound have been absolutely top-drawer since first hitting the mass market in 2015. This sixth generation is blessed with the same DNA as their older siblings. Unlike any other brand, I love how PXG go out of their way to show golfers how each new generation compares to previous models. The idea means well-heeled golfers can make decisions based on fact rather than fluff, as to whether upgrades from previous models are worth it.

Along with the TaylorMade P790, PXG P irons have been the benchmark irons for the Players’ Distance category for half a decade, and that’s a trend that completely continues with this latest generation. Thanks to a reasonable 30° 7-iron loft, which is slightly weaker than some, the model might not be quite the very fastest or longest on raw data numbers alone. But don’t lose sight of this being a beautifully constructed, modern hollow body iron, that thanks to being rammed full of tungsten is pretty forgiving too.

I’m yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like the shape of PXG irons; their head designers have absolutely nailed what golfers look for when it comes to desirable and inspirational iron head shapes within this family. So, if you’re looking for a brilliant Players’ Distance iron that mixes excellent forgiveness and off-center consistency with superb looks, great feel and the ultimate fitting experience, the PXG 0311 GEN6 P delivers in spades.    

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 which 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.

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.”

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– 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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