50 Words or Less
The PXG 0311 P GEN4 irons offer incredible levels of performance and forgiveness in a player-friendly package. Unparalleled looks and feel.
Introduction
Since its inception, PXG has kept golfers on their toes with each new release. The only thing you know you’re not going to get is more of the same. So whether it’s a whole line of affordable clubs like the 0211s [reviews HERE] or a new generation of the company’s flagship 0311 series irons, there is going to be something notable. I got up close and personal with the company’s new irons to find out what exactly that is.
Check out the PXG 0311 P GEN5 Irons HERE
Looks
PXG’s new marketing tagline is “the Science of Sexy.” Whether or not that gets your juices flowing, I think you’d have to admit that the irons are really, really, ridiculously good looking. The satin finish looks clean and does a great job killing glare.
At address, the 0311 P looks very similar to the T [full review of the T irons HERE]. A barely perceptible increase in blade length and offset are the only differences. As far as “game improvement” irons go, you aren’t going to find something that looks more player-friendly. The topline is quite thin, and there is no chunky tech protruding out of the back of the club.
One of the new features on the GEN4 irons is the milled back surface. In the bag, this adds considerably to the beauty of the clubs. You may also notice a different look to the back weighting, with one large weight now present in the center. More on that below.
Sound & Feel
One of the big upgrades of GEN4 technology is the new proprietary XCOR System. While the GEN3 irons had two materials injected into the clubhead, XCOR is the result of a multi-year R&D project with a goal of creating the perfect injectable polymer that would increase ball speed and enhance feel. Though I haven’t hit the GEN3 version [review HERE] I can say the sensory experience of hitting GEN4 is an absolute pleasure.
The other big change for GEN4 is the large changeable weight at the back of the clubhead. This precision weighting system allows PXG fitters to dial in swing weight to better suit the player’s preference. This is a new innovation in the world of irons and gives fitters more options for getting players into the ideal iron setup. The weights are not meant to be changed after the fitting process.
I’m going to stop short of saying the feeling at impact is better than a high quality, single piece forged iron, but I will say the feel is equally pleasurable. What I will confidently state is that a ball struck somewhere other than the sweet spot feels worlds better than it would with a traditional forged iron.
The extremely thin face coupled with the XCOR polymer interior makes for what amounts to a controlled explosion at impact. It feels powerful but soft and responsive at the same time. While mishits won’t punish you, you’ll still know where on the face you missed it.
Performance
In PXG’s testing, GEN4 gained over 2 mph ball speed versus GEN3. With the same club head speed, that resulted in more than 7 yards of additional carry and a slightly lower spin rate. In terms of ball speed, spin, carry, and peak height, the 0311 P comes in right between the T and the XP.
If you’re a player who can work it either direction on command, the T offers more workability. If you’d like your ball flight to be a little more predictable, the 0311 P can help. It (along with a fitting, stay tuned for my upcoming feature) helped me go from fearing a hook to taking dead aim and ending up close way more often.
So, let’s recap. From a performance standpoint, the 0311 P offers better distance, higher flight, ideal spin rates, and sublime feel. They won’t be coming out of the bag in 2021 [check out my WITB HERE].
Players seeking more forgiveness should check out the 0311 XP GEN4 irons HERE.
Conclusion
PXG has been making good looking, high performing golf clubs since its inception. With GEN4, its irons have taken another significant leap forward. Visually, the irons are as stunning as it gets. The new XCOR material delivers in terms of performance and feel. Bagging a new set isn’t cheap, but the experience of hitting them is very persuasive.
Visit PXG HERE
PXG 0311 P GEN4 Irons Price & Specs
Dylan Thaemert
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Great review :) but given the claims and nature of a PXG release, surely these need to be reviewed by someone who hit the last generation to give some kind of experienced comparison between the two. GEN3 received rave reviews on here and are now $150 an iron cheaper than the 4’s. While price isn’t everything in an objective review of a product, I think the audience would like to know if its worth the upgrade and difference in feel etc
Will we get Matt’s take on the GEN4? Thanks
Kev,
Respectfully, by that logic, the next TM/Callaway/PING/etc iron/driver/etc could only be reviewed by the person who reviewed the last one. That’s not practical for Plugged In Golf’s staff or good for its readers. Dylan will be reviewing the entire GEN4 line.
PXG has been very data-driven in their claims about the improvements from generation to generations, and our testing has confirmed that their claims have been accurate. While their brand image is can be over the top or in your face, I give them immense credit for their specificity about the model to model gains. Whether 2 MPH more ball speed is worth $150 per iron is something each player needs to determine for themself.
-Matt
good points and agreed. Look forward to reviews of T and XP :)
Lofts on these are absurd.
Not really – not by today’s standards.
Yeah. Call the 4 iron a 2 iron, get the spread down to 4 degrees in the short irons, and you’ve got a 2-P set ending at 50*… the way they used to be. Too bad they can’t put this highly touted technology into a real players set like that. (?) Sounds like fun!
Lofts on ALL modern day offerings are absurd…. 43* Titleist PW????? That was a 9 iron really🤔🤔🤔
You seen more ball speed with these than the new XCOR 0211? I know feel is superior, but for cast they are amazing.
Thoughts on the dispersion? Controlled explosion sounds like you might get the odd flyer as per hollow irons, or were these consistent on yardage? Definitely tempted by these!
Andre,
No issues with flyers as of yet. Overall I’ve found distance control with these to be very good.
Best,
Dylan
I have been fit for Gen4 P’s and concur with your findings. I have been fit for every generation, and other manufacturers irons, and the Gen4 P has been head and shoulders above the rest.
I have never seen such good numbers from an iron in my life. Just perfect for me and with amazing feel. Gen4 is the real deal, total package.
Thank you for reviewing and confirming what I saw.
I continue to laugh at people that post “lofts are absurd.”
My irons are an inch to an inch and a half longer than standard is that absurd too?
I have a set of irons that I can hit full shots anywhere from 90y to 210y in about 11-13 year increments. Who really cares if my 150y club says 6/7/8 or 9? What is the difference?
Wait… but my 7 iron goes 170y and only spins at 5500 rpm, that means it won’t work right? So then you shouldn’t be able to hit your 6i that goes 170y and spins at 5800 rpms into greens either, because it surely won’t hold! lol
I wish people would actually think about things because they post stupid comments about lofts. It doesn’t matter what your club says on the bottom, all the matter is how consistent you hit the club to your desired number and whether you have proper gappings from club to club. I think someone are truly bothered that my club that says 9 on the bottom goes 155y and theirs doesn’t.
well it does matter when the loft get so strong there are gaps at the bottom of the bag and you might have to buy irons from other sets to plug the PW and 9 iron gap to your wedges lol. Strong lofts aren’t a problem when you don’t hit the ball very far, except if low speed = low spin = low launch and no GIR lol
Agree with you, Brad.
Yes, these listed lofts are very common nowadays, no matter which brand. Many big name brands have even stronger lofts in their game improvement irons, making the longer irons essentially useless to many golfers.
I use hybrids that are 20* and 23* in loft, so I’d be starting this set with the six iron.
Many manufacturers still sell the sets as 4 thru PW or GW. You’d have to be able to buy individual clubs, perhaps paying more per club?, just so you wouldn’t have to buy long irons that you’d never use.
I’d rather have a set in which the short irons have 4* loft differences between them, but those days are gone.
Hi Joe… Check TGW and GolfGalaxy. Generally you can easily purchase just the clubs you want. (Also bent to the lofts and lie you want). They use the standard price per iron. Personally (I’m age 70, 15hcp slower swing speed – Driver 220yd) I purchase only 6, 7 8, 9i no PW as use a custom forged PW (Fourteen golf) that I love and won’t change out. Even the 6i is dubious when my 22d G410 hybrid gets me to my 155 yrd and stops on green… + crazy accurate. So aside from bag aesthetics, why bother with a full iron set ($$$) for an average swing speed golfer when Hybrids (or 7 W) makes the game more enjoyable! ? It also is an inexpensive way to change out irons and even combo 6,7 (more forgiving) and 8,9 (MB or CB) for scoring clubs. My entire approach on irons have changed. Not chasing distance with irons. That’s a lost cause for slower swing speed golfers!
JAY👏👏👏👍👍👍BRAVO😊
I am in total agreement with Matt.
The appearance of these irons is absolutely stunning. I would be unsure whether to play them or just look at them!
Definitely iron head covers will be on mine… in the car and on the range🥰🥰🥰
Please review the XP in the GEN4!
Stay tuned, Marck. The XP review is a few weeks out but we’ll have them.
Best,
Dylan
Any update on this? Thanks
Hi Dennis,
Not sure exactly when the XP review will go live but it’s on the way.
Best,
Dylan
Are the Ps pretty forgiving? I like the sole width and size of the Ps over the XPs but not sure if a 14 handicap can handle them haha! Usually the hollow heads are a little more forgiving than cast or obviously blades. Thanks!
Just got fit into the gen4 0311T. Liked the 0311P but couldn’t get over the offset. I know it’s not a huge difference but if you are used to playing minimal offset irons it’s pretty obvious. Although I will say that I did appreciate the 0311P didn’t have a fat back end that you could see at address like similar range mizzuno irons do.
Great review! I had the new 0211s for about a month when the local rep called and ask to confirm the specs since i bought through the internet. I tested the Gen 3’s in P and they seemed more explosive than the 0211s. Then he handed me the Gen 4s In P and I was like wow these look amazing! And they performed even better. As Dylan mentioned the top line is much cleaner looking and they set up nice and and square with a great look. By the end of the fitting I had decided on the new Gen 4s and they took back my 0211s.
Just received the FedEx notice that they are on there way. Can’t wait to have them in my bag. Glad to see your review confirmed my thoughts exactly after hitting them. Regards Sam
Just was fitted for the GEN4 T’s. I’ve been playing the Rickie Fowler Cobra blades for 5 years now and I couldn’t believe the difference in miss-hits. My fitting was on a 40-degree day and it was pretty windy so the hands were decently cold. If I would even slightly miss-hit my Cobra’s in that weather, I’d have to wait 15 minutes to regain feeling in my hands. I had plenty of off-center shots with the Gen4 T’s and every single one felt like it was off the sweet spot. For a “Tour” iron that looks exactly like a blade from above, the forgiveness is UNREAL. I’ve also read a few claims that fliers are almost non existent with these irons so I’m excited about that possibility. The availability of the large weight in the back of each iron to change swing weight with the click of a wrench was amazing as well. I’ve always played a standard swing weight but we gave going up 1 swing weight a shot and the way that allowed me to effortlessly drop the club in the slot was incredible.
I have the gen 4T, however considering switching them out as my spin numbers are 2 low with frequent fliers.
How are the clubs working out for you?
I’m a 3 handicap. I’ve had three sets of PXG’s. The 4 P is as advertised as detail above explain, 6 to 7 yard gain with same swing speed.
I’ve won Club championships, been the district senior championship here in Columbus, Oh. Not trying to be boastful, just factual. Just ordered Gen 4, P after going through New Albany Country Club fitting center with PXG rep Kyle Endicott.
I recently went through a long process of demoing various clubs. I was gaming Mizuno and the Gen 4’s are now on order going in my bag. By far in my opinion what I was aiming for these checked off every box and then some. The numbers didn’t lie and the gains where significant for me.
I just left a fitting for PXG irons. Would there be any scenario where I would actually lose 30 yards of distance moving from ping ie1 irons?
Jonathan,
I don’t like to speak in absolutes, but I can’t think of a situation where that change could cost you 30 yards.
-Matt
The original 0311P’s had a lot of offset and a very long blade length. Have the gen4 reduced the blade length and reduced the offset to come closer to the 0311t profile?