It’s onerous to imagine we’re greater than 10 years (virtually 11) into the PXG period. Greater than a decade in, a fast finger rely (and likewise the product title) tells us PXG has arrived on the eighth era of its flagship 0311 irons.
It’s the form of factor you’d count on Bob Parsons to scream at you about by your TV however greater than a decade of evolution and plenty of screws later have introduced us a barely extra subdued however no much less innovation-focused model of PXG.
Kaboom, child! (however quieter)
“Essentially the most adjustable irons PXG has ever made”
PXG is billing GEN8 as probably the most adjustable iron it has ever made. That’s not hyperbole. Frankly, there isn’t an entire lot of adjustability to be discovered within the iron class so any added adjustability represents some form of step ahead.
Had been the final couple of PXG GEN fashions adjustable? To an extent, sure. Are GEN8 extra adjustable? Inarguably.
So, yeah, the tagline checks out.
Past that specific declare, extra shocking nonetheless is what you gained’t hear. There are not any daring velocity or distance claims this time round. PXG says it’s already pushing the bounds of what the USGA permit and there’s not a lot left to achieve. As an alternative, throughout the board, the three fashions (that’s proper, the “T” is again!) that make up the 0311 GEN8 household emphasis higher forgiveness, tighter dispersion and significant developments in becoming.
“We’re already on the restrict on ball velocity. There’s nowhere left to go there,” says Brad Schweigert, PXG’s newly appointed Chief Working Officer. “So, the query turns into: how will we make the misses higher? That’s actually what GEN8 is about: preserving velocity however tightening dispersion and bettering consistency.”
As you’ll see, all the above is obvious within the PXG-provided information.
With the high-level stuff lined and earlier than we break down the person fashions, let’s take a fast have a look at the important thing applied sciences that outline the complete GEN8 lineup and what makes the newest fashions in PXG’s flagship lineup not simply newer however truly higher.
Your requisite bits of goo, metal and tungsten
The primary notable level isn’t a change in any respect. PXG’s QuantumCOR polymer “goo” is unchanged from the earlier mannequin. What’s completely different is a change to the inner geometry of the clubhead that PXG has branded Deep Recoil Expertise.
In the end, that’s just a few branding to explain some shaping modifications that create extra space between the face and the again of the membership. The additional little bit of house allowed PXG to place roughly .200 of an inch of QuantumCOR polymer immediately behind the affect space and .300 of an inch decrease within the face.
The additional quantity permits the face to flex deeper into the polymer. That does give higher ball velocity retention low on the face however that’s actually the extent of the velocity story. The true profit is larger launch from the lengthy irons and a softer, extra muted really feel.
Throughout the lineup, GEN8 irons characteristic ultra-thin maraging metal faces: .050 inches within the XP and P fashions, thickened to .062 inches within the T. Practically 11 years because the first PXG iron and the faces are nonetheless among the many thinnest, if not the thinnest, within the business. The faces are joined to 8620 delicate metal our bodies and robotically polished to make sure constant geometry from face to face.
Uncommon is the iron story that doesn’t embody some point out of tungsten. This isn’t certainly one of them. Whereas the quantity of tungsten utilization varies by mannequin, there’s roughly 25 grams within the P, 20 grams within the T and 15 grams within the XP.
That inside weighting works in live performance with crucial change in GEN8.
Twin Perimeter Weighting: The “game-changing” know-how
With GEN8, PXG has changed the centrally positioned again weight with a twin perimeter weighting system. The change relocates roughly 11 grams of mass from the middle of the pinnacle to the heel and toe extremes.
This accomplishes two issues. First, it will increase MOI by pushing mass farther from the middle of gravity. Second, it permits heel-to-toe center-of-gravity tuning that measurably impacts ball flight.
“We did quite a lot of participant testing round this as a result of we didn’t need it to be theoretical,” Schweigert informed MyGolfSpy. “After we put completely different weight configurations in entrance of gamers, about 83 % of them might truly really feel and determine a distinction between setups. Extra importantly, once we regarded on the information, 100% of gamers confirmed a measurable change in face-to-path relying on the place the mass was positioned.”
If you’re scuffling with the maths, “100%” is everyone.
Even in a impartial configuration, merely transferring that mass outward improves forgiveness. With heavier perimeter weights put in, MOI climbs additional, particularly within the T mannequin (particulars under).
The elephant within the room
Astute readers will be aware that PXG isn’t the primary to combine movable weights into an iron design. Lately (and presently), Edel has explored movable weighting in irons and wedges. And, sure, it’s cheap to recommend the approaches are comparable however there are key variations.
The effectiveness of any movable-weight know-how comes down to 3 issues: how a lot mass is moved, how far it’s moved and the way far that mass sits from the middle of gravity.
PXG has the benefit in all three.
GEN8 strikes extra mass, strikes it farther, and locations it at true heel-and-toe extremes. The end result isn’t theoretical CG motion; it’s measurable modifications in face-to-path and begin line, confirmed in participant testing.
We’ve completely seen adjustable weighting in irons earlier than however the math works finest when you may have sufficient mass and sufficient separation. In any other case, you’re simply transferring grams round with out impacting outcomes.
Stated one other manner: comparable thought, completely different execution.
However why?
PXG didn’t simply add adjustable weighting to provide its fitters one thing else to do with their wrenches.
By redistributing mass contained in the clubhead, fitters are in a position to change how the pinnacle desires to rotate by affect. Correctly dialed, the GEN8 weighting system helps maintain face-to-path relationships extra predictable, particularly when timing is off. You’re not all of the sudden swinging higher; you’re simply getting extra playable outcomes from the identical swing.
The brand new weighting additionally provides fitters a brand new method to repair directional points with out overcorrecting elsewhere. As an alternative of chasing begin line with excessive lie angles or heavier shafts, GEN8 lets the pinnacle do a few of that work.
PXG 0311 GEN8 Irons – three fashions
With that out of the way in which, let’s have a better have a look at the three fashions within the PXG 0311 GEN8 iron lineup. One factor to notice earlier than we dig in, PXG has, once more, carried out a superb job of unifying the aesthetics throughout the three fashions. Apart from the mannequin designation on the hosel, the one factor that differentiates one from the opposite visually is their dimension.
PXG 0311 GEN8 XP
The XP stays PXG’s largest, most forgiving, GEN-series iron. Relative to the opposite GEN8 irons, it has the longest blade size, probably the most offset, the widest sole and the thickest topline. Though, not for nuthin’, as I’ve stated earlier than, PXG is among the many highest within the enterprise at making large irons (significantly thick toplines) look much less offensive.
Card-carrying members of Huge Iron Nation (we’d like a theme track) will admire that PXG has maintained the XP id whereas making a few measurable enhancements.
As I famous at first, there isn’t a lot of a velocity story this time round so sustaining velocity meets the target.
Primarily based on 7-iron testing, launch and spin are almost equivalent as effectively however, once more, crucially, you must see larger flight from the irons. You may count on a slight discount in spin which explains why PXG’s information suggests the brand new mannequin is about two yards longer.
The place the bigger variations are discovered are in MOI and downrange dispersion.
PXG says GEN8 brings a six % enhance in MOI over GEN7. In robotic testing, the corporate noticed a roughly 33 % lower in dispersion. Tighter is healthier, people.
PXG 0311 GEN8 XP SPECS
PXG 0311 GEN8 P
The GEN8 P is the evolution of PXG’s first iron and in lots of respects represents one of many prototypes for the class.
It’s the one within the center and meaning reasonable blade size, medium sole width, average-adjacent offset and a mid-sized topline.
As with the XP, there aren’t any quantifiable velocity positive factors. The GEN7 versus GEN8 launch story is comparable (identical within the mid irons, a bit larger within the lengthy irons) and 7-iron spin is barely decrease which will get you an astounding one yard of further distance.
Nobody, not even PXG, is suggesting that’s motive sufficient to improve.
As with the 0311 GEN8 XP, the actual story right here is elevated MOI (4 % over GEN7) and improved dispersion. Just like what the info reveals with XP, PXG’s testing discovered the 0311 GEN8 P produced a dispersion space that’s roughly 32 % tighter than the earlier mannequin.
PXG 0311 GEN8 P SPECS
PXG 0311 GEN8 T
Starting with GEN6 and carrying on by GEN7, PXG shifted what was the 0311 T into its better-player-centric 0317 lineup.
With GEN8, the T is again (the place it belongs). It shares the identical elementary DNA with the remainder of the GEN household (QuantumCOR, dual-weighting, shared aesthetic) so regardless of the underlying enterprise motive, placing it again the place it began simply feels proper to me.
Because it occurs, the GEN8 T is likely to be probably the most fascinating of the three fashions.
So far as the footprint goes, it’s the smallest in each significant respect—shortest from heel to toe, least offset, narrowest sole, thinnest topline. That stated, I’ve at all times thought that by “Tour” requirements, PXG’s T was extra playable than most and was one of many few gamers designs that common golfers who desire a extra compact design might truly get away with.
I say that, partly, as a result of I performed GEN6 for a few seasons and performed fairly effectively at that.
Provided that the brand new T is the evolution of an 0317 mannequin, it’s not shocking that PXG is making barely larger efficiency claims.
The GEN8 T is slightly below one mile per hour quicker than its predecessor, launches about half a level larger, spins about 100 rpm much less and flies slightly below two yards farther.
Good however, once more, not precisely game-changing.
As soon as once more, MOI and dispersion are the story. The GEN8 boasts a formidable 17 % leap in MOI. Dispersion is 38 % improved with a superb little bit of that coming entrance to again (versus proper to left).
The 0311 GEN8 model of PXG’s T has rapidly reestablished itself as certainly one of my favourite Tour irons, even when my becoming expertise suggests it’s most likely not proper for me.
PXG 0311 GEN8 T Specs
Fingers-on: My PXG GEN8 becoming expertise
Over time, I’ve performed each P and T fashions extensively. I’ve dabbled with XP lengthy irons as effectively however was by no means fitted right into a full set. However, hey, with two generations value of T350s within the bag, I’ve turn out to be a shameless “large iron” man so it appeared cheap sufficient to search out myself fitted into XPs.
What stunned me wasn’t that I ended up in an enormous iron. Distance, launch and spin had been what I anticipated as effectively. What modified the equation and finally the results of the becoming was the addition of movable weights to the becoming equation.
I’ve lived within the 120-gram shaft world for years: Modus 120X, Mission X LS and KBS Tour earlier than that. Each fitter I’ve labored with has wasted at the very least a couple of swings experimenting with lighter shafts however the end result was at all times the identical: gentle goes left. Arduous left. Any velocity positive factors from the lighter shafts had been greater than erased by the numerous accuracy loss.
With GEN8, my fitter put a heavier weight within the toe to gradual face rotation and, what the precise f*^okay, I’m hitting DG 105s straight.
That’s by no means occurred earlier than.
Whether or not the becoming interprets to the course stays to be seen. I managed only one spherical earlier than winter arrived—a six-hour slog of an impossible-pin event that had all however satisfied me that snapping a shaft and stabbing myself within the eye could be higher than enjoying one other gap. That hardly counts as any form of precise analysis however the implications are intriguing. Additional exploration will are available in a sim bay or in early spring.
And likewise … PXG 0311 X GEN8 Driving Iron
As a part of the GEN8 launch, PXG can also be releasing an up to date model of their 0311 X Driving/Utility iron. Just like the irons, the driving iron options the twin perimeter weighting system whereas additionally boasting improved MOI (slightly below eight % relative to the earlier mannequin).
As with earlier variations of the X, the GEN8 model is accessible in a single loft.
Closing ideas
GEN8 isn’t about chasing distance and even creating one thing complete new. It’s about doing one thing higher in a manner that’s significant for golfers.
As an alternative of specializing in velocity, PXG labored on the issues that separate good irons from nice ones: tighter dispersion and enhanced forgiveness. Arguably, each are tightly correlated with the standard of the becoming. Shifting significant mass, tightening shot patterns and placing extra instruments of their fitters’ toolboxes isn’t flashy nevertheless it’s a superb little bit of the way in which in the direction of higher golf.
After virtually 11 years’ value of PXG irons, GEN8 feels just like the work of a mature golf model that doesn’t really feel prefer it must scream at golfers by their TVs. The merchandise converse for themselves.
Pricing and availability
PXG 0311 GEN8 irons can be found now in Chrome and Xtreme Darkish finishes. Pricing is $229 per iron in Chrome and $249 for black. Customized becoming is accessible by PXG retail shops, becoming studios and PXG cell fitters nationwide.
For extra data, go to PXG.com.
The submit PXG 0311 GEN8 Irons: The Most Adjustable PXG Irons Ever appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
