50 Words or Less
The PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons are incredibly fast and long. Low spin, but they still produce playable landing angles. Very forgiving, very consistent. Dual weighting opens up new fitting and customization possibilities.
Introduction
The word “extreme” gets thrown around a lot in the world of golf clubs, but it’s typically hyperbole. That’s not the case with the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons. XP stands for “Xtreme Performance” and that’s exactly what these irons deliver. If you’re interested in industry-leading forgiveness, ball speed, and distance, read on.
Looks
The PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons is the largest and most forgiving of the GEN8 irons. Depending on where you classify this set – game improvement or super game improvement – its dimensions are either on the larger side or quite slim. In the grand scheme of irons, the top line is medium thick, the blade length is slightly longer than average, and there’s a moderate amount of offset.
In the bag, the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons are a notable departure from previous models like the 0311 XP GEN7 irons [review HERE]. The biggest difference is the change in the weights. Where GEN4 through GEN7 had a larger weight in the center of the head, the GEN8 irons have two weights – one toward the heel, one toward the toe. My first reaction was that I didn’t like the busier look, but as I’ve spent more time with them I’ve come to appreciate the monochromatic aesthetic.
Above you can see, from left to right, the T, P, and XP GEN8 irons. To my eye, the gap between the P and XP models is larger in GEN8 than it was in GEN7. The blade length is almost 0.2″ longer, and the top line is over 0.05″ thicker. While having similar looking irons is nice for building combo sets, I like that PXG designed irons that will appeal to different types of golfers.
Sound & Feel
PXG’s GEN8 irons have a new polymer filling – QuantumCOR – which promotes a softer feel. Since the XP is the largest of the three models, it has the most QuantumCOR and the softest feel. It’s not a stark difference from the P, but it’s noticeable when you hit them side by side. The other small difference between the P and the XP is the feedback. Because it’s a bit larger and more stable, there is slightly less feedback in strike quality from the XP.
The PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons pair their soft feel with a crisp “snap” sound. These are slightly below average in volume like the 0311 P GEN8 [review HERE]. Despite being quiet, these irons provide good audio feedback. Centered shots have a crisp, defined sound; mishits sound a bit muddier.
Tech Talk
There’s a lot of tech to talk about with the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons, so I’m going to give it its own section. If you just want to know what the clubs do in hand, feel free to skip ahead to the next section.
The biggest change from the GEN7 to the 0311 XP GEN8 is the dual weighting. This change does two important things: it makes the irons more forgiving and adds another dimension to the club fitting/adjustability.
Starting with forgiveness, the new weighting system moves roughly 11 grams from the center of the head to the perimeter. This combines with an internal tungsten weight to give the 0311 XP GEN8 irons a 6% boost in MOI compared to GEN7.
Turning to adjustability, the dual weight ports can house weights ranging from 1 to 12 grams. This gives golfers and club fitters a huge range of options for tuning their clubs to their preferences. It can be used, as the previous system was, to dial in swing weight, but it also allows the clubs to be biased toward a fade or draw. In their testing, PXG saw that 83% of players could feel the difference when the weights were imbalanced and 100% experienced a change in their face-to-path at impact.
Getting even deeper into the club fitting weeds, the dual weighting will allow fitters to focus their lie angle fit only on turf interaction. Traditionally, fitting lie angle has been as much about fixing ball flight as it has about the club’s impact with the ground. Now that the ball flight can be fixed with weights, lie angle can be left for its “proper” purpose.
Finally, each of the GEN8 irons is filled with QuantomCOR, a polymer that helps each iron reach the USGA limit for C.O.R. (ability to create ball speed). Because the weight has been moved away the center of the face, there’s room for more polymer, leading to improvements in feel, ball speed, and launch angle – what PXG calls Deep Core Recoil Technology.
Performance
When I went for my GEN8 fitting, I did not have the XP irons on my mind. The 0311 T GEN8 [review HERE] went into my bag easily, but the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons ended up grabbing my attention for being incredibly fun and easy to hit.
During my fitting and later launch monitor testing, the most standout number was the ball speed that the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons produced. These are probably the fastest irons I’ve ever hit. The 0311 P GEN8 irons are fast, and these were 2-3 MPH faster for me. This speed is powered by a combination of the thinnest iron face in golf, QuantumCOR, and strong lofts. The 0311 XP irons have the strongest lofts in the GEN8 family, three degrees stronger than the 0311 P throughout most of the set.
In addition to extreme ball speed, those strong lofts help the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons to produce low spin. While far from the lowest spinning irons I’ve tested, these are well below average in spin. Low spin will improve performance in the wind and can lead to more distance, depending on the player. In the mid irons, I was hitting these at least 10 yards past the 0311 P GEN8 irons. If you’re looking for distance, these are a must try.
Since you’re a Plugged In Golf reader, I know you’re gear savvy, so you’re asking the right question, “With low spin, can these irons hold a green?” The answer, much to my surprise, is a resounding “Yes!” Landing angle is the product of three things: spin, launch angle, and ball speed. What the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons lack in spin, they more than make up for with high, easy launch and abundant ball speed. This adds up to landing angles that stayed at or above 45 degrees – the accepted threshold for having control into the green.
Finally, as you would expect from the largest iron in the family, the 0311 XP is very forgiving. The ball speed stays high across the face and launches easily unless you put the leading edge above the equator of the ball. Additionally, mishits stay straight thanks to the high MOI provided by the dual weighting system.
Conclusion
If you want an iron that goes really far, really consistently, the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 irons is a must try. It has some of the best ball speed and distance I’ve ever seen. On top of that, it has more custom fitting options than almost any iron available, so it can be tailored to fit your swing perfectly.
Buy the PXG 0311 XP GEN8 Irons HERE
PXG 0311 XP GEN8 Irons Price & Specs
Editor In Chief at Plugged In Golf
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.