PXG GEN6 v GEN7 Irons? Are Performance Player Irons Creating a Gapping Issue Due to Enhanced Distance Technology?
PXG made a name for themselves back in 2014 when they launched their Gen1 iron. Fast forward 10 years, and their founder, Bob Parsons, vision and passion remain as strong as ever, as they unveil their latest GEN7 iron. I’ve played their irons over the years and currently have a set of GEN6 Double Black 0311P in the bag, and I’ve not been tempted to switch them out for anything else this year. So, the new Gen7 makes this test even more interesting.
Before we dive into the comparison and technology, you need to understand who the irons are aimed at. The 0311P is a performance player’s iron, while the 0311XP is for the player who needs assistance with distance and tighter dispersion.
PXG’s successful formula has been based around having the thinnest face possible while backfilling the cavity with an advanced polymer to provide feel and distance.
Has Evolution Gone Too Far?
The reason I haven’t changed my GEN6 0311P irons is that I’m comfortable with the gapping, dispersion, and trajectory control, along with a great feel at impact. Before I tested the GEN7, I was concerned that enhancing the formula might disrupt the balance of their best iron to date.
GEN6
There are similarities in technology between these irons, as they are both five times forged and feature Power Channel Technology and an ultra-thin face. However, they differ in a number of ways. Firstly, the PXG GEN6 XCOR2 technology, which is the polymer that sits in the hollow body of the iron, allows weight to be saved and placed low for a low centre of gravity and a higher MOI. Combine that with PXG’s ultra-thin face, and you’re going to get great speed, forgiveness, and distance across the face.
GEN7
In the Gen7 PXG irons, the new QuantumCOR technology is lighter, which allows more weight to be redistributed low and to the backside of the golf club, further increasing the MOI. The weight saving has allowed the addition of tungsten in the toe for better stability on off-centre hits, and the titanium bezel has also allowed weight to be saved. Milling on the back of the club again helps to create a consistently high-performance head, which allows for enhanced feel and performance.
Head-to-Head
This has to be the easiest head-to-head test ever. I just took my GEN6 7-iron with a Steel Fibre 110g Reserve shaft set to two degrees flat at a loft of 32 degrees and applied the same setup in the GEN7 head.
The GEN6 carries 175 yards with an apex height of 95 feet, while I can push it to carry 180 yards when needed without the club feeling unstable. Working the flight is also effortless, hence why these are in the bag. The 8-iron carries 165 and the 9-iron 155 yards, so I’m not wanting more distance from an iron, but a tighter dispersion on poor strikes would be the main characteristic improvement to prompt a change.
Straight off, the GEN7 is a better-looking club, as it isn’t as cluttered on the back. The singular titanium bezel enhances the aesthetics, and the tungsten screws located in the GEN6 have been removed. Though a clean muscle-back finish with all the clever tungsten bevels hidden from view would be the ultimate look for a performance player’s iron.
Having hit only a handful of balls, I was delighted but shocked. The dispersion was ever so slightly tighter than the GEN6, but that lowered head weight might have improved the MOI; however, the 7-iron’s apex height was just shy of 120 feet! That’s more than 20 feet higher than the GEN6. The surprise was that both clubs carried exactly the same distance, give or take a yard. The ball speed was marginally faster in the GEN7, but controlling the trajectory was a challenge as the ball just wanted to kick up.
Who Does the New Tech Benefit?
For any player wanting more speed and distance, and who struggles to get the ball airborne, both the 0311 GEN7 P and XP heads would be worth trying. The feel is remarkable for a performance iron, but make sure you get fitted. Bombing a 7-iron close to 200 yards sounds impressive, but you need to gap from your wedges up.
Learning from Dechambeau
The GEN6 irons will be staying in the bag for now, but I’m going to apply a little DeChambeau science and play around with the GEN7 lofts and shaft lengths to dial in the gapping and ball flight from 210 down to 130 yards. PXG sent a sample GEN7 7-iron two degrees strong, and that dropped the apex height to 95 feet but carried 185 yards.If we can dial in the other yardages and flight the GEN6 might get a rest.
Egolf Megastore for fitting
If you are in the UAE head down to Egolf Megastore, PXG’s distributor and fitters in the region, and try them out to see if you are getting the same results as us. You are paying for their experience to dial your yardages in so make the most of if. We thing the GEN7 is a weapon but they need a professional fit to get the most out of the new tech.
