Equipment
After nearly 3 years, PXG finally launches new 0311 (T, P, XF, SGI and X) Gen2 irons
Almost three years after launching its first-generation 0311 irons (July 2015), Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) has finally announced its new 0311 Gen2 irons. And as with its initial launch, the company is making BOLD claims about the new irons. Overall, according to PXG, the new irons are longer, faster, produce higher launch angles, less spin, higher peak heights, steeper landing angles, have improved accuracy — in terms of both distance and dispersion — and have better turf interaction. That leaves two important questions:
- How?
- What took so long?!
As part of the premise behind even starting the company, PXG founder and billionaire Bob Parsons doesn’t want quick product cycles; as he says, he doesn’t want cost constraints or time constraints, he simply wants to make the best products on the market. And he says he didn’t want to come out with new irons until they were better than the first generation irons. The problem is, just weeks before the launch of the Gen2 irons, Parsons called the first-generation irons the “best irons in golf, and they have been since they were launched.” So how do you improve on “the best?”
When the Gen1 0311 irons launched, Parsons says he immediately put his engineers — former Ping engineers — Mike Nicolette and Brad Schweigert to work on crafting irons that are better. Parsons says after two years, they “went down many rabbit holes” looking for improvements, and Nicolette says he crafted 13 different iterations of irons searching for something better. Even with the help of a PhD from Duke University “on retainer,” Schweigert says the process of finding something better took more than two years.
The turning point for Nicolette and Schweigert was discovering a new material… one that had a much higher rebound speed.
If you remember the original 0311 irons, PXG designed its irons differently than any iron that came before it, and using a different material. The iron bodies were forged from S25C soft carbon steel, and the face inserts were “as thin as a credit card” and forged HT1770 maraging steel; but it was the TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) injection mold between the face and the body that separated PXG from other irons on the market. This TPE material allowed PXG engineers to construct thinner faces — and thus faster — yet still enhancing overall feel without losing durability, according to PXG.
Again, three years later, the secret behind PXG’s Gen2 irons is the material that’s being used behind the faces (pictured above). Schweigert and Nicolette discovered a new polymer — they’re keeping the recipe close to the chest, obviously — that’s being injected into the irons; they call it “COR2” technology.
The name COR2 relates to C.O.R. (coefficient of restitution), which is a measure of energy transfer between two objects. In the case of golf clubs, you want the highest C.O.R. possible, although the USGA limits it to 0.83 (the lowest being 0 and the highest being 1). PXG claims COR2, versus the core material of the Gen1 irons, is 20 percent faster (according to a “drop test”), leading to 1-2 mph faster ball speed across the face. Additionally, due to the physics of the COR2 technology, according to PXG, the Gen2 irons also produce a 40 percent tighter dispersion. As Schweigert explains in our interview with him and Nicolette, this means the ellipse of average shots hit all over the face is 40 percent tighter than that of the Gen1 irons, thus, a 40 percent tighter dispersion (this is explained around the 6-minute mark in the interview above).
Core materials aren’t the only things that have changed since generation one, however.
For higher ball speeds across the face, and an increased “functional face area,” PXG engineers extended out the face area supported by the COR2 material with an internal perimeter cutout. That means there’s more space behind the face to fill with COR2 polymer, resulting in a 15 percent larger hitting area.
Also, PXG is using new 8620 steel bodies in its 0311 Gen2 irons versus the S25C steel that it used in the original 0311 irons. In its press materials, PXG says “the yield strength of 8620 is more than twice as strong as S25C.” The result, according to PXG, is greater durability, while still maintaining “the club head’s soft forged feel.” The face insert material and thickness, on the other hand, has remained the same; the faces are still made from HT1770 maraging steel and measure about 1.5 mm.
For higher MOI (moment of inertia, a measure of forgiveness), PXG has angled the back surface of the clubs, tapering them from heel-to-toe. That means there is greater mass on the toe portion of the club. The topline, however, is also angled so that it appears to be parallel to the face. Ultimately, the result is a topline that looks a bit thinner, and a 3 percent increase of MOI overall, according to PXG. The camber on the soles of the clubs have also been reduced so that players can take slightly more turf at impact compared to the Gen1 irons, allowing them to hit it higher on the face, according to PXG. Nicolette and Schweigert explain how this works in our interview (around 5:40).
PXG also addressed a small concern from Gen1; dirt would get stuck in the numbers on the sole and the paint would wear. According to Parsons, the PXG team tried to find wear-proof paint, but ultimately, they simply moved the numbers out toward the toe so that it wouldn’t interact with the turf as much. Problem solved.
Looking at the overall line of 0311 Gen2 clubs, you’ll notice an increase in the number of offerings; there are now five. The Gen2 line includes 0311 T (Tour), 0311 P (Players), 0311 XF (Xtreme Forgiveness), 0311 SGI (Super game-improvement) and 0311 X (driving irons, 1-5 irons). According to Nicolette and Schweigert, the models have been designed with mixed sets in mind.
Starting on April 19, the Gen2 irons will sell for $400 per club in the standard finish, and $500 per club for the Xtreme Dark finish, which uses a black, diamond-like carbon coating, according to PXG. Among all of the flexes and steel/graphite options, there are 105 shaft offerings available in the standard irons, and 14 in the driving irons.
Read on for more information and specs on each of the iron offerings, and click here to see what GolfWRX Members are saying about the 0311 Gen2 irons.
PXG0311 T Gen2 irons
The T iron is “best suited for the player interested in maximum workability,” according to PXG, and for the player who prefers a more compact size. Compared to Gen1, the Gen2 T irons are reported to have less offset, a straighter leading edge appearance, less sole camber, trailing edge relief, a more rounded head profile and 2 percent higher MOI.
Tour players who have already made the switch include Billy Horschel (3, 5-PW), Charles Howell III (5-PW), Ryan Moore (5-PW), Charl Schwartzel (5-PW) and Ryann O’Toole (4-PW).
Specs
PXG 0311 P Gen2 irons
The P irons have moderate blade lengths and offset to satisfy the needs of a wide range of golfers, according to PXG, offering an “ideal balance of playability and forgiveness.” Compared to the Gen1 0311 irons, the o311 P Gen2 irons are reported to have a thinner topline appearance, less offset, a straighter leading edge, less sole camber, and 3 percent higher MOI.
The Tour pros who have these in the bag now include James Hahn (3 and 4 irons), Lydia Ko (5-PW), Anna Nordqvist (4 and 5), Katherine Kirk (5-PW), Christina Kim (4-PW), Brittany Lang (5-PW) and Alison Lee (5-PW).
Specs
PXG 0311 XF Gen2 irons
The PXG 0311 XF Gen2 iron, according to PXG, is a “game improvement club that offers extreme forgiveness and a superior feel, while maintaining the sleek look of a blade.” Compared to the T and P models, the XF irons have larger head sizes. Compared to the Gen1 XF irons, the Gen2 XF irons are reported to have a thinner topline appearance, more offset, less sole camber, and 3 percent higher MOI.
Specs
PXG 0311 SGI Gen2 irons
PXG’s first ever Super Game-Improvement (SGI) iron has a thick topline, a low profile and a wide sole to help golfers launch it higher and achieve maximum forgiveness. It also has a longer blade length than the other models and more offset to effectively help golfers turn the golf ball over.
Specs
PXG 0311 X Gen2 driving irons
PXG’s new 0311 X Gen2 driving irons are advertised as “low-spin” clubs that are designed “to deliver a more penetrating ball flight.” They’re available in irons 1-5, and have lofts ranging from 15-24 degrees. The lengths throughout the 0311 X Gen2 offerings are progressive — shorter in the higher lofts and longer in the lower lofts.
Specs
Related
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
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Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
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Scott Longmore
Sep 30, 2018 at 9:07 pm
I just bought the 0311T Gen2 irons and love them. Such a soft, solid feel on every shot. Better than my Mizuno MP 18’s.
dr. freud
Mar 29, 2018 at 7:18 pm
For most gearhead golfers 75% of the game is what you own, not how you play, and then bragging (lying) about how great your newest clubs are compared to your last set of status clubs. Delusion happens in the 6 inches between your ears.
Mike Delgadillo
Mar 23, 2018 at 5:34 pm
400 for pw-3 Iron, maybe. This guy is laundering money.
Dave
Mar 20, 2018 at 2:53 pm
Why same same swingweight through set until the wedges, MOI would make the swing feel even better
joro
Mar 17, 2018 at 9:29 am
Hey,,,, if you are made of Money why not. Or maybe not made of Money but want to look like a Golfer with a big ego to be the first on the block to have them, why not. They may satisfy an ego, or a curiosity, but will they make you better than you are ?, nope. But if you want em, go get em and enjoy them.
Mat
Mar 17, 2018 at 5:52 am
Those specs and faces look “borrowed” from someone in town.…
Tom
Mar 16, 2018 at 4:21 pm
Most guys here shouldn’t comment on the clubs unless they have tried them! I have tried them and there is nothing that compares to them, expensive yes but you get what you get what you pay for. By the way, most pros get paid to use equipment, so they must like them to use them! Taylormade dropped Garcia and is still winning with similar clubs from call away!
Ray
Mar 16, 2018 at 2:10 pm
I’m really surprised that Zach Johnson , being the Iowan blue collar type, would play these Champagne type of sticks! Maybe these clubs are the reason for his fall from the clouds.
“All that glitters is not gold”
Robert
Mar 16, 2018 at 1:31 pm
Wow, that’s a lot of hate for really a great set of irons. I’ve got a set of the P790 and a set of the 0311t. The feel is better hands down in the 0311t. Also less offset and way less chunky in the mid short irons. I prefer the 0311t over the other player irons I’ve hit that include Titleist, Mizuno and Taylormade. They are very forgiving for a blade and long. I didn’t like the standard 0311 as to me it was just too big. If you’ve got the cash and want to play a great set of irons, I’d at least consider trying them. Also, I’d ignore the BS hate on the irons as they are solid sticks. If you don’t like Bob that’s fine, but the irons are top notch. Worth the extra cash? To me yes.
Jack Nash
Mar 16, 2018 at 12:59 pm
Danica + Bikini + holding PXG Iron = Rocket To The Moon Sales. The old Go Daddy girl.
Glfhsslr
Mar 16, 2018 at 12:34 pm
These are just status clubs….. that’s it. I’ve got money and these are the most expensive it can buy.
Cigarmikl
Mar 16, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Why aren’t all the pros playing such great clubs? Don’t tell me ot’s Because of sponsorship Pros want to win tournaments.
JD
Mar 16, 2018 at 12:17 pm
“Buy my clubs for 3-4x of taylormade or titleist, they do the same thing, but mine sat pxg.” Bob Parsons … probably
Bob Parson Jr.
Mar 16, 2018 at 10:14 pm
Overpriced Junk! The same thing as Cameron and his overpriced copies.
Francesco Zallio
Mar 16, 2018 at 12:14 pm
because they want a lot of money !????????????????
ogo
Mar 15, 2018 at 3:17 pm
skrewskrewskrewskrewskrewsskrews…. and jello-filled …. 😮
Craig Sapp
Mar 15, 2018 at 2:04 pm
So they went to 8620 steel just like the other companies but want to charge almost three times as much. The 790’s have proved you can make the same clubs for less.
Dalenchmob
Mar 15, 2018 at 10:16 pm
Exactly. Made of junk. And the originals were so well thought out and so well designed, the paint chipped off the numbers. So what did they do this time? Move the number to the toe, because the originals were so well designed. Nobody designs junk like Parsons and flog it for thousands to thousands of suckers
Bob Parson Jr.
Mar 16, 2018 at 10:16 pm
Reminds me of another Cast Junk King, ah yes, Scotty Cameron.
Ryan Michael
Mar 15, 2018 at 12:32 pm
$5k for irons that have a cheap 5 cent baby ferrule. Love the quality of their clubs just not a fan of that look.
Hmmmm
Mar 16, 2018 at 10:46 am
I may be wrong but I believe those are fitting heads and the ferrules on the standard clubs are full sized.
Izzy
Mar 15, 2018 at 11:42 am
I look at my WITB set of irons and I feel… impotent, after reading about the PXGs.
Even though I can’t afford a full set I will get a partial set… 5/7/9/PW, and play with those and then add more clubs next year until I fill my bag. I wanna be a PXG playah for the pride and added mojo that I need.
Joe
Mar 15, 2018 at 11:12 am
right after I hate on these I am going to go blast people who hate on Tiger.
dat
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:41 am
I’ll take zero sets, please.
B
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:16 am
That would be TPU, not TPE, because it’s Urethane, innit? doh
And paint would wear from the numbers? I guess you get what you pay for! I feel sorry for the people who paid for these cheaply made, poorly designed clubs
Jerry
Mar 15, 2018 at 3:59 pm
Just the other day, a guy was at my instructor’s range, and saw me hitting the 0311XF and asked about them. I handed him a 7i. He’d been hitting the Ping G700 irons. He hit the PXG and said, I like the look and feel of these over the 700’s. I took the G700, looked down at it, and it did not look good at address, did not feel as good, but nice ballflight.
We both preferred the PXG 0311XF.
Still, I’d try the Callaway Rogue Irons for distance and forgiveness.
BParsons
Mar 15, 2018 at 9:12 am
These comments will definitely not be filled with angst and vitriol, I promise.
kevin
Mar 15, 2018 at 8:59 am
i’d actually be embarrassed with these in my bag. going out shooting 80 with sticks that cost 4 to 5 times what a brand new set of irons from equally good company…no thanks. not just because the cost, because of the image it gives off.
Tigergor
Mar 15, 2018 at 7:41 am
Sweet Jesus! What a lot of rubbish. PXG make Taylormade look restrained in terms of marketing guff.
Bob Parson Jr.
Mar 16, 2018 at 10:17 pm
Post of the Day!
Jerry
Mar 15, 2018 at 4:55 am
They look slightly better in the back, but in the XF 3% more MOI, and more offset, is not attractive to me or enough of a change. Going to 8620 steel sounds like a way to save money. I see the price going to $500 per iron in satin and a better shaft. It’s a nice club, but if doing it again, I’d look at the Callaway Rogue.