PXG is a brand that is renowned for high-quality golf clubs that is the result of extensive research and development using only the best materials and processes. The PXG 0211 irons deviate slightly from this recipe.
After 4 years of producing only high-quality, high-priced golf clubs, PXG decided to enter the mass market by offering a cast-iron club. The PXG 0311 irons are the forged equivalent of the 0211 cast clubs.
Price was not the only factor that made PXG clubs unavailable to the average golfer. The nature of the beast meant that PXG irons were made for low handicap players and professional golfers.
Who Are The PXG 0211 Irons For?
The PXG 0211 irons are reasonably affordable to the average golfer and are slightly more versatile and can be played by golfers ranging from scratch golfers up to a 25 handicap golfer.
Many believe the core feature of the PXG 0211 irons is the versatility opening it up to a wide range of golfers that have little extra budget.
The irons are designed around a hollow body with the appearance of a muscle back.
PXG’s muscle back shape provided the designers with room for their DualCOR technology inside. Strengthening the loft by approximately 2-degrees adding ½ inch to the shaft can add up to 12 ½ yards of carrying distance. You can now play a shorter iron on your approach shots which increases the control you can exercise over the shot.
What is great is that the irons are progressive throughout the set making it ideal for the majority of golfers.
Long irons have wider soles and longer blade lengths to offer you more flex across a larger area of the face. There is slightly more offset than in the 2190 model enabling you to get more ball speed and easy to launch.
Creating 15% more undercut face area adds to the forgiveness.
The material used on the face of the 0211 in 431 stainless steel while the 0311 is made from 860 soft carbon steel. The main difference between the two clubs is that the 0211 is cast while the 0311 is forged. This process adds significantly to the price difference and quality of strikes.
To keep the clubs affordable PXG decided to exclude PXG’s signature tungsten perimeter weighting thus providing approximately 9% less MOI compared to the similar shaped 0311 Gen3 XF iron.
By no means has the PXG 0211 abandoned the focus from being custom fitted for your irons. It will just not require as extensive a fitting process as the more expensive forged iron require. If you are frightened by the thought of having to go through the fitting process, you may get away without having to do so.
In widening the appeal of the 0211 irons, PXG added the 0211 ST muscle back that will attract many better golfers.
The 0211 muscle back blade is forged 3 times from 8620 carbon steel to provide a clean-looking blade with ample workability.
Why Did PXG Decide To Create a Cast Iron?
PXG started with a mantra that any club that leaves the production line must be better than its competitors. Triple forging is used to create excellent golf irons but adds a tremendous amount of costs to the process.
The price point pushed most of the PXG range out of reach for the budget-conscious golfer.
Creating a new range that can be manufactured at a lower cost without sacrificing too much on the quality of strike and making it affordable to a wider range of golfers, led PXG to consider a cast iron set of irons.
The 0211 is the result of this decision.
Looks
Bob Parsons, the founder of PXG, is actively involved in clubs that his company produces. He insists that game improvement irons should not lack the appearance of the more expensive clubs.
The 0211 comes with a new angled top rail designed to hide what would have been a thick top edge expected of a mid-handicap iron. This is achieved to improve the appearance of the club without sacrificing forgiveness as it tapers slightly wider towards the toe.
PXG’s trademark black and silver color scheme provides the 0211 with a classic look while the chrome badge near the sole provides a more streamlined than the original 0211 irons.
Due to PXG’s progressive set design, the clubs appear different as you go through the bag.
Long irons present a longer blade length, more offset, and a square toe.
Wedges appear to have a more rounded face and toe with less offset. Furthermore, the leading edge of the wedges is round where the mid and long irons are square.
Designed with a substantial bevel on the top line to make it appear slimmer throughout the set. This design feature will make the 0211 irons more appealing to better players while it’s not intimidating for mid-handicap golfers.
Sound
Well-struck shots off the center of the face provide a robust “click” sound that combined with the feel will let you know that this is the feeling you want to recreate on every shot.
Feel
DualCOR material allowed PXG to create a unique signature feel in their GEN3 irons. Since the 0211 irons are based on the same technology, they produce the same feel.
Some golfers have raised concerns that the 0211 set does not provide ample feedback on off-center shots.
Performance
You can trust the performance that you will get from any PXG club. The 0211 irons are no different.
You can expect more distance from the 0211 irons since they are stronger lofted than traditional lofts. This has become a common thread throughout the industry as manufacturers chase distance.
PXG combined DualCOR with its thinnest clubface to reach the highest ball speed possible.
High ball speed added to the strong launch angles and fairly low spin combines well with the stronger lofts to generate prodigious distances.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a trait that PXG worked on in releasing the 0211 irons due to the target market.
Off-center hits did not lose out too much in the distance category but remained relatively straight.
PXG 0211 Irons Review
PXG 0211 Irons
Pros
- Prodigious distance due to stronger lofts
- Low perimeter weighting and wide club faces provide ample forgiveness
- Thin clubface assists in generating excellent ball speeds
- Extremely durable cast construction
- Relatively affordable
Cons
- Strong lofts may be deceiving when comparing distances to similar numbered clubs
- Not as premium as forged clubs
- Still expensive compared to similar clubs
Alternatives
1. PING G410
Ping G410 irons are 3% smaller than its predecessor, the Ping G400. Tungsten weight in the toe and hosel provides 8% higher MOI.Offset is less giving the smaller head of the Ping G410 the appearance that better golfers prefer.The loft on the Ping irons is more toward the traditional scale with the 7-iron having a 30-degree loft compared to the 28-degree loft of the PXG 0211.
2. TaylorMade M5
TaylorMade M5 irons offer the smallest offset on 7-irons of the player’s irons.Combined with the compact head there are no uncertainties of who it is aimed at.The 7-iron loft of 30-degrees makes it a softer loft than found on the PXG 0211.
3. Mizuno JPX919 Hot Metal Pro
Mizuno is becoming a popular brand with the JP919 Hot Metal Pro having a fast-face cast iron. It has less offset and more compact heads than Mizuno’s JPX919 Hot Metal which is aimed at providing more forgivenessThe loft on the Mizuno JPX919 Hot Metal Pro irons is more traditional with the 7-iron having a 30-degree loft compared to the 28-degree loft of the PXG 0211.
Verdict
PXG has built a reputation for producing high-quality clubs that aim to be the best in every category. This comes at a price that only the well-heeled customers can afford.
Just as Titleist realized there is a bigger market for the average player, so has PXG. The 0211 was first released in 2019 and upgraded now in 2021.
Do you think PXG made the right move by entering the mass market with the PXG 0211?
Your thoughts and discussion point in the comments section will stir some debate.
Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
