For all of the various iron models PXG has released since its inception, there has never really been a pure game improvement iron offering. That is until now. Today sees the release of the PXG Black Ops iron, which completes the family alongside the Black Ops driver, and Black Ops fairway woods. I was curious to see whether these could sit alongside the best game improvement irons, so I took them out on the course for a thorough workout…
The technology story here is a fairly comprehensive one. Firstly, to significantly boost MOI, PXG Black Ops irons introduces a Dual Cavity Design that is engineered to remove mass from the center of the club and redistribute that weight to the perimeter. The weight-saving insert on the outer cavity allows the CG to be placed lower and further back in the quest for optimal launch and forgiveness properties.
The inner cavity is filled with the proprietary XCOR2 Technology, which we have become familiar with on other PXG irons. This lightweight polymer is designed to increase forgiveness on heel-toe and high-low mishits. The Black Ops irons also feature a high-strength maraging steel face that allows the face geometry to be extremely thin and as such bolster ball speeds. Additionally, the face employs PXG’s flagship Power Channel Technology which is basically a U-shaped corridor built into the internal surface of the club face to increase deflection.
In terms of the looks, I thoroughly enjoyed what the Black Ops iron had to offer. From a shelf appeal point of view, this is my favorite iron of the latest PXG releases, which includes the 0311 P Gen 7 iron. The brushed steel finish is fantastic and the carbon effect badge on the rear (that forms part of the dual cavity design) adds a really premium feel to the aesthetic like so many of the best golf irons.
Down behind the ball, it is difficult to feel anything but extreme confidence from the Black Ops. The footprint is fairly substantial, the top line is chunky and there is plenty of offset, but it all comes together well to produce an attractive iron for the higher-handicap player. I would say that the short irons do feel a little cumbersome to me just in terms of the look, but the target player may well still appreciate the extra size on short approach shots.
Performance was excellent throughout my testing, with particular stand-out areas being the impressively soft feel combined with high ball speed and distance output as well as monumental levels of forgiveness. It was difficult to find any area of the face that produced an inferior feel or had any real adverse effect on ball speed or dispersion.
I don’t know what pre-conceived ideas I had in terms of the feel, but I remember being very pleasantly surprised by the initial few swipes with the Black Ops irons. Even some very high-quality irons in this category such as the TaylorMade Qi irons, and the Callaway Ai Smoke irons cannot match the Black Ops for softness of strike.
The 28˚ 7-iron loft isn’t too extreme given modern standards and produced some nice mid-high ball flights that will suit the majority of the demographic shopping in this market. My only criticism in regards to the performance would be that they are almost too forgiving, and what I mean by that is that it is actually quite difficult to fathom out where on the face you have struck your shot so from a feedback point of view, frankly, there isn’t much to help your development. However, if you are someone purely looking to make the game as easy as possible by using one of the most forgiving irons on the market, then you are certainly looking in the right place.
These are some of the most impressive game improvement irons I have tested. High-quality aesthetics, tons of forgiveness, and plenty of distance. If you are in the market for irons with those qualities, then the Black Ops iron from PXG is a good starting point.
Black Ops irons will be available in 4-9, plus W, G, S, and L wedges, and will be retailing for $149.99 or £139 per club.
