I’ve been playing the PXG irons for a little over a month now. I had been curious about these clubs ever since they were released. Actually, I was very curious.
I’m a complete golf club fanatic (more on this below) and I would typically have ordered the PXG’s much sooner. But the price tag prevented me from pulling the trigger. I kept hearing a voice that said, “How can a set of irons possibly be worth three thousand dollars?”
The interesting thing is that within a few minutes of hitting them, I had forgotten all about the price — it didn’t matter anymore.
Where I’m Coming From
I’m a head professional at a private club and this gives me the opportunity to try out lots of different clubs. Over the past two years, I’ve owned / played (3) sets of Mizuno irons: the MP-15’s, MP-5’s, and JPX-850’s. I’ve also played the new Ben Hogan Fort Worth Blades (which I loved) and the Callaway Apex Pro’s.
The Hogan irons felt great but somehow didn’t work for me. This may have been due to the loft / degree-numbering system. I’m not sure. I will say that they are terrific clubs.
As far as the Callaway’s with face cup technology, I thought, “OK, these aren’t blades, but they’re a lot of fun to blast the ball off of.” I was almost going to stick with them: I’m in my mid 50’s and I’m gradually accepting the fact that blades aren’t going to cut it for me much longer. I absolutely loved the distance on the Callaway’s. But the harsh feeling on mis-hits (harsh sound, too) was a problem.
I Make the Leap
When I finally broke down and ordered the PXG’s, well…what a shock. Or, should I say, what a lack of shock! Every shot feels like a marshmallow. It’s the softest feeling I’ve ever experienced.
They definitely feel softer than any of the Japanese-made forged irons on the market. And here’s the kicker: it’s not just softness on the sweet spot. I’m talking about the whole clubface — it’s soft from heel to toe.
The real benefit I’ve seen is that it’s much easier to make a good swing with these irons. When you know that impact is going to feel great, it frees you up. You’re more relaxed on the downswing and through the ball. Then your confidence skyrockets. It’s as though you know you’re going to make a good-to-great swing – and what a difference that makes.
If you’re thinking, “What is he talking about?” just watch the videos on the PXG website. The tour pro’s in these videos say things like, “These clubs are awesome.” But I think what they’re really saying is: when something feels this good at impact, that feeling influences your golf swing and it creates a positive reinforcement cycle. Then you actually start to make better swings.
I’m a club pro who doesn’t get to play a lot of golf. But I can typically get around a course somewhere in the vicinity of par, usually hitting 10-12 greens. I recently played a round at my home course and hit 16 greens. Of the two greens I missed, the ball landed on the putting surface and rolled off. I haven’t done that in a very long time.
That is what I’m talking about.
I can unequivocally state that there isn’t a club on the market that will build confidence in your iron play as the PXG’s do. I haven’t experienced anything like it.
About the Money
This is where it gets interesting.
Prior to writing this article, I spent some time checking the Internet for other reviews and comments on these clubs. It didn’t take long to notice that there was some resentment about the PXG’s (mostly in “user comments”). My impression was that many of the detractors hadn’t hit the clubs yet or probably hadn’t even seen them. But, the negativity wasn’t really a surprise.
Let’s say that you were a car lover and a reviewer went on and on about how great their new Maserati was. And how it cost $180K. Well, at that price who cares how great a car it is? How many people can afford one? The resentment would be understandable.
It’s the same thing with high-end golf clubs. But I think there’s good news coming.
Since the days of wooden shafts, there have been a number of revolutionary developments in club technology: steel shafts, cavity-back irons, graphite shafts, metal woods, etc. I believe that what PXG has done is not only comparable with these advancements, it surpasses them. And I don’t believe that this genie will be able to stay in the bottle. It is that remarkable.
I can’t make a prediction with any kind of certainty, but my guess is that this technology will be headed towards a price range near you at some point. Near future? Distant future? I don’t know. But the other club manufacturers already know how good these clubs are. And they won’t be sitting still.
So if $2,500 -3,000 is too much, stay tuned.
Will that be a problem for PXG? I doubt it. Everything about their clubs – the workmanship, the packaging, simply dealing with the company – screams quality. Given the number of high-end, private courses around, I think PXG has actually created a new market. Yes, Miura was there first — but not with this kind of technology or marketing.
Conclusion
As far back as I can remember, I have been looking for that special “feeling” in all my shots. I would hit balls for hours with my Mizuno blades just to feel that dead-nut-perfect shot.
I searched continuously for the “secret” club that would feel better. I bought tour-issued irons off eBay. I met a tour caddie and bought several sets from him. As a head pro, I set up accounts with all the big vendors just to get PUD’s (personal use discounts). Oddly enough, I nearly turned my back on the PXG’s because there was a glitch with my credit card when I first ordered. I thought it was a “sign” and cancelled the order!
Thankfully, the search is now over for me. This is the set of sticks I always wanted.
Unfortunately, the only way you’ll understand this will be to hit the PXG’s yourself. Which (depending on your finances) I encourage you to do.
Then you’ll know.
Note: This article relates to the PXG irons only. I haven’t hit their driver, woods, or hybrids yet. I am not affiliated with PXG nor am I a dealer for their equipment. This is not a paid review.
— Billy