Fantastic forgiveness for an elite players iron, buttery soft feel, subtle yet satisfying sound at impact, maximum workability for better players, excellent stopping power
Cons
Compact head could be intimidating at address, large centre weight can only be changed at a custom fitting
PXG 0317 CB Irons: Key Features
Milled face and back: a CNC milled face ensures every line, curve and angle are crafted to exact specs for enhanced performance and aesthetics
Precision weighting: A large single weight that can be altered during a fitting process to ensure optimal swing weight.
Triple forged: using 8620 soft carbon steel forged three times, produces a tight grain structure for increased strength and enhanced feel and appearance
Robotic polishing process: ensures consistent sole and face perimeter geometry from every club
Aptly named after the US Marine Corps Scout Sniper, no pin is safe when PXG 0317 CB irons are out on the course. Providing the elegant looks and premium feel demanded by elite golfers, the 0317 irons also deliver outstanding forgiveness for those players who sometimes fail to find dead centre on the club face.
Designed with low-handicap golfers in mind, PXG set out to create irons that could deliver the sleek profile and unique feel of a blade with the forgiveness you'd expect from a players distance iron. Did the engineers out in Scottsdale achieve their goal? as we've come to expect from them, yes they did.
We experienced excellent performance during our testing and believe these irons could be an excellent fit for players who crave the feel and workability of a blade, but need help maintaining ball speed and accuracy from off centre strikes.
We were so impressed by the results from our testing that these irons have gone straight in our best golf irons guide for 2023.
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Player Level
Certainly an iron for the low single-figure handicapper. The short blade length and weak lofts will suit premium ball strikers who prioritise feel and workability. Added forgiveness will benefit those looking for something a little easier to hit than a classic blade, but players who need the added performance benefits of a players distance iron would be better suited looking elsewhere.
PXG 0317 CB Irons
PXG 0317 CB: Looks and Feel
Sat at address these irons have a traditional players look. A thin top line and compact head length combined with minimal offset produce a sleek but somewhat intimidating profile. A sight to behold when sat behind the ball, these irons look very pure and this gave us a good clue as to how they would feel.
Looking at the back of the club our eye was immediately drawn to the single black weight sitting at the centre. The black weight provides a nice mono chromatic look that paired with the fine milled detailing, really appealed to us. Milled text detailing and the PXG logo rounded out what is a fantastic looking iron.
As we hinted at before, the feel of these clubs is very pure. If you've hit a blade out the middle of the club, you will be familiar with that feeling that you almost haven't hit it at all. Some call it a phantom strike while others refer to it as buttery. But one thing we can all agree on is that there are few better feelings in the game of golf!
That luxurious sensation is exactly what you receive when you strike these irons out of the middle of the face. You will certainly know when you hit one out of the heel or toe with plenty of feedback, but that's to be expected from a players iron.
The sound produced by the PXG 0317 is subtle yet satisfying. Quiet off the club face, the shorter irons produce a deep "thud" at impact, while the longer irons create a slightly more high pitched sound thats equally as rewarding.
PXG 0317 CB Irons
PXG 0317 CB: Forgiveness and Performance
To evaluate the performance of the 0317 CB irons we are going to take a closer look at the numbers they produced when we tested them with a GC Quad at Gray's Golf. Looking at the 7-iron, we produced ball speeds of 130 mph at 6892 RPM with a carry distance of 180 yards and a total distance of 185 yards.
Distance wise, this is close to the ideal number we would be looking for. While there are certainly longer irons out there, carrying the ball closer to 200 yards with a 7-iron can introduce difficult gapping issues with your shorter clubs.
Thanks to the spin generated we were also able to get the ball to stop quickly with only five yards of roll out. Being able to stop the ball on greens is a vital part of shooting lower scores and when we tested these irons on the course we were very pleased with the way the ball reacted once it landed.
Forgiveness was where our curiosity really peaked during testing. Traditionally, players irons tend to offer very little help with off-centre hits and we were ready to see loose shots falling out of the sky wide of the target.
These irons surprised us however. While mishits were still prone to deviation and a fall off in ball speed, it was much less severe than we thought it would be. We were particularly happy with the offline dispersion we experienced with stray shots left and right only narrowly missing the target.
It's this level of dispersion that will particularly appeal to golfers who enjoy the feel and workability of a players iron but want a touch more forgiveness than you would typically get from one.
What is a $30,000 golf trip to PXG's headquarters REALLY like?
If you're a scratch to single-figure handicap golfer who prioritises the feel and workability of a players iron, but could benefit from some added forgiveness, then these could be the perfect set of irons for you.
Premium looks, feel and performance are all on offer from the 0317 CBs and they are undoubtedly worthy of your consideration when you next decide to upgrade your irons.
PXG offer an outstanding fitting experience and we would highly recommend paying them a visit to make sure you have the correct specifications to suit your game.
If you're seeking something a little more forgiving then we would recommend the PXG GEN6 Irons.
Johnny joined GolfMagic as Reviews Editor in 2023 having worked for Sports Impact for two years as Head of Social Media, working alongside prominent golf brands including Galvin Green, Motocaddy and Wilson.
