Srixon zx Irons | What’s the Deal?
Chances are, when I said ‘Srixon’, the first thing you thought about was golf balls, not irons.
Srixon’s marketing indeed seems to have led people down the ball route. But here’s the thing. In terms of performance, Srixon irons are right up there with some of the really big players.
If you were to hold the Srixon zx5 and zx7 irons side by side, you’d probably struggle to see the difference (Don’t worry, I’ll talk about the Srixon zx4 irons too). But there absolutely is a difference, and I mean that in a good way.
Essentially, what you are getting with the irons is the ability to create a combo set that offers forgiveness in the long irons, performance in your short irons and a forged feel across the entire club set with every shot.
Does that sound like something that you want in an iron?
Hint: You should.
I hit the practice ground with a bucket of balls, an armful of clubs… (Yes, I did end up carrying a set of zx5 irons and the zx7 irons) and my very best swing [Link to swing trainer article] and after several shots have got a real feel for the irons.
Here’s what I found out…
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- How Good Are Srixon Irons?
The Srixon zx irons? In a couple of words… Very good.
Srixon is certainly not a budget brand. While they aren’t quite as popular as, say, TaylorMade, they offer performance that easily matches the really big players.
Iron choice can be a tricky thing. On the one hand, you want performance and real stopping power, but you also want forgiveness in something really easy to hit. Fortunately, Srixon has managed to tick both boxes with the combination of their zx5 and zx7 irons.
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- Are Srixon zx5 Forged?
Yes, they are. Forged 1020 carbon steel, to be precise. And it shows.
The nice thing is that you get plenty of forgiveness, but you’ll also get that signature soft feel found in premium clubs.
Forged irons can sometimes be a little difficult to hit and are often considered more of a ‘players iron’. Srixon has decided that it doesn’t need to be this way and have introduced lots of clever technology to the irons, such as their ‘mainframe’ technology, a wider sole and progressive grooves.
A forged iron with a cavity? Sounds like a great combo to us.
I’m going to take a birdseye view of the zx irons and features, then go into some detail about each type, so you get a really good overview…
Let’s dive in and take a look at the new zx range of irons.…
The New Srixon zx Irons | 2021 Review
At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking these irons are all the same. And I’ll be honest; it can be a little confusing. Same same but different? It sounds like that time I went to Thailand… Here’s what you need to know.
Looks
Regardless of which we are talking about, these clubs look really stunning. They are full of clean lines, minimal detail, and there isn’t an insert in sight. The 1020 carbon steel body would look great in your bag on the 1st.
As you work your way up the range, you’ll notice that the top line gets thinner with the more advanced zx7 irons. But even this isn’t ‘too thin’. They aren’t quite a set of ‘tour blades’. The cavity back features on both the zx5 irons and the zx7 irons.
When positioned behind the ball, the irons look clean and smart… You’ll find that the zx7 irons look a little more compact and bladelike. They do have a slightly thinner topline and less room toward the toe.
Technology
Aside from very small aesthetic changes, what’s going on ‘behind the scenes’ gives these irons different performance levels.
MainFrame
The main difference is the inclusion of ‘mainframe’ technology on the zx4 and zx5 irons.
Mainframe is the result of 2 years of research and development by Srixon. Aided greatly by artificial intelligence, the face has been designed to increase ball speed on every shot.
Mainframe uses grooves, channels, and cavities, all positioned with a variable thickness pattern. This increases COR, which, in theory, should give you faster ball speed and higher launch angles.
All of the new Srixon irons benefit from a forged multi-piece construction.
Unique Tour V.T Sole
The tour V.T sole is featured on all of the new Srixon range.
The sole aims to provide improved turf interaction. Essentially it cuts through the turf easier. This means that if you want to hit down into the ball, you’ll be able to do so.
You’ll also notice some grooves on the sole. These sole notches are designed to allow you to enhance workability and should, in theory, keep the clubface square on impact.
A Forged Iron? Yes, Please!
Perhaps the standout feature of the Srixon zx range is the forged performance and feel. The entire range features a 1020 carbon steel frame around which the clubhead is constructed. This is the same whether you opt for the players choice in the Srixon zx7 iron or are looking for something more forgiving in the zx5 iron.
Sound
There are no surprises with the sound on striking the ball. It sounds like an iron should. A crisp crack! I’ll be honest there was no discernible difference in sound between the irons. The Srixon zx5 and zx7 sounded identical.
Feel
Feel is an area that I was keen to focus on. After all, would a game improvement iron differ that much from a players club from the same manufacturer?
I’m pleased to say that across the range, the irons gave a great feel.
The new zx5 is slightly ‘softer’ than the zx7, but that said, it is meant to be slightly more aimed at the game improvement market. I hit a few shots off the toe with a 7 iron. I’m pleased to say that the ball still got airborne, and there wasn’t too much vibration in the club.
Still, the Srixon zx7 gives an amazing feel. If you find the middle, it’s effortless. Shots nearer the toe will be slightly more ‘dead’.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is one thing that you should be looking for, even if you are a true ‘player’. There is a sliding scale when it comes to which series of irons is the most forgiving.
You’ll only find the main frame technology on the Srixon zx5 and zx4 irons. It isn’t featured on the Srixon zx7 set. And you can tell the difference. When hitting a 7 iron with the Srixon zx5, I still got decent ball speeds and good distance even with a sub-standard strike.
The zx7 irons don’t claim to be the most forgiving. Instead, according to Srixon, you’ll get ‘slight assistance’…
Performance
The irons all performed pretty well. If you are looking for control and real stopping power, then the zx7 irons produce a hell of a lot of spin.
When it comes to distance, the stand out winner for me was the zx5 irons. I found that I was able to get a mid-high launch without having to try too hard. The spin was still good enough to cause a bounce and check when I managed to find the green with my ball. And the clubs performed just as well as any cavity back from Ping or Taylormade.
Recommended Reading: Mizuno ST-Z Review
Zx4 irons vs Srixon zx5 and zx7?
So, you’ve got a range of Srixon’s irons that look similar with related technology, and you aren’t sure which would be the best fit? I’m going to make it easy. Here’s an ‘at a glance’ guide to the new zx irons:
The Srixon zx4 Irons
Pros and Cons
— PROS —
- Lots of forgiveness
- Great distance
- High and fast launch
- Great looks
- Forged feel in a game improvement iron
— CONS —
- The thick topline won’t be for everyone.
- Harder to work shots
The Srixon zx5 Irons
Pros and Cons
— PROS —
- Still pretty forgiving
- High spin and launch speed
- Good distance
- A good blend of game improvement and players iron
- Clean lines and looks behind the ball
— CONS —
- Srixon’s zx5 irons aren't quite as forgiving as the zx4’s
- Perhaps a little thin on the topline for a game improvement club
Srixon’s zx7 Irons
Pros and Cons
— PROS —
- Great potential to work the ball
- Real distance and spin (provided you find the middle)
- Soft feel, in a forged face
— CONS —
- Not as forgiving as the zx5’s
- Only suitable for consistent ball strikers
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- What Are The Most Forgiving Blade Irons?
That depends on the price of what you are looking for. I’d say a good amount is two.
A 54° wedge will cover you for any shots on or around the 100 yard mark. Once you get down towards 50 yards, it pays to have something with a higher loft in your bag. A 60 degree angle is great for short shots.
If you don’t have the space or funds for two wedges, this isn’t a big deal. You could go-between for the best of both worlds. A 56-degree wedge will tick a lot of boxes and provide you with enough distance to play those longer full shots, but it will also be lofty enough for short shots too.
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Frequently Asked Questions ️
Srixon’s latest clubs should certainly give you something to think about. Maybe you want to take your golf to the next level or are looking to get more out of an iron? Here are some of the things I get asked most often…
Srixon is actually made in Japan. The Japanese have been making forged blades for years (I’m talking centuries), so they should know a thing or two about working metal. Mizuno is also made in Japan, and they produce some of the best forged irons around.
Average golfers generally need two things in their golf: distance and forgiveness. If you can find a golf club that offers both of those things, then you have found ‘the best’.In the case of Srixon’s newest offering, I’d recommend the Srixon zx5 irons. They offer plenty of forgiveness with a good degree of workability, which will allow you to progress as you improve.
I’m going to be honest, here. A cavity back will outperform a blade 9 out of 10 times when it comes to getting a quality strike.
Perimeter weighting and thinner faces will result in a higher launch and more spin. You’ll also find that they let you get away with a lot more, especially if you tend to miss the middle occasionally.
Final thoughts…
You’ll rarely find a set of irons that all look the same but offer different levels of performance. It’s also rare to see the word ‘forged’ alongside terms such as ‘game improvement’. Soft feel, performance and forgiveness all sound like things we might need. Investing in Srixon’s newest irons might just be what you need to take your game to the next level.
