Srixon ZX Mk II Irons – Key Takeaways
Updates to ZX7, ZX5 and ZX4 fashions and utility irons
Designed for combo units—all toplines the identical width
New Z-Solid blades additionally a part of the discharge
$1,199 for a 7-piece set; Utility irons $239.99
Out there Jan 20; blades April 19
The brand new Srixon ZX Mk II irons, at first look, observe Srixon’s well-documented Kaizen philosophy of incremental enchancment. Positive, there are technical updates and enhancements however nothing that grabs you by the shirt and says, “Discover me!”
Nonetheless, a mere cursory take a look at the Srixon ZX Mk II could be a mistake.
Srixon irons have lengthy been an underground favourite for MyGolfSpy readers. In our current WITB Survey, Srixon irons offered on par with PING and PXG. That’s a fee that’s roughly double Srixon’s total irons market share.
Make no mistake. Srixon goes after huge canine Callaway, TaylorMade and Titleist. From all outward appearances, we expect Srixon has Mizuno in its crosshairs and needs to be the participant’s selection.
And from what we will inform, the brand new ZX Mk II irons—and the companion utility irons—are a wholesome opening salvo.
Srixon ZX Mk II Irons: What’s New?
In true Kaizen vogue, many of the upgrades to the Srixon ZX Mk II irons are incremental. The one-piece 1020 solid ZX7 will get a lift to its Pureframe expertise. And the participant’s distance ZX5 is getting the next-generation AI-designed Mainframe variable thickness face.
Possibly the obvious improve is to the newly slimmed-down game-improvement ZX4. Once we examined the unique ZX4 in 2021 Most Wished, it was included within the tremendous game-improvement class (the ZX5 was thought-about game-improvement). However with its new, smooth profile and thinner sole width, the ZX4 jumps to game-improvement whereas the ZX5 strikes into the participant’s distance class.
That’s all fantastic and dandy however the huge information with the Srixon ZX Mk II irons can solely be seen from above. Just like the Mizuno Professional iron household, the Srixon ZX Mk II irons are made to be blended, a lot in order that Srixon has deliberately made all the toplines the identical width. That features the utility irons.
“We’ve talked about combo units and mixing for a number of generations,” says Srixon Engineering Director Dustin Brekke. “We’ve been conscious of it, however for this line, it’s been some extent of emphasis from the engineering to the specs.”
Contemplating 75 p.c of Srixon’s irons gross sales are {custom} orders, it’s a clever path to take.
Toplines, Sole Widths and Blade Lengths
The topline in all three of the brand new Srixon ZX Mk II iron units is six millimeters because the topline for the ZX utility iron. Whereas it looks like a no brainer, Brekke says it’s not that simple to tug off. “Getting the topline to match with hole our bodies just like the ZX4 and ZX Utility, that’s not a trivial feat. You might have wider soles (than the ZX5 and ZX7) and also you’re going to have a again aspect to it. And you need to ensure it has a extra participant’s kind dimension face.”
Within the earlier technology, the ZX 4 and ZX Utility seemed, as finest, like half-siblings to the ZX5 and ZX7. They’d a shorter, fatter profile with a lot wider soles, lengthy blade lengths and thicker toplines. Srixon has taken care of the topline and has narrowed the variations in blade lengths and sole widths.
For instance, there’s a scant three millimeter distinction in pitching wedge blade size between ZX7 and ZX4, and fewer than a 4 millimeter distinction in 7-iron blade size. The only real widths, clearly, have wider deltas, however they’re not loopy. The distinction in 4-iron sole width between the ZX7 and ZX4 is lower than 4mm whereas the ZX Utility 4-iron sole is 7mm wider than that of the ZX7. Because the irons get shorter, the only width distinction will get wider.
Offsets with combo units can get hinky however, once more, the variations listed here are minimal. All through all three units and the utilities, the widest distinction loft to loft is just 1mm.
Srixon ZX7 and Pureframe
Surprisingly, the Srixon ZX7 was a bottom-third performer in 2021’s Most Wished Participant’s Iron testing. Whereas it scored very extremely for distance and testers liked the texture, it struggled in Strokes Gained. The brand new mannequin is getting an up to date model of Srixon’s Pureframe expertise. It’s a ridge solid into the physique of the iron that locations 80 p.c extra mass on the candy spot.
“Mass behind the ball pertains to vibrations and face deflection at influence,” says Brekke. “On this technology, there’s extra evaluation so we higher perceive face deflection in a solid cavity-back. We’re higher in a position to create a blade-like buttery really feel.”
The ZX7 is certainly on the better-player aspect of the participant’s cavity-back section. Nonetheless, changes to Srixon’s trademark VT Sole and distinctive Sole Notches are geared toward making it a bit extra pleasant.
“Sole Notches are there to cut back drag the place the heel or toe could also be catching the turf greater than supposed,” says Brekke. “Possibly it’s turf situation or possibly the participant is a bit more upright or flat. We’re making an attempt to cut back that variable.”
Moreover, the VT Sole has a bit extra added bounce on the forefront to get the membership head by way of the turf higher and to cut back the influence of barely fats photographs.
The ZX5 and Mainframe
The Srixon ZX5 was a top-five performer in our 2021 game-improvement iron but it surely completed within the backside half for distance. Since Srixon is transferring the ZX5 into the participant’s distance class, one thing has to provide.
“There’s no large evolution with the ZX5,” says Brekke. “However there are changes and enhancements to the Mainframe face and the variable thickness sample to cut back mass and improve ball velocity.”
Mainframe is Srixon’s computer-design face expertise. It’s a variable thickness sample with grooves, channels and cavities solid into the again of the cast SUP10 face. Srixon has been utilizing SUP10 for years. It’s a troublesome metal with comparatively excessive tensile power. The ZX5 iron physique is solid from 1020 carbon metal.
Overhaul for the ZX4
When Srixon launched the ZX4 in 2021, it appeared like an iron and not using a dwelling. It was, and nonetheless is, a hollow-bodied iron constructed for distance and forgiveness. But it surely appeared misplaced within the tremendous game-improvement class and had somewhat an excessive amount of junk within the trunk to be participant’s distance. For this go-round, Srixon isn’t leaving it as much as interpretation: it’s calling the ZX4 “game-improvement” (interval and exclamation level!.
The lofts are very a lot in step with others within the GI class (28.5-degree 7-iron) however with greater than 25 p.c much less offset that Paradym X, it positively leans towards the higher participant aspect of game-improvement. Srixon is utilizing high-strength HT 1770M stainless-steel for the Mainframe-designed variable thickness face for the ZX4’s hollow-bodied development.
And it’s actually a hole physique with no TPU, microspheres or another kind of medicated goo to soak up sound and vibration. Normally, that kind of development sounds, properly, clanky—at finest. However the mixture of HT 1770M face, a 431 stainless-steel physique and a few engineering and geometry make the ZX4 really feel extra like a single-piece forging than a game-improvement iron. It’s a reasonably slick trick.
The only real has additionally been thinned out in comparison with the earlier model so it’ll match extra seamlessly right into a combo set with the ZX5 and ZX7.
It wouldn’t be a game-improvement iron story and not using a “low CG” paragraph or two. A low heart of gravity helps get the ball within the air and, when mixed with sturdy lofts, makes the ball go like hell. The ZX4 options further hunks of tungsten low within the sole to push the CG to subterranean ranges.
Srixon ZX Utility Irons
The ZX utility irons are additionally getting a makeover. The objective is to make them move seamlessly right into a combo set with the ZX5s, given a ZX4 long-iron participant is extra more likely to companion up with a hybrid than a utility iron. Once more, the topline has been thinned however the sole is definitely only a tad wider than the earlier mannequin.
“As you get to your longer irons, you aren’t taking almost as huge of a divot,” says Brekke. “You might have a shallower angle of assault, you’re compressing much less and your fingers are much less in entrance of the ball. So that you want much less bounce.”
The ZX utility irons function the AI-designed Mainframe variable thickness face. It’s created from the identical solid SUP10 materials because the ZX5 face and the physique is identical solid 1020 carbon metal.
Srixon utility irons are a favourite amongst MyGolfSpy readers. You named it your third hottest utility in our WITB survey and plenty of PGA TOUR gamers recreation no less than one Srixon utility and not using a contract. That features Scottie Scheffler, who had one in his bag when he gained the Masters final 12 months.
Srixon ZX Mk II Irons: Specs, Value and Availability
As talked about, 75 p.c of Srixon’s irons gross sales are custom-ordered and -built. The ZX Mk II iron line is designed to maximise {custom} builds. The ZX7 and ZX5 lofts are shut sufficient to make the 6- to 7-iron transition easy however the ZX4’s sturdy loft matrix may make gapping with the ZX5 somewhat hinky. Nothing an excellent becoming and a bending machine can’t repair.
The utility irons can be found in 2-, 3- and 4-irons (18-, 20- and 23-degree lofts).
The Nippon Modus3 120 is the inventory metal shaft for the ZX7s whereas the KBS Tour Mild is inventory in each the ZX4 and ZX5. The UST Mamiya Recoil Dart is the inventory graphite shaft for all three irons units in addition to for the ZX utility irons.
The Golf Satisfaction Tour Velvet 360 is the inventory grip. Your entire line is on the market for lefties and righties.
Regardless of the way you combine and match, a seven-piece Srixon ZX Mk II iron set runs $1,199.99 or simply over $171 per stick. The ZX utility irons will retail for $239.99 every.
The complete Srixon ZX Mk II iron lineup will probably be accessible beginning Jan. 20. For extra data, go to the brand new Dunlop Sports activities-Srixon-Cleveland-XXIO web site.
New Srixon Z-Solid II Blades
Srixon can be giving its solid blades their scheduled four-year makeover. When you’re a critical OEM, you want an attractive set of blades. And these scream critical. And attractive.
“The product lifecycles with blades are longer as a result of it’s not evolving as rapidly,” says Brekke. “We will enhance the high-low MOI, which could be very small in a blade. If we take away somewhat mass from the perimeters and depart extra within the heart, within the blade flange and within the muscle, we will make some minor enhancements.
“That might assist a Tour participant so long as we don’t mess up the texture on the middle or mess up efficiency on the only.”
The Srixon Z-Solid II blades are solid from 1020 carbon metal and have a few of the identical expertise because the ZX Mk II irons. There’s Srixon’s VT sole for turf interplay in addition to Srixon’s distinctive progressive grooves. The three- by way of 7-irons function wider grooves (ultimate for distance) whereas the 8-irons by way of pitching wedges have deeper, nearer set grooves to channel by way of grass and different junk to reinforce spin on strategy photographs.
“It’s a staple of the product line,” says Brekke. “But it surely’s really helpful for only a few.”
So long as these only a few are right-handed. Sorry, lefties.
The Nippon Modus3 120 is the inventory shaft and the Golf Satisfaction Tour Velvet 360 is the inventory grip.
The Srixon Z-Solid II blades will run $1,199.99 for a seven-piece set. They’ll be accessible on April 19.
For extra data, hit the Srixon web site.
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