Official Srixon ZX MKII DRIVER REVIEW THREAD
Posted: Thu Feb 02, 2023 7:00 pm
Srixon ZX MKII Line Review
Driver as tested:
Srixon ZX5 MKII LS
Loft in STD spec measured to exactly 8.5 degrees of loft on the face
Face angle is 1.7 degrees open
Shaft is Mitsubishi Tensei 1k White 70TX Untipped
45 inches in length
D4 swingweight
Grip is Super Stroke S-Tech Midsize
Notes about my game and swing:
I play to a 1 handicap with a typical swing speed of 117-120mph. I set the club fully with my wrists, going slightly past parallel in the back swing. Grip is very neutral, path is typically 2.5-3 degrees inside to out, with the club face being 1-2 degrees closed at impact. This results in my normal ball flight being a slight pull draw. My normal angle of attack is around 3.5-4 degrees upward, and my tempo would be described as medium to slightly smooth. Release is late with a bit of hand rotation through impact, and typical miss would be an over draw, which cuts off a few hundred rpm of spin. I tend to like “white” profile shafts with a stiff tip, preferred weight being mid to upper 70 gram range.
A giant Thank you to Srixon for providing these heads for testing and review.
Also a big thank you to Super Stroke for providing not only the grips for this test, but for all GIA testing for the first half of 2023.
Looks: 9.5/10
Although most of the major manufacturers have gone gloss this year, the Srixon heads still look great in the matte black finish, and with everyone else seemingly changing over, it's a look that sets them apart in 2023. The overall shape of the head is very subtle in a triangular shape, which has become common with the modern driver. The overall aesthetic is clean, attractive, and all business, which carries throughout the entire MKII line.
Sound/Feel: 10/10
While the ZX5 and ZX7 are a bit more metallic in the strike tone, the LS head is amazingly solid and muted feeling. While feeling explosive, it also has almost a hammer sensation in feeling like you are compressing the ball completely. The sound and feel of this are both incredibly satisfying and exceptionally powerful, and most of all, the driver just FEELS fast. My immediate thought when I hit the LS is that it feels very much like the 2016 M2 that our testers described as “feeling like you're hitting a wood baseball bat” type feeling. If this type of sound and feel appeal to you, the LS head captures it better than any driver, by any manufacturer this year.
Distance Performance: 10/10
Having hit all the heads, I am going to focus on the model that fits me best and I had best results with, which is the ZX5 MKII LS. Let me start by saying this. There is no retail driver in 2023 that spins less than this driver, and that pertains to every manufacturer. I actually found myself teeing the ball slightly higher to increase the height of the apex because the spin was so low. That, coupled with top of the driver-world ball speeds meant that I was carrying this driver right up there with the best, but add in roll on firmer fairways, and this could be THE longest driver of 2023. It is an absolutely rocket. I will say this however, if are are already a super low spin player, the ZX5 or ZX7 may be the better choice, or you may really want to loft up on the LS head.
Forgiveness: 9.5/10
I would say this was the area I expected these drivers to shine, but it's also the most surprising of all the categories. As many of you know, when you have a driver head that launches consistently under 2000rpm, controlling the golf ball can be a bit difficult. Somehow with the LS, it wasn't at all difficult to control. I hit a small draw on every strike, never hit any wild left shots, and was even able to hit a soft knuckle fade when needed. I kept waiting to find a slight mishit location or a bit of a lazy swing that would expose the wild low spin miss. It never came. I truly do not understand how the LS head can be this low spin and not have any wild spots in it. It's like combining the forgiveness of a max head with the distance of the ultra low spin model. Your mileage my vary, but for me, the lack of penal shots in a combination like this is astounding.
Overall Thoughts:
We all know Srixon has gained a bit of a cult following in their irons, for very good reason, but the drivers have been a true after thought when compared with the giants of the golf industry. While we have always thought they don't exactly get the credit they deserve, this year is different. These are not just good drivers, made by a company that makes great irons. Again, this year is very different, and this is the year Srixon drivers are amongst the very best in golf, regardless of manufacturer. The LS, for me, is one of the top 3 drivers made this year, and if super low spin is what you need, it might be the very best. The entire line was very well received by all our testers, and the LS was the true shining star. I, personally, am incredibly impressed with this golf club, and very excited, knowing that in 2023 there is another true standout in the world of golf drivers. Well done Srixon.
Driver as tested:
Srixon ZX5 MKII LS
Loft in STD spec measured to exactly 8.5 degrees of loft on the face
Face angle is 1.7 degrees open
Shaft is Mitsubishi Tensei 1k White 70TX Untipped
45 inches in length
D4 swingweight
Grip is Super Stroke S-Tech Midsize
Notes about my game and swing:
I play to a 1 handicap with a typical swing speed of 117-120mph. I set the club fully with my wrists, going slightly past parallel in the back swing. Grip is very neutral, path is typically 2.5-3 degrees inside to out, with the club face being 1-2 degrees closed at impact. This results in my normal ball flight being a slight pull draw. My normal angle of attack is around 3.5-4 degrees upward, and my tempo would be described as medium to slightly smooth. Release is late with a bit of hand rotation through impact, and typical miss would be an over draw, which cuts off a few hundred rpm of spin. I tend to like “white” profile shafts with a stiff tip, preferred weight being mid to upper 70 gram range.
A giant Thank you to Srixon for providing these heads for testing and review.
Also a big thank you to Super Stroke for providing not only the grips for this test, but for all GIA testing for the first half of 2023.
Looks: 9.5/10
Although most of the major manufacturers have gone gloss this year, the Srixon heads still look great in the matte black finish, and with everyone else seemingly changing over, it's a look that sets them apart in 2023. The overall shape of the head is very subtle in a triangular shape, which has become common with the modern driver. The overall aesthetic is clean, attractive, and all business, which carries throughout the entire MKII line.
Sound/Feel: 10/10
While the ZX5 and ZX7 are a bit more metallic in the strike tone, the LS head is amazingly solid and muted feeling. While feeling explosive, it also has almost a hammer sensation in feeling like you are compressing the ball completely. The sound and feel of this are both incredibly satisfying and exceptionally powerful, and most of all, the driver just FEELS fast. My immediate thought when I hit the LS is that it feels very much like the 2016 M2 that our testers described as “feeling like you're hitting a wood baseball bat” type feeling. If this type of sound and feel appeal to you, the LS head captures it better than any driver, by any manufacturer this year.
Distance Performance: 10/10
Having hit all the heads, I am going to focus on the model that fits me best and I had best results with, which is the ZX5 MKII LS. Let me start by saying this. There is no retail driver in 2023 that spins less than this driver, and that pertains to every manufacturer. I actually found myself teeing the ball slightly higher to increase the height of the apex because the spin was so low. That, coupled with top of the driver-world ball speeds meant that I was carrying this driver right up there with the best, but add in roll on firmer fairways, and this could be THE longest driver of 2023. It is an absolutely rocket. I will say this however, if are are already a super low spin player, the ZX5 or ZX7 may be the better choice, or you may really want to loft up on the LS head.
Forgiveness: 9.5/10
I would say this was the area I expected these drivers to shine, but it's also the most surprising of all the categories. As many of you know, when you have a driver head that launches consistently under 2000rpm, controlling the golf ball can be a bit difficult. Somehow with the LS, it wasn't at all difficult to control. I hit a small draw on every strike, never hit any wild left shots, and was even able to hit a soft knuckle fade when needed. I kept waiting to find a slight mishit location or a bit of a lazy swing that would expose the wild low spin miss. It never came. I truly do not understand how the LS head can be this low spin and not have any wild spots in it. It's like combining the forgiveness of a max head with the distance of the ultra low spin model. Your mileage my vary, but for me, the lack of penal shots in a combination like this is astounding.
Overall Thoughts:
We all know Srixon has gained a bit of a cult following in their irons, for very good reason, but the drivers have been a true after thought when compared with the giants of the golf industry. While we have always thought they don't exactly get the credit they deserve, this year is different. These are not just good drivers, made by a company that makes great irons. Again, this year is very different, and this is the year Srixon drivers are amongst the very best in golf, regardless of manufacturer. The LS, for me, is one of the top 3 drivers made this year, and if super low spin is what you need, it might be the very best. The entire line was very well received by all our testers, and the LS was the true shining star. I, personally, am incredibly impressed with this golf club, and very excited, knowing that in 2023 there is another true standout in the world of golf drivers. Well done Srixon.