COST: $245.95 (graphite) and $214.95 (steel) per iron.

TESTED BY: Jimmy Emanuel, Deputy Editor (GA Handicap 9.4).

MODELS PLAYED: ZX5 irons fitted with Nippon Modus Tour 105 Stiff shafts & ZX7 irons, fitted with Nippon Modus Tour 120 Stiff shafts.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Upon first inspection of Srixon’s latest forged irons, there was no questioning that they came from the long line of solidly performing irons from the company through their looks and soft feel off the face.

The ZX7 really appealed to me from a looks perspective and I loved shaping shots with the better player model, while the more forgiving ZX5 nicely blended feel with impressive mis-hit performance and a higher flight.

HOW THEY PERFORMED: Srixon’s forged irons perhaps don’t get the attention they deserve in a very competitive category, but having claimed multiple majors in 2019 (Shane Lowry and Hannah Green) and with a history of strong all round performance, they certainly deserve higher praise.

In the case of the latest releases, Srixon has clearly made an effort to increase the technology to accompany its soft forgings and the improvements were noticeable throughout my testing both on the range and on course.

Distance increases on previous models were present, most noticeably in the ZX5, while the refined shape of the ZX7 made it my favourite looking Srixon iron since all the way back to the muscle back blade Pro 100 that I absolutely loved.

The ZX5 is definitively the most Srixon-looking of the two, with a fairly squared off topline and general appearance, with its cavity back design delivering an extremely easy to hit forged golf club.

Intentionally hitting shots from the toe, heel, low and high in the face, I was very impressed by the consistency of ball flight and carry distance that makes these a very good option for players who might not find the centre of the face with regularity, but wish to opt for a forged model.

The look of the ZX5 provides some confidence at address as well, while working shots is achievable, my draws and fades were only slight and more felt as though they fell to one side or the other rather than drastically moved left and right.

In contrast, the ZX7 is certainly made for ball flight control and workability. Hitting all kinds of shots with the more compact model was both fun and fairly easy to achieve and the small cavity provided enough forgiveness to make these an option for more than just the top Tour pros in the world.

The feel of the ZX7 is outstanding off the face and as previously mentioned the appearance behind the ball is much improved on some of the company’s previous models and even some competitor options in the same category.

In terms of appearance, the simple cavity design of both models, which lack any significant colour or flair appealed to me and reinforce the sort of player the line is aimed at when it comes to irons.

Both models feature an updated version of Srixon’s ‘Tour V.T.’ sole that although quite different in appearance to many other irons really does as promoted.

Turf interaction is very smooth and both models were very capable of handling any and every lie I encountered throughout my time with the ZX irons.

Overall, the new irons from Srixon are almost a reflection of their appearance: Understated and produced with great attention to detail. The ZX7 is certainly worthy of consideration by anyone in the market for a true player’s cavity iron, while the ZX5 is a somewhat unique offering in the forged iron market and is the major beneficiary of Srixon’s greater emphasis on technology in its latest release.

FACTS AND FIGURES

SUITABILITY: The Srixon ZX iron range will appeal to a diverse range of players, with the ZX5 suited to players looking for a combination of forged feel and forgiveness, while the ZX7 is aimed at strong ball strikers and better players.

LEFT-HANDED: Both ZX iron models are offered in right and left-handed.

SRIXON SAYS: Srixon remains at the forefront of iron design and performance, and the new ZX irons represent the perfect combination of beauty and power.

Created with human intelligence yet perfected by the artificial kind, ‘MainFrame’ is a one-of-a-kind face design that increases ball speed on every shot. Milled into the backside of every iron face, MainFrame is a variable thickness pattern made up of grooves, channels, and cavities.

After two years of learning and refining, these final faces offer greatly improved COR because they maximize flex at impact for more ball speed on every strike.

Srixon’s ZX5 irons combine pioneering ball speed technology with premium forged feel, and delivers all of it in a forgiving yet workable profile that’s razor sharp at address.

Meanwhile, Srixon’s ZX7 irons provide a compact blade shape, slim topline, and narrow sole that delivers the workability, feel, and aesthetics of a world-class players iron.

Both irons offer an updated ‘Tour V.T. Sole’ that glides smoothly through the turf, progressive grooves to improve consistency, and forged construction from a soft 1020 carbon steel body that absorbs vibrations for an extremely soft feel.

Visit www.srixon.com.au to find out more.