Srixon ZXi7 Irons Review: Srixon's new Players Irons Tested

Srixon ZXi7 Key Features:

• i-Forged construction: A new, softer S15 steel makes up the ZXi7, providing incredible feel and control. A reworked Tungsten weight also tweaks the centre of gravity to provide consistency and playability across the bag
• Pureframe: A subtle ridge forged into the rear of the muscle-back cavity, expanded in this year's model provides more metal behind the sweet spot for more feel, distance and control.
• Tour V.T. Sole: Enhanced leading-edge bounce and trailing-edge relief for more compression on the deeper downswings common among better players.
• Progressive Grooves: Wider grooves from 3-7i and narrower grooves from 8-AW provide consistent spin, while laser milling across the entire set enhance bite.

To say that Srixon have had a heck of a time since launching the ZXi7 irons a couple of months ago would be an understatement. 

For us here at GolfMagic, it's incredibly easy to see why these clubs have quickly become one of the best low-handicap irons in the game. 

The Japanese brand has recently enjoyed a hat-trick of wins on tour: the ZXi7 featuring prominently in two of them as JJ Spaun took them to a famous US Open victory and Ryan Fox claimed the RBC Canadian Open a week prior. The ZXi7's predecessor, the ZX7, then featured prominently in Keegan Bradley's triumph at last week's Travelers Championship.

With that in mind, we thought it high time to get the ZXi7 out on the course once and for all, to see just why these under-the-radar players irons are racking up so many wins on tour, and exactly what they have to offer better players, and crucially whether they live up to the legacy of the ZX7. 

GolfMagic Equipment Editor Tom Usher took the latest Srixon ZXi7 irons out onto the course and up against a launch monitor in a studio to see what they're all about, and to which type of golfer they're best suited. 

Player Level

The Srixon ZXi7 is designed to optimise distance, control and feel when struck out of the middle, and I'm emphasising that because this is a club you absolutely have to strike in the middle. This is a blade iron, and because of that is a club that's very difficult to hit unless you're a better player, and one with a consistent swing and consistent ball-striking. I thought I fell into this category, but after hitting the ZXi7s, I'm not so sure.

Looks and Feel

As with all of Srixon's ZXi irons, the ZXi7s nail things on the aesthetic front. The thin topline and bladed design keeps things looking sleek and stealthy across the entire club, while the Pureframe design gives the rear of the body a subtle ridge, increasing the sweet spot while maintaining a minimalistic look.

This futuristic, angular approach continues along the sole of the club thanks to Srixon's Tour V.T. Sole, while minimalistic branding and numbering across the set complete the ZXi7's almost mechanical aesthetic. 

This carries on to the ZXi7's look at address, where the combination of a thin topline and a wider face allows the club to feel sleek and sexy, but not as intimidating as other bladed irons. It feels more like a tool than a club, but in a good way.

All the hallmarks of feel were present when striking the ZXi7 out of the middle, provided you do just that consistently. Testing the irons on-course, our Equipment Editor Tom said that when struck in the middle, the ZXi7 provided one of the best feelings he's ever had swinging a golf club—the ball almost feeling as if it was melting into the club on impact. 

This is, of course, if you strike it well, which as we're coming to, can be a tricky thing to master compared to other high-level players' irons.

Related:

• Keegan Bradley WITB
• JJ Spaun WITB

Performance and Forgiveness

When struck out of the middle, the Srixon ZXi7 provides an almost otherworldly sensation—contact is so crisp and pure it's almost as if the ball isn't there. The new iForged construction that lends the ZXi7 the 'i' in its name in turn allows Srixon to use a softer C15 steel, which when combined with the additional compression afforded to the user by the Tour V.T. Sole creates a feeling that really defies explanation.

That being said, once you start making contact towards the heel or toe of the club, it very quickly becomes apparent that this is a club intended for those with high-level iron play. Away from the centre of the face, distance begins to drop off quite drastically, and strikes from either the heel or the toe can go wrong very quickly.

Testing Data Summary

How It Compares

In terms of looks and feel, the Srixon ZXi7 is an instant entry into the list of the best clubs money can buy. Very few golf clubs we've ever tested feel quite as good when struck properly, while the angular, mechanical look sets it aparts from other bladed irons that often opt for a more miminal aesthetic.

Compared to other irons in its class, however, you pay a price in terms of all-round forgiveness. "With my current gamer, the Mizuno Pro 223, I'd normally experience a drop-off of about 10 per cent on strikes off the heel or the toe," Tom reports. "With these I was seeing about 20 to 30 per cent, even on shots that felt initially like I'd struck quite well."

That being said, they do represent a little bit of a monetary saving compared to other irons in its class. While most elite players' cavity irons will set you back in excess of £1,000, the Srixon ZXi7s come in at £949 for a standard set. 

For an iron with such an elite combination of looks and feel as this, we think that represents pretty good value.

Should You Buy It?

The Srixon ZXi7s sit firmly in the category of clubs that reward high-level, low-handicap players only. If you play below a five handicap or are simply not a consistent striker of the ball, you'll likely feel the ZXi7s punish mishits too much in terms of both distance and dispersion.

Even some tour pros, including J.J. Spaun, have opted to game Srixon's more forgiving ZXi5 at the longer end of the bag, while using the ZXi7 for their shorter irons.

That being said, if you're the kind of player who values the feeling of puring an iron above all else and has the ability to do so on every shot, these are among the best clubs money can buy.

Verdict

The Srixon ZXi7 Irons offer a unique design in the bladed iron category, 12/10 feel when struck off the middle, and are an all-around class act—particularly at their price point.

These are not irons for the feint of heart or those who lack confidence in their ball-striking. When hit well, however, their feel is pretty much unrivalled by any other club.

Put simply, this is one of the best irons around, albeit one designed solely for the best players around.