2024 Srixon ZXi Drivers, Fairway Woods and Hybrids

Every golf club to hit the market has a clearly defined design brief. It’s usually along the lines of flying the ball higher, longer and straighter than the model it is replacing. In the case of the new Srixon ZXi metalwood range, successfully executing that mandate involved much sweat and toil.

You see, Srixon’s original ZX range and its second-generation successor, the ZX Mk II, were much loved. In fact, ZX irons and woods were one of the Japanese manufacturer’s most successful and popular lines ever. So how exactly did Srixon’s new ZXi drivers, fairway woods and hybrids raise the bar to outperform their highly distinguished predecessors?

That, dear GolfBox customers, is a ZXi-cellent question…

SRIXON ZXi DRIVERS

The composition of the new ZXi driver range represents a change of direction for Srixon. For everyone else though, it will sound very familiar.

Previously splitting their ZX driver offerings into the high-launching, high-forgiveness ZX5 model and the faster, low-launching, and more playable ZX7 driver, Srixon have relented and joined everyone else by employing a common naming convention for the trio of new ZXi drivers.

Ready? There’s a standard ZXi driver. There’s a ZXi LS. And there’s a ZXi MAX.

Yes, it mirrors almost every other driver line-up of the past few years. And no prizes for guessing the LS is the low-spinning, low-launching model and the MAX is the most forgiving. But it’s the things that aren’t so obvious in the new Srixon ZXi driver range that wield a tremendous influence on performance.

i-FLEX TECHNOLOGY

To push the boundaries of speed and distance in the driver category, attention usually centres around the architecture of the driver face. While the previous Srixon ZX Mk II driver was the result of a series of incremental improvements, Srixon decided to fish in some deeper water to potentially land some game changing face technology.

The big fish they landed is called i-Flex and it represents a fundamental shift in Srixon driver faces.

i-Flex is a variable-thickness driver face featuring a topology vastly more complex and intricate than ever before. But it was only possible by employing a new titanium called Ti72S, a form of the strong, low-density metal that is lighter, more flexible and more durable than other forms of titanium.

It allowed Srixon engineers to design an incredibly thin zone in the centre of the i-Flex face, which is supported by thicker zones near the toe and heel that interact with Srixon’s Rebound Frame system that features in the head and crown.

If i-Flex sounds suspiciously like a slingshot, you’re on the money. The slingshot effect created by the i-Flex/Rebound Frame union is a major reason why Srixon’s new ZXi drivers are the longest and fastest yet.

CARBON FREE ZONE

Like the Mk II, Srixon’s new ZXi drivers appear to fly in the face of conventional wisdom. There’s not a skerrick of carbon fibre to be found in any of the new ZXi models, which is at odds with the trend of inserting the ultra-strong, lightweight material into driver heads at ever-increasing quantities.

The original ZX driver released in 2020 did feature a carbon fibre crown. So, on the surface at least, Srixon’s move back into titanium with the ZX MkII and now the new ZXi drivers might seem retroactive. However, it makes complete sense when viewed in the context of Srixon’s Rebound Frame technology. The ZXi driver receives the fourth generation of the face-and-head flexing, ball-speed-boosting technology, which has been split into dual zones this time round. Employing a titanium crown enables Srixon to extract more juice out of the i-Flex/Rebound Frame partnership, with higher ball speeds out of the centre and higher COR across the face that essentially expands the sweet spot.

Srixon have cleverly borrowed Star Frame crown technology from their partner brand, XXIO, to provide structural support so the titanium crown on the ZXi can be thin and strong. And a further bonus: the Star Frame crown effectively saves mass that can be redeployed to more useful areas of the driver head, which is particularly valuable in achieving the distinct performance profiles in the ZXi driver range.

LASER MILLED FACE AND INTERCHANGEABLE WEIGHTING

A swank new laser milling technique has been applied to the face of the ZXi driver, with the aim of stabilising spin and increasing forgiveness on those wet and rainy days on the golf course.

All three ZXi drivers feature weighting ports that can be fitted with a wide variety of Srixon weights, ranging from 2g up to 16g that can finetune ball flights. And Srixon’s loft sleeve offers loft adjustments of 1.5° above or below the standard loft.

SRIXON ZXi DRIVER

As the all-rounder of the Srixon ZXi driver series, the standard ZXi  driver offers a combination of speed and forgiveness. Offering spin rates that trend towards the lower end of things, the ZXi driver features a mid-to-high launch. The driver is geared for a straight ball flight, however, the standard 10g and 4g sole weights positioned near the rear of the sole can be flipped to create a slight fade bias, or swapped for different weights (kit sold separately) to generate a more significant draw or fade bias.

SRIXON ZXi MAX DRIVER

The Srixon ZXi MAX is the most forgiving driver Srixon have ever made, with its sky-high MOI boosted by a single 14g weight positioned low and rearward. The driver offers a high launch and a slight draw bias and is an easy-to-swing option that will be a popular choice for slow-to-mid swing speeds.

SRIXON ZXi LS DRIVER

Low-spin, low-launch drivers like the ZXi LS are made for players with fast swing speeds who don’t want to leave any distance on the table. A dual front-to-back weighting design features a 10g weight in the front and a 4g weight in the rear, which can be swapped to produce a touch more spin (180rpm) and a slightly higher launch windown. The ZXi LS is slightly fade biased.

SRIXON ZXi FAIRWAY WOODS

Srixon ZXi fairway woods and hybrids might be the supporting cast of the ZXi metalwood launch but they stack up rather well.

Like the ZXi drivers, enhancements to the new ZXi fairways and hybrids are centred around the partnership between the new i-Flex face design and revised dual-zone Rebound Frame system, which optimises face deflection to elevate ball speed and distance from all over the face.

Interestingly, the ZXi three wood features a carbon fibre crown, as opposed to the titanium crown in the ZXi drivers. In tandem with Srixon’s trademark Crown Step, it lowers the CG to launch those long shots higher and longer, which will benefit those who don’t possess tour-type speed. Srixon estimate the ZXi three wood carries 4.5 yards further than the ZX Mk II three wood.

ZXi fairway woods also feature progressive footprints and, for the first time, Srixon ZXi fairway woods are fitted with an adjustable loft sleeve in every loft. The ZXi five and seven woods feature all-steel heads without a stepped crown, which is Srixon’s proven method of focusing on control and spin.

Srixon have also put some work into the ZXi fairways’ sole, with a revision of the leading edge shape helping attain a flatter and more grounded appearance on the toe side.

Srixon ZXi fairway woods are available in lofts of 15° (3W), 18° (5W) and 21° (7W).

SRIXON ZXi HYBRIDS

Srixon’s new ZXi hybrids have received a very similar makeover to their fairway wood counterparts.

There’s the Rebound Frame/i-Flex face combo (offering a bonus 2.4 yards of carry compared to the ZX Mk II), albeit on a smaller scale. And every ZXi hybrid is installed with an adjustable loft sleeve that’s good for 1.5° of movement either side of the standard loft.

However, the most notable change from the ZX Mk II hybrid is the ZXi’s bigger head shape and a more rounded radii around the toe and heel. Srixon say it’s a confidence boosting aesthetic that should suit more players and will provide more consistent spin and distance from both high and low shots on the face.

Srixon ZXi hybrids are available in lofts of 17°, 19°, 22°, 25° and 28°.

SRIXON ZXi DRIVER SPECIFICATIONS

Australian Launch Date: November 25, 2024

Hand: Right/Left

Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360; Lamkin ST Soft Women’s

Srixon ZXi LS Driver Lofts: 8°, 9°, 10.5°

Srixon ZXi Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°

Srixon ZXi MAX Driver Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12°

Srixon ZXi MAX Women’s Driver Lofts:  12°

Srixon ZXi Driver Stock Shaft Options: Project X HZRDUS Black Gen 5 70/60; Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6; Project X Denali Red 50; Aldila Ascent PL 40 Women’s

SRIXON ZXi FAIRWAY WOOD AND HYBRID SPECIFICATIONS

Australian Launch Date: November 25, 2024

Hand: Right/Left

Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360; ; Lamkin ST Soft Women’s

Srixon ZXi Fairway Wood Lofts: 3W: 15°, 5W: 18°, 7W: 21°

Srixon ZXi Women’s Fairway Wood Lofts: 5W: 18°, 7W: 21°

Srixon ZXi Hybrid Lofts: 2H: 17°, 3H: 19°, 4H: 22°, 5H: 25°, 6H: 28°

Srixon ZXi Women’s Hybrid Lofts: 4H: 22°, 5H: 25°, 6H: 28°

Srixon ZXi Fairway And Hybrid Stock Shafts: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 6/5; Sldila Ascent PL 40 Women’s; Fujikura Ventus TR Blue HB 8/7; Aldila Ascent PL 40 Hybrid Women’s