First impressions
Srixon are aiming to cater for a wider range of players with the Z355 and this classy offering begins with the headcover.
It’s clear you have picked up a ‘Z range’ club with the large ‘Z’ logo prominent from the get-go.
Once out of the headcover, this product instantly catches the eye. With a more minimal and simple approach with clean lines, this is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Japanese manufacturer.
Make no mistake this driver has classical looks and is fairly compact despite being aimed more at the “game-improvement” market.
I’d say this driver falls more into the “all-ability” category as the look at address will suit the better players as well.
It provides a pleasing look without being oversized – and the smooth finish means a very good looking driver.
The tech
The key technology in the Z355 range is what Srixon are calling ‘Action Mass’. This essentially moves the balance point of the shaft of the clubs in the Z355 range higher up – enabling more mass to be put into the head of the club.
This adds stability and consistency meaning even the higher handicappers should be able to achieve good ball speed and distance numbers.
A high MOI design coupled with a larger sweet spot means that you can really put this driver ‘out-there’ whilst having the forgiveness on off-centre hits.
It has four adjustability settings to fine tune the ball flight but as always, we recommend a proper fitting to find the setting which suits your swing.
NCG Verdict
I tested the Z355 driver using an ES14 portable launch monitor (available at www.golfswingsystems.co.uk).
What was very pleasing to see was good consistency with the carry distance numbers. My average carry distance was 241 yards rolling out to around 260 which is what I would normally get out of the big stick.
I did get the odd one to carry 260 but the numbers remained consistent.
Spin rates were also good as that’s one area where I can struggle. My average spin rates were around 2500 rpm with it never going above 3000 which was a massive bonus.
The lightweight Miyazaki shaft was nice and easy to swing with a pleasing high pitch sound on impact.
This move by Srixon to capture portions of the game improvement market is to be commended.
Better players have been spoiled in previous years with good-looking and high performance ranges but now this top-quality Japanese gear is available to the masses which is very good news.
Details
Driver
SRP: £279
Lofts: 9.5Ëš, 10.5Ëš, 12Ëš, 14.5Ëš
Stock shafts: Miyazaki Jinsoku
Star Rating: ★★★★★ (5)