Srixon ZX7 MK II driver review
What’s new? How much does it cost? And how does it perform? Jack Backhouse brings you the low down on Srixon’s new ZX7 MKII driver
How does Srixon’s new compact head low spin driver perform? Find out in our Srixon ZX7 MKII driver review.
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Srixon ZX7 MK II driver review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
The Srixon ZX7 MK II driver looks exactly how you’d want your low-spin, low-launch, workable driver to look. Its classic pear-shaped head sits deep behind the ball and looks like it can handle some real speed.
I am a huge fan of the matte head, and with its dual adjustable weights on the sole, golfers are going to really like how you can customise your launch and flight for their specific tendencies.
PROS
- Great looking compact head
- Well-controlled flight and spin
- Great carry distance
- Strong acoustics
CONS
- Low launch head may not suit low-speed players
First Impressions
Srixon have ditched the carbon for the ZX7 MKII driver, and I have to say I do appreciate the simplicity of the design on the crown. The way the face blends in with the crown makes the head appear smaller than it is and makes you feel like every shot is going to be a low bullet.
This Srixon driver definitely wants to be shaped. It sits extremely neutral at address, which will suit better players who won’t have to fight any natural shape bias that is normally built-in.
NCG Verdict
I gamed the first edition of the ZX7 driver last year, so I was very much looking forward to resting the MK II. It looked and felt great but wasn’t as long as other drivers available, so I was hoping Srixon had addressed this and made it more competitive in the market.
I am drawn to low launching, low spin drivers as they often sit compact and ever so slightly open, which suits my pull hook tendency. My first shot with the Srixon went pretty much straight right, which is a great sign that it could be a gamer for 2023.
Something you notice straight away is how good it sounds. Srixon have moved away from the carbon trend and the ZX7 MKII being totally titanium, making the sound much more classic than the duller noise a carbon-based driver makes.
The big story in the ZX7 MKII is Srixon’s rebound frame which is a second flex zone in the head which makes the sweet spot 10% bigger and boosts ball speeds. This is great news for Srixon, as the first edition ZX7 just didn’t produce the ball speeds it needed to be competitive.
The ball speeds are really competitive from the ZX7 MKII, just 1 mph slower than the Paradym Triple Diamond, which I tested a couple of weeks ago. I found that the carry distances were actually longer on the ZX7 MKII, probably because the launch, spin and shaft were more suited to my swing.
Interestingly, for a compact, low-launching head, I found that the spin on the Srixon was very consistent and not too low. Apart from one unusually high spinning shot, I averaged between 2800 and 2350 on each shot which is right where I want it.
Often on these style heads, mis-hits result in really low spinning shots that fall out of the air producing pretty terrible results. Srixon have redesigned its variable thickness face so that it’s 0.25mm thinner in the centre and 0.4mm thicker around the edge of the face compared to the previous ZX drivers.
The ZX7 MII feels a lot stronger somehow compared to the old driver like there’s more weight behind the face and the strikes are meatier. Srixon have a new super-thin, lightweight Star framed titanium crown, which saved weight which means they can redistribute it to places that aid performance.
I was really happy with my dispersion pattern with the ZX7 MK II driver. Srixon say it’s a straight-fade biased club and that’s pretty much what I experienced. I loved that all but one shot pretty much did exactly the same thing. Players can not and will not always hit the ball straight, so it’s important to get a driver that gives you a predictable shot pattern.
I believe this has gone straight into Brooks Koepka’s bag ahead of the 2023 golf season, and I can totally understand why. It looks great, performs well and provides really predictable results, which is what top players are looking for in a driver.
I love how adjustable the ZX7 MKII driver is. Srixon’s adjustability sleeve allows loft and lie fine-tuning, as well as two interchangeable weights on the sole to promote more of a draw or fade. I didn’t move any of the settings away from standard as I loved the flight it produced straight away.
If I was going to spend more time with the Srixon, I would certainly have a play around to see if I can maybe get a higher launch and lower the spin.
I could absolutely see myself using this driver for the 2023 season. I love the classic look and sound of the ZX7 MK II, and I’m pleased that the performance is now on par with its other characteristics! If you are looking to upgrade to a new compact player’s driver, this should absolutely be on your short list.
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Srixon ZX7 MKII driver review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £499
Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°
Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Black (2022) 60/70
More information: Srixon Website
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Jack Backhouse
Jack is a PGA Golf Professional who specialises in coaching, teaching golf to beginners and top-level amateurs for 10+ years. He also loves his golf equipment and analysing the data of the latest clubs on the market using launch monitors, specialising in blade irons and low-spinning drivers despite having a chronically low ball flight.
Although Jack has no formal journalism training, He has been reading What's In The Bag articles since he started playing at 12 and studying golf swings since his dad first filmed his swing to reveal one of the worst over-the-top slice swings he reckons has ever been recorded, which set him off on the path to be a coach. His favourite club ever owned was a Ping G10 driver bought from a local top amateur with the hope that some of the quality golf shots would come with it (they didn't), and worst was a Nike SQ driver he only bought because Tiger was using it.
Jack is a member of Sand Moor Golf Club and regularly gets out on the golf course to prepare for tournaments. Jack uses a TaylorMade BRNR Mini driver, a half set of TaylorMade P7MB irons, MG4 wedges and a TaylorMade TP Reserve putter.
