Srixon is not a company prone to hyperbole.
Like stablemates Cleveland and XXIO, Srixon FOLLOWED Kaizen the principle of sustainable and continuous improvement. This thinking drowns out common marketing buzzwords like “revolutionary” or “innovative.”
So when Srixon uses marketing buzzwords like “revolutionary” and “innovative,” one tends to notice. When he says his new forging process—”i-Forging”—is, and I quote, “the greatest innovation in iron metallurgy ever,” it’s time to stop whatever the hell you’re doing and start making question.
This is what we did. The answers were fascinating.
I’m not a metallurgist, so I can neither confirm nor deny that “i-forgery” is, in fact, the greatest innovation in iron metallurgy ever.
However, we can say that any time you mess with a winning formula, it’s a risk.
Srixon, my friends, is thumbing his nose at that risk and pushing all his chips into what he believes is a winning hand.
Srixon ZXi Cuff: Process and Materials
Normally, when you have high-performance forged irons with a cult-like following, R&D’s prime directive is simple: Don’t lift it. Whatever metallurgical magic is going on with the new one Srixon ZXi Handcuffsit is not visible to the naked eye.
“With ‘best player’ products, it’s about invisible innovation,” says Srixon Director of Engineering Dustin Brekke. “How can we make them better and deliver new results without changing them from a player’s perspective?”
The answer is i-Forging.
“i-Forged is a comprehensive approach to improving feel while focusing on performance and impact,” explains Brekke. “We want to improve the feel without making any negative performance compromises.”
i-Forged is the catchy name emblazoned on the shank of each iron and is the “i” in ZXi. The technology itself is called “condensed forgery”.
The Condensed Forge is a proprietary technique where carefully formed extensions are pressed into key locations of the club head. The forging hammer hits those extensions in those key areas. The part is then heated again and beaten again.
“The end product is still smooth and polished,” says Brekke. “It’s an extra step in our forging to bring the condensed grain structure to the areas where the most strength is required.”
Specifically, condensed forging changes the atomic patterns of the steel and makes those key areas—the gut of the ZXi7 and the gut, topline, and toe of the ZXi5 and ZXiU utility irons—stronger. This added strength is important as it allows Srixon to start with a softer overall material.
With bars, soft is good. Soft and firm is better.
Condensed Forgery Simplified
Last week we told you about Mizuno’s new hydraulic press to forge its new JPX 925 forged irons. The new press changes the pressure and duration of those pressures during the forging process. This allows Mizuno to reinforce the neck and topline so it can grind a much thinner face.
Condensed forgery is a different process for a similar purpose, but with a different result in mind. Those reinforced areas allow Srixon to use softer, better-feeling materials that otherwise wouldn’t hold up.
“Going softer is easy, but there are trade-offs,” says Brekke. “You can end up with a club that’s warping, losing loft and lie, and can’t survive normal wear and tear. At the grain structure level, condensed forging allows us to condense the grain configuration so that we can add strength in focused areas.
The new one Srixon The ZXi7, ZXi5 and ZXiU utility shackles all carry the i-Forged label. According to Srixon, each is significantly smoother than their ZX Mk II predecessors. The Casti ZXi4 is a completely different animal.
Srixon ZXi irons: “Parade of softness”
Condensed forging allows Srixon to use S15C mild steel in the new ZXi7 irons. S15C is the Japanese version of 1015 carbon steel (the Mk II was 1020) and is the softest material Srixon has ever used in an iron.
There’s no variable face thickness for AI to design into a single-well forging, but Srixon is using AI to improve the ZXi5’s PureFrame cavity. The new design features a wider and thicker ridge forged into the cavity directly behind the sweet spot. Srixon says it stiffens the area around the impact area, which reduces face deformation and vibration on impact.
of Srixon The ZXi5 and ZXiU utility iron bodies are drop forged from S20C (or 1020) carbon steel. Their faces are high strength SUP10 stainless steel, often referred to as “spring steel”, with a new heat treatment process.
“With harder lofts, you can get scratches on your face if you use a material that’s too soft,” says Brekke. “Thermal treatment for the face gives a softer feel and great flexibility for ball speed without sacrificing durability while the condensed forging strengthens the frame.”
Additionally, both the ZXiU irons and the ZXi5 long and mid irons have tungsten weighting near the sole to lower CG and keep spin low.
Srixon Zxi4 body is not fake. Instead, it is cast from SUS 17-47 (similar to 17-4 stainless steel). Again, heat treatment plays a key role.
“We want to maintain strength and durability while keeping the tube soft to bend,” says Brekke. “Flexibility is important when irons are intended to be mixed.”
The ZXi4 face is made from HT 1770 maraging steel, the same as the previous model.
“It has a high yield stress so it won’t wear or warp,” says Brekke. “It can get very thin with a very high return.”
Mainframes and multi-threads
The new Srixon ZXi5, ZXi4 and ZXiU utility ratchets are all multi-piece construction. Unlike the ZXi7, all three feature Srixon’s MainFrame technology, a variable-thickness face designed by AI to maximize ball speed over a wider area.
The ZXi5 replaces MyGolfSpy’s reigning Best Player Distance Iron, the ZX Mk II. Srixon says its testing shows the ZXi5 is 14 percent softer than its predecessor, while a little (two grams) of repositioned mass lowers CG and increases MOI and ball speed.
Aside from the materials, the Srixon ZXiU utility irons are probably getting the biggest change in the lineup. It has morphed over the years from a wreck-looking Barney club to a sleeker, sharper-looking iron. It has the widest sole in the ZXi line, but with minimal offset. The new utility line is also getting its signature Srixon VT Sole for the first time.
“There’s more angle of attack with a utility iron compared to a hybrid wood or a free wood,” says Brekke. “The VT sole and heel and toe points are important.”
The connecting pin that holds the Srixon ZXi cuffs together
The Srixon ZX MK II irons were strong performers across the board in MyGolfSpy’s testing last year. As mentioned, the ZX5 Mk II was the top dog the player’s distance category. ZX7 finished fifth overall in testing the player’s iron while the ZX4 finished a very strong third in the Game-Upgrade category.
However, the Srixon ZXi clutches are a family and are meant to be mixed. Since the ZXi4 is cast and not forged, it’s key to making it all work. Srixon must get a voice and feel in harmony with the rest of the family.
“We did a whole bunch of sound and vibration analysis,” says Brekke. “The weight plates, the wall thickness, the internal ribs and everything has to be right. We’re not sacrificing the feel for anything.”
The ZXi4 is hollow-body construction, and Srixon has been able to fine-tune the feel without using urethane or any other filler to enhance it. Usually, hollow body irons without urethane feel like crap, so what Srixon has put out is outstanding.
“We’re not going for that maximum size as a super iron for game improvement,” says Brekke. “This is where you can start to lose your voice and feel. They can become clicky or noisy because they are too big and the walls are too thin. You are exchanging feeling for forgiveness.”
Feel, sorry and family
Normalizing feeling and forgiveness among multiple family members is key to blending. Titleist did this with its T Series irons as did Mizuno with the Pro 241-243-245 line.
This is why the ZXi4 is so important. of Srixon Irons ZXi already the visual ace of the mix, even better than Titleist and Mizuno. The top-of-the-line ZXi7, ZXi5, ZXi4 and ZXiU are all the same thickness, six millimeters. The blade length gets longer and the offsets get wider, but the differences are extremely small. For example, the blade of the ZXi4 4 iron is only 2.6 millimeters longer than the ZXi7 lift wedge. The offset difference between the ZXi7 and ZXi4 7 irons is 0.4 millimeters. If you can pick it out, you have much better eyesight than I do.
“Iron works like a family,” says Brekke. “They have innovated together from face performance to single performance. Starting from initial sketching and modeling, it is our target.”
We tested samples of all three sets of iron plus the ZXiU device. As you might expect, they blend very nicely visually. Because our samples had different shafts, we couldn’t get a real handle on consistency of feel, but we can say that all three irons felt the way Srixons should. The utility iron and I had some issues, but when hit straight, it also feels like a Srixon.
As a family, the new Srixon ZXi irons should be a fitter’s delight. Visual flow won’t limit you to the traditional 7 to 8 iron transition. Since the toplines, blade lengths, and offsets are so close, you can go anywhere that makes sense. You can put together a ZXi7 9-iron wedge and wedge with a ZXi5 6-in 8-iron and a Zxi4 5-iron putt.
“It’s not the ZXi5 or ZXi7 iron kit,” says Brekke. “It’s the ZXi irons and then it’s how you put them together.”
Srixon ZXi Handcuffs: Specs, Price and Availability
For a set intended for mixing, the stock specs are, for the most part, academic.
The Srixon ZXi7 and ZXi5 irons come standard with the True Temper Dynamic Gold Mid 115/110 shaft. The ZXi5 also offers KBS TGI Tour Graphite and UST Mamiya Recoil Dart 65 as graphite options.
The stock ZXi4 axle is KBS Tour Lite with UST Mamiya Recoil and KBS TGI as graphite options. All three irons are available on the left and right. Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 is the catch for all three groups.
The ZXi4 is also available in a women’s model with the UST Helium Nanocore 50 shaft and Lamkin ST soft grip standard. It’s also available in left- and right-handed models, though lefties will need to custom-order theirs.
Srixon ZXiU utility irons come in three lofts: 18, 20 and 23 degrees in both right and left. Mitsubishi MMT Utility shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip are available.
Srixon continues to offer free Arccos sensors and an Arccos Caddy trial via a QR code on the hand cover. If you want a tint, Srixon is continuing its custom paint refill program. You can choose from 20 color options and five different locations for $15.
The Srixon ZXi iron series will retail for $1,299.99 for a seven-piece set, just under $186 per club. The ZXiU utility irons will cost $249.99. All out at retail on January 24th.
For more information, visit Srixon website.
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