Price
$157 per iron
Srixon ZXiR HL
Price
$157 per iron
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matt martian photography
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Why We Like It
- Srixon used analytics of real-golfer data to arrive at loft and length gappings and set makeup, including starting the set at the 5-iron.
- A proprietary steel called i-alloy is used for the head. The alloy is 10 percent softer and less dense than 431 stainless steel, leading to a cushiony feel.
- The variable-thickness face uses a milling pattern on the back of the face to amplify ball speed and forgiveness.
- The Tour V.T. sole is wider and more forgiving than on the ZXiR, which makes sense for a player group that has a greater tendency to hit shots heavy.
- Top 5 in Performance, high-handicaps
- SPECS: 7-iron: 32.5 degrees; PW: 45.5 degrees
what our testers said
handicap
- all
- low
- mid
- high
COMMENT SUMMARY
Hot List testers noted a striking, traditional look with a thicker topline and obvious offset, and praised a large, visually reinforced sweet spot. Shots launch very high and long with tight dispersion; well-struck strikes feel soft and lively, the face plays hot, and the split‑sole/heel relief delivers excellent turf interaction and workability. One drawback: mis-hits can feel firm and less forgiving.
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
COMMENT SUMMARY
Summaries generated from tester comments with the assistance of AI.
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
The best launch experience of any club in this category. The feel is crisp and immediate off the clubface, and the resulting ball flight is high and long. You can work the ball with this face as well. Really, really excellent performance.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
On the forgiveness side, it didn't appear to generate a whole lot of side spin. Plenty of consistency across the face. Moves through the turf with ease. It's probably a little bit closer to a game-improvement iron than a super-game improvement club.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
The larger hitting area is enhanced visually with the thicker topline, and you can just tell there's a big sweet spot here. The results bear that out. No matter where on the face you hit it, you get a nice, high ball flight and good distance. The lone drawback was that the sound at impact was a little bit on the firmer side.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
This is like having a fungo bat and just hitting seeds to the outfielders all day. Stupid hot. Everything went high and far, regardless of impact location.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
I don't know where they hid the HL in this package, because it doesn't scream high launch. Every shot had just the right amount of height and the perfect 45-degree descent angle, even the longest iron in the set. It was very impressive. I wasn't losing any of the height on mis-hits, either.
SEE ALL (12)
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
The best launch experience of any club in this category. The feel is crisp and immediate off the clubface, and the resulting ball flight is high and long. You can work the ball with this face as well. Really, really excellent performance.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
On the forgiveness side, it didn't appear to generate a whole lot of side spin. Plenty of consistency across the face. Moves through the turf with ease. It's probably a little bit closer to a game-improvement iron than a super-game improvement club.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
The larger hitting area is enhanced visually with the thicker topline, and you can just tell there's a big sweet spot here. The results bear that out. No matter where on the face you hit it, you get a nice, high ball flight and good distance. The lone drawback was that the sound at impact was a little bit on the firmer side.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
This is like having a fungo bat and just hitting seeds to the outfielders all day. Stupid hot. Everything went high and far, regardless of impact location.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
I don't know where they hid the HL in this package, because it doesn't scream high launch. Every shot had just the right amount of height and the perfect 45-degree descent angle, even the longest iron in the set. It was very impressive. I wasn't losing any of the height on mis-hits, either.
Aaron
45, Handicap 16
1 year testing
It interacted with the turf pretty well, but had a firmer feel on impact, and not in a positive way. The overall distance was shorter than I expected.
Daniel
34, Handicap 11
6 years testing
It looked like a game-improvement iron, and I'd have to say it kind of performed that way. My mis-hits were not very forgiving, and I could feel a lot of firmness and reverberation back up the shaft. Through the turf it performed much better, however, thanks to the split-sole design.
Timothy
46, Handicap 17
1 year testing
It felt like the club was doing the work for me. It minimized my fade, and my mis-hits were straight and far out of danger. If I didn't mis-hit it, I tended to pull it to the left. Nothing I wouldn't be alright with in a normal round of golf.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
Depending on the quality of the ball strike, there's a lot of variability in how the club feels at impact. Even the slightest mis-hit leaves a firm, unpleasant feel. Well-struck shots produce an extremely high, straight ball fight.
Jin
30, Handicap 10
2 years testing
It's a really good looking club. Looks similar to the ZXi5s and ZXi7s, with a thicker topline. The offset is a little bit more obvious, too. Dispersion and forgiveness are excellent. Each ball holds its line really tight. The ball pops off the face with authority and feels soft on center hits, while it's a little more firm on the hands on mis-hits.
Ryan
50, Handicap 10
8 years testing
More sizzle than steak here. The appearance of the club is striking, more in the line of a traditional iron. Unfortunately, the forgiveness didn't match the club's physical characteristics. My mis-hits were punished, and far more so than one would want. There is distance in it, but you have to make perfect swings. Otherwise, you're going to leave more on the table than you would like.
Ryan
47, Handicap 12
3 years testing
Winner winner, chicken dinner! As advertised, it launches the ball high with a ton of energy. Great turf interaction. There's a little bit of heel relief, which I like. It just felt great off the face and didn't feel like it belonged in this category of irons.
Todd
62, Handicap 13
1 year testing
The best launch experience of any club in this category. The feel is crisp and immediate off the clubface, and the resulting ball flight is high and long. You can work the ball with this face as well. Really, really excellent performance.
Scott
38, Handicap 16
10+ years testing
On the forgiveness side, it didn't appear to generate a whole lot of side spin. Plenty of consistency across the face. Moves through the turf with ease. It's probably a little bit closer to a game-improvement iron than a super-game improvement club.
Wei
55, Handicap 14
10+ years testing
The larger hitting area is enhanced visually with the thicker topline, and you can just tell there's a big sweet spot here. The results bear that out. No matter where on the face you hit it, you get a nice, high ball flight and good distance. The lone drawback was that the sound at impact was a little bit on the firmer side.
Shane
37, Handicap 12
6 years testing
This is like having a fungo bat and just hitting seeds to the outfielders all day. Stupid hot. Everything went high and far, regardless of impact location.
Gary
38, Handicap 13
10+ years testing
I don't know where they hid the HL in this package, because it doesn't scream high launch. Every shot had just the right amount of height and the perfect 45-degree descent angle, even the longest iron in the set. It was very impressive. I wasn't losing any of the height on mis-hits, either.
Aaron
45, Handicap 16
1 year testing
It interacted with the turf pretty well, but had a firmer feel on impact, and not in a positive way. The overall distance was shorter than I expected.
Daniel
34, Handicap 11
6 years testing
It looked like a game-improvement iron, and I'd have to say it kind of performed that way. My mis-hits were not very forgiving, and I could feel a lot of firmness and reverberation back up the shaft. Through the turf it performed much better, however, thanks to the split-sole design.
Timothy
46, Handicap 17
1 year testing
It felt like the club was doing the work for me. It minimized my fade, and my mis-hits were straight and far out of danger. If I didn't mis-hit it, I tended to pull it to the left. Nothing I wouldn't be alright with in a normal round of golf.
Matt
53, Handicap 11
4 years testing
Depending on the quality of the ball strike, there's a lot of variability in how the club feels at impact. Even the slightest mis-hit leaves a firm, unpleasant feel. Well-struck shots produce an extremely high, straight ball fight.
Jin
30, Handicap 10
2 years testing
It's a really good looking club. Looks similar to the ZXi5s and ZXi7s, with a thicker topline. The offset is a little bit more obvious, too. Dispersion and forgiveness are excellent. Each ball holds its line really tight. The ball pops off the face with authority and feels soft on center hits, while it's a little more firm on the hands on mis-hits.
Ryan
50, Handicap 10
8 years testing
More sizzle than steak here. The appearance of the club is striking, more in the line of a traditional iron. Unfortunately, the forgiveness didn't match the club's physical characteristics. My mis-hits were punished, and far more so than one would want. There is distance in it, but you have to make perfect swings. Otherwise, you're going to leave more on the table than you would like.
Ryan
47, Handicap 12
3 years testing
Winner winner, chicken dinner! As advertised, it launches the ball high with a ton of energy. Great turf interaction. There's a little bit of heel relief, which I like. It just felt great off the face and didn't feel like it belonged in this category of irons.
NO REVIEWS
There are no tester reviews here.
Range Results
We tracked 20,000 shots through player testing and then had them analyzed by our team of scientists. These graphics reflect the relative performance our players saw for each club in the category.
A Skeptic’s Guide To New Golf Equipment
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