While Srixon fairway woods have always looked the part, their performance has just never quite matched the leading models among the best fairway woods, which has meant that tour usage has been fairly limited. However, the new Srixon ZXi fairway wood has landed and it could well be a serious contender for my bag this year.
From a looks standpoint, the new ZXi fairway wood truly is one of the best I have seen. Srixon has stuck with the matte black crown they have used for some time now and while it makes the head appear a little more compact than it actually is, it’s a design I personally like.
The head itself has been refined based on tour player feedback and features a stepped-crown design similar to one that has been featured in previous Srixon fairway wood models. Again, this is a look that divides opinion and while it’s not something I’m used to, I found it framed the ball nicely and acts as an alignment tool to help square the clubface. It also lowers the center of gravity to help increase launch, lower spin and create more distance.
The distance increase was noticeable in my testing both indoors using a CGQuad launch monitor and outdoors on the golf course using the new 2025 Titleist Pro V1x golf balls. The ZXi fairway wood produced some of the longest carry and total numbers I saw from my fairway wood testing, resulting in a six-shot average of 263 yards carry and 281 yards total. It is worth noting the stepped crown design is only present in three-wood options and is not featured in five and seven-woods.
It wasn’t just the distance that was impressive with the new ZXi fairway woods, the dispersion both from front to back and side to side was exceptional and a real improvement on the previous ZX Mk II model. A newly designed i-flex face has created thickness in areas of the face where miss-hits are most prominent and the rebound frame design that has been used in previous models is used once again for maintaining ball speeds on off-center hits.
When inside gathering my data, I conduct all my testing by striking balls from the mat rather than a tee, eliminating any inconsistencies with tee height. We're all aware that striking fairway woods from the deck isn’t an easy skill to perfect. There were a couple of shots in my testing where I struck the ball slightly low on the face and I saw very little drop off in carry distance. In fact, there was just seven yards between my best and my worst.
The new lightweight carbon crown also helps position the mass of the head low and therefore maximizes COR. This change from a full titanium structure also dampens the acoustics and vibration produced on previous Srixon models, although the sound is still much louder than the likes of the TaylorMade Qi35 and Callaway Elyte. While in the past I have always opted for quieter-sounding woods, I really began to fall in love with the feel, looks and performance of the ZXi.
I hope the ZXi is the fairway wood that really puts Srixon on the map as a serious competitor in the metalwood market this year. The new drivers have tested equally as well and the whole lineup now has the performance to match the clean and premium looks Srixon has delivered in the previous releases.
Srixon has added an adjustable hosel to the ZXi, a feature that its predecessor didn’t have and only adds to the appeal and versatility of this club. At £379, they come at a premium but the overall package provides excellent bang for your buck. The entire ZXi range will be available to purchase from the 15th February.
