As well as making some of the best irons in the game, Srixon also produces some of the best utility irons, just ask Scottie Scheffler who has two ever-present in his bag. To complement the new ZXi range, Srixon is bringing to market a new utility iron the ZXiU which I’ve gotten my hands on…
The tech story is a similar one to the main ZXi iron range, in that it is heavily focussed on feel. Two different types of steel are used within the ZXiU, S20C is condensed forged to form the body, while a softer SUP10 is utilized for the face to enhance impact. The ZXiU irons feature the widest soles within the range but also have minimal offset to appeal to the better player. Interestingly, for the first time, Srixon has introduced its extremely popular Tour V.T. sole into its utility irons to improve turf interaction.
Visually, from the back or ‘in the bag’ position the ZXiU is oozing shelf appeal. The curves are in all the right places and the chrome finish glistens in the light. Simple, minimalist branding is apparent, with only a simple iron number and loft stamp adding to the small brand and model identification. Down in the playing position, on the whole, the clubhead looks excellent, although I am a little torn and feel that I may have been spoiled somewhat by the refinement of previous Srixon utility irons. One of my bugbears in utility irons is a large protrusion of the trailing edge sticking out behind the top edge which is something Srixon has traditionally avoided much to my pleasure, however the ZXiU has a little more on show here than in previous iterations.
I am being super picky here as it is still much less than the vast majority of the utility iron market, but there is definitely a touch more than I’ve become used to from a Srixon utility iron. That said, Srixon has cleverly disguised this protrusion using a clever optical illusion whereby the flange has been finished in a very reflective chrome that blends beautifully into its surroundings by reflecting the green grass beneath. I really enjoyed this ingenuity.
Performance-wise, the ZXiU really delivers. I did the majority of my testing at Saunton Golf Club with TaylorMade TP5 golf balls and my FullSwing KIT launch monitor and in particular, the distance output was exceptional. I was regularly carrying the 18˚ 2-iron over the 250-yard mark with a very stable ball flight. Launch was easy to come by, and the feel is out of this world good. The ball seems to melt into the face like butter before exploding back out like a spring at very impressive ball speeds. In addition to the 2-iron, I was also sent a 23˚ 4-iron which I enjoyed enormously.
The addition of the Tour V.T. sole really stood out to me as a high-quality addition in the 4 iron model where turf interaction was more prevalent and I really enjoyed the towering ball flights I was producing. I found knock-down (lower) shots a little harder to execute than with my regular 4-iron so in blustery conditions I would probably not be able to find a place for it, but on more American-style golf courses with a lot of forced carries this 4-iron would be a great weapon.
One thing that appealed to me personally was the head shaping which helped me enormously with confidence at address. The toe section has been made significantly higher than the heel which for someone who is prone to a right miss, is a very welcome look making the head appear more upright than it actually is. If you are someone who likes the opposite then the lower toe section of the Callaway Apex UT might be more up your street.
Previous fans of Srixon utility irons will not be disappointed here. All of the familiar looks and playing characteristics are still very much present and in my opinion, have been joined by a much superior feel than before. If you are looking for easy-to-launch, powerful long irons, wrapped up in a very much ‘better player’ look, then the ZXiU is a must-try.
The ZXiU Utility Irons will be retailing from £239 in both steel and graphite shafts.
