SRIXON ZXiR IRONS | The Swing Report

The new Srixon ZXiR Irons round out the Srixon ZXi lineup by adding game-improvement performance to the family. The Srixon ZXiR Irons feature a new i-Alloy material that is 10% softer than traditional steel. Additionally, the sweet spot in the Srixon ZXiR Irons has been moved slightly lower to help golfers who often miss low on the clubface.

0:00 Intro, Key Details, and New Tech
3:00 Testing
13:57 Final Thoughts

NOTE: Fittings for Srixon ZXiR Irons will begin on December 4, 2025.

Learn more about Srixon ZXiR Irons: https://www.2ndswing.com/srixon-zxir-irons

Schedule an award-winning 2nd Swing Tour Van fitting: https://fitting.2ndswing.info/schedule-now/

FOLLOW 2ND SWING GOLF ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/2ndSwingGolf

Twitter: https://twitter.com/2ndSwingGolf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2ndswinggolf/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@2ndswinggolf

These could be the best game improvement irons of 2026. Shrixon has added a model to its lineup. It’s the ZXIR irons. There are two key features why they could be the best irons for you in 2026. Make sure you stay tuned for the full YouTube video for all the details and specs. Hey golfers, I’m Drew Hold the Second Swing Golf here at the Second Swing Minnetonka tour van. I’m joined by Harris, master club fitter. We got new irons from Shrixon. Um, they’ve kind of taken their really cool look, really cool feel, and brought them into the game improvement category. Harrison, uh, give me your first impressions. This is a ZXIR irons. Yeah. So, I think first impression is very similar to kind of that i4, but maybe just a touch beefier, right? Definitely a little bit wider in that sole. Looks like a slightly longer blade length. Um, but very clean looking iron. Yeah, I think it looks really good for the category that it’s in. Um, also a big piece we got to talk about is the new material. This is the eye alloy material. Uh, it’s very similar to, you know, the other, you know, steel material that’s used commonly in the industry, but it’s softer. And so, I imagine that’s going to help a lot with the feel. I’ll get your feedback on that. Yeah. But then also, a lot of the technologies that work for Strickson are also still here. That VT sole, kind of the two-tiered sole there with that that ridge right in the middle, really good for turf interaction. And there’s also mainframe technology which kind of pushes some weight to the perimeter for that stability. Um I think you know we will do a future video on ZXIR versus ZXI4 because that’s kind of where I’m most curious is to see where this sort of fits into the whole lineup. Yeah, for sure. That’ll be interesting to kind of see how different it really feels to that if that does feel a lot softer. Is that noticeable? All the rest of that stuff. Yeah. So this is there actually is two models here. We have just the standard ZXIR at the 7iron is at 28 1/2 degrees of loft. So relatively strong, but I think you know there is some this is kind of that category nowadays. You’re a little under 30° in loft going to give you distance. And then we’ll be watching the height and the launch as well when you test the ZXIRHL model. A little bit lighter weight, higher loft, 32 and a half. Yeah. On that. So there’s a kind of a big gap there, but meaningful for golfers that might need a little bit more. So, what are you predicting today as you hit some shots? Um, obviously I imagine you’ll hit the ball a little further, a little higher ball speeds. So, what are you thinking here? Yeah. So, whenever you see kind of like a game improvement iron like this, I would usually expect to see it to be a little bit lower in spin for a high speed player. Um, so definitely expecting to see this scene go a lot further because at that 20 half 28 and a half degrees of loft, that’s very strong 7 iron. Probably closer to my six iron, so kind of close to what I’d see there. Um, hollow body construction still. So should go a lot a lot further. Yeah, I think it’ll be I’m also curious on your your the feedback on the sound as well cuz um you know I think that’s a big piece of this category too. So um all right let’s do some testing here. Harrison. So Harrison ZXIR irons. Uh give me what you now see at a dress. Yeah. I mean does what what catches your attention there? For sure. So I think the first thing when I’m looking at these a little bit more offset um than a traditional iron. So, a little bit more on that. Yeah, definitely towards that game improvement style. Um, what that really means, just seeing that face look a little bit more closed. Why that is in that huzzle just looks a little more rounded here. Um, top line though is kind of a big factor here. Still pretty thin for a um for a game improvement iron, right? Usually we think game improvement, we usually think from aesthetics, really thick top line. This is pretty smart. I mean, it’s definitely not a thin top line, but it’s definitely not nothing that’s going to put people off. So, very interesting to see that. Yeah. And I think again I think the big piece that I’m curious about is going to be this is the first iron that we’ve hit with I alloy and this kind of softer steel. So we’ll see how that you know sounds and and feels to you because I think if it can you know if it can make a step forward there I think it could be a really attractive iron. Yeah. I mean they’ve always felt like a pretty soft iron anyway. Right. So it’s I mean be interesting to see if we can really feel how how different it is. Yeah. Exactly. So all right let’s let’s rip a few shots here. All right. Wow, we’re already above 130 mph ball speed. I was going to say for for a early morning swing, that’s not bad. That’s uh 200 carry right away. Yeah, that’s um Yeah, we’ll round up. I I like rounding up. Yeah, I mean um but yeah, that’s um that’s pretty quick. 1.43 on the smash factor. Another one hit really well. So, interestingly with that one, right, one thing they have done, they moved the sweet spot a little bit lower on the face here, too. So, they’ve done a lot of research and they’ve thought, okay, where do most golfers hit the golf ball? It’s a little bit lower. So, they’ve managed to move that sweet spot just a touch lower in this face, just for bare energy transfer, right? If if more people going to be hitting there, why not move that sweet spot, right? That last one actually felt a little bit bottomy to to me. So interesting to see that ball speed actually went up by mile and mile and a half up. So that’s fascinating. Okay. Yeah, car’s down a little bit cuz I didn’t actually didn’t feel like I hit it great. But ball speed was way up. Yeah, that’s that’s it’s a really good idea, too, cuz you’re right. Especially off the fairway. It’s one thing when the ball’s in a rough and maybe some fluffy grass, a lot of times you can catch it maybe high on the face. Yeah. But, uh, I think that is the struggle with a lot of golfers that might play an iron like this is in the fairway when there’s, you know, you have to catch the ball perfect in a lot of ways or you hit down on it and make this divot. A lot of golfers don’t in this that would be in this category of iron. Yeah. In that sweet spot down it just there’s more pop to it. Yeah. And I think for like someone like myself like this is going to be slightly weird test, right? I think when I’m thinking back at some of the fittings that we’ve done this year, things like, okay, yeah, I have seen a lot of incon inconsistencies in the strike and they’ve mostly been kind of either on that heel or toe side, but definitely lower on the equator. So, definitely a very smart idea there. Yeah, that’s that’s a good idea. All right, same thing again. Yeah, that one launched a little bit higher. Yeah, that was um that was probably the best swing out of all of them. That club path at exactly zero kind of tells the story there. Yeah, I mean that was about as good as I can about as good as I can swing. Yeah. So, and so and again we should note this is the what KBS tour light. So, not probably not a perfect fit in the shaft there, but like this is kind of just the set that they that you know Shrexon, you know, we’re very grateful that they sent us a set here to test and have uh have ready for us. But um yeah, obviously in a fitting that would not be probably the shaft that that you play. No, definitely. And I think it’s quite it was actually interesting to feel that that one there where I actually felt like it hit it pretty pretty solid there. I mean it definitely feels soft. I don’t I don’t know how much softer it really feels in comparison to other stricks and irons, but it’s definitely feeling soft off the face. Sure. I haven’t hit stricks in a little while, so maybe it’s just my perspective, right? But um but definitely feels very soft when I’ve hit that out of the middle. Okay. Yeah, that’s that’s that’s good feedback and it doesn’t surprise me. I also don’t, you know, I audi-wise I don’t it’s not loud. No. Um I mean obviously every shot in this particular space is going to be loud with all the walls everywhere, but I think I’ve been I’ve watched and hit many shots in here and I it seems like it’s on the quieter side of things. Yeah. No, it definitely feels definitely feels pretty good. It’s a powerful thud. Yeah, definitely. It’s not a big crashing sound. I think one thing to kind of note with this as well, just how long that blade length is does give you a lot of confidence sitting behind there. You know, I’m very grateful that being early in the morning that I can kind of something big. Yeah, that was hit really well. See that one sound? I mean, that sounded so good. Yeah, very similar again. Is that the typical shot you’ll play with your irons is kind of a uh typically I’d actually see it go a little bit left, but really um I’m just leaving the face a touch open. Sure. Um, but interesting to kind of see how that spin’s kind of got a little bit higher there. I made it hit that one a little bit um lower on the face, which to be honest with you, I’ve usually seen in fittings with stricks and eyes, they are a little bit lower in spin. So, kind of I’m kind of liking seeing like some of these swing shots where I’ve hit it a little bit lower on the face. Yeah. That the spin is going up a little bit higher because for the people who are going to be playing this iron, spin is always is always an issue. We’re always trying to add spin because they usually don’t have enough club head speed, right? Um so we’re always trying to add spin and some height, some land angle to the golf ball. So seeing these kind of bottom off bottom on the face um strikes spin a little bit higher. Yeah. Very well. The thing about it is they’re they’re spinning a little bit, but it you know like a lot of times those ones on the bottom of the face, they won’t go in the air though, right? Like the spin that it generates will keep it in the air and might save it a little bit, but it doesn’t launch high. these one. I mean, your height is tremendous on all these. Your first three were all within the same height, peak height range. Your landing angle is around 50 degrees on average. Um, and again, you have plenty of speed to generate that stuff, but to see this iron give the spin that it to provide the spin that it is right now. Um, and again, with how strong that loft is and how high it’s still able to get the ball, we we hit a couple more here, but yeah, for sure. I think that’s the thing like for some stuff, I can I can make this work, right? I can I can you you can put multiple things in my hand. I can make them work. Yeah. But looking at the people who are going to be playing the iron, I’m more interested in seeing the characteristics of what happens when I do hit it like I have been a little bit bottom in the face there. Like the first couple swings were m low 4,000s kind of what I expect out of a um hollow body, right? Kind of especially with with my speeds. But if I hit out at the bottom, I see it spin higher. or less very encouraging for someone who’s um in the game proven cash. Sure. But let’s see if we get a couple more. I might hit a couple of these a little bit harder just to see. All right. Yeah, that’s what see what spin does. Yeah, that was it. Good. A little more speed. Yeah. See that one turned over. Yeah. So, one where I’ve actually hit it out the middle and maybe a little bit more spin just dropped right through the right through the roof for me. So very it’s interesting for me to kind of see the ones that I’m not hitting gray are spinning higher because that’s just Well, that’s that’s what we’re going to be fitting it for, right? Yeah. I mean, you you said that was out the center. Look at that. That’s about perfect. I do like these distances. Makes me feel very You’re hitting this thing pretty far when you connect. I mean, you’re hitting over 200 carry. Yeah. All right. There’s another one. Good example there. Hit that a little bit bottom a little bit off the bottom of the face again. Spin went up again. Yeah. See? A little bit lower. Little bit lower on the face. Spin’s gone up. But you’re still hitting it plenty far. You’re not losing like No, like I’m not losing anything. Actually, ball speed was the highest there. That’s the highest ball speed I’ve had of all. Granted, you swung it a little faster too. And you’re kind of getting loosened a little bit. But smash factor though, right? Like that’s the cool thing about it is when you go a little low on the face, you’re actually the smash factor isn’t dipping. If if anything, it’s going up. Yeah. Uh, so I think that’s an encouraging piece too to and it provides some support to their to their claim that they dropped the sweet spot a little bit to help golfers with, you know, that miss. No, for sure. And I think you look at those last two strikes there, very similar club head speeds, but very two very different strikes, right? You got one that was dead out the dead out the middle and you got one that was a little bit lower on the face. Well, actually because of that sweet spot was a little bit lower, I actually got more ball speed out of it because the energy transfer is much better on the in the lower part of this um on this particular club bed. Yeah. So, um well, we can chat it over here in a second and kind of talk about the you know, golfers that the iron’s for, but just from the testing we saw, I’m going to call out just a couple of numbers here. The smash factor at 14 and consistently right around 14 is I think really good. plenty of launch on average 18 degrees there. And I think that it is worth noting the spin, you know, when you’re able to hit one kind of high off the sweet spot and turn it over a little bit. It did dip into the low 4,000s. Those uh kind of ones that are slightly below the equator, so to speak, we’re actually creeping up around 5,000. So, that’s something to note. But your distance didn’t waver a ton. No, you’re still kind of in that high 190s carry for almost every golf shot. So, I think that’s important. And then we go to landing angle and height. I mean, look at how high that ball is flying. Yeah. So, it’s generating a ton of launch right away. The center of gravity being a little lower, too, probably getting that ball in the air. So, the concern with that loft being strong and there’s a lot of people out there that, you know, that term loftjacking gets thrown around and um that they are able to make it stronger because the ball is launching higher at impact. So, um, right now there’s there’d be no concerns here with you especially, and I think a lot of players that are maybe a little slower swing speeds, but are concerned about that. I think this kind of proves that they don’t need to be. No, exactly. And I think the biggest thing for me is seeing just seeing how much more that um that golfer is spinning when it’s hitting in more inconsistent spots like lower on that equator. Right. Because this this iron is not made for some for me. It’s made for it have inconsistent strikes around the face. Yeah. So, it’s in it’s very encouraging to see the ones that have been hit lower in the face spin higher actually give you better energy transfer, give you more ball speed because re in reality the golfers who are going to be playing sign that’s tick well you’re ticking every single box. So, right. Yeah, it’s it’s fantastic because you know that’s when you miss a swing that where it can get really bad is if it’s like a knuckle ball or the spin is lower and the ball can get kind of you can lose control of it and so it can help to have a little bit of some kind of help on the spin there on those misses. So, um really good stuff. I I’m impressed with ZXR. You gave good feedback as well on the feel. Yeah, I think I liked it. Really good so far. All right, Harrison, testing complete. Rickson ZXIR irons. Um, we talked about takeaways on the numbers, but I just want one more um recap from you on on the look and feel of this iron after hitting several shots with it. Yeah, I think first thing, yeah, Stricksen feels really soft. They always do. Definitely feels like a very soft game improvement iron. Usually you don’t have too much feel in them, so definitely a great option there. Um, who was for? Definitely for guys who are who have more inconsistent hits on the face. People who struggle to get the ball in the air too. Anything that you if you see a you’re someone who hits it lower on the face and you notice that a lot, this is going to be a great item for you to come in and test. Yeah. I think and one more thing too in terms of a golfer it’s for is uh someone who likes that thin top line. Yes. And but still kind of wants some of that game improvement performance or maybe help. Um, I know Larry Bob likes to call these user friendly irons. Yes. And so if you like that thin top line with it, we the blade length is certainly a little longer, but the top line being thin the way it is, I think is also very attractive to a lot of golfers. Yeah, for sure. I think that’s a barrier to a lot of game improvement knives because you don’t want to look at something that’s so chunky down there, right? But this is a very smart looking game improved iron. Yeah, this definitely it’s a cool extension to the ZXI lineup from Shrixan because now you have kind of the four, five, and seven that are in that sort of whether it’s players distance, player development, or maybe a players iron. You add this at the top. So, a lot of golfers that maybe couldn’t play ZXI now certainly can and get a bunch of, you know, those same technologies, the same feels that some of those players can. So, yeah, for sure. Uh, the ZXI Rons from Stricks, you can get fit at second swing. Schedule an appointment with Harrison or any one of our fitters. will get you dialed in. ZXR, it’s pretty good looking iron and pretty good performing iron. Harrison, thank you for your testing today. Pretty close. [Music]