Equipment

Review: Srixon Z965, Z765 and Z565 irons

Published

8 years ago

Sep 19, 2016

Pros: Great distance, impressive looks and feel. The Z965, Z765 and Z565 irons can hang with any iron in their respective classes, and blend well in a mixed set. Unique Tour V.T. Soles improve turf interaction.

Cons: The differences between Srixon’s Z-65 and Z-45 iron models are subtle.

Who they’re for: Anyone can play Srixon’s Z965, Z765 and Z565 irons, buy they’ll perform best for low-to-mid handicappers.

The Review

When you think of popular irons and irons played on the PGA Tour, Srixon may actually be one of the last to come to mind. Surely you’d lead with Callaway, Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist, then think of more exotic irons like Mizuno or PXG. Just because they’re under the radar, however, doesn’t mean Srixon doesn’t make some of the best all-around irons in golf.

Srixon’s no-frills approach to iron-making is refreshing in today’s golf equipment climate. The company forges its irons from 1020 carbon steel, and offers three distinct models than can please anyone from traditionalists (Z965) to forged cavity-back enthusiasts (Z765) to distance- or forgiveness-seeking crowds (Z565). Each offers the premium, detail-oriented design serious golfers desire without breaking the $1100 barrier for an eight-piece, steel-shafted set.

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Their biggest flaw? Srixon’s Z965, Z765 and Z565 irons are very similar to the Z945, Z745 and Z545 irons they replace. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as the Z-45 series was well regarded in golf-equipment circles for its looks, feel and performance. The design of the Z-65 series falls into the bucket of “don’t mess with success,” but Srixon did make a few notable changes.

Srixon’s Tour V.T. Sole in a Z765 iron.

In terms of upgrades, each of this year’s Z-65 irons has Srixon’s new Tour V.T. Sole, which have a V shape to reduce turf interaction at impact, thereby improving energy transfer and consistency — especially on shots where golfers catch the grass before the ball. To further enhance the benefits of the Tour V.T. Soless, the company removed surface area around the heel and toe sections, and relief was added to backside of the sole as well.

It should be noted that because the Z965 (muscle backs), Z765 (cavity backs) and Z565 irons (game-improvement irons) each have different head shapes and sole widths, and the sole geometries are slightly different for each iron.

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Srixon also made the grooves in all of the irons 5 percent larger, increasing ball friction at impact to create more consistent launch and spin characteristics, especially in wet conditions. Let’s take a more in-depth look at each iron to find out which option may be right for you and your game.

Z565 Irons

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While labeled game-improvement irons, the Z565s are decidedly smaller, and have thinner top lines and much less offset than what golfers might expect in the category. And they’re forged, too. It makes you wonder why they’re tagged as “game-improvement” at all… until you hit them on a launch monitor and uncover their freakish performance.

The Z565 irons have forged, 1020 carbon steel bodies, but also employ thin, SUP10 face inserts that allows their club faces to flex more at impact. You’ll also notice a hollow cavity that sits behind the club face that isn’t used in the design of the Z765 or Z965 irons. The construction improves forgiveness and ball speed, and raises launch angle.

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Surprisingly, you won’t notice much of a feel difference between the Z565 and the company’s smaller irons. Yes, the sound is slightly more hollow and higher-pitched, but it’s subtle. These are forged irons, and despite their thin club faces they deliver on forged feel — at least among game-improvement irons.

Again though, these irons aren’t just for double-digit handicappers. It’s quite common to find Z565 long and mid irons paired with either the company’s Z765 or Z965 irons in the bags of professional golfers and better golfers around the globe.

Let’s say you’re a 7-15 handicapper. There’s a good chance the Z565’s will satisfy your needs in terms of looks, sound and performance. As for any low handicappers or even Tour players out there, the Z565 irons can help you hit a few more par 5s in two, filling in distance or performance gaps at the lower end of your iron set.

Z765 or Z965? A tough call

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Low handicappers have a difficult decision to make between Srixon’s Z765 and Z965 irons. The Z965’s are musclebacks that are slightly more “workable,” as blade-lovers like to say. That’s another way of relaying that they’re smaller-sized irons that spin slightly more. Both irons, though, have similar profiles with little offset and thin top lines. Both also use Srixon’s Tour V.T. Soles, and utilize a new heat treatment to make the irons more durable.

A Srixon Z965 iron at address

For cavity-back players, the Z965 blades won’t be much smaller or more intimidating than the Z765 irons. For blade players, the Z765 won’t look clunky or have too much offset. Low, single-digit handicappers could really go either way, or create a brag-worthy mixed set. If you have the game, you can’t choose wrong. But of course, a proper fitting will help you make the best decision… and with that, we’re on to the numbers.

The Numbers

To test the performance of the Z965, Z765 and the Z565 irons, we took all three models to The Launch Pad at Carl’s Golfland in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where we tested Srixon’s new irons on Trackman with premium golf balls. We had two scratch players hit the 4, 7 and PW from each set, and the irons were built with stock lofts, lies, lengths, and Nippon’s Modus3 Tour 120X shafts.

All three 4 irons measured 38.5 inches in length and had 60.5-degree lie angles. The shafts were also the same, Nippon’s Modus3 Tour 120X, as were the grips.

All three 7 irons measured 37 inches in length and had 62-degree lie angles. The shafts were also the same, Nippon’s Modus3 Tour 120X, as were the grips.

All three 7 irons measured 35.5 inches in length and had 63.5-degree lie angles. The shafts were also the same, Nippon’s Modus3 Tour 120X, as were the grips.

It’s clear after testing that each of the irons offer distinct performance benefits, so you’ll certainly need to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your game to make the best decision. Overall, we found that the flight produced by the Z965, Z765 and Z565 irons is “flatter,” or more boring than one could expect from other lines of irons on the market, making them less likely than others to balloon.

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In our test, the numbers show that Player 2, who has a slightly more shallow and slower swing speed, excelled more with the Z765 irons. Player 2, on the other hand, with a steeper and more aggressive move at the ball, found the blade irons to produce a tighter dispersion.

Both players relayed that the sole allowed them to be confident at impact, knowing that the club wouldn’t dig. The only concern is that “flippers,” or those with an early release, could have issues with the V-shaped sole due to its mass.

Notes from the numbers

The Z565 irons produced the most ball speed, highest launch angles, overall height and the least amount of spin almost across the board.
The Z965 irons generated the least amount of distance, ball speed and the most spin almost across the board.
Player 2 hit the Z765 4-iron and 7-iron longer than the same Z565 clubs by 1.6 yards and 4.5 yards, respectively.
Both players saw significant distance increases with the Z565 pitching wedge.

The Takeaway

Srixon’s new Z-65 iron series is everything you’d expect from the company after its successful and well-regarded release of its Z-45 series irons. The changes between old and new are minimal, however, so if you already have a set of Z-45 irons there’s little reason to upgrade.

That being said, if you’re in the market for new irons, know that Srixon’s Z965, Z765 and Z565 irons can hang with any iron in their respective categories. They deliver a blend of exceptional distance, impressive forgiveness and the tour-quality looks and sound better players demand. Regardless of what you pay, you’d be hard pressed to find a set of better premium, forged irons — especially if the Tour V.T. Soles are a match for your game.

See more photos, and what GolfWRX members are saying about the irons in our forums.

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27 Comments

Tyler

Apr 7, 2017 at 11:52 am

I wanted to mix a set of 565’s with 765’s but after hitting the short irons I just decided to go with a complete set of 565’s.

I love them. I don’t have as much time to play and practice but you would never know it. Feel is great. Launch and distance was just what i was looking for.

Great clubs. I like the fact that they fly below the radar of the Bigger Companies.

Reply Report comment
Drew

Jan 9, 2017 at 11:17 pm

I have hit the Z565 7 iron with the stock Nippon NS Pro 980 stiff steel shaft on the LM at my local Edwin Watts. I was shocked, at first, that the Z565’s are as crazy long as the review test result. When I went home, I looked up the lofts and it became clear why I was hitting a forged 7 iron as long as my Callaway X-Hot 7 iron. The lofts are very strong on the Callaway’s, and the Srixon’s have very similar strong lofts. I imagine the Nippon shaft is a better fit for my swing, which explains some of the carry distance. I am definitely going to get a set of Z565’s when I find a good used set on the market. The $1000.00 price tag is the only “down side” I can see for the Srixon iron set.

Reply Report comment
Tom Duckworth

Dec 1, 2016 at 9:36 pm

Absolutely beautiful clubs. I just wonder how much the Nippon shafts have to do with the flatter ball flight. That is kind of in the DNA of these shafts
Not saying anything against the shafts I like them I have Nippon Modus 3 105s in my FG Tour V2s.
The testers got some big numbers with them. I’m looking forward to trying them.
It’s hard to find them however.
We have a club fitter here in KC that sells Miura, Epon, Ben Hogans, PXG and other high end clubs. I think it says something about Srixon that they carry them as well.

Reply Report comment
Tom

Oct 17, 2016 at 4:44 pm

Nice to see the stats that beat MP series.

Reply Report comment
Mark

Sep 20, 2016 at 9:40 pm

Chuffing V sole again. And 156 with a wedge? Dream On…..cue Aerosmith!

Reply Report comment
Jack

Sep 20, 2016 at 3:51 am

I love how these scratch players hit it as far as Dustin Johnson.

Reply Report comment
- BoomCannon
  
  Sep 20, 2016 at 10:26 am
  
  He’s a short knocker on these forums.
  
  Reply Report comment
- carlsheen
  
  Sep 20, 2016 at 3:03 pm
  
  And?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Jim
  
  Sep 23, 2016 at 12:37 am
  
  You’d be surprised. We are on a regular basis. New Epon 703 – yeah, strong loft, but so well engineered w undercut channel cavity, low COG so produces perfect 8 iron launch & flight.
  
  3 hcp, 5’10, athletic college Hockey player & golfer on Trackman: 92mph, 36.75″ Epon 703 8 iron with 6.5 Proj X 18° launch 135 ball speed 5500 rpm (all avg) 6 hits – all over 200 carry. 208 longest…
  
  Reply Report comment
Tyler

Sep 19, 2016 at 5:02 pm

From my personal experience with these irons (745), I feel that the sound of these irons are sub par. Hitting multiple manufactures golf balls, they seemed to have a real hollow click. Now for me personally since sound and feel go hand and hand, the perception is that they were cheap despite the looks. I compared them side by side with Mizuno irons (MP54, H5) and there was a noticeable difference in feel sound and performance all going to Mizuno….and trust me I WANTED to like these iron, a lot !

Reply Report comment
- Tyler
  
  Sep 19, 2016 at 5:06 pm
  
  Correction (765)
  
  Reply Report comment
Dansrixon

Sep 19, 2016 at 4:56 pm

“When you think of popular irons and irons played on the PGA Tour, Srixon may actually be one of the last to come to mind. Surely you’d lead with Callaway, Ping, TaylorMade and Titleist, then think of more exotic irons like Mizuno or PXG. Just because they’re under the radar, however, doesn’t mean Srixon doesn’t make some of the best all-around irons in golf.”

If you don’t think about Srixon irons on the PGA Tour it is only because you are not paying attention. 6 wins this season, that is more than Mizuno and PXG combined. More than Ping as well. Srixon may be lacking in marketing but not in Tour validation. Interestingly, 4 of those wins had Srixon irons in the runner ups bag not to mention numerous other runner ups, like at the US open.

I get Srixon being under the radar for marketing reasons but they are right behind the big three on tour, with a much smaller budget. Mizuno has not been relevant on the PGA Tour in a decade. Srixon has always struggled with the marketing side of the game, but Tour validation is stronger than ever. And that is just talking about the irons…not even talking golf balls.

Reply Report comment
- Justin
  
  Sep 20, 2016 at 11:44 am
  
  Sadly, marketing is all that seems to matter these days. The only thing Srixon spends marketing money on is golf balls. I wish more people knew how good they were, but they probably never will
  
  Reply Report comment
  - carlsheen
    
    Sep 20, 2016 at 3:06 pm
    
    Agreed. Thanks for places like this that produce reviews for the game and not for the $$$. 10 years of letting the members say what is on their mind and supporting us is what it is all about.
    
    Reply Report comment
Dave C

Sep 19, 2016 at 3:52 pm

What does “will utilize a new heat treatment to make the irons more durable” mean for feel? Well this treatment solve the bag chatter observed in the 745 line?

Reply Report comment
Nath

Sep 19, 2016 at 3:44 pm

Here here, half az melenials

Reply Report comment
Ezra

Sep 19, 2016 at 1:15 pm

Hi there, lovely set! I can google the specs but it would be great to add them in the article IMO…

Reply Report comment
ooffa

Sep 19, 2016 at 12:17 pm

Very nice advertisement

Reply Report comment
foo

Sep 19, 2016 at 11:33 am

Every review is 5 out of 5 stars. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a rating at all.

Reply Report comment
Warwick

Sep 19, 2016 at 11:32 am

Great article. Which smart ar*e checks lofts, lie and length? You just see how it goes for goodness sake.

Reply Report comment
- Joshuaplaysgolf
  
  Sep 19, 2016 at 3:22 pm
  
  Because every company has tolerances for theses things. Titleist is +/-1* for loft. You should always have these things checked to make sure they are correct and fitted to your specifications. For the purpose of testing, it ensures it’s a consistent test with the labeled loft, lies, and lengths actually being the specifics the clubs are labeled as.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Scooter McGavin
    
    Sep 19, 2016 at 4:43 pm
    
    If Titleist’s tolerance is +/- 1* that’s news to me. Even when we had custom sets come in, they were frequently off by 2 or 3 degrees. We would rarely get a set that was good when it was received. Just to reinforce your point though about checking/adjusting them when you get them.
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Jim
      
      Sep 21, 2016 at 1:21 am
      
      I CAN TOTALLY VOUCH FOR SHOOTER ON THIS! we check every custom OEM order, and 4/5 times a couple clubs need adjustment. Even all our ‘off the rack’ sales get double checked & tweaked.
      
      “Industry Spec’s +/- 2°”
      Nike’s were friggin terrible! crooked hosel bores, head weights off 4-5 grams…Mizuno hosels so loose the shafts need to be dimpled…
      
      Truth is, most of our ‘beloved’ major OEM’s pretty much suck compared to smaller batch very tight tolerance Japanese offerings. Srixon really made a big step with the ‘500’ series in – ’08/09? 506,s… Great clubs, Drivers were hot too. Did have a ‘quirky’ feel. Solid, but like someone else described a ‘click’ – you might expect more from a ball than the head…There’s a lot of great product over there! Bridgestone, Honma, Maruman, ON/OFF (formerly Diawa) – of course Epon & Miura….
      
      “Nice ad” (??) some folks are truly lost. If it ain’t TM (the largest producer of CRAP) or Titleist, it must be bogus
      
      Reply Report comment
      - Tmoney
        
        Dec 19, 2016 at 12:28 pm
        
        I disagree. Mizuno has been right on when I’ve ordered them. I put them up there as one of the best. The only irons Ive sent back were Callaway’s for length adjustments that were off.
        
        Reply Report comment
TCJ

Sep 19, 2016 at 11:06 am

Any love for us lefties with the Z965?

Reply Report comment
Topic_Monitor

Sep 19, 2016 at 10:57 am

Please respect fellow members and article authors. Thank You

Reply Report comment
spelling b

Sep 19, 2016 at 9:16 am

MSmizzle agreed with you…now let’s work on your typing…

Reply Report comment

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Equipment

A shocking Backstryke putter appearance + 7 interesting gear photos from the Zurich Classic

Published

1 hour ago

Apr 25, 2024

Andrew Tursky

Welcome to New Orleans, where TPC Louisiana plays host to the 2024 Zurich Classic. In between breakfast beignets and nightly Creole feasts, PGA Tour players are also competing in the unique two-man format at the Zurich this week.

Although the vibes in Nawlins are a bit lighter-fare than the recent back-to-back competitions the Masters and the RBC Heritage signature event), the gear news was no less serious this week.

We spotted some recent changes from Rory McIlroy, a very rare Odyssey Backstryke putter, dove into the bag of legendary New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and spotted Patrick Cantlay continuing to test new equipment.

Get your beads out and crack your crawfish, because it’s time for an equipment rundown from The Big Easy (meaning New Orleans, of course, not Ernie Els).

See all of our photos from the Zurich Classic here

Rory’s on-and-off lob wedge

Since the end of 2023, Rory McIlroy has had an on-again, off-again relationship with a Titleist Vokey K-Grind lob wedge. In his last start, it was on, and the wedge is back in the bag again this week. We got a great look at the complicated grind that McIlroy uses.

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A full look into McIlroy’s bag above also shows that he switched out of the TaylorMade BRNR Mini Copper that he used at the RBC Heritage, and he’s back into the Qi10 core 3-wood. As we discussed last week, McIlroy will likely keep the BRNR around as a course-specific club, trading it in and out for the 3-wood.

See Rory McIlroy’s full 2024 WITB from the Zurich here

Turning Back the clock

Unless Tommy Gainey is in the field, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see Odyssey’s Backstryke technology make an appearance on the PGA Tour.

But then, when you least expect it, Russ Cochran shows up.

For more than a decade – since the 2013 Sony Open in Hawai’i – Cochran has been stuck on 599 PGA Tour starts. This week will be his 600th.

Cochran is in the field at the Zurich this week playing alongside Eric Cole, whose regular caddie is Reed Cochran, Russ’s son.

The Backstryke putter was first released back in 2010, and its unique design helps shift the axis point of the putter closer to the CG of the head. And, the putter is getting a nod this week at the Zurich Classic, thanks to Cochran’s 600th career PGA Tour start.

The putter is certainly awesome, but don’t forget to check out Cochran’s full WITB from this week.

Drew Brees with a Super Bowl winning Scotty Cameron putter

Drew Brees, a legendary retired quarterback for the hometown New Orleans Saints, made an appearance at the Zurich’s Wednesday Pro-Am, playing alongside Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer, and current Saints QB Derek Carr.

Brees’ bag included a TaylorMade Stealth2 Plus driver, a BRNR Mini 13.5-degree, a Stealth 5-wood, a mixed set of P-790 and P-760 irons, Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedges, and a custom Scotty Cameron “New Orleans Saints” putter, which Scotty made for Brees following his Super Bowl MVP-winning performance in 2010.

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It should also be noted that Brees has his Venmo QR code as a bag tag.

If you’re gambling with Brees on the course, just know that not having cash won’t work as an excuse.

Brilliant.

See Drew Brees’ full WITB from the Zurich here

Stricker’s unrecognizable putter

Steve Stricker has made numerous upgrades to his bag recently, including a new TSR3 driver and T100 irons, but his longtime Odyssey White Hot No. 2 putter is still going strong. It’s the most recognizable unrecognizable putter ever.

Here’s a better look at Stricker’s flatstick, which he started using back in 2007.

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Patrick Cantlay has opened the equipment-switching floodgates

Over on the PGA Tour’s Equipment Report this week, we covered Cantlay’s recent switch into Ping Blueprint S irons, and a Titleist TSR2 driver.

Cantlay hadn’t switched irons for about seven years, so the iron switch he made at The 2024 Masters came as a shock to the norm. He simply isn’t one to change gear very often, so anytime Cantlay makes a switch, it’s news.

It seems the floodgates of equipment testing have opened up a bit for Cantlay, who was also spotted testing a custom Scotty Cameron blade putter on Tuesday this week. By Wednesday, Cantlay was back practicing with his familiar Scotty Cameron T5 Proto mallet, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on going forward.

Daniel Berger’s custom Jailbird site lines

Berger, who’s currently using Odyssey’s Ai-One Mini Jailbird mallet putter, has a unique 3-dot, 2-line alignment on the crown of his navy-white-navy-white mallet putter. Looking down at the putter, it’s easy to see why this alignment system would help; it just seems impossible to set up to the ball off-center, or misaligned to the target.

Also, for anyone worried, you can rest easy. Yes, he’s still playing the 2013 TaylorMade TP MC irons, which we highlighted in our recent “Modern Classics: Old vs. New” video testing series.

FitzMagic teams back up

Brothers Matthew and Alex Fitzpatrick are teaming up once again at the Zurich this year, and Bettinardi Golf hooked them up with some festive “FitzMagic” headcovers to match this week.

See what else is in Alex Fitzpatrick’s WITB here

And, with that, we say goodbye to the Zurich Classic in New Orleans. Don’t forget to check out all of our photos from this week, including 30 unique photo galleries full of equipment photos.

We’ll see you next week in Texas for the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson!

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