Equipment

Club Junkie Review: Srixon ZX7 Mk II and ZX5 Mk II irons

Published

1 year ago

Feb 2, 2023

Srixon’s ZX7 and ZX5 irons were some of the most well loved and talked about irons over the past two years. When replacing an iron with that kind of resume, the first rule is to not screw it up! For a more detailed review, please take a listen to the Club Junkie below or on any podcast platform. Just search GolfWRX Radio.

When I first put my hands on the ZX7 Mk II and ZX5 Mk II irons, I was impressed with the look and they are instantly recognizable as Srixon irons. The ZX7 Mk II has a traditional design without any plastic or metal badge in the cavity, it is just painted matte silver. Srixon let the ZX5 Mk II go with a very small and simple badge that is a combination of matte silver and chrome.

I like the look of both irons from address as well since they look so similar. The ZX7 Mk II has a slightly longer blade length and minimal offset that the lower handicap player will enjoy. But the ZX5 Mk II got most of that DNA as well. While being a little larger than the 7, it has great proportions and just a hair more offset. Both irons have a little thicker topline that is a little more squared than I expected but by no means distracting. Both irons feature Srixon’s famous Tour VT sole for fantastic turf interaction through a variety of turf conditions and swings.

Srixon ZX7 Mk II

I played the original ZX7 irons and loved them, along with many golfers! First shots with the new ZX7 Mk II reward you with an extremely soft and solid feel. The new PureFrame design puts more mass behind the center of the face and even with less than quality range balls you get to feel that ball compress while leaving the laser etched face. I have no doubt that with a real golf ball you will get that solid thud when the ZX7 Mk II strikes it on the turf.

While this iron is a single piece forged cavity back, it does offer some forgiveness on less than perfect shots. The club is very responsive and gives you immediate feedback, but still helps keep some ball speed and launch. Shots hit low on the face came out flat but the iron was able to keep some of the launch you need to produce a shot that wouldn’t kill your round. Consistency is a big feature with these irons and the most precise players will love the fact they can depend on their yardages when it matters. Dispersion for me was also tight with the ZX7 Mk II offering me a straight to just a slight fade ball flight. I could still turn it over and hit a draw but normal swings didn’t really include the left side too much.

Launch was a little lower than the ZX5 Mk II, but about a 1* or so but still easy to elevate for a lower ball hitter like myself. I haven’t been able to test out the Tour VT sole yes since all my testing has been off mats, but I have no doubt it will perform really well in the soft Michigan conditions like the previous ZX7 did.

Srixon ZX5 Mk II

The last version of this iron impressed me for all that it does in an impressive package and the ZX5 Mk II still amazes. The looks are great and Srixon did a great job of putter a bunch of ball speed and forgiveness in such an attractive package. The feel is really good for a multi-piece head, soft and with just a small click at impact. While you might lack just a touch of that ball compressing off the face feel, you will gain the feel of the ball jumping into the horizon. The ZX5 Mk II just feels fast and you can tell that thin face, with MainFrame technology, is working hard to up the ball speed. The great thing about the MainFrame fast is that I have not found a hot spot yet and believe me I have hit it all over the face.

Distance control is good and mishits still will give you plenty of carry to get it on the front or close to the green. Ballspeed was about 2 mph faster than the ZX7 Mk II for me and it spun about 100-150 RPM less with a 6-iron. The sole is noticeably wider than the 7 but still glides through mats with the same speed and should offer a little extra forgiveness on shots hit just a little behind the ball.

Overall, I think Srixon did exactly what they needed to with the ZX7 Mk II and ZX5 Mk II irons. They made slight improvements and didn’t change the great attributes of each iron. Will players who were fit into ZX7 and ZX5 irons notice a big difference and be forced to change? I don’t think so. These will be for the player who is looking for new irons and has heard or read the great things about the previous generation; they will be impressed.

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Whats in the Bag

Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)

Published

19 hours ago

May 3, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX

3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X

Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour

Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord

Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.

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Equipment

Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons

Published

24 hours ago

May 3, 2024

GolfWRX Staff

TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.

TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.

TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.

Can you see where this is going?

Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”

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TaylorMade PUDI

TaylorMade PUDI technology cutaway (via TaylorMade)

Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.

In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.

TaylorMade PDHY

TaylorMade PDHY tech cutaway (via TaylorMade).

Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.

Club Junkie’s take

Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.

For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.

PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?

TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:

PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family

Pricing, specs, and availability

Price: $249.99

At retail: Now

Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)

Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)

PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed

PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Gianni Magliocco

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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