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.