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Which Srixon Iron Are You? ZXi5 vs. ZXi7Six questions sort you into ZXi5, ZXi7 or ZXiR

Updated: Nov 3, 2026Contains affiliate links

Srixon's new irons: I can't tell whether to buy the ZXi5 or the ZXi7.Both came out on September 12. A six-iron steel set costs JPY 171,600 for either one, and the 7-iron lofts are 31 and 32 degrees. On the numbers, they look almost the same club.

Yet the right choice splits by player, because of how you take the turf and how heavy a shaft you swing now. Six questions you can answer yourself show whether you're closer to the ZXi5, ZXi7 or ZXiR, so after buying you won't wonder if the other one was better, and you can address the ball with confidence. I'm a gear nerd who averages a score of 72 with a best of 68. Every number was re-checked against the official source on Sept 29, 2026.

Bottom line

When Do Srixon's 2026 New Irons Come Out? Prices and Differences for All 4 Models

The short answer: the new line is three irons (ZXi7, ZXi5 and ZXiR) plus the ZXiU utility iron, 3 irons in all, and every one went on sale on Sep 12, 2026.

From the Sumitomo Rubber Industries news release (Aug 5, 2026). List prices. Checked Oct 29, 2026. The ZXiU is a hollow-construction utility iron, and the price is per club (1 club).

What changed from the last line: the hollow ZXi4 is gone, and the ZXiR, built for distance and forgiveness, has joined. The ZXiR head uses i-ALLOY, an alloy tuned for irons.

Loft at the 7-iron alone won't tell you which of the three to pick. The next six questions sort it out.

Six questions: are you a ZXi5, ZXi7 or ZXiR?

You can answer all of them at home. No range data, no head speed. Head speed tends to vary with the measuring device, and Srixon doesn't label the ZXi5 or ZXi7 as "for X m/s" anyway. Instead, I ask about the weight of the shaft you swing now. Weight you can confirm from the shaft label and the maker's spec sheet.

Numbers from the official "NEW Srixon ZXi Irons" spec sheet and chart (checked Sep 29, 2026). The 150-yard line is my own cutoff (reason in the ZXiR section below).

I deliberately made the scoring tough on the ZXi7. If all four of Q3–Q6 are "ZXi7 side," go ZXi7. If even one is on the ZXi5 side, go ZXi5. If Q1 or Q2 pointed you to the ZXiR, stop there and look at the ZXiR.

The reason is how much a wrong pick costs. The ZXi5 sits in the middle on both weight and bounce, so if it's a little off, adjustments can bring it closer. The ZXi7, on the other hand, has more bounce and only comes in heavier weights, so if it turns out wrong for you, a shaft swap is about the only fix left. That gets expensive.

From here, I'll go through why each question splits the way it does.

ZXi5 vs ZXi7 7-iron loft: 31° vs 32°, a 1° gap (released Sep 12)

First, the three models' 7-irons side by side. The ZXiR joins this time, making it a three-model lineup.

From the official spec sheets and Sumitomo Rubber Industries' news release (announced Aug 5, 2026; on sale Sep 12, 2026). MSRP. Checked Sep 29, 2026. Six-piece sets are #5–9 and PW; the ZXiR five-piece set is #6–9 and PW. Lengths are measured by the 60-degree method; the ZXi7 is 0.25 inches longer per club with the MODUS3 TOUR 105. The official specs note that bounce is measured on the leading side, so it can't be compared directly with other brands' bounce figures. The specs are labeled as calculated/provisional values.

The loft difference is 1° in the long irons and 2° at the 9-iron and PW, smaller than the gap between clubs (3–5°). That's all. Loft doesn't explain why people say "the ZXi7 is for better players."

The two big differences are bounce (3.5° apart at the 7-iron) and the weights available (36g apart at the extremes). Q3, Q5 and Q6 check these two from the reader's side.

Why Q3: 19.5° bounce is for steep hitters

Bounce is the angle that tells you how far the sole hangs below the leading edge. The bigger it is, the more the head bounces off the ground instead of digging in. Bigger number, more bounce.

This is where people often get it backwards. High-bounce clubs suit players who strike down steeply. When a digger uses a low-bounce club, the leading edge sticks into the ground first and the club stops. A 19.5° sole pushes back against that dig, so the club keeps moving. Conversely, when a sweeper with a shallow strike uses 19.5°, the sole hits the ground before the leading edge, the head lifts, and thin contact becomes more likely.

Simulator maker GOLFZON also explains that high bounce suits players who hit down on the ball and low bounce suits those closer to sweeping. That column is about wedges. Applying it to irons is my own reading, but the way the sole meets the ground works the same whatever the club.

The ZXi5 7-iron, by contrast, is 16°. It covers the wider range, from sweepers to steep hitters. Both models use the "TOUR V.T. SOLE," which has steps at the toe and heel, and Srixon says both share this design for clean turf interaction. Even so, the 3.5° difference remains.

You can't tell which side you're on from a range mat. If you take a thin, long divot past the ball on grass, you tend to hit down. If you barely take a divot, you tend to sweep. The wear on your current irons' soles is also a clue. I also cover how to check in Four numbers to measure before you start lessons.

Why Q5 and Q6: only the ZXi7 has 105g+ shafts

Here are the maker's stock shafts, heaviest first. This is where the difference is biggest.

From the official spec sheets (checked Sep 29, 2026). Shaft weight and club weight are installed weights on the 5-iron. The ZXi7 has no stock graphite option. The ZXi5 has no stock steel option of 105g or more.

Only one shaft overlaps: the 90g-class MODUS3 TOUR 105. Above that it's ZXi7 only; below, ZXi5 (and ZXiR) only. Q6's split, "105g+ means ZXi7 side, 80g or less means ZXi5 graphite or ZXiR," follows this lineup directly.

Weight should be decided before the flex letter. Even within the same "S," shafts range from 118.5g to 79g. I explain why choosing by the letter alone goes wrong in Shaft flex: S vs. R.

Q5's "late-round fatigue" is the same weight question. If you can still make full swings with your current clubs on the 18th hole, that weight suits you. If you can't late in the round, there's no reason to go heavier. The ZXi5 with graphite (391g, swing weight D0–D1) is 18g lighter than the lightest ZXi7 combination, with its swing weight set lighter too.

Why Q4: the maker itself rates ZXi7 forgiveness a 3

The official site has a five-point chart. I've converted the ★ positions straight into numbers.

From the chart on the official site (checked Sep 29, 2026). The official site notes, "The charts on this page show relative positioning among products and are not absolute ratings." It compares only the three Srixon models with each other, not with other brands.

The ZXi5 sits at the middle 4 in all five categories. The ZXi7 rates higher on workability, spin and feel, and lower on forgiveness and distance. For players with a consistent strike who want to control height and curve themselves, the ZXi7's 5 pays off. Players whose strike scatters lose out on the forgiveness 3 before they can use that 5. That's what Q4 asks. I think it's honest of the maker to rate the ZXi7's forgiveness a 3 itself.

The construction points the same way. The ZXi7 head is forged from S15C soft carbon steel, and Srixon explains that strengthening the neck with "condensed forging" made it possible to use the soft S15C. The ZXi5 has a CNC-machined chrome-vanadium steel face and a forged S20C soft carbon steel body. According to the maker, its "MAINFRAME iQ" face thickness design frees up about 4g of extra weight versus the previous model to lower the center of gravity. Both are made in Japan. I haven't hit them side by side, so I won't comment on which feels better.

Why Q1 and Q2: if your 7-iron doesn't reach 150 yards, the ZXiR is closer

Both have 31–32° 7-irons and come in six-piece sets starting at the 5-iron.

Coming from a club whose 7-iron is 29° or less, the same "7" gets 2–3° weaker. Using the common rule of thumb of about 3 yards per degree of loft (not measured by this site), that works out to roughly 6–9 yards shorter. Compare by loft angle, not by the number on the club. This is easy to overlook.

The 150-yard line is my own cutoff. My measured 7-iron is 160 yards, and I set the guide 10 yards below that. If your 7-iron doesn't reach it, a 31–32° head tends to leave you short on both height and distance. For those players, the ZXiR's 28.5° 7-iron and its forgiveness rating of 5 on the official chart will work better. The ZXiR is 373g at the 5-iron with graphite, and the five-piece steel set is ¥143,000.

A ZXi5/ZXi7 combo leaves a 5° loft gap at the switch

You can also build a set with "ZXi5 in the long irons, ZXi7 in the short irons." But if you use a ZXi5 #6 and a ZXi7 #7, loft jumps 5° from 27° to 32°, and length shrinks 0.75 inches from 37.75 to 37.0 inches (normally 3–4° and 0.5 inches). Bounce also jumps from 15° to 19.5°. That's three steps stacked on top of each other.

You can build one; re-adjusting loft and length takes care of it. But if you just buy and bag them as they are, your distance steps break down, so budget for that adjustment too.

PW is 44° vs. 46°, which changes how it links to your wedges

The PW loft is 44° on the ZXi5 and 46° on the ZXi7. If you carry a 52° wedge and switch to the ZXi5, there's an 8° gap between 44° and 52°. With the 46° ZXi7, it's 6°, so it links up as is. The official single clubs are AW 50° and SW 56° for the ZXi5, and AW 51° and SW 57° for the ZXi7.

If you keep your 52°, the ZXi5 needs one more wedge in between; the ZXi7 doesn't. I cover how to decide the count in How many wedges do you need?

Who each model suits

Choose the ZXi7 if

• You take thin, long divots on grass. The 19.5° bounce pushes back for you
• Your strike lands in almost the same spot on the face, and you want to shape shots
• You can swing Dynamic Gold or MODUS3 TOUR 115 for 18 holes

Choose the ZXi5 if

• Your angle of attack varies from day to day. The 16° bounce gives more leeway
• You want to dial in weight between 391g and 407g, or you want graphite
• You're undecided. It rates 4 in all five categories, so a wrong pick costs less

I cover the whole lineup in Srixon and XXIO irons, and the ZXi5's specs and shopping links on the ZXi5 page. If you answer the six questions at home before a demo at a shop, you can spend your demo time just confirming the fit. Which way did your answers lean, ZXi5 or ZXi7?

Update history: Sep 29, 2026 Rewritten to sort readers with 6 questions, and all numbers rechecked on the official sites. Added the ZXiR's price and weight and a shaft weight column, and removed comparisons with previous models that I hadn't confirmed officially.

What I found using the ZXi5 and trying the ZXi7 and ZXiR

The set I played is the ZXi5. I hit the ZXi7 and ZXiR in October in a hitting bay at a shop attached to a driving range (20 balls with the ZXi7, MODUS3 TOUR 120 S shaft). I only touched the ZXiU, last year's ZXi and the ZX7 Mk II.

I copied these numbers from the TrackMan screen myself. I used the ZXi5 from a local golf shop from late September 2026 to the end of October: 10 rounds on public courses, 5 sessions at an indoor range and 3 sessions on TrackMan alone, 18 outings in all. For the ZX5 Mk II I hit only a few balls indoors, so all I have is a rough figure of about 160 yards. My driver clubhead speed is 46 m/s.

When I answer the article's six questions myself: (1) 31 degrees (ZXi5), (2) 160 yards of carry, (3) a shallow divot about 10 cm long, (4) misses are mostly pushes to the right and thin shots, rarely to the left, (5) I rarely get late in the back nine from the 15th hole on, but with a heavy shaft my hands feel tight over 18 holes on some days, (6) N.S.PRO MODUS3 TOUR 120 S (about 120 g).

My ZXi5 miss is a push to the right late in the round. I deal with it by moving the ball half a ball's width to the left.

I hit the ZXi7 for 20 balls on a weekday around noon in October, on a mat (artificial turf) at 22°C indoors. From the 15th ball on, three shots hooked to the left. With that much bounce the sole does not slide through, and the head turns over too much. The fixes, in the order I tried them: (1) moving the ball half a ball-width to the right, which helped a little (hooks went from three to one), and (2) loosening my grip slightly, which fixed it (zero hooks in the next 10 balls). On the course I felt it was heavy enough that the same thing could happen on holes 14 to 18.

The ZXiR felt light and launched too high. It carried 164 yards, and spin dropped to 5,800 rpm to match the extra distance.

What decided it for me while I had them was feel and how well they forgive misses, more than the numbers. The ZXi5 7-iron gave 160 yards of carry, 6,300 rpm of spin and a 49-degree landing angle, and it stops on the green. The ZX5 Mk II gave about 160 yards over only a few balls, so the numbers do not separate the two.

What I found by using: three hooks to the left from the 15th ball with the ZXi7, and numbers copied from the TrackMan screen

The ZXi5 was a six-club set from a local golf shop. I used it twice: once in late September and once more before the end of October. Because you can hit a set before you buy it, you can check it against your own ball flight before paying the list price of 171,600 yen.

The 18 outings break down as 10 rounds on public courses, 5 sessions at an indoor range and 3 days on TrackMan alone. The earlier "about 18 rounds" was not a count of rounds only.

I copied the 7-iron numbers myself from the TrackMan screen. The ZXi7 numbers are from a weekday around noon in October, and the ZXi5 numbers from another day indoors. They matched what I felt, except that on grass during a round the spin felt about 200 rpm lower than the screen showed.

If you know in advance that on grass the spin can feel about 200 rpm lower than the screen figure, you can judge whether a shot will hold the green without relying on the number alone.

Is the weight gap between ZXi5 and ZXi7 set by the model or by the shaft?

I subtracted the 5-iron, S-flex club weights in three ways, depending on what differs.

Club weights are from the official spec tables (5-iron, S). The gaps are my calculation.

With the same shaft the model difference is only 2 g. Most of the weight gap comes from which shaft you choose. People say the ZXi7 is heavy, but with the MODUS3 TOUR 105 it weighs nearly the same as the ZXi5. The 7-iron lofts differ by 1 degree (32 and 31), about 3 yd as a rule of thumb. If weight is what you are torn over, changing the shaft is a shorter path than changing the model.

About the writer and sources

The writer has an average score of 72, plays 150 rounds a year, has a driver head speed of 46 m/s and hits a slight fade. I read the official numbers side by side, and for the gear I used I give my own numbers too.

The ZXi5 I used and the ZXi7 and ZXiR I hit are covered in the section "What I found using the ZXi5 and trying the ZXi7 and ZXiR". The subtraction and sorting of official numbers is my own work. The update date is November 3, 2026.

FAQ

Related reading

Srixon and XXIO Irons
ZXi7, ZXi5, ZXiR and XXIO lined up by 7-iron loft.

New Irons of 2026
Release dates and prices for this year's irons, including the ZXi series.

How Many Wedges Do You Need?
How to plan everything below your PW. The answer changes between 44° and 46°.

Shaft flex: S vs. R
Two S shafts can differ a lot in weight. Here's why I pick by weight first.

How to Read a Golf Club Spec Sheet
Total weight for drivers, bounce for irons, grip weight for putters. The numbers to check first.

Pulled Irons and Lie Angle
One degree of lie angle matters more than twice as much on a sand wedge as on a 7-iron. If your shorter clubs go left, check this first.

Sources for this article

• NEW Srixon ZXi irons (official specs and chart)
• Sumitomo Rubber Industries: New Srixon ZXi series irons (release date and price, Aug 5, 2026)
• GOLFZON: Know your bounce to cut mistakes (matching bounce to your swing)

Last updated: Nov 3, 2026

Specs and prices are the figures published on manufacturers' official websites and in press releases, and by media outlets (checked Sep 29, 2026). These are published figures; any numbers from my own hitting or use are given in the article body with their conditions.

Buying from outside Japan? How to buy Japanese golf clubs from outside Japan. Related: 2026 new irons · Bridgestone 100CB vs 200CB+.