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This is a full review of the Srixon ZX7 Mk II irons.
The ZX7 Mk II is a players iron with Tour shaping that offers a high level of control. It’s the most players-oriented model in the Mk II line, and it has been in the bag of some of the best players in the world including Brooks Koepka.
The forged ZX7 Mk II builds on the original ZX7 with a new PureFrame technology. But how does it hold up compared to models like the ZX7 and ZX5 Mk II? What kind of golfer is it best suited for? Is it worth putting in the bag?
Read on to find out what you need to know to make an informed purchase.
Note: Unless otherwise stated, stock shafts and stock grips are used when evaluating this club. In most cases, the golf clubs reviewed on Golfstead are acquired temporarily for testing purposes and are not purchased. The review that follows is based on the personal experience and research of the author. Because everyone’s swing and body are different, results with a particular club may differ from person to person.
What are the reviews like?
The ZX7 Mk II earned a gold medal on the 2023 Golf Digest Hot List. It enjoys high ratings from critics and consumers, including an average score of 4.8/5 on PGA TOUR Superstore.
What People Like
- pure feel when struck solidly
- consistent strikes yield extremely consistent results
- playable out of a variety of lies
- plenty of workability
- great launch and distance
What People Don’t Like
- gap wedge not available in LH
- many experience poor forgiveness
The Features
PureFrame
This is a new technology that is unique to the ZX7 Mk II. It’s a special ridge forged into the iron right behind the sweet spot that results in a soft yet solid feel at impact with minimal vibrations.
This ridge consists of a portion of 1020 carbon steel that is 80% thicker than its surroundings.
Tour V.T. Sole
A V-shaped sole, with higher bounce on the leading edge and lower bounce on the trailing edge, is designed to glide through the turf so that hitting behind the ball is much less penalizing.
At the same time, the lower bounce on the trailing edge curves away from the turf, thus enabling the workability that you would expect from a players iron.
Progressive Grooves
Grooves become sharper, narrower and deeper in the short irons and wedges (8-AW) in order to generate maximum spin and stopping power. The 3-7 irons have wider grooves designed for longer shots.
Additionally, laser milling is performed between each groove to maintain friction across the face. All of this is done in order to produce consistent launch and flight characteristics throughout the set.
Stock Info
The ZX7 Mk II is made in the 3-iron through the AW. 4-PW stock sets are available.
The purchase of these irons makes you eligible to receive free Arccos Smart Sensors and a one-year free trial to the Arccos Caddie app.
The stock shaft is the Nippon N.S. PRO MODUS 3 Tour 120, and the stock grip is the Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360.
Below are the specs of the Srixon ZX7 Mk II irons. Click or zoom to enlarge.
The Performance
Distance
When it comes to distance, there are no surprises with the ZX7 Mk II, although it ranks right up there as one of the longest players irons I’ve ever hit, thanks in part to the relatively strong lofts.
I didn’t notice any perceptible difference in ball speed, spin, or launch compared to the original ZX7. If the ZX7 Mk II has any advantage at all, it would probably be slightly better consistency (ball speed preservation) across the face as well as repeatability of results.
It’s worth noting that carry distances were about 3-5 yards less, on average, than the ZX5 Mk II based on my tests.
Forgiveness
I’ll preface this by saying that many testers and users of the ZX7 Mk II have remarked that the irons have a distinct lack of forgiveness — approaching what you would expect from an ultra players iron or muscleback.
I didn’t experience this myself. Srixon categorizes the forgiveness as “low-mid” on their website, while I find that it has average forgiveness for a modern players iron.
My worst strikes saw a distance loss of up to 9%, which isn’t bad. Dispersions can be quite loose if you make poor contact, and you can expect to miss the green on your approach in such cases, but I’ve certainly seen much worse with other irons.
Is it as forgiving as the ZX5 Mk II or ZX4 Mk II? Of course not, but there’s enough forgiveness there to satisfy most better players.
Playability/Trajectory
Srixon categorizes the launch of the ZX7 Mk II as “mid”, and I would say that’s about right. It tends to be about a half a degree lower than the ZX5 Mk II and produce about 150-250 RPMs more spin on average.
My trajectories were virtually identical to the ZX7, which is to be expected. Short irons are very accurate and controllable, but you might have a hard time getting the long irons up in the air if you don’t make quality contact.
The ZX7 Mk II is very playable out of a variety of lies, and the Tour V.T. Sole helps it get through the turf impressively well for a players iron.
You won’t be left wanting in the workability department. Whether the goal is shaping a draw, a fade, or flighting it high or low, the ZX7 is fully capable of accommodating you.
The Look
Like the ZX5 Mk II, the ZX7 Mk II doesn’t reinvent the wheel relative to the original ZX7.
With a compact, traditional blade shape, thin top line (but not too thin), and minimal offset, the ZX7 Mk II iron clearly suits the eye of better players, but at the same time, it’s not so slim as to be intimidating like a muscleback or “ultra players iron” might be.
If anything, I find that the sole is just a touch wider, and this will ensure a smoother turf interaction on imperfect strikes.
The iron looks fairly traditional at address, but the thicker PureFrame region is clearly visible in the back cavity. I appreciate that Srixon didn’t add coloured accents to the aesthetic — this makes for a clean and professional vibe.
The Sound & Feel
When you catch it solidly with the ZX7 Mk II iron, the feel is just phenomenal. You wouldn’t confuse it with a true blade, but it’s just the perfect mix of buttery softness, crispness, and responsiveness.
The ZX7 Mk II is certainly one of the best-feeling players irons I’ve tested, and I would say it has a slight edge over the ZX7 in terms of the pureness of the contact.
I found the sound to be almost indistinguishable from the ZX7: crisp, nicely balanced, and not too quiet nor too loud. This sound is pretty consistent across the face.
Mis-hit feedback is gleaned mostly through feel in the hands, and it’s very informative overall. The feel becomes harsher and firmer as you get closer to the heel and toe.
Turf interaction isn’t as forgiving as the other ZX models, but it’s very impressive for a players iron. I thought during my testing that the ZX7 Mk II handled fat shots ever so slightly better than the ZX7, which is a nice bonus.
Where To Buy These Irons Online
Aside from the Srixon store, if you want a brand new set of ZX7 Mk II irons with custom shafts, grips, lengths, lofts, etc., head over to PGA TOUR Superstore or Global Golf.
Both of these sellers can accommodate custom requests and offer performance guarantees as well as club trade-in programs to help you minimize the financial hit.
Another excellent destination for both new and used ZX7 Mk II irons is eBay. You can often get irons there for prices that can’t be beat anywhere else.
Final Verdict
The ZX7 Mk II is best thought of as a refined, “next-gen” version of the original ZX7. I for one am glad that Srixon threw in some new tech (PureFrame) to help differentiate it from its predecessor and make upgrading more viable.
This iron is very long and has decent forgiveness for a players iron. On top of that, it’s highly playable, workable, and has a terrific forged feel. It’s just a rock solid players offering that can certainly compete with the biggest brands out there.
You need some skill to realize the full potential of the ZX7 Mk II iron. That’s not to say only low handicappers and professionals should play it, but if you’re the right kind of golfer, it could serve you well for the long term.
Are you interested in the ZX7 Mk II irons? Have you played them? What’s your experience? Let us know in the comments below.
