Gear: Srixon ZX Mk II fairway woods
Price: $499.99 with Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX shaft and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip.
Specs: Carbon fiber crown (3+, 3), stainless steel chassis and face with internal weight and adjustable hosel. 13.5-degree (3+), 15-degree (3), 18-degree (5) and 21-degree (7) versions.
Available: Jan. 20
Who It’s For: Golfers who want more ball speed and distance off the tee and from the fairway.
The Skinny: A unique crown design and internal sole weight help the ZX Mk II fairway woods generate more ball speed and a higher launch.
The Deep Dive: Elite golfers tend to reach for fairway woods when they want extra accuracy off the tee, and occasionally they may grab one when they want to attack an especially long par 5. Recreational golfers, however, rely on fairway woods off the tee, to advance the ball as far as possible on long par 4s and par 5s, and even off the tee on some long par 3s.
While there is only one group of ZX Mk II fairway woods, in reality Srixon designed two different clubs within the set, creating a pair of driver-alternative 3-woods to go along with high-flying 5-woods and 7-woods.
The Srixon ZX Mk II fairway woods were designed with Rebound Frame. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
The ZX Mk II fairway woods were designed with Rebound Frame, a technology also found in the ZX Mk II driver family. As the stainless steel face strikes the ball and flexes against the topline, toe area and leading edge, a second flexible area that rings the front of the head also bends back. Then both the flexible areas snap back in place together, transferring more energy into the shot for increased ball speed. Srixon said the ZX Mk II fairway woods generate 0.9 mph more speed than the previous generation of fairways, which can translate to 3-5 yards more distance.
An internal weight pad lowers the center of gravity in the Srixon ZX Mk II fairway woods. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
To give shots more lift, Srixon added an internal weight pad (referred to as a Cannon Sole) in the front of the club. It does not inhibit the face from flexing but drives the center of gravity down, encouraging more ball speed and a higher launch.
The Step Crown is unique to Srixon woods. (David Dusek/Golfweek)
All the ZX Mk II fairway woods are made with a crown that drops down behind the topline. This Crown Step helps lower the center of gravity. The 3+ and 3-wood also were designed with crowns using carbon fiber to reduce weight on the top of the head and magnify the Cannon Sole effect. The 5-wood and 7-wood have stainless steel crowns.