Compared to Titleist and TaylorMade, Srixon is something of an underdog when it comes to drivers. But there's no doubt the Japanese-based golf brand can hold their own against other major manufacturers, regularly designing some of the best drivers on the market, that cater to the needs of golfers of all abilities.
It's not the first manufacturer that comes to mind when you think of buying a new driver, but the brand is trusted by some of the best players in the world including five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, Olympic Gold medalist Hideki Matsuyama and 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry. If it's good enough for them, it'll be good enough for you!
WATCH: We run through the performance of the best drivers in 2024
There are a trio of Srixon options to choose from in their 2024 range and this list will go through them individually to find which one would be best suited to the playing characteristics of your game. It's safe to say that we enjoyed using all three during our testing programme, with the drivers packed full of the latest advancements in golf club technology and brands battle it out to build the best drivers for distance off the tee.
If you're not a fan of Srixon, why not also check out our guides on the best Cobra drivers, best TaylorMade drivers and best Callaway drivers for more excellent options from some of golf's most trusted brands.
Alternatively, if you're not sure on a brand to buy from just yet, you should check out our guides that might suit the characteristics of your golf game like our guide for the best high handicap drivers, the best golf drivers for mid handicappers or the best budget golf drivers.
The Quick List
A club that will please the eye when standing at address, the Srixon ZX7 Mk II finds a beautiful balance between workability, consistency and forgiveness. A perfect weapon for the advanced players who like to shape the ball off the tee.
A nicely-shaped head provides players of all abilities with confidence over the ball with the ZX5 Mk II in hand - a club with nice forgiveness and excellent performance. Trusted by both Lowry and Koepka.
It may be a couple of years older than it's counterparts on this list, but the ZX7 is still a fantastic option for players looking a new weapon off the tee box. Speed is combined with accuracy to create a seriously good option in a crowded driver marketplace.
Best Srixon Drivers
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Srixon ZX7 Mk II Driver
The ZX7 MK II is Srixon's latest release and a model we've seen out on Tour used by Keegan Bradley and then Brooks Koepka until they switched to the ZX5 MK II.
It may not be one of the most forgiving drivers on the market, especially when compared to it's brother the ZX5, but the ZX7 MK II is still a fantastic option from Srixon. Low handicappers will be drawn to this club if they are looking for a more compact head shape and will be wooed by the workability and ball flight control on offer from one of the most workable big sticks available.
We reached really impressive club head speeds during our testing process and saw ball speeds clock over 170mph meaning serious distance gains are possible for those who can get the club head moving at speed. The sound is loud off the face at impact, giving a powerful acoustic feel whilst feel off the face is solid.
The look is a no-nonsense, classic look that will appeal to many. A lot of modern drivers have absolutely massive heads which can sometimes spook players when they stand over the ball. Drivers with big heads can often lead players to think they have to swing harder at the ball to get the club head moving in the right direction, but this is not an issue with the ZX7.
The matte black crown looks fast and slick and the nice, subtle silver accents etched into the head mean it's not a boring club to look at, but rather one you're enticed to hit. This is a driver that better players will have no problem moving left to right or right to left and could be the missing piece in the jigsaw for the low players looking to crack their latest handicap goal.
- Read our full Srixon ZX7 MKII Review
Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver
The choice of driver for both Brooks Koepka and Shane Lowry, the ZX5 features an all-titanium head instead of the carbon crown on the older model. Srixon have implemented this to save some club head weight which has now been repositioned in the aim of gaining more distance through an increased launch of the ball.
This means that even though some of the best players in the world are using this driver on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf tours, it's still a wonderful option for those who have higher handicaps. Indeed, we'd recommend the ZX5 MKII as one of the best drivers for high handicappers and one of the best for players with slow swing speeds.
Like the ZX7, it's a driver with a striking, powerful look to the eye. The dark grey finish is added to with smart new rear decals for extra flair. It's looks great and sounds great at impact to, meaning heads will turn towards you as you smash it down the driving range at your local club.
More forgiving than the ZX7, it's also higher spinning which helps create a consistent, trustworthy ball flight. We found less workability as a result, but increased forgiveness without compromising on driving distance. What we loved about the ZX5 was that it can be used by players of all abilities - it can really helped players with slower swing speeds and can be purchased with a slight draw bias to help players who struggle losing the ball to the right, meaning this is one of the best drivers for slicers.
For the lower handicap players, we'd recommend getting a custom fitting for this driver and matching it up with one of the best driver shafts suited to your game for optimal results.
- Read our full Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver Review
Srixon ZX7 Driver
We're big fans of the original ZX7. It's an impressive high-performing driver and possibly one of the best we've tested in the last few years.
We adored the original ZX7 upon it's release and we recognize it as one of the best, high-performing drivers released in recent years. So much so, it's one of our favorite drivers that we've tested in the last few years. If you're on a budget, it could be one of the best used golf drivers to target if you don't want to splash the cash on a brand new option.
Like the newer ZX7 MK II and the ZX5 MKII, the original ZX7 has a nice, compact head with a smooth but slick glossy finish. The deeper face profile mean it is best suited to those with lower handicaps as it some players might find it a little less forgiving than the ZX5.
The power through contact with this driver felt immense at impact despite the rather dull sound - we felt there was a really good balance between enough feedback with an overbearing noise through the hit.
We were impressed by the numbers on offer during testing, too. We hit speeds of over 160mph in ball speed and a really impressive launch of 15 degrees, meaning players who struggle to get the ball airborne can gain a few extra yards due to this outstanding launch on offer.
Our carry distances were averaging over 275, well above average when compared other drivers. Although you lose some forgiveness with this driver, it offers excellent adjustability, for the weighting with a high penetrating ball flight.
- Read our full Srixon ZX7 Driver Review
How we test drivers
For product testing, we always like to build reviews or guides on our rigorous testing that is carried out by testers of all levels. This gives us the ability to give true and varied opinions on different products from a variety of playing levels.
For our driver testing, we look to attend product launches where possible and speak directly to manufacturers about the latest tech and designs that go into their drivers. This gives us great knowledge that we can then pass on to the consumer in our guides and reviews.
We then take the drivers into an indoor studio or range with a launch monitor, using premium balls to get data and numbers. This allows us to compare drivers whether with the current ones on the market or their predecessors. We then move on to outdoor testing in the elements to get some real-world testing, seeing how drivers flight balls in different conditions. We can also test the shot shaping and workability when testing out in the elements. We will always aim to deliver great insights and help you make informed options for a driver, we always go on the premise that manufacturers no matter how large cannot buy a good review.
We pride ourselves with our reviews at Golf Monthly because we feel a duty to you, the reader, to help find the best equipment for your game. Our review process has been honed through over a decade of experience and , importantly, our reviews are conducted by passionate players of the game. That means we know exactly what people want from different bits of the expansive golf equipment range.
No manufacturer gets preferential treatment from us, nor can a brand 'buy' a good review - we simply call it how we see it after testing each product across a range of different contexts, conditions and time.
How to choose a new driver
The driver market is arguably the most competitive in the golf equipment market these days, with brands scrambling to pack full their latest drivers with their newest groundbreaking technology to help gain you an extra few yards off the tee. Distance isn't the only thing you should be thinking of however. Getting successfully off the tee box is about a lot more than hitting it as hard as you can, no matter what Bryson DeChambeau tells you!
Forgiveness, workability, aesthetics an acoustics are all important when trying to find the perfect driver to suit your game. Below we've set out some key points to think about when purchasing your next driver that can help ensure you get the right club for your swing and specifications.
1. Experience level
When buying any club, you're going to want to think clearly about your experience level as a golfer in relation to what that club is designed to do. In short, that means if you're a beginner golfer, there's no point in buying a Srixon RZ7 MKII driver as you will struggle to hit this rather unforgiving club. It is wise to try and find a driver that'll help you perform better, not just strike the ball further. While distance is what we all look for in a driver, being able to strike your long clubs consistently is more important and for that reason, try to find a club that will supplement your ability level and performance.
For example, if you need a little help with your accuracy and consistency off the tee, maybe take a look at some of the most forgiving drivers on the market. Equally, if you're looking for more distance or something to supplement your fast swing speed then perhaps look at some of the best drivers for distance.
2. Forgiveness
Golf is hard - as a result, not every shot we hit comes out of the middle of the club face. The driver is actually one of the hardest clubs to hit in the bag, but given the wide range of playing abilities in the game, some will want more forgiveness off the tee than others. Having a driver that still flies consistently far and straight on those off-center hits can be invaluable to anyone's game, so picking a driver that gives you the level of forgiveness you wants is very important. In this guide, for example, lower handicappers may side with the ZX7 instead of the ZX5, whilst higher handicaps should be more drawn to the latter. Keep this in mind and chat to your local club professional for advice on what exactly you should be looking for.
3. Shaft flex
There isn't much point having a great driver if you have the wrong shaft in it. Thankfully, we've created the best driver shafts guide to help you choose between some of the best options on the market. Those with higher club head speeds will likely miss to the right if their shaft is too whippy, whilst players with slower speeds can tend to miss left if their driver shaft is too stiff. Head down to your local club or golf store and hop on the simulator to try out a number of shafts to find which one can help you hit further and straighter drives off the tee.
4. Feel
Feel is another important thing to think about when testing a new driver. This is subjective from player to player and my advice here is to take each club you want to buy for a testing session to get to grips with how responsive it is. When I test drivers, I don't like the feel to be too metallic or sound to loud. Equally many players want to feel a lot of responsivity and like the ball is coming off the face with a lot of energy.
5. Price
Budget is a critical thing to consider when purchasing any new club. But drivers can be the most expensive, with some of the top models setting you back in excess of $600. And depending on how often you play golf, and your experience level, that is a big outlay, but you don't always need to pay a fortune for a new driver. Shop around and look at older models like the excellent Srixon ZX5 and ZX7 models above which are a few years old now.
For more excellent driver options from a range of other brands, why not check out our guides to the best Titleist drivers, and best Cobra drivers.
FAQs
Do any professionals use Srixon clubs?
Yes, several major winners including Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama and Shane Lowry all use Srixon golf clubs and balls.
What is difference between ZX5 MKII and ZX7 MKII driver?
The ZX5 driver caters to higher handicap golfers looking for a little more forgiveness and consistency in their driver. It is a very easy-to-use club and offers excellent playability and long distances off the tee. The ZX7, meanwhile, offers more performance in terms of distance and feel and is suitable for experienced golfers looking to add more yards to their game.
Are Srixon drivers good?
Yes, Srixon's drivers go under-the-radar as being some of the best clubs in the business. The ZX5 MKII and the ZX7 MKII are two of the best drivers we've had the pleasure of testing, offering fantastic aesthetics and performance that rivals any of golf's biggest brands.
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