Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver Review

Srixon ZX5 Mk II Driver Review

The Srixon ZX5 Mk II driver has a larger footprint than the Srixon ZX7 Mk II driver and offers more forgiveness in the same format of head design. Compared to the previous Srixon ZX5 driver, the Mk II version has an all-titanium head construction instead of a carbon crown. A very thin titanium crown is placed above a Star Frame structure which features three ribs criss-crossing on the inside to provide greater rigidity between the face, sides and rear of the head. The weight saved by the crown is then repositioned to improve the launch of the ball, making it a viable option as one of the best high handicap drivers of 2023.

WATCH: Martin Hopley puts the Srixon ZX5 Mk II driver through its paces

These days this is quite a departure to go back to titanium, but Srixon say that using this metal improves the energy transfer and creates a better sound at impact. It is hard not to agree with them as the sound from the Srixon ZX5 Mk II driver was very good during my extensive testing.

The variable face thickness pattern behind the face has also been improved and Srixon claim an extra 2mph ball speed at impact as the face flexing on that more rigid structure brings the power. The trailing edge is also a little higher to get the CG in the right position and the head shape is a little less toe heavy and gives a pleasing look at address. The colour is more of a dark grey colour than the previous black and the matte finish and new rear decals give a solid and measured look.

The graphics on the face have also been updated to frame the ball better than the fairly one-sided design on the previous ZX5, although how much you can see of it at address is debatable, but it is an improvement. Most golfers will probably find that the ZX5 Mk II is the higher spinning version of the range compared to the ZX7 Mk II and so it was for me. There is a degree of adjustability to vary the loft and lie on the 9.5° or 10.5° heads to try and optimise the performance for your swing.

There is also a single 8g weight in the rear of the sole which Srixon claims is another adjustability option, but this will need to be done at a fitting as the additional weights are not supplied with the driver. For lower spin there is also an LS version of the ZX5 Mk II where the weight is positioned at the front of the sole, which will likely rank as one of the best golf drivers for distance out of the middle.

On the course and in testing, the Srixon ZX5 Mk II proved to be one of the most forgiving drivers around and the slight draw bias in the head shape was subtle enough to keep shots pretty straight. It took some trial and error to get the optimum set up for this club for me. However with my 100mph driver swing speed, I was getting a little too much spin and therefore the lower spinning ZX7 Mk II is probably the one I would go for.

Therefore, if you are a slower speed player or don’t generate enough spin then the ZX5 Mk II is a very competent driver with a much better profile, good sound and excellent all-round performance. It will certainly find its way into the best drivers for slow swing speeds category because of how well it launched the ball, with Srixon becoming an even stronger contender to the main driver brands. If you're yet to experience a Srixon driver, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by what the ZX Mk II drivers have to offer.