Srixon ZXi RKT Fairway Wood Review: Low On Spin But High On Power

A couple of years ago, the Srixon ZXi fairway wood really blew me away with its impressive power and speed and quickly became one of my favourite models on the market.

So when I heard the updated, improved ZXi RKT model was on its way, I couldn’t wait to take it for a spin both on the golf course and indoors on a launch monitor to see if it could be considered a late contender for one of the best fairway woods of 2026.

Like the previous model, I once again loved the look of this Srixon fairway wood right out of the gate. It boasts a pretty small, compact-looking head that the more confident ball striker will enjoy. The carbon matte black crown really accentuates that classic, low-handicapper preferred profile.

The chrome and gloss black detailing on the sole give this club an undeniable, stealth-like shelf appeal, one of the cleanest looks on any fairway wood released this year. That refined shape is the direct result of Srixon's engineers working closely with their Tour staff over two years of testing to create a cleaner, more confident look at address.

I do think Srixon is missing a trick with only one fairway wood model, and would benefit from a larger, more forgiving fairway wood in the RKT lineup to appeal more to the masses.

Taking it inside the Golf Monthly Performance Lab and hitting the ZXi RKT on the Foresight Sports QuadMax launch monitor, this fairway wood felt fast off the clubface through impact, providing a trampoline-like sensation through impact.

While it offers fairly loud acoustics, it is slightly more muted than the previous ZXi model - a welcomed change in my opinion. This tuned acoustic comes from what Srixon calls its Acousticore chassis, which uses AI-optimized internal structures alongside the carbon crown to dial in a specific sound - read more about that here.

The data perfectly mirrored that powerful feel that I felt when swinging the ZXi RKT in full flow. Looking at my launch monitor numbers, the club produced a highly impressive ball speed of 154.3 mph. The launch angle sat at a penetrating 12.4 degrees, paired with a stable spin rate of 2606 rpm. This combination of speed and launch conditions resulted in a strong peak height of 105 feet and a superb carry distance of 261.4 yards.

Much of this raw power can be attributed to the new RKT Face technology. This design utilizes a proprietary VR-Titanium alloy and is combined with an i-Flex face structure to create optimum energy transfer and consistency in ball speed thanks to the expanded flex zone across the face.

On the face of it (pun intended), the distance seems fairly impressive, but the rest of the launch conditions and the ball flight on offer are the exact reasons this fairway wood won’t make it directly into my bag. The lack of spin (I would usually like to see 3000 rpm) meant that I struggled to hold the green when hitting this fairway wood for my approach shot into a par-5 when testing on the golf course.

As you can see from the data above, when comparing the ZXi RKT to one of the most popular fairway woods in the professional game and the model in my bag right now, the TaylorMade Qi4D, it is spinning considerably less and producing a lot lower ball flight than my current option.

Both clubs were measured using a 15° head with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.

All in all, there wasn't a whole lot of difference in the speed or in carry distance between the two, but I would say I felt a lot more in control of the ball flight with the Qi4D due to the additional spin created with that club.

Unless you possess a serious amount of speed and power, most golfers will need to loft this club up using the adjustable hosel to create enough spin and launch when hitting from it from the fairway or rough. Moreover, if you usually use fairway woods as a secondary option from the tee or regularly play in windy conditions and seek a penetrating, flatter ball flight, this could be a great option for you.

Another massive plus for this generation is the introduction of adjustability in both the hosel and an adjustable sole weight for the first time, making it easy to dial the club in both in terms of face angle, loft, and weight.

Ultimately, this fairway wood will be a very good option for golfers wanting an alternative club to hit than driver from the tee, or for those who regularly play on links or in windy conditions and want to get the ball chasing down the fairway as quickly as possible.

For me personally, the outright speed it creates doesn’t quite make up for the lack of shot shaping due to a lack of spin and launch when striking the RKT fairway wood from the deck.