Equipment
XXIO introduces XXIO9 driver, fairway woods
XXIO, leading seller of golf clubs in Japan for 16 consecutive years, revealed the details of the company’s ninth generation of woods. And from the looks of things, some truly innovative technology is about to hit the market.
The tag line from the Japanese market leader’s announcement: “Altering the head path increases head speed to achieve greater distance.”
Sounds great. But what does this mean practically?
The 9 series woods utilize a technology that facilitates longer wrist cock throughout the downswing, and thus a different club head path without a conscious alteration to the golf swing. The result of this, according to the company? A 5.5-yard increase in distance relative to the XXIO8 weaponry.
Let’s dig a little deeper into the metal wood offerings and component technology.
XXIO9 driver
The centerpiece of the XXIO9 series: Dunlop Sports’ Dual Speed Technology, which is designed to maximize distance.
Here’s how it works.
The XXIO 9 driver also features the company’s Wing Cup Face and the heaviest head in XXIO history.
And as you likely guessed, the heavier club head necessitates a lighter shaft: the new MP900, which features a balance point closer to the grip and several innovative materials, such as Toray T1100G: a graphite fiber developed for the aerospace industry.
The shaft doesn’t sacrifice strength, however, thanks to XXIO’s proprietary “hoop sandwich structure.”
With respect to the XXIO9 driver’s face, the company introduces Wing Cup Face design. And as the company indicates, “The heavier club head maximizes kinetic energy at the moment of impact, while the newly developed cup face with its expanded flare from toe to heel offers a 10 percent larger sweet spot than the previous model.”
Of course, no modern driver offering would be complete without some technology to manipulate center of gravity for the coveted high-launch, low-spin ball flight. XXIO repositions the weight in the driver’s sole this year, moving it 15 millimeters back to create a deeper, lower CG.
XXIO9 fairway woods
Similar to the driver, the XXIO9 fairway woods are equipped with the same shaft and a heavier club head. Thus, the purported results are the same: an improved club head path and longer-travelling shots.
XXIO9 fairway woods feature a new cup face of variable thickness (thicker at the sweet spot, thinner toward the edges). The face is also structured to improve COR performance in the lower regions of the face where many golfers make contact. Additionally, the sweet spot is 10 percent larger than previous models.
The sole’s “Power Wave Structure” (thinner center and thicker sides) creates the coveted lower, deeper CG to aid golfers in getting the ball into the air.
The XXIO9 series will be available starting Dec. 8. The XXIO9 driver will retail for $649.99, and the fairway woods for $429.99.
Specs
Driver
Fairway woods
Left-handed options
- Drivers (available January 16): 9.5 (S); 10.5 (S, SR); 11.5 (R)
- Woods: 3 (S, R); 5 (S, R); 7 (R)
[wrx_retail_links productid=”6″]
This week, we have our Tour Photographer, Greg Moore, on the ground at the OccuNet Classic at Tascosa Golf Club in Amarillo, Texas, for the 14th event of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season. With that, we see some great things in the Lead Tape Report as we roll into Amarillo.
Joel Thelen
Monday Qualifier, Joel Thelen is in the field this week. He has played on the Korn Ferry Tour for a full season in 2023, and he is back in action this week. A couple of clubs caught my eye this week in his bag.
First off: His trusted Titleist 816 H2 hybrid. This club came out in October of 2015, and it still remains strong in the bag. Also, take a look at this Odyssey White Hot OG 7, putting a capital S in the 7S model. This custom neck has some impressive lean for an arm-lock-style putter. The bottom of the putter is covered in tape for optimal weighting.
Mitchell Meissner
Taking a look at Mitchell Meissner’s bag this week, we have some great lead tape coverage. Top to bottom working from fairway metals, irons, and wedges. We can see on the short irons and wedges that there is tape at the base of the grip, adding a little counterbalance. Along with that, some tape on the short irons and wedges as well. Moving to his putter, he rolls the Odyssey 7 Bird putter. Meissner putts left-handed and strikes the ball right-handed.
Bud Cauley had >14 clubs in his bag when photographed prior to the Memorial Tournament.
Driver: Titleist GTS2 (8 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: Titleist GTS3 (15 degrees, B1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 70 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Chemical Tensei 1K Pro Red 80 TX
Irons: Titleist U505 (3), Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 8 X, True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F), WedgeWorks (60-K*)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putters: Scotty Cameron Tour Prototype, Scotty Cameron GOLO 6.3 Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Titleist Pro V1
In our forums, one user has offered up a prompt for the true sickos, inviting fellow forum members to share every set of irons they’ve ever owned. As to be expected, this is a lengthy forum topic.
@Lamosteve began:
Can you name every set of irons you’ve owned? Here’s mine
Spalding Dots
Spalding Eclipse
Ram Lazer FX
Lynx Parallax
Mizuno EZ Comp
Ben Hogans
Cleveland CG Red
Taylor Made R9s
PING i20
PING iE1
Taylor Made M6
Our members in the forum have been offering up their own collections. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- macedan: “Started with a hand-me-down Golden Bear set from my brother when I was in high school, never really played more than once a year or got into the game until about summer of 2017. First purchased a set of Cleveland CG4’s (I actually really miss this set sometimes, soft & not terribly large for a GI iron), moved into Nike Vapor Fly’s by the end of the year. Those lasted until spring of 18 when I decided I wanted new, so I traded them in for TM Rbladez. Honestly, although I liked the Rbladez, poor decision on my part, I think this was really about the only time so far that after a week or two I was kicking myself for not staying with what I had. Rbladez stayed with me until late last summer when I switched to P790’s and (knock on wood) I am hoping this will be my longest lasting set.”
- JimmyC59: “MacGregor Jack Nicklaus Triple Crown. Palmer The Standard. Still play these.”
- jgrzask: “Tommy Armour 845u
Mizuno MP-32
Mizuno MP-33 (2 sets)
Bridgestone J33cb – still own
Srixon i-302 (2 sets) – still own
Tourstage X-Blades – still own
Mizuno Hot Metal – still own
Nike Forged Blades – still own
Titleist 714 AP1 – still own
Cobra Forged SS – still own”
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John
Nov 11, 2015 at 12:28 pm
Yonex was doing this 2 years ago and make their shafts in house. Very underrated woods in my opinion
Jeff
Nov 11, 2015 at 11:12 am
Would love to see these with better shaft options than the stock configuration…
Dumdum
Nov 11, 2015 at 8:30 pm
These are the better shafts, dummy!
Darren
Nov 11, 2015 at 9:16 am
Those torque properties are off the richter!
Large chris
Nov 11, 2015 at 4:36 am
What’s that club you are playing with?
A 9 wood.
A 9 wood? My Grandma players with a 9 wood.
No no it’s a driver called a number 9.
Oh.
Different weight distributions and MOIs could well change swing path and speed for the better, but I suspect it will be more helpful to 70mph swing speed senior Japanese executives than WRXers.
Joshuaplaysgolf
Nov 14, 2015 at 10:57 pm
Probably a fair statement. As we all know, those of us with fast swing speeds aren’t gaining 5 mph more just from picking up a club. The only way my swing speed is going from 113 (average) to 118 (working on it 😉 ) is with a crap load of work on strength, flexibility, quickness, and technique…just moving some weighting and aerodynamics around won’t.
Tom
Nov 10, 2015 at 10:20 pm
Yowwwwwzzzzaaa!