Equipment

From the GolfWRX archives: Remembering the debut of Srixon’s ZX irons

Published

3 months ago

Mar 6, 2026

Editor’s note: Looking ahead to where we take our golf equipment coverage in the future, we want to look behind us more frequently. What does that mean, exactly? We want to both place new releases in their historical context and highlight past coverage, as we have done from time to time, by opening the GolfWRX archives.

For this installment, we’re returning to November of 2020 when Srixon announced the launch of its ZX irons (ZX5, ZX7, ZX U). Now, if you fast-forward through the Best Irons and Members’ Choice results in the years hence, you’ll see the ZX parents and children perennially performing well — an exemplary morsel: last year, ZXi7 irons grabbed the top spot (and 20 percent of the vote share) in Members Choice voting.

How did Srixon do it? Back in 2020, Ryan Barath penned our launch piece. We pick up the piece with an overview of the technology and an answer to that question.

The Srixon iron story

When you’ve created a winning formula for irons—or a pizza recipe for that matter—you don’t mess with a good thing. You simply refine it by analyzing your strengths and making them stronger, and that is exactly what the team at Srixon has done.

Although most golfers are only familiar with Srixon irons starting with the Z-45 series, the company has a long history of producing some of the best-performing forged irons on the market, dating back to the I series in the early 2000s, which included the 302, 506, and the i-701, which was offered in a standard and tour model (featured above).

More photos of Srixon ZX5, ZX7, and ZX U in the forums.

Srixon ZX7 7-iron, cavity view

It was around this time when one of the most obvious design features of Srixon irons started to take a front seat: the Tour V.T Sole. Golfers, and more specifically, fitters, took notice of its performance through the turf.

It has gone through some changes and tweaks over the years, resulting in softer lines and smoother edges, but the new ZX Series is returning Srixon irons to its roots with a more aggressively angular VT sole, including the well-defined heel and toe notches for improved turf interaction.

This was driven from the consumer level and from players at the highest level on the PGA Tour since the Z745 was so well-loved and stuck around in players’ bags for a very long time (Srixon Z745 modern cult classic?)

“While the new ZX Irons are gorgeous to look down at, it’s the technology inside that’s even more exciting. Hotter faces designed using AI optimization delivers more speed. Meanwhile, varying grooves throughout the iron set give golfers consistent distance control, and forged construction helps them feel incredible at impact.” – Jeff Brunski, Director of Research & Development

Read the rest of the piece here.

Equipment

Slab city on the Korn Ferry Tour — Lead Tape Report

Published

17 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Andrew Von Lossow

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.

Whats in the Bag

Bud Cauley WITB 2026 (June)

Published

17 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

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

See more in-hand photos of Bud Cauley’s clubs here.

Equipment

Name every set of irons you’ve owned – GolfWRXers discuss

Published

17 hours ago

Jun 10, 2026

Will Schube

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”

Entire Thread: “Name every set of irons you’ve owned.”