For strong ball strikers, there seems to be a hardened inclination for compact iron designs with limited launch support, workability and style. With this type of design, it is extremely hard to build an identity with an iron due to the nature of the muscle back being so compact. For Srixon, not only have they managed to create an identity with the Z 945 iron, they’ve done so in a way that marries their 545 and 745 counterparts.
From Srixon
Experience the ultimate in ball-striking with Srixon Z 945 irons. The muscle back design features a slimmer topline and more compact shape for a pleasing traditional look that encourages workability and gives confidence.
Presentation
There is an unmistakable design element that draws the z 545, 745, and 945 irons together in the latest release from Srixon. A sharp yet elegant triangular design is present on the back of the iron, providing confidence for golfers that striking the ball well will produce ample feedback with considerable material in that location. Moving to the finish, a softer chrome produces that muscle back presentation without having a completely mirrored finish. The package is complete with the pairing of the low launching, low torque DG S300 shaft, and Golf Pride New Decade Multi Compound grip. This combination will promote truly stable shaft feedback through the hands, with a responsive grip that can handle every condition of golf.
Tech Talk
From Srixon: FORGED – The Srixon Z 945 irons are forged from the highest quality, softest 1020 carbon steel. With a lower carbon content compared to many key competitors, the Z series irons are high-strength while also exceptionally responsive and smooth at impact.
The responsiveness in sound and vibration from a muscle back iron is rarely rivaled. For the Srixon Z 945 irons, feedback is met with high marks on a majority of swing types. Perfect contact returns a very clear and flush sound, with the ball feeling something akin to putty on the face of the iron. It did not seem to be overly ‘crisp’ or ‘sharp’ but rather full bodied and audible at a level where quality contact was obvious. There is some marginal flexibility laterally on the face, more so in the direction of the heel rather than the toe area.
Moving to less than ideal contact, the audible response from the Z 945 irons change dramatically. Shots making contact lower on the iron face generate a more muted thud, with vibrations into the hands providing instant feedback on strike quality. Strikes moving upwards on the head (a sample would be teeing the ball too high and striking above the center equator of the face) generated a metallic clunk, despite performance retaining 90-95% of anticipated distance. Strikes moving to the toe of the face generate a reasonably solid sound similar to center face contact with less of that ‘putty’ feedback. In the hands, the twist of the iron face is quite clear at that contact position.
From Srixon: Tour V.T. Sole – To enhance turf interaction and trajectory control, Srixon Z 945 irons feature the newly developed Tour V.T. sole. By increasing leading bounce and decreasing trailing bounce, a “V” is created in the sole profile that has been proven to reduce turf resistance and tighter shot dispersion.
While Srixon considers the Z 945 irons as “tour” level, the V.T. Sole design may very well expand that handicap spectrum more into the low single digits as well. Unique to many of the muscle back irons present on the market today, the V.T. Sole technology accommodates situations where players strike the ground too aggressively, saving fairways from a massive divot.
Testing in firm conditions gave the presentation of the sole interaction with the turf to be limited, driving small divots in a majority of instances. Moving to an average grass firmness, there is a definitive benefit with the Z 945 irons not eagerly cutting through the turf, only taking mid-range and reasonable divots on quality strikes. Striking down too much will still produce poor results overall, this design seems to simply accommodate those players who would prefer to have an iron that did not aggressively seek out dirt during a swing.
From Srixon: Double Laser Milling – Milling on the face adds surface roughness for additional spin and trajectory control in all conditions.
Across the face of each Z 945 iron, subtle mill marks can be found. These are suggested to improve the surface tension, promoting better spin and flight control for golfers. During testing, there was an adequate amount of spin off all irons, including some mid to short irons producing enough spin on green approach to spin backwards a number of feet. In wetter conditions, the most common result of an iron strike would be a large crater-esque divot with very little post-contact action from the ball.
As the Srixon Z 945 irons are a muscle back design, there was little surprise to see how well the irons managed the overall ability to work the ball up and down as well as left and right. Unlike many iron offerings that have flight increasing technology, it seemed like the flight of the Z 945 irons were heavily dictated by swing. This made for great experiences in the windier conditions that encouraged lower launching flight profile, however it also made the gapping between irons a bit less consistent due to swing differences between clubs. The latter aspect is entirely player driven.
Head Shape
While Srixon does not directly discuss their triangular design on the back on the club, it certainly seemed worthy to speak on the shaping, and where it may be beneficial. When reviewing the location of the material behind the face, there is a very obvious intention to have a majority of the steel behind the center (and partially the hosel side of center). By doing this, Srixon has generated a very solid feedback generating iron head on perfect strikes, which likely favors the better ball strikers.
This does promote some concern that attention was not taken to support toe side strikes, and that simply isn’t the case. Not only did Srixon incorporate tungsten weighting into the longer irons (6, 5, 4, 3), the groove line ends before the reduction of steel behind the contact area would create a great deal of feedback loss. Rather than catering to a single swing type, the Srixon Z 945 seems to adapt to the majority of better ball strikers without the cost of an unbalanced iron offering.
Parting Thoughts
Testing the Srixon Z 945 irons as a low handicap golfer proved to be a reminder of what irons can produce when removed of the launch, spin, and forgiveness aspects of game improvement irons that are ever popular right now. It would be inaccurate to suggest the Z 945 is an overly forgiving club, however it does seem as though Srixon has begun widening the player potential with elements like the tungsten toe weighting and V.T. Sole. If you are a golfer that enjoys generating unique shot shapes regularly, and enjoys the slim profile and feedback offered by a muscle back, the Srixon Z 945 irons may well be the perfect fit. For more info, visit www.Srixon.com.
Great write up Dan. With the limited numbers that were released state side these have been difficult to find here locally. I like the sounds of the VT Sole, it’s good to see Srixon keep that design feature throughout the line. Srixon’s club entry into the U.S market is still quite young, but it seems they’ve created a a solid following.
Great job Dan. Love the performance of the vt sole and nice to see it continued into this line. These are some of the best looking players irons on the market and this review makes me want to try them.
Fantastic review Dan, still in awe every single time I look at these. While I don’t have the game for them it is neat to read about the tungsten toe weighting and VT sole which is expanding the playability of these beyond just the really low cappers which are great ball strikers.
I also think that Srixon has done a tremendous job with this entire line. There is a clear delineation between the lines while still maintaining a similar look throughout.
Great review Dan. Srixon did a great job IMO with the Z line and the 945’s seem like the perfect evolution to offer an iron for a lower handicapped player. As someone who plays the Z545’s, I can attest that the VSole truly works and overall helps the design to be playable by more than you would think just looking at the club.
Great job Dan. These irons are just outstanding all the way from performance to aesthetics. They are built well with quite a range of playability for what they are. This while line impresses me.
Great review Dan. Some really quality thoughts here.
Great write up explaining all the technical design traits. These are truly fantastic irons and the fact they held their spot in my bag through the end of the season says a lot. I agree with the fact that the design of these clubs expand the handicap range of who can play them. The bit longer blade length, v sole, and the tungsten weighting make for as forgiving a blade can be.
Great review Dan! The expansion of the Tungsten weighting, along with the V Sole have all of the sounds of a fantastic iron.
Nice write up. These are gorgeous-looking irons. Does anyone else see something of the mizuno mp 5 channel back in these?
I have wilson fg 62 short irons in my bag (because I really am not good enough to get the mid irons!), however, I am sorely tempted to try to find a place to hit these and maybe look at a combo set.
Always a shame that srixon aren’t quite as easy to find as some others because they are certainly beautiful.
These are beautiful irons, but the fact that Graem McDowell and Keegan Bradley play the Z 745 irons makes me wonder who is good enough to play these. I know that I am not.
Phenomenal thoughts on phenomenal players irons. The best release I’ve played all year!
Excellent review Dan. Got my Z 945’s in late Nov; have played about 10 rounds with them and can say without hesitation that I absolutely love them. Getting better with each round. The V.T. sole provides for great turf interaction with good strikes generating smallish shallow divots. I believe any golfer with reasonably decent ball striking skills can play these clubs. Nothing but praise for the folks at Srixon. BTW, I’m 64 with a 12 handicap.
I have a combo set at the moment consisting of a 545 4 iron with the Miyazaki Graphite shaft, JDM 745s 5-A Wedge fitted with KBS Tours. I love the look of the clubs but I’m not so happy with the feel. They need to be struck absolutely on the button or they’re very clunky. The performance is great and shots go at the target regardless of where struck (for the most part, of course) but the feel, in my opinion, is not what it should be for an Endo forged iron. They feel awesome when struck EXACTLY on the sweet spot…otherwise, not so good. I’m blaming most of the issue on the KBS shafts. I’m thinking about a set of 965s (2016 JDM model) with a Modus3 120 soft stepped stiff shaft. I’m sure that will be a much better combination.
I was a PING man for the past 35 years and played for many years off 3 handicap. My next to last set of irons were the i200’s but these are now for sale having tried and bought a combo set of Srixon 45 series – 745’s 4-7 iron and 945’s 8-PW. They are fantastic and I couldn’t agree more with Dan’s revue. Since buying these I have tried the 65 series and as many have said there is next to no difference nor improvement – so why pay the extra? These clubs are the Rolls Royce of irons.