Back in June, we got just enough information about the new Srixon ZXi RKT drivers to start asking questions. The first ZXi RKT images showed a dramatically different sole, three distinct weighting layouts and one unfamiliar name stamped prominently on the head: ACOUSTICORE. We could also see textured sections that looked suspiciously like carbon fiber, though Srixon wasn’t ready to provide any specifications or technology details at the time.
A few months later, those questions have answers. We also know the new driver already has a significant competitive result behind it. Ryan Fox put a prototype ZXi RKT LS+ into play and went on to win The Open Championship, giving Srixon a major before the retail family even reached golfers.
The new lineup consists of three models: ZXi RKT LS, ZXi RKT and ZXi RKT MAX. All three are built around a completely redesigned face system, new chassis shaping, model-specific weighting and an acoustic package that confirms one of the bigger questions raised by those early TOUR photos.
RKT Face: Four Technologies Working Together
The biggest technology story is the new RKT Face, though the name describes more than the face itself. Srixon says RKT Face combines four technologies working together: VR-Titanium, i-FLEX, Variable Roll Design and Rebound Frame. The goal is increased ball speed with better consistency across a wider area of the face.
VR-Titanium is a new titanium alloy that adds silicon to the composition. According to Srixon, the material gives engineers more freedom to create flex through both the face and body, helping increase initial ball speed.
That works alongside an updated i-FLEX structure. Srixon strengthened the internal face architecture enough to make portions of the face thinner, which allows for more efficient energy transfer at impact. Rebound Frame remains part of the equation as well, using two flex zones rather than one to increase deformation and rebound through the face and body.
Variable Roll Design addresses a different problem. Rather than focusing purely on speed, Srixon says the new face curvature is designed to improve accuracy when impact moves away from center, with particular attention paid to high-toe misses. That’s worth paying attention to, because Srixon isn’t presenting RKT Face simply as another speed story.
Patrick Ripp, Srixon Tour Engineering Manager, said players consistently asked for more speed across a larger area of the face without giving up consistency. According to Ripp, combining those technologies allowed Srixon to increase ball speed across a wider range of impact locations rather than concentrating only on center-face performance.
ACOUSTICORE Answers One of Our Early Questions
When the first RKT photos appeared, ACOUSTICORE was the only named technology visible on the sole. We wondered whether Srixon was putting more engineering effort into sound, and that turned out to be exactly the case.
ACOUSTICORE uses AI-optimized internal rib structures to tune the acoustic character of each driver model. Srixon also used simulation, modal analysis and a lightweight carbon-fiber crown as part of the development process, with the stated goal of creating a crisp, controlled sound at impact.
That carbon location also corrects one of our guesses from the TOUR preview. The textured areas on the sole had us wondering whether Srixon had moved into composite construction underneath the head. Instead, the carbon fiber is located in the crown.
That makes more sense when you look at the complete engineering story. A lighter crown allows mass to be positioned elsewhere in the head, while also playing a role in the ACOUSTICORE tuning process.
Sound has always been one of the more distinctive parts of Srixon metalwoods. Previous generations have often carried a more metallic acoustic character than some of the increasingly muted carbon-heavy drivers on the market. Whether ACOUSTICORE fundamentally changes that will be one of the more interesting things to listen for.
Two Years of TOUR-Driven Shaping
The external changes in the Srixon ZXi RKT drivers are just as substantial. The company says the RKT chassis went through two years of TOUR and in-tournament prototype testing around the world. Engineers used that feedback to revisit face depth, crown height, address shape, face angle and lie angle across the family.
The resulting heads use deeper faces and taller profiles to increase the effective hitting area higher on the face. Srixon also shortened the front-to-back dimensions of some models to create more compact shapes at address.
The changes aren’t identical across the lineup. The standard ZXi RKT becomes longer from front to back while also receiving a deeper face. Srixon lists higher launch, more forgiveness, lower spin and improved dispersion among its performance goals for that model.
ZXi RKT LS gets shorter from front to back with a deeper face, while ZXi RKT MAX also shortens front to back and takes on a more pear-shaped profile.
The new laser face milling is part of the visual update as well. Srixon says the pattern makes the face easier to see and align while also helping stabilize spin and add forgiveness in wet conditions.
Srixon ZXi RKT LS
ZXi RKT LS is the low-spin option for faster, more aggressive players.
Srixon lists it as low spin with mid launch, a straight-to-slight-fade flight bias and mid forgiveness. The head uses adjustable front and rear sole weights, allowing the player to change center-of-gravity position and tune spin rather than primarily altering left-to-right bias.
The stock configuration puts a 10-gram weight forward and 4 grams rearward for a more penetrating flight with reduced spin. Moving more mass forward lowers spin further, while shifting weight rearward increases launch and spin. Srixon says spin can be adjusted by as much as 350 rpm depending on the weight configuration, giving fitters considerably more room to alter how the LS performs.
The retail LS is available in 8, 9 and 10.5 degrees, with the 9-degree head offered in both right- and left-handed configurations. Stock length is 45.75 inches.
Srixon ZXi RKT
The standard ZXi RKT sits in the middle of the family and carries the broadest fitting profile.
Srixon describes it as the all-around model, combining high ball speed and high MOI while keeping spin relatively low. It launches in the mid-high window, produces low-mid spin and offers mid-high forgiveness.
Its weighting system also works differently from LS. Instead of front-to-back adjustment, the standard RKT uses heel and toe weights to influence direction. The stock configuration places 10 grams in the heel and 4 grams in the toe, producing what Srixon describes as neutral-to-slight draw bias.
Moving the heavier weight toward the toe shifts the tendency toward a fade shape. With additional weights, Srixon says the system can create up to 15 yards of directional influence depending on the configuration.
That gives the standard RKT a very different fitting role from LS. One is primarily manipulating spin, while the other gives golfers more control over directional tendency.
Srixon ZXi RKT MAX
The MAX model takes the opposite approach from LS and prioritizes stability. Srixon calls it the highest-MOI driver the company has ever produced. It carries a high-launch, mid-spin profile with the greatest forgiveness in the family and a slight-draw tendency in its stock configuration.
Rather than multiple weight locations, MAX uses a single 14-gram weight positioned low and deep in the rear of the head. Changing that weight primarily affects swing weight and overall MOI rather than shot-shape bias. Srixon says the rearward position promotes higher launch, increased stability and better performance on off-center strikes.
The retail MAX is available in 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees, with the 10.5-degree model offered for both right- and left-handed golfers.
More Adjustability Across the Family
All three drivers also use Srixon’s QTS 1.5 adjustable hosel. The sleeve provides 12 positions and allows golfers to alter loft, lie and face angle. Loft can move up or down by as much as 1.5 degrees, while flatter lie settings are available throughout the matrix.
That works in conjunction with the model-specific weighting systems rather than replacing them. LS uses the weights primarily for spin, the standard RKT for directional tuning and MAX for MOI and swing-weight adjustment.
Srixon also offers an eight-piece driver weight kit with 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, 10-, 12-, 14- and 16-gram options for golfers or fitters who want to expand the available combinations.
Our Take – Srixon ZXi RKT Drivers
When we first saw ZXi RKT on TOUR, the interesting part was how different it looked. The sole had changed, the weighting systems clearly varied between models and ACOUSTICORE suggested Srixon was paying attention to an area that had been somewhat polarizing in previous generations.
The full story is even more interesting though. RKT Face changes the material, internal face structure, face curvature and the way the head flexes at impact. ACOUSTICORE adds a dedicated sound-engineering story. The three chassis have been reshaped individually, and the weighting systems now give each model a very specific fitting purpose.
There’s also already some validation at the highest level. Ryan Fox winning The Open with a prototype ZXi RKT LS+ doesn’t tell us how the retail heads will perform for everybody, and his prototype should not be confused with the retail LS. It does, however, show that Srixon’s two-year TOUR development process produced something a major champion was comfortable putting into play very quickly.
The next step is getting the three heads in hand and seeing how those differences show up in sound, launch, spin and forgiveness for golfers who don’t make a living playing.
Srixon ZXi RKT Drivers: Price and Availability
The Srixon ZXi RKT drivers includes ZXi RKT LS, ZXi RKT and ZXi RKT MAX. All three drivers are priced at $649.99 and will be available beginning October 16, 2026.
Stock shaft options vary by model, with Mitsubishi Kai’li Dark Waves White 60 in the LS, Kai’li Dark Waves Blue 60 in the standard RKT and Kai’li Dark Waves Red CB 50 in the MAX. Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 is the standard men’s grip.
More information is available on their website.
