By: Dylan Thaemert
50 Words or Less
The new Srixon Z785 irons are the latest update to the company’s cavity back offering in a better players shape. In terms of looks, feel, and performance, these irons deliver.
Introduction
There’s a reason that top ball strikers such as Keegan Bradley and Hideki Matsuyama choose to game Srixon year after year. These irons have a clean and classic look with impressive, reliable results to match. If you’re one of those who have overlooked Srixon until now, read on to find out why now might be the right time to change that.
Looks
These are handsome looking clubs. They have a compact blade length with virtually no offset. In the bag, they look classic and clean, with just a slight twist. Just like the previous iterations of this club, the focus is on the classic shape and modest cavity back. The twist comes in the form of a two-tone look. The majority of the iron is shiny chrome, but the club face, top line, and forward part of the Tour V.T. Sole are a matte finish that looks great and performs well in the bright sun.
Down by the ball, the Z 785 inspires confidence. The top line is thin and has a squared shape. The lack of any discernible offset will give the better player confidence in their ability to hit the shot required in the moment.
Sound & Feel
The sound of a crisply struck iron from the sweet spot is a satisfying and concise ‘thwack.’ Off-center hits are less pronounced. You will get plenty of feedback through the hands. My miss is out of the toe and that was more readily apparent by way of sound and feel than I was used to with my gamers.
The feel delivers on what players have come to expect from a tour-caliber forged iron: buttery soft but in no way mushy or inarticulate. Hitting these clubs provides a lot of feedback by way of feel and also provides the ultimate reward for hitting the sweet spot.
Performance
This was my first experience with Srixon irons and I was impressed. The looks, sound, and feel are great but the performance I got out of them made it hard for me to want to go back to my old clubs. When I hit the sweet spot, not only did I get that incredibly satisfying combination of sound and feel, I also got a yard or two of extra distance.
For a forged club, off-center hits were not punished as much as I imagined they would be. Instead of spinning into oblivion and dropping off a full club short of the target, toe strikes flew relatively straight and only came up a yard or two short of their intended target. That was a pleasant surprise.
Working the ball right or left or knocking it down is easy with these clubs. This workability is what I value most about them. Getting great numbers in a hitting bay or blasting long, straight balls on a driving range is great, but I play golf on a golf course. If I need to be able to get a 7 iron up and over a tree quickly or hit a low punch-cut 4 iron out from under a tree, I want to be able to do that. That’s exactly what the Z 785 irons provide.
Conclusion
If Srixon is one of the OEMs you have been overlooking, now is the time to change that. If you already know about Srixon and you’re ready to get fit for your next set of clubs, I highly recommend you give the Z785 a try.
Srixon Z785 Irons Price and Specs
Dylan Thaemert
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Interested in the Titleist AP2 718 and the Srixon z785 what are the main advantages of these clubs thank you.
Jeff,
We have a full review of the 718 AP2 here: https://pluggedingolf.com/titleist-718-ap2-irons-review/
We didn’t test the two irons head to head, and the reviews were written by different people, so we can’t offer any substantive comparison.
Best,
Matt
Having gamed both Titleist and Srixon I can say there’s no comparison. Srixon irins out performed Titleist in every category hands-down. Feel better, flight better, look better, higher quality.
Do you notice any difference with these compared to their predecessor, Z765? Other than looks of course…
Marc,
Dylan did not write our review of the Z 765, so he does not have comparative data. Overall, this new generation is very similar. One of the biggest changes (which is still not very big) is the sole.
Best,
Matt
Iron loft gapping seems odd to me, did you find this impacted your distance gapping at all? These are a full 3-4 degrees stronger than my gamers in the mid irons.
Bill,
Dylan reports that he did not find any unusual gapping in the irons he tested.
Best,
Matt
Do you think a 6 handicap can play these? I’m a decent ball striker but I don’t want to get in over my head…
I play the Nike Vapor Pro Combo right now and I think it’s time to change.
Thanks
Luc,
Absolutely, go for it.
Best,
Matt
I am an average golfer and I am concerned the Z-785 are going to be too blade like. I am looking at Z785 and Z585. What do you recommend.
Bryan,
I would suggest getting a fitting or at least testing them head to head to see what performs better for you.
Best,
Matt
It would be nice for these irons, or any other irons reviewed, to have a ball in the top down photo. It helps to see the size of the clubhead relative to the ball. I can get a sense when looking at the hosel and the head but the ball would be a better tell on size. Thank you.
As a 12/13 handicap I was concerned these would be too hard to hit, but I absolutely loved them at the range and took the plunge. No regrets. I hit high slight draw with these, and they seem relatively easy to flight the ball low if you need to punch the ball low. It’s been a ton of fun learning how to shape the ball. When you hit these pure, they are a joy to hit. I can never go back to my old cavity back shovels ever again.