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The Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II driver offers high-value, low-spin performance. Those who are looking to max out their distance with a forgiving head should try out this Srixon driver. Good feel but an awful sound.
Introduction
In the modern era of club fitting and head-to-head matchups between drivers, sheer distance can be a siren song too strong for many golfers. While last generation’s ZX5 and ZX7 drivers were solid, forgiving options from Srixon, they were both higher spinning, leading them to have less overall distance than other top drivers. That changed in 2023. Yes, forgiveness is important, but ultimately there’s a universal desire to hit the golf ball longer. How you do that is by increasing ball speed or increasing launch while lowering spin, and that’s where the Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II driver comes into play.
Looks
This year, the visuals of drivers from Callaway, Taylormade, and Cobra have gone sci-fi. Each of them features looks that skew toward futuristic, glossy, almost Blade Runner-like aesthetics. This driver from Srixon however, is different. In sharp contrast, Srixon drivers feature a matte black finish on the crown and a tiny crosshair for alignment. You’ll find grey graphics on the underside, with red, black, and silver accents.
Not traditional, but not entirely futuristic, the Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II driver finds itself riding the middle. It’s minimalist, modern, sporty, and classic. At address, the look of the club head is flat, large, and long from heel to toe. It inspires confidence, and the matte finish prevents glare to keep you focused on the tee.
The head cover carries the club’s general theming with the same silver, black, and red notes. It’s spacious and feels good to the touch. Moreover, with a handle, it’s easy to remove and put on, making it feel as though thought and care were put into every detail of this driver.
Check out the Srixon ZX7 Mk II driver HERE
Sound & Feel
The Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS driver is punchy, powerful, and proficient. It is firm but rewarding. Well-struck drives evoke that feeling of joy of slamming a sledgehammer down and ringing the bell at the state fair. That ringing bell is important to note because while the club is explosive in feel, it’s also explosive in sound.
It is loud, and not in a great way. While less blaring outdoors, inside it can cause your ears to ring at times. It’s a higher-pitched sound, reminiscent of old PING drivers. This, for me, is the worst-sounding driver of the year and is so blaring that some golfers may decide against putting this driver in the bag.
Performance
Srixon has finally made a genuinely low-spin bomber. Through my testing on Trackman, I found it to spin in the low 2000s and even less if struck high on the face. For me, that was excellent, as I launch the ball very high, requiring less spin to maximize carry and rollout. Having the ability to open or shut the face and loft the head up or down by a degree was also extremely helpful.
Don’t need low spin? Check out the Srixon ZX5 MKII driver HERE
Rebound Frame is the top technology story here, and Srixon claims it boosts ball speeds all over the face. I can confirm it worked that way for me. My distances remained relatively high regardless of toe or heel strikes, and the spin never got higher than 2800 RPM. That forgiveness was also thanks to the variable thickness face working just as intended. With that said, the Mk II LS was showing lower ball speeds than other companies’ drivers of the year, so it wasn’t producing the longest drives.
I also found the club to be very fade-biased. Compared to other new drivers this year, I found the Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II driver to be a bit harder to close the face through impact. For me, that resulted in more shots pushed to the right, even if solidly struck. With that being said, it was a consistent shot I could rely on, even if slightly right of where I was aligned.
As I am often one to note, the pricing makes the performance that much more impressive. When new drivers from other brands cost between $549 to $599, it is commendable that Srixon is offering this much performance from their club at a $499 price point. While it’s not the longest driver I’ve tested in the 2023 season, it’s not far off, and for that much less, you should take notice.
Conclusion
The Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II driver is a bomber’s dream. It’s stable, poppy, and is available between $50 and $130 less than the other major manufacturer’s low-spin options. The one glaring negative is the sound. Srixon has been making some of the best irons in the industry for years, but now their drivers are showing that same competitive spirit. If you’re wanting to hit longer drives or need driver spin reduction, this may be a worthwhile value option for you to try and experiment with.
Visit Srixon HERE
Srixon ZX5 LS Mk II Driver Price & Specs
Drew Koch
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I threw on a couple grams of low density lead tape, did a lot for the sound… would never have selected this driver due to the initial sound… except that the results were so darn good!