Srixon ZX7 Vs. Mizuno Pro 223 Irons Comparison Overview

For our money at least, it doesn’t get much better than single-piece forged irons. The consistency and feel is just really hard to beat. Of course, this type of construction can really only be taken advantage of by better players: those hovering in the low teen and single-digit handicap ranges.

If you happen to be that type of player though, we have a special treat for you today. Today we are going to be sharing with you our experience when we tested two single-piece forged iron sets. Let’s take a look.

Srixon ZX7 Irons Overview

The Srixon ZXY were a big surprise as they were superbly accurate around the tee.

When we tested these Srixon irons, we were amazed at the kind of height workability and spin control we were getting from the 8 and 9 irons. Elevated greens with pitches were no problem as we were able to back spin the ball with these irons to our heart’s content.

The Srixon ZX7 irons were forged from single pieces of 1020 carbon steel which you can really feel in the shorter irons. They offer a high degree of feedback and have a soft feel. The face grooves also felt tight and allowed for acute spin control.

The narrow sole and compact blade design make these irons very congenial for low handicappers although distance was lacking in the longer irons.

Mizuno Pro 223 Irons Overview

The Mizuno Pro 223 irons really brought it in terms of accuracy and distance.

Whereas the Srixon ZX7 irons left us wanting in terms of distance, there was no compromise with the Mizuno Pro 223 irons. The forged chromoly in the long irons coupled with the Microslot forging made for incredible ball speeds.

With the Mizuno Pro 223 4-iron, our testers were topping out at 181 yards! The shorter irons sport a 1025 carbon steel design, not unlike the Srixon ZX7’s. In terms of short game control, we would say the tight face grooves of the ZX7’s gives them slight edge.

While it was easy to check apex height and distance with the short irons of the Mizuno Pro 223’s, spin control was just a hair more obtuse compared to the ZX7’s.

While spin control was slightly better with the Srixon ZX7’s, it wasn’t enough to make up for their lack of distance. The Mizuno Pro 223’s do a better job of offering well-rounded performance.

Srixon ZX7 Irons – First Impressions

I think with Srixon changing their lineup so drastically, let’s chat about the technology they have put into the ZX7 irons before we get into our first impressions.

The Srixon ZX7 irons are what they call a Tour Cavity, they have repositioned the weight in the head to maximize the sweet spot, most of the weight has been moved towards the perimeter, this increases forgiveness and makes the sweet spot bigger. It also gives the ZX7 a soft feel at impact with increased workability.

Srixon have changed the groove pattern in the ZX7 irons, the grooves in the 8 irons through to the PW are sharper, narrower, and deeper, this will give you much more spin and stopping power on approach shots into the green, allowing you to attack the flags more than ever.

V-Shaped soles are an absolute game changer in the ZX7 irons, the specifically designed sole helps the club glide smoothly through the turf, even when you strike the ball poorly. This is one of the key technologies making the irons more forgiving.

To make this iron the ultimate player’s iron, Srixon have added a Tungsten in the toe of ZX7 irons in the long and mid irons (3 iron to 7 iron), the Tungsten will increases MOI giving you more stability, while the forged 1020 Carbon Steel body decreases vibrations for an incredibly soft feel.

From previous years we were a bit skeptical about testing these irons, as soon as we opened the box that all changed. The ZX7 irons look freshed, the sharp lines and small head shape looked incredible.

Srixon have done an unbelievable job here. The irons were incredibly soft off the face, and the ball flight was amazing, almost looking like they penetrated through the air.

Forgiveness wise, we were very surprised. Miss struck shots still flew well, and the clubs slid through the turf with ease.

We were most impressed with the workability and consistency of these irons, exactly what a low handicap player would be looking for. Rarely did we get a ‘flyer’ and the way we were able to hit shot shapes with ease was phenomenal.

All in all we will give Srixon an A+ with regards to the ZX7 irons.

Mizuno Pro 223 Irons – First Impressions

A first introduction for the legendary Mizuno Pro series to the Western Markets. These are compact players cavity irons that have the profile that tour players demand coupled with the distance they didn’t know they needed.

While the pro series had been reserved for Japanese markets until now, the surging popularity that Mizuno have enjoyed in recent years has lead to their most prestigious family of irons making it to the west and they don’t disappoint.

Forged in Hiroshima, Japan, the 223’s are built with tour players in mind with their compact heads and despite the players profile, there is a ton of technology driving these irons to deliver distance, control, consistency and workability as well.

The 4 – 7 irons are built is a different way as the importance of COR diminishes and the importance of loft increases in the scoring irons.

The 4 – 7 irons have a Forged Chromoly face that is only 2.4mm (The JPX921 Forged is 2.6mm) thick and works with the Microslot inside the bevelled back edge to offer fast ball speeds, flex and a better rebound.

The 8 – GW have a 1 piece, 1025 mild carbon steel, grain flow forged construction and sport wider soles and longer blade as loft becomes more of a determining factor and these precise irons offer high launch, distance a steep descent angle for stopping power on the greens.

There is a microlayer of copper underneath the Nickel Chrome coating which lends to tour level feel and the irons have been accoustically primed to sound perfect on impact.

These irons are reserved for the better players only and with the compact shape it is very unlikely that mid handicappers will feel comfortable with these irons.

Srixon ZX7 Irons Selling Points

Multi forged construction, increasing workability and forgiveness
V-Shaped sole helps with turf interaction
It has a blade look, with cavity back performance
Sharper, narrower, and deeper grooves in the 8 iron to PW
3 iron to 7 iron has Tungsten in the toe to help increase MOI

Mizuno Pro 223 Irons Selling Points

Players Cavity Back Irons Aimed At Tour Players
Enhanced Ball Speeds For Extended And Longer Courses
Fast Chromoly Face
Microlsot Tungsten Weighting For Launch And Distance
More Workability In The Scoring Irons
Long And High Launching With Excellent Stopping Power
Forged In Hiroshima & Crafted For The Best Players

Who Are the Srixon ZX7 Irons For?

The Srixon ZX7 irons are aimed at your low handicap golfers. These irons have incredible control and workability, however with that you lose some forgiveness, meaning mid to high handicap players should stay away from these irons.

A low handicap player looking for a clean simple look, with a small head shape and narrow top line, should consider giving the ZX7 a try.

Like we mentioned before, with Brooks Koepka joining their ranks, it means they mean business, and these irons sure do live up to the hype.

The Srixon ZX Family of Irons

The Srixon ZX range has an additional 3 models to their range, this gives the range massive scope to cater for all handicap levels, as well as the ability to build combo sets. We were really impressed by the wide range of the ZX family, not many manufacturers out there have such a versatile iron option that caters for all handicap levels, and look so good. Generally the game improvement models look thick and chunky, but the ZX range is far from that.

The ZX5 iron features the same DNA as the ZX7 irons however there are a few differences that give them a bit more forgiveness and distance. The ZX5 irons have a slightly longer blade, wider sole, and more offset, this will give the iron a bigger profile, which will appeal to the mid handicap player. Additionally low handicap players could use the 6 to 4 iron in their longer irons to help with forgiveness.

The ZX4 still offers a clean look at address, but is more of a game improvement iron, they are aimed at your high handicap player, the ZX4 iron has the the widest sole, longest blade, and most offset in ZX family, giving to the most forgiveness, perfect for the high handicap player or beginner.

ZX Utility isn’t really an iron set, but more of a driving iron. It is thinner and smaller than the previous generations. It falls perfectly into the ZX7 and ZX5 range for a replacement in the longer irons.

Distance: 90/100

Accuracy: 95/100

Forgiveness: 89/100

Feel & Control: 95/100

Overall Score: 92.25/100

Check Out More Reviews Here:

Who are the Mizuno 223 Irons for?

The Pro 223’s are for the best players on tour and low single digit handicappers. Dont be fooled by the cavity back design, these irons offer the workabilty, control and consistency that will suit only the best golfers around.

This is the first time that Mizuno have released their pro series in the US and UK markets and are reserved for those who like the best craftsmanship and the buttersoft feeling of the grain flow forging process from Hiroshima, Japan

The Mizuno Pro Family of Irons

The 223’s are the upgrade to the MP-20 MMC irons but they are smaller and more compact with a faster face thanks to the Chromoly face and microslot.

The Irons can be considered a smaller version of the very popular JPX921 Forged irons which have thicker faces and are more forgiving.

The Mizuno Pro 225 is a hollow body players iron that is going to be longer and more forgiving than the 223’s but more workable than the bigger JPX921 Forged. The 225 are premium irons that have nailed the shape with distance brief of the players distance iron market.

The Mizuno Pro 221 are forged blades that don’t back any extreme bells or whistles but offer those better players all the forged feel and workability from the legendary Japanese forging process. Partly due to the lofts, they will be shorter and more owrkable than the 223’s

The Miuno pro set is aimed at the better players, offering the upmost quality. The 225’s will offer the best performance for most golfers and the a combination of more forgiving long irons with the Pro series short irons will suit many elite level players.