I wish all club reviewers were as professional and thorough as you, Jay. I always look forward to your reviews, even if I'm not really interested in that particular club, because your commentary and explanations of the testing is so informative. I'm always learning new things from you. Bravo, again!
@askgolfnut Jay, you knock these reviews out of the park each and every time. No matter the product, you test them extensively. You deserve 2M followers , seriously.
I had a fitting for the ZX4 MKll irons and the ZX5 MKll irons for me I found the ZX5 more forgiving than the 4, the 5 was a better flight, spin and feel for me.
I broke down your swing and definitely want to learn that swing. Clearly low hands, cupped wrist, and incomplete shoulder turn doesn't mean you can't hit good shots with good distance.
One thing I learned a very long time ago. If we all look at the PGA Tour (what once at least was seen as the pinnacle of golf) there are so many interesting swings, swings with features and total movements that do not confirm to 'the books' reasoning for the ultimate swing. Even Adam Scott isn't quite perfect and his swing is possibly the most technically perfect of all..... But who determines what is technically perfect? And if technically perfect was the key to longevity and success, why is there so much extreme variance amongst the top players. So we are all individuals, we all have our own bodies that have their own traits. As soon as a golfer fights their own body and natural tendencies then it's a harder road to improvement. Everything has its limits I'm not saying standing backwards or using your feet to swing is a good idea, but we all throw differently, write differently and do many day to day things very well but differently, why do we all have to swing a golf club the exact same way? 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻
When I go for a fitting im hoping these suit me as I've demo'd them at a range and really liked em👍. There is a bit of competition now tho with the new ai smoke irons
Hi Jay. Thanks for a great channel and thorough reviews. Good stuff😊. With these irons, would you say that it’s important with a mid to high launch and spin shaft? I am fitted for the project x 6.0 shaft in other irons but I normally play zx7 type of irons. Would this shaft compromise stopping power? I would really like to play these irons and enjoy the extra help. I swing in the 90’s usually with a 7 iron, with a descent angle in the mid to high 40’s for the most part. Best regards
Jay - how does the forgiveness compare to the ZX4? I’m a moderate swing speed player (7 iron ~75mph) so could use the extra launch/spin but don’t want to give up too much forgiveness. Thanks!
A lot of players seem to like it. There are some that just don't like it but I guess that's the same for all equipment in general. The main thing is if you like it and it works for you then its a good sole design for you 👍🏻 👍🏻
i have not found any real different between the zx5 and the zx5 mk2 series in performance. that will same shaft. the shaft is the key to maximising the club
I’m a beginner but I strike my irons fairly well. I’m 32 years old and fairly athletic, strong in my hands. I have shot as low as +14. I feel my “high handcaip” label has alot to do with my chipping and putting and bad tee shots. I have a lot of distance with my current Taylormade rsi1. Would I be making a mistake jumping right in to a Zx 5. If it help I have hit the new Taylormade stealth HD and I hated them
No one can know, but if you have a mid speed swing, strike is fairly ok then the ZX5 should work well. Make sure you get a good custom fitting for them to ensure you try the right spec for you 👍🏻
Pretty much in the exact same boat as you. I'm 30, strike my scoring irons 'decent' (my chipping isn't great) but putting really lets me down. I went to get professionally fitted and had my eye on the ZX5 and P790 among other irons in that category. The ZX5 was streets ahead of the rest for me, I'm fairly new to golf and still working on the bio-mechanics to increase swing speed (around 78mph currently with a 7i). I was fit into a 1/2" over shaft (I'm 6"3) and absolutely loved the way it felt. The forgiveness when off-centre strikes occur was remarkable yet still giving plenty of feedback to the hands so you can really feel what's going on. I subsequently ordered 4-PW with the specs I used in the fitting. Still 2 weeks away, can't wait! Go hit the ZX5, try some different shafts and I'm fairly sure you will not be disappointed.
Great review. I noticed you were toe down by 1 to 2 degrees. As a fitter would you recommend 2 degrees upright? Would that even make a difference? Then again you were hitting them straight.
There are 2 ways to fit when it comes to Dynamic Lie and it's very much so dependant on the ability of the golfer. With tour pros, teaching pros, elite amateurs and very good golfers where they basically always hit the ball first before any interaction with the ground, you fit lie by trajectory. For amateur golfers that have a varied strike, the importance of lie 0 means that the forgiveness of the bounce of the club works in full, otherwise twists and ploughing of the surface can happen prior to impact. 2 schools of thought basically determined by the level of strike abilities from the golfer 👍🏻 Great question, thanks very much for the comment and for watching 👍🏻
The camera makes it look more especially the side angle because of the wide angle lens. There are so many ways to stand and swing a club, as long as it is repeatable and fairly consistent then all is good 👍🏻
your thoughts Jay on the STEALTH irons vs the ZX5 MK2 irons or would the ZX4 MK2 be a better fit for me...curious...love the looks of the srixon.....cheers from Canada
Morning 👍 well it'd probably be the ZX4 to be fair looking at the similarities in design and also loft. ZX5 is more a mix of the P790 and P770 (closer to the P790) or JPX923 Forged 👍
Look into a 4i and 5i iron, maybe even the 6i in zx 4 for your long end of the bag, and maybe a 7, 8, 9 in the zx5 and then for scoring your pw and A wedge in zx7. That set screams for a blend. Just my thoughts
I'm considering a blended set zx5/zx4 PW-6 with two 7 irons. Bending the zx4 7 to 28° from 28.5 and the 6 from 25.5 to 25 to space them out better. Is this feasible and make sense? Appreciate any input
You cant assume that if you set a ZX4 and ZX5 to the same loft they will go the same distance so know what the gapping will need to be ahead of time cant really be done without thoroughly testing both sets. But with testing and gapping you could certainly blend these.
What are your thoughts on irons for my situation? I've been playing 20+ years and my irons are almost the same age. They're cavity back, and I'm playing a lot more these days and I'm getting a fitting next weekend. Typically shoot low 90s/high 80s but a lot of that is down to poor putting/short game (37 putts per round) which I'm working on. I think I'm a pretty pure iron striker, but I'm not seeing dispersion consistency (checking out lie angle is top of the list for this fitting) despite consistently good contact and distance control. I really don't like the idea of the new low lofted distance bomb irons, but not sure if something like the ZX7/Ping i230 are going to be too penalizing for me. I'm conscious I can only really try 3-4 heads at a fitting without being exhausted, but right now the "shortlist" is way too loong - i230, i525, G430, ZX5, ZX7, T150, T200, 923, P770!
If your irons striking is pretty pure then you shouldn't worry about the forgiveness aspect as hitting anywhere close to middle you won't use it. So can quite easily remove some of the above choices as both i525 and G430 are more distance inspired. If you don't want the distance then I would limit the 7 iron loft to 31 degrees or more. That will reduce the list and allow you to better focus your energy on actual possibilities 👍👍
Thanks so much@@AskGolfNut! Love your videos and really appreciate the reply. I've never used Trackman for my irons before so I guess I'll see how pure my striking is next week :)
Hmmm trackman doesn't measure strike directly an it's no where near as accurate as GCQuad for direct impact dynamic measurements also dynamic lie is more accurately measured with Quad. If you are going for a fitting personally I would choose somewhere using Quad unless you know your direct fitting numbers already 👍
How would you compare forgiveness/sounds/feel vs Ping i230 considering differences in design/material and target golfer?Apologies for 5 questions in 1…
Don't apologise, all very good questions..... Actually I think these two are quite close in the golfing audience that they would work very well for. The i230 is a really really good iron, possibly my favourite that Ping does and it goes toe to toe with the ZX7 in many departments so both would be a great option and 2 to definitely have on your list for testing 👍
That all very much depends on the individual golfer, what their strike pattern is like, what also requirements they have for launch etc 👍🏻 If you let me know your launch characteristics and requirements for forgiveness due to known patterns of strike inconsistency, I can give you a more tailored answer 👍🏻
I am 65 and have a 6 handicap playing from the men’s tees. I swing a 7I avg 78 mi. Currently use game improvement irons with graphite shafts. I don’t like large offset and wider sole. Have been testing out the player distance irons and feel I’m more consistent but only carry a 7i 140 yds. Fitters keep wanting to put me in a game improvement iron. I tried the Forged Tec X and didn’t hit them as consistent as the Forged Tec. I feel like a blended set would work better. Like the zx5 7-GW and the zx4 5-6. I liked the Ping i525 but couldn’t try the shorter irons so don’t know if the i230 would make sense to blend. Now Titleist has come out with new T irons. So many options it paralyzed me. Any experience fitting a better golfer with a slower swing speed? Thanks, Ric
Much experience Ric, so I can happily say that the Forged Tec X at your speed would most probably be a negative experience. The aggressive lofts even with the CG low wont create the launch conditions needed for a functional flight. Even I don't have a 4 iron (in a traditionally lofted set so would transition earlier in modern lofts) due to getting very close to not being for me a functional flight, so I move to a Hybrid that hits the ball higher etc. I would personally suggest (without seeing your swing and dynamics) that going ZX5 possibly to 6 iron and then transition into 5 hybrid to keep the functionality of flight into the green. Thanks for the comment and for watching 👍🏻
@@AskGolfNut thanks for the feedback. I currently stop at 6 iron and have a 5 &4=hybrid which I hit well. Problem is there is a significant gap between my 5 hybrid and 6 iron. Thought about getting a Utility iron, maybe help me with under trees shots and short par 4s? Or going to the 5i in my new set and keeping the 5 hybrid?
All of the above you wouldn't of gone wrong with fitted correctly but I'm glad you settled on the correct choice 👍 Thanks for the comment and for watching 👍
I noticed the bottom of the blade is very straight compared to other manufacturers. Wouldn’t that make the misses worse on toe strikes. I would think it would dig more into the turf? Ric
Great question, only if dynamic lie was poor and the golfer in question was hitting the ground before the ball whilst simultaneously striking from the toe. 👍🏻 Great question, thanks for the comment and for watching 👍🏻
I wish all club reviewers were as professional and thorough as you, Jay. I always look forward to your reviews, even if I'm not really interested in that particular club, because your commentary and explanations of the testing is so informative. I'm always learning new things from you. Bravo, again!
@askgolfnut Jay, you knock these reviews out of the park each and every time. No matter the product, you test them extensively. You deserve 2M followers , seriously.
Love my ZX5 MK 2 with graphite shafts, great feel and just work for me.
What is your swing speed with a 7i?
traded in my zx5 for hot metal pro for shaft change should have kept the zx5. softer more forgiving.
I had a fitting for the ZX4 MKll irons and the ZX5 MKll irons for me I found the ZX5 more forgiving than the 4, the 5 was a better flight, spin and feel for me.
I broke down your swing and definitely want to learn that swing. Clearly low hands, cupped wrist, and incomplete shoulder turn doesn't mean you can't hit good shots with good distance.
One thing I learned a very long time ago. If we all look at the PGA Tour (what once at least was seen as the pinnacle of golf) there are so many interesting swings, swings with features and total movements that do not confirm to 'the books' reasoning for the ultimate swing. Even Adam Scott isn't quite perfect and his swing is possibly the most technically perfect of all..... But who determines what is technically perfect? And if technically perfect was the key to longevity and success, why is there so much extreme variance amongst the top players.
So we are all individuals, we all have our own bodies that have their own traits. As soon as a golfer fights their own body and natural tendencies then it's a harder road to improvement. Everything has its limits I'm not saying standing backwards or using your feet to swing is a good idea, but we all throw differently, write differently and do many day to day things very well but differently, why do we all have to swing a golf club the exact same way? 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻 👍🏻
When I go for a fitting im hoping these suit me as I've demo'd them at a range and really liked em👍. There is a bit of competition now tho with the new ai smoke irons
Hi Jay. Thanks for a great channel and thorough reviews. Good stuff😊. With these irons, would you say that it’s important with a mid to high launch and spin shaft? I am fitted for the project x 6.0 shaft in other irons but I normally play zx7 type of irons. Would this shaft compromise stopping power? I would really like to play these irons and enjoy the extra help. I swing in the 90’s usually with a 7 iron, with a descent angle in the mid to high 40’s for the most part. Best regards
Jay - how does the forgiveness compare to the ZX4? I’m a moderate swing speed player (7 iron ~75mph) so could use the extra launch/spin but don’t want to give up too much forgiveness. Thanks!
Great job, Jay! I've just discovered your channel and I am totally impressed...
Definitely like the v-sole.
A lot of players seem to like it. There are some that just don't like it but I guess that's the same for all equipment in general. The main thing is if you like it and it works for you then its a good sole design for you 👍🏻 👍🏻
i have not found any real different between the zx5 and the zx5 mk2 series in performance. that will same shaft. the shaft is the key to maximising the club
Excellent
Thank you 😉 😀
I’m a beginner but I strike my irons fairly well. I’m 32 years old and fairly athletic, strong in my hands. I have shot as low as +14. I feel my “high handcaip” label has alot to do with my chipping and putting and bad tee shots. I have a lot of distance with my current Taylormade rsi1. Would I be making a mistake jumping right in to a Zx 5. If it help I have hit the new Taylormade stealth HD and I hated them
No one can know, but if you have a mid speed swing, strike is fairly ok then the ZX5 should work well. Make sure you get a good custom fitting for them to ensure you try the right spec for you 👍🏻
Absolutely get the zx5... don't be afraid to mix in tge zx7's too. Your linger irons maybe the zx4's. Perfect set to blend
Pretty much in the exact same boat as you. I'm 30, strike my scoring irons 'decent' (my chipping isn't great) but putting really lets me down. I went to get professionally fitted and had my eye on the ZX5 and P790 among other irons in that category. The ZX5 was streets ahead of the rest for me, I'm fairly new to golf and still working on the bio-mechanics to increase swing speed (around 78mph currently with a 7i). I was fit into a 1/2" over shaft (I'm 6"3) and absolutely loved the way it felt. The forgiveness when off-centre strikes occur was remarkable yet still giving plenty of feedback to the hands so you can really feel what's going on. I subsequently ordered 4-PW with the specs I used in the fitting. Still 2 weeks away, can't wait! Go hit the ZX5, try some different shafts and I'm fairly sure you will not be disappointed.
Great review. I noticed you were toe down by 1 to 2 degrees. As a fitter would you recommend 2 degrees upright? Would that even make a difference? Then again you were hitting them straight.
There are 2 ways to fit when it comes to Dynamic Lie and it's very much so dependant on the ability of the golfer. With tour pros, teaching pros, elite amateurs and very good golfers where they basically always hit the ball first before any interaction with the ground, you fit lie by trajectory. For amateur golfers that have a varied strike, the importance of lie 0 means that the forgiveness of the bounce of the club works in full, otherwise twists and ploughing of the surface can happen prior to impact.
2 schools of thought basically determined by the level of strike abilities from the golfer 👍🏻
Great question, thanks very much for the comment and for watching 👍🏻
I'm slightly confused how far away from the ball you are. But it seems to be working very well!
The camera makes it look more especially the side angle because of the wide angle lens.
There are so many ways to stand and swing a club, as long as it is repeatable and fairly consistent then all is good 👍🏻
Great review!
Glad you enjoyed it 👍👍
your thoughts Jay on the STEALTH irons vs the ZX5 MK2 irons or would the ZX4 MK2 be a better fit for me...curious...love the looks of the srixon.....cheers from Canada
Morning 👍 well it'd probably be the ZX4 to be fair looking at the similarities in design and also loft.
ZX5 is more a mix of the P790 and P770 (closer to the P790) or JPX923 Forged 👍
Look into a 4i and 5i iron, maybe even the 6i in zx 4 for your long end of the bag, and maybe a 7, 8, 9 in the zx5 and then for scoring your pw and A wedge in zx7. That set screams for a blend. Just my thoughts
How bout a comparison with the ping i530?
I may have to order a set... Please compare against JPX 923 Forged and Mizuno Pro 225....
I'll put it on the list to do 👍
@askgolfnut how would these compare to the new Titleist T150's and T200's?
Can't recommend a mixed bag of the zx mk2's. Only zx4 I have is the 4i. 5i and 6i in the zx5. 7-pw zx7's.
50/54/58 rtx6 zipcore.
Which is more forgiving overall? The 5s or 4s? Are chunkier more forgiving? Asking for a 15 handicapper
Or are the mizuno jpx forged better than both srixons?
The 4s are definitely more forgiving mate. Yes, rhe chunkier irons provide mire forgiveness.
I have the 5 but the 4 are good looking too.
Cheers
I'm considering a blended set zx5/zx4 PW-6 with two 7 irons. Bending the zx4 7 to 28° from 28.5 and the 6 from 25.5 to 25 to space them out better. Is this feasible and make sense? Appreciate any input
You cant assume that if you set a ZX4 and ZX5 to the same loft they will go the same distance so know what the gapping will need to be ahead of time cant really be done without thoroughly testing both sets. But with testing and gapping you could certainly blend these.
Good to know. Thanks!
Are you gonna review the new titleist T irons? I would love to see the T150/T200 vs the mizuno 223/225
Trying to arrange that, as soon as I get hold of them I'll review and do the compares 👍 👍
Great vid.
It would be great if you could compare this to the new T150, T200 and new P790. Thx, Ric
Trying to reach out to both Titleist and Taylormade for samples to allow review and also compares.......As soon as I get any joy they will be up 👍
What are your thoughts on irons for my situation? I've been playing 20+ years and my irons are almost the same age. They're cavity back, and I'm playing a lot more these days and I'm getting a fitting next weekend. Typically shoot low 90s/high 80s but a lot of that is down to poor putting/short game (37 putts per round) which I'm working on. I think I'm a pretty pure iron striker, but I'm not seeing dispersion consistency (checking out lie angle is top of the list for this fitting) despite consistently good contact and distance control. I really don't like the idea of the new low lofted distance bomb irons, but not sure if something like the ZX7/Ping i230 are going to be too penalizing for me. I'm conscious I can only really try 3-4 heads at a fitting without being exhausted, but right now the "shortlist" is way too loong - i230, i525, G430, ZX5, ZX7, T150, T200, 923, P770!
If your irons striking is pretty pure then you shouldn't worry about the forgiveness aspect as hitting anywhere close to middle you won't use it. So can quite easily remove some of the above choices as both i525 and G430 are more distance inspired. If you don't want the distance then I would limit the 7 iron loft to 31 degrees or more. That will reduce the list and allow you to better focus your energy on actual possibilities 👍👍
Thanks so much@@AskGolfNut! Love your videos and really appreciate the reply. I've never used Trackman for my irons before so I guess I'll see how pure my striking is next week :)
Hmmm trackman doesn't measure strike directly an it's no where near as accurate as GCQuad for direct impact dynamic measurements also dynamic lie is more accurately measured with Quad. If you are going for a fitting personally I would choose somewhere using Quad unless you know your direct fitting numbers already 👍
How would you compare forgiveness/sounds/feel vs Ping i230 considering differences in design/material and target golfer?Apologies for 5 questions in 1…
Don't apologise, all very good questions..... Actually I think these two are quite close in the golfing audience that they would work very well for. The i230 is a really really good iron, possibly my favourite that Ping does and it goes toe to toe with the ZX7 in many departments so both would be a great option and 2 to definitely have on your list for testing 👍
@@AskGolfNutis the ZX5 a larger head- blade length, sole width, etc?
Would you recommend the ZX5 or the ZX7 for a 10-13 handicapper?
That all very much depends on the individual golfer, what their strike pattern is like, what also requirements they have for launch etc 👍🏻
If you let me know your launch characteristics and requirements for forgiveness due to known patterns of strike inconsistency, I can give you a more tailored answer 👍🏻
do these up to the new t200!!
I am 65 and have a 6 handicap playing from the men’s tees. I swing a 7I avg 78 mi. Currently use game improvement irons with graphite shafts. I don’t like large offset and wider sole. Have been testing out the player distance irons and feel I’m more consistent but only carry a 7i 140 yds. Fitters keep wanting to put me in a game improvement iron. I tried the Forged Tec X and didn’t hit them as consistent as the Forged Tec. I feel like a blended set would work better. Like the zx5 7-GW and the zx4 5-6. I liked the Ping i525 but couldn’t try the shorter irons so don’t know if the i230 would make sense to blend. Now Titleist has come out with new T irons. So many options it paralyzed me. Any experience fitting a better golfer with a slower swing speed? Thanks, Ric
Much experience Ric, so I can happily say that the Forged Tec X at your speed would most probably be a negative experience. The aggressive lofts even with the CG low wont create the launch conditions needed for a functional flight. Even I don't have a 4 iron (in a traditionally lofted set so would transition earlier in modern lofts) due to getting very close to not being for me a functional flight, so I move to a Hybrid that hits the ball higher etc.
I would personally suggest (without seeing your swing and dynamics) that going ZX5 possibly to 6 iron and then transition into 5 hybrid to keep the functionality of flight into the green.
Thanks for the comment and for watching 👍🏻
@@AskGolfNut thanks for the feedback. I currently stop at 6 iron and have a 5 &4=hybrid which I hit well. Problem is there is a significant gap between my 5 hybrid and 6 iron. Thought about getting a Utility iron, maybe help me with under trees shots and short par 4s? Or going to the 5i in my new set and keeping the 5 hybrid?
@clientbuilding8737 how big a gap is there?
@@AskGolfNut about 20yds
I'm assuming you've changed the loft sleeve on the hybrid to maximum loft to weaken it off a bit? 👍🏻
How would you compare the feel of the ZK5 MK2 compared to JPX 923 Forged?
I'll put it on the list 👍
All of the above you wouldn't of gone wrong with fitted correctly but I'm glad you settled on the correct choice 👍
Thanks for the comment and for watching 👍
What kind of monitor are you using in your simulator? Thanks
Foresight Sports GCQuad, there's a link to the Foresight website in the description 👇 if you wanted to know more 👍
I noticed the bottom of the blade is very straight compared to other manufacturers. Wouldn’t that make the misses worse on toe strikes. I would think it would dig more into the turf? Ric
Great question, only if dynamic lie was poor and the golfer in question was hitting the ground before the ball whilst simultaneously striking from the toe. 👍🏻
Great question, thanks for the comment and for watching 👍🏻
Is there a mizuno iron that is comparable with the zx5?
Jpx forged?
@@ottawapop JPX923 Hot metal pro? I'd say the JPX forged was more comparable to the ZX7?
I saw the zynbabwe’s in your pocket 🧐😂
Sorry I'm a bit lost.... You'll have to explain the comment to me in layman's terms 😊