Srixon Z-STAR Driver Review

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I've played with a few people who had Srixon clubs, but I'd never hit one myself until I decided to review the Srixon Z-STAR driver. I always enjoy hitting and reviewing drivers - I figure they'll use top-notch designs and the latest technology. So, here's my review.

When you're considering a new driver (or any club, for that matter), knowing its specifications and features can be a big help. So, before I get into my personal impressions of the driver, here's some information on the club.

This driver is a highly customizable, user-adjustable club. By using its STAR Fitting SystemTM, golfers can independently adjust the head's weighting, lie and face angle. By swapping weights and changing the club's settings, golfers can promote a particular trajectory and increase their accuracy. Up to 84 different configurations are possible, so there's a high level of customization. The face angle alone has 12 different settings, from 2.5 degrees closed to 2.5 degrees open.

This driver is packed with technology, and in addition to the STAR Fitting SystemTM, it uses a "Starburst"TM variable face design to increase the high Coefficient of Restitution (CoR) area (the "sweet spot"), a feature which increases both distance and forgiveness. The third high-tech feature of the driver is the MiyazakiTM DROMOSTM graphite shaft fitted to the head. According to Srixon, it's "the first premium custom shaft designed specifically for adjustable clubs."

So, the Srixon Z-STAR driver has a 460cc pear-shaped head and it looks conventional at address, but its sophisticated technology means it's far from a conventional driver. Srixon's "Quick Tune Technology" makes adjusting the driver's face angle and weight settings quick and easy - instead of wrestling with a wrench for several minutes in order to change a weight, a simple quarter-turn lets you pop out the old one and put in the new. And unlike most user-adjustable drivers, the weight kit for the club comes standard with the club - it's not an extra-charge option. The extra weights are stored inside the handle of the wrench. Both are brilliant ideas, and I hope other manufacturers follow Srixon's lead!

And here's another great idea, one that will help those of us who tend to get confused when we're trying to adjust the settings of our drivers. A design on the MiyazakiTM DROMOSTM shaft acts like a "cheat sheet" by showing you the ball flight you can expect when the club is aligned in a particular way. And written diagrams can show you how swapping out the weights can affect your swing. With these nice little touches, Srixon makes a complicated technology easier to understand and implement.

Now for the good part: how does the Srixon Z-STAR driver perform? I tested the 10.5-degree loft, but a 9-degree is also available. The DROMOSTM shaft fitted to the club I hit was a regular flex, but it also comes in stiff, extra-stiff and senior flexes.

The club set up well at address, as I expect from a traditional pear-shaped head. It looked quietly understated but felt balanced throughout my swings, and I never wondered where the head was in my backswings. Feel at impact was solid, but I prefer a bit more feedback to tell me when I made poor contact.

Distance wasn't the strong point of the Srixon Z-STAR driver, although its length was respectable. With all of its adjustable settings, accuracy, not distance, seems to be what the Srixon Z-STAR driver is all about.

Changing the club's different settings definitely changed the ball flight. I always have trouble figuring out how adjustable drivers work, but the Srixon Z-STAR driver actually made it pretty simple. This club makes it easy to change your ball flight without changing your swing. Some would say that's good, but others would say the club masks swing flaws which should be corrected, not covered up with a band-aid.

The Bottom Line: The Srixon Z-STAR driver is a solid club for golfers who want high-tech adjustability. It's not the longest driver out there, but you can adjust it in a way that will make your drives much more accurate.

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