The brand new XXIO 13 metalwoods line follows the tried-and-true XXIO recipe. 

We will speak all we would like concerning the new know-how and key enhancements (belief me, we are going to) however the XXIO message stays the identical and stays easy.

It’s a extremely engineered line of light-weight golf equipment designed solely for 2 very particular subsets of golfers: Those that don’t swing the membership very quick and people who don’t swing the membership as quick as they used to.

In case you’re a younger bomber, or perhaps a middle-aged one, concern not. Your day of XXIO reckoning is coming. Father Time, as Tiger famously instructed us, is undefeated.

Yeah, the brand new XXIO 13 metalwoods lineup is gentle. However as we’ve realized from XXIO over time, it’s about far more than simply sticking a light-weight shaft into a daily clubhead. XXIO designs every era from grip to tip with nobody however low to moderate-swing golfers in thoughts.

For the document, they’re particularly speaking about women and men with driver speeds between 75 and 90 miles per hour.

If that’s you, learn on. If that’s not you, it most likely will likely be some day.

Because the title suggests, that is the 13^th XXIO era. The product line was launched in Japan in 2000 and finally joined stablemates Srixon and Cleveland in North America. It’d be cool to assume XXIO represents some culturally vital historical Japanese saying. However typically actuality simply isn’t cool.

XXI, for you Tremendous Bowl followers, is the Roman numeral for 21 as within the 21^st Century.  In Japanese, the “o” sound means “king,” “chief,” “greatest.” Put them collectively and XXIO means king/chief/better of the 21^st Century.

Yeah, one thing with a samurai would have been cooler however it’s what it’s.

And if you happen to’re having bother saying it, simply say SEXY-oh. Then change the S to a Z and also you’ve bought it.

XXIO can be morphing its market strategy in North America. It’s premium priced, to make sure (XXIO 13 drivers are $699.99) however that’s nonetheless within the ballpark with XXIO’s 2016 pricing. Mainstream drivers, as we all know, are able to crash the $600 barrier on their very own. It’s premium however not ridiculously so.

And XXIO is getting higher at delivering its message. The road has been a smashing success for Srixon-Cleveland-XXIO in North America and its attain is increasing. As not too long ago as pre-COVID, XXIO was principally discovered at retirement nation golf equipment. Immediately, it’s in virtually each retail retailer you’ll be able to title.

For the proper golfer, XXIO would possibly simply be the elixir that makes the sport enjoyable once more.

BiFlex: The Finder of Misplaced Yards?

XXIO’s mantra is to throw all of its latest and greatest know-how into its golf equipment and see what works. The XXIO 13 metalwoods characteristic a brand new twist on Srixon-Cleveland-XXIO’s trademark Rebound Body. It’s a know-how which will very effectively show to be groundbreaking and we don’t say that frivolously.

XXIO calls it BiFlex.

“It’s a time period we’re utilizing for the following era of Rebound Body,” says Srixon-Cleveland-XXIO R&D Director Jeff Brunski. “BiFlex is a progressive Rebound Body.”

We’ve talked about Rebound Body extensively however the easy model is it’s a double-trampoline system to boost ball velocity. The versatile clubface is backed by a inflexible supporting ring, like a daily trampoline. Then that inflexible supporting ring is backed by one other versatile zone which is then backed by one other inflexible zone. The concept is to maximise power switch from membership to ball with a double-boing, if you’ll.

However there are tradeoffs.

“In case you begin creating a really rounded and inflexible area subsequent to the face, you begin to lower the precise face top,” says Brunski. “It’s detrimental since you start to shrink the face top a lot that it gained’t be as versatile.”

A XXIO metalwood trademark is a deep face, so you’ll be able to see the issue. BiFlex is a re-engineered iteration of Rebound Body that options progressive face and body geometry from heel to toe. That permits  XXIO to maintain its deep face whereas maximizing ball velocity on heel and toe strikes which are frequent to its goal golfer.

An AI Help

XXIO isn’t making it a front-and-center advertising and marketing callout however AI design makes BiFlex potential.

“We wish ball velocity throughout the entire face however particularly heel and toe,” says Brunski. “It’s related know-how to what you’ll discover in a Cleveland or a Srixon metalwood but it surely’s modified for the goal golfer.”

Based mostly on participant testing, Brunski says his group is aware of that Srixon participant impression patterns differ from these of Cleveland gamers and XXIO gamers. They use AI to switch designs based mostly on that data.

“We all know this individual would possibly profit from a taller face at this a part of the membership,” he explains. “So we flip Rebound Body down slightly bit. You may fine-tune these applied sciences based mostly on the goal participant.”

So what’s the tangible profit? In accordance with the corporate, BiFlex is giving the XXIO 13 driver a 125 % bigger excessive COR space than the earlier era. XXIO defines a excessive COR space because the a part of the face with a COR greater than 0.80.

That’s higher generally known as “the candy spot.”

And people, 125 % bigger is greater than double. And anytime you’ll be able to double the dimensions of one thing good, effectively, that’s actually good.

BiFlex is a part of the XXIO 13 fairway wooden and hybrid story as effectively. BiFlex doubles the excessive COR space within the fairways whereas rising it by 120 % within the hybrids.

ActivWing and Sir Isaac Newton

If there’s one factor XXIO is aware of about its goal low-to-moderate swing velocity golfer, it’s that he/she tends to go away the face open a contact at impression.

A few of that’s on the golfer and a few of that’s only a perform of a gradual swing. ActivWing, regardless of its Marvel superhero-sounding title, gained’t remedy the issue however it could assist.

In case you’re a believer in Newtonian physics, that’s.

ActivWing debuted two years in the past in XXIO 12. Its objective is to stabilize the clubhead within the downswing and, aerodynamically, assist the golfer get the membership extra sq. at impression. We’re not speaking membership velocity aerodynamics right here. As an alternative, ActivWing invokes Newton’s Second Legislation of Movement.

“Reasonable to gradual swing velocity gamers, as a basic rule, struggle an open membership face,” says Brunski. “In easy phrases, ActivWing makes use of its aerodynamics as a form of airfoil to maintain the face from opening throughout your downswing.”

If, as Newton noticed, acceleration equals web pressure divided by mass, the ActivWing airfoil mass on the heel of XXIO 13 metalwoods will increase carry pressure and drag pressure through the downswing. It additionally helps preserve clubhead velocity and maintain the clubface slightly extra sq. at impression.

“I gained’t say this can be a game-changing know-how,” admits Brunski. “It’s a small dial however it’s efficient. It does assist the golfer are available in with a extra closed face angle.”

ActivWing is getting a wing-lift within the XXIO 13 metalwoods lineup. The unique ActivWing featured just one “wing,” which stored the membership secure within the first half of the downswing. The newly added second “wing” helps preserve velocity through the second half of the downswing and helps the face get slightly extra closed.

Are two wings higher than one? Ask any flighted fowl and so they’ll let you know.

 The XXIO 13 metalwood lineup options the requisite households of drivers, fairways and hybrids, all designed for particular spots within the goal golfers’ luggage.

The XXIO 13 males’s drivers will likely be provided in three non-adjustable lofts: 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5 levels. The face materials is the ultra-thin, ultra-strong Tremendous-TIX® 51AF titanium. And since XXIO designs its golf equipment for a selected profile, there aren’t any shaft choices. The driving force options XXIO’s proprietary MP1300 shaft in common flex.  Stiff shafts can be found by customized order. Solely the ten.5-degree mannequin will likely be accessible for lefties.

XXIO 13 fairways run the gamut from a 15-degree 3-wood to a 23-degree 9-wood with a 16.5-degree 4-wood thrown in for good measure. Solely the 3-, 5- and 7-woods will likely be accessible for lefties. The MP1300 shaft is inventory.

And the XXIO 13 hybrids are available in 3- by 6-hybrid fashions at 18-, 20-, 23- and 26-degree lofts. The 4- and 5-hybrids are the one left-handed choices.

Each the fairways and hybrids characteristic an HT1770M metal face. XXIO is offering a new-for-North America proprietary grip. It’s light-weight (36 grams) and an ordinary North American dimension. Beforehand, XXIO used a smaller grip made for the Japanese market.

The XXIO 13 driver will retail for $699.99, the green woods for $399.99 and the hybrids for $299.99 every.

They’ll hit the shops on Jan. 26.

For extra data, go to the XXIO web site.