Welcome to GOLF.com’s ClubTest Proving Ground, where Managing Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and groundbreaking technology in the equipment space to the test on the range and the course.
This installment, however, is a little different. Rather than one of our editors testing the clubs, we brought in someone to help us evaluate clubs that are a little out of our spec range. Dana Barath (16 handicap, avid golfer, and yes, my wife) is jumping in to break down her firsthand experience with XXIO’s newest line of women’s clubs.
Let’s have Dana take it from here.
Tools: A full set of XXIO 13 women’s clubs from the driver down to the sand wedge.
The set included said driver, 3-wood, 7-wood, 5-hybrid, 5-iron to pitching wedge, sand wedge, and a Never Compromise Model 1 putter. I chose these clubs to test since it’s how the clubs in my bag are usually set up.
XXIO 13 Driver
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The test also included two Cleveland CBX4 ladies’ spec wedges in the lofts of 50 and 56 degrees, since I was curious to compare the XXIO sand wedge to the more traditional Cleveland offering.
The test: Rather than simply grabbing numbers with a launch monitor and calling it a day, I have been using these XXIO 13 clubs since they arrived in March and have played a lot of golf with them. From my local nine-hole course to some recent travel that took me to Pinehurst and Prince Edward Island, I have used these clubs under different conditions and on various course types to see how they truly benefit my golf game.
The results are focused on qualitative observations, along with specifics about how certain clubs made the biggest differences for my on-course results.
XXIO 13 design notes
I’ll leave this part for Ryan…
As one of the leaders in the lightweight club market, XXIO offers premium technology designed to help golfers with moderate clubhead speeds hit the ball higher and longer through the entire set.
The driver includes technologies like Rebound frame to boost ball speeds and forgiveness along with ActivWing aerodynamics to help stabilize the clubhead during the start of the backswing, making it easier to close the club face and square it up at impact.
The fairways and hybrids offer a similar BiFlex Rebound frame design and cannon sole to a substantial amount of mass low in the head. This provides a deeper center of gravity to increase launch and normalize spin on mishits — especially on common lower face strikes.
As for the irons, the four-piece, hollow-cavity XXIO 13 irons are equipped with a thin titanium face and tungsten-nickel sole weight (on the longer 5- through 7-irons) to move the CG low and away from the face to help get the ball in the air easier and peaking higher. This helps with carry distance and stopping power on approach shots.
XXIO testing results
OK, now it’s my turn again.
How could I not start with the driver?
Even though I have used various women’s-specific clubs in the past, the weight and balance of the XXIO 13 driver felt extremely easy to swing faster and with greater control. To gain control with previous drivers that always felt heavier, I usually played them at 44 inches or less even though I knew I was giving up some swing speed.
With the XXIO I don’t feel like I give up anything off the tee, and with the lighter weight and extra length (44.5 inches) I have hit some of the longest drives of my life — and I’m hitting it higher! This has helped so much on par-4s and 5s and at my local course where conditions can be on the soft side.
Gaining height and distance is a big theme with these new clubs.
Similar to the driver, the XXIO 13 3-wood has been a great addition to my golf bag and added a lot of distance. With my previous 3-wood, I would only ever hit it off the tee because I found it hard to get up into the air, but with the XXIO I have full confidence off the ground and the tee. I even hit it at least 50 percent higher than I did before, and that’s with the same 16 degrees of loft.
The hybrid and irons follow the same trend as the driver and fairway wood with extra distance and height. Since changing to the XXIOs I play a much more consistent straight-to-drawing shot with my irons, whereas with my previous irons I used to default to a fade.
I also used to dread par-3s but now I’m more excited than ever to play them. On our recent golf trip to PEI, I made two par-3 birdies in the same round at Andersons Creek, and I can’t think of a time where I have ever done that before.
Average carry distances based on launch monitor data
Driver: 170 yards
3-wood: 150 yards
7-wood: 132 yards
5-hybrid: 125 yards (I really like it from the rough)
5-iron: 125 yards
6-iron: 116 yards
7-iron: 104 yards
8-iron: 90 yards
9-iron: 78 yards
Pitching wedge: 70 yards
As for the wedges, the matching XXIO 13 sand wedge is, in my opinion, a great option for golfers who don’t try to do too much around the green with their short game and are more focused on maximum forgiveness.
As a golfer who has always used blade-style wedges, I preferred the Cleveland CBX4’s contrast to the XXIO because of their traditional look from address and the rounded sole shape. They felt like they moved through the grass a bit easier when chipping with the face open and the front edge of the club sat closer to the ground on the sand wedge when opening it in bunkers too.
I still think the XXIO wedge is a great option, but the Cleveland was just a better fit for me.
Conclusion: From the top to the bottom of my set, the XXIO 13s have improved not just my golf game, but also the confidence to execute shots that I wasn’t able to before, especially when it comes to my woods and irons.
As a golfer who generally feels like I make good contact but struggles to stop approach shots into greens, I found the XXIO irons to be a huge help to my game, especially on par-3s where I often found myself rolling off the back. The extra height and easy-to-swing feel the XXIO 13 clubs provide is something I believe any golfer can benefit from, especially for a golfer like me who lives in that moderate swing speed range.
Want to overhaul your bag and find your own perfect fit? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.
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