Srixon I-701 Tour vs Srixon Z 965
Side-by-side factory specifications. Differing values are highlighted.
Specification comparison
| Club | I-701 Tour loft | Z 965 loft | I-701 Tour lie | Z 965 lie | I-701 Tour length | Z 965 length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 21 | 20 | 59.5 | 60 | 38.75 | 39 |
| 4 | 24 | 23 | 60 | 60.5 | 38.25 | 38.5 |
| 5 | 27 | 26 | 60.5 | 61 | 37.75 | 38 |
| 6 | 30 | 29 | 61 | 61.5 | 37.25 | 37.5 |
| 7 | 34 | 33 | 61.5 | 62 | 36.75 | 37 |
| 8 | 38 | 37 | 62 | 62.5 | 36.25 | 36.5 |
| 9 | 42 | 41 | 62.5 | 63 | 35.75 | 36 |
| PW | 46 | 46 | 63 | 63.5 | 35.5 | 35.5 |
Highlighted cells differ between the two sets. Lofts and lies are factory standard.
Lofts compared
- I-701 Tour
- Z 965
What the differences mean
At the 7-iron, the I-701 Tour is 34° and the Z 965 is 33°, a 1° gap. Each degree of loft is worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of carry at the same swing speed, so the Z 965 should carry roughly 3 to 4 yards further with that club, on a slightly lower, shallower flight than the I-701 Tour. Across the 8 clubs both sets share, the Z 965 averages 0.9° stronger, with the largest gap at the 3-iron (21° vs 20°). Beyond loft, the I-701 Tour 7-iron sits 0.5° flatter (61.5° vs 62°), which nudges start direction slightly right for a right-hander; the Z 965 7-iron is 0.25 inches longer (36.75" vs 37").
The I-701 Tour is a players iron and the Z 965 a blade iron, so they sit one step apart on the forgiveness scale. The I-701 Tour is the more forgiving design, with a wider sole, more offset and more perimeter weighting for roughly scratch to 10 handicaps. The Z 965 trades some of that for a more compact head, thinner topline and more control over flight and shape, which suits low single-digit handicaps who strike the ball consistently.
The I-701 Tour is listed as forged cavity back and the Z 965 as forged. With the build method this similar, differences in feel come down to head size, sole width, topline and offset rather than how the heads are made.
There are 9 years between these sets (2007 and 2016), more than one design generation. Over that time irons moved toward stronger lofts, thinner and faster faces, hollow and multi-material heads and wider use of tungsten, so the newer set is not simply a better version of the older one: it may launch and spin quite differently. Here the 7-iron loft moved from 34° to 33°.
Which should you choose?
The Z 965 is the stronger-lofted set — up to 1° stronger than the I-701 Tour on matching clubs. Expect longer carry per numbered iron but a flatter descent angle; gapping at the wedge end is where that shows up.
Both charts are reproduced in full on their own pages: Srixon I-701 Tour specs and Srixon Z 965 specs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Srixon I-701 Tour stronger lofted than the Z 965?
No. The Z 965 is the stronger-lofted set: its 7-iron is 33° against 34° for the Srixon I-701 Tour, 1° stronger and worth roughly 3 to 4 yards of extra carry.
What is the loft difference between the Srixon I-701 Tour and Z 965?
At the 7-iron the difference is 1° (34° vs 33°). The largest gap on a shared club is 1° at the 3-iron, and 7 of the 8 shared clubs differ.
Which is better for higher handicap golfers, the Srixon I-701 Tour or the Z 965?
The Srixon I-701 Tour. As a players iron it is the more forgiving design, suited to roughly scratch to 10 handicaps. The Z 965 is a blade iron, better suited to low single-digit handicaps who strike the ball consistently.
Do the Srixon I-701 Tour and Z 965 have the same lie and length?
Not exactly. At the 7-iron the Srixon I-701 Tour is 61.5° lie and 36.75 inches, the Z 965 62° and 37 inches. Both can be bent or built to your own fit.
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