As you can see, the pronunciation is bit tricky. Zeck-See-Oh! The roman numbers represent the 21st century’s golf industry and ‘Oh’ means king. Altogether, it translates as “the king of golf industry in 21st century”. XXIO is a premium-priced brand under the Dunlop Sports Company in Japan which has been holding the number 1 position for the last 18 years in Japan’s golf industry.
Now that we’ve cleared the signification of the brands’ name, let’s go ahead and review their newest model, the XXIO 9 Driver. Read our our guide about choosing best drivers for mid handicappers.
The new innovations and technology applied in XXIO 9 Driver’s head and shaft design are simply superb and effective. This new combination delivers significant gain in both power and distance.
Our Review of the XXIO 9 Driver
The larger sweet spot is the key feature of the XXIO 9 Driver which is more forgiving for off-center shots. The new powerful head is 2g heavier having a 10% larger sweet spot compared to the previous model while the shaft is 2g lighter than the usual. The combination of these two features for acceleration are better than the Dual Speed which is renowned as XXIO’s proprietary technology.
Things We Liked
- A larger sweet spot which reduces sidespin;
- more forgiving for off-center shots;
- the 2g heavier head delivers instant acceleration and the ball gets airborne with ease;
- head design delivers greater power even with a slower swing;
- new Whincup face enhances COR performance.
Things We Didn’t Like
- the launch angle might get a bit steep for some players;
- some players might need greater feedback;
- there is a lack of adjustment which may become a turn off for some players.
Key Features
- The XXIO 9 Driver’s key feature is its very own proprietary technology which is called ” Dual Speed”. Dual Speed technology creates greater centrifugal energy during down swing and maximizes the kinetic energy at the time of impact. This technology combines an ultra-lightweight shaft with a heavier club head which enhances club head speed and further adds to the overall achieved distance.
- The sweet spot of the new XXIO 9 Driver is 10% larger than previous models which increases the hitting area and adds more forgiveness.
- The XXIO 9 Driver is designed with a new Whincup face that enhances COR performance. Also, the plaque integrated weight is positioned in heel of the club in such a way that it lowers the center of gravity and eventually promotes straighter and higher launches.
- checkThe 2g lighter shaft of the XXIO 9 Driver is 20mm closer to the grip. A stretch fill is added toward the grip for enhancing strength while maintaining flexibility. This technology delivers instant acceleration.
- checkWhile downsizing, the XXIO 9 Driver allows you to have a longer wrist cock which lets you change your club head path without consciously altering the swing. Again, this results in longer and straighter drives for you.
Performance & Technology (5/5)
If you are a player with a handicap or slow to moderate swing speeds looking to improve performance on the tee box, in need to gain greater distance off the tee, I highly recommend you go for XXIO 9 Driver. It incorporates a light weight and low-density titanium crown which allows more weight to be relocated to other areas. This driver has an integrated 7g plaque weight placed at the lower back of the club sole which increases the weight of sole and generates a lower center of gravity helping you to drive the ball higher and longer when on the tee box.
The XXIO 9 Driver is specially designed to deliver impressive distance regardless of where you hit the ball on the club face. While striking a shot, you will experience the instant acceleration of the ball. Because of the 10% increased Sweet Spot on the cup face, it is very much forgiving. Also, the Whincup face enhances COR performance.
XXIO’s very own Dual Speed technology feature originated from the combination of an ultra-light weight shaft and a heavy club head which generates more lag, rotational speed in arms, and maximizes acceleration through impact. The increase in lag keeps the club closer to your body longer while you are downsizing. As your arms begin to speed up during downsizing, the aerodynamic design of the club head allows even greater acceleration through the impact. This results in a consistent swing path along with higher ball speed and longer drives.
In short, the XXIO 9 Driver makes the game a lot easier for the player with low to moderate swing speed regardless of their handicap or skill.
Forgiveness (5/5)
Due to the integration of Cup Face technology, the XXIO 9 Driver has a much forgiving nature and ball speed even on miss hits. The total head and toe section of the club was reformed which made the Cup Face 10% wider than previous models.
Undoubtedly, the Sweet Spot of the club is increased too, which allows you to hit the ball higher, longer, and straighter without compromising accuracy.
Brand Reputation (5/5)
XXIO is a premium quality brother brand of Srixon and Cleveland, under the Dunlop Sports Company Limited of Japan. From its initiation in 2000, it has been the number 1 golf brand in Japan for the past 18 years. And why not? XXIO golf clubs are one of the most technologically advanced clubs in the world.
Weight (4/5)
The head and shaft of XXIO 9 Driver consecutively weighs 197g and 41g. It has a 460cc titanium club head that weighs 272g and it’s 45.5 inches in length.
The driver is paired with the lightweight MP900 Carbon shaft. XXIO offers a variety of flexes available for the 9 Driver which is regular, stiff, and extra stiff. Also, you can choose your suitable loft from 9.5 degree, 10.5 degree and 11.5 degree.
Build Quality (5/5)
The XXIO 9 Driver has a new forged cup made from Titanium Face Super TIX PLUS which has more MOI, lower and deeper CG for better stability and distance. It features a 7g plaque integrated weight positioned at the back of the club.
This club has new DST Tech with heavy head kinetic technology integrated with a new shaft design. The shaft features advanced materials by Toray made for aerospace applications. This new 2g lighter shaft is designed exclusively for the XXIO series and it balances the point which is located 20 mm closer to the grip. The combination of its new head and shaft altogether triggers an impressive increase to your performance.
Price (4/5)
XXIO 9 Driver is premium priced.
XXIO 9’s Comparison with other leading drivers
Titleist 917 D3 Driver
The 917 D3 has a squashed 440cc pear shaped head that looks great and more traditional unlike the XXIO 9 Driver which has a 460cc head volume and a greater Sweet Spot. Though Titleist 917 D3 Driver’s design and looks seems as the previous models, this d3 is more soothing than ever. The sound at the impact is superb improvised from D2. It costs less than the XXIO 9 Driver.
But, if you are trying to overcome a handicap or you have a lower swing speed then I highly recommend XXIO 9 Driver.
PXG 0811 Driver
What keeps this driver far from the commoner’s crowd is its remarkable weighting system which includes 16 weights, 10 of which are black lighter titanium while the rest are heavy silver tungsten screws. This unique technology puts 8,008 possible combinations in front of you that enable you to move the CG heel to toe and back to front or any other combination allowing you to maximize forgiveness to suit your swing. It’s made from titanium and graphite. The look is awesome and feels great. One of the finest pieces you can find on the market.
In comparison to XXIO 9 Driver, its lofts and shaft flex choices are limited, which can be a turnoff for some. Moreover, the XXIO 9 has a higher handicap range than the PXG 0811.
TaylorMade M4 Driver
Both the look and feel of this new driver has surpassed its previous M2 predecessor. The Taylermade M4 Driver is more forgiving and it incorporates Geocoustic design which contributes to a greater sweet spot and magnifies sound and the feel of drives.
The Taylormade M4 Driver is perfect for low to mid handicap golfers who prefer the freedom of not making any adjustments to any weight positions. But if you are a high handicapper and want a change, you might want to give XXIO 9 Driver a try.
Callaway Rogue Driver
The color doesn’t really bring heat but the name does. Callaway Rogue is backed up by the MOI numbers which at 8600 for combined vertical and horizontal MOI is 7.5% higher than the Epic. The forgiveness rate is more satisfactory. Rogue’s tremendous performance has given Epic a modest fight though the big brother is still lurking in the back.
I personally prefer the look of Rogue at address as the wider and deeper head injects a bit more confidence. Both sound and feel are too good especially the carbon infused sound at impact.
Callaway Rogue is mainly aimed for a low handicap golfer and tour professionals. So, beginners might not find this piece suitable enough. Meanwhile, the XXIO 9 is targeted for high handicap golfers and slows moderate swingers. If you belong to one of these groups, the XXIO 9 Driver is perfect for you.
