XXIO's lightweight clubs make golf feel easy

Welcome to GOLF.com's ClubTest Proving Ground, where Equipment Editor Jonathan Wall and Senior Equipment Editor Ryan Barath put the latest designs and cutting-edge technology to the test on the range and course.

This installment, however, is a little different. Rather than having one of our editors scout clubs, we bring in someone to help us scout clubs a little outside of our range. Dana Barath (16 handicap, avid golfer, and yes, wife) jumps in to share her first-hand experience with the new XXIO line of women's clubs.

Let's ask Dana to take it here.

Tools: A complete set of XXIO 13 clubs for women from driver down to sand wedge.

The set included a specified driver, 3-wood, 7-wood, 5-hybrid, 5-iron to pitching wedge, sand wedge, and Never Compromise Model 1 putter. I chose these clubs to test as this is how the clubs in my bag are usually set up.

XXIO 13 Driver

$699.99

The XXIO 13 is a lightweight and premium set of Woods and Irons that help average speed golfers hit longer, straighter golf shots. Its unique technology specifically benefits the golfer who swings 90mph or less, improving the speed, accuracy, and consistency of your easy golf swing yet. NEW DOUBLE FUNCTION This new, two-stage airfoil design incorporates dynamic force to better stabilize the clubhead during your downswing. The new ActiveWing helps guide the club to the correct strike position, making it easier for you to hit the sweet spot and improve ball speed. FLAT CUP FACE To improve COR throughout the face, our Flat Cup Face has a large, thin central portion. This design allows for increased speed and distance regardless of where you hit the ball. The driver face is made of special Super-TIX® 51AF Titanium to allow for a thin, fast face.

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The test also included two Cleveland CBX4 women's wedges at 50 and 56 degrees, as I wanted to be able to compare the XXIO sand wedge to Cleveland's traditional offering.

Examination: Rather than just crunching the numbers and calling it a day, I've 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 a recent trip that took me to Pinehurst and Prince Edward Island, I've used these clubs in different conditions and on different types of courses to see how they really benefit my golf game.

The results focused on qualitative assessment, and the clarification that certain clubs made a significant difference to my academic results.

XXIO 13 design notes

I'll leave this part to 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 higher throughout the set.

The driver combines technology such as Rebound frame to increase ball speed and forgiveness and ActiveWing aerodynamics to help stabilize the clubhead during the initial backswing, making it easier to close the club face and position it higher at impact.

The fairways and hybrids offer the same BiFlex Rebound design frame and cannon sole for a large amount of weight down the head. This provides a deeper center of gravity to maximize launch and normalize spin on mishits – especially on standard low face shots.

As for the irons, the four irons, the hollow irons of the XXIO 13 are equipped with a thin face of titanium and a single weight of tungsten-nickel (in lengths of 5- to 7-iron) to move the CG down and away from the face. to help get the ball in the air easier and higher. This helps with travel distance and stopping power for close-up shots.

XXIO test results

Okay, now it's my turn again.

How could I not be the first in the driver?

Even though I've used women's specific clubs in the past, the weight and balance of the XXIO 13 driver feels very easy to swing quickly and with great control. To control the front drivers that always felt heavy, I usually played them 44 inches or less even though I knew I was giving up swing speed.

With the XXIO I don't feel like I'm giving up anything, and with the lighter weight and extra length (44.5 inches) I've hit some of the longest drives of my life – and hit them high! This has helped a lot on the par-4s and 5s and on my local course where the conditions can be soft.

Gaining length 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 adds a lot of distance. With my previous 3-wood, I used to hit it low because I found it hard to get up into the air, but with the XXIO I have full confidence. again says. I even hit it at least 50 percent higher than I did before, and that's like 16 degrees of loft.

The hybrid and irons follow the same pattern as the driver and fairway wood with more distance and length. Since switching to the XXIOs I play a straight-to-draw parallel shot with my irons, whereas with my previous irons I used to fade.

I used to be afraid of 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 when I've done that before.

Estimated bearing distances based on launch monitoring data
Driver: 170 yards
3-wood: 150 meters
7-wood: 132 meters
5-hybrid: 125 yards (I like it best from the foul)
5-iron: 125 yards
6-iron: 116 yards
7-iron: 104 yards
8-iron: 90 yards
9-iron: 78 yards
Area length: 70 meters

As for wedges, the same XXIO 13 sand wedge is, in my opinion, a good option for golfers who are not trying to do too much on the green with their short game and are more focused on maximum forgiveness.

As a golfer who regularly uses blade-style wedges, I preferred the Cleveland CBX4's striking over the XXIO's because of its traditional look at address and the only round shape. They felt like they went through the grass easily when rubbing the face open and the front edge of the club stayed close to the ground on the sand edge when opening it in the lays.

I still think the XXIO wedge is a good option, but the Cleveland was a better fit for me.

Conclusion: From top to bottom of my set, the XXIO 13s not only improve my golf game, but also the confidence to make shots that I couldn't before, especially when it comes to my woods and irons.

As a golfer who often feels like I have good contact but struggle to land shots on the green, I found the XXIO irons to be a huge help to my game, especially on the par-3s where I often found myself falling behind. The added length and ease of feel that the XXIO 13 clubs provide is something that I believe any golfer can benefit from, especially a golfer like myself who lives in that mid swing range.

Do you want to customize your bag and find your perfect fit? Find the perfect spot near you at True Spec Golf.

Golf.com Editor

Ryan Barath is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com's senior editor of equipment. He has an extensive fitness and club building background with over 20 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. Prior to joining the staff, he was the lead content strategist for Tour Experience Golf, Toronto, Canada.