FIRST LOOK: XXIO 12 driver, fairway woods and hybrids

There’s a certain weight to luxury, but fortunately for XXIO, that heaviness isn’t literal. The high-end clubmaker has focused its attention in recent years on creating premium equipment at a bargain weight — honing in on the finest in high-performing, easy-swinging clubs.

That tradition continues with the creation of the XXIO 12 line, the latest driver, fairway wood and hybrid release from the company. Just as it was in the XXIO 11, which earned high marks for playability in last year’s ClubTest, the XXIO 12 is built for ease of use, utilizing a host of sweet-swinging tech with the aim of helping you find more fairways and tighten your overall dispersion off the tee.

New to the 12 is ActivWing, a stability-inducing technology that generated massive improvements in dispersion in XXIO’s in-house testing (up to 17 percent tighter, on average). With that tighter average dispersion also came increased center hits, which is generally associated with both improved accuracy and increased distance. The 12 also comes with a new internal construction — a four-layer structure called Rebound Frame — that oscillates between stiff and flexible zones in order to transfer more energy from ball to club, in turn increasing ballspeed.

In building off previous years, “Weight Plus” returns in the XXIO 12 — a counterbalancing aid that helps players in finding a consistent takeaway and swing path. This, along with XXIO’s “dual-speed” technology (in which a heavy clubhead and light shaft combine to provide a lower CG, helping to improve performance), mean the XXIO 12 could be the easiest fairway finder yet. Below, find a bit more information about each model.

XXIO 12 Driver

The XXIO 12 driver costs a pretty penny (retailing for $649 beginning on February 11), but it promises something even prettier: consistency off the tee. For those hoping their wayward driving game finds the straight-and-narrow in 2022, XXIO presents its 12 driver as one of the steadiest, straightest options yet, with added technologies for boosting ballspeed and overall distance, so you can still comfortably outdrive your friends.

XXIO 12 Fairway Wood

Coming in at $399, the XXIO 12 fairway woods promise, above all else, to help you find the center of the clubface. To do that, a two-part crown (one stepped, for face flex, the other made of a lightweight material) help to lower the overall center of gravity of the club, making it easier for players to find the sweetspot. The 12 fairway wood packs a serious technological punch, too, with many of the technologies included in the aforementioned driver (ActivWing and dual-speed, among others).

XXIO 12 Hybrid

The XXIO 12 hybrids are a smaller, more compact and more playable version of their fairway wood brethren. At $299, they are priced in the upper-echelon of their weight class for their workability, particularly across the face, where XXIO flattened the design to increase ballspeed and distance even on mishits.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2021? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf. For more on the latest gear news and information, check out our latest Fully Equipped podcast below!

James Colgan

Golf.com Editor

James Colgan is an assistant editor at GOLF, contributing stories for the website and magazine on a broad range of topics. He writes the Hot Mic, GOLF’s weekly media column, and utilizes his broadcast experience across the brand’s social media and video platforms. A 2019 graduate of Syracuse University, James — and evidently, his golf game — is still defrosting from four years in the snow, during which time he cut his teeth at NFL Films, CBS News and Fox Sports. Prior to joining GOLF, James was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from.