8 Srixon golf balls to step up your game
Check out our Srixon picks for game-changing performance.
COURTESY
Srixon golf balls hit the market in 2005 and wasted no time earning a reputation for quality and performance. Over the years that followed, the golf equipment company combined its expertise in materials and formulation with its lessons learned in aerodynamics and physics to design and produce top-tier golf balls.
Today, Srixon has a lineup that features a golf ball for every type of player out there — from young beginners to elite golf veterans. And you can spot many of Srixon’s golf balls on the tees of professional players like Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry and Glen Day.
When it comes to Srixon, its reputation and prevalence on the tour circuit add validation to the work going on behind the scenes in the R&D department. The only question that matters is which Srixon golf ball is right for you. Below are 8 models for specific player types.
Srixon golf balls
Short-game performance: Z-Star Diamond
Runner-up: Q-Star Tour
Budget: Soft Feel
Distance: Z-Star XV
Greenside spin: Z-Star
Casual players: Q-Star
Geared for women: Soft Feel Lady
Visibility: Q-Star Tour Divide
Srixon’s 2023 golf ball lineup
Best for short game performance: Z-Star Diamond
Benefits
— Good balance of distance and greenside control
— Excellent spin on long-to-mid iron shots
— Exceptional feel
The Z-Star Diamond was designed for advanced golfers who don’t want to sacrifice distance for a greenside spin or vice versa. The Z-Star Diamond features a gradient core that starts soft in the center and becomes increasingly firm.
This “fast layer” approach gives the ball a soft feel while delivering long-distance performance for fast-swing players. Meanwhile, the ball’s three-piece construction, urethane cover and specialized coating ensure spin and stopping power when it’s time to stick the green.
Customers said the Z-Star Diamond is durable and offers excellent distance from the tee box and top-notch precision. Most customers agreed this isn’t a ball for golfers with slow-to-moderate swing speeds. However, they described greenside spin as excellent and the ball’s durability received high marks.
Construction: 3-piece | Cover material: Urethane | Compression: 102 | Colors: 1
Best runner-up: Q-Star Tour
Benefits
— Ideal for golfers with medium-speed swings
— Exceptional wind resistance and distance
— Good greenside spin
The Q-Star Tour design takes the best features of the Z-Star Diamond and houses them in a ball with a dialed-down compression rating of 72. This lower compression means golfers with swing speeds hovering around 93 mph can achieve long distances off the tee and great spin-off irons and wedges to stick more landings.
The Q-Star Tour features the same gradient core as the Z-Star Diamond. And to counteract the reduced control from a ball with a lower compression rating, the Q-Star Tour’s urethane coating is designed to transform clubface friction into an optimized spin. Customers said the Q-Star Tour offers plenty of distance and short-game control. They also appreciated the ball’s durability and responsiveness around the greens. And while the compression rating makes it a firm fit for medium-speed swings, golfers with slower swings also noted great distance and control.
Construction: 3-piece | Cover material: Urethane | Compression: 72 | Colors: 2
Best budget: Soft Feel
Benefits
— Affordable
— Exceptional distance
— Soft feel
The Soft Feel is designed to maximize your swing and your dollar. The ball’s price point makes it the shoo-in for Best Budget, but the Soft Feel quickly takes the crown for comfortable impact and long drives with little to no spin.
Its gradient core and two-piece construction work to deliver straighter, farther shots off the tee while providing mid-level greenside control. And while its 338-dimple pattern reduces wind resistance and increases lift, the ball’s soft and thin cover lends control and a soft, non-intimidating feel when accuracy and confidence matter.
Customers with slow swing speeds said the Soft Feel boosted their confidence on the course, thanks to the ball’s soft impact and long distance. They were also pleasantly surprised by Soft Feel’s performance at such a low price.
Like any ball with a 60-compression rating, the Soft Feel isn’t ideal for advanced players with fast swing speeds. But if you’re just starting out or knocking off a little rust and don’t want to spend a fortune, the Soft Feel won’t disappoint.
Construction: 2-piece | Cover material: Ionomer | Compression: 60 | Colors: 2
Best for distance: Z-Star XV
Benefits
— Exceptional distance
— Good control with irons and wedge
The Z-Star XV is optimized to deliver exceptionally long shots with drivers and irons with low spin. It sports a gradient core that starts soft and becomes firm on the edge. And its 338-dimple pattern is designed to create lift and achieve a flight trajectory that results in more yards — despite strong winds.
Meanwhile, when control over distance is desired, the ball features a specialized coating that increases greenside spin. And its thin, thermoplastic urethane cover gives the ball the stopping power needed to stick the green.
Customers noted the Z-Star XV consistently achieves high trajectories off the tee and excellent distances down the fairway. Many also declared the Z-Star XV the best-performing ball in windy conditions.
They pointed out that its compression rating should rule it out as a potential ball for beginners or players with slow-to-moderate swing speeds. But for golfers with swing speeds around 103 mph, the Z-Star XV will add distance without sacrificing control.
Construction: 3-piece | Cover material: Urethane | Compression: 102 | Colors: 2
Best greenside spin: Z-Star
Benefits
— Exceptional short-game control
— High approach accuracy
— High stopping power on greens
The Z-Star is designed for one thing: short-game control. Its compression rating of 92, combined with the soft-to-firm gradient core and three-piece construction, delivers a high level of greenside spin.
The ball features Srixon’s specialized micronic layer coating to increase friction between the ball and the grooves of your irons and wedges, boosting spin even more. Its extra-thin urethane cover yields strong stopping power when it’s time to land on the green and stay there.
Customers said the Z-Star delivers an excellent spin on the greens when taking approach shots with irons and wedges. While the Z-Star’s compression rating is a tad high for beginners or slow-swinging players who want the most distance, many customers with fast swing speeds were impressed by the ball’s distance and trajectory off the tee box — something you don’t typically get from a ball designed for spin and control.
Construction: 3-piece | Cover material: Urethane | Compression: 92 | Colors: 2
Best for casual players: Q-Star
Benefits
— Ideal for players with moderate swing speeds
— Balances distance with control
— Very forgiving
For golfers who are more advanced than beginners but whose skills aren’t as developed as elite players, there’s the Q-Star. With a compression rating that’s not too soft or too firm and an ionomer cover offering more significant distance potential than urethane, the Q-Star caters to moderate swing speeds and the inconsistent play that casual golfers sometimes deal with on the course.
Customers stated the Q-Star is perfect for the casual golfer and noted how forgiving it can be on less-than-stellar swings. More advanced players will likely need a ball with a higher compression rating. Still, customers who described themselves as casual said the ball complements their medium-speed swings to achieve excellent distance and greenside spin.
Construction: 2-piece | Cover material: Ionomer | Compression: 72 | Colors: 2
Best for women: Soft Feel Lady
Benefits
— Exceptional distance
— Soft feel
— Affordable
The Soft Feel Lady packs all the design features of the Soft Feel into a slightly compressed package. Where the Soft Feel sports a compression rating of 60, the Soft Feel Lady comes in at 58 to account for any differences in upper body strength between male and female players.
Its soft core offers distance for slow swing speeds and gradually increases in firmness as it expands to provide a fast rebound on the impact that boosts the ball’s speed. Customers said the ball has a soft feel and excellent control. They experienced straight, long drives off the tee and appreciated the affordable price point.
Construction: 2-piece | Cover material: Ionomer | Compression: 58 | Colors: 2
Best for visibility: Q-Star Tour Divide
Benefits
— Instant visual feedback on spin
— Easy to find on the course
— A 360-degree putting line
The Q-Star Tour Divide features a matte urethane cover divided equally into two colors. This design is easy to spot on the course and provides instant visual feedback on the spin you put on your shots.
So, you can adjust your spin shots during the game and improve your control over time. And once you’re on the green, the ball’s 360-degree line where the two colors meet provides a perfect putting alignment aid.
Customers said the ball’s bi-colored cover makes it easier to track shots in flight, but others found the color combination distracting when putting. And aside from the visual benefits, several customers said the ball delivers excellent distance off the tee and sticks to the green exceptionally well.
Construction: 3-piece | Cover material: Urethane | Compression: 72 | Colors: 3
Latest In Gear
