Would you be shocked to be taught that Srixon, or not less than the individuals who personal Srixon, have been making golf balls for almost a century?
I didn’t know that, both.
I’ll spare you the historical past (another time, maybe), since our purpose at present is that will help you work out which of Srixon’s three Z-STAR Tour-level urethane-covered golf balls is best for you. Earlier than we dive in, nonetheless, let’s lay some playing cards on the desk.
First, we’re going to concentrate on the Z-STAR household on this piece. Sure, Srixon has the Q-STAR franchise, which incorporates each urethane and ionomer-covered balls, in addition to the SOFT FEEL line which is understood for, properly, delicate really feel.
With apologies to the remainder of the road, we’re going to focus solely on Srixon’s premium golf balls.
Second, Srixon (like Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade and Bridgestone) is superb at separating efficiency in its Z-STAR line. There’s sufficient of a distinction between Srixon’s three Z-STARs to matter, as MyGolfSpy’s 2025 Ball Take a look at clearly confirmed.
Third, we’re not going to get right into a “model versus model” dialogue. Every main golf ball model has two, three and even 4 tour-level golf balls from which to decide on they usually all fall into the identical efficiency buckets. Some stand out, some are persistently good. Right this moment, nonetheless, we’re specializing in Srixon.
Additionally, we’re not speaking worth or relative worth. Strictly efficiency.
Lastly, we’ll do our greatest to share efficiency variations inside the line. Our purpose is that will help you concentrate on a particular mannequin to your sport, gear and efficiency wants. If we recommend one ball however your private choice is for the firmer or softer model, properly, that’s as much as you.
It’s your cash, in spite of everything.
The Srixon Z-STAR lineup: Comfortably dependable
Srixon launched its Z-STAR golf balls in 2009. Since Day One, the Z-STARs have been comfortably dependable of their design, efficiency and general high quality. The present fashions, launched final yr, comply with Srixon’s philosophy of Kaizen (steady, incremental enchancment). Massive efficiency breakthroughs aren’t Srixon’s purpose. Fairly, the corporate focuses on a whole lot, if not 1000’s, of small enhancements. Over time, these small enhancements accumulate into main long-term good points.
The mainstays of the road are the Z-STAR and the Z-STAR XV. The Z-STAR is a three-piece design with a delicate urethane cowl backed by a agency ionomer mantle. The core is on the softer facet and Srixon measures the Z-STAR’s general compression at 88. It’s the softest ball within the Z-STAR household. As such, it’s additionally the bottom spinning off the motive force.
The Z-STAR XV is Srixon’s firmest ball with a reported compression of 102. It makes use of the identical delicate urethane cowl and agency mantle layer as the usual Z-STAR. Its FastLayer DG 2.0 Core is totally different, nonetheless, because it’s delicate within the center however will get firmer than the Z-STAR’s towards the outer portion. In consequence, it feels firmer, delivers extra ball pace off the motive force and spins extra with irons.
The relative beginner to the lineup is the Srixon Z-STAR Diamond. In our 2025 Ball Take a look at, the Z-STAR Diamond was the jewel in Srixon’s lineup. It sits between the Z-STAR and Z-STAR XV when it comes to firmness and spin however its general efficiency may be essentially the most constant of the three.
Which one’s for you?
Whereas the Srixon Z-STAR golf balls didn’t stand out in anybody space of our 2025 Ball Take a look at, they didn’t fall brief in any, both. They have been among the many most balanced-performing balls within the take a look at. As talked about, Srixon has finished a very good job of giving every of its three Z-STARs its personal id.
MyGolfSpy’s 2025 Ball Take a look at gathered information from swing speeds we categorized as Excessive (116 mph driver, 90 mph irons), Medium (102 mph driver, 80 mph irons) and Low (86 mph driver, 65 mph irons). The take a look at outcomes, should you actually drill down, can lead you down a ton of rabbit holes and you may at all times discover the “why” behind outcomes that, on the floor, might be head scratchers. Let’s break down the outcomes by swing pace and offer you some clues as to which Srixon Z-STAR mannequin may work finest for you.
Quick swing pace
As you’d anticipate, Srixon’s firmest Z-STAR fashions have been prime performers for you freaks of nature who can swing it like a Tour professional. Each the XV (102 compression) and the Diamond (100 compression) completed within the prime 10 for general driver distance. The firmer XV was only a skosh longer.
The XV was within the prime 10 for driver ball pace, simply 6/10ths of an mph behind the quickest ball within the take a look at, the Maxfli Tour X. Each the XV and Diamond have been among the many highest spinning balls within the driver take a look at whereas the Diamond was additionally the best spinning ball within the high-speed iron take a look at. The usual Z-STAR, because it’s a lower-compression ball, didn’t present within the ball pace, distance or spin classes.
In case you use a low-spin driver, each the Z-STAR XV and Z-STAR Diamond can be good selections. That further spin will aid you hold the ball within the air slightly longer to boost carry. Moreover, should you additionally play low-spinning irons corresponding to a participant’s distance iron, the extra spin will aid you maintain greens (offered the ball doesn’t balloon on you). The extra expert ball striker who can management trajectory may even admire the upper spin.
The selection right here is dependent upon your wants however for balanced efficiency, the Z-STAR Diamond is unquestionably value a glance.
If a softer really feel issues most to you and also you produce greater than sufficient pace, distance and spin by yourself, the usual Z-STAR may make sense.
Mid swing pace
In case you swing your driver proper round 100 mph, each the XV and the Diamond are your pals. The XV completed second in general driver distance whereas the Diamond completed fourth regardless that it was one of many highest-spinning balls within the take a look at.
How can that be, you might ask? It’s all about trajectory because the Diamond has a decrease peak top and a shallower descent angle than the XV. That’s a very good roll recipe.
Each fashions completed excessive within the prime six for iron ball pace with the Diamond ending an in depth second for iron spin. Whereas neither positioned within the prime 10 for iron distance, neither qualifies as distance challenged.
The selection right here is much like that for high-swing-speed gamers. In case you want spin off your driver and particularly your irons, the Z-STAR Diamond is the simple alternative. In case you’re searching for slightly additional juice off the motive force however can get by with out additional spin, it’s the Z-STAR XV.
Is a softer really feel most vital? In that case, take a look at the usual Z-STAR.
Gradual swing pace
That is the place issues get fascinating.
The usual Srixon Z-STAR makes its presence felt right here, ending tied for second in iron ball pace (the two-toned Z-STAR DIVIDE completed tied for third). Nonetheless, slower swingers typically profit from extra spin. All three Srixon balls carried out properly in spin with the Diamond ending second general in iron spin and fourth general in driver spin.
Driver distance at low swing speeds tends to get wonky. Normally, softer, lower-spinning balls are inclined to do properly right here regardless of their ball pace drawback. In driver carry, each the Z-STAR XV and Z-STAR Diamond have been an identical. Nonetheless, the higher-spinning Diamond was almost 1.5 yards longer in whole distance.
On the face of it, that ought to not compute however, once more, the story is trajectory. The Diamond had the bottom peak top of all Srixon balls examined at low swing speeds in addition to the shallowest descent angle. Because the carry distance was the identical because the XV, that decrease trajectory and shallower descent angle gave the Diamond significantly extra roll.
As with the opposite swing pace classes, the selection right here is dependent upon what’s vital to you. If you’d like a delicate really feel, the usual Z-STAR stays the selection. If you’d like distance and spin, you’re as soon as once more trying on the Z-STAR Diamond.
Brief sport
No matter swing pace, the brief sport is all about spin. Of the three Z-STARs, the Diamond gives you essentially the most spin. The usual Z-STAR and the Z-STAR XV are proper behind it. The variations aren’t nice, with solely 68 rpm separating the Diamond and the XV.
You gained’t discover a lot distinction when it comes to launch angle, peak top, descent angle or carry between the three balls, both.
With wedge and greenside efficiency as shut as they’re, the choice standards within the above sections stay the identical.
Which Srixon Z-STAR golf ball is best for you?
As at all times, it is dependent upon what you’re searching for. I’ve performed all three Srixon Z-STAR golf balls and my finest outcomes have include the Z-STAR Diamond, adopted by the XV. I’m on no account a excessive swing pace participant however the Diamond suits my iron play very properly as I take advantage of high-launching, low-spinning participant’s distance irons. The Diamond’s comparatively low launch and excessive spin work very properly with that fashion of iron. With a mid-90s swing pace, the Diamond’s greater compression can be a profit.
Understanding your individual tendencies and the way your tools influences these tendencies is essential. When you’ve finished that, you’ll be able to then select one of the best kind of ball efficiency to your wants. And when you’ve finished that, you’ll be able to concentrate on worth, model, availability and different elements and preferences.
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