Srixon Golf Balls: Which Model is Best for Your Game

Srixon has a lineup of golf balls that seem to fly under the radar, which is incredible considering the number of TOUR players who have utilized the company’s technology to improve their game and increase consistency.

I was recently sent their lineup of premium Z-Star golf balls, starting with the base Z-Star, and then moving on to the firmer and long-game preferred Z-Star Black Diamond and Z-Star XV.

What I found was a lineup of golf balls that all did something different. Some catered to my game, which is high-spin and high-launch, something I’ve used various balls on the market to address.

In the past, I’ve always used Titleist, Callaway, or TaylorMade. At times, I’ve switched from one to the other, thinking a new brand will cure whatever ailment is present in my golf game. Srixon never entered my mind, but after trying their balls, I found myself disappointed that I had never gone out of my way to try something new in the past.

Here’s what I thought of each ball:

Srixon Z-Star 

• Price – $50/doz
• Comparable models: Titleist AVX, Callaway Chrome Soft

The Z-Star is the entry-level model of Srixon’s expansive ball lineup, and immediately after using it for the first time, I knew it would be my favorite of the three.

The feel and launch felt a lot like the AVX from Titleist, and although it was a slightly higher ball flight than the AVX, it is still very comparable in terms of feel:

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Off the tee, I felt that I had a better chance of getting in a fairway with the Z-Star. The lack of height on the ball off the tee with Driver or 3 Wood helped control where I would end up, and benefited my game with more distance through its lower spin rate.

Additionally, the Z-Star had excellent spin on the greens from 100 yards and in. I felt confident in going after flags in softer conditions, but the ball still tends to roll out, even with sharp and ideal contact with your wedges. 

This is very similar to the AVX. In terms of feel with the putter, it has a much softer feel and truly tends to compress a lot with a flatstick. This is something I have found to be an added variable when trying to lag putt, as a firmer ball is definitely something I personally prefer when putting.

The Z-Star, from tee-to-green, was my favorite of the three. I drove it well, hit it well with irons, and chipped it well, too. It kept spin down and helped me find more fairways and take strokes off my game.

Srixon Z-Star Diamond

• Price – $50/doz
• Comparable models – Titleist ProV1, TaylorMade TP5, Callaway Chrome Tour

The Z-Star Diamond offered a slightly firmer feel than the Z-Star, increased spin with irons and driver, and excellent performance around the greens.

This was a ball I was truly anxious to try because I have found myself veering away from the AVX and leaning toward the Pro V1, at least so far this year.

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The Diamond was good off the tee for me, but the launch was higher than I would have preferred. With tee shots and iron shots, I tend to try to keep things lower to control spin and maximize distance. Once I start to hit the ball high, I tend to lag behind my playing mates in distance.

However, this ball seemed to offset some of the loss in distance. I still hit the Z-Star further and with more accuracy, but there were days I just liked the feel of this ball more. I also think, of the three, this was the best performer with short irons and wedges. The ball seemed to truly grab that short grass and check. I had a lot of confidence playing bump and runs nearby as well.

I noticed my proximity to the hole on chips around the green was much better, as I could predict where the ball would bite on that second hop.

On the greens, this ball felt pretty typical and was much easier to control. Those balls that are softer tend to feel like a bouncy ball to me, so this was more preferable from a putting perspective.

I was never upset to grab one of these out of my bag if I didn’t have another Z-Star. At Royal New Kent in Virginia this past week, I didn’t keep enough Z-Stars in the bag as the course was incredibly difficult. The Diamond was there and helped me save some strokes with my short game.

Srixon Z-Star XV

• Price – $50/doz
• Comparable models – Titleist ProV1x, TaylorMade TP5x, Callaway Tour Chrome X

This ball would likely be the preferred choice of those with solid fundamentals, the ability to shot shape and launch, and someone who has a truly impressive golf game overall.

I found that this ball was just too firm, too spinny, and too high of a launcher for me. I could never get the feel of this ball to work for my game. It was the shortest of the three off the tee, iron play felt alright, and wedges and short game felt more along the lines of what I would prefer this ball for.

If I were playing a Par 3 course, this would be my choice, but I could not get the Z-Star XV to work for me.

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This was the epitome, for me, of playing a ball that works for your game. A golf ball is not just a golf ball; they all have different technologies to cater to players and improve their game.

The XV was too much long game spin, and I would not use it on a course willingly. I did love how much it responded to solid iron and wedge contact, but off the tee and in the fairways or rough, it would get too far in the air and cost me significantly.

It is a very premium ball, so I don’t want to act like it’s not. It just is not a ball I could find as an advantage for me. I played with a scratch golfer on my recent trip, and they really liked the XV because of the performance it gave them in the long game.

Conclusion

Srixon should be a brand you consider for your next haul of golf balls. Go outside the box for a couple of weeks and use a model comparable to what you usually play. The Z-Star has been in my bag for the past several weeks, and I truly have enjoyed playing with it.

Recently, I saw a table made by a golf influencer that put Srixon in the ‘B’ category, below the ‘A’ category of Titleist, TaylorMade, and Vice (lol).

Srixon is absolutely a premium offering for those who are serious about their game. The balls held up better than what I’ve experienced with Titleist balls, which has been my one caveat with them. Out of bunkers, I found that the cover of the AVX would get chewed up pretty easily, and I did not have a longevity issue with Srixon.

All in all, I would recommend Srixon balls to my playing mates, and I would encourage you to give them a try as well.

Cover Image via Golf.com