Would you be shocked to study that Srixon, or no 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 objective immediately is that can assist you determine which of Srixon’s three Z-STAR Tour-level urethane-covered golf balls is best for you. Earlier than we dive in, nevertheless, let’s lay some playing cards on the desk.
First, we’re going to deal with 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, effectively, mushy 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. Immediately, nevertheless, we’re specializing in Srixon.
Additionally, we’re not speaking value or relative worth. Strictly efficiency.
Lastly, we’ll do our greatest to share efficiency variations inside the line. Our objective is that can assist you deal with 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, effectively, that’s as much as you.
It’s your cash, in any case.
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 total high quality. The present fashions, launched final 12 months, comply with Srixon’s philosophy of Kaizen (steady, incremental enchancment). Huge efficiency breakthroughs aren’t Srixon’s objective. Moderately, the corporate focuses on tons of, if not 1000’s, of small enhancements. Over time, these small enhancements accumulate into main long-term features.
The mainstays of the road are the Z-STAR and the Z-STAR XV. The Z-STAR is a three-piece design with a mushy urethane cowl backed by a agency ionomer mantle. The core is on the softer aspect and Srixon measures the Z-STAR’s total compression at 88. It’s the softest ball within the Z-STAR household. As such, it’s additionally the bottom spinning off the driving force.
The Z-STAR XV is Srixon’s firmest ball with a reported compression of 102. It makes use of the identical mushy urethane cowl and agency mantle layer as the usual Z-STAR. Its FastLayer DG 2.0 Core is completely different, nevertheless, because it’s mushy within the center however will get firmer than the Z-STAR’s towards the outer portion. Because of this, it feels firmer, delivers extra ball velocity off the driving 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 total efficiency may be probably the most constant of the three.
Which one’s for you?
Whereas the Srixon Z-STAR golf balls didn’t stand out in anyone space of our 2025 Ball Take a look at, they didn’t fall quick in any, both. They had been among the many most balanced-performing balls within the take a look at. As talked about, Srixon has completed a superb job of giving every of its three Z-STARs its personal id.
MyGolfSpy’s 2025 Ball Take a look at gathered knowledge 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, in the event 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, may be head scratchers. Let’s break down the outcomes by swing velocity and offer you some clues as to which Srixon Z-STAR mannequin may work greatest for you.
Quick swing velocity
As you’d count on, Srixon’s firmest Z-STAR fashions had been high 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 high 10 for total driver distance. The firmer XV was only a skosh longer.
The XV was within the high 10 for driver ball velocity, 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 had been among the many highest spinning balls within the driver take a look at whereas the Diamond was additionally the very 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 velocity, distance or spin classes.
In case you use a low-spin driver, each the Z-STAR XV and Z-STAR Diamond can be good decisions. That extra spin will enable you to preserve the ball within the air slightly longer to boost carry. Moreover, in the event you additionally play low-spinning irons comparable to a participant’s distance iron, the extra spin will enable you to 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 certainly value a glance.
If a softer really feel issues most to you and also you produce greater than sufficient velocity, distance and spin by yourself, the usual Z-STAR may make sense.
Mid swing velocity
In case you swing your driver proper round 100 mph, each the XV and the Diamond are your folks. The XV completed second in total 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 superb roll recipe.
Each fashions completed excessive within the high six for iron ball velocity with the Diamond ending a detailed second for iron spin. Whereas neither positioned within the high 10 for iron distance, neither qualifies as distance challenged.
The selection right here is just 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 in search of slightly further juice off the driving force however can get by with out further spin, it’s the Z-STAR XV.
Is a softer really feel most essential? If that’s the case, take a look at the usual Z-STAR.
Gradual swing velocity
That is the place issues get attention-grabbing.
The usual Srixon Z-STAR makes its presence felt right here, ending tied for second in iron ball velocity (the two-toned Z-STAR DIVIDE completed tied for third). Nevertheless, slower swingers typically profit from extra spin. All three Srixon balls carried out effectively in spin with the Diamond ending second total in iron spin and fourth total in driver spin.
Driver distance at low swing speeds tends to get wonky. Often, softer, lower-spinning balls are inclined to do effectively right here regardless of their ball velocity drawback. In driver carry, each the Z-STAR XV and Z-STAR Diamond had been equivalent. Nevertheless, the higher-spinning Diamond was almost 1.5 yards longer in complete 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 velocity classes, the selection right here is dependent upon what’s essential to you. If you would like a mushy really feel, the usual Z-STAR stays the selection. If you would like distance and spin, you’re as soon as once more wanting on the Z-STAR Diamond.
Brief sport
No matter swing velocity, the quick sport is all about spin. Of the three Z-STARs, the Diamond will provide you with probably 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 in search of. I’ve performed all three Srixon Z-STAR golf balls and my greatest outcomes have include the Z-STAR Diamond, adopted by the XV. I’m certainly not a excessive swing velocity participant however the Diamond suits my iron play very effectively 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 model of iron. With a mid-90s swing velocity, the Diamond’s larger compression can also be a profit.
Understanding your individual tendencies and the way your gear influences these tendencies is essential. When you’ve completed that, you may then select the most effective kind of ball efficiency to your wants. And when you’ve completed that, you may deal with value, model, availability and different elements and preferences.
The put up Which Srixon Z-STAR Golf Ball Is Proper For You? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
