Up next in my search for the best golf ball are those from Srixon. Only once have I ever bought Srixon’s before and that was when I went to Arizona in 2007 to visit a friend. We played a very fancy course and Srixon’s were the cheapest balls available to buy at the course. So I bought a dozen and actually enjoyed them.
That was over a decade ago and I have not bought Srixon’s since. Nor can I remember playing one that I found. But who knows. Maybe I will rekindle that time I played a Srixon from a decade ago.
Just like I do with all of my reviews I play one 18 hole round at Rackham Golf Course near my house in Huntington Woods, MI. And to keep my reviews nice and tidy I will update this post with the different Srixon golf balls I play.
Srixon Z-STAR Golf Ball Review
Rackham Golf Course. 6-8-18. White Tees. 85 Degrees. Sunny. Very light breeze.
Heading to the golf course I knew I was gonna have to buy a sleeve of golf balls at the clubhouse as I was not prepared. They don’t keep that many golf balls stocked and I’ve played most of them so that left me with the Srixon Z-Star.
A decade has past since I played a Srixon. And my lasting impression of them was a good one. Going into the round I had expectations of a very well performing golf ball.
You don’t see that many pros playing Srixon nor average schlubs like me. They’re just not sexy.
The packaging was fancy and I liked the font but after those initial impressions it looked and felt like a decent golf ball. Nothing more, nothing less.
Everything the Z Star claims should be a golf ball built for me. My swing speed is probably in that 88-108 mph zone. I love me some Spin Skin and a good Speed Dimple. Mmmmm. Don’t even get me going on an Enhanced Energetic Gradient Growth Core.
What is concerning is the warning of “Do Not Leave Near Extreme Heat Or In The Trunk/Boot Of A Car In The Summer.” What happens if I do? Will an authority figure have to be notified?
You know what STAR stands for? No? I’ll tell you.
Spin, Trajectory, Acceleration, and Responsiveness.
So now you know.
And with that lets see what the Z-Star’s got.
Sending Driver – All sorts of average distance for most of the day. And all sorts of below accuracy. Hit the fairway 4 times which is well below average. Was not put into any positions where I could not go for the green or take a full swing on the next shot. Would either push it to the right or send a line drive to the left.
And just when I think the Z-Star is a very average sort of distance golf ball I end up hitting the furthest drive I have ever hit on the Par 4 15th. It’s a deceiving drive as the fairway starts behind a very large bunker up a hill about 150 yards from the tee on an angle. It’s tricky because you don’t aim straight off the box. You need to aim right.
I smoke the Z-Star with the elusive draw that I try to hit on every drive. It felt awesome the second it left the club.
As I made my way up the hill looking for the 150 yard marker I notice the Z-Star to not be there. This is where my typical good drives end up. Not the Z-Star. It was up ahead near the 100 yard marker in the fairway. That puts this drive around 270 yards. That’s a big poke for your boy. And it was uphill. And in a blizzard. And a hurricane. A blizzard hurricane.
Fairway Woods & Hybrids – I hit my normal amounts of 3 and 5 woods today with not so many eye-popping results. Distance was ok but it didn’t make that nice “cracking” sound I get with premium golf balls.
And it didn’t produce great feedback either. I’m usually good for at least one GIR with a fairway wood but that did not happen today.
Similarly with the Driver the Z-Star did have two very nice shots with 3 wood on the Par 5 7th and 14th which let me get into position to have a GIR.
Irons – Only 5 Greens In Regulation which is pitiful. Distance was not there with the Z-Star here. Kept coming up short on most of my approach shots.
Feedback was lacking and when I mis hit it was off. The Z-Star did not have that piercing ball flight you want coming off the irons.
All 5 of my GIR’s were done using a 9 Iron or Pitching Wedge. Sad to say the least. Taking full swings with those clubs resulted in very consistent high trajectory ball flight.
In most cases the Z-Star took a hop or two and stopped. No crazy back or side spin.
Chipping – And since the Z-Star kept coming up short on approach shots it left me with many chip shots into the green. Which is where I didn’t mind the Z-Star.
Except for the first hole. That was a disaster with every wedge in the bag. For some reason the Z-Star wanted to fly the green with a Pitching Wedge. Then come up short with the Sand Wedge. Then come up short again with the 60 Degree. That’s how you start your day with a 9.
Got up and down for par twice…which is nice. Damn you first hole. DAMN YOU!!!
Putting – Had 32 putts which is very good. We have to acknowledge my lack of Greens In Regulation which put me in many situations to chip from off the green and get it close.
In many cases I was 5 or 10 yards off resulting in long chip shots. A few yards closer and they would be long putts.
My only three putt on the day came on a hole where I of course was initially putting for birdie. And I had five 1 putts which is quite good. Two of which were birdie putts I made from around 15 feet out.
The Z-Star didn’t have that soft feel coming off the putter or that “clink” sound you get with a ProV1 but was otherwise ok.
Stated differently. The Z-Star did not suck to putt with.
Durability – Surprisingly there were some scuff marks on the Z-Star. And I did not hit any trees or go into any sand traps. The cover still feels like new but the marks were unexpected.
Score – 87. GIR – 5. Putts – 32. Fairways – 4.
I don’t see myself buying the Srixon Z-Star again. It’s a decent ball. But it does not have all the features I want in a golf ball. Mostly feedback and consistency. And it did not score well which is whats most important.
Srixon Q-Star Golf Ball Review
8-24-18. Rackham Golf Course. Sunny. 82 Degrees. Breezy.
I did it again. I showed up to the golf course without a golf ball ready to play. And since I’ve done this a couple of times now I knew I’d be taking a risk as to what they had available for me to buy.
Out of the dozen or so different golf balls I could choose from I was left with two I haven’t played yet. And one of those was the Srixon Q-Star.
Its been a couple of months since I played a Srixon and I wasn’t overly impressed with the Z-Star. Plus, due to special packaging (Super Sleeve) I had to buy six Q-Star’s when I only wanted the normal three.
Even though the Q-Star is a two piece golf ball I was intrigued with what it could do as it had a lower compression of 75. I’ve been noticing I play better with lower compression golf balls so maybe I could do something with it.
Everything in Srixon’s description of the Q-Star says it should match up well with my game. Soft Feel, Super Long Distance (LOL), Excellent Greenside Control, and a Mid-High Trajectory.
Expectations are a little low as this is a two piece golf ball. My testing so far says these types of golf balls are good until you start having to take half swings and chip shots.
Lets see what it can do. Its golf time.
Sending Driver – Got things going on the Par 4 315 yard 2nd Hole with a super most premium excellent drive. Straight as an arrow and 250 yards down the fairway.
Hit it straight just not in the fairway on the Par 4 365 yard 3rd Hole. An average drive and landing spot for me on this hole.
Sent an excellent 245 yard drive on the Par 4 348 yard 4th Hole to make the right dogleg. Not nearly as far as the drive I hit with the Dixon Earth a month prior that was to the left of the sand trap but in a perfect spot for a 9 iron.
Hit it through the fairway on the dogleg left 311 yard Par 4 6th Hole. Got as close as I could to the trees which guard the left side of the fairway and bounced it here. Another 250 yard drive.
A super most premium excellent drive on the 387 yard Par 4 9th hole too. The 150 yard marker is to my right and ten yards behind. This is a little above average drive for me on this hole.
Didn’t get all of this one on the 418 yard Par 4 11th Hole but its right in the middle of the fairway. Can’t be mad at that.
And my last fairway hit of the day came on the 299 yard Par 4 17th Hole. Didn’t get all of it and probably only put it out there 235 yards but its in the fairway. All good with me.
I was impressed with the Q-Star off the tee. Hit 6 fairways which is about average and if I was in the rough I was just barely off. Had an unobstructed second shot on every hole.
Distance was very good. Didn’t hit any draws or slices. Everything went straight. Compression was top-notch. I could feel it at impact.
Fairway Woods – With me getting good distance and accuracy with the driver I hit more irons with approach shots than normal.
And the Q-Star performed quite well here too. Damn thing came out hot off the club face with a low to medium trajectory. Piercing ball flight if you will.
Was left with a 50 yard chip shot on the 502 yard Par 5 7th Hole after a solid 215 yard 3 wood. There is going to be more about the 7th Hole later on and the upcoming shot.
For the most part it was merely about advancing the Q-Star with fairway woods.
Irons – Hitting good drives gave the Q-Star an opportunity to hit good approach shots and that’s what it did. Had 6 Greens In Regulation on the front nine all with irons.
Like this 5 iron struck from 160 yards into the Par 4 3rd Hole that stopped 25 feet from the cup. I don’t know how it stopped like that.
And the 9 iron that was hit from 115 yards into the Par 4 4th Hole. Q-Star wanted to be dancing.
Then there’s this 7 iron hit into the 150 yard Par 3 8th Hole. It didn’t want to be closer to the cup on this hole for some reason. Fine – I say.
And a 75 yard Pitching Wedge into the 299 yard Par 4 17th Hole.
Seven Greens In Regulation all together which is average. What stood out most to me was the proximity to the hole. Was getting the right distance on a lot of iron shots.
The Q-Star performed quite well anytime I took a full swing. Trajectory was medium and distance was good. Compression was great.
Chipping – Was only able to scramble for par once. Just could not get a feel for it around the greens. Little to zero checking up or stopping on the green.
I don’t know if you could call a shot from 50 yards away (Par 5 7th Hole approach shot) a chip shot but I will in this instance. Took a half swing with Pitching Wedge and landed it on the front of the green.
And watched it bounce, and bounce, and bounce, and then roll ten more yards ending up over the back of the green. Between where it landed and ended up was 25 yards. Insane. I was like WTF.
I hit the Q-Star perfectly and at no point did it want to check up once. And that’s with it going uphill a little.
Putting – One 3 putt and five 1 putts. 32 total putts which is ok.
I liked the Q-Star when putting. Had a firm feel at contact and rolled with pace. Rolled in 3 birdie putts including a bender from 25 feet on the 3rd Hole.
Durability – The good news is I did not lose one. And seeing how I didn’t hit any trees, sand traps, or cart paths you would expect it to be in like new condition. Which it is.
Score – 81. GIR – 7. Putts – 32. Fairways – 6
I’m a tad bit butt hurt about an 81. I rattled off 3 birdies in the first six holes to go 2 under par. Not once had I been 2 under through 6 holes.
And then that 50 yard chip shot on #7 bounces and rolls over the back of the green. As soon as I hit it I’m thinking it’s going to be 5 feet from the hole and I’m putting for birdie.
Nope. Had a chance to save par with a 6 footer but missed. Followed that up with 3 putting on the 8th hole. The steam slowly let out after that and it became a struggle to get the Q-Star home.
Too bad because the day before I shot the best round of my life with the Dixon Spirit and I thought I was on to matching or besting that until the ball bounced over the back.
I liked everything about the Srixon Q-Star except for chipping. I’d say I’d buy them again but I still have five left from that six-pack of golf balls I was forced to buy. Damn you Srixon.
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