Srixon Z-Star vs Srixon Z-Star XV Golf Balls: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict

Srixon Z-Star vs Srixon Z-Star XV Golf Balls: Read Our Head-To-Head Verdict

'Built for champions' is the slogan that is printed on Srixon's website and, considering some of the illustrious names that use Srixon products, that might be a fair assessment of the high-quality golf equipment the brand produces.

Some of those golfers include the likes of 2019 Open champion Shane Lowry and 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who both use Srixon Z-Star XV golf balls. Meanwhile, on the LPGA Tour, 2022 US Open champion Minjee Lee and four-time Major winner Inbee Park both use the Z-Star golf balls.  

Srixon are known for producing some of the best golf balls in the game and are renowned for designing and building great value equipment, from Tour professionals to beginner golfers. However, it's the brands Z-Star and Z-Star XV golf balls that we are interested in for this piece, as both deliver excellent distances off the tee, superb greenside control and offer great value for money compared to other premium golf balls on the market. 

But how do they stack up against each other? Well, we've put together a comparison of both golf balls, looking at everything from their aesthetics to their feel, to see which one might be best for your needs as a golfer. 

Looks

Aesthetically, there isn't much separating these two golf balls with both featuring 338 hexagonal speed dimples designed to help them zip through the air after you've struck them. Both also come in a yellow colorway, which means they are an excellent ball for anyone looking to play through the winter months. They also feature a handy alignment line that spells out the name of each golf ball on its side. 

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Feel

Feel is perhaps one of the most important things to look out for when buying a new pack of golf balls, as it can affect how well you connect with your golf shot. The Z-Star is the lower compression of the two models, with a compression rating of 90, so it comes out as one of the softest feeling golf balls on the market. Its three-piece urethane shell also helps to deliver an exceptional feel and offers superior greenside control.   

Although the Z-Star XV is still a soft golf ball, it has a higher compression rating of 102, as well as a four-piece shell and a slightly firmer feel than the Z-Star. While that does mean it offers a little less control around the greens, it makes up for it in length, as it is one of the best golf balls for distance. 

Overall, the Z-Star XV is the better option for golfers with faster swing speeds, whilst the softer Z-Star is better for players with more moderate swing speeds. 

Flight

Beginning with the Z-Star, which provides an excellent mid-flight that penetrates through the air to deliver great distances off the tee. While it doesn't offer the same level of distance as the Z-Star XV, in testing, we found it easier to get off the ground and it didn't fall out of the sky on our longer shots. 

While the XV carries further and has a higher flight than the Z-Star, both options produce strong ball flights thanks to the 338 dimple pattern on their casing. Srixon says that they have made these dimples deeper than any other ball in their range in a bid to produce lower ball flights that pierce through the air.  

That claim, we thought, is true, as both golf balls zip through the air extremely well, with the XV, in particular, performing admirably on a windy day on the course. What's more, as it delivers more distance off the tee, the XV offers a mid-high ball flight from the driver. It also didn't balloon as much as you'd expect from a mid-flight golf ball, but maintained a stable and true path through the air.

Distance

As these are both Tour-level golf balls, they offer excellent yardages off the tee and in the long iron department. Featuring a FastLayer inner core that is soft in the center, but is firmer towards its edges, the Z-Star helps to improve ball speed and keep spin low. We were impressed with the distances this ball offered, especially considering its soft casing. 

As mentioned earlier though, the XV carries further than the Z-Star. This is thanks to its higher compression, four-piece casing and its reformulated FastLayer core. That core is designed to deliver a 'faster snap' off the clubface and it certainly lived up to the billing in testing, as we were highly impressed at how fast the ball traveled off the face of our driver.  

Control

While both are premium balls that offer excellent spin and control around the greens, the Z-Star edges it here in terms of control. As it has the slightly thicker core of the two, we found it delivers excellent control and stopping power around the greens, making it a great option for anyone looking to improve on their pitching or chipping game. 

If you were to look at the normal Z-Star, you would find Srixon's Spin Skin layer, which has also been incorporated to the XV. This layer is added to the thermoplastic urethane layer of the ball and is designed to help the ball bite into the grooves of your wedges to improve the amount of spin you're getting on the ball.

As mentioned, the Z-Star XV offers slightly less control around the greens than the Z-Star, but as you'd expect from a Tour quality golf ball, we were still impressed by how much it grabbed and held the greens when we connected well with our wedges. 

Which ball should you choose?

You should choose the Srixon Z-Star if...

- You have a moderate swing speed and are looking to get the ball off the ground more easily

- You're looking for a durable, premium golf ball for excellent value

- You want to improve your greenside control

You should choose the Srixon Z-Star XV if...

- You can generate fast club head speeds

- You're looking to add more distance to your golf game

- You prefer to use a softer feeling golf ball