Z Star (2015)

Andy Roberts's picture
Andy Roberts
Mon, 1 Jun 2015
Z Star (2015)
The best ball at holding its line in the wind

Need To Know

The best ball we have tested out in the wind; Spins superbly around the greens and from inside of 120 yards; a good ball to putt with, easy to gauge distance
Not the longest off the tee; not very durable; a bit pricey
Our score:
PRICE: £45.00 YEAR: from 2015

Srixon has revamped its latest Z-Star ball with a new 324 Speed Dimple Pattern - and that has certainly made a difference to its trajectory, especially in the wind. 

Reducing the number of dimples from 344 to 324, Srixon has made more of them of equal size to ensure they cover 80% of the surface and therefore they have more effect on ball flight.

We found the new Z Star - suited for players with a swing speed between 95 and 105 mph - was the best ball at holding its line and piercing through the breeze when the wind picked up during our test. 

While it was down the pecking order for total distance with the driver, the Z Star flourished for us around the green with its improved Spin Skin coating that Srixon says is 21% softer than before.

Our wedge spin rate was only bettered by the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x. 

The ball reacted superbly on the green from centre strikes with the wedge outside of 100 yards, and it also checked well on short pitch shots and out of greenside bunkers.

On the green, the ball rolled beautifully and distance control was very good from all distances. The pointed side stamp also ensures great alignment with the putter.

One slight niggle is that this ball is not the most durable. Although we hit a couple of shots on the thin side, we did notice several scuff marks to the Z Star after our testing. 

Verdict

Srixon has tweaked its latest Z Star with 20 fewer dimples (344 to 324) to improve the ball's trajectory, especially in the wind. It excelled in the short game, too, aided by a new coating that is 21% softer than before, but it lacked some distance off the tee and did not appear very durable after the test. You are taking a chance at £45 per dozen. 

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