Equipment
2021 Srixon Z-Star golf balls
More feel, greater green side spin, and improved stability in the wind are what you are going to get with the all-new 2021 Srixon Z-Star series of golf balls, according to the company.
Making a golf ball is like making a cake, with each layer playing an important role in the final taste experience—or in a golf ball’s case—performance. Although I certainly don’t advise you to test golf balls by eating them, the layers are what make or break the performance. With the seventh generation Srixon Z-Star golf balls, including the Z-Star and Z-Star XV, the designers have re-engineered each part of the ball to deliver performance from tee to green.
“The Z-STAR XV is played by some of the longest hitters on professional Tours around the world, and this new generation features a reformulated inner core to add even more distance. The new Z-STAR produces the highest green-side spin of any ball in our line-up, thanks to its super soft urethane cover and Spin Skin coating.”
– Jeff Brunski, VP of Research and Development.
2021 Srixon Z-Star golf ball: The technology
The biggest change to the new Z-Star is in the cover thickness, which is now thicker than the previous ball but still sits at a remarkably thin .6 millimeters. This thicker cover wraps more soft urethane around the core and mantle of the ball to improve greenside spin (produced from a glancing clubface) and make the ball feel softer.
Generally, softer means sacrificing something in the distance and ball speed department, but when combined with Srixon’s “Fast Layer” core, the ball doesn’t give up any long game performance.
With the Z-Star XV, it’s the core that has gone through the biggest change by becoming firmer and faster to increase distance. By utilizing this new core with the advanced Spin Skin technology with SeRM* that helps increase ball and clubface friction, golfers get more spin around the green combined with better distance.
*SeRM stands for Slide-Ring Material which is a urethane compound that increases the sheer strength of the cover material allowing it to be made softer without reducing durability and allows the cover to create greater friction to increase control and spin.
“Never before has Srixon combined so many technologies in one golf ball, to produce more friction for more spin around the green” – Jeff Brunski
The final piece of the performance puzzle is the dimple pattern. The 338 dimple pattern of both the Srixon Z-Star and Z-Star XV has been optimized to increase lift (the ability for the ball to stay in the air longer) hile also being less affected by the wind for a more stable flight.
Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
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Jbone
Feb 1, 2021 at 8:08 pm
I hope the z star is as soft as the tour b xs. I like Srixon but want to stick with American made
Todd
Feb 1, 2021 at 4:30 pm
I hope the new XV isn’t playing firmer than the current model as it was starting to get up there.