Srixon Golf Balls: The Complete Lineup and Buyer's Guide (2026)

Quick answer

Srixon golf ball lineup at a glance

Compression and MSRP come from BallCaddie’s ball catalog. The urethane Z-Star family and Q-Star Tour deliver tour-level greenside spin; the ionomer balls trade that bite for a tougher cover and a lower number on the box.

The two families: Z-Star urethane and the value ionomer line

Srixon runs two ball families, and the wall between them is cover material. The Z-Star series and the Q-Star Tour wear a urethane cover for tour-caliber approach and wedge spin. The Soft Feel, Q-Star Ultispeed, Distance, and Marathon wear an ionomer cover, which gives up greenside grip in exchange for durability and a lower price. The urethane vs. ionomer breakdown walks through what you keep and what you give up.

The urethane balls share most of their parts. Every Z-Star and the current Q-Star Tour use a FastLayer core that starts soft in the center and turns firmer toward the edge, a thin urethane cover Srixon now makes with plant-based biomass, and a Spin Skin+ coating that raises cover friction on approach shots. Srixon (Dunlop Sports) is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, the same corporate family as Cleveland Golf and XXIO.

Inside either family, the first fitting axis is swing speed. TrackMan’s amateur data puts the average male driver near 93 mph and most recreational women under 90 mph, which lands the bulk of golfers in the soft-to-mid range rather than the firm tour end. The mechanics behind why a softer core helps a slower swing live in the swing-speed pillar, how to choose the right golf ball for your swing speed.

How to pick a Srixon ball by swing speed

Swing speed is a useful first filter because it shapes how much launch and spin you need. (It doesn’t set a minimum compression: in MyGolfSpy’s 2026 robot test, firm balls were the fastest off the driver at all three swing speeds.) Srixon frames its Z-Star family around 105 mph, but the measured compressions are soft enough that the bands overlap in practice.

• Under 95 mph: the low-compression Srixon Soft Feel (~58) compresses easily and launches high. For a urethane feel at this speed, the soft Q-Star Tour (~70) still works.
• 90–105 mph: the urethane Q-Star Tour (~70) is the tour pick, the standard Z-Star (~81) works at the top of this band, and the ionomer Q-Star Ultispeed (~85) and Distance (~89) are the value-distance options.
• 105+ mph: the firm Z-Star XV (~96) and Z-Star Diamond (~93) posted the highest driver ball speeds of any Srixon in that 2026 test, and the ionomer Marathon (~98) is the durable value option.

Don’t know your number? The swing-speed fitting framework covers how to measure it, and the golf ball compression chart plots every Srixon model on one calibrated gauge.

The Z-Star tour balls: Z-Star, Diamond, and XV

The three Z-Star balls share a build and split by spin. All three are 3-piece urethane balls with the same biomass cover, Spin Skin+ coating, and 338-dimple pattern; what changes is the core, and with it the compression and spin. Srixon’s own numbers run 88, 100, and 102, but MyGolfSpy’s Ball Lab gauge measured the previous 2023 generation softer and in a tighter cluster: the standard Z-Star at 85, the Diamond at 91, and the XV at 94. Srixon’s pitch for the family: the Z-Star for greenside spin, the XV for distance, and the Diamond in between with the most iron spin.

The Z-Star: softest feel, most wet-wedge spin

The standard Z-Star (~81) is the softest ball in the family and the one Srixon pitches for maximum greenside spin, built for players who score with their wedges. Srixon lists its flight as mid, a notch below the mid-high Diamond and XV, which suits a 95-to-105 mph swing that generates its own ball speed and wants control over raw carry. In the 2026 robot test the Z-Star ranked 4th of 48 for spin on the 35-yard pitch and 1st on a wet full wedge. The Diamond edged it on the pitch (3rd) and spun the most of all 48 balls on a dry full wedge, where the Z-Star was 16th. Ball Lab’s 2023 teardown of the previous generation graded it about average for the database, with average box-to-box consistency and bad balls flagged for roundness and layer concentricity.

At $54.99 a dozen it lands $3 under the Pro V1, and Srixon’s Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal, which it runs each spring around Father’s Day and ran again for the 2025 holidays, drops the effective cost near $36.66. That makes the Z-Star one of the cheaper ways into a tour ball.

The Z-Star Diamond: highest iron spin, the U.S. Open winner

The Z-Star Diamond (~93) is the mid-firm bridge of the family and the ball J.J. Spaun won the 2025 U.S. Open with at Oakmont. Its FastLayer DG Core 2.0 produces the highest iron spin of any Z-Star while keeping driver spin in check, so it fits a fast player who attacks pins and needs approach shots to hold. Ball Lab’s 2026 report on the current Diamond gauged it at 93 and scored it 89 out of 100, a B+, with zero bad balls in 36.

Srixon sells one Z-Star Diamond, the 3-piece urethane model Spaun played. Forums mention a “Diamond 2,” and Srixon’s US store lists no such ball. Spaun swings far faster than any amateur, so his win tells you little about your own fit. The Diamond suits you if your iron game needs that spin.

The Z-Star XV: firmest, most distance

The Z-Star XV (~96) is the firmest and most distance-oriented Z-Star, aimed at 105-plus mph swings that want maximum ball speed off the tee. The XV has been a 3-piece ball since the 2023 generation; it was 4-piece before that. In the 2026 robot test at about 116 mph it was the fastest and longest Srixon (169.1 mph ball speed, 319 yards total), and its driver spin of 2,471 rpm sat between the Z-Star’s 2,399 and the Diamond’s 2,508. Ball Lab’s 2023 teardown of the previous XV graded it about average for the database.

Pick the XV for raw carry at high speed, the Diamond for the most iron spin, and the standard Z-Star for the softest feel. The full teardown of the fast-swing option lives in the Srixon Z-Star XV review, and the head-to-head against the benchmark is in Srixon Z-Star vs. Pro V1.

Z-Star Diamond: the label says middle, the gauges say top

Srixon’s product page runs a three-column comparison of the Z-Star family. The Z-Star’s column reads “Maximum Greenside Spin,” the Diamond’s “Blended Distance & Spin,” and the XV’s “Maximum Distance.” Read as written, the Diamond is the compromise pick. Today’s Golfer’s robot put it at the top of the spin charts instead.

The Diamond out-spun the ball Srixon labels its greenside-spin model on both the pitch and the 7-iron, and at a 114 mph swing its driver ball speed (163.6 mph) matched the XV’s (163.4), so choosing the XV over it trades roughly 200 rpm of wedge spin for a firmer, longer-running flight. The 2026 robot test ranked them the same way on a 35-yard wedge shot: Diamond 5,953 rpm, Z-Star 5,871, XV 5,596. Today’s Golfer’s Instron rig, running 18 balls per model across 1,116 trials, read the Z-Star at 92, the Diamond at 106, and the XV at 112, firmer than Ball Lab’s earlier 85, 91, and 94, because a force-and-deformation rig and a handheld gauge don’t produce interchangeable values. All three orderings agree: the Diamond sits above the Z-Star, below the XV, and all three are firm. Under about 95 mph that firm feel matters more than the speed numbers, and a softer Srixon usually suits the swing better. Srixon’s site also carries a 24-pack of the Diamond that works out near $35 a dozen, the cheapest route into the ball.

The Q-Star Tour: the value-tour urethane ball

The Q-Star Tour (~70) is where most amateurs belong. It’s Srixon’s softest urethane ball, a 3-piece design tuned for 75-to-105 mph swings that want a softer feel than a Z-Star with tour-level greenside spin. It carries the same biomass urethane cover and Spin Skin+ coating as the Z-Star family, so a moderate swing gets real wedge bite with a softer feel off the face. The soft 70 compression also keeps its feel in cooler weather, which makes it one of the better Srixon picks for cold rounds.

At $39.99 a dozen it sits $15 under the Z-Star and $18 under a Pro V1, and a moderate swing keeps most of the short-game performance. The full breakdown, including the Divide two-color option, is in the Srixon Q-Star Tour review.

The value line: Soft Feel, Q-Star Ultispeed, Distance, and Marathon

Below the urethane balls, Srixon runs four ionomer-covered balls for golfers who want distance and durability over wedge spin. The Srixon Soft Feel review covers the softest of them in full; the short version follows.

The Soft Feel (~58) is the feel anchor, a 2-piece ball that’s the softest ionomer Srixon makes at $24.99 and a long-running best-seller for slow swings and beginners. The Q-Star Ultispeed (~85) is the 3-piece distance ball built for high launch and carry that replaced the two-piece Q-Star in 2025, The Distance (~89) and Marathon (~98) are the 2-piece distance-and-durability options. The Distance costs $27.99. The Marathon comes as a 15-ball pack at $19.99, about $16 a dozen, which makes it the cheapest way into the line and a firm option for faster swings who want yardage on a budget.

All four save $10 to $30 a dozen against the urethane balls, in exchange for the wedge spin only urethane delivers.

The Q-Star that got replaced, and the value shelf per ball

The two-piece Q-Star is gone from Srixon’s US lineup. Srixon’s old Q-Star product URL now returns a 301 redirect to the Q-Star Ultispeed page, and the Q-Star series on Srixon’s US store lists only the Q-Star Tour, Q-Star Tour Divide, and Q-Star Ultispeed. Its European site carries no two-piece Q-Star either. Rock Bottom Golf still hosts a Q-Star 6 listing at $27.99 a dozen and shows it out of stock; DICK’S and Golf Galaxy don’t carry it. The replacement is a different ball: the old Q-Star was two-piece at 72 compression, the Ultispeed is three-piece at 85, so a golfer grabbing the nearest box picks up 13 points of compression and an extra layer. Srixon added an Ultispeed with Trackline alignment version on March 3, 2026 at the same $29.99. Sleeves of the old ball haven’t changed; when they run out, the nearest Srixon by compression is the Soft Feel (~58) going down or the Ultispeed (~85) going up.

The Distance is the other oddity. Srixon’s US store takes orders at $27.99 on a product page that doesn’t appear in the site’s ball navigation, and DICK’S and Golf Galaxy don’t stock it, while in the UK and Europe it’s a mainstream seller in three-dozen multibuys.

Priced per ball, the value shelf runs Marathon ($1.33, 15-pack), Soft Feel ($2.08), Distance ($2.33), Ultispeed ($2.50), then Q-Star Tour ($3.33). Sorted by compression it runs close to the reverse: Soft Feel (58), Q-Star Tour (70), Ultispeed (85), Distance (89), Marathon (98). The cheapest ball in the line is the firmest, firmer than the $54.99 Z-Star XV (~96) that Srixon builds for swings over 105 mph, and it’s sold in a 15-ball pack priced for golfers who lose a lot of balls. Those two facts describe different players. Only the Soft Feel lands in a sensible place on both lists.

Srixon vs Titleist Pro V1

Almost every tour-ball buyer cross-shops these two. The Titleist Pro V1 (~92) is the benchmark, and the Srixon Z-Star competes on construction while undercutting it on price.

The Z-Star shares the Pro V1’s 3-piece urethane build and it gauges softer, so on paper they’re the same class of ball. The Pro V1 earns its premium on the deepest quality-control and tour pedigree in golf. Srixon answers with the biomass cover, Spin Skin+ coating, and a $3-lower MSRP that its Buy 2, Get 1 Free promo widens further. The full head-to-head, including the driver and wedge numbers, is in Srixon Z-Star vs. Pro V1; the benchmark’s own teardown is the Titleist Pro V1 review.

The value pick, the flagship, and who should skip Srixon

The Q-Star Tour is the value pick, the Z-Star Diamond is the flagship, and the standard Z-Star is the tour ball most amateurs should play. The Q-Star Tour delivers a real urethane cover and tour greenside spin at $39.99, which fits the widest slice of golfers. The Diamond carries the line at the top after Spaun’s U.S. Open win, and the softer standard Z-Star suits the 95-to-105 mph band where most tour-ball buyers live. For a fuller cross-brand picture, see where Srixon lands in the best value golf ball rankings.

Srixon is the wrong call in four cases:

• You swing under 95 mph and grabbed a Z-Star XV. The XV feels firm at that speed, and the Q-Star Tour and Soft Feel both play softer for less money.
• You score on greenside spin and bought a Q-Star Ultispeed or Distance. The ionomer cover gives up the bite that wins up-and-downs. Step up to the urethane Q-Star Tour or Z-Star.
• You play a lot of cold-weather golf and want a Z-Star or Distance. Their firmer cores feel harsh below about 50°F, where the soft Q-Star Tour or Soft Feel keep a softer strike. Feel is the difference here; keeping any sleeve warm matters more to your yardage than the model on the box.
• You want the most proven quality control money can buy. The Pro V1’s in-house tolerances still set the bar, and Ball Lab’s 2023 teardown graded the previous Z-Star about average.

Conformance isn’t a concern. Srixon’s on-course balls sit on the USGA conforming list and are legal for tournament play. Check the exact model on the current list before a competition.

The next step

This guide narrows the Srixon lineup to the one or two that fit your swing and budget. To pressure-test the pick against the wider market, take the BallCaddie fitting quiz — it scores the Srixon lineup alongside 72 balls in the catalog on swing speed, typical miss, greenside priority, and budget. The quiz runs about 90 seconds. Your fitting report is free; your #1 ball is paid, and the ranking carries no affiliate tilt toward the pricier ball. The result shows whether a $27.99 Distance or the urethane Q-Star Tour fits your game.

Related guides:

• How to choose a golf ball for your swing speed — the compression-to-speed framework that sorts the whole Srixon lineup.
• Golf ball compression chart — where every Srixon ball lands on a calibrated gauge, by swing-speed tier.
• Urethane vs. ionomer covers — what the ionomer value line gives up around the green versus the urethane Z-Star and Q-Star Tour.
• Srixon Z-Star vs. Pro V1 — the tour-ball head-to-head, with the driver and wedge spin numbers.
• Srixon Z-Star XV review — the full teardown of the fast-swing distance ball.
• Srixon Q-Star Tour review — the value-tour ball ranked, including the Divide two-color option.
• Titleist Pro V1 review — the benchmark the Z-Star is built to chase.

Key takeaways

• Two families: three urethane Z-Star tour balls (Z-Star, Diamond, XV) plus the urethane Q-Star Tour, and four ionomer value balls (Q-Star Ultispeed, Soft Feel, Marathon, Distance) from $15.99 to $29.99.
• Sort the Z-Star family by spin: Srixon labels the standard Z-Star its greenside-spin ball, the XV flies firmest and longest, and the Diamond delivers the most iron spin.
• The Z-Star Diamond won the 2025 U.S. Open in J.J. Spaun’s bag, but its firm core and iron-spin brief fit fast swings, not average ones.
• The Diamond scored 89 out of 100 (B+) in 2026 Ball Lab testing, with a 93 gauge reading and zero bad balls in 36.
• The Q-Star Tour is the value-tour sweet spot — a real urethane cover and tour greenside spin at $39.99, best for 75-to-105 mph swings.
• Drop to the ionomer line only if you don’t yet score on greenside spin — it saves $10 to $30 a dozen but can’t grip like urethane.
• The Diamond out-spins the Z-Star in independent robot testing (Today’s Golfer: 6,137 vs 5,926 rpm on a 40-yard pitch), despite Srixon labeling the Z-Star its maximum-greenside-spin ball.
• The two-piece Q-Star is gone: its URL redirects to the three-piece, 85-compression Ultispeed, and the value shelf’s cheapest ball per dollar (Marathon, $1.33) is also its firmest (98).

Sources

• MyGolfSpy, Srixon Z-Star Diamond (2026) Ball Lab review
• Golfweek, J.J. Spaun’s equipment for his 2025 U.S. Open win at Oakmont
• Today’s Golfer, Best Srixon golf balls tested