For years and years now, the Titleist Pro V1 has been regarded as the most premium and advanced golf ball. The best golfers in the world and promising amateurs have chosen the Pro v1 without a second thought.
But is it really worth the money? Especially when you can have similar-quality golf balls that come with cheaper price tags?
The Srixon Z Star is one of those golf balls that can give the Pro V1 a tough battle in terms of performance and quality. An average semi-professional player can benefit greatly from the Srixon Z Star golf balls. So, the Pro V1 is pretty much comparable to these balls.
So, should you really spend some extra bucks on every dozen golf balls? Or get yourself some budget-friendly, good-quality golf balls from Srixon?
Our pick of the close battle between the Srixon Z Star vs Pro V1 will vary depending on the situation! Go through this article to learn more about these 2 excellent golf balls and our final verdict between them!
Srixon Z Star VS Pro V1: What Are The Differentiating Factors?
When we’re comparing two golf balls, we take some important factors into consideration. The first and probably most important thing to consider is the target consumers. It’s important to compare two golf balls of the same kind, having the same kinds of features, and balls that suit the same style and strength of golfers.
Or else, we try to depict the real pictures of how these balls perform in different scenarios to help you choose the ball that suits your needs. In today’s case, we have two balls that are pretty similar in terms of quality and target consumer.
First, we’ll review what these balls offer, and second, we’ll try to pick one considering the performance and value.
Both these brands produce great quality golf balls that are capable of securing you a decent score. But, over the years, we’ve seen the Pro V1 reign in the market for golf balls. Things are changing now.
People now tend to compare the Pro V1 with other contenders that allow them to save some additional money.
The Srixon Z Star is definitely a good-quality golf ball with a decent price tag. This is probably the most underrated golf ball on the market right now. But being the underdog comes with its own benefits, right?
In this article, we’ll try to help you choose the better golf ball between the Srixon Z Star and the Titleist Pro V1.
Srixon Z Star VS Pro V1: Comparison Table
Let’s compare the Srixon Z-Star and Pro V1 head-to-head. The information provided in this table is stated by the manufacturers. The results may vary from golfer to golfer.
| Srixon Z Star | Pro V1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 3 Piece | 3 Piece |
| Cover | Urethane | Urethane |
| Feel | Soft | Soft |
| Distance | Long | Long |
| Spin | Low | High |
| Compression | 90 | 87 |
Srixon Z Star Golf Balls
The seventh generation of the Srixon Z-Star is currently available (2021). It’s been Srixon’s top product for a long time, and it’s the company’s alternative to the renowned Pro V1 from Titleist.
It provides equal levels of efficiency to the industry leader, Pro V1, but at a somewhat cheaper cost than the product, so it hurts a bit less when your ball gets lost in the trees.
In many countries, you can buy golf balls for less than the usual price if the logo is removed or if you’re buying older versions. Similar changes should be available in all of the main golf markets, I believe.
Similar to the Pro V1, the Z Star also has an upgraded sequel available, the Z Star XV. These balls have more compression which is around 100 and are designed for golfers that have a swing speed of 100 mph or above.
Srixon releases an upgraded version of these balls every couple of years, so you may not find the older versions easily online or in the shops.
However, Srixon balls launched in 2019 and 2021 are quite similar and there have been no major changes.
So it wouldn’t really matter to you if you bought an older version unless you played with both versions for repeated periods.
Let’s talk about the fundamental features of these balls.
Srixon Z Star Overview
- Construction: 3-piece
- Cover: Urethane
- Feel: soft
- Distance: Long
- Spin: Low
- Compression: 90
Spin
The covering of the 2021 version is thicker and stronger than in the previous model. We’re talking about a tenth of a millimeter here!
The goal of this change is to increase the spin somewhat on the approaches while also enhancing the experience around the green.
However, even a minor modification might affect distance, so Srixon has modified the formula of the middle layer and the core to compensate.
Meaning the latest version will keep hold of the distance coverage as same as the older version while adding more spin.
According to the numbers provided in a launch monitor, there is just a difference of 37 rpm between these two balls, where the Titleist Pro V1 averages 2358 rpm and the Srixon Z star averages 2395.
The launch monitor was programmed to hit the balls with a swing speed of 100 and 115 miles per hour, and then the average was calculated.
While hitting the wedges, the Pro V1 provides 70-75 rpm more spin. So the role of the special SeRM cover is still doubtful. So it doesn’t really matter whether a ball specializes in one particular zone, the results wouldn’t be huge.
It’s important to remember that while assessing golf balls, backspin isn’t the only factor to consider. If you have a tendency to play slices or hooks more than usual, expensive balls will usually enhance the precision and result of those slices and hooks due to their higher spinning.
If you’re having trouble controlling the trajectory, you should go for an option that has less spin than these balls.
Feel
Feel is hard to evaluate because it is distinctive to each golfer. Compression is among the most important elements that will influence how something feels.
With increasing compression, the firmness of a golf ball also increases. A golfer with a swing speed of 75 miles per hour will think the Z star is too harsh, having a compression rating of 90. On the other hand, a golfer with a swing speed of 120 mph would undoubtedly find it too gentle.
As we said before, it entirely depends on personal preferences. So, don’t make a decision before having first-hand experience, because that’s how it should be. A ball that has a softer feel in chip shots is preferred. The feel you get with irons and also off the tee should also be considered.
In our observations, we found the feel of the Srixon Z star to be pretty decent. According to many credible sources, the Z star has an average compression rate of 90.
Performance Around The Green
The Srixon Z star performs pretty well around the green. Manufacturers sought to balance the ball’s increasing hardness by developing lighter putters.
Regardless of the distance covered by the balls on the tee, the experience the ball provides while putting has a lot more influence. A decent distance covered by your ball will seem meaningless if it doesn’t give you a good feeling around the green.
That is why it is important to evaluate a ball’s quality based on its performance around the green rather than evaluating how it performs off the tee.
Performance With Drives
According to our observations, the Srixon Z star provides an all-round performance with the drives. The performance with the wedges might depend a lot on your skills, but overall we think it’s a decent ball for both of these jobs.
Focusing on more repetitive swings, we don’t assume there will be much of a change in the amount of spin these balls generate. In our analysis, there is only a spin difference of 37 rpm and a distance difference of 2 yards.
So, should you be paying some extra cash for those 2 yards? The answer will be no, you should not.
Your swing may provide somewhat different outcomes, but for the time being, I’m content to remain with the Srixon Z-Star because of its efficiency and pricing.
Who Should Buy The Srixon Z Star?
If you’re looking for a premium quality golf ball that will fit within your budget, the Srixon Z Star is definitely worth a shot. This ball is a gem for a golfer with a slower swing speed of around 105 mph. It will help you to keep your score low and provide an all-round performance on both the tee and around the green.
If you are someone who has a higher swing speed, let’s say 115 mph, check out the Srixon Z XV.
Pro V1 Golf Balls
The Titleist Pro V1 created a revolution in the world of golf balls. It is now the most used golf ball among elite and professional golfers around the world. The amazing technology used in making these balls allows a golfer to play up to his potential. But what made this a one-stop choice for golfers?
Before the introduction of the Pro V1, golf balls used to have a balata covering them. 3-piece golf balls always lacked either feel or good distance coverage.
But then came the Pro V1, which completely changed the game by providing both feel, good spin, and amazing performances around the green and off the tee.
However, the price of these balls has always been a concern. But there is no doubt about their quality. Let’s know in-depth about these balls.
Pro V1 Overview
- Construction: 3-piece
- Cover: Urethane
- Feel: soft
- Distance: Long
- Spin: High
- Compression: 87
Spin Rate Of Pro V1
A few tests were done on Pro V1. And as demonstrated before in the tests done on Z-Star, the spinning statistics of Pro V1 will indicate only minimal differences, which won’t be possible to detect if there is no assistance from a launch monitor.
So, a launch monitor test done on the Pro V1 revealed a significantly larger discrepancy, which can be caused by inconsistency in swinging done during the test.
The Pro V1 is a ball that spins less with your driver, which in turn generates more distance whilst keeping higher spinning rates for the iron shots and not to mention the short game shots.
The Pro V1 has narrowly edged out the Z-Star, mostly in the distance stakes. It also provides a better spin with a wedge of 75 rpm.
Feel Of Pro V1
The Pro V1 is one of the best feeling balls on the market to date. It remains a fantastic ball when it is rated on the basis of how it performs off the clubface. If you are looking for a ball that overall feels great, you can choose this Pro V1 with your eyes closed.
Performance Around The Green
The Pro V1 is usually soft to use for balls. But if played with a putter, it feels a bit softer compared to the Srixon Z Star. The softness is not noticeable unless you are actually testing both balls in each hand.
In case you want to see a noticeable difference, try using a milled putter instead of using a soft insert putter.
But the soft feeling of the balls will not always give you the feeling you want when playing golf. So you should test each one of these balls and choose the one you feel good about for yourself.
Performance With Drives
A launch monitor test was done to check the Pro V1 golf balls’ performance with drives. The results of the length test were pretty similar to the Srixon Z star. Also, additional robot testing showed no significant differences in performance between these two balls.
Although we can debate all day about the differences, the choice will always be based on your preference. And that’s how it should be, as the performances didn’t seem to differ much in the testing. They also did not show much performance difference on the golf course.
Whichever ball you choose, golf has always been about confidence and joy, so if you are more confident with this ball than with the other one, choose this one.
Who Should Buy The Pro V1 Golf Balls?
The Pro V1 should be a good choice for anyone who has a swing speed of less than 105 mph. It’s also a better choice if you are not particularly picky with wides. It will do a great job for people who ticks these two options. However, if you are against buying expensive balls, then it might not be for you.
Srixon Z Star VS Pro V1: Which One Should You Buy?
So far, we have tried to review these two balls based on their features and how they perform in different parts of the court. One thing is pretty clear: both these balls have plenty of similarities and provide the same kind of performance.
Here’s debunking the myth: most golfers consider the Pro V1 to be incomparable. They think this is the only ball that can provide them with the best quality and performance. There’s no doubt that these balls are so credible and you’d probably never be disappointed in buying them.
But should you be paying an extra amount of money for something that can be bought for a lot less? People should be courageous enough to go against stereotypical things.
The Srixon Z Star is an impressive ball that can undoubtedly replace the Pro V1. The build quality, spin, feel, distance coverage, performance on different parts of the course, and outcome of shots will definitely make you a fan.
So, it is up to you. Do you want to stay risk-free and spend a lot of money on the Pro V1? Or do you want to buy the Srixon Z Star and save some extra money?
Conclusion
To conclude, let’s begin with where we started. In the battle of the Srixon Z Star vs Pro V1, we promised to help you choose the best golf ball in terms of performance and price.
From what we’ve seen so far, both these balls are pretty much the same. They have the exact same build quality and are suitable for every kind of golfer.
If you do not want to experiment and have no issue with spending more money, the Pro V1 is a great option. Especially if your swing speed is high, this ball can provide you with some amazing performances.
But, if you want to save some money and get yourself a premium-quality golf ball, the Srixon Z Star is the deal.
