Yellow balls

At lunchtime today I decided to go golf ball shopping. After negotiating 5 flights of stairs in Lillywhites I arrived at the golf department.

I decided to reward myself by purchasing a dozen new balls, and decided to buy some Srixon Z Star XV in yellow. I've never used Srixon balls before, nor read any reviews, so was a totally blind buy. After getting back to my office I decided to read some reviews, and the general consensus is that they're pretty good, and much easier to both follow in the air, and find in the deep stuff. They're also pretty long and spin quite a bit.

Has anyone used these balls? Thoughts on them? I have to admit I am a bit concerned about teeing up on the 1st with a yellow ball, but if the benefits are real, and not simply a well orchestrated marketing campaign, then it might be worth the initial ribbing!

I haven't used the Z Star but I have used the Trispeed yellow and I do find yellow balls much easier to see in the sky, in fact I now only use yellow balls, however I find it no easier to find a yellow ball in the deep rough than a white one. I have used the Trispeed white as well and find no difference in performance between the colors.

I've used them and liked them. I had a dozen in white and then had a sleeve of yellow as a freebie.

The yellow does take a little getting used to although I don't think there is as much of a stigma in the US about using coloured balls. It almost looked like there was a glaze over the top of the cover and this made me concerned that marking up the ball would be difficult but I had not rouble at all.

They are pretty long and performed well around the greens. Overall I was very happy with them as they seem to have come down in price too. I think they may be updated soon.

I've used the white versions for a while since changing from the Z-Star X that they had before the XV. I seem to get on with them well and think they are well priced.

My teacher (he hates being called a pro as he doesn't earn money from playing golf) has an indoor training place with monitors, etc. and uses it so people can test golf balls. He had never tried them so we tested them against the other ball I had been using which was a Titlest NXT Tour. The Strixon was consistently about 20-30 yards longer. (I swing at late 90s mph and average about 250-260 yds with a reasonable hit. Further on a really good one...and less at times too!)

I was playing with someone else this weekend who uses them and he uses the white ones for his first and then used a yellow one for a provisional. He marks his balls but I guess it eliminates the problem of which one is which! They seemed to work well for him as he hit the ball miles. As we were using the same ball I would have to concede that the bit at the other end of the club was probably more important!!

As for the yellow bit. They were easier to see and I may buy some for winter. I am too self conscious to use them without an excuse.

twoeightnine wrote:I've used the white versions for a while since changing from the Z-Star X that they had before the XV. I seem to get on with them well and think they are well priced.

My teacher (he hates being called a pro as he doesn't earn money from playing golf) has an indoor training place with monitors, etc. and uses it so people can test golf balls. He had never tried them so we tested them against the other ball I had been using which was a Titlest NXT Tour. The Strixon was consistently about 20-30 yards longer. (I swing at late 90s mph and average about 250-260 yds with a reasonable hit. Further on a really good one...and less at times too!)

I was playing with someone else this weekend who uses them and he uses the white ones for his first and then used a yellow one for a provisional. He marks his balls but I guess it eliminates the problem of which one is which! They seemed to work well for him as he hit the ball miles. As we were using the same ball I would have to concede that the bit at the other end of the club was probably more important!!

As for the yellow bit. They were easier to see and I may buy some for winter. I am too self conscious to use them without an excuse.

20-30 yards over the NXT Tour? Blimey.

It's a shame you feel self conscious about using a coloured ball... I had bought you a present: http://www.bridgestonegolf.com/product/balls/tour-b330-rx

I use a yellow ball as a provisional.

Partly because all the other balls in my bag tend to be the same make and model just with different numbers and partly because it (in my mind only probably) deflects the shame of hitting a provisional onto the shame of using a yellow ball.

Hibbz. So long as you're not called Mike and were in Portugal at the weekend....

And, yes Marcus. We were pretty surprised too. Hit quite a few to check and average so on. Whether it was just a fluke that the spin/compression and so on just happened to be spot on for my swing I am not sure. The only thing that I can add is that for some reason I have never really liked using NXT balls. Obviously never use them now.

And as for the Bridgestones!! I lost a bet on our yearly golf tour and had to use pink golf balls for the weekend. I could only find one men's ball back then which was a Maxfli Noodle Ice so maybe these could be the thing. Bit of a pebble but for a drinking and golf weekend (probably in that order) it maybe wasn't such a bad thing.

I love the Srixon Z Stars. Very, very good balls.

There is irony in the fact that I only play them when I find them but that's because I have a big stash of purchased/won Callaway Tour i(s) and Pro V1s.

I suppose visibility depends on where you play golf. In the UK, certainly at this time of year, the sky is mostly white or grey which makes a white ball harder to spot. I guess if you play most of your golf somewhere sunny like Spain the contrast with the blue means a white ball is better.

I haven't used a yellow ball for ages as the only yellow balls I find seem to be top flites or pinnacles. Didn't realise that Srixon etc were now producing premium yellow balls. I like the z stars a lot.

The switch worked for tennis, and football, and cricket is trialling a pink ball to replace the white one.

I started using them purely for visability, but i reckon they dont stop as quick as the V1 or Callaway etc, so wnet back to my normal ball

By the way, Marcus, what were you doing in Lillywhites? It's not much better than a market stall with all the donnay gear piled high.

raycastleunited wrote:By the way, Marcus, what were you doing in Lillywhites? It's not much better than a market stall with all the donnay gear piled high.

I know. Unfortunately it's the only golf department within walking distance of my office (except Harrods, but I don't fancy spending £50 on a dozen balls)

The last time I went in there it was still Lillywhites, the finest sports store in the universe...that must have been 5 or 6 years ago though.

No-one told me that it had been taken over and turned in to a Sports Direct!!! Mike Ashley has a lot to answer for.


Some decent deals on golf balls though, although I did feel the need for a shower upon my exit.

I bought my taylormade rac irons from lillywhites, must have been 6 or 7 years ago. I'd seen them in a pro shop for £700, then hit them at an american golf with a driving range where they were £650 and then they were in Lillywhite's for £350... half price. Think it was just after sports direct had taken over and they were clearing out all the Titleist, Callaway and Taylormade gear to make room for Dunlop and Donnay. The guys had no idea what they were selling, I really should have cleared the place out with the bargains on offer.

They still had some decent(ish) stuff in there today. Plenty of R11s, Callaway & Nike clubs. Had a brief look at them, and all seemed to be 11 degree, regular flex, which won't particularly satisfy decent golfers.

Such a shame what's happened to that place. It used to be amazing.

Hibbz wrote:I use a yellow ball as a provisional.

That's actually a nice idea!

I did once play with someone who hit a ball deep into the cabbage. Decided to hit a provisional which went roughly the same direction but not quite so far in (or so it appeared from the tee).

After hitting the provisional he declared that both balls were Titleist, the first being a number 1, the second being a number 4 (I'm making the make and model up but you get the idea.)

Getting down to said cabbage patch, the #1 was just on the edge of the trouble and the #4 was nowhere to be seen.

No way to call him on it but it all seemed a little suspicious. If the second ball had been yellow then there would have been no doubt

Can't stand people who cheat at sports, especially golf. It's the reason I have despised Matt Kuchar for the last year.

I think anyone who has encountered Davie's issue should watch Goldfinger, to give guidance on what to do in a similar position. Just make sure his caddie isn't wearing a steel rimmed hat.

did i miss something regarding kucher.

on topic the z star is a great ball. just not as durable as the pro v1 for me. im just set in my ways when it comes to the golf ball.

liegerwoods wrote:did i miss something regarding kucher.

on topic the z star is a great ball. just not as durable as the pro v1 for me. im just set in my ways when it comes to the golf ball.

Last year (I can't remember if it was the US PGA or the tour championship) there was a rain delay, and as a result the hooters went off to suspend play due to darkness. I remember Kuchar hitting a crooked drive in to some really deep rough. He struggled to find it as it was completely buried. He marked it, then next morning he placed it on top of the rough, in a perfect lie, and hit it on to the green, a shot he would NEVER have managed from the lie he had the night before.

I can remember mentioning it on 606 (RIP) and someone else had noticed it too. I can't remember who it was though, and I don't think it was even mentioned on tv. Since then, I have wanted every shot of his to go OOB, and for someone to wipe that stupid gormless grin off his face.

I think the ball is criminally overlooked as a piece of equipment that should be fitted to the user, obviously everyone uses them, but how many people actually use one which is best suited to their games.
They'll spend a fortune on getting custom fitted for clubs, but many will just instantly reach for a premium ball where a 2 piece might give better results.
I've seen everyone from plus handicappers to 28 handicappers use Pro-V's, they can't be the best ball for everyone.

Buying half a dozen sleeves of balls and finding which one is best, could certainly help to find something better suited, rather than using a Pro-V, just because everyone else is using them.

super_realist wrote:I think the ball is criminally overlooked as a piece of equipment that should be fitted to the user, obviously everyone uses them, but how many people actually use one which is best suited to their games.
They'll spend a fortune on getting custom fitted for clubs, but many will just instantly reach for a premium ball where a 2 piece might give better results.
I've seen everyone from plus handicappers to 28 handicappers use Pro-V's, they can't be the best ball for everyone.

Buying half a dozen sleeves of balls and finding which one is best, could certainly help to find something better suited, rather than using a Pro-V, just because everyone else is using them.

You're right, S_R. Some of the newer balls out there such as the Penta TP and the B330S won't actually perform for some people, as you need a minimum impact speed to make the various layers work. For example, with the B330S, you need to generate clubhead speed of 105mph+ to even start to compress the core. I'm sure it's the same for Pro-V1s and all the other multi-layer balls.

didn t know that marcus thanks

s-r....very true regarding the ball. i played a few rounds with a scratch golfer from a local club and when we were all playing balatas he was knocking a wilson ultra round in levelpar and sometimes much lower. suited his game and he clearly decide the extra distance of the tee was more important. as it was links golf he felt more comfortable running the ball onto greens.

One of the good things being at St.Andrews is that many of the visitors are choppers and when they lose a ball, it's invariably a good one.

Totally agree with SR on this so many people reach for the Pro-V1 due to the marketing hype surrounding it, the amount of pro's that played it (not so many as you may think these days) and being told it is the premium ball for all types. For instance a guy I played with on Sunday using Pro-V1, didn't ask him why but his game was such he could have used a pinnacle gold and got the same if not better results from it.

Personally speaking I moved away from the Pro-V1 as I found for myself it produced far to high a spin rate, I then toyed with the bridgstone's and found they were pretty good but couldn't get used to the feel. Then moved to the Z Star and was really happy with that the way it performed that was until I went to Doral earlier this year an tried the Nike 20XI and absolutely love the ball and will continue to play that from now on.

So now as SR states I have found the ball that suits me and suggest everyone do the same instead of reaching for the biggest name on the market.

I hope you find the Z Star yellows to your liking, never used the yellow but the Z Star is a good ball

Thanks Mav. I guess I'll find out when I tee up with one down at Deal on Saturday!

Marcus wrote:Thanks Mav. I guess I'll find out when I tee up with one down at Deal on Saturday!

You playing down at Royal Cinque Ports! Shame Mrs Mav is about to pop I could've come down for a round, love the course down there and miss playing them regularly since we moved away from Littlestone

I'm a member there, and have also just joined Princes too. I grew up playing Deal & RSG.

Let me know when Mrs Mav has popped and you're allowed out of the house again.

Where's your nearest course now?

Marcus wrote:I'm a member there, and have also just joined Princes too. I grew up playing Deal & RSG.

Marcus

have I ever told you I think you're a really great guy?

You only want me for my memberships. I feel so used.

Marcus wrote:I'm a member there, and have also just joined Princes too. I grew up playing Deal & RSG.

Let me know when Mrs Mav has popped and you're allowed out of the house again.

Where's your nearest course now?

If you don't mind me asking whats the damage on joining Princes these days I love thos 3 courses, very good memories of winning comps over all 3 course's and are in my top 10 for courses in this country, I was a littlestone guy for a long time but family and business moved me to just outside maidstone so home course is now Bearsted. But can easily get back down for agame at some point

Maverick wrote:

Marcus wrote:I'm a member there, and have also just joined Princes too. I grew up playing Deal & RSG.

Let me know when Mrs Mav has popped and you're allowed out of the house again.

Where's your nearest course now?

If you don't mind me asking whats the damage on joining Princes these days I love thos 3 courses, very good memories of winning comps over all 3 course's and are in my top 10 for courses in this country, I was a littlestone guy for a long time but family and business moved me to just outside maidstone so home course is now Bearsted. But can easily get back down for agame at some point

It's not too bad actually... I still qualify as an Intermediate member due to my age.

The memberships run from the end of March to end of March, so I paid a pro-rata membership fee of £425 (which included £100 on the payment card for the bar/restaurant/pro shop). The joining fee was £400.

For a full member (35 or over) the annual fee is £1,432.50, but you'd qualify as an intermediate member too. (30-32: £802.50, and 33-34: £980.50)