When it comes to the best golf balls, the market is full of premium offerings that typically demand faster swing speeds to unlock their full potential. But what about the higher-level amateur golfer who wants the feel and greenside control of a urethane cover without paying a premium? That’s exactly where the Srixon Q-Star Tour comes into play.
The latest iteration of the Q-Star Tour boasts a reworked FastLayer core with a 74 compression rating and features Srixon's signature 338 Speed Dimple Pattern. To see how the Q-Star Tour truly stacks up in the current golf ball market, I put it through its paces both indoors on a Foresight Sports GC3 launch monitor as well as taking it out on the course to see how it flew when exposed to the elements. While Srixon targets the Q-Star Tour at those with moderate swing speeds, I was eager to see how it handled my 114mph club head speed with the driver. The three-piece ball produced a highly impressive ball speed of 164.8 mph with a launch angle of 14.4 degrees, showcasing a high, powerful ball flight.
What really caught my eye, however, was the spin rate, not because it was overly high, or low for that matter, but when compared to the TaylorMade Tour Response (the Q-Star Tour’s main competitor), it spun around 200rpm less - sitting around 2475 rpm.Out on the course, the Q-Star Tour produced a strong, penetrating ball flight but with plenty of carry. Despite peaking slightly lower at 123 feet (compared to the Tour Response's 128 feet), it delivered an impressive 289.4 yards of carry. I was thoroughly impressed with the stability and downrange dispersion of the Q-Star on course - as you can see from the graphic below, it kept my dispersion pleasingly tight.
With a 7-iron, the Q-Star Tour delivered 125.3 mph of ball speed on average and launched at exactly 20°. It generated 5890 rpm of spin, which was a little lower than I would typically look for, but the strong peak height of 119 feet and a solid carry of 183.4 yards had me excusing that.
While it carried about a yard and a half less than the Tour Response (185.1 yards) in this specific test, I actually preferred the ball flight of the Srixon. The slightly flatter trajectory felt much more controllable, especially when trying to knock down a shot into a stiff breeze.
If there is one area where the Q-Star Tour truly shines and separates itself from the pack, it is from 50 yards and in. This is where Srixon's Spin Skin technology and premium urethane cover earn their keep.During my 50-yard pitch test, the launch monitor threw out some fantastic numbers. The Q-Star Tour launched noticeably lower at 28.7 degrees (compared to the Tour Response at 31.3 degrees) but generated significantly more spin - 7890 rpm compared to TaylorMade's 7645 rpm.
Out on the course, the piercing flight with a pitch shot saw the ball grab on the green aggressively, giving me the confidence to attack pins tucked away. Whether I was trying to nip a spinner off a tight fairway lie or hit a standard pitch, the ball took one hop and immediately put the brakes on, giving me the same confidence I'd expect from a premium golf ball.
I was immensely impressed with the new AD333 golf ball (£28 per dozen) Srixon brought out earlier in the year, and while the Q-Star Tour is a touch more of an investment (£36 per dozen), I believe the feel and performance are worth it for those taking their game a touch more seriously without wanting to break the bank.
