Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf ball 

Gear: Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf ball
Price: $44.99 per dozen
Specs: Three-piece, urethane-covered ball with outer cover coating
Available: Jan. 21 

Hideki Matsuyama won the 2021 Masters using a Srixon Z-Star XV (from $42.99 per dozen at Global Golf), a four-piece, urethane-covered ball designed to produce less spin off the tee with a driver, more distance and a firmer feel. For golfers who want a slightly lower flight off the tee, a softer feel and more spin around the green, Srixon offered the three-piece Z-Star alongside it for years. 

Now the Japanese equipment maker is releasing a new ball, the Z-Star Diamond, a premium ball designed to fit between the Z-Star and the Z-Star XV. 

The Z-Star Diamond is a three-piece ball with a large rubber core that is soft in the center and becomes progressively firmer toward the outside. Srixon refers to this design as a FastLayer Core and has used the same type of core construction and design in several of its premium balls for years, including the Z-Star and Z-Star XV. Srixon said it provides speed while also delivering enhanced feel. 

The FastLayer core is covered by a casing layer, then a urethane cover. On the outside of the ball, designers gave the Z-Star Diamond a new 338-dimple cover pattern that creates less drag, so it should be affected by the wind less and hold its line more efficiently. 

While the urethane cover is fractionally thicker than the Z-Star’s cover, it has the same SpinSkin coating with SeRM Sling Ring. Applied to the outside of the ball, the coating helps wedges and short irons grab the urethane cover more easily to create more spin and control on approach shots. However, it does not affect performance on long irons and wood shots, so players do not have to fear ballooning shots or losing distance. 

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