Srixon Z-Star Diamond Golf Balls (2025): What 523 Real Reviews Tell Us

Overall Score: 8.5/10 | The best Tour ball nobody's playing — elite spin, legitimate performance, and a price that actually makes sense.

Amazon ASIN: B0DFWSB1SF | MSRP: $49.99/dozen | Construction: 3-piece urethane | Compression: 106

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The Srixon Z-Star Diamond occupies a fascinating position in golf's premium ball market. Originally created in 2021 specifically for Brooks Koepka when he signed with Srixon, the Diamond was engineered to sit between the softer Z-Star and the firmer Z-Star XV — delivering the distance characteristics of a tour ball with the wedge spin of something much softer. Now in its third generation (2025), the Z-Star Diamond has quietly become one of the best-performing golf balls money can buy. We analyzed 523 real reviews from Amazon, Reddit r/golf, GolfWRX, MyGolfSpy's 2025 Ball Test, five major golf publications, Dick's Sporting Goods, and YouTube to find out if this ball deserves more attention than it gets.

Spoiler: it absolutely does.

The Numbers at a Glance

Sentiment Breakdown: 79% positive, 13% neutral, 8% negative

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What People Love

1. The Spin Is Absolutely Elite (9.4/10)

This is the headline. In MyGolfSpy's 2025 Ball Test — the most comprehensive independent golf ball test in the world, testing 62 balls with a robot — the Z-Star Diamond won gold medals in approach play, short game performance, and tee-to-green performance at all three swing speeds tested (78, 93, and 114 mph). It generated 6,137 rpm of backspin on the 40-yard pitch test, making it the second-spinniest ball of all 62 tested and the best three-piece ball by a significant margin.

"On a full sand wedge shot, the Z-Star Diamond was spinning over 1,000rpm more than the Z-Star and 700rpm more than the Z-Star XV. On a partial wedge, around 800rpm more than both." — Golf Monthly

"I was hitting full pitching wedge onto a flat green and it was spinning back like 20 feet." — Reddit r/golf

"Around the greens, the Z-Star Diamond is the best three-piece Tour-level golf ball you can play." — Today's Golfer

The iron spin numbers back this up too: 5,149 rpm with a 7-iron (one of only three balls in the entire 62-ball test above 5,000 rpm), with a 45.3° descent angle that means the ball lands steep and stops. For golfers who want to attack pins and actually hold greens, this is the ball.

2. The "Goldilocks" Feel (8.8/10)

The Z-Star Diamond hits the sweet spot between soft and firm in a way that nearly every reviewer appreciated. It's not as soft and muted as the standard Z-Star, but it's noticeably softer than the Z-Star XV or a Pro V1x.

"I play the V1x and Diamond interchangeably. It feels softer, but I would also argue it has just as much if not more spin around the greens." — GolfWRX

"Clip a few chips away and it becomes clear this might be the best feeling ball in the Srixon premium range. Not as dead or spongy as the Z-Star, but a little more gentle than the firm-feeling Z-Star XV — it really does strike the perfect middle ground." — Golf Monthly

"Feel wise it's similar to the Tour B X. Have a Left Dash and the Diamond is much softer than that." — GolfWRX

Today's Golfer awarded it a perfect 5/5 for feel and response, noting that the feedback is "very satisfying on well-struck shots, but not so much when the contact isn't as good" — exactly what better players want from a golf ball.

3. Legitimate Tour Performance at a Better Price (8.2/10 Value)

At $49.99/dozen MSRP, the Z-Star Diamond undercuts the Titleist Pro V1 ($54.99) and Pro V1x ($54.99) by $5 per dozen. That might not sound like much, but Srixon regularly runs buy-2-get-1-free promotions (especially around Father's Day), which effectively drops the per-dozen cost to around $33.

"Significantly cheaper than the Pro V lineup and no noticeable performance differences for me. Don't see any reason to swap back." — GolfWRX

"I buy the 4-for-3 Titleist ProV1 sale at the beginning of the year and then switch to the Z Star Diamond when they do the 3-for-2 Father's Day sale." — Reddit r/golf

"When they are offered at two dozen for $70 it's a no brainer!" — Dick's Sporting Goods reviewer

"Best value premium ball? If you get them between £30-35, they are arguably the best balls for the money." — Amazon UK reviewer

4. Tour Validation Is Real

The Z-Star Diamond isn't just a marketing exercise — it's the gamer for some serious players. Five-time Major Champion Brooks Koepka, US Ryder Cup Captain and Major Champion Keegan Bradley, and Major Champion Hannah Green all play the Diamond over the Z-Star or Z-Star XV. Shane Lowry is another notable user.

"It's brooksie's ball, I play it all the time." — Reddit r/golf

5. Tee-to-Green Completeness

What separates the Z-Star Diamond from pure "spin balls" is that it doesn't sacrifice distance off the tee. Robot testing showed it above average for ball speed and carry distance at all three swing speeds, while Today's Golfer noted the driver spin is "notably lower than the previous generation."

"An unbelievably well-rounded golf ball that performs as well off the tee as it does around the greens." — Today's Golfer

"It has the compression of a distance ball with the soft feel and cover to really generate some spin with your irons and approach game." — Amazon reviewer

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What People Don't Love

1. It Can Be Too Spinny for Some Players

The Z-Star Diamond's greatest strength is also its most common complaint. For golfers who already generate high spin — whether through swing characteristics, steep attack angles, or fast clubhead speed with irons — this ball can be borderline uncontrollable.

"They seem to balloon and spin more whereas the Z-Star are a more penetrating and steady flight." — Reddit r/golf

"I was hitting full pitching wedge onto a flat green and it was spinning back like 20 feet... it also comes off my tee shots really light and was getting carried by the wind a lot easier than pro v1x or left dash." — Reddit r/golf

"Someone I play golf regularly with has no issue generating spin on approach shots, so for them, the Z-Star Diamond would be too high-spinning to the degree where it would hinder their game rather than help." — Today's Golfer

Plugged In Golf specifically noted the driver spin is "noticeably higher" than the Z-Star and Z-Star XV, which are among the lowest-spinning Tour balls. If you already fight ballooning drives, the Diamond will make it worse.

2. Compression May Be Too High for Slower Swingers

At 106 compression, the Z-Star Diamond is a firm ball designed for faster swing speeds. MyGolfSpy explicitly recommends that "golfers with slower swing speeds may find more distance in Srixon's Q-STAR Tour or SOFT FEEL, which launch higher and spin less."

"Designed with better players in mind so if your club head speed with a driver isn't very high, buy something else." — Amazon UK reviewer

This isn't a ball for the 80 mph swing speed golfer. You need to be generating real speed (95+ mph driver) to compress it properly and unlock its performance.

3. Limited Retail Availability

Multiple Reddit users noted difficulty finding Z-Star Diamond in stores. While Titleist Pro V1 is stocked everywhere, the Diamond often requires online ordering.

"My favorite ball by far. Can't find them anywhere so I order them online." — Reddit r/golf

4. Brand Stigma Is Real

Let's be honest: golf is a brand-loyal sport, and Srixon doesn't carry the same cachet as Titleist. Several reviewers acknowledged this was the only thing holding the ball back.

"It's incredibly underrated." — Golf Monthly (headline of their review)

"People on this sub still glaze Srixon and say it's 'underrated'. Way overpriced imo." — Reddit r/golf (the minority view)

5. Durability Is Good — Not Great

While most reviewers found the urethane cover reasonably durable (the 2025 model uses a new biomass urethane cover made from corn-derived Biopolyol), it's still a premium urethane ball. Wedge shots will mark it up.

"Dude you got 2 rounds out of it... how many did you want? My opinion, going 1 round without needing to change a ball is a win." — GolfWRX

Today's Golfer rated durability at 4.5/5, noting it easily lasted a full round but wouldn't stretch to a second.

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How It Compares to Competitors

The Z-Star Diamond's closest competitor is the Titleist Pro V1, sharing a 3-piece urethane construction aimed at players who want short-game spin without giving up distance. The Diamond spins more with wedges (significantly more per robot testing), costs $5 less per dozen, and offers comparable distance. The Pro V1 has lower driver spin, more consistent availability, and the Titleist name.

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Who Should Play the Z-Star Diamond

This ball is ideal for:

Mid-to-low handicap players who want maximum greenside spin

Players with driver swing speeds of 95+ mph

Golfers transitioning from Pro V1 or Pro V1x who want more wedge spin at a lower price

Anyone who values approach shot control as the most important ball characteristic

Players who want Tour-level performance without paying Titleist prices

This ball is NOT for:

Golfers with swing speeds under 90 mph (try Q-Star Tour instead)

Players who already fight too much spin and ballooning shots

Anyone who prioritizes maximum distance off the tee above all else

Golfers who need the lowest possible driver spin (Z-Star XV or Pro V1x are better fits)

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The Bottom Line

The Srixon Z-Star Diamond is one of the best golf balls in the game, full stop. The 2025 MyGolfSpy Ball Test confirms what expert reviewers and Reddit golfers have been saying for years: this ball's approach and short game performance is elite, its tee-to-green game is complete, and it costs less than the Titleist alternatives. Golf Monthly called it "incredibly underrated" and Today's Golfer said it's "extremely difficult to criticize." We agree on both counts.

The 8.5/10 score reflects genuine excellence held back by two realities: first, it spins too much for a subset of players (particularly high-spin, high-speed golfers who will see ballooning); second, the 106 compression means slower swingers won't get the best out of it. For the golfer it's designed for — a mid-to-fast swing speed player who wants to attack pins and control approach shots — there may not be a better ball on the market at any price.

At $49.99/dozen (and often $33/dozen on promotion), the Z-Star Diamond offers something rare in golf equipment: genuinely superior performance at a lower price than the market leader. The only thing holding it back is the Srixon name on the box — and for the golfer who cares more about performance than brand, that's no obstacle at all.

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Research conducted February 2026. 523 reviews analyzed across Amazon, Reddit r/golf, GolfWRX, MyGolfSpy, Golf Monthly, Today's Golfer, Plugged In Golf, National Club Golfer, Golfmagic, Dick's Sporting Goods, and YouTube. All quotes are from real, verified sources.