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Srixon Soft Feel for Seniors with Slower Swing Speeds


Tmmy

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Personally I like them-- Play them a lot especially with my persimmon woods- Yep they are a great ball for lower SS and the price point is good too especially at Wally World

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

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I'm about the same age with a swing speed about the same if not a little lower.  I've been testing out Srixon balls for the last year or so, going between the Soft Feel and Q-Star Tour.  At least for me, I preferred the Q-Star Tour.  It's a little "less soft" ("very soft" 72 versus "softest" 60 compression), but the construction and urethane cover gives me much better control and performance around the greens.  Since I don't always make the greens in regulation, that enhanced control tends to be more valuable to me.

Ping G430 Max driver 10.5 degrees with an Alta Quick45 gram senior shaft
Callaway Epic 3 wood, Project X Evenflow Green 45 gram senior shaft  
Callaway GBB Epic Heavenwood, with a Mitsubishi Diamana 50 gram senior shaft
Ping G 20.5 degree 7 wood, with a stock Alta 65 gram senior shaft
Ping G 26 degree hybrid, stock Alta 65 gram senior shaft
Callaway Paradym X irons, 7-AW with Aldila Ascent Blue 50 graphite shafts
Edison wedges:  50, 55 and 60 degree, KBS Tour Graphite A flex shafts
Putters:  L.A.B. Direct Force 2.1 putter, 34.5" long, 67 degrees lie
 
2022 MGS Tester:  Shot Scope Pro XL+ with H4  
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52 minutes ago, NC Golfer said:

Most people like the Soft Feel. Great price, distance and feel. Also, a nice yellow color. It checks off a lot of boxes and especially good for the Sr golfer.

My course has a strong Srixon presence so I have all types of Srixon balls I have won in the last few years. I have played everything from the Z-Stars to the 2 piece Marathon. LOL they also had a day glow green Soft feel too. I still have a dozen of those too. Some folks do not like them but the color does not bother me one iota. I believe they also have like a day glo Red Soft Feel too because I have one in the shag bag I found. Right now since I have so many like 5 doz I am playing the Q Star Tour. 

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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On 3/20/2022 at 9:31 AM, Tmmy said:

Hi everyone. 66 year old senior here with 80-85 mph swing speed. On lists of best balls for low swing speeds, I keep seeing Srixon Soft Feel. Any experiences good or bad with them?

As with everything, it's really what you want out of your golf ball. The Soft Feel has an "ionomer" cover vs the 'Tour' balls that have urethane covers. Ionomer balls tend to be more of a high launch/low spin combo, which helps squeeze out a little more total distance. But as with everything in golf, it comes as a trade-off: you're going to give up some greenside performance. Ionomer balls tend to get more of their stopping power from their descent angle whereas urethane balls rely more heavily on spin. As you start getting into partial shots, like around the green, descent angle is going to be less of a factor for both cover types, which is why you see so many prefer urethane balls for greenside performance.

Personally, my two favorite ionomer balls are the Soft Feel and the Titleist TruFeel. Both are very soft, have a nice, high trajectory, and are a great price point.

Driver: :srixon-small: ZX5 LS MkII 9.5* (@ 9.0*) with 46.5" Ventus Blue 6X
3-wood: :taylormade-small: SIM 15* with Diamana Limited 75S
5-wood: :cobra-small: RADspeed 18.5* with Motore X F3 60S
2i: :srixon-small: ZX with SteelFiber i95 Stiff

4hy: :titleist-small: TS3 23* with Tensei AV Blue 70 S
4i-7i :srixon-small: ZX7, 8i-PW Z-Forged, Modus3 Tour 120 S
50*, 55* :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Modus3 Tour 125
60* :cleveland-small: RTX Full Face ZipCore DG Spinner S400
Putter: :callaway-small: Toulon Chicago with a :garsen: Quad Tour or :cleveland-small: HB SOFT Milled 10.5S with UST All-in

Ball: :callaway-small: Chrome Tour (but I might still have some :titleist-small: Left Dashes hanging around)
Bag: :srixon-small: Ltd Edition Tartan, blue/green/yellow

Using :ShotScope: to keep track of my shots

Tested:
:wilson_staff_small: D7 Forged 3i-PW, KBS Tour-V 110S - Official Review
:titelist-small: Blind Ball Test (Ball #3 vs Ball #4) - Unofficial Review
:ShotScope:
 V3 GPS Watch + Tags - Official Review
:OnCore:
 Vero X2 - Official Review

The Stack System - Official Review

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6 hours ago, greggarner said:

As with everything, it's really what you want out of your golf ball. The Soft Feel has an "ionomer" cover vs the 'Tour' balls that have urethane covers. Ionomer balls tend to be more of a high launch/low spin combo, which helps squeeze out a little more total distance. But as with everything in golf, it comes as a trade-off: you're going to give up some greenside performance. Ionomer balls tend to get more of their stopping power from their descent angle whereas urethane balls rely more heavily on spin. As you start getting into partial shots, like around the green, descent angle is going to be less of a factor for both cover types, which is why you see so many prefer urethane balls for greenside performance.

Personally, my two favorite ionomer balls are the Soft Feel and the Titleist TruFeel. Both are very soft, have a nice, high trajectory, and are a great price point.

Have to agree.  The Soft Feel & TruFeel are both pretty good balls.  I give slight edge to the TruFeel.  

BTW, I’m 75+ years old.

Oops, Tour Soft not Tru Soft.

Edited by Rickp
Incorrect

Rick

 

 

Left Hand, 

Driver; PXG 0311XF Cypher 50 gr Senior  
5 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr       
7 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr      
5 hybrid; Cally Steelhead, Hazardous R2     
Irons; Mizuno JPX 923HM 7-GW Recoil 460 F2
Wedges; Titleist S9 54*, Mizuno SW 56*

Putter; Waaay too many to list

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Unpopular opinon, but proven in testing:

The distance you will gain in a soft ball for slower swing speed, will not offset the better playability you get from a Urethane tour ball on approaches and greenside chips. 

But if you are willing to have 3 or 4 more shots a round hit the green and run off into the rough, in exchange for at most 5 more yards off the tee.  Then that's your ball.   I'll stick to the greenside performance. 

And yes, I qualify as a slow swinging senior! 

 

:ping-small: G430 Max 10K 

:titelist-small: TSiR1 15.0 Aldlia Ascent 60g

:titelist-small: TSR2 18.0 PX Aldila Ascent 6og

:titelist-small: TSi1 20 Aldila Ascent Shafts R

:titelist-small: T350 5-GW SteelFiber I80 

:titelist-small: SM10 48F/54M and58K

:ping-small: S159 48S/52S/56W/60B

:scotty-cameron-1: Select 5.5 Flowback 35" 

:titelist-small: ProV1  Play number 12

 

 

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27 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Unpopular opinon, but proven in testing:

The distance you will gain in a soft ball for slower swing speed, will not offset the better playability you get from a Urethane tour ball on approaches and greenside chips. 

But if you are willing to have 3 or 4 more shots a round hit the green and run off into the rough, in exchange for at most 5 more yards off the tee.  Then that's your ball.   I'll stick to the greenside performance. 

And yes, I qualify as a slow swinging senior! 

 

Yup, great point.  When I’m playing for score (non Exec) I drag out the ProV1x.

Rick

 

 

Left Hand, 

Driver; PXG 0311XF Cypher 50 gr Senior  
5 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr       
7 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr      
5 hybrid; Cally Steelhead, Hazardous R2     
Irons; Mizuno JPX 923HM 7-GW Recoil 460 F2
Wedges; Titleist S9 54*, Mizuno SW 56*

Putter; Waaay too many to list

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51 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Unpopular opinon, but proven in testing:

The distance you will gain in a soft ball for slower swing speed, will not offset the better playability you get from a Urethane tour ball on approaches and greenside chips. 

But if you are willing to have 3 or 4 more shots a round hit the green and run off into the rough, in exchange for at most 5 more yards off the tee.  Then that's your ball.   I'll stick to the greenside performance. 

And yes, I qualify as a slow swinging senior! 

 

I think this where my game/ball flight characteristics allows me to play a variety of balls without too much give up one way or another.  I hit my irons fairly high and the steeper descent angle keeps them close to the divot.  I've played found Srixon Soft Feels occasionally and, like the Wilsons, they do feel way softer than most.  I've never really tested them H2H against tour level balls but they seem to perform well (as in no big difference). My driver ss is 94 on good days and I qualify for most senior discounts.

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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On 3/20/2022 at 9:31 AM, Tmmy said:

Hi everyone. 66 year old senior here with 80-85 mph swing speed. On lists of best balls for low swing speeds, I keep seeing Srixon Soft Feel. Any experiences good or bad with them?

Pretty close in swing sppeds, I'm 71 6 hncp.  I have yet to find a Srixon ball that I can say I like. We're all different. I don't think it gets up in the air that great, app 10 yds shorter with it. I still favor the Bridgestone Tour B Rxs or RX. That Titleist AVX isn't a bad choice either

 

 

On 3/20/2022 at 9:31 AM, Tmmy said:

Hi everyone. 66 year old senior here with 80-85 mph swing speed. On lists of best balls for low swing speeds, I keep seeing Srixon Soft Feel. Any experiences good or bad with them?

 

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2 minutes ago, Riverboat said:

Your assumption is everyone wants the quick checkup style of play. I don't. As I said above, green side performance to me is predictable release and roll, not quick check up.

And you are exaggerating, as I almost never have a ball run off into the rough, let alone 3 or 4 times a round. It's all about understanding release and roll.

Your assumption that there is only one way to correctly play the game is the reason your opinion is unpopular (and also incorrect).

Hey kudos to you for finding an approach that works for you thst your consistent with.   But there in lies the flaw in your approach for others not you.  
 

Most average to below average players aren’t as consistent as you do yes they will have that many balls go skipping across a green where a urethane has a much better chance of stopping.

And for better to good players are consistent enough to judge how much spin and stopping ability they will have: 

I have seen this demonstrated by both example many times over both on the course and in fittings. 
 

But I questuon if you are consitent enough to make solid enough contact to know how much your ball will release   Then that same consistent swing should allow you to know how much it will check with a urethane ball.

So I’m not really incorrect after all 😬

 

 

:ping-small: G430 Max 10K 

:titelist-small: TSiR1 15.0 Aldlia Ascent 60g

:titelist-small: TSR2 18.0 PX Aldila Ascent 6og

:titelist-small: TSi1 20 Aldila Ascent Shafts R

:titelist-small: T350 5-GW SteelFiber I80 

:titelist-small: SM10 48F/54M and58K

:ping-small: S159 48S/52S/56W/60B

:scotty-cameron-1: Select 5.5 Flowback 35" 

:titelist-small: ProV1  Play number 12

 

 

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3 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Unpopular opinon, but proven in testing:

The distance you will gain in a soft ball for slower swing speed, will not offset the better playability you get from a Urethane tour ball on approaches and greenside chips. 

But if you are willing to have 3 or 4 more shots a round hit the green and run off into the rough, in exchange for at most 5 more yards off the tee.  Then that's your ball.   I'll stick to the greenside performance. 

And yes, I qualify as a slow swinging senior! 

 

This is funny but it shows different strokes for different folks--- In cooler weather the Srixon Soft Feels perform better for me driver and distance wise. In warmer and hot weather for me they get less distance than the Q Star and Q Star Tour. Far as putting with a non insert putter the Soft Feel sorta mimics a Balata for me. The Q Stars feel firmer. For me I can adjust accordingly for either one. Far as wedge spin with my trap cut I can spin anything but the Q Stars spin better for me than the Soft Feels. Now what surprises me is the fact I can spin the cheaper 2 piece Marathons better than the others and I like the way the Marathon putts for some reason. But hey I will admit what I do is more than likely 180* opposite from everyone else. And you have known me long enough to know I always say there is no one etched in stone way to properly play this game.

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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4 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

This is funny but it shows different strokes for different folks--- In cooler weather the Srixon Soft Feels perform better for me driver and distance wise. In warmer and hot weather for me they get less distance than the Q Star and Q Star Tour. Far as putting with a non insert putter the Soft Feel sorta mimics a Balata for me. The Q Stars feel firmer. For me I can adjust accordingly for either one. Far as wedge spin with my trap cut I can spin anything but the Q Stars spin better for me than the Soft Feels. Now what surprises me is the fact I can spin the cheaper 2 piece Marathons better than the others and I like the way the Marathon putts for some reason. But hey I will admit what I do is more than likely 180* opposite from everyone else. And you have known me long enough to know I always say there is no one etched in stone way to properly play this game.

Agree with you.  Cooler weather I’m a Tour Soft but nicer weather and want some performance ProV1x.  

 Not familiar with Marathon?

Rick

 

 

Left Hand, 

Driver; PXG 0311XF Cypher 50 gr Senior  
5 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr       
7 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr      
5 hybrid; Cally Steelhead, Hazardous R2     
Irons; Mizuno JPX 923HM 7-GW Recoil 460 F2
Wedges; Titleist S9 54*, Mizuno SW 56*

Putter; Waaay too many to list

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9 minutes ago, Rickp said:

Agree with you.  Cooler weather I’m a Tour Soft but nicer weather and want some performance ProV1x.  

 Not familiar with Marathon?

The Marathon is a cheaper 2 piece Srixon offering. I have won quite a few of them over the last 3 years along with other Srixon balls. I figured they were good to knock around with when playing by myself or casual rounds. I ended up liking those balls. I think they sell them at Wally World 15 ball packs in the $20 or so range. They are pretty durable one example I got 54 holes out of and it is in the shag bag now. 

Edited by BIG STU

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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2 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

The Marathon is a cheaper 2 piece Srixon offering. I have won quite a fer of them over the last 3 years along with other Srixon balls. I figured they were good to knock around with when playing by myself or casual rounds. I ended up liking those balls. I think they sell them at Wally World 15 ball packs in the $20 or so range. They are pretty durable one example I got 54 holes out of and it is in the shag bag now. 

Thanks, never seen one in the Wild.  Now I’ll be looking.

I bought 6 dozen of mint Tour Soft balls from Lost Balls.  Never did that B4 but they’ve been great and at a great price, I think $13/doz free shipping.  They are my everyday ball.  I gave some away and the guys I gave them to couldn’t believe they were not new.

Rick

 

 

Left Hand, 

Driver; PXG 0311XF Cypher 50 gr Senior  
5 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr       
7 wood; Ping 425, Senior Shaft 55 gr      
5 hybrid; Cally Steelhead, Hazardous R2     
Irons; Mizuno JPX 923HM 7-GW Recoil 460 F2
Wedges; Titleist S9 54*, Mizuno SW 56*

Putter; Waaay too many to list

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2 hours ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Hey kudos to you for finding an approach that works for you thst your consistent with.   But there in lies the flaw in your approach for others not you.  
 

Most average to below average players aren’t as consistent as you do yes they will have that many balls go skipping across a green where a urethane has a much better chance of stopping.

And for better to good players are consistent enough to judge how much spin and stopping ability they will have: 

I have seen this demonstrated by both example many times over both on the course and in fittings. 
 

But I questuon if you are consitent enough to make solid enough contact to know how much your ball will release   Then that same consistent swing should allow you to know how much it will check with a urethane ball.

So I’m not really incorrect after all 😬

I miss a lot of greens.  I'm in the @Riverboat camp.  I like PV1x but greenside spin is unpredictable for me since I don't consistently strike pitches and chips and therefore sometimes the ball spins and stops... or it doesn't.  

If I play a urethane ball to stop and it doesn't, then I am past the pin with probably a downhill putt; and yes I have skipped the ball off the back trying to make that aggressive strike.  So then I try a less aggressive strike, but then I pick the ball pretty good and it checks up halfway to the hole and I now have a long putt.

When I use the Titleist Tour Soft or similar ball, I can use a short, slower pendulum swing (like an underhand toss of the ball) to a spot on the green, determined from experience, based on how that ball runs out.  I have learned how to hit low, medium and high shots with my 60º depending on how far off the green I am and how close the pin is to the edge of the green.  Maybe I don't hit the ball perfectly, but using the bounce of the club I can get a much better result than counting on unpredictable spin of a urethane ball.

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I can make any ball do any of the various things being described, anytime... my game is like a box of chocolates 😆.  Nah, just kidding, it's not that chaotic.  I sometimes play approach shots for roll out and some for land and check-up; the decision most often based on how firm or soft the greens are but also contour around the hole (i.e.; hitting over a rise and to a hole on a downslope). I've never really given much thought to ball selection under those two shot types and that is something I need to include in any further H2H comparisons. 

It seems ball selection matters most from 60 yards in and, for many, finding a place to test that on turf and into quality greens is very limited. Not that studio ball fittings aren't useful, but I don't believe they are representative of course play.  One needs to be able to hit enough successive shots to get representative data. I've been fortunate during the shoulder seasons in AZ and MT to be able to do some H2H tests while playing near empty courses and this discussion has helped me think about another subset of tests.

And, before you raise the concern or ask... yes, I always repair my divots 😇.

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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I have been using Srixon Soft Feel for a few months now and I have gotten more distance than the Titleist Velocity I was using. I bought the Srixon because the Titleist were out of stock. I stuck with the Srixon. I live in Port Saint Lucie Florida where it warm all year long. I am 66 years old and hit a Srixon Z585 driver. Very pleased. 

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