Let's face it--TaylorMade and Bridgestone both changed the formulations on their balls--guess they just couldn't stand success. The new Callaway IX is pretty much just an updated Strata Tour Ace. --Not a bad idea really, but once again--Joe Six Pack needs to pack "An average driver swing speed of 100+ MPH" in order to make a 4-piece Urethane covered ball reach it's fullest potential. That basically eliminates the new Bridgestone B330 and B330-S Models for the vast majority of golfers. TaylorMade and Titleist kind of blew it with their new formulations as well. The Pro V1 is now firmer than ever, and quite a bit shy of the legendary spin available on the earlier models. The TaylorMades are actually quite an improvement over the old TP Red and Black--but that really isn't saying much. ---The jury is still out on the new Nikes. I've gone back and forth with them, but still haven't made up my mind yet. Considering the prices they want, however, such indecision on my part is practically an indictment in and of itself as to whether or not I think they are truly worth it.
New Spin On Some Old Spin
Thanks to the 85 compression rating (I'm impressed--as Srixon has historically stuck w/a 90 compression rating--even on their supossedly "Soft-Feel" balls) these balls feel vaguely familiar. Could it be the reincarnation of the original Pro V1??!! You remember the one! It too sported an 85 compression rating, and it could spin itself backwards up the wrong side of Mount Rainier. That's what made the Pro V1 such a great ball when it first came out. Not only could it spin as well as the old wound balata balls it was replacing--but it flew further too! As golf continued to evolve into it's newer "Bomb and Gouge" format--the Pro V1 begin to lose a little spin in favour of gaining even more distance. Eventually, after the 3/4th tweaking-- it did become at least 10+ yards longer than the original. Sadly, thanks to the newer emphasis on distance, and the latest reformulation as mandated by an old Callaway lawsuit---the Pro V1 no longer feels as soft, nor spins as well as it once did. --I simply can't see paying big bucks for a dozen glorified distance rocks.
BUT WHAT IF...... you could get back all of that old spin? Better yet, what if you could regain that softer, slightly clingier feel? Here's the real deal... What if you could have all that spin and feel of the old model, with all the distance of the newer model? Would you be willing to play a ball that sported "The SRIXON Moniker?" I mean, I know they have the lamest commercials in the business. The entire URX 333/HRX 333, Z-UR, ZUR-C, ZURS, etc.. history always offered a ball that charged you full price just to play an also ran. I'm afraid that if you don't try these however--you may never realize what a great ball you are passing up.
One needs to remember that back in the day--when Dunlop of all companies, owned the Maxfli name, it was this very same Sumitomo Rubber Company (SRIXON) that developed --The Black Max. Yes--That Black Max. One of the very few balls that actually ran neck and neck w/the Pro V1 for the first few iterations of that ball. I won't bore you with all the corporate machinations as to how Sumitomo lost the Maxfli contract after their factory burnt to the ground--the Adidas TaylorMAde debacle, or any of the rest of that. They had to make a name for themselveds on their own--but after having developed The Black Max--albeit many moons ago, and for another company-there was no doubt that they could eventually come up with another winning formula.
DRIVER
This ball feels very familiar off the driver. It is long, soft, and informative. It spins pretty quickly too--(sidespin as well--just like the original Pro V1 and the old Precept U-Tri- Tour.) If you're still sporting major swing flaws of the over-the top variety--this may not be the ball for you. You'll probably start serving up more slices than Toni's Pizza Parlour. If, however, you sport a technically sound, and semi-repeatable swing---man are you in for a trip down memory lane. Would you like to work it left to right off the tee box?---Hey--just go for it--This ball will work it like a full time job--24/7. (Works similar to the old Black Max and Precept U Tri Tour--only easier.) Want a long and straight monster right down the pike?---Remember when that soft feeling Pro V1 was actually called a distance ball? ---This one will remind you of why that was.
METALS/LONG IRONS/HYBRIDS
Distance is definitely a good thing, but trajectory has a lot to do with it in more ways than one. This ball has a tendency to play just to the high side of the spectrum. It still flies low enough for a 2 iron stinger when necessary, but if you need to manipulate your 5-Wood to play a high cut similar to a 7 wood--and don't trust your hybrid swing well enough to avoid --"The Dreaded Balloon Shot" then this could be your ball. By the way--the trajectory of this ball is so true--climb--gradual rise--apex--flat line--equally gradual descent, that you can use your hybrids as the multi purpose utilitarians they were meant to be. Whether acting as a Long Iron, Distance Recovery Shot, or even an odd ball Hybrid/Chip---this ball is ammenable to the task.
MID-IRONS
So you want to go pin seeking from long distance, but the latest models of golf balls just don't seem to have that good old-fashioned backspin anymore?......Let's not even mention the fact that golf courses are using less water during this recession, and it was already a fairly rare occasion for the muni and daily fee greens to provide a soft enough landing for the ball to do The Magic Backwards Dance from wedge shots--much less long distance. Fear not oh beleaguered one. This ball will bring back the one hop stops and backward dances that used to only be achieved w/wound Balata Balls and 34* 5 Irons. If you've got the swing and accuracy--having to aim for the middle of the green, and hope for a lucky break is no longer the rule of the day. This ball will go that distance. This ball will provide that spin. This ball will check up. The only other time I've seen a ball mimic the old Balata types this well was the old Wilson I-Wound. This time, however, you won't have to give up the distance like you did with The I-Wound.
SHORT IRONS/WEDGES
This ball is a lazer. It flies high w/out getting stratospheric--unless of course--that's what you want. You can now hit a succesful flop w/out having to invoke Lefty's name in vane, after watching yet another unsuccesful rendition of the shot he's made famous go dancing across the green. Want to stick a low flying spinner from a bad lie in a greenside bunker?---Just go for it. This is the first ball I've felt comfortable just trusting in roughly 7 years. How about that dreaded 1/2 wedge from the rough?---Not a problem. Let the USGA re-regulate the grooves on wedges. Srixon may have the answer to the lost spin by providing a ball that generates such spin from a different source--the ball itself!
FLATSTICK
This ball does two of my favourite things that I've come to expect from supposedly tour level balls in this price range. The audible cue is a soft--yet distinct "MUTED CLICK." It lets you know it's there, but it doesn't anounce itself in such a verbose fashion that you begin to over-associate the ball's sound with it's feel. (We do this w/drivers all the time--and that's one of the major reasons why the composite drivers flopped so badly.) The tactile cue is an ever so slight clingy feel off of the putter's face. The really good balls--like this one--tend to time the audible sound with the actual tactile feel almost simultaneously. This is a true tour level ball that takes all the best from both the old school and the new school. SRIXON's Best ball since the original Black Max! Quite possibly--at least for my swing-the best ball of the year.
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