Q-Star Tour ball

[62@Oakmont]

On 10/25/2020 at 10:10 AM, Stanks said:

I think we just need to work on our game and stop caring about the average of size being off my thousands of an inch (callaway magna is bigger [purposely] and that doesn’t mean anything) of a ball that is praised by thousands of golfers around the world for being affordable, reliable, durable and easily available.

You boys need to just go play 18.

 

Couldn't agree more.  What is hilarious to me is all of the (admitted) 6 handicaps replying in the comment section of their article stating that they were "suddenly" hitting the ball all over the place, so it must be because the QST was out of round by a few thousandths of an inch 🙄.  In my experience, 6 caps aren't the most consistent ball strikers anyway- at least not enough to detect an otherwise undetectable minor flaw (in a test where we don't even know much about their methodology/thresholds).

[Stanks]

8 hours ago, 62@Oakmont said:

 

Couldn't agree more.  What is hilarious to me is all of the (admitted) 6 handicaps replying in the comment section of their article stating that they were "suddenly" hitting the ball all over the place, so it must be because the QST was out of round by a few thousandths of an inch 🙄.  In my experience, 6 caps aren't the most consistent ball strikers anyway- at least not enough to detect an otherwise undetectable minor flaw (in a test where we don't even know much about their methodology/thresholds).

Fact. I've never hit a ball off the toe, saw the ball fly and started blaming the ball. I've never shanked one, skulled one, etc. etc. and blamed it on the ball. It's amazing, the crap that comes out of peoples mouths but, it's entertaining to say the least. 

[MMB1500]

17 hours ago, 62@Oakmont said:

 

Couldn't agree more.  What is hilarious to me is all of the (admitted) 6 handicaps replying in the comment section of their article stating that they were "suddenly" hitting the ball all over the place, so it must be because the QST was out of round by a few thousandths of an inch 🙄.  In my experience, 6 caps aren't the most consistent ball strikers anyway- at least not enough to detect an otherwise undetectable minor flaw (in a test where we don't even know much about their methodology/thresholds).

 

A very fair point. Are defects like those reported the cause of your 60 yard slice into the woods, or your top off the first tee? No.

 

That said, for me at least, the issue is more about getting what you pay for. Golf is expensive enough as it is. If a company is going to charge that much for 12 balls, the least they can do is ensure they are consistent as possible. It's the principle as much as anything. 

[arbeck]

14 hours ago, Stanks said:

Fact. I've never hit a ball off the toe, saw the ball fly and started blaming the ball. I've never shanked one, skulled one, etc. etc. and blamed it on the ball. It's amazing, the crap that comes out of peoples mouths but, it's entertaining to say the least. 

I'm a 14 handicap. I have my fair share of bad shots and I know they were my fault. However, I have (and I'm sure most here also have had) the following things happen:

• A ball go 5-10 yards further of a mid iron on a par 3 than I have ever carried it on a launch monitor
• A ball curve way more in the air than normal based on the swing I put on it

Were they caused by the ball? Who knows. But when I previously played the Q Star Tour, the first happened once a round or so. Having a ball with 15 compression points difference depending on where you hit it would very easily be a half club of distance.

I have enough bad shots on my own, I don't need a ball contributing to them.

[chippa13]

I love it. A pro overcooks a draw or fade and it is the swing's fault. An amateur overcooks a draw or fade and it is the ball's fault.

[Johnriba1]

Speaking of Srixon Quality...I JUST posted this about Z Star Balls I bought.

It's not just the issue with the core. Their cover is poor quality. It literally falls off the core and warps shape after a hit. 

 

@arbeck these ball made my shots go in very weird flights. sometimes left, sometimes right... but the warping shoots back into it's normal shape after about 20-30 seconds...so by the time you get to your ball on the course...you NEVER will never know that this happened. 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by Johnriba1

[Hougz79]

I read all of it with a grain of salt and generalization.  Truth be told anyone that is not a touring pro probably has enough variance in their swings that are larger than the variances in test thresholds and sample size.  Did the off center core affect a slice?  Maybe.  How much?  Hard to say.  Probably not enough to keep it in play more often than not.  Sometimes the production variance could send a shot that extra 5 feet off line and end up in the water versus the edge of the fairway.  Or maybe it was your alignment.  Or quality of strike.  Or any of the other myriad of factors.

 

I look at it more of a "value" guide.  Does the product I'm paying for exceed or lag in regards to the quality I expect at that price point.  I would certainly not expect a non-DTC ball at a $35/dozen price point to have the same characteristics, premium materials, tolerances, etc of a +$45/dozen ball.  To a point in all things in life, you get what you pay for.  The Maxfli Tours (roughly the same price point minus Dicks promotions) got good reviews and proved to be a "bit better" in the ball lab tests.  How much better?  I don't know the tenths of percentages.  But it makes me feel better if I were to put the Maxfli in play that it's a decently built ball for the price.  This test on the Q Star if anything just reaffirms that I won't play it.  It's not a ball aimed at my game, nor is it a ball I desire to play.  So I'll just leave it on the shelves and move on with life.

 

I do understand that there are a lot of folks that enjoy gaming this ball.  I'd say if you like it, keep gaming it.  You have the best of both worlds.  You get to play a ball you enjoy and if you hit a bad shot, just blame the ball.  

[GBBM]

I’m a high single digit. When I go to the range my bucket always has a few balls that fly funny. I can see it with my eyes. 

[crazygolfnut]

Johnriba1, I have never seen a ball with a cover like that!

Edited October 29, 2020 by crazygolfnut

[doublehans]

I had a box of QST (maybe two years ago?) I quit using because I felt like there were too many putts not holding their intended line. Only used them in winter anyway, so just went back to ZS. Putting issues went away once I switched back. Is that completely anecdotal and potentially meaningless, yeah, but I convinced myself enough that the ball was an issue on putts.

 

Was never a noticeable issue on wood/iron/wedge shots tho. Just putter. 

[Stanks]

On 10/28/2020 at 7:32 AM, arbeck said:

I'm a 14 handicap. I have my fair share of bad shots and I know they were my fault. However, I have (and I'm sure most here also have had) the following things happen:

• A ball go 5-10 yards further of a mid iron on a par 3 than I have ever carried it on a launch monitor
• A ball curve way more in the air than normal based on the swing I put on it

Were they caused by the ball? Who knows. But when I previously played the Q Star Tour, the first happened once a round or so. Having a ball with 15 compression points difference depending on where you hit it would very easily be a half club of distance.

I have enough bad shots on my own, I don't need a ball contributing to them.

Entirely valid argument. Completely agree. You don't need a ball assisting you're already not-so-awesome game.

Understand that elements play a huge part in the game. Launch monitors are not real golf. It doesn't take much for a ball to curve. 

But, herein lies the problem. And this IS a problem with amateur golf. All of these online instructors are trying to simple fix a problem with your swing. And then all of these manufacturers say the same thing on the box with "long distance...soft feel...straight flight" and every year, we buy into it. 

Long story short, is always the player and rarely the ball. We aren't Tiger. We aren't Phil. 

We gotta fix ourselves before we start outsourcing the problem to the ball, club, grip, shaft, inside / out swing path, OTT swing, etc. etc. 

[xkilgorextroutx]

On 10/27/2020 at 11:52 AM, 62@Oakmont said:

 

Couldn't agree more.  What is hilarious to me is all of the (admitted) 6 handicaps replying in the comment section of their article stating that they were "suddenly" hitting the ball all over the place, so it must be because the QST was out of round by a few thousandths of an inch 🙄.  In my experience, 6 caps aren't the most consistent ball strikers anyway- at least not enough to detect an otherwise undetectable minor flaw (in a test where we don't even know much about their methodology/thresholds).

 

There's a lot of chuckleheads on the internet who immediately suck up and start spewing crap whenever their favorite site tells them something. The website with the spies certainly isn't alone in that regard, thinking of another place where anything Callaway is the greatest thing since sliced bread and if you don't toe that line, look out.

 

That being said, sycophantic article comments don't really disprove the premise of the test & report. I know some folks here are demanding hard data, fair enough, but the bulk of golfers who might stumble across that article probably don't care - the pics and stats from the testing (again, testing that was widely accepted when it was Titleist or Snell under the microscope) will be more than enough for them.

[Mike_Honcho]

i'm not good enough that an out of round ball impacts my game significantly

[BradonM5]

Does playing used balls make me a bad person? 

[Tanner25]

23 hours ago, BradonM5 said:

Does playing used balls make me a bad person? 

 

No, but, make sure new prior gen or practice balls are not available first. 

[chippa13]

I'm thinking I'll be playing my stash of QST on Saturday just out of spite.

[tomuch23]

I switched to the latest QST last month when the temperature started falling. Haven't had one issue or noticed anything odd going into my 2nd dozen. Only issue I have is they are a little to soft. Otherwise great ball for the colder months. 

[Frisco Kid]

Blah blah blah....I’ve shot some of my best rounds with the Q Star Tour, all iterations...I could give two sh$&& what MGS says about them .  I see/get good results when I use them, all I care about.

[crazygolfnut]

After further review, I have played a number of rounds with the QST rotating balls from different sleeves and boxes and have had not problems with the ball doing things that it should not do. The problem that I have are me and not the ball so QST ball passes my test. 

 

I approve this ball.

 

 

[rwbloom93]

On 10/28/2020 at 3:21 PM, Johnriba1 said:

Speaking of Srixon Quality...I JUST posted this about Z Star Balls I bought.

It's not just the issue with the core. Their cover is poor quality. It literally falls off the core and warps shape after a hit. 

 

@arbeck these ball made my shots go in very weird flights. sometimes left, sometimes right... but the warping shoots back into it's normal shape after about 20-30 seconds...so by the time you get to your ball on the course...you NEVER will never know that this happened. 

 

 

LOL...That deformation did not come from being hit by a golf club.  The ball (cover) was heated and stretched manually....try harder.

[chippa13]

I may play Srixon this week purely out of spite.

[naval2006]

On 11/2/2020 at 11:27 PM, rwbloom93 said:

 

LOL...That deformation did not come from being hit by a golf club.  The ball (cover) was heated and stretched manually....try harder.

Absolutely. We used to do that to old useless balatas when I was a kid 

[rwbloom93]

On 11/5/2020 at 11:01 AM, naval2006 said:

Absolutely. We used to do that to old useless balatas when I was a kid 

I can't comment on what you did or didn't do to balata balls as a kid but the Srixon Z-Star Vx is a solid core ball with a urethane cover, not a wound ball with balata cover so I'm not sure it is relevant.

 

YouTube has a couple of videos of ball deformation when struck at high velocities and striking a solid surface at extremely high velocities. The outer cover stretches and deforms based on what the core/mantle is doing inside and will keep the shape of the core at rest after impact.

 

 

Toward the end of this second video they compare a "modern" ball vs an older ball which I think may be a balata cover. Anyway, start at the 6:20 mark....

 

 

 

Bottom line....In the pictures shown above the cover is stretched beyond the core and stayed permanently deformed instead of returning to the shape of the underlying core/mantle. This is not really possible without the heat or other abnormal oddities (especially a 4 iron into a net) imho....

 

Regards

Edited November 7, 2020 by rwbloom93

[brew4eagle]

FWIW, I play the QST and it's a spectacular ball.  Does everything well and fits my game perfectly. 

[brew4eagle]

On 10/28/2020 at 3:21 PM, Johnriba1 said:

Speaking of Srixon Quality...I JUST posted this about Z Star Balls I bought.

It's not just the issue with the core. Their cover is poor quality. It literally falls off the core and warps shape after a hit. 

 

@arbeck these ball made my shots go in very weird flights. sometimes left, sometimes right... but the warping shoots back into it's normal shape after about 20-30 seconds...so by the time you get to your ball on the course...you NEVER will never know that this happened. 

 

Those can't be new balls, right?  Possibly AAAA use balls or something that sat at the bottom of a pond for a year?

[brew4eagle]

On 10/24/2020 at 7:31 PM, jjfcpa said:

They are applying the same process to all balls tested... while it may be flawed a little, the QST does not compare well to the other balls.

 

You actually can't draw this conclusion without the numbers, in particular the measurement uncertainty and confidence level.  If those #s were provided it's possible that all of the measurements for all balls are statistically indistinguishable. 

[pallmall]

On 10/25/2020 at 4:39 AM, storm319 said:

Most of the big OEMs do something similar but just don’t advertise it (aside from Bridgestone and Srixon).

Yes. As long as a ball has a solid rubber core, there is some hardness gradient in the core. Bridgestone and Srixon seem to pursuit a greater gradient than others. Bridgestone use water in core process to help create a greater gradient, and they called it a "Hydro Core". Don't know for Srixon, maybe just control temperature at different heating stages.