Balls similar to Q Star Tour

[ChaosTheory]

I’m looking to try something like the QST, which is my favorite but hey, I like to experiment too.  I want something that is sold is US retail stores. (It’s for Fathers Day gift ideas.)

 

 I have already eliminated the Tour Response and regular Chromesoft.  
 

How about Titleist Tour Speed?

Maxfli Tour S?

Triad?

Or ???

 

In the past I found the B RX lacking around the green; has it changed in that regard?

[Jeff58]

Well, the gen 3 and 4 QST’s are a lowish compression ball that Srixon has craftily designed so that it has a flatter trajectory than most others at that level of softness.

 

The ChromeSoft will have the typical high/arched flight. Feels great. Looses distance.

The Tour Response should be very similar to the QST in all regards but feel. Has funny colors than come off easily.

 

The Tour Speed is going to be a little lower and firmer feeling, but has very good distance all around.

The Tour S is an unknown.

The Triad is a very good ball IMO that’s hard to go wrong with. It has no weaknesses.

 

Two others maybe if you want a bit of a surprise-

 

2019 TP5x. These can still be found new, though the price has risen. 

Wilson Staff. Currently less expensive than the Triad if you can do the buy 3 get 4 deal. Everyone should at least try them.

[Yacho]

Everything stated above, but I’ll add the Bridgestone tour B RX, Titleist AVX, and Vice Pro Soft.

 

You’re looking in the 70-80 compression range for short game feel if you like the Q-star tour.  The B RX is loooong off the tee

[Golf64]

TM Tour Response for me. Love this ball. If not for the TP5 discount, would game this ball.

[monks66]

AVX same kind of ball....just more Denaro

[IdahoHacker]

I have recently been on a ball search of late.  For reference - I have about 97-100mph Driver club head speed.  I have always played Pro V1 - but the price is nuts and I wanted to find out if a lower priced ball would impact my game at all.  So, I have tried the Bridgestone RX (not a lot cheaper), TaylorMade Tour Response and most recently the Q Star Tour.  

 

All 3 balls I tried were great in their own right.  All 3 were longer off irons than the V1 - minimal but still longer.  The V1- had better short game spin than all of them.    The Tour Response and the Q Star were as long if not a touch longer overall (I think they both carried further than the V1) off the driver for me and flew higher than the Pro V1.  

 

For me - I liked the Q Star Tour the best.  Better all-around performance vs the RX or the Tour Response.  Not a V1 - but a darn good ball.  Once I adjusted to the spin difference - short game was pretty good.  Also - putted very soft - took some time getting use to that.  Shot a 37 for 9 in golf league tonight - so that may skew my view of the ball 😀.    Also 2 trees and 2 bunkers during the round - ball is still in perfect shape.

 

Up next on my quest for my new ball to replace the V1 - Vice Pro.

[vtpachyderm]

Long time QST user here - played them the last 3 seasons and have switched to Z-Stars this year. Stocked up on the 2022 sale (4 dozen) which I picked up for cheaper than the 2023 QST prices. I know it's in a different category of ball and price normally, but I'm really liking them and have seen improvements all around - especially when it comes to short game spin (<100m).

 

Caveat : My outdoor season is from Mid-May to End-September, and don't play as many rounds over that time so ball consumption is not that high i.e. 4 dozen should suffice.

[Tanner25]

Why not just play the QST? It is also priced right at the moment. 

[ChaosTheory]

1 hour ago, Tanner25 said:

Why not just play the QST? It is also priced right at the moment. 

 

Because the seam issue is bothering me.  I get multiple rounds out of a ball and to get the seam split appearing in the first or second round is disturbing.   I didn't want to make this thread about that, but that is the reason I asked.   Srixon says it's nothing, but they have to say that.  It's not nothing, you can catch your fingernail on the crack after a while.

 

So I have to decide to just live with it, or find another ball that doesn't have the problem. 

 

I wonder about the Vice Pro Soft.

[jholz]

It is a shame that folks are experiencing the "seam issue" with these balls. I've played previous iterations of the Q-Star tour - as well as messing about with the current model - and I can't say I've seen it - but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

 

Even with that, I have to admit that Srixon's urethane covers do seem to be a bit "touchier" than other manufacturers when it comes to minor damage, staining, and things of that sort. If you play a ball for more than a few holes, even in the course of normal play, the covers will take on grass stains, nicks, and start to yellow.

 

This seems to be an issue throughout their urethane cover models.

 

But they are reasonably cheap and play very well. It's always fun to kick the **** out of a fellow competitor with a ball that looks like you dug it out of your trunk before the round. Street cred.  

[ChaosTheory]

22 minutes ago, jholz said:

It is a shame that folks are experiencing the "seam issue" with these balls. I've played previous iterations of the Q-Star tour - as well as messing about with the current model - and I can't say I've seen it - but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

 

Even with that, I have to admit that Srixon's urethane covers do seem to be a bit "touchier" than other manufacturers when it comes to minor damage, staining, and things of that sort. If you play a ball for more than a few holes, even in the course of normal play, the covers will take on grass stains, nicks, and start to yellow.

 

This seems to be an issue throughout their urethane cover models.

 

But they are reasonably cheap and play very well. It's always fun to kick the **** out of a fellow competitor with a ball that looks like you dug it out of your trunk before the round. Street cred.  

 

Yes, it is more likely to show up after many hits on the seam.  It's not especially a wedge or grooves thing, it's just impacts on the seam and maybe a driver impact is worse in this respect, I don't know.  For a while I was finding the seams and marking them so as to avoid contact on all teed balls.  It takes some studying to find the seam before putting the ball in play, and it just got old so I stopped.

 

By the beginning of a third round with a ball, the seam split almost certain to be present.   Then again by that point the shine has worn off and the ball looks well used anyway.  I once asked here if the shine is simply cosmetic or if it is the spin coating that they advertise.  No one knew, though.  There obviously is a point where the ball just goes into the practice pile, but the fact that the seam forces the decision, that bugs me.

 

By contrast a Titleist ball can be played and played and still look quite good. 

[vtpachyderm]

The QST divides seem to hold up pretty well for me - I use that those on a short 9 hole course where it's almost impossible to lose a ball, and haven't seen the seam issue. But the matt finish is a magnet for dirt on the divides.

[jholz]

2 hours ago, Snowman9000 said:

 

Yes, it is more likely to show up after many hits on the seam.  It's not especially a wedge or grooves thing, it's just impacts on the seam and maybe a driver impact is worse in this respect, I don't know.  For a while I was finding the seams and marking them so as to avoid contact on all teed balls.  It takes some studying to find the seam before putting the ball in play, and it just got old so I stopped.

 

By the beginning of a third round with a ball, the seam split almost certain to be present.   Then again by that point the shine has worn off and the ball looks well used anyway.  I once asked here if the shine is simply cosmetic or if it is the spin coating that they advertise.  No one knew, though.  There obviously is a point where the ball just goes into the practice pile, but the fact that the seam forces the decision, that bugs me.

 

By contrast a Titleist ball can be played and played and still look quite good. 

 

That's where the extra $20 per dozen comes in...

[gioreeko]

The new Kirkland 3 piece seems to be a really good ball so far in my early testing. 

[PhilsFanDrew]

Having played both. The TaylorMade Tour Response is the closest you will find in retail stores.  I would surmise based on the description and attributes the W/S Triad is also going to play similarly.  The Titleist AVX and Maxfli Tour S from a feel standpoint will probably feel close but expect a lower ball flight.  The Tour Speed from Titleist felt noticeably firmer than the QST to me but not ProV1x firm. 

[ChaosTheory]

On 5/12/2023 at 8:42 PM, PhilsFanDrew said:

Having played both. The TaylorMade Tour Response is the closest you will find in retail stores.  I would surmise based on the description and attributes the W/S Triad is also going to play similarly.  The Titleist AVX and Maxfli Tour S from a feel standpoint will probably feel close but expect a lower ball flight.  The Tour Speed from Titleist felt noticeably firmer than the QST to me but not ProV1x firm. 

 

I had poor luck with the Tour Response.  I got short iron flyers from the fairway with it.  I think I'm on the low side of spin and the TR was just not enough spin.  I still have part of my dozen.  Same thing happened with regular Chrome Soft.  I do not get them with QST. 

 

I'll have to try the Triad, Maxfli, and Vice Pro Soft.

 

 

[Puttersaurus Rex]

I went from QST to Bridgestone RX, and am now playing Maxfli Tour.  I loved the QST 1.0 and 2.0.  Just running out.  The RX goes far, but not enough spin into greens.  Maxfli Tour has a nice price, and fits my needs for a replacement of the QST.

[jarediogolf]

I tried many of the Softer Urethane balls, all at the same time. 
Q star tour was good. 
Tour Speed will definitely feel firmer. But it’s a good ball. 
Tour response I like a lot. 
Chrome Soft… Meh. I really wanted to like it because I like Chrome Soft X. 
Cut Grey, very good, not durable. 

Maxfli Tour S… my favorite of all of them by far. 
Seems long off the driver. 
You get the longer distance off the irons that you often get with a softer ball but stops better than the others. 
Really great short game spin.
50 yard 54* wedges that stop immediately. 
Chips and pitches check nicely. 
Distance control has been very intuitive off the putter. 

[Lumberjack627]

I also noticed the split when I was using the ball. I like the balls a lot and am going to order more with the sale but I did notice it. Was it on the white ball or yellow for you ?

[trying2scratch]

I find it happens more on the white version.  Haven't had the same issue with the new yellow version.

[ChaosTheory]

On 6/6/2023 at 2:05 PM, Lumberjack627 said:

I also noticed the split when I was using the ball. I like the balls a lot and am going to order more with the sale but I did notice it. Was it on the white ball or yellow for you ?

 

It happens on both.  What I've done lately is, when it first starts showing up, I mark it with a short line on both sides.  From that point on, I make sure to not hit my tee shots on the seam.  That helps get another round out of the ball.

[ChaosTheory]

delete, photo was not a jpeg

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by Snowman9000

[Bobb3rdown]

On 5/12/2023 at 6:00 AM, Snowman9000 said:

 

Because the seam issue is bothering me.  I get multiple rounds out of a ball and to get the seam split appearing in the first or second round is disturbing.   I didn't want to make this thread about that, but that is the reason I asked.   Srixon says it's nothing, but they have to say that.  It's not nothing, you can catch your fingernail on the crack after a while.

 

So I have to decide to just live with it, or find another ball that doesn't have the problem. 

 

I wonder about the Vice Pro Soft.

Is that the 2021 model. I just played a 2023 z star over the weaked and the seam issue is gone. 

 

Cover held up great. Only played 9 holes with each ball as I lost one on the 10th hole. But both where hit into trees and kicked back to the fairway, multiple bunker shots, thin wedge shots. 

 

The balls hardly had any scuffs or discolorations. Last time I stocked up on srixons was the 2017 model when you could get 6 packs for $10.

 

Those would discolor from tree strikes and scuff like crazy when sand got in between the club and face. 

 

2021 ball was the same for me.

[ChaosTheory]

13 minutes ago, Bobb3rdown said:

Is that the 2021 model. I just played a 2023 z star over the weaked and the seam issue is gone. 

 

 

 

I've been playing the latest model, and the seam issue is there for me.  It takes more than a round to show up for me.

[pmang]

On 5/12/2023 at 12:04 AM, IdahoHacker said:

I have recently been on a ball search of late.  For reference - I have about 97-100mph Driver club head speed.  I have always played Pro V1 - but the price is nuts and I wanted to find out if a lower priced ball would impact my game at all.  So, I have tried the Bridgestone RX (not a lot cheaper), TaylorMade Tour Response and most recently the Q Star Tour.  

 

All 3 balls I tried were great in their own right.  All 3 were longer off irons than the V1 - minimal but still longer.  The V1- had better short game spin than all of them.    The Tour Response and the Q Star were as long if not a touch longer overall (I think they both carried further than the V1) off the driver for me and flew higher than the Pro V1.  

 

For me - I liked the Q Star Tour the best.  Better all-around performance vs the RX or the Tour Response.  Not a V1 - but a darn good ball.  Once I adjusted to the spin difference - short game was pretty good.  Also - putted very soft - took some time getting use to that.  Shot a 37 for 9 in golf league tonight - so that may skew my view of the ball 😀.    Also 2 trees and 2 bunkers during the round - ball is still in perfect shape.

 

Up next on my quest for my new ball to replace the V1 - Vice Pro.

I played in a scramble tournament for work today. I usually use a Bridgestone Tour B XS. I found a yellow Q Star Tour in the rough and played it for a few holes. It had great spin and flight and it seemed as long as the Bridgestone. It was very impressive. I’m going to pick up a dozen and see how it goes. I like the price better than the B XS.

Edited June 24, 2023 by pmang