Ball tested: Srixon Soft Feel Lady
Category: Value/Recreational/Distance (Women)
Feel: Soft
Tested for golfers with average driving distance of: 125 yards or less (carry + roll) / 126 to 195 yards (carry + roll) / 196 to 245 (carry + roll)
Specs: Construction – Two-piece; Cover – Pana-Tetra enhanced ionomer; Core – Energetic Gradient Growth; Dimples – 328
Compression: Low
Price as tested (new): $19.99 per dozen
Ball notes: Srixon may not boast the brand recognition of a Titleist or Callaway, but the company’s golf balls win nearly universal praise among avid players.
Srixon’s entry into the women’s category is the Soft Feel Lady, companion to its standard Soft Feel model. The women’s version features lower compression (58 vs. the regular Soft Feel’s 71) to boost distance, with a dimple design engineered for a higher launch.
The ball is marked with Srixon’s “Hit Straight” alignment aid, a line with arrows on either end to help aim your putts and tee shots. The Soft Feel Lady is available in two colors: “Pure White” and “Passion Pink.”
FYI—Women’s golf legend Laura Davies plays Srixon’s Z-STAR model, which is made for players with swing speeds in excess of 100 mph.
On the clubface: As expected from a ball with such a low compression, the Soft Feel Lady is indeed very, very soft. It bounces off the driver with a satisfying, almost putty-like “thump” and feels pretty much the same throughout the bag.
Off the tee: It may feel like a marshmallow, but it sure doesn’t fly like one. The Soft Feel Lady jumps high off the clubface and displays excellent hang time. And its low-spin properties really show up when it hits the ground – we got terrific roll-out despite the lofty trajectory.
From the fairway / rough: Reasonable contact with any fairway wood, hybrid or middle iron generated a nice ball flight with plenty of height. Same for the short irons, which typically bounced a couple of times before rolling a few feet and stopping. A skilled player (single-digit handicap) should have no trouble getting hop-and-stop action with the wedges.
Around the green: Golfers who play by feel, as opposed to more mechanical types, will appreciate the Soft Feel Lady’s greenside performance. It proved very versatile and responsive when we tried long, running chips, shorter pitch shots and a few things in between.
Bottom line: The Soft Feel Lady is yet another feather in Srixon’s cap. Much like the brand’s Q-STAR and Z-STAR models, it combines great distance, solid control and, of course, wonderful feel. We’d recommend the Soft Feel Lady to any woman looking to stick with a single golf ball.
Golf Ball Videos:
– Compression Video
– Spin Video
– Dimples Video
– Golf Ball Brands Video
– Titleist Video
– Understanding Spin Video
Categories Explained:
Value/Recreational/Distance – Designed for mid- to high-handicap golfers with swing speeds below 90 mph; typically feature two-piece construction and firm covers; promote greater distance over high spin rates. Examples: Pinnacle Gold, Slazenger RAW Distance
Premium – Designed for low- to mid-handicap golfers with swing speeds of 90-99 mph; typically feature multi-layer construction and medium-soft covers; happy medium between Value/Recreational and Tour categories for distance and spin qualities. Examples: Titleist NXT Tour, Callaway HEX Diablo
Tour/Advanced/Performance – Designed for low-handicap and professional golfers with swing speeds in excess of 100 mph; typically feature multi-layer construction and soft covers; promote greater spin rates and enhanced feel over distance. Examples: Titleist ProV1, Bridgestone Tour B330
