The Ball That Shane Lowry Says Makes Him A Great Wind Player

Along with great skill, Lowry's equipment helps him play well in the wind...

The Ball That Shane Lowry Says Makes Him A Great Wind Player
(Image credit: Getty Images)

On the second round of a blustery day at Augusta National Shane Lowry once again proved just how good he is when playing in the wind, shooting 68 and leaping up the leaderboard. Of course he has played links golf and in windy conditions all his life so his proficiency at flighting the ball and controlling spin is clear, but one other aspect that he says helps him is his golf ball. Speaking to the BBC he acknowledged how good the golf ball is in the wind and the specific model in question is the Srixon Z-Star XV

Srixon z-star xv golf ball and packaging

(Image credit: Golf Monthly)

A golf ball that Hideki Matsuyama also uses, when we tested the ball it was noticeable how it penetrated the wind. It felt compact and powerful at impact, and in terms of ball flight it didn’t balloon into the air as a result of too much spin. This is perhaps down to the FastLayer inner core, and the 338 Speed Dimple Pattern which improves aerodynamics and flight performance.

Srixon implemented new dimples on the ball which were a touch deeper compared to previous generations of the Z-Star XV. Why? Well this is to create a slightly lower ball flight which in turn helps players in the wind. Indeed our testing seems to agree with this. 

Lowry is of course a Srixon staff player and pretty much plays a full bag of equipment from the brand, as well as uses a Tour staff bag. For a closer look at the specifics, check out our Shane Lowry what's in the bag post. 

Sam Tremlett
E-commerce Editor

A golfer for most of his life, Sam is a Senior Staff Writer for Golf Monthly. 

Working with golf gear and equipment over the last six years, Sam has quickly built outstanding knowledge and expertise on golf products ranging from drivers, to balls, to shoes. 

He combines this knowledge with a passion for helping golfers get the best gear for them, and as such Sam manages a team of writers that look to deliver the most accurate and informative reviews and buying advice. This is so the reader can find exactly what they are looking for.


Sam now spends most of his time testing and looking after golf gear content for the website, whilst he is also responsible for all content related to golf apparel. 

He also oversees all Tour player content as well so if you need to know what clubs Tiger or Rory has in play, Sam is the person to ask. 

Unfortunately, Sam is not a member of any club at the moment but regularly gets out on the golf course to keep up the facade of having a handicap of five. 


Sam's What's In The Bag: 

Driver: Titleist TS3 (9 degrees) 

Fairway Wood: Callaway Paradym (15 degrees), Nike Covert Tour 2.0 (19 degrees) 

Irons (4-PW): Titleist AP2 

Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM7 54˚, 58˚ 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X 5.5 

Ball: Srixon Z-Star Diamond

Shoes: G/FORE Gallivanter/Nike Air Zoom Infinity NEXT%/Cuater The Ringer