Is The Srixon AD333 Still The Benchmark Of Golf Ball Value?

The Srixon AD333 is the franchise that defined the value ball category, offering reputable performance without the premium price tag. Now the brand is looking to continue this dominance with a set of design improvements made to this latest generation, all while remaining at an affordable £28 per dozen.

However, the landscape is changing, and the AD333 now faces stiff competition from the likes of Kirkland and Amazon, who are both producing their own balls and aggressively targeting the cheap golf ball market.

While the prices of these supermarket contenders are attractive, I found in my testing that they simply don't compare when it comes to the technology incorporated into the AD333. There is a refinement and attention to detail that many direct-to-consumer balls often lack, and while the Kirkland has proved its dominance over the Amazon Basics ball, the AD333 takes things up a notch.

In fact, moving forward, this is the ball that will be used as our test subject when it comes to all value and budget golf balls. However, for the sake of this review, I tested it head-to-head against the latest Titleist TruFeel to see how it stacked up against another heavy hitter in the category.

My testing began indoors on a Foresight GC3 launch monitor at the Golf Monthly Performance Lab to get some baseline numbers without external interference such as temperature, moisture and wind. Both the AD333 and the Titleist TruFeel actually performed pretty well at the top end of the bag, producing solid numbers in terms of ball speed.

The Srixon gave me a slightly better flight than the TruFeel due to my specific launch conditions. This was largely due to the TruFeel generating a touch more spin when hitting the driver, which robbed it of that penetrating trajectory I was getting with the AD333 and subsequently fell a little short in terms of carry.

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The central story of this new AD333 is the evolution of its core and compression, which explains the performance I saw on the monitor. Srixon has fine-tuned the FastLayer core, lowering the overall compression to 68. This contrasting compression effect is designed to maximize ball speed and encourage a longer, straighter flight on low-lofted clubs, while simultaneously delivering a more satisfyingly softer feel on iron shots. I will admit, this ball felt exceptional from my irons, soft yet powerful at impact.

This performance was then showcased throughout my outdoor testing. It’s essential to test balls outdoors to demonstrate how they perform through the air and downrange, rather than just relying on a calculated number from an algorithm, which doesn't factor in the effect of dimple patterns and aerodynamics. Many balls will perform similarly on a launch monitor indoors, but very differently when aerodynamics come into play.

As you can see from the image above, the AD333 had a tighter dispersion pattern and performed well downrange, despite a cool breeze that was blowing into and out of the right-hand side.

Much of the stability shown by the AD333 is thanks to the aerodynamics having been optimized by a new 338 Speed Dimple Pattern. This has been engineered to reduce the drag coefficient, allowing the ball to cut through the air with less resistance for a more penetrating launch. Simultaneously, a higher lift coefficient helps the ball stay airborne for longer, resulting in maximum carry - something that really helped given the soft ground conditions I face during the UK winter.

It is worth bearing in mind that it was a chilly 6°C when testing outside, compared to our standard 20°C indoor temperature when testing inside. This is certainly worth noting as I had multiple layers on, and my body swings far more freely when in the heat. In the cold, my body feels significantly older than I actually am, which undoubtedly costs me a few yards of carry!

The short game is where the AD333 separated itself from the TruFeel thanks to solid spin retention. The new specialized Spin Skin coating is formulated with highly flexible molecular bonds, allowing it to dig deeper into the club face grooves at impact. This maximizes friction, helps generate increased spin, and provides the crucial control and stopping power needed on approach shots, something no golfer will ever complain about.

Visually, I also have to mention how much I love the solid blue alignment line on the side of the ball. It is large enough in both length and width that I didn't have to fuss around drawing on my own lines with a permanent marker, and it worked perfectly when helping me aim towards my target with my putter behind at address.

For £28 per dozen, the Srixon AD333 isn't just surviving the influx of budget competitors, it really is outclassing them. Thanks to a new, softer feel and enhanced distance, the AD333 strengthens its case as the definitive choice for golfers seeking the perfect blend of performance, feel, and value.