The Srixon AD333 Tour golf ball is apparently designed for those who 'don't possess tour level swing speeds but still demand the precision of a tour level ball'. I am not sure whether this means it is a tour ball or not, but it seems unlikely that it will ever make it to 'The Show'.
Srixon are not alone in using the 'Tour' moniker for certain products and it just seems to be a way of saying it is more of a players' ball than the standard version.
The standard Srixon AD333 is very good and the leading two-piece ball in the market, so what has Srixon done to make it 'Tour' worthy?
Compared to the previous Tour version it is a whopping 5 compression points softer, which is not something most golfers will be able to notice. This comes from a new version of the EGG core, which is a catchy acronym for Energetic Gradient Growth.
The core is created as a single piece that gets softer as you move towards the centre, but the change in the softness is graduated more smoothly than other cores.
The 324 dimple urethane cover features the 2nd generation SpinSkin from the Z-Star and apparently increases frictional force by 18% to get more grip.
The construction of the core means that the AD333 Tour does not grip quite as much as the super zippy Z-Star, but that is a good thing as it now behaves more normally on half shots into and around the green and will run out a little more.
One of the other claimed benefits of the EGG is improved durability and compared to the other SpinSkin Srixon balls, the AD333 Tour gets full marks for durability. In 18 holes I did not manage to scuff it once despite several valiant efforts with wedges and I think this was its best feature.
The performance in the rest of the game was as good as any better player ball I have tested. The flight and feel on full shots was great and around the greens it was pretty good too.
As is the way with all balls at the moment, it also feels softer thanks to the fractionally softer core and the SpinSkin cover. Compared to the leading Tour level balls you only really notice the softness on the greens with a metal faced putter. You feel you have to be bold, so if you like a softer feel or like to make a strong stroke at the ball then this will not be a problem.
If you are using a soft insert putter then it could be a little too soft to putt with if you like the ball to roll smartly off the face, but at the end of the day this is all personal preference so try the AD333 Tour out and see if it works for you.
You will have to live in the UK and Ireland to do that though as they are the only markets where you will find it and the RRP is £6 per dozen more than the standard version.
However, based on performance the AD333 Tour is a worthy choice for high single figure players and upwards with the best durability from a Srixon performance ball for a while.