Srixon is a Japanese golf equipment manufacturer that is a leading producer of golf balls. The company is a division of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited. The Srixon name comes from the initials of the parent company, SRI. The SRI Sports division is headquartered in Kobe, Japan, and its United States offices are in Huntington Beach, California.
History
Sumitomo started as a division of the British tire and rubber company Dunlop, which began operating in Japan in 1909. In 1930, the Japanese division expanded into sporting goods and began making golf balls. In the 1980s, the company started operating as an independent company, changed its name to SRI and acquired its former owner, Dunlop.
Manufacturing
After successfully producing golf balls in Japan, Srixon began making balls for sale outside the country under the Dunlop and Slazenger labels in the 1990s. In 2000, it made balls carrying the Srixon name and distributed them internationally, including in the United States. In 2004, Srixon introduced its HRX-333 and AD333 golf balls, and followed with the Z-UR tour ball a year later.
Current Models
Srixon’s golf balls in 2010 include its flagship models, the Z-Star and Z-Star X, which are premium multilayer balls incorporating thin urethane covers. The X features a firmer mantle that produces less spin and more distance with the driver. The multilayer distance balls, the Trispeed and Trispeed Tour, have more durable ionomer covers. Srixon's mass market line features soft two-piece balls: the AD333, the Soft Feel and Soft Feel Lady.
Professional Tours
Srixon balls have been used successfully on professional tours. The company signed top players, including Vijay Singh, Boo Weekley, Henrik Stenson, Jim Furyk and Ryo Ishikawa, as of December 2010. From 2007 through 2010, players using Srixon balls won more than 150 international tour events.
Sales
In many parts of the world, the Srixon balls have taken a significant market share. Srixon has been the No. 1 ball in Japan, and the AD333 has been the best-selling two-piece ball in the United Kingdom, as of 2010. Acceptance has been slower in the U.S. market, where Titleist and other ball makers dominate. None of the Srixon balls have made it into the top 10 in sales, as of December 2010.
References
- Srixon
- Srixon U.K.: History
- Golf Balls 101: Srixon UR-X Review
- “2004 Golf Equipment Almanac”; Darrell Survey Company; 2004
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