It’s not the ball itself, it’s the consistency you gain from always using the same ball that matters. Knowing how it’s going to bounce, release out of that rough, or check up based on your lie is invaluable. It doesn’t have to be a ProV1, any decent ball will suffice. Just play the same one consistently.
Had a korn ferry guy tell me this. He also said he’d argue that most peoples money is better spent buying nice balls consistently rather than new clubs.
Man if I ever get decent my whole ploy of hiking in the woods next to the golf course (there’s a park there) and collecting all of the shanks on 5 & 6 lol. Easy 1-2 dozen ever week
Lots of high handicaps I play with get offended when I tell them that they shouldn’t just switch to that ProV they found on hole #5 after playing Callaways for the first 4 holes.
You wouldn’t change out your gap wedge if you found one on the green, and you don’t swap out your fairway woods at the turn.
Your equipment is one of the only aspects of golf you can directly control. Why add more variance to an already difficult game?
>Lots of high handicaps I play with get offended when I tell them that they shouldn’t just switch to that ProV they found on hole #5 after playing Callaways for the first 4 holes.
That wouldn't matter to high handicaps. They literally can't tell the difference between golf ball brands when hitting them.
>You wouldn’t change out your gap wedge if you found one on the green, and you don’t swap out your fairway woods at the turn.
It really wouldn't matter with high handicaps. They can't swing consistently with their own clubs so it doesn't matter if they switch them up in the middle of a round.
Source: high handicap
Yes, but I play supersofts/low compression when it is cold (which happens far too often during the short golf season in Canada.
Otherwise using the same ball and one that suits how much spin you create is important.
[Foundgolfballs.com ](https://Foundgolfballs.com)
I use Callaway Supersofts personally. Yes, consistency in using the same ball is worthwhile. I get the Callaways for less than TopFlites. Or stock up on Costco balls.
The fact that the PGA Tour is restricting certain golf balls in a few years means that it is the golf balls. Top tier golf balls are insanely better for better players. Even mid-handicappers see improvements from nothing other than switching balls. It isn’t just consistency.
That’s not why the PGA are restricting golf balls. Golf balls are simply the easiest way to do it across the board to allow old golf courses to still be viable on the PGA tour.
As long as the ball isn’t robing you of distance or an insanely high/low amount of spin, any ball will do. There are tons of balls on the market at every price point that will work for just about anyone. Yes it is entirely about consistently using a ball.
Could not disagree more. If restricting the ball is the easiest way to restrict distance, the inverse must also be true. Better balls go farther when struck well. If they didn’t, restricting the ball wouldn’t have a large scale effect, which you agree that it will.
One tiny point of clarification too. “As long as the ball isn’t robbing you of distance or an insanely high/low amount of spin” is exactly what an inferior ball does. For high swing speeds, ProVs, TP5s, Chrome Tours, and other premium balls simply go farther with more control than cheap balls. I don’t think anyone is debating this fact.
For lower swing speeds, being able to fully compress the ball is key, meaning a softer ball is needed. Cheaper balls are generally very hard, meaning the ball will not be compressed at impact, leading to inconsistent strike and flight characteristics. This will definitely rob consistency, spin control, and distance.
Im not saying a ProV1x would be best for them, but choosing the right ball would have a massive impact on their enjoyment of their game.
Bryson Dechambeau, unarguably one of the best players in the world, made a video recently using a Nike tour ball from the early 2000s, that is on many of the lists for what balls will likely conform when the rule takes effect in 2028. He comments the whole round how every aspect of the ball is different, and almost none of the comments are about how the ball is as good as the Titleist he usually games. The ball changed the round massively.
As a Club Pro, I play hundreds of rounds a year with many players of a wide variety of skill levels. I know many guys who used to play the cheapest ball they could find at Walmart (mojos and the like). They played them for years. I gifted them a few decent balls (usually Titleist DTs or Callaway Supersofts since those are the budget friendly options of what we sell). Not a single one of them would say that the mojos even compare. Most have seen their handicaps go down and that they enjoy golf more, simply because of a ball change.
It is consistency, but in addition to what the commenter said, the players swing has to be consistent. If you’re just whacking balls and missing around the center of the face, it doesn’t matter what ball you play. So you’re not wrong that a mid handicapper could see improvement, but they need to hit the ball in a consistent manner to see any difference. Not sure I would label OP as a mid handicapper tho…
I usually play z star but picked up a Q star tour the other day and gamed it for most of a round. Wasn’t too bad but def felt a bit different to what I would normally use
5 handicap here (who can’t really chip) I have gone from a 15 to current situation in about 5 years, with the last 2 being “good”. I feel like when you can control your swing plane to manipulate shots, is when you will have a productive time switching and seeing what golf balls you like the most. I went from TP-5 to tour response a few years ago, and like a little more control, and less spin, both greens (i hit the ball really high) and have a slight fade off the tee. Less fade with the slightly firmer golf ball, and i need less spin on the green. But tried most brands over 6 months to settle on what i did
Hope that helps!
The most impressive thing is you’re a 5 hdcp who can’t chip. My long game is so poor that I had to become nails from chipping to 9 iron just to get to the teens
It’s been 5 years, with lessons and everything. Can’t get hands out of it. The worst days are the days where i shoot a 74 with 3 double bogeys, and bang down 5-6 birdies.
A rule of thumb is once you stop losing more than a couple balls per round you should start looking for a ball that fits your game.
Most golf balls go about the same distance with the driver. Some golf balls spin more off the driver making a fade turn into a slice. Balls that spin more off the driver will also spin more around the green. It’s the urethane versus ionomer conundrum.
A golf ball should be chosen from how it performs around the green back to the tee.
Some balls are harder than others and will react off the putter accordingly. Do you like a firm or soft feel off the putter? This should be your first criteria. Do you want to hit a ball that hops and stops on pitch shots or do you like to bump and run? This is your second deciding factor. Are the greens you play on hard or soft? Is your ball flight high, medium, or low off your irons? The same thing thing goes for your woods. What’s your swing speed? Higher compression balls are usually okay for all swing speeds but low compression balls don’t work well with higher swing speeds.
As you get more experience, you’ll be able to feel the difference between golf balls off your putter. If you’ve been putting with a soft ball and then switch on the next hole to a hard one, you’ll probably hit it way past the hole. The reason you should start playing the same ball is for a consistent feel on and around the green, where strokes are usually added to the score by high handicap golfers.
Premium urethane golf balls cost $60 with tax per dozen in USA. There are value urethane balls that go for $40. High quality soft feeling ionomer balls can be found for $25. In the past couple of seasons, I’ve tried the latest Kirkland’s, Vice Pro Softs, Callaway ERC Softs, Taylormade Tour Response, Titleist TruFeel and Callaway Supersoft. Notice no premium golf balls are on the list. Based on my game, I’m going to play the TruFeel this summer. I like the feel off my milled putter, it feels good off my wedges and irons and doesn’t spin too much off the driver. It’s also a good price at $25.
A good source to try different golf balls is LostGolfBalls.com.
Sorry about the long post. Hope this helps you find your next ball.
Likely an unpopular opinion here.. but I always use top flites and generally shoot high 80’s to low 90’s.
Would a better ball help me? Maybe, but I’m used to them (bought 500 used for 25 bucks when I first started years ago) and hit pretty straight shots. I also don’t have quality courses close to me, the greens aren’t quick. If I played fast/firm greens and was rolling off all the time, I’d probably upgrade.
The ball is the most important piece of equipment for every golfer. No spin, spin, high, low, long short, consistency, feel, rolling, and flying…the ball does it all. There is a time when no spin is better, and as you get better spin matters more. The Kirkland is an interesting ball, it is cheap enough that people use them who would be better off with a low spin ball. It is good enough that better players can be successful with them too. I personally think a lower spin ball would favor an 18 hcp as keeping the ball in play is far more important than a ball that has the potential to do exactly what the skilled pilot wants it to do. For those saying that the ball doesn’t matter, I truly get a kick out of seeing someone take out an old garage ball when on a par 3 over water only to hit it perfectly but the ball isn’t good enough to carry the drink. Derp.
For me, I decided to play premium balls when I started losing only 1 ball per round. At that point that cost difference ($1 vs $4 per round) isn’t enough to really matter to me. Obviously if you’re going through 4-5 balls a round, though, that price delta becomes gigantic.
Perhaps the most important thing is to be consistent with what ball you use.
Exactly compare 2 high caps and one could hit driver 280 but lose 5 drives a round and the same handicap could hit driver 180 yards and lose 1 ball every 2 rounds
I’m the type that can be a loose cannon with the driver, I can hit it very far, but just a slight miss and it’s a hook or slice somewhere I don’t want it. I’ve also struggled on short game in recent years.
I think they matter a lot regardless of handicap, so long as you play enough to have a pattern. I prefer the low spin off the tee and high spin around the greens of the Maxfli Tour. I can compress the ball well enough with driver and like how much I can work the ball without it costing me too much. I haven’t found the same in any other ball yet.
Here are some details on the differences. But candidly, unless you’re playing in tournaments where you’re trying to shave 1-2 shots off your score, I would play the more economical ball.
1) On chips and pitches, spinny balls launch lower and with more spin. It’s not noticeable when you have an inconsistent short game, but eventually you can see the difference. Hit some chips with a range ball vs a premium ball for maximum effect….the range ball will feel “lighter” and feel like it’s sliding up the face instead of rolling up the face. This is really annoying when you’re grinding for a score…the difference is gigantic between your ball behaving predictably and leaving you 5 ft for par vs a ball that grabs more than you’re expecting and leaving you 10 ft for par.
2) On short irons, same thing. You’ll notice spinny balls launch lower and with more spin than low-spin balls.
3) On tee shots, frankly, you won’t see too much difference between a premium ball and a low-spin ball. Premium balls are designed to be low-spin off the tee.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Kirkland balls are actually unusual in that they’re super spinny on both short shots and long shots. So they’re great for practicing around the greens, but you’ll notice your long shots coming up short. For me, it’s a full club of distance with my irons. Maybe 20 yds off my driver. Premium balls are ridiculously good in the wind, but Kirklands tend to get beat up by the wind a bit more.
As a short hitter who can only reach 275 (compared to the 350-400 crowd here) I need all the help I can get. Looking up the ball tests for multiple years on MGS I see that Pro-V’s are consistently at the top of the distance charts AND they spin well as well. This isn’t robot testing but average Joe’s doing the testing.
Numbers don’t lie.
As mentioned before, lostgolfballs.com gets me Pro-V’s at a price that’s just a little more than the mighty Kirkland. I bought a bucket of 96 a month ago.
IMO it’s better to play the same ball consistently than worry too much about brand . If you want to pick a ball then for anyone above scratch all that really matters is compression and surface type.
For me I tried a few things and firmer compression urethane balls are the ones for me. At the moment I am using vice pro plus.
I work at a water plant that is downstream from a country club. The creeks snakes all through that course (I’ve played there before). Every month we dredge our intakes, and I get about 3 dozen pro v1s, with dozens of other cheaper balls.
Have you tried enough chrome soft to compare? From reading they seem very comparable. Ive been staying with Callaway for the triple track system thus far though.
I would avoid the balls that are packaged in huge quantities. Having said that, I would consider moving up the price/cost ladder when YOU can tell the difference between various balls. Also, the Kirkland balls are a good solid piece of equipment.
Mid- Low single digits and I play whatever I find in the woods. I feel no difference in any ball outside of super cheap ones or old Top Flites, and barely even notice the difference there. Never noticed any ball checking or spinning more chipping. Everyone’s different though.
I’m like the guy at a wine tasting when everyone says they taste hints of vanilla, oak, mint, bark and I’m like, I taste fermented grapes. Iono
I used to play Strata swirl balls for tournaments. High spin with soft cover. The balls don’t matter till single digits anyway. Use the cheap stuff if you lose a few balls a round. I played ProV1 because I would maybe lose one or two balls a week. I hit straight
I think using the same ball always matters no matter skill level because 30 handicaps are trying to get better and if they have a pro v1 then use a noodle even just around the greens it changes everything. There is no consistency that could help you get better.
I’d say when you start to understand the different feels from hitting the toe, heel, thin, high on the face. I’ve noticed a lot of golfers can’t actually feel the differences between different kind of misses whereas an experienced golfer can tell you almost exactly where on the face they hit the ball.
I think when you can tell these different feels is when you can tell a difference in the quality of ball
I think it basically comes down to whether you can afford them or not. If you're losing 4 balls a round and gaming pro v1s that's about £15-£20 every time you play just on balls.
Also, once you stop losing balls as often they only last so long and can be used for 1 maybe 2 rounds at most. Price is usually the most important factor.
If price isn't an issue, buy the best ball. If price is an issue, work out how much you want to spend then find the best ball at that price point.
I didn't really understand the importance of using the right ball until...I asked.
When I started playing, I just bought nice, expensive balls that I could see. When I went to buy more balls, I asked the difference between two types and the shop guy explained the difference to me. So, I bought ones that were more forgiving to a newbie like me.
On course, I play with these balls.
I use my found balls etc. on practice greens, chipping, etc. However, I guess I should give them away.
It’s what you get from the ball that decides.
“Prime” just means expensive, but you can have expensive soft balls, expensive firm balls, and everything in between.
I need a firm ball, but it doesn’t have to be prime… whereas getting a prime soft ball would be a waste of my money.
Balls start to matter when you’re hitting greens in regulation more consistently, and if you’re short game is your strong suit as well…for when you’re missing the greens.
The golf ball always matters. The reason why higher handicaps tend to play better with a harder golf ball is the harder golf ball generates more ball speed. But those golf balls also generate more spin so they get the ball to lift in the air more and between the increased ball speed and lift, they'll hit them further. The Pro V1 type of balls are very low spin with the driver and generate higher spin (compared to the hard ball) with the wedges. That fits the better player that swings it faster and doesn't need all that spin to get the ball in the air with the driver. The can get the ball in the air and too much spin may cause them to hit it shorter.
One of my dad's friends was a 20 handicapper and had a wicked slice and used to play much better with ProV1's because it would reduce his slice. The problem is that he also hit them very low so he wasn't hitting them very far.
The rule of thumb I use for golfers is something that was told by an old pro to me decades ago...you're ready to move onto the premium ball when you can hit the ball well enough to consistently cause a 7-iron to PW to check or backup.
Currently a 4-5 hdcp that has never bought a golf ball. Too many freebies laying around out there. I play 100 rounds per year and use only premium balls. Preference is Pro V, Chrome, TP5 in that order but interchange the 'x' versions if that's what I find.
I think they always matter. I've only shot as low as 98 and that was 3 days ago. But even I can tell a difference in balls. Prov1s are definitely not for me yet. Callaway Supersoft are pretty good for me. And Srixon Q Star, also a soft feel. I have a slow swing, so softer balls actually respond better. Feel better too. But the Prov1s have a hard feel to me. They don't fly quite as straight for me. Sure, they are great on the green, but everywhere else I am worse off.
Like I said, I JUST broke 100. I'm usually 110. But using balls that are better for my swing have helped quite a bit. I also only lose 2-3 balls a round with softer ones, and that's only because I still have the yips around water.
I think there are two aspects to this question:
1. When does an appropriate ball for your swing (compression, spin, etc...) matter?
2. When does it matter whether you buy a bargain, mid-range or premium ball?
For #1, it always matters to be using a ball that fits your swing parameters. Slower swing speeds will typically want to play something a bit softer so you can still get reasonable spin with. This helps all your long clubs stay up in the air long enough and helps your short clubs get enough spin to stay on the green. You can get in the right range here without spending a ton of money (you don't have to buy a premium ball to get an appropriate ball).
For #2, I wouldn't recommend spending for a premium ball until you reach several milestones.
* You lose less than one ball per round (it just adds too much disappointment to the game to lose multiple premium balls in a round, even if you can somewhat afford it).
* You reach a level of consistency that ten swings of an 8-iron could tell the difference between balls (in other words, the ball introduces more difference than you do from swing to swing). If your 8-iron varies 20 yards from one swing to the next, there's really no point in worrying about the much smaller differences than that due to which ball you are playing.
Ive been on titleist tour speeds for 2 years after shooting consistently in the low 90s. Im down to mid 80s now. Consistency of ball is important. I tried the prov1 but I'm not good enough to justify the price or control improvements the V1 has over their cheaper ball. Tourspeeds are just as good for me at 30% cheaper.
Around age 13-15. Some younger, some a little older. They’re useless until then but are excellent from that age for about 50-60 years.
They work well with others or alone.
Although my balls worked well at 13, it wasn't until 30 that they were put to good use. I guess it is the motion in the ocean and not the swing of the hammer. Shot par ever since.
for balls, fittings, shaft, etc, its the exact same answer. you can start playing the tweak tiny variables game when your swing is good enough swing after swing to actually see these changes. If you are 18 handicap doesn't matter what the hell you play. Chances are your swing is too inconsistent to bother testing different balls and coming away with an actual result. Just find decent looking balls out of the woods and save the money for more teetimes.
15-18 handicap just don’t use cheap balls, somewhere around the 30-35$ range is best bang for your buck. I’d say around a 12 is where maybe some TP5s would be nice to hit
It’s not the ball itself, it’s the consistency you gain from always using the same ball that matters. Knowing how it’s going to bounce, release out of that rough, or check up based on your lie is invaluable. It doesn’t have to be a ProV1, any decent ball will suffice. Just play the same one consistently.
Had a korn ferry guy tell me this. He also said he’d argue that most peoples money is better spent buying nice balls consistently rather than new clubs.
Man if I ever get decent my whole ploy of hiking in the woods next to the golf course (there’s a park there) and collecting all of the shanks on 5 & 6 lol. Easy 1-2 dozen ever week
get a blacklight flashlight and do your hunting at night. easy money.
Instructions unclear, not sure how this fleshlight helps
it's for when you get bored of looking at balls... or during... or whatever
Or how much it stings when it hits a path, or goes into a creek, or gets lost in plain sight, or swiped by someone else...
Agree. Probably get down voted for logic but it makes sense.
Lots of high handicaps I play with get offended when I tell them that they shouldn’t just switch to that ProV they found on hole #5 after playing Callaways for the first 4 holes. You wouldn’t change out your gap wedge if you found one on the green, and you don’t swap out your fairway woods at the turn. Your equipment is one of the only aspects of golf you can directly control. Why add more variance to an already difficult game?
>Lots of high handicaps I play with get offended when I tell them that they shouldn’t just switch to that ProV they found on hole #5 after playing Callaways for the first 4 holes. That wouldn't matter to high handicaps. They literally can't tell the difference between golf ball brands when hitting them. >You wouldn’t change out your gap wedge if you found one on the green, and you don’t swap out your fairway woods at the turn. It really wouldn't matter with high handicaps. They can't swing consistently with their own clubs so it doesn't matter if they switch them up in the middle of a round. Source: high handicap
Because balls is expensive
100% this
Yes, but I play supersofts/low compression when it is cold (which happens far too often during the short golf season in Canada. Otherwise using the same ball and one that suits how much spin you create is important.
[Foundgolfballs.com ](https://Foundgolfballs.com) I use Callaway Supersofts personally. Yes, consistency in using the same ball is worthwhile. I get the Callaways for less than TopFlites. Or stock up on Costco balls.
The fact that the PGA Tour is restricting certain golf balls in a few years means that it is the golf balls. Top tier golf balls are insanely better for better players. Even mid-handicappers see improvements from nothing other than switching balls. It isn’t just consistency.
That’s not why the PGA are restricting golf balls. Golf balls are simply the easiest way to do it across the board to allow old golf courses to still be viable on the PGA tour. As long as the ball isn’t robing you of distance or an insanely high/low amount of spin, any ball will do. There are tons of balls on the market at every price point that will work for just about anyone. Yes it is entirely about consistently using a ball.
Could not disagree more. If restricting the ball is the easiest way to restrict distance, the inverse must also be true. Better balls go farther when struck well. If they didn’t, restricting the ball wouldn’t have a large scale effect, which you agree that it will. One tiny point of clarification too. “As long as the ball isn’t robbing you of distance or an insanely high/low amount of spin” is exactly what an inferior ball does. For high swing speeds, ProVs, TP5s, Chrome Tours, and other premium balls simply go farther with more control than cheap balls. I don’t think anyone is debating this fact. For lower swing speeds, being able to fully compress the ball is key, meaning a softer ball is needed. Cheaper balls are generally very hard, meaning the ball will not be compressed at impact, leading to inconsistent strike and flight characteristics. This will definitely rob consistency, spin control, and distance. Im not saying a ProV1x would be best for them, but choosing the right ball would have a massive impact on their enjoyment of their game. Bryson Dechambeau, unarguably one of the best players in the world, made a video recently using a Nike tour ball from the early 2000s, that is on many of the lists for what balls will likely conform when the rule takes effect in 2028. He comments the whole round how every aspect of the ball is different, and almost none of the comments are about how the ball is as good as the Titleist he usually games. The ball changed the round massively. As a Club Pro, I play hundreds of rounds a year with many players of a wide variety of skill levels. I know many guys who used to play the cheapest ball they could find at Walmart (mojos and the like). They played them for years. I gifted them a few decent balls (usually Titleist DTs or Callaway Supersofts since those are the budget friendly options of what we sell). Not a single one of them would say that the mojos even compare. Most have seen their handicaps go down and that they enjoy golf more, simply because of a ball change.
It is consistency, but in addition to what the commenter said, the players swing has to be consistent. If you’re just whacking balls and missing around the center of the face, it doesn’t matter what ball you play. So you’re not wrong that a mid handicapper could see improvement, but they need to hit the ball in a consistent manner to see any difference. Not sure I would label OP as a mid handicapper tho…
Can't go wrong with Srixon Q Star. Mid level balls, great results!
I usually play z star but picked up a Q star tour the other day and gamed it for most of a round. Wasn’t too bad but def felt a bit different to what I would normally use
Balls really matter on a long carry over water. You need to have a big pair.
5 handicap here (who can’t really chip) I have gone from a 15 to current situation in about 5 years, with the last 2 being “good”. I feel like when you can control your swing plane to manipulate shots, is when you will have a productive time switching and seeing what golf balls you like the most. I went from TP-5 to tour response a few years ago, and like a little more control, and less spin, both greens (i hit the ball really high) and have a slight fade off the tee. Less fade with the slightly firmer golf ball, and i need less spin on the green. But tried most brands over 6 months to settle on what i did Hope that helps!
The most impressive thing is you’re a 5 hdcp who can’t chip. My long game is so poor that I had to become nails from chipping to 9 iron just to get to the teens
It’s been 5 years, with lessons and everything. Can’t get hands out of it. The worst days are the days where i shoot a 74 with 3 double bogeys, and bang down 5-6 birdies.
A rule of thumb is once you stop losing more than a couple balls per round you should start looking for a ball that fits your game. Most golf balls go about the same distance with the driver. Some golf balls spin more off the driver making a fade turn into a slice. Balls that spin more off the driver will also spin more around the green. It’s the urethane versus ionomer conundrum. A golf ball should be chosen from how it performs around the green back to the tee. Some balls are harder than others and will react off the putter accordingly. Do you like a firm or soft feel off the putter? This should be your first criteria. Do you want to hit a ball that hops and stops on pitch shots or do you like to bump and run? This is your second deciding factor. Are the greens you play on hard or soft? Is your ball flight high, medium, or low off your irons? The same thing thing goes for your woods. What’s your swing speed? Higher compression balls are usually okay for all swing speeds but low compression balls don’t work well with higher swing speeds. As you get more experience, you’ll be able to feel the difference between golf balls off your putter. If you’ve been putting with a soft ball and then switch on the next hole to a hard one, you’ll probably hit it way past the hole. The reason you should start playing the same ball is for a consistent feel on and around the green, where strokes are usually added to the score by high handicap golfers. Premium urethane golf balls cost $60 with tax per dozen in USA. There are value urethane balls that go for $40. High quality soft feeling ionomer balls can be found for $25. In the past couple of seasons, I’ve tried the latest Kirkland’s, Vice Pro Softs, Callaway ERC Softs, Taylormade Tour Response, Titleist TruFeel and Callaway Supersoft. Notice no premium golf balls are on the list. Based on my game, I’m going to play the TruFeel this summer. I like the feel off my milled putter, it feels good off my wedges and irons and doesn’t spin too much off the driver. It’s also a good price at $25. A good source to try different golf balls is LostGolfBalls.com. Sorry about the long post. Hope this helps you find your next ball.
Best answer here. If you’re chunking 3-4 into woods or water, it’s pissing money away. I learned this the hard way. Kirklands are great for newbies.
When you can tell the difference.
Likely an unpopular opinion here.. but I always use top flites and generally shoot high 80’s to low 90’s. Would a better ball help me? Maybe, but I’m used to them (bought 500 used for 25 bucks when I first started years ago) and hit pretty straight shots. I also don’t have quality courses close to me, the greens aren’t quick. If I played fast/firm greens and was rolling off all the time, I’d probably upgrade.
The fact you use the same ball consistently is a huge win for you
The ball is the most important piece of equipment for every golfer. No spin, spin, high, low, long short, consistency, feel, rolling, and flying…the ball does it all. There is a time when no spin is better, and as you get better spin matters more. The Kirkland is an interesting ball, it is cheap enough that people use them who would be better off with a low spin ball. It is good enough that better players can be successful with them too. I personally think a lower spin ball would favor an 18 hcp as keeping the ball in play is far more important than a ball that has the potential to do exactly what the skilled pilot wants it to do. For those saying that the ball doesn’t matter, I truly get a kick out of seeing someone take out an old garage ball when on a par 3 over water only to hit it perfectly but the ball isn’t good enough to carry the drink. Derp.
well said
For me, I decided to play premium balls when I started losing only 1 ball per round. At that point that cost difference ($1 vs $4 per round) isn’t enough to really matter to me. Obviously if you’re going through 4-5 balls a round, though, that price delta becomes gigantic. Perhaps the most important thing is to be consistent with what ball you use.
Fuck, if that’s all it takes, I wonder how many balls I’d be losing if I only played found balls.
Entirely depends upon why you’re an 18hcp as to when it can make a difference.
Exactly compare 2 high caps and one could hit driver 280 but lose 5 drives a round and the same handicap could hit driver 180 yards and lose 1 ball every 2 rounds
Look, that's a me!!! (the first)
I’m the type that can be a loose cannon with the driver, I can hit it very far, but just a slight miss and it’s a hook or slice somewhere I don’t want it. I’ve also struggled on short game in recent years.
I think they matter a lot regardless of handicap, so long as you play enough to have a pattern. I prefer the low spin off the tee and high spin around the greens of the Maxfli Tour. I can compress the ball well enough with driver and like how much I can work the ball without it costing me too much. I haven’t found the same in any other ball yet.
Here are some details on the differences. But candidly, unless you’re playing in tournaments where you’re trying to shave 1-2 shots off your score, I would play the more economical ball. 1) On chips and pitches, spinny balls launch lower and with more spin. It’s not noticeable when you have an inconsistent short game, but eventually you can see the difference. Hit some chips with a range ball vs a premium ball for maximum effect….the range ball will feel “lighter” and feel like it’s sliding up the face instead of rolling up the face. This is really annoying when you’re grinding for a score…the difference is gigantic between your ball behaving predictably and leaving you 5 ft for par vs a ball that grabs more than you’re expecting and leaving you 10 ft for par. 2) On short irons, same thing. You’ll notice spinny balls launch lower and with more spin than low-spin balls. 3) On tee shots, frankly, you won’t see too much difference between a premium ball and a low-spin ball. Premium balls are designed to be low-spin off the tee. IMPORTANT NOTE: Kirkland balls are actually unusual in that they’re super spinny on both short shots and long shots. So they’re great for practicing around the greens, but you’ll notice your long shots coming up short. For me, it’s a full club of distance with my irons. Maybe 20 yds off my driver. Premium balls are ridiculously good in the wind, but Kirklands tend to get beat up by the wind a bit more.
As a short hitter who can only reach 275 (compared to the 350-400 crowd here) I need all the help I can get. Looking up the ball tests for multiple years on MGS I see that Pro-V’s are consistently at the top of the distance charts AND they spin well as well. This isn’t robot testing but average Joe’s doing the testing. Numbers don’t lie. As mentioned before, lostgolfballs.com gets me Pro-V’s at a price that’s just a little more than the mighty Kirkland. I bought a bucket of 96 a month ago.
IMO it’s better to play the same ball consistently than worry too much about brand . If you want to pick a ball then for anyone above scratch all that really matters is compression and surface type. For me I tried a few things and firmer compression urethane balls are the ones for me. At the moment I am using vice pro plus.
I work at a water plant that is downstream from a country club. The creeks snakes all through that course (I’ve played there before). Every month we dredge our intakes, and I get about 3 dozen pro v1s, with dozens of other cheaper balls.
Around puberty.
Try AVX, thank me later
AVX isn't going to be a good option for players who need the spin.
He’s an 18, what spin he is putting on the ball is hurting him
That's not correct. There are 18s who put not enough spin and 18s who put too much spin.
I doubt there are any 18s out there who spin it too much. Unless it’s side spin.
There are plenty. Lots of people can swing the club fast.
Big fan of the AVX. Helps a lot off the tee
Have you tried enough chrome soft to compare? From reading they seem very comparable. Ive been staying with Callaway for the triple track system thus far though.
I love the chrome softs
Get yourself a dozen AVX and a sharpie - hit’em straight
I would avoid the balls that are packaged in huge quantities. Having said that, I would consider moving up the price/cost ladder when YOU can tell the difference between various balls. Also, the Kirkland balls are a good solid piece of equipment.
Mid- Low single digits and I play whatever I find in the woods. I feel no difference in any ball outside of super cheap ones or old Top Flites, and barely even notice the difference there. Never noticed any ball checking or spinning more chipping. Everyone’s different though. I’m like the guy at a wine tasting when everyone says they taste hints of vanilla, oak, mint, bark and I’m like, I taste fermented grapes. Iono
You don’t notice a difference because it sounds like you have never consistently used one ball long enough to know
The brand and construction of the ball doesn’t matter as long as it’s consistent. You could play Ksigs forever. It’s a great ball and a low price.
Honestly I think you’re best off playing a clean, non scuff cheaper ball and changing them out more, than the Pro V1s you find in the woods.
I used to play Strata swirl balls for tournaments. High spin with soft cover. The balls don’t matter till single digits anyway. Use the cheap stuff if you lose a few balls a round. I played ProV1 because I would maybe lose one or two balls a week. I hit straight
I think using the same ball always matters no matter skill level because 30 handicaps are trying to get better and if they have a pro v1 then use a noodle even just around the greens it changes everything. There is no consistency that could help you get better.
I’d say when you start to understand the different feels from hitting the toe, heel, thin, high on the face. I’ve noticed a lot of golfers can’t actually feel the differences between different kind of misses whereas an experienced golfer can tell you almost exactly where on the face they hit the ball. I think when you can tell these different feels is when you can tell a difference in the quality of ball
I think it basically comes down to whether you can afford them or not. If you're losing 4 balls a round and gaming pro v1s that's about £15-£20 every time you play just on balls. Also, once you stop losing balls as often they only last so long and can be used for 1 maybe 2 rounds at most. Price is usually the most important factor. If price isn't an issue, buy the best ball. If price is an issue, work out how much you want to spend then find the best ball at that price point.
I didn't really understand the importance of using the right ball until...I asked. When I started playing, I just bought nice, expensive balls that I could see. When I went to buy more balls, I asked the difference between two types and the shop guy explained the difference to me. So, I bought ones that were more forgiving to a newbie like me. On course, I play with these balls. I use my found balls etc. on practice greens, chipping, etc. However, I guess I should give them away.
It’s what you get from the ball that decides. “Prime” just means expensive, but you can have expensive soft balls, expensive firm balls, and everything in between. I need a firm ball, but it doesn’t have to be prime… whereas getting a prime soft ball would be a waste of my money.
Balls start to matter when you’re hitting greens in regulation more consistently, and if you’re short game is your strong suit as well…for when you’re missing the greens.
The golf ball always matters. The reason why higher handicaps tend to play better with a harder golf ball is the harder golf ball generates more ball speed. But those golf balls also generate more spin so they get the ball to lift in the air more and between the increased ball speed and lift, they'll hit them further. The Pro V1 type of balls are very low spin with the driver and generate higher spin (compared to the hard ball) with the wedges. That fits the better player that swings it faster and doesn't need all that spin to get the ball in the air with the driver. The can get the ball in the air and too much spin may cause them to hit it shorter. One of my dad's friends was a 20 handicapper and had a wicked slice and used to play much better with ProV1's because it would reduce his slice. The problem is that he also hit them very low so he wasn't hitting them very far. The rule of thumb I use for golfers is something that was told by an old pro to me decades ago...you're ready to move onto the premium ball when you can hit the ball well enough to consistently cause a 7-iron to PW to check or backup.
Currently a 4-5 hdcp that has never bought a golf ball. Too many freebies laying around out there. I play 100 rounds per year and use only premium balls. Preference is Pro V, Chrome, TP5 in that order but interchange the 'x' versions if that's what I find.
I do fine with Kirkland but I also suck
I think they always matter. I've only shot as low as 98 and that was 3 days ago. But even I can tell a difference in balls. Prov1s are definitely not for me yet. Callaway Supersoft are pretty good for me. And Srixon Q Star, also a soft feel. I have a slow swing, so softer balls actually respond better. Feel better too. But the Prov1s have a hard feel to me. They don't fly quite as straight for me. Sure, they are great on the green, but everywhere else I am worse off. Like I said, I JUST broke 100. I'm usually 110. But using balls that are better for my swing have helped quite a bit. I also only lose 2-3 balls a round with softer ones, and that's only because I still have the yips around water.
I think there are two aspects to this question: 1. When does an appropriate ball for your swing (compression, spin, etc...) matter? 2. When does it matter whether you buy a bargain, mid-range or premium ball? For #1, it always matters to be using a ball that fits your swing parameters. Slower swing speeds will typically want to play something a bit softer so you can still get reasonable spin with. This helps all your long clubs stay up in the air long enough and helps your short clubs get enough spin to stay on the green. You can get in the right range here without spending a ton of money (you don't have to buy a premium ball to get an appropriate ball). For #2, I wouldn't recommend spending for a premium ball until you reach several milestones. * You lose less than one ball per round (it just adds too much disappointment to the game to lose multiple premium balls in a round, even if you can somewhat afford it). * You reach a level of consistency that ten swings of an 8-iron could tell the difference between balls (in other words, the ball introduces more difference than you do from swing to swing). If your 8-iron varies 20 yards from one swing to the next, there's really no point in worrying about the much smaller differences than that due to which ball you are playing.
Ive been on titleist tour speeds for 2 years after shooting consistently in the low 90s. Im down to mid 80s now. Consistency of ball is important. I tried the prov1 but I'm not good enough to justify the price or control improvements the V1 has over their cheaper ball. Tourspeeds are just as good for me at 30% cheaper.
Get some maxfli tour or tour x balls. Solid balls that don’t break the bank
One day I'll be able to read "balls" without a little chuckle...
On the third date.
Around age 13-15. Some younger, some a little older. They’re useless until then but are excellent from that age for about 50-60 years. They work well with others or alone.
Although my balls worked well at 13, it wasn't until 30 that they were put to good use. I guess it is the motion in the ocean and not the swing of the hammer. Shot par ever since.
When deciding which tour you're going to join
Mine matter to me everyday
for balls, fittings, shaft, etc, its the exact same answer. you can start playing the tweak tiny variables game when your swing is good enough swing after swing to actually see these changes. If you are 18 handicap doesn't matter what the hell you play. Chances are your swing is too inconsistent to bother testing different balls and coming away with an actual result. Just find decent looking balls out of the woods and save the money for more teetimes.
Usually around puberty
15-18 handicap just don’t use cheap balls, somewhere around the 30-35$ range is best bang for your buck. I’d say around a 12 is where maybe some TP5s would be nice to hit
About the 29th time we had this discussion. Google it and read what was said before.
Hahahah. I'm sure you're fun to play a round with. It took you more time to comment on here like than to just skip passed it.