A Load of Balls

[Springveldt]

Question to the folks: would you rather play premium lake balls of mid price new, eg: AAA grade used ProV1 vs New Srixon AD333?

To be honest, neither. The price of 2nd hand balls on eBay (UK anyway) has gotten ridiculous, most sellers are looking for £24-£27 for a dozen ProV1's in mint condition. That's why I decided to use the Titleist 4 for 3 offer this year for the first time.

If I didn't do that I'd be looking for offers on a urethane ball like the Srixon, TaylorMade etc 4 for 3 offers.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Wouldn't use refurbs or lake balls.

 

[IanM]

The how many do you lose" question is pertinent to the how much to spend question!

If you lose lots, spend as little as possible.

Played Camberley Heath yesterday. Got the same ball round...and found four others (just from looking in the heather as walking past). 3 prov1s and a z star. Handy!

 

[Albo]

I can go thru rounds and rounds with the same ball and equally lose 4 in a single round.
All depends on how the driver is behaving and how many playing partners I’m playing with.
If I play solo like I did the other night losing balls is a hazard of the job, not seeing one off the face or losing it into the sun happen frequently.

 

[Whereditgo]

Looking at how many balls people seem to buying annually are you losing a lot or do you have a cupboard full of balls?

I just stock up when needed, I've never considered keeping even a rough tally. I generally don't lose balls that often.

Personal worst was a windy day at West Lancs and snap hook from nowhere......10 balls never to be seen (by me at least) again that day.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can go thru rounds and rounds with the same ball and equally lose 4 in a single round.
All depends on how the driver is behaving and how many playing partners I’m playing with.
If I play solo like I did the other night losing balls is a hazard of the job, not seeing one off the face or losing it into the sun happen frequently.

Our 15th in the evening is directly into the sun and if you are on your own you have no idea.

 

[Crow]

In the summer I probably lose two a round on average.

 

[Orikoru]

I can go thru rounds and rounds with the same ball and equally lose 4 in a single round.
All depends on how the driver is behaving and how many playing partners I’m playing with.
If I play solo like I did the other night losing balls is a hazard of the job, not seeing one off the face or losing it into the sun happen frequently.

Similarly for me. Often go 3 or 4 rounds without losing one and then lose two or three the next. If I lose two good new ones in a round though, I'm not getting another one out - it's found balls after that. I also use found balls as provisionals, because if I find my first ball and the provis is right over the other side, I might not bother going to pick it up.

Overall I'm probably buying three boxes per year? Usually at Christmas I put on my list the ball I want to be using the following year as well, so only actually buying two boxes myself in a year. And over winter I was using a box of TruFeels I won in a scramble as well.

 

[Albo]

Similarly for me. Often go 3 or 4 rounds without losing one and then lose two or three the next. If I lose two good new ones in a round though, I'm not getting another one out - it's found balls after that. I also use found balls as provisionals, because if I find my first ball and the provis is right over the other side, I might not bother going to pick it up.

Overall I'm probably buying three boxes per year? Usually at Christmas I put on my list the ball I want to be using the following year as well, so only actually buying two boxes myself in a year. And over winter I was using a box of TruFeels I won in a scramble as well.

That’s interesting because I go through a lot more than 3 boxes a year!
That depends on how many rounds of golf you play I think.
A Quick Look on SG shows I’ve logged 28 rounds this year since 15th March, while I’ve been trying to log most of my rounds obviously I’ve not been able to log them all. I must be at 50 rounds so far in ‘24

 

[Orikoru]

That’s interesting because I go through a lot more than 3 boxes a year!
That depends on how many rounds of golf you play I think.
A Quick Look on SG shows I’ve logged 28 rounds this year since 15th March, while I’ve been trying to log most of my rounds obviously I’ve not been able to log them all. I must be at 50 rounds so far in ‘24

Well, Hole19 tells me I've played 26 rounds this year so far. Five or six of them were just 9 hole practise rounds too.

It's weird to think we're almost halfway through the year, because in a golf sense, with all the rain we've had, it feels like the year has only just started properly.

 

[Mark1751]

The how many do you lose" question is pertinent to the how much to spend question!

If you lose lots, spend as little as possible.

Played Camberley Heath yesterday. Got the same ball round...and found four others (just from looking in the heather as walking past). 3 prov1s and a z star. Handy!

Had the same ball in play for 3 rounds now, probably only loose 12/18 a year so I buy new.

I’m not a long hitting and not particularly wild when not playing well so tend to find my balls

 

[Albo]

Well, Hole19 tells me I've played 26 rounds this year so far. Five or six of them were just 9 hole practise rounds too.

It's weird to think we're almost halfway through the year, because in a golf sense, with all the rain we've had, it feels like the year has only just started properly.

Completely agree, Jan/Feb/Mar were just a wash out

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

A mate has had a bit of a clear out and given me a mixture of about 60 Pro V1, which included 36 Brand new in boxes.

I normally try and stick with 1 ball in the summer and 1 ball in the winter, so last week, as the weather has warmed up and the course is looking good I decided to use the balls he’d given me for this season, as, why not?

However, I feel I’m losing distance off the Tee and I’m not getting the benefit of the top end ball as I don’t have the swing speed or consistency to use them.

The question is, is this in my head or should any player be able to use any ball.

Last summer I used the Taylormade Tour Response and winter the Titleist Truefeel.

I can only share my own strategy.
I stay with a ball until it goes out of production from the manufacturer.
That way the ball is not another thing that I have to think about.

I played the old, 336 dimple original model Spalding Top Flite from when the Dead Sea didn't even have the sniffles
to when Spalding went out of the golf business.

By then, Titleist had stopped making those wretched, balata-covered wound balls
with which I could never club myself
so I went with them, also a company founded in Massachusetts.

It's probably a good thing because those rock hard Top Flites
would have caved in modern driver faces.

Now I play the Pro V1x. I don't have to mark them.
They come printed with my name, my club's name, and my custom ball #, which is 79, printed on them.
Whose else could they be?

By the way, shooting my ball number is becoming an increasing less frequent occurrence.

 

[Pin-seeker]

In the summer I probably lose two a round on average.

Might be worth trying some newer “game improvement clubs”
Much more forgiving

 

[Voyager EMH]

I have not lost a ball yet this year.

I usually lose 2 or 3 a year. Its upsetting, but I try not to think about it too much.

 

[Crow]

Might be worth trying some newer “game improvement clubs”
Much more forgiving

Game improvement rough would be better, maximum of 1 inch deep.

What's the address for Dragon's Den?

 

[BTatHome]

I can only share my own strategy.
I stay with a ball until it goes out of production from the manufacturer.
That way the ball is not another thing that I have to think about.

Most iterations of a ball only last max two years before they are changed. so your actually changing balls quite often

 

[Voyager EMH]

Two and a half years ago I bought 24 balls for £24. I have not bought any balls since. These have been my winter ball and I have 8 left.

I bought today.....

A Yonex Ezone Elite ladies driver, off eBay for 70 quid. Christmas present for the wife! Seems pretty good value since it only came out about 4 years ago, but you don't pay for the name with Yonex.

forums.golfmonthly.com

In prizes from AmAm comps etc I have 12 Callaway Chromesofts, 6 Srixon Softfeels and 6 Titleist ProV1s still in their boxes.
I won't be buying any balls this year - and possibly not next year either.
Social golf I mainly play with foundlings.

(Edit: Just had another look. Still in their boxes are 2 Truefeels and 2 Toursofts that were free gifts and 3 Callaway Warbirds for a nearest the pin)

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Most iterations of a ball only last max two years before they are changed. so your actually changing balls quite often

That may be true in the actual world
but my head doesn't know that
so I stay out of trouble.

 

[VVega]

Tried the recently launched PXG balls, performed well. Can be had for £30 per dozen (4 for 3 deal) which makes them very reasonably priced for the "Best ball. Period."