Advice re: Ball Choice

[brendy]

Dave no arguing here at all mate, its all healthy banter and debate. Can I ask you this though? When you go to the driving range and play with the 70% distance rubber bullet balls, would you say that they are uncontrollable? They dont travel as far, fact but as for direction, I dont find them terribly bad unless trying to force them out of the range.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to find it harder to move the range balls mainly because a) they are solid 1 piece balls b) low compression and less spin rate c) I am playing like a muppet.

I wouldn't like to try and get too complex of spin rates etc when talking to newbies or giving advice. However it is true that a higher spinning ball is going to make any swing flaw like a slice considerably worse.

Its all horses for courses but my suggestion would be any of the mid-range balls on the market will do a job. I would argue that 2nd chance (particularly lake balls) are not a wise investment as performance tends to vary from ball to ball and can make distance control and clubbing difficult

 

[TonyN]

best thing to do is have a look on ebay for some A grades, cheap ones and that way you can try all sorts with out throwing ya money away. Maybe even get a mixed bag/box

Just to make all you Pro V1 fans green, My mate is the head of golf at JJb and rang me the other day to say he has a box of 36 brand new Pro V1's for 35 quid and then he'l chuck me his discount on aswell.

 

[stevelockie]

best thing to do is have a look on ebay for some A grades, cheap ones and that way you can try all sorts with out throwing ya money away. Maybe even get a mixed bag/box

Just to make all you Pro V1 fans green, My mate is the head of golf at JJb and rang me the other day to say he has a box of 36 brand new Pro V1's for 35 quid and then he'l chuck me his discount on aswell.

Good deal, but I'll see that and raise you! I have a significant consignment (50) of the new TM Red & Black LDP balls. So far Tour issue only. Cost - £0.

Have to say, played with the Red LDP last week, and their claim that it goes further on mishits seems to work, several times I was suprised at how far the ball went when I didn't catch one correctly!

 

[TonyN]

Surely that means a bad slice will turn into a terrible slice

How you manage your deal?

 

[RGuk]

Can I ask you this though? When you go to the driving range and play with the 70% distance rubber bullet balls, would you say that they are uncontrollable? They dont travel as far, fact but as for direction, I don't find them terribly bad unless trying to force them out of the range.

Thinking.....

Now you've got me worried (off on a tangent here) because presuming the range balls are not exactly spin machines, then a 10 yard slice off a driver at the range could become a 20 yd slice on the course.....and a 30 yd slice with a pro ball......

my head hurts...

In answer, range balls are not what I would call uncontrollable, no.....I hit it both ways in practice, so I guess not. Therefore they are controllable.

my head hurts even more...

Can I get some therapy now.

 

[brendy]

The yellow soft balls at my local range actually spin quite a lot, im not sure if its because they are being nipped off a mat very cleanly or they genuinely do spin more. I think they are still fair enough to control so the harder (yet still soft) premium balls are not going to be that hard to play in the general scheme of of the game.

 

[GB72]

Strangely range balls are the only ones I can get to spin backwards with my wedges.

I have tried both pro V1s and Nike One platinums and found both did give more control around the green but killed my driving (made my slice far worse). Spent a long time using DX2 softs and these seemed to provide a happy medium. Moved on the Inesis TD Tour and this really is the perfect ball for me, straight off the tee with a good feel around the green (GM Really need to give these a test). Cannot get them that often though and am tempted to try the new PX3 when released.

 

[billyg]

Ive been using these for the last couple of rounds.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/pa...olf%2Bballs.htm

magic!

 

[Parmo]

AD333 all the way dude.

 

[Glenfish]

Thanks
Seems the following are the most popular makes of balls
1st. Titleist NXT
Then ... AD333, Callaway Warbird, Pro V

So I will start with the NXT and take it from there.

 

[viscount17]

I'm off 24 and currently use Warbirds (£1 each). I've have been recommended to try NXT Extremes (£1.50 ish) by my pro since at the moment my game is largely about distance and the NXT will maintain that and also offer an increase in control without going daft. He also advises leaving ProV's (and their like) well alone until I learn better control.

 

[HTL]

If you want a soft ball I have been using the Wilson Staff PX3 recently, it feels like the DX2 but with added distance, so I would recommend that.

For a not soft and not hard ball I would use the ad333.

And for a hardish ball the NXT is ace.

 

[TonyN]

I was thinking this morning that, distance isnt really that important, Golf is all about the short game in my opinion anyway.

How many extra yards are you going to gain out of the longest balls (not enough to take a shot off your score of each hole)

If you loose 20-30 yards from a drive on a par 4, then just club up from say a wedge to a nine or 8 to hit the green. (for example)

Its getting the approach close or the chip and runs near enough to the flag to keep your putts down. And the softer balls in my opinion are so much better for approaching and putting with.

Anybody else agree, or is this a que for a debate?

 

[SammmeBee]

Thanks
Seems the following are the most popular makes of balls
1st. Titleist NXT
Then ... AD333, Callaway Warbird, Pro V

So I will start with the NXT and take it from there.

All choppers balls - Pro V1, Nike One, Callaway HX Tour or those Taylor Made's Garcia uses are the only ones worth considering - the rest are just like hitting rocks.....

 

[StuartD]

Thanks
Seems the following are the most popular makes of balls
1st. Titleist NXT
Then ... AD333, Callaway Warbird, Pro V

So I will start with the NXT and take it from there.

dont think you will get past the NXT ans AD333 on your list. Warbird are like stones and the Pro V is too expensive for what you need just now.

 

[GB72]

Thing is I do not buy 'distance' balls for the extra distance. What I need is a ball with low levels of spin off my driver so as it does not emphasise my occasional slice. As such, for the moment at least, I stay away from high spin balls such as the Pro V1 and stick to something that with less spin. No doubt I will move onto premium balls in the future but I am not ready yet.

 

[Parmo]

How many extra yards are you going to gain out of the longest balls (not enough to take a shot off your score of each hole)

Well I use AD333s but used to use Warbirds before them and the Warbirds gave me an extra 30+ yards from the Tee so on a long par 4 or a par 5 it really is the difference between a 2 putt and a pitch shot and then two put.

 

[TonyN]

so why do you use ad333's then?

 

[Parmo]

Because my short game was suffering due to the lack of control of the ball around the greens. I find the AD333s give me distance and control, yes the spin can be a problem with the long game but I wont learn to control the spin in my long game if I carried on using distance balls.