Airflow/Training Balls

[BRISTOL86]

Are they any good for beginners?

I want to go to the range every day (lol) but I can't afford to keep going as much as I want to!

Is there anything to be gained from going out into a park and hitting some of these "airflow"/practice balls?

The obvious negative is that you won't get a sense of the ball flight, but for practicing "swing mechanics", ball address and such, are they helpful for beginners?

At the moment I can only really afford to go to the range once a week or so, so was thinking of cheaper ways to practice my swing!

Cheers

 

[Chrimbo]

The airflow balls are alright for the back garden but I've just got some Birdieballs http://www.birdieball.co.uk/.

As described in the promotional info, if you don't hit them correctly you can feel it more than with airflow balls. They do look a bit odd but safer than hitting real golf balls in the local park.

 

[splashtryagain]

Birdie balls look interesting! Have you seen the vids on you tube of Americans playing round their "yards"? Do you find them accurate in terms of feed back? Does a slice look like a slice and a fade a fade or are the movements exaggerated in a silly fashion like air balls?

 

[Chrimbo]

Only tried them with a wedge and when I thinned one I felt it and the flight was low and fast just like the real thing. Going to try it with a six iron next as I wanted to see how they reacted first.

 

[palindromicbob]

Did I read somewhere that Bubba Watson spent a lot of his childhood playing with airflow balls in his garden. Never to hit a normal shot just tried curving them round trees and stuff. Learned a lot about using the club head to control ball flight and now we see this today in his abiility to see and play a shot others simply couldn't.

Overall I think the potential of use of airflow ball for the "normal" game is limited. Feedback is just poor. Probably more benifitial to practice with a chipping net and real balls. Leave the full swing for the range.

 

[BRISTOL86]

The airflow balls are alright for the back garden but I've just got some Birdieballs http://www.birdieball.co.uk/.

As described in the promotional info, if you don't hit them correctly you can feel it more than with airflow balls. They do look a bit odd but safer than hitting real golf balls in the local park.

Those birdie balls look incredible!

At the moment, I'm at the stage in my practice where I could go to the range 7 times a week and it still not be enough, but this could be the answer as it doesn't look like they go so far that you could endanger people or have to walk for ages to retrieve them, for example for using in a local park or similar....

 

[Pin-seeker]

Could use the range to practice with your longer clubs & practice short game at the park,this way you don't endanger people & don't have to walk far to retrieve them.

 

[BRISTOL86]

Could use the range to practice with your longer clubs & practice short game at the park,this way you don't endanger people & don't have to walk far to retrieve them.

Yeah, for me it's more about learning the correct swinging technique, I'm not interested in distance (at this stage!).

At the range I only hit about 40-45% of my shots cleanly and straight, so these look like an excellent way to train in peace without the expense of going to the range 5 times per week! I can nip across the road on a lunch hour and hit these for a while, certainly can't do any harm surely!

 

[Odvan]

I looked at the birdieball website and then watched a few of the videos. Perhaps this won't get read by most now but to those that have....that striking mat that has the 'correct' swing path lined up - surely that can't be the same for everyone, can it? Also, the way they say you hit off the strike mat they sell its equivalent to a slight uphill lie, isn't it?

Perhaps I'm looking too much into it given the references it's got and as the missus is happily saying she wants to be have a go with my bats...almost pressed the buy button. I think the only thing that stopped me was the lack of info re whacking it against a window (i'd play in the garden) as info on hitting objects with the 'ball' is noticeably missing.

Thoughts?

 

[duncan mackie]

imo there is nothing you can't learn with airflow balls (OK except your clubing distances!)

they replicate pretty accurately the contact you make, and if you are honest with yourself you will get a better indication of whether you are hitting the ball fat than many ranges!

 

[palindromicbob]

I looked at the birdieball website and then watched a few of the videos. Perhaps this won't get read by most now but to those that have....that striking mat that has the 'correct' swing path lined up - surely that can't be the same for everyone, can it? Also, the way they say you hit off the strike mat they sell its equivalent to a slight uphill lie, isn't it?

Perhaps I'm looking too much into it given the references it's got and as the missus is happily saying she wants to be have a go with my bats...almost pressed the buy button. I think the only thing that stopped me was the lack of info re whacking it against a window (i'd play in the garden) as info on hitting objects with the 'ball' is noticeably missing.

Thoughts?

This guy certainly isn't worried about hitting windows. There is also a video of people catching them from full hits so they obviously lose energy very quickly. Unless you were hitting them directly at windows I'd doubt there would be any damage. Maybe the thin single glazing that you find on some green houses but not a house window.

[video=youtube;pJDMGdJICFw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJDMGdJICFw[/video]

 

[Odvan]

Sadly, I can't compare my garden, with his gardens....

 

[palindromicbob]

Loads of videos of people playing in parks, off tarmac, concrete etc. It's actually quiet impressive and looks like a lot of fun.

 

[Odvan]

And nor could I compare my hair...

My nephews have just started to learn and play so a purchase maybe serve 4 people well. I shall continue to stroke my chin on the matter...James Khan style.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I had some for use in the house for chipping but didn't feel they were realistic enough. Even hitting them properly in the garden I didn't feel I was getting any benefit from using them. I'd rather hit the range

 

[BRISTOL86]

I had some for use in the house for chipping but didn't feel they were realistic enough. Even hitting them properly in the garden I didn't feel I was getting any benefit from using them. I'd rather hit the range

Me too, but as a beginner who is just learning how to do a correct swing etc, getting to the range 5 times a week is just too costly and impractical. I love to learn through repetition and this seems to give you a pretty reliable indication of whether you're making a nice clean contact, or slicing etc.

I'm not suggesting replacing going to the range with these, but I can probably only get to the range once a week realistically, which just isn't enough for me when I'm only making a "good" contact with 40% of balls.

For a couple of quid, has to be worth a try, surely can only help improve my swing at this stage in my development, even if it's not quite as realistic as hitting the real thing.

 

[Chrimbo]

Tried with the six iron last night and When you hit correctly they make a nice 'twang' and fly a reasonable distance and in the direction you are aiming, but if hit them incorrectly you will feel and the 'ball' flight is erratic.

So if you are unable to go to the range or you just want to practice the 'feel' of your swing Birdieballs are better than airflow balls but no substitute for hitting real balls ...........

 

[BRISTOL86]

Tried with the six iron last night and When you hit correctly they make a nice 'twang' and fly a reasonable distance and in the direction you are aiming, but if hit them incorrectly you will feel and the 'ball' flight is erratic.

So if you are unable to go to the range or you just want to practice the 'feel' of your swing Birdieballs are better than airflow balls but no substitute for hitting real balls ...........

Thanks, that's pretty much exactly what I wanted to hear.

All I plan on using them for is in between range sessions and or lessons to work on my swing technique, and it sounds as if they will do that job nicely.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I had some for use in the house for chipping but didn't feel they were realistic enough. Even hitting them properly in the garden I didn't feel I was getting any benefit from using them. I'd rather hit the range

Wouldn't that damage your clubs? :whoo:

 

[USER1999]

Public parks don't like people swinging golf clubs, real balls or not.

They don't like divots either.