Am I using the Right Balls?

[Vardon11LDN]

Recently I have been using Pro V1's (pearl lake balls) but since reading some of the recent threads regarding balls in winter I am thinking maybe I am not using the right ball for this time of year. I have never had a ball fitting so advice would be great. At a recent trackman session my average driver club head speed was 109mph.

 

[chrisd]

Absolutely you are using the right ball.

 

[pbrown7582]

personally I wouldn't use lake balls but in Pro v1 you are using a top ball. At the end of the day it all comes down to personal choice.

 

[hovis]

Personally i wouldn't be using a three piece ball in the winter. Nothing more disheartening than hitting a pin seeker into a green to watch it screw back 25 feet. I play 3 piece in the summer and two piece in the winter. My playing partner is off +3 and he switches from pro v 1 to ad333 in winter

 

[WWG]

Recently I have been using Pro V1's (pearl lake balls) but since reading some of the recent threads regarding balls in winter I am thinking maybe I am not using the right ball for this time of year. I have never had a ball fitting so advice would be great. At a recent trackman session my average driver club head speed was 109mph.

I am new to the game, so after trying out various balls I eventually did what I should of done in the first place and researched the subject. If I were to use a prov1 it would be like giving a teenager a Ferrari. I use Nike PD soft, because they travel well for a person with a slow swing speed, and they have little spin. I have no idea how good you are, but you may want to do a little research on the subject. There are several sites where you put in your information, and then are given various options to consider.

 

[Stuey01]

Personally i wouldn't be using a three piece ball in the winter. Nothing more disheartening than hitting a pin seeker into a green to watch it screw back 25 feet. I play 3 piece in the summer and two piece in the winter. My playing partner is off +3 and he switches from pro v 1 to ad333 in winter

It hasn't really got anything to do with 2-piece vs 3 piece. It is to do with the cover material. Urethane covered balls spin more than surlyn balls, which can be pointless in winter.
There are plenty of 3 piece surlyn covered balls on the market, Wilson dx3, Titleist nxt tour are examples.
The only 2 piece urethane covered ball I know of is the Bridgestone e5.

To the OP, a good "winter ball" is usually a ball that meets the following criteria:
1) cheaper than your usual summer ball
2) lower compression rating
3) surlyn cover (usually connected to point 1)

 

[huds1475]

After two years faffing around, this year I decided on a ball, based on what I liked best, and decided to stick with it.

Saves p1ssing around.

Now if only I could apply the same principle to golf sticks :mmm:

 

[Leereed]

Prov1x's for me in summer titliest velocity in winter as the greens are so soft. You can get a pinnical to stop in this weather.

 

[delc]

Prov1x's for me in summer titliest velocity in winter as the greens are so soft. You can get a pinnical to stop in this weather.

Nothing wrong with Pinnacle Golds. I have won several comps using them!

They are supposed to be the poor man's Titleist NXT Tour. Both made by the same company.

 

[cliveb]

I see that the OP's HCP is 18. I'm currently on 19, so we're in the same ball park. I'm going to risk getting a roasting and say that what ball you use makes precious little difference to a high handicapper.

As far as I'm concerned, I either hit the ball properly - in which case the shot tends to go where I want, or I hit it badly, in which case it doesn't. A well-struck Top Flite gives a better result than a poorly-struck ProV1.

Backspin on the green is an alien concept to me, and every other 15+ 'capper I know. If I DO get backspin, I haven't a clue why it happened. (Well, OK, I sort of know why it happened, but I certainly have no hope of generating it at will). How quickly a ball stops on the green seems far more to do with how soft the green is than how spinny the ball is supposed to be. And finally, if a ball DOES spin much more, that's the last thing I want because the major contribution it will make to my game will be to amplify any hooks or slices I hit.

 

[SugarPenguin]

Im using Callaway Supersofts at the moment and I got about a foot of backspin with a 5 iron on sunday and it wasnt even that wet / windy !

 

[USER1999]

108 is a serious swing speed.

But, does that make you a contender for a tour level golf ball?

Only you can tell.

It comes down to spin, can you control it, and feel.

It's up to you really.

 

[GG26]

I see that the OP's HCP is 18. I'm currently on 19, so we're in the same ball park. I'm going to risk getting a roasting and say that what ball you use makes precious little difference to a high handicapper.

As far as I'm concerned, I either hit the ball properly - in which case the shot tends to go where I want, or I hit it badly, in which case it doesn't. A well-struck Top Flite gives a better result than a poorly-struck ProV1.

Backspin on the green is an alien concept to me, and every other 15+ 'capper I know. If I DO get backspin, I haven't a clue why it happened. (Well, OK, I sort of know why it happened, but I certainly have no hope of generating it at will). How quickly a ball stops on the green seems far more to do with how soft the green is than how spinny the ball is supposed to be. And finally, if a ball DOES spin much more, that's the last thing I want because the major contribution it will make to my game will be to amplify any hooks or slices I hit.

Agree with much of what you say. I upgraded to AD333s after my first few months of playing, but for the winter have gone back to the cheap Dunlop balls that I started out with. Good distance and the greens are so wet that anything stops on them.

Only ball that I have found that I don't like are the Wilson DX2s. Lost distance and were dead off of the putter face.

 

[palindromicbob]

Are you comfortable with the cost?

Are you happy with how it feels when you hit it with all clubs?

It is legal?

If the answer is yes to all the above then you are using the right ball.

 

[Vardon11LDN]

Thanks for the feedback guys, some really helpful stuff here. Going to use up the NXT's and velocity's I have lying around and then move onto my PRO V's.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Another that wouldn't use lake balls out of prference and would rather invest in something like and AD333. Not sure I'd be using a Pro V (lake or not) in the winter as I can get more distance with a firmer model

 

[SteveW86]

what is the reason for not using lake balls (even high quality lake balls)

 

[palindromicbob]

what is the reason for not using lake balls (even high quality lake balls)

You never know how long it's been in the water and some studies show a deterioration in performance for balls submerged for prolonged periods. This usually shows itself as noticeable differences between two seemingly identical balls.

 

[Oddsocks]

Nothing wrong with Pinnacle Golds. I have won several comps using them!

They are supposed to be the poor man's Titleist NXT Tour. Both made by the same company.

I was under the impression it was made by Callaway. Seem to remember hearing somewhere that you couldn't stock Callaway balls unless you sold so man peeknuckles

 

[Oddsocks]

Only ball that I have found that I don't like are the Wilson DX2s. Lost distance and were dead off of the putter face.

Try the dx3, a 3 piece ball that's so much better than most branded two pieces. I've used them for years, always buy them when I see them on offer.

So far the most I've paid for 3 doz is £35.00.

Works out about 90p a ball ish

Have been know to get the odd deal at £30 for 3 doz, I got 6 boxes on this deal