BALLS!

[Meady]

I was just wondering realistically how much difference the ball you use can make when you're rubbish at golf like me.
I ask because I played this weekend and lost my trusty callaway on the 11th in the water. I dug around in my bag and pulled out a PRO V-1 that I had found a few weeks before. Obviously I was aware of its reputation and thought I'd give it a whack. Anyway, I seemed to play much better from that point on. Is this psychological or could the ball actuall have improved my game over the Diablos I've been using recently. The reason I ask is that I need some new balls (as I lose alot) and can't work out whether payin an extra 10 - 15 quid on a dozen will really make a difference.

 

[USER1999]

No, they won't. If you are playing badly, ProVs will make it worse. The difference you experienced can be put down to concentration, as you didn't want to lose an expensive ball. This effect will wear off rapidly.

 

[Macster]

If you really want to have any chance of stopping your ball on the green now that mid summer conditions are here, you have to be able to stop the ball with some spin, and better/softer balls have to help.

I also find they give much better feel to every shot, and any 2 piece 'marble' just flies off the face like a frickin pebble, and is completely 'unworkable'.

Perhaps no co-incidence that you played better with the ProV then ?

Whether its worth it is up to you, depends how serious you are about your golf ?

 

[Mike_j_golf]

If u loose a lot then the answer is No, you could try a box of the PRO V1 pratice see how u go with those.
Mike

 

[Meady]

Yeah , i saw the practice were very cheap for 2 dozen from direct golf. As for how serious I take my golf, well I suppose very. I'm certainly trying incredibly hard to move forward but not progressing at the breakneck speed of some beginners.

 

[USER1999]

The reason you find so many ProVs in the rough, and in the woods, is that way too many people use them who shouldn't. Nice for me to find, but costing someone a fortune.

The greens are hard and fast for about 3 months, the rest of the year anything will stop. Right now, nothing is stopping at all.

For feel, yes soft balls are nice, but not all spin like ProVs. For a high handicap, the benefit around the greens is lost, as their short games invariably are not that good, and any benefit is soon outweighed by the number sliced into the bundu. ProVs will spin more, whether it is side spin or back spin.

Each to their own, but if you do buy ProVs, and are losing loads, please come and visit my track, the rough needs 'reseeding' with balls for me to find.

 

[Bunker]

I was thinking the same thing on Friday , , , I usually use ZURS / Z Stars , but the last month or so I have been going through a rocky patch and snapping a lot of shots left,,,, so I decided to get some AD333's and low and behold, on friday I shot a 79 gross, 8 under my 16 handicap. makes me wonder why I should go back ???

 

[Meady]

Perhaps it's just a case of 'a change is as good as a rest.'

 

[Spoff]

I have only hit a Pro V1 four times.

A three wood, 9 iron and putt gave me my first ever birdie.

Then I sliced the ball something chronic and lost it in a field!!!

 

[Brendan]

I use Pro Vs. I love them for putting with. But i only buy 2nd hand ones, too expensive otherwise.

 

[viscount17]

I have 15, pristine Pro-V's at home and there they'll stay until my game catches up. I can always find Pro-V's in good condition and while they do feel good to play with are not likely to stay for long.

I much prefer Srixons, AD333 or Soft Feel, but it's all personal choice - mine is not to chuck £3 in the lake.

 

[ericsonnycon]

Like yourself Ravenson I am 'rubbish' and pretty new to the game,I bought myself 100 lake balls off ebay ready for the golf ball exodus this summer they were pinnacle gold (because of cost nothing else!)I found distance, flight etc. to vary quite considerably, this could be put down to several factors, me being not capable of a consistent strike due to being a novice, dodgy balls or me been to concious of my grip,allignment,aim,posture,strike,finish position etc. whatever the reason maybe, if you are as bad as me I dont think you'll see the benefit of prov1's..(but take into account you can't be as bad as me )

 

[haplesshacker]

I have 15, pristine Pro-V's at home and there they'll stay until my game catches up. I can always find Pro-V's in good condition and while they do feel good to play with are not likely to stay for long.

I much prefer Srixons, AD333 or Soft Feel, but it's all personal choice - mine is not to chuck £3 in the lake.

It doesn't matter if you use 20p balls. You'll still lose £3 of balls just on the 18th.

Go on. You know you'll appreciate the Pro Vs in August.

 

[RGDave]

Cool, a thread where I agree with everyone....

I have some 2009 pro V 1s in the car and a sleeve in my bag. They are astonishingly good. But they are also astonishingly expensive. If you're not playing straight golf, i.m.o. you'll also score worse.

I used one for 4 holes (social game) the other day (as opposed to my normal Wilson Staff pick n mix) and then sliced one off the tee. It went even further into the cabbage than normal. I looked and looked and eventually found it. Not fancying the next shot (as I was hacking cross fairway to an OOB) I swapped it for an old NXT.

The type/cost of ball should be fairly irrelevant to your scores UNLESS you are genuinely flying good shots into greens and struggling to hold on landing. A few yards more/less a bit more/less bite on small pitches etc. all make little difference until you are good enough to really know if it's you or the ball.

I've played good rounds with balls that are £10 for 18 or £35 for 12.......

Can I accept the loss of £10-12 worth of balls on a bad day? NO.....I can afford it, but it'll spoil my day....

My Pro Vs will get used, but probably not on lake holes and the 7 that have OOB.

Find a compromise ball or play with any old thing when your game is going through an unpredictable patch.

 

[KeefG]

I tried Pro V's about 18 months ago and it just seemed to me that the balls made my already slightly dodgy slice into a huge wayward slice.

Far too much side spin for my liking.

To be fair, I havent tried them since my handicap came down from 24 odd to the 15 it is now, I may find that they work really well for me now but to be honest, i'm perfectly happy with my TM Burner's.

At almost 1/2 the price too I cant see me changing anytime soon either.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I think the thing that holds many people back when playing with Pro Vs is the subconscious voice in their head saying 'Crikey I don't want top loose this, its a £2.50 ball' etc. I have been guilty of this in the past and it results in you trying to steer the ball / not fully committing to the shot. This is why they end up getting lost 'more' than when using other balls.

Like much of golf, it's all in the head.

 

[RGDave]

I think the thing that holds many people back when playing with Pro Vs is the subconscious voice in their head saying 'Crikey I don't want top loose this, its a £2.50 ball' etc. I have been guilty of this in the past and it results in you trying to steer the ball / not fully committing to the shot. This is why they end up getting lost 'more' than when using other balls.

Like much of golf, it's all in the head.

Yes.....agree.

I remember playing with the captain at my old club. He knew my game (I was on the h'cap team) and challenged me to not leave any putt short OR pay him a £1 fine.....could have cost £18 easily!! Putted well that day and only lost about £4.....which went to charity (his beer fund).

If I went round the course and challenged folk on the tee to hit a good 'un or pay me £3 (the cost of a pro V) I expect most of them would not play their normal game and get all tense/nervous etc.

Maybe I should try it!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I actually prefer the TM TP black or the Cally Tour Ix (which I used yesterday) or even the new Z star all of which are cheaper per dozen than the Pro V and I can actually control in terms of spin and feel of the putter much better.

I use to be a Pro V devotee but the comments of others and the urge to experiment has seen that view change. I'm happy to play a premium ball in the current conditions as I feel with the firmer greens it is the only way I can get any sort of control but once we get the damp weather in October onwards, it'll be AD333 or NXT. They are firmer so will go further in the colder air and wetter conditions and as others have said, at that time of year a green will take anything that is hit properly.

 

[USER1999]

Jeez homer, I hit a Cally tour ix on saturday, raising a comment from my playing partner of 'what the heck was that, it sounded like a rock?'. That is one seriously hard golf ball. I couldn't do a thing with it, and binned it after two holes. I was staggered that Cally could sell it at all.

 

[theeaglehunter]

Jeez homer, I hit a Cally tour ix on saturday, raising a comment from my playing partner of 'what the heck was that, it sounded like a rock?'. That is one seriously hard golf ball. I couldn't do a thing with it, and binned it after two holes. I was staggered that Cally could sell it at all.

Yup I agree entirely. I really don't like this ball, not only does it feel hard off the face of irons but on the green it is so 'clicky' off the putter face it is unbelievable. I am shocked that tour pros use this ball supposedly, to me it is not a patch on the Pro V, Z star, TP Red etc. I reverted to an NXT tour over this ball when I tried it, I would certainly not categorise it as 'premium'.