Balls

[Orikoru]

With the cost of premium balls being so high, what are people’s thoughts on buying second hand balls?

Personally I wouldn’t buy lake balls or refinished balls, but I have bought second hand balls off eBay and generally been ok. You do get the odd one that doesn’t feel right, but I’ve not had many of them. Trouble is they’re getting as expensive as new ‘cheaper’ premium balls!

I just avoid Titleist balls and feel like I do alright. £30-35 a box of balls is fine by me. I wouldn't bother buying second hand or lake balls etc since the quality is completely unknown, and probably not even consistent throughout the set that you buy. For the sake of saving a tenner or whatever - not worth it for me.

 

[Neilds]

With the cost of premium balls being so high, what are people’s thoughts on buying second hand balls?

Personally I wouldn’t buy lake balls or refinished balls, but I have bought second hand balls off eBay and generally been ok. You do get the odd one that doesn’t feel right, but I’ve not had many of them. Trouble is they’re getting as expensive as new ‘cheaper’ premium balls!

What is the difference between lake balls and second hand from eBay? Just because they are called lake balls doesn’t mean they have all spent 2 years at the bottom of a lake and have the same provenance as eBay. I have got plenty of balls from Premier Lakeballs and they have been fine, great condition and good value.

 

[CliveW]

We used , driver , mid iron , wedge and putter when testing the ball

We used , driver , mid iron , wedge and putter when testing the ball

Titleist do the same t their Ball Fitting events.

 

[CliveW]

The ball is the one constant in your game. So many people I know will spend hundreds, if not thousands of pounds on club fitting to find the "best" clubs for their game yet they play with either a ball they have found or are not prepared to shell out for a ball that costs more than a couple of quid.

 

[Depreston]

I just avoid Titleist balls and feel like I do alright. £30-35 a box of balls is fine by me. I wouldn't bother buying second hand or lake balls etc since the quality is completely unknown, and probably not even consistent throughout the set that you buy. For the sake of saving a tenner or whatever - not worth it for me.

The tru feel has been my go to tbf very good ball for the price

 

[srixon 1]

With the cost of premium balls being so high, what are people’s thoughts on buying second hand balls?

Personally I wouldn’t buy lake balls or refinished balls, but I have bought second hand balls off eBay and generally been ok. You do get the odd one that doesn’t feel right, but I’ve not had many of them. Trouble is they’re getting as expensive as new ‘cheaper’ premium balls!

But how do you know that second hand balls are not third hand and were lake balls previously? And, just because you find a newish looking ball in the bushes doesn’t mean you are only its second owner.

 

[Orikoru]

The tru feel has been my go to tbf very good ball for the price

Even they are a tad overpriced for a 2-piece non-urethane ball.

 

[mrpar]

The ball is the one constant in your game. So many people I know will spend hundreds, if not thousands of pounds on club fitting to find the "best" clubs for their game yet they play with either a ball they have found or are not prepared to shell out for a ball that costs more than a couple of quid.

You would rather pay £4 for a pro v1 rather than find one for free?
I payed for my clubs as I don't often find them lying around in the rough.

 

[Burnsey]

I don't play with balls I find. Maybe I'm weird, but drop them in the Pro shop for use in lessons etc.

Very few on here spell paid as payed - bit of a giveaway. Time to come clean @mrpar?

 

[CliveW]

You would rather pay £4 for a pro v1 rather than find one for free?
I payed for my clubs as I don't often find them lying around in the rough.

I play with a yellow ball and can honestly say I’ve never found a yellow Pro V1!

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Was this because the advice giver thought that all premium balls have identical characteristics or because you should somehow adapt your game to the characteristics of the ball you randomly chose?

My game was changing so: choose one ball, develop your game using it, and stick with it.

My truth is that I can play any premium ball and in any round and any shot I would not be able to tell you if the shot outcome was different to what would have been achieved with another premium ball. Though I am a SF golfer there is not enough consistency in my ball striking for me to put anything down to the ball. But when I asked, I was told I might as well just try to use the same ball, make it a constant as it at least removes doubt and so one element of mental uncertainty from my game and the outcome I achieve.

Also makes it easier for me to identify my ball any time I have to as I don’t have to wonder what make of ball I’ve been using that round

 

[mrpar]

I don't play with balls I find. Maybe I'm weird, but drop them in the Pro shop for use in lessons etc.

Very few on here spell paid as payed - bit of a giveaway. Time to come clean @mrpar?

The free ones go as well as the "paid" for ones in my opinion but it takes all sorts as they say.
The new one straight out of the box does make the biggest splash though

 

[Burnsey]

The free ones go as well as the "paid" for ones in my opinion but it takes all sorts as they say.
The new one straight out of the box does make the biggest splash though

Like snogging another fells's wife - prefer my own ball, but we are all different

 

[mrpar]

Like snogging another fells's wife - prefer my own ball, but we are all different

Better than snogging another wife's fella

 

[chellie]

Which ones? I had the TW-S, and found it to be a great ball.

Yes, it was those.

 

[Junior]

This season I’ve using Maxfli Tours I got from Dicks Sporting Goods on a trip to the USA around Easter. Premium balls and with a favourable exchange rate and a bulk buy deal we’re way cheaper than prov’s. I have a couple of boxes of AVX’s and TP5X to use aswell.

The $40 A Dozen Ball With 2 PGA Tour Wins in 2025!

It has been turning heads on the PGA Tour, so Joe Ferguson has been testing the Maxfli Tour X ball...

www.golfmonthly.com

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Like snogging another fells's wife - prefer my own ball, but we are all different

Sometimes it fun to do that though

 

[ExRabbit]

I buy pearl/ grade 1 second hand balls - I liked Titleist Solo, but they are hard to come by now, so I am giving Srixon Ad333s a go now.

I'm not good enough to be spending a lot of money on new balls which might cost more than the round of golf on a bad day!

As someone mentioned above though, even second hand balls are getting quite a bit more expensive now.

 

[BridgfordBlue]

I judge a ball most on how I like them on the greens and then how much I like them with other shots.

Not averse to trying different balls but I’ll never change it during a round, and normally not for a few rounds.

It’s the only constant on every single shot you hit and as much as people say they don’t feel the difference on some shots, you do if you don’t change that often, and surely everyone does with putting.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

My game was changing so: choose one ball, develop your game using it, and stick with it.

1) My truth is that I can play any premium ball and in any round and any shot I would not be able to tell you if the shot outcome was different to what would have been achieved with another premium ball. Though I am a SF golfer 2) there is not enough consistency in my ball striking for me to put anything down to the ball. But when I asked, I was told I might as well just try to use the same ball, make it a constant as it at least removes doubt and so one element of mental uncertainty from my game and the outcome I achieve.

3) Also makes it easier for me to identify my ball any time I have to as I don’t have to wonder what make of ball I’ve been using that round

There are a few things here that don’t make a lot of sense to me as to why you would be told to choose a premium ball and then to blindly stick with it based on non evidential advice.

1) So if your truth is you’ve no idea if the outcome would be different why not try another ball to see if you get better results!

2) if you know your ball striking isn’t consistent enough to put any results down to the ball, again why blindly stick with a premium as ultimately ball striking will give better compression which will make the premium ball work to its full potential on irons and drives etc! So again a mid range ball maybe better suited to your inconsistent ball striking to reduce poor shots/outcomes.

3) surely your memory is good enough to know which ball you’ve tee’d off with regardless if you change brand or ball type.

Lastly going back to the opening statement of “My game was changing so: choose one ball, develop your game using it, and stick with it” what was changing and why was a premium the immediate go to advice as you’ve mention inconsistency in ball striking last thing a good pro should advise is the most expensive ball is going to improve that! And also how do you know it was the right one to choose.

It all still seems a little fluffy in its reasoning. I’m not trying to call you out or put you down. I’m genuinely trying to understand as none of the points mentioned imo would point to the reason as to why a pro would advise “pick any premium ball and stick with it”