Can premium balls be a dissadvantage?

[drawboy]

I think they can, If I play a medal or go away from home I like to play a z-star, you know, something nice.I didn't pack any last week so used my usual ball a Wilson dx2, the result was night and day. longer off the tee, straighter and I putted better. It wasn't just a great game,I shot a net par so nothing special, for me the ball just seemed to go better than my Z-star. I do not have the swing speed or strike to get the best from them. I think from now on I'll stick to my wilsons.

 

[G_Mulligan]

never seen the point in switching to a ball I am not used too for an important game.

 

[robbest3offthetee]

DB,Had the same today,went over the club for a few holes,threw a couple of clubs in the carry bag,and a few srixon soft feel,normally play prov1 s,the difference was amazing,longer off the tee,even stopping on the greens,put them in the bag for the weekend,see how it goes....

 

[Iaing]

never seen the point in switching to a ball I am not used too for an important game.

Totally agree with this.
I think you're better picking a ball that you like (and we're all different) and sticking with it.
I know a 2 handicapper who'll only use a Top Flite.

 

[drawboy]

never seen the point in switching to a ball I am not used too for an important game.

Totally agree with this.
I think you're better picking a ball that you like (and we're all different) and sticking with it.
I know a 2 handicapper who'll only use a Top Flite.

Whilst I agree, it's not the point I'm making, if you don't strike the ball well enough and with the clubhead speed required can you do justice to a premium ball, and can a lesser ball be better for your game?

 

[Iaing]

[/QUOTE]
Whilst I agree, it's not the point I'm making, if you don't strike the ball well enough and with the clubhead speed required can you do justice to a premium ball, and can a lesser ball be better for your game?

[/QUOTE]

I would say yes, definitely.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't think its any coincidence that Srixon offer a ball fitting session at their national fitting centre at Maidenhead which MikeH has been on. I think a lot of players get sucked into the premium balls must be best cycle (me included if I'm honest) and assume they can get some degree of benefit even if their clubhead speed doesn't necessarily do justice.

I have to be honest though and say even with my mediocre swing I find the Prov V1x and Z Star perform perfectly well for me. I also hold my hands up and say I'm a bit of a brand snob and so shy away from things like the Wilson DX3 and and Srixon Softspeed mainly on principle rather than any concrete evidence that they don't work.

However as I'm still working through my remaining TM TP black (now there was a good ball - infinitely better than the Penta which is proof that not all premium balls are great) and have several dozen Bridgestone B330 RX to go and a couple of dozen Pro V's to lose as well I'm not really in the market to buy into the argument just yet

 

[Mungoscorner]

I don't think its so much the premium ball thats the problem,its using different balls for different rounds.

 

[RGDave]

You wouldn't catch me using a premium ball. I love Z-stars (generally) and Pro-Vs (putting) but it's fair to say I'd not be making the most of an expensive ball, and besides, they don't seem to go as straight.

 

[Imurg]

Yes. Most definitely.
Assuming you can compress the ball enough you're likely to get more spin than you need. As we mostly pitch short of the pin, any backspin is potentially going to take the ball further from the pin. A lower-spinning ball will run out a bit towards the hole.
Yesterday and today I played with a Bridgestone E5 ball.
It is, apparently, the only 2-piece ball with a urethane cover like your ZStars and your ProVs.
It felt great off the tee, distance was good, spin was a little down but there was enough to get some check. Nice off the putter too. Very durable and only 20 quid a dozen!!
Wuld probably need a ProV or similar in High Summer when the greens are rock hard but for everyday play they are the Mutts!!

 

[USER1999]

By their nature they spin more, so inevitably, they will slice more.

 

[Fyldewhite]

You may have a point here. I've certainly felt that when I've played a mid range ball (soft feel etc) I've actually got that bit more distance without really feeling the short game has suffered. I'm still a sucker for ProV's basically but when I run out I'm tempted to experiment with a mid range alternative.

 

[granters]

However as I'm still working through my remaining TM TP black (now there was a good ball - infinitely better than the Penta which is proof that not all premium balls are great)

Why do you say that Homer out of interest? I prefer the Penta to the proV. Admittedly i'm still finding my way back after my absence from the game so won't have as much experience as you. My old favourite ball was the Titleist tour balata mind!

 

[kid2]

Wilsons DX2 for me thankyou very much...
On another note i think that regardless off what ball you sway towards if you play with it for long enough you'll get to know how it plays on and around the greens...

In a way i think that because the cheaper balls dont spin as much then a player needs to adapt and improvise and concentrate that little bit harder around the greens and become more proficient with the cheaper balls....

I guess they can make the game harder or easier depending on how you look at it....

As i said im sticking with my Wilson's from now on...

 

[Region3]

infinitely better than the Penta which is proof that not all premium balls are great

Not great for you maybe, but hardly proof that it's not a good ball per se.

It's fair to say that the Penta was designed for the pro's.
According to the blurb it has 5 layers, each one creating different characteristics when compressed.

The pro's want it to go like stink with less spin when they hit it with driver, say 110mph. With a 7 iron (say 90mph) they want it to spin like buggery. Which layer is your driver compressing?

Not wanting to pick an argument but that's why they design balls that will work with slower swing speeds.

I admit I'm a ball snob too, and after trying most of the equivalents am now back to ProV1's so I'm as guilty as anyone, but I wouldn't say a ball isn't great just because I don't like it. I don't like Z-Stars but they must be a good ball because lots of people do like them, pro's included.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Not just premium balls, the wrong ball of any kind can be a disadvantage. I've never had a ball fitting and not had my swing speed measured properly for several years so don't know what would suit me best. I normally play Bridgestone RXS cause I like it but I shot my best round this year with a Callaway HX Hot so who knows what I should be using

The problem is, I can't afford to keep buying different balls to try out so for now, at least until I get myself a decent fitting I'll stick with what I like.

 

[Oddsocks]

By their nature they spin more, so inevitably, they will slice more.

Spot on. I always play with the same ball for more consistency, it's a habit I picked up from the chap I caddied for as s kid, hd would only use untra competition 90's

 

[Mungoscorner]

When it comes to the short game,its more to do with ball striking than swing speed.A properly struck premium ball will check/spin with even the most gentle of swings if its struck correctly.Cheaper balls always feel hard off the face of clubs,spring off the face of the putter,and regardless to what they promise in the ads,they don't spin enough to control on the greens.Some of the older guys i've played competitions with,use cheap balls,and are used to how they play.They will run the ball into greens,instead of hitting high shots,but what happens when you have a bunker between you and the pin ?
I have a pretty poorly paid job,have a mortgage,wife and kids to support,so i don't have much spare cash,but i'd still only use a premium ball.I'd rather play with a stone than a cheap ball.
Two things that never cease to amaze me......
Why do some high handicappers spend hours trying to hit there driver and long irons on the range when,they'd knock 5 shots off there handicap in no time by learning to hit there wedge's ?
Why will some golfers spend £300 on a driver that they can't hit properly,but scoff and guffaw at the thought of spending more than £20 on a dozen balls ??????

 

[granters]

When it comes to the short game,its more to do with ball striking than swing speed.A properly struck premium ball will check/spin with even the most gentle of swings if its struck correctly.Cheaper balls always feel hard off the face of clubs,spring off the face of the putter,and regardless to what they promise in the ads,they don't spin enough to control on the greens.Some of the older guys i've played competitions with,use cheap balls,and are used to how they play.They will run the ball into greens,instead of hitting high shots,but what happens when you have a bunker between you and the pin ?
I have a pretty poorly paid job,have a mortgage,wife and kids to support,so i don't have much spare cash,but i'd still only use a premium ball.I'd rather play with a stone than a cheap ball.
Two things that never cease to amaze me......
Why do some high handicappers spend hours trying to hit there driver and long irons on the range when,they'd knock 5 shots off there handicap in no time by learning to hit there wedge's ?
Why will some golfers spend £300 on a driver that they can't hit properly,but scoff and guffaw at the thought of spending more than £20 on a dozen balls ??????

Agreed. A good analogy is that of the fly fisherman who will happily spend £400 on a rod, £300 on waders, X amount on all the gear, and then spend 40p on a fly to fish with that'll fall apart in 5 minutes.

There are a lot of parallels between the sports- you should work back the way to rank things in terms of importance. Most important is the ball,putter, then wedges, then irons, then fairways/hybrids and LASTLY the driver (fly, line, rod)

Put it this way, if yu had to take one club out of the bag what would it be? Driver alwayd for me. You can get by without it, and it can actually be a hinderence to some players who refuse to admit it (me included )

 

[Jaymosafehands]

Interestingly played without a Driver today and used Srixon AD333s. Palates to 12.

Go figure that one out!

Found me playing percentage golf, which kept me out of trouble and the putter was hot. Far less spin on greens which caught me out, but was a very interesting experiment.