Golf balls for beginners/very high handicappers

shun_naka

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What’s the verdict?

I’m still a very high handicapper (aiming to get under 100 still on rounds) and say I’d lose on average less than 1 Ball a round

What is best to do? Buy new cheap balls (srixon distance seem good value), buy good new balls for slightly more money (srixon ad333) or buy very good balls as lake balls recycled balls?
 

sammyboy

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None of the above.

Go to sports direct and pay £18 for 48 Slazenger v300 balls. I gave this advice to a brand new golfer I'm mentoring at my club. Preferably in yellow as they will be easier to find.

They will be just as good as the options you gave for your level without having the inconsistency of lake balls. You want to use the same ball if possible. Use them until you lose less than 2 a round.
 

Bunkermagnet

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I never buy lake balls, and stick with 1 ball for winter, and 1 for summer.(Srixon AD333 and Wilson DX3 Urethanes).
I choose a ball on how it sounds and reacts on my putter plus........if you use the same ball all the time it's easier to hear the better shot and understand the noise the contact made than if you use various different balls all with different club contact characteristics.
 

shun_naka

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None of the above.

Go to sports direct and pay £18 for 48 Slazenger v300 balls. I gave this advice to a brand new golfer I'm mentoring at my club. Preferably in yellow as they will be easier to find.

They will be just as good as the options you gave for your level without having the inconsistency of lake balls. You want to use the same ball if possible. Use them until you lose less than 2 a round.

Cheers, this is the kind of advice I’m looking for.

My bag is filled with about 15 balls of completely different kind of balls, some in good condition, some absolutely wrecked and none of them bought new...I can imagine they aren’t helping at all
 

sammyboy

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Cheers, this is the kind of advice I’m looking for.

My bag is filled with about 15 balls of completely different kind of balls, some in good condition, some absolutely wrecked and none of them bought new...I can imagine they aren’t helping at all

The balls I recommended I've had a go with. I wouldn't play it all the time but generally, a ball lasts me 2 or 3 rounds.

Play the same ball. Play the same clubs. Make you the variable. Golf is hard enough without wondering if a ball will react how it should. When you hit a good shot get rewarded. When it's bad make sure you know it's your fault when it goes wrong.

I play a more expensive ball. But if I was starting again I'd follow my advice. I started using balls I fished out of a lake! No jokes. I snuck onto a course and took my trousers off and fished about 200 out. Was all I could afford - back then £5 was mega money. But it slowed my progress down imo.
 

shun_naka

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If you're losing <1 ball a round why are you scoring >100? Where are the extra shots going?
Whatever you need help with get a ball for that.
All my extra shots are stupid mistakes like duffs or very fat shots. I can have a decent round of mainly bogeys/double bogey golf and then have say 2/3 blow out holes where I'll get a 8/9/10. Last round I played, front 9 scored 59 and back 9 scored 48

If I can get rid of that I'll be under 100 soon enough...
 

shun_naka

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The balls I recommended I've had a go with. I wouldn't play it all the time but generally, a ball lasts me 2 or 3 rounds.

Play the same ball. Play the same clubs. Make you the variable. Golf is hard enough without wondering if a ball will react how it should. When you hit a good shot get rewarded. When it's bad make sure you know it's your fault when it goes wrong.

I play a more expensive ball. But if I was starting again I'd follow my advice. I started using balls I fished out of a lake! No jokes. I snuck onto a course and took my trousers off and fished about 200 out. Was all I could afford - back then £5 was mega money. But it slowed my progress down imo.

I've been playing on and off for a few years now and never bought a pack of balls yet...could be a big issue now I think about it!
 

HomerJSimpson

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If you're losing <1 ball a round why are you scoring >100? Where are the extra shots going?
Whatever you need help with get a ball for that.

A good point (if perhaps not 100% relevant to the thread). If I was the OP I'd avoid lake balls if at all possible and after that it is dependant to a degree on budget and preference. For me, a ball has to feel "right" off the putter first and foremost, although that's a personal preference. Clubhouse golf have some all round balls on sale https://www.clubhousegolf.co.uk/acatalog/All_Golf_Balls.html#usestorage
 

Lord Tyrion

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If you are happy to go with sammyboy 's advice then go for it. Makes sense.

Don't fear lake balls. I have been using them for years and have yet to have a problem. Go for a pearl/A mix. Go for one of the brands, Srixon, Callaway, Taylormade, Titleist. You should be able to get them for 50-55p a ball.

This gives you a chance to find a brand you like and as you get better you can then buy them new if you so wish.

I wouldn't argue against sammyboy on this though.
 

GG26

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Agree that you should use the same ball and at your level (or my level) an expensive ball will not necessarily help you score better. Srixon distance should be fine. I’ve only found one ball that I struggled to putt with.
 

Smasher

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A good point (if perhaps not 100% relevant to the thread). If I was the OP I'd avoid lake balls if at all possible and after that it is dependant to a degree on budget and preference. For me, a ball has to feel "right" off the putter first and foremost, although that's a personal preference. Clubhouse golf have some all round balls on sale https://www.clubhousegolf.co.uk/acatalog/All_Golf_Balls.html#usestorage

Why isn't it relevant to the thread? At least I read the post unlike some people.
It's completely relevant, buy what will help you most where you need it.
As it's duffs costing shots I'd advise a decent tour ball, Z-stars are £20 at the moment.
They won't help with duffs but will help other areas.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KRZ3QZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gbZjFbX53062G
 

Rlburnside

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Why isn't it relevant to the thread? At least I read the post unlike some people.
It's completely relevant, buy what will help you most where you need it.
As it's duffs costing shots I'd advise a decent tour ball, Z-stars are £20 at the moment.
They won't help with duffs but will help other areas.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KRZ3QZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gbZjFbX53062G

Thanks for the heads up on the Z stars, my preferred ball so will be ordering a couple of boxes at that price.
 

Oldham92

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When I first started I tried the cheaper new ones and lake balls. Used to look for discounts etc. The Wilson Staff DX2 were ones I used to get quite regularly. About £15 a dozen brand new
 

Smasher

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All my extra shots are stupid mistakes like duffs or very fat shots. I can have a decent round of mainly bogeys/double bogey golf and then have say 2/3 blow out holes where I'll get a 8/9/10. Last round I played, front 9 scored 59 and back 9 scored 48

If I can get rid of that I'll be under 100 soon enough...
I'm sure you will be. I didn't mean to sound like I was being a smart arse, I wanted to see where you needed the help.
You can buy very good balls relitively cheaply like those I posted. Option C ball for option B money. If you like those you can get yellows for £90 for 48 if you prefer yellow (I do).
Very Glgood balls feel so much better off every club and I much prefer using those than cheaper balls.
If you like them and they give you more confidence then that's worth much more than 80p per round.
 

larmen

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All my extra shots are stupid mistakes like duffs or very fat shots. I can have a decent round of mainly bogeys/double bogey golf and then have say 2/3 blow out holes where I'll get a 8/9/10. Last round I played, front 9 scored 59 and back 9 scored 48

If I can get rid of that I'll be under 100 soon enough...
You are playing my kind of golf!

The Wilson DX2 served me very well over the winter and they have colours which are really easy to spot walking down a fairway.
I sometimes play with very good players and they know to walk a certain yardage and there ball is there. I have some variance so it's nice to spot it out from a distance already ;-)

I currently have a few boxes of Snell on the go, but once I have to buy balls again I might go back to the Wilson.
 

Fish

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I'd advise a decent tour ball, Z-stars are £20 at the moment.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KRZ3QZT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gbZjFbX53062G

I’ve seen this deal being referred to in other threads, but I’m concerned by some of the reviews stating they’ve received balls that are not new!

I can’t see anywhere in the sellers description that they are new, they’ve just copied and pasted the brands blurb!

Like most things, if it looks too good to be true, it possibly isn't ?

So, has anyone received any balls from this offer, and if so, were some balls marked?
 

bobmac

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If you imagine your arms and the golf club are arms of a clock and your head is the centre of the clock.
If the centre of the clock (your head) moves on the backswing, it will be very difficult to return the club to the ball correctly.
Keep the centre still and you will improve your contact with the ball and you'll break that 100 soon.
Good luck.
 
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