How many use a ball based on handicap?

slicer79

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Just asking this as I've changed in the past week to using the bridgestone E5, at approx £12 a box it's a bargain for me. Before this I used the srixon Zstar XV. Only difference I've noticed is I feel the bridgestone launches higher.

A few friends had expressed surprise, saying that its a ball for high handicappers but I'm happy as long as it works for me

Has anyone here played a ball just because they felt they should rather than one which worked best?
 
No i dont believe there is but I know a few guys who play a pro v because they feel they should rather than the benefits it brings their game.


Many would say a premium ball such as a penta, pro v, Zstar, are designed for lower handicaps
 
No i dont believe there is but I know a few guys who play a pro v because they feel they should rather than the benefits it brings their game.


Many would say a premium ball such as a penta, pro v, Zstar, are designed for lower handicaps

It's called golf ball snobbery :D
 
I play prov only because I haven't yet found one cheaper & as good. Going to pick up some Nike one rzn x`s tomorrow and maybe some e5s.
 
I've played most balls but still like srixon soft feels though they cut up a but quick. But also find a few and happy to play hem if a decent quality. Currently working through z-stars as got them free. I won't pay more than £20 a dozen at the moment. 17 handicap so suits me Sir.
 
I play prov only because I haven't yet found one cheaper & as good. Going to pick up some Nike one rzn x`s tomorrow and maybe some e5s.

i had some lethals to try and was suitable impressed at the weekend been a pro v1 user through thick and thin but now needing to see if the 2013 version is much improved or a change maybe a foot.
 
Happy to play most of the premium brands (except Callaway) as I prefer them. Soft off the putter, decent off the driver (not too much side spin) and a degree of control around the green. I have loads (numerous dozen) of different makes that I am trying my best to get through. It's my choice and I play this type of ball as I prefer these characteristics not because of snobbery or subliminal advertising, product placement or tour player endorsement. Are they right for my 11 handicap. Arguably not bu cest la vie
 
A lot of golfers play a ball that does not suit them, some snobbery, some because the pros play them and some don't look into it! I have a 6 handicap and have always played harder 2 piece balls, started with top flite distance balls years ago and went on to top flite gamer, nxts etc and now bridgestone fix which is a brilliant ball. I have tried most balls and for the amateur there is no benefit through lack of ability to use a soft ball and I can stop a top flite ball on a green no different to a pro v1. if I play a tour type ball now and again, the difference in side spin is huge and struggle to keep it straight, even a ad333 I think is too soft for me and it starts to go wayward! I think that most amateurs who are not single figures would benefit from a ball like the bridgestone fix.
 
I did my own little ball test last weekend... http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?54695-My-own-Ball-test
I suppose that if there was a handicap dependent ball (which i dont think there is ) then i probably am playing what i should be......

I use a Wilsonstaff DX2 similar to your E5 i suppose in terms of category.....
I prefer a soft ball when around the greens and for putting and that fits the bill for me perfectly.........
 
A lot of golfers play a ball that does not suit them, some snobbery, some because the pros play them and some don't look into it! I have a 6 handicap and have always played harder 2 piece balls, started with top flite distance balls years ago and went on to top flite gamer, nxts etc and now bridgestone fix which is a brilliant ball. I have tried most balls and for the amateur there is no benefit through lack of ability to use a soft ball and I can stop a top flite ball on a green no different to a pro v1. if I play a tour type ball now and again, the difference in side spin is huge and struggle to keep it straight, even a ad333 I think is too soft for me and it starts to go wayward! I think that most amateurs who are not single figures would benefit from a ball like the bridgestone fix.

Excellent post, people should take note.
 
I was one of the lucky ones who recently won a Titleist ball fitting through GM and I have to say it’s completely changed my view on ball selection.

I understood the benefit of using the same ball to get consistency on your shots, particularly around the green where check and run out can vary hugely between ball types, as such I tended to use a mid-range ball, although even then I jumped around with make and model. But going on the ball fitting really gave me the opportunity to play around with different balls and to actually appreciate that difference

Titleist recommend you make your ball selection based on the short game as this is where the majority of your shots happen and where accuracy in length is key to shaving shots off your round, we all know the recommendation to concentrate on your short game for quick improvement. Having spent the best part of a day on the fitting and then playing a round of golf just to look at how two different balls behaved I have to say that what they say makes absolute sense.

Their recommendation is to use a ball that spins most on short game shots, which unfortunately for the wallet means a premium ball with a urethane type cover. The reasoning behind this is that it gives you more options for your short game shots, you can play for run out or for a shot that stops quickly by adjusting your shot selection, a low spinning ball won’t give you this option.

I was worried that the high spin rate would translate into huge slices and hooks on the longer shots but the ball is designed so that it doesn’t spin so much on longer shots as it’s the cover that creates most of the spin and this doesn’t get the same grip off your driver, which presents the clubface fairly flat even on a mishit, as it does from a wedge where the angle of the clubface is much greater.
I’m not just saying this because I’ve become a Titleist fanboy but because it’s what the evidence of the day proved.

So my advice would be to use the best ball that your budget will allow and only that ball, whatever your handicap.
 
I had a ball fitting done last year and came out as Bridgstone xFixx as my ideal ball closely followed by the e5. The fitting I had done was independent of manufacturer brand I actually horrendous amounts of spin with premium balls that I was losing distance and control as short irons were spinning to much that they were backing way up once landing.

Have over the last 9months though been using Wilson balls the FG TourX & more recently the DX3 soft which is superb but when I look at it I was scoring more consistently with the Bridgestone's so much so I'm going along to a Bridgestone fitting day at end of month to see what that comes out as hopefully I'll stick with what it gives me.

I think many play premium balls because of what they see on TV and advertising bumf! One guy I play with refuses to use anything but a Pro V1 as he says if its good enough for the pros etc! But he is massively wasting money he loses at least 2-3 a round!
 
So my advice would be to use the best ball that your budget will allow and only that ball, whatever your handicap.
+1

I was also at the fitting session at the Belfry and they weren't doing a sales job on anyone. They told us about Titleist then simply said "hear is a huge number of golf balls, go try them". Now, I'm a max handicapper and even I could get the ball to check up and stop after a short game lesson with Jonathan Yarwood.

Once we each narrowed our choice down to 2 balls, we were given 4 of each to play on the Brabazon. No sales pitch, we saw the difference for ourselves with lads and a range of handicaps. My only suggestion, a floating ProV1x :D
 
I have no snobbery or loyalty to any ball manufacturer but have started moving to a more premium ball. Think the dry weather has helped my decision as I usually use a ad333 which wasn't holding the greens as well as it had. Prob more my game and some of the decisions on shot I had made. A couple of rounds ago I switched to a prov1 and the like and have noticed a big difference in the short game and putting. My scores on the par 3's are a lot better. I've not noticed any difference with the driver either I can still slice a premium ball as much as a two piece!

I must also say I did like a Bridgestone fixx ball I played with a couple of rounds ago and will def be trying the E5 as its more cost effective. I'm quite lucky in that I get a good supply of used balls from my grandmother in law who has a farm next to a course and supplies me with carrier bags of balls. I've got a decent collection of provs etc to get through in the mean time.
 
Golf digest recently published ball testing results using a robot. There was not a lot of difference in driver spin between different ball types (at 95mph driver ss), wedge spin there was a big difference between urethane cover balls and cheaper surlyn covered balls.
Whether that is important to you is your choice.
The Bridgestone E5 is a cheaper ball but has a urethane cover and it's performance was up there with premium ball offerings. It is nothing like other cheap balls, e.g dx2, ad333, soft feel, because of the difference in the cover.
 
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