RRP of balls. Is it getting beyond ridiculous?

[jim8flog]

I am not.
I am saying we can all tell the difference between a hard and a soft ball (whether premium or not is another question). Like we can tell the difference between a blue Callaway shirt, and a green Proquip one...but it makes no difference to our golf score on the card.

I remember learning the difference within the first year or two of starting. For my birthday I was given a box of Topflite XLs and a box of Slazenger B51s (Balata covered wound ball).
I was doing some chipping practice with them and noticed one group of balls had gone well beyond the hole and others were short. As I picked them up I quickly noticed every ball that had gone long was Topflite XL and every one short was a B51.

If you want to become consistent one of the variables to take out is the ball - find one type you like and only play that type of ball.

 

[jim8flog]

Yes like the prov . They blast it off and paint them all the same.

And therein lies the problem not all Bridgestone B330 RXS balls play the same.

 

[Oddsocks]

Can't agree, you'll see the difference even on not particulalry well struck shots (yes you're not maximizing spin), and certainly not the 99% of golfers he claims. There is no way I'd play a brick with handicap on the line.

Who’s playing a brick? I wouldn’t seem supersofts, soft feels, ad333 tours, Q stars, Dx3, FG tour, Bridgestone e6(I think), vice pro, vice tours as bricks…. Or are you simply stating that anything non proV’s has to be a rock?

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Who’s playing a brick? I wouldn’t seem supersofts, soft feels, ad333 tours, Q stars, Dx3, FG tour, Bridgestone e6(I think), vice pro, vice tours as bricks…. Or are you simply stating that anything non proV’s has to be a rock?

Backsticks is saying the ball makes no difference, we're discussing brick v tour ball, it makes a massive difference. Then there's all shades in between the two extremes

 

[Banchory Buddha]

If you want to become consistent one of the variables to take out is the ball - find one type you like and only play that type of ball.

I used to (and I mean even until maybe about 10 years ago) play all my bounce rounds with finders, whatever was in the bag, and kept the best balls for medal play.

Can't recall what made the penny drop, but now any finders that are not of the level of my medal play ball go in the practice bag for hitting full irons. If I'm chipping I'll use old tour type balls because there you really do have to be getting used to the same spin as you'll get on the course.

 

[Mandofred]

I'm about to buy a bunch of Supersofts.....the difference in my play will be.....zip.

 

[BubbaP]

Backsticks is saying the ball makes no difference, we're discussing brick v tour ball, it makes a massive difference. Then there's all shades in between the two extremes

What defines a brick, other than high compression?

Highest compression balls I thought are things like:
Pro V1 X left dash
RB Tour X
Pro V1 X
Are these not tour balls?

 

[CliveW]

I'm always amazed that some folk will spend £400+ on a new driver to play their best, but won't spend more than a quid or two on a ball!!

 

[Oddsocks]

I used to (and I mean even until maybe about 10 years ago) play all my bounce rounds with finders, whatever was in the bag, and kept the best balls for medal play.

Can't recall what made the penny drop, but now any finders that are not of the level of my medal play ball go in the practice bag for hitting full irons. If I'm chipping I'll use old tour type balls because there you really do have to be getting used to the same spin as you'll get on the course.

If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of level and HC do you play to?

 

[Orikoru]

I'm always amazed that some folk will spend £400+ on a new driver to play their best, but won't spend more than a quid or two on a ball!!

You are a bit less likely to lose a driver in the trees though.

 

[Imurg]

You are a bit less likely to lose a driver in the trees though.

Depends how hard you chuck it.....

 

[Mandofred]

I try to avoid trees with throwing clubs.....I'm nuts, but not crazy. A nice long fairway club throw.......nothing to hit.....feels SO GOOD.

 

[Oddsocks]

I try to avoid trees with throwing clubs.....I'm nuts, but not crazy. A nice long fairway club throw.......nothing to hit.....feels SO GOOD.

Like snapping a Christmas wedge over your knee after it treated you to 3 shanks on the trott…. Apparently

 

[Mandofred]

Like snapping a Christmas wedge over your knee after it treated you to 3 shanks on the trott…. Apparently

I can't remember the last time I shanked a ball......but.....sometimes on the practice range I'll do it for a few hits....especially when trying to hit some flop shots. It's horrible when it happens.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

What defines a brick, other than high compression?

Highest compression balls I thought are things like:
Pro V1 X left dash
RB Tour X
Pro V1 X
Are these not tour balls?

How long have you played golf, cos that seems like a serious question? A brick is a solid distance ball that literally has the feel of hitting a brick, there's virtually no backspin to be spoken of, no stopping power at all.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

If you don’t mind me asking, what sort of level and HC do you play to?

I've been single digits since the 90s. As low as 4, had a wee bounce at present and off 5.6

 

[pendodave]

Two things can be true.
A ball can feel terrible when putting, and have less spin than a premium ball...
But it will make no difference to anyone's scores (unless they are a pro, and a 6 handicapper is much closer to a 15 capper than a pro).

 

[Orikoru]

I was doing some more research (via MyGolfSpy's 2021 ball test as usual) and it looks like the AVX would be a really good ball for me. I just really don't think I'm willing to spend £45 on a box of balls. I don't lose too many, but as soon as I start paying that you can bet I will!

 

[Bdill93]

I was doing some more research (via MyGolfSpy's 2021 ball test as usual) and it looks like the AVX would be a really good ball for me. I just really don't think I'm willing to spend £45 on a box of balls. I don't lose too many, but as soon as I start paying that you can bet I will!

With a kid on the way I suggest Slazengers going forward

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My problem is that with pick-ups I often have no idea whether or not it’s a decent enough ball or not. Sure I can tell the rocks and the squiggies that I don’t like; and I know I‘ve unearthed a nugget when it’s a ProV…but other brands…generally haven’t a scoobies. Might just go to AD333s for winter as I’ve got stacks of them.