RRP of balls. Is it getting beyond ridiculous?

[Golfnut1957]

I remember reading about Taylormades premium TP5 once. The gist of the article was that they were pointless for most amateur golfers as we don't possess the club head speed to compress the inner, 5th, core. Which is what that ball is all about.

 

[Golfnut1957]

We are supposed to be talking balls.

And mostly succeeding.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I remember reading about Taylormades premium TP5 once. The gist of the article was that they were pointless for most amateur golfers as we don't possess the club head speed to compress the inner, 5th, core. Which is what that ball is all about.

The latest lab tests might disagree with that.

https://mygolfspy.com/best-golf-balls-2021/

From the slowest swing section;

OBSERVATIONS:

• With exception of the Titleist AVX and Tour Speed, the longest balls for this group were largely above 85 compression.
• Golfers in this swing speed range often benefit from higher launch with more spin so low-compression balls are not always the best option.

 

[GB72]

To a certain extent I agree about cutting your cloth according to what you can afford but I also think that golfers in general are getting well and truely shafted across the board. Ball prices, club prices, shoe prices, the jump up in price as soon as you print the word 'golf' on any item of clothing. Golf has always had an elitist core and the manufacturers are playing on that no end. Shoes have been the worst recently. Not long ago £100 would buy the best shoe on the market, now that is pretty much the entry level price.

Yes, you do not have to buy the most expensive ball (and I suspect most do not) but that is no reason for manufacturers to also squeeze all they can out of golfers as well and also there is no reason why goflers have to take it.

 

[pendodave]

To a certain extent I agree about cutting your cloth according to what you can afford but I also think that golfers in general are getting week and truely shafted across the board. Ball prices, club prices, show prices, the jump up in price as soon as you print the word 'golf' on any item of clothing. Golf has always had an elitist core and the manufacturers are playing on that no end. Shoes have been the worst recently. Not long ago £100 would buy the best shoe on the market, now that is pretty much the entry level price.

Yes, you do not have to buy the most expensive ball (and I suspect most do not) but that is no reason for manufacturers to also squeeze all they can out of golfers as well and also there is no reason why goflers have to take it.

Agreed about shoes. It's painful.
I pick up enough premium balls to break even on my losses - I only use purchased ones for proper rounds.

 

[Blue in Munich]

To a certain extent I agree about cutting your cloth according to what you can afford but I also think that golfers in general are getting well and truely shafted across the board. Ball prices, club prices, shoe prices, the jump up in price as soon as you print the word 'golf' on any item of clothing. Golf has always had an elitist core and the manufacturers are playing on that no end. Shoes have been the worst recently. Not long ago £100 would buy the best shoe on the market, now that is pretty much the entry level price.

Yes, you do not have to buy the most expensive ball (and I suspect most do not) but that is no reason for manufacturers to also squeeze all they can out of golfers as well and also there is no reason why goflers have to take it.

Was sat next to our pro at Captain's lunch yesterday, he reckons the RRP on next year's Titleist drivers will be around the £600 mark. Thanks, but no thanks.

 

[GB72]

Was sat next to our pro at Captain's lunch yesterday, he reckons the RRP on next year's Titleist drivers will be around the £600 mark. Thanks, but no thanks.

Is there anyone being vocal about these prices in the media these days. Cannot see print media getting involved as they rely on the manufacturers for revenue. The big YouTube reviewers have all taken sponsorships or become reliant on the press junkets and freebies for content and so they are not going to rock the boat. In any other area you would get some media attention for what could be seen as price gouging but sports gear in general seems to get a free pass.

 

[IanM]

Don't worry, there is a solution.

Buy what you can afford. If you think something is over priced, don't buy it!

There you go!

 

[Backsticks]

To a certain extent I agree about cutting your cloth according to what you can afford but I also think that golfers in general are getting well and truely shafted across the board.

I dont think they are. Its like a Rolex watch or a Cartier ring, priced to what the market has to spend, not what it costs. People pay high prices for golf equipment because they have the money to do so. And pay it while also knowing that they are just buying branding, marketing, caché, and not function. But golfers dont want cheap in the first place. They just wont pay £50 for a driver. Its their own choice, so I cant agree they are being shafted in any way. Its the £500 price tag that gives the perceived value to the club in the first place and makes people desire it.

 

[patricks148]

Just imagine how many balls Titliest give away each month, all these being subsidised by the paying punter. There's a ladies European player at my club, her husband was saying she hasn't played in at least 4 years since the birth of their child yet she still receives 4 dozen prov1 every month.

 

[sunshine]

Don't worry, there is a solution.

Buy what you can afford.

I think the whole economy is based on ignoring this advice. The number of people driving round in Range Rovers and other big expensive SUVs is a good illustration.

Probably won't be long before a subscription based golf ball financing company starts advertising on here

 

[sunshine]

They are for those who buy in (?) to golf marketing. Its the same as the price of everything golf. Golfers as a whole, are rich. They choose to spend triple what something is worth if it were pitched to a non high discretionary spending market. Its the same syndrome as £500 for this years 'new improved' (pause for laughter) driver that will make no difference to their game and is the same functionally, as a 15 year old one. Or £80 for a 'golf brand' polo shirt.
It is a case of fools and their money.
99% of golfers would see no difference in their scores if they played 15 balls for £20 options.
Donations of the extra £30 a box to Titleist's shareholders are entirely voluntary for those who wish to do so.

Shhh! Can you please stop posting this stuff on here. I rely on golfers with high discretionary spend to keep me fully stocked with nearly new premium balls like pro v1's. I often find balls in the rough that have only been hit once or twice.

It's great if you ever play in the evening after a corporate day. A full field of casual hackers who only play a couple of times a year. Loads of pro V1's with a logo on them dotted around the rough. Just make sure you tee off a couple of hours after the last group so you don't catch them too quickly.

 

[Backache]

I lost 6 today, and I only had 6 in the bag, "luckily" I lost the last ball on the 18th.

I blame it on the fact that I had flu and Covid shots yesterday and was feeling a little weak today so was forcing things.

Must have been expensive if you were using featheries.

 

[Dando]

I think the whole economy is based on ignoring this advice. The number of people driving round in Range Rovers and other big expensive SUVs is a good illustration.

Probably won't be long before a subscription based golf ball financing company starts advertising on here

I think seed or a similar ball firm offer a monthly subscription service

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I found a Titleist balata recently…do they still make them? Felt like I was I a time warp for a moment.

 

[IanMcC]

I changed to ProV1s about 2 seasons ago. I used to use Srixon Softfeel. I still prefer putting with a softfeel, but the less spin off the driver is vital for my game, so much so that the switch actually saved me money, as I hardly lose any balls off the tee now. I posted on here this season, as I think I went about 13 rounds with the same ball. I would have lost 20 softfeels in that period, probably.
Im sure there will be a cheaper ball out there that works almost as well, but I have not found it yet. Cant get the same distance with any Callaway brand, even a TP5x. Srixons too spinny off the tee. Cant hit an AVX as long as a ProV1 either. Hate the look and feel of Vice. Kirkland sound like I am hitting a snooker ball.
I will still pay for ProV1s, at least in the summer months.
(8.1 Index, 102 mph with driver, about 230 carry. 80mph with 6 iron, about 150 carry.)

 

[Oddsocks]

Is there anyone being vocal about these prices in the media these days. Cannot see print media getting involved as they rely on the manufacturers for revenue. The big YouTube reviewers have all taken sponsorships or become reliant on the press junkets and freebies for content and so they are not going to rock the boat. In any other area you would get some media attention for what could be seen as price gouging but sports gear in general seems to get a free pass.

I think this is where the likes of PXG are going to absolutely clean up, gear whores buying the previous years model at a third of the price of the current Carlos fandango model.

Cobra relaunched themselves when the ping/cally/titleist/taylormades all hit £500 and they intentionally kept theirs under £400. Pxg have looked at this and evolved it one stage further.

As Patrick said it’s the paying punter who’s paying these big endorsement deals, just look at when Nike signed Rory for that stupid sum…. Every product went up 20%+. The same happened when TM signed Rory and Tiger.

 

[Orikoru]

I changed to ProV1s about 2 seasons ago. I used to use Srixon Softfeel. I still prefer putting with a softfeel, but the less spin off the driver is vital for my game, so much so that the switch actually saved me money, as I hardly lose any balls off the tee now. I posted on here this season, as I think I went about 13 rounds with the same ball. I would have lost 20 softfeels in that period, probably.

Colour me confused... Surely a ProV spins more than a Soft Feel? ?

 

[Backsticks]

Anyone gaming the V300 driver from Slazenger ? £21.99. Beautiful club. Upgrade with the graphite shaft is £24.99.

Launches bombs, with a forgiveness that makes it feel like cheating. Gentle baby draw that just goes and goes, with great roll out. Tight dispersion, so you can really feel confident that not only will you hit the fairway, you can choose where on the fairway you want to position it. Probably their longest driver yet, with a great trajectory. The graphite shaft is a BEAST, and where the real magic is in this beauty. Gives incredible control, and generates such raw power you almost feel you have to hold it back at times.
Stylish looks will turn heads when you bag it and have your mates wanting to trade up from their Stealths and G425s.

And pick up a dozen V100 Distance ball while they are going for £8.

 

[D-S]

Colour me confused... Surely a ProV spins more than a Soft Feel? ?

Surely an AVX spins less than a Pro V1 as well.