What Ball do you play with

CMAC said:
I do believe though that you will have a preference for feel off the putter face but anything else is all in your head.
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Not so sure tbh. I use a proV1 or ProV1x and get loads of check on it around the green. I get that because it gets far more spin than one of the cheaper balls, particularly from short shots - with a proV1/1x I can skip and check off a very short pitch, with a 'normal' ball I just can't. On my launch monitor I get between 9000 and 10000 rpm backspin on a full PW shot with a proV1, it's not close to that with a ball with a harder cover (that's measured not guessing or in my head).

There is a difference - a ball like a proV1 will give a player a tad more control around the green but may give up some distance and even spin sideways a bit more on a poor shot than a ball that's harder or has a harder cover. Whether we can use that extra control is another question of course :)
 
I do like the Pro V1 but I still lose a few too many balls to make that my ball of choice.

So, the mid-range Taylormade RBZ Urethane for me, I tried them by accident when I was playing a round in the US and the pro shop was a TM/Adidas franchise so there wasn't any choice. Once I'd given them a go I loved them though, they're comparable to NXT Tours but a softer feel on the putter I think. Stocks seem to be going down now so I imagine I'll need to give the Project (a) a try soon.
 
drive4show said:
There is one important section in the Titleist words...... you can use x-outs for low level competitions but they are not permitted where the competition rules state that a player must use a conforming ball ie. anything run by England Golf or the R&A.
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I think you're reading it very slightly wrongly. In some higher level comps the x-outs aren't excluded because they don't conform, it's because they are (deliberately) not on the 'List of Conforming Balls' held by the R&A. It is a conforming ball (it meets all requirements to be so) but in some higher level competitions there is a list of all balls deemed to conform to the regulations (ie the manufacturer guarantees to the R&A that that they do). While Titleist say that the x-outs do in fact conform (so you can use them in your monthly medal etc) they have not guaranteed this to the R&A so they are not added to the list. The reason for that is simply financial I would suggest.

If you were in a 'normal' comp and someone said "hang on that ball is a practice ball!" they'd have to prove that it didn't conform........ and they'd fail because it does. It's not that they don't conform, it's that they aren't on the list used for higher level competitions.

As I said, I use them for practice, comps I use the normal ProV1/1x. Comp on the left, practice on the right :)

prov.jpg
 
Nosevi said:
+1

Although I use the X-Outs most of the time to practice and just use the full priced ones when playing more 'serious' rounds.

(X-outs for those that don't know are proV1 and proV1x balls that have minor cosmetic defects but cost half the price. When I say minor I've yet to work out what any of the defects are, certainly nothing that will effect the ball in any way. They are also conforming so you can use them in comps etc if you want to.)
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You can't use the X Outs in any qualifing comp or recognised pga or EGU comp including opens or Pro Am's etc

And have had that confirmed with the EGU
 
Nosevi said:
As I said, I use them for practice, comps I use the normal ProV1/1x. Comp on the left, practice on the right :) View attachment 12911
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So, given all that you have said about the X out balls and that they are the same, then why do you buy anything else? Surely it's madness to spend all that extra money on normal retail balls if the x outs are exactly the same, and not deficient in any way?!?
 
BTatHome said:
So, given all that you have said about the X out balls and that they are the same, then why do you buy anything else? Surely it's madness to spend all that extra money on normal retail balls if the x outs are exactly the same, and not deficient in any way?!?
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Because I bought the proV1s first and have lofty aspirations that I'll be in more serious comps soon. We'll see........
 
Liverpoolphil said:
You can't use the X Outs in any qualifing comp or recognised pga or EGU comp including opens or Pro Am's etc

And have had that confirmed with the EGU
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If these competitions are run with the list of conforming ball condition as part of the conditions of competition then this is correct. Most high level comps and union run comps (such as those by the EGU) would implement this condition of competition. If in place then no X-out, no refurbs either and no unlisted balls. The reason manufacturers X-out the ball is to obliterate the markings and stop it meeting the description laid out in the list. A practice ball is fine because it keeps all the markings which identify the ball on the list intact. They are just treated as logo ball within the rules.

A ball is not non-conforming just because it isn't on the list. What makes a ball non-conforming is failure to meet the specific requirements laid out in Appendix III of the Rules of Golf.

The rules of golf treat all balls under the assumption that they are conforming. Only when there is evidence or proof that the ball is non-conforming, such as using a Dunlop Rebel ball or an older small ball, can a person be disqualified from a comp that hasn't got the list of conforming balls condition in place. The guidance of the rules recommends that this condition is not generally in place for club comps.

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-A...nning-a-Competition.aspx?chapter=1&section=10

In summary:
If you are a general hacker, knocking it around at society days and club comps then save yourself some dough and buy X-outs, or refurbs.

If you are playing at a high level or want to be extra extra safe and still want value, buy practice balls or pearl grades.
 
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Anything I find or get given. Last ball I really liked was the Slazenger B51. You could buy individual balls in a box, and they were a proper size as well.
 
drive4show said:
This explains the rule quite clearly

http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Rules-of-Golf.aspx#/rules/?ruleNum=5&subRuleNum=1

In a nutshell, you can use practice balls in a competition that has the List of conforming balls condition in place but not a x-out or refurbed ball.
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Corrected that for you ;) As I said just because it's not on the list does not mean it doesn't conform.

All competitions require a conforming ball be used. Just doesn't necessarily have to be on the list.
 
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palindromicbob said:
Corrected that for you ;) As I said just because it's not on the list does not mean it doesn't conform.

All competitions require a conforming ball be used. Just doesn't necessarily have to be on the list.
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Thanks Bob, what would we do without you.
 
drive4show said:
Thanks Bob, what would we do without you.
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Just trying to clarify the muddy waters regarding the LOCB myths. Think this thread is full of example of how strong this myth is. Having been pulled up in the past for using a X-out during a comp with no condition of comp (ironically the same guy played with refurbs) this area is a bit of a bone of contention for me.

Fortunately for all this is the last I'm going to say on the matter.
 
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