Which balls do you use?

[jim8flog]

Although I've ticked "what ever you find", I do have some standards

I read somewhere once that there was only about 7 yards difference over the range of Titlist balls - tested using a driving machine and 100 + mph swing. With a swing speed considerably less that that and a somewhat inconsistent strike, I acknowledge that I am most unlikely to appreciate the nuances of different makes/brands/models balls. A yard or two difference on a shot will be down to a better strike or better bounce than the ball I'm using. I accept for the better golfer, ball choice could possible help but for the mid/high h/cap - self delusion?


It has to be said that the majority of balls that I, and my like minded friends, pick up are "premium" balls (as an example I currently have nearly 100 ProV1's of various iterations in top condition among my collection). Now, these have either been lost by low h/cappers having a bad day, or by the rest of the field who have bought into the marketing that somehow paying a stupid amount of money for a golf ball will improve their game.

Not knocking it though. Keep buying, and losing them. We'll find and reuse them for you.

I remember when the Prov1 came out (they were not a ball I liked, very varied in spin between one ball and another and less spin compared with other 3 piece balls such as the Strata which were already on the market) I found loads on the course and probably sold 3 - 4 dozen on ebay that year.

I reckon everybody I knew was giving them a whirl.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

New Titleist AVX.
I’ve experienced more consistency since switching to new balls. AVX lower spin suits my game too, firmly believe it does what it’s supposed to.

I’ll play the odd bounce game with something I’ve found but always a urethane covered “premium” ball. Definitely less consistency…

 

[nickjdavis]

I remember when the Prov1 came out (they were not a ball I liked, very varied in spin between one ball and another and less spin compared with other 3 piece balls such as the Strata which were already on the market) I found loads on the course and probably sold 3 - 4 dozen on ebay that year.

I reckon everybody I knew was giving them a whirl.

First dozen i ever bought I lost 7 in the first round I played with them.

The next 4 were lost in the first 6 holes of the next round. I switched to a Molitor which I kept in play for the remaining 12 holes.

The 12th ball in the box was hit down the range.....it flew like a bloody arrow from Robin Hoods bow!!!

 

[Pants]

First dozen i ever bought I lost 7 in the first round I played with them.

The next 4 were lost in the first 6 holes of the next round.

That's why I find so many of them. Don't use them myself as I just know that they are going to disappear and ruin my round.

 

[kp17]

Always Pro V1x, but have dabbled into AVX recently, cheaper and I didn’t really feel any great difference, if anything AVX seemed to fly and travel a tad longer off the tee

 

[sunshine]

First dozen i ever bought I lost 7 in the first round I played with them.

The next 4 were lost in the first 6 holes of the next round. I switched to a Molitor which I kept in play for the remaining 12 holes.

The 12th ball in the box was hit down the range.....it flew like a bloody arrow from Robin Hoods bow!!!

Were you playing Sawgrass?

Imagine doing that today. £50 for a dozen... gone in 24 holes

 

[VVega]

I remember when the Prov1 came out (they were not a ball I liked, very varied in spin between one ball and another and less spin compared with other 3 piece balls such as the Strata which were already on the market) I found loads on the course and probably sold 3 - 4 dozen on ebay that year.

I reckon everybody I knew was giving them a whirl.

Hadn’t realised eBay pre-dates Prov1… Thought Prov1 has been around for ages.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I'm quite surprised that only 5 out of 86 here play with budget balls. And I am one who does. Had to tick 3 boxes, premium, mid range and budget.

Can 94% of golfers really never play with budget balls? I find loads of balls throughout the year and budget balls are not rare.

I live and learn.

 

[jim8flog]

Hadn’t realised eBay pre-dates Prov1… Thought Prov1 has been around for ages.

quick web search says Ebay in the UK 1999 - Prov1 2000 on Pro Tours and 2003 in the UK.

 

[Bratty]

I'm quite surprised that only 5 out of 86 here play with budget balls. And I am one who does. Had to tick 3 boxes, premium, mid range and budget.

Can 94% of golfers really never play with budget balls? I find loads of balls throughout the year and budget balls are not rare.

I live and learn.

I'm sure I could play with budget balls, but I chose not to.

 

[harpo_72]

I play AD333 during autumn and winter but PRovX has been used in the summer but I think I will use a mixture of Callaway chrome tour x or Wilson staff x

But doesn’t really matter unless the greens are maintained

 

[clubchamp98]

Bridgestone B RXS
I use a new ball every comp.
If it survives it goes in the bag for social golf.

In winter I will use anything decent.

 

[FELL75]

Winter (9 months of the year ) = something soft (Bridgestone extra soft or Wilson duo soft).
Sunnier/better months= something firmer (pro v1)

 

[chellie]

Honma, but we are on our last few so need to find another ball now.

 

[sunshine]

I'm quite surprised that only 5 out of 86 here play with budget balls. And I am one who does. Had to tick 3 boxes, premium, mid range and budget.

Can 94% of golfers really never play with budget balls? I find loads of balls throughout the year and budget balls are not rare.

I live and learn.

I don’t think this forum represents an accurate cross section of people who play golf.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Honma, but we are on our last few so need to find another ball now.

AG were knocking these out cheaply one Christmas a few years ago. I had a voucher to spend and bought some. I use them in Opens, or away trips (don't know why not at my own course but that is for another day ) Very durable ball, feels nice off the club, hardly anyone else uses them so you get no mix ups on the course. It's a shame they have largely disappeared.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm quite surprised that only 5 out of 86 here play with budget balls. And I am one who does. Had to tick 3 boxes, premium, mid range and budget.

Can 94% of golfers really never play with budget balls? I find loads of balls throughout the year and budget balls are not rare.

I live and learn.

This just tells me that the type of golfer who's obsessed enough to join a golf forum and talk about golf endlessly is also obsessed enough to spend their hard-earned on a half decent ball. I don't think this forum matches the demographic of 'all golfers' it's more the demographic of 'keen golfers'. As a general rule anyway, there are exceptions who have fallen out of the game but stuck around on here of course.

So in other words the budget ball players are probably the casual few times a year players or beginners.

(Edit: Just seen that sunshine said what I said in a lot less words, ha.)

 

[Beezerk]

Bought 3 dozen Bridgestone BRX something or other which will see me for the next 2 summers hopefully, also bought 3 dozen Wilson Duo which will be my winter ball for the next couple of years. Got maybe a dozen TP5 so I’ll use them up first before I move on to the Bridgestones.

 

[Voyager EMH]

This just tells me that the type of golfer who's obsessed enough to join a golf forum and talk about golf endlessly is also obsessed enough to spend their hard-earned on a half decent ball. I don't think this forum matches the demographic of 'all golfers' it's more the demographic of 'keen golfers'. As a general rule anyway, there are exceptions who have fallen out of the game but stuck around on here of course.

So in other words the budget ball players are probably the casual few times a year players or beginners.

(Edit: Just seen that sunshine said what I said in a lot less words, ha.)

All very true words.

But I think there are many regular players who are not beginners and play with cheaper balls.
They have played for many years and probably tried the more expensive ones and found very little or no difference to their game with either.
Any feature of increased spin would work against them as they would be further from the hole, because they always land the ball well short of the hole.

My course has been closed for 2 days. but is open today.

It was 2°C at 9am today. If I had been playing, I would have chosen a Taylormade RBZ Speed that cost me £24 for 24 at the end of 2022. £17 a dozen at Sportdirect today.
I could have chosen one of the 15 Chromesoft or 9 ProV1 that I have, but the state of the course negates the benefits that those balls give, so I save them for better conditions.

 

[Rlburnside]

I normally use Srixon AD333, sometimes in summer I like the Zstarr ball

I have a box of pro v1s son brought me for Xmas, I’m a senior with slow swing speed so always thought these balls would be wasted on me

I had a look online for best balls for seniors and was surprised on 2 sites the provs were recommended.

The most important thing to come out of research is for my needs a low compression ball is best, I’m going to try the Calloway chrome soft as they came out best.

But to be honest my standard of golf any soft ball would do.