Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

hi dog
great post!

i used to be of exactly the same opinion on balls when i first started playing and you are right there is no point spending a fortune on balls if you are losing a dozen per round.
all instruction drives you to have a consistent repeatable swing and thats what we are all striving for but its not a lot of use if you are constantly changing your type of ball, you add in a new variable every time you hit a different type.
i made my decision last year after reading reviews and trying loads out and settled for using the titleist nxt tour a 2 piece performance ball that suits my swing speed and gives a fair amount of feel and spin in the short game.
if you look around you can get some good deals, the nxt RRP is £22 a dozen but i get 50 in mint condition off ebay for £26 delivered you would never know that they had been hit!

if you want consistency in your game you have got to use the same ball!!

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

Most people (including me) would agree with Slats. For consistency, with putting as well as distance, you need to use the same ball.

I actually have two sets in my bag for any given round; the first is a set of Pinnacle Exceptions, the other a set of "pick ups", mostly distance type.

I start with the Exceptions and on a very good day finish with the one I started with; or at worst just lose 1.

However if when I tee off I'm spraying it every where I switch to the pick ups as I rather lose them then the new Exceptions - which aren't really that expensive but new is new!

http://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/images/pdf/Balls.pdf

You might find this link useful as it reviews balls by handicap group.

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

I agree with what the other said, and although I don't know my handicap, I estimate it at about 24, since that's what my partner's is, and these days we're always within a stroke of each other.

I also like Pinnacle Exceptions, which are reasonably priced and have a satisfying impact feel. I get them for about $18 a dozen. There's something else about Pinnacles, which may be my imagination. I think they're whiter, and stay whiter, than other balls! For those of us who don't always leave the ball gleaming in the short grass, brightness is important. I find that Titleists and Callaways fade quickly.

A fellow I know has switched from Pro V1s to Precept Women's "ice" balls. I tried a few and have to agree that they feel very different and seem to fly off the club. They're about the same price as the Pinnacle Exceptions, so I may switch too. I have no problem using girly balls.

Having said all that, I ran out of Pinnacles and just played 18 with a Volvik Bismuth, whatever the hell that is. I found it yesterday and thought it sounded like something from Ikea. But I kept it in play for 18 so I guess it wasn't too bad.

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?


I am using the precept laddie which is perferct for my swing speed 106-108 with driver...I went through a period where I was using the precept lady which is a nice ball easy to compress...I've hit some balls that feel like a rock and I believe I don't have the swing speed.(the lower the swing speed the lower the compression)..True?????

I guess what I am saying it doesn't what brand, it's what the compression is.

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

hi
have any of you grabed a handfull of old golf balls and went over the park to hit a few wedges and do you find that balls off the same make tend to go the same distance, i have found that and have two bags of balls, one bag if full of old titleist ball and the other bag is mixed.
bill

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

Bulldog - as a 22hcp I think I recognize your concerns.

To be honest, I think at our level, consistency is the biggest problem, and because of this, we can shoot a round of 95 with an old shoe on one day, and shoot 117 with 7 ProV1 balls the next.

There doesn't seem to be any direct relation.

However, in order to help introduce more consistency in our game, we must of course play consistent balls.

And NO - playing all Titleist NXT LAKE BALLS is NOT consistency at all.
A test in Today's Golfer about a year ago took top-level balls and placed a bag of twelve balls in a water hazard at intervals, so that they had ...

1 dozen balls brand new
1 dozen 3 days in water
1 dozen 1 week in water
1 dozen 2 weeks in water
1 dozen 1 month in water

They then proceeded to hit 10 shots with each ball with an Iron Byron and found that already after 3 days the balls were extremely inconsistent, and after 1 week, the balls were no longer remotely comparable to the new balls.

Ball covers are porous and water seep in, making ball balance unevenly and all things bad.

In essence - when playing lake balls, forget about "knowing your distances" and "trusting your fade". They can't be trusted!

Ouch - massive hit to wallet taken.

(Btw - leave your balls in your car most of the year through temperature variations of more than 10-15 degrees - away goes the consistency too!)


Next up - the inexpensive ball.

Sure - not a bad idea at all, except most cheap balls are essentially bricks, not much good for anything more than pounding them off a wooden peg and as far and straight down the fairway as humanly possible.

Good for your first shot yips perhaps - or even your ego.
But try to fly one towards a bone-dry elevated green from 100 yards out, and you'll find it absolutely impossible to hold the green.

Pick up a "better" (as in "more versatile" - and often more expensive) ball and you might be able to put enough spin on the thing to stop it on the dance floor.

So - no more inexpensive bricks.

Ouch - another hit taken


Left now is only the recognition, that we are no longer high-handicappers, but mid-handicappers. We expect a certain level of ability when we take to the course, and the game actually evolves with us, changing it's focus and giving us new challenges.

One of these would be - "want to improve? Keep the ball IN PLAY". No matter if we hit a cheap brick or an expensive ball, we MUST keep it in play to improve our score.

So perhaps knowing that our ball is expensive can even HELP in this quest. Personally, I have begun thinking a lot more about what shot I hit off the tee, chosing clubs that take me to the wider part of the fairway, instead of the narrow part or keeping me short of hazards and in bounds.

I like my Callaway HX Tours you see

So - in short ...

Play NEW balls.
Play the SAME model as much as possible (but sure - take that muddy thing you found in the hay if you need a forced tee-shot over water or something)
and ...
Play them well. Make clever choices on every shot.

I'm sure you'll see scores drop in a hurry!

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

Good post, Mox!

Drifted into JJB today and had to reach a decision and had no reason not to go for NXT tours which I will be shooting for the forseeable future!

I held back on my opinion about why all my shots wrere long until I was convinced - hole after hole - that it wasn't some kind of placebo effect, and that there was a reason that all my shots were something like 8-10 yards longer across every club.

Being on a 9 hole course, I know my club selection on each hole like the back on my hand, and I'm telling you, after 8 holes, I realised, I really had to start clubbing down. Weird, eh?

Shot 83, nett -6. 3rd best score ever. Lost 4 new balls! grr! Oh well, good golf for me anyway, a score that would have dropped me to 22 if someone had been marking! ah well - onwards and upwards - thanks to all for the advice!

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

Bulldog,

I am with Robin here. The Pinnacle Exception is a good quality two piece ball at a reasonable price, as the reviews say it's not a Pro V 1 but give it a try. I will let you into a secret, they are made by Titleist and are an NXT with a different name tag. I use them often as they are on sale at my local range, I also use Srixon as they are sold in my club Pro shop, I have picked up a box of these recon Pro V 1's at times, normally at around £20 a dozen, less heartache at that price when they take a swim or become interested in the course arboretum

Be aware walking to the tee with either a spare ball in your pocket or a replaced cheapo in your hand! Your subconcious will have done your head in at this point

.

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

well thats my theory shot down in flames and pi**ed on!
i have played new nxt's and the difference is negligible all i know is i beat an 11 handicapper last night using my "lake" balls!
that will do for me

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

Pedro,

No doubt purchased in Pesos.

Watch out, the scissor hands handicap secretary will be on your trail.

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

methinks not brian!
played in captains day comp this morning and i stunk the place out!
drove like a demon 13/14 FIR'S but the rest was ****
i could blame soggy course and high winds but i wont

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

OK Slats,

Must have been the pond balls, Eh!

Re: Does brand of ball matter for high 'cappers?

i asked for that one didnt i