Do you balance your golf balls?

[Fourputt]

Just tested this theory with a TM Penta ball and a cup of salt water. I put the ball in and waited until it came to rest, then gave it a spin and waited, spun it again and waited... 6 times and it never came to rest in the same orientation twice. As far as I could tell the ball was in perfect balance. Just one ball selected at random, but still...

[SpoiledRotten]

fourputt, if I'm not mistaken, I believe you are supposed to spin and mark the ball three times when it comes to rest each time. The center of those three marks would be the light spot.

Now, just to the ones that are so skeptical about getting the most performance out of the balls you play by balancing.... just wondering why you choose a certain ball to play. What difference does it make what brand/type ball you use if the golfer isn't going to be able to tell the difference? Just wondering.....

Most posters with equipment in the signature, posts the specific balls they use. Why not just go to Walmart and buy the discount "bag of balls" since you can't see a difference in the performance? Not trying to buck your choices, but if all of the balls now-a-day are all so technologically superior and.... after all, it's just a little golf ball that going to get sliced off into the woods.... (okay, maybe just a little sarcasm)

[sean_miller]

Most posters with equipment in the signature, posts the specific balls they use. Why not just go to Walmart and buy the discount "bag of balls" since you can't see a difference in the performance? Not trying to buck your choices, but if all of the balls now-a-day are all so technologically superior and.... after all, it's just a little golf ball that going to get sliced off into the woods.... (okay, maybe just a little sarcasm)

I don't have the game for Tour balls, and I don't have time to do the balancing thing (even though I suspect it doesn't take long), but if it works for you, more power to you.

By the way, have a look at the balls listed in my signature. I'll list them and how much I paid for them - in case it changes: 1.) Wilson Eco Core $13 for a 15 pack at Walmart 2.) Wilson Profile Feel (as opposed to Profile Anti-Slice and Profile Distance) $10 per dozen at Golf Town 3.) I also bought some 2009 Nikes, 2009 TriSpeeds, and 2008 Noodles on sale, but I'll get to them once I go through my 6 dozen Wilsons. So far I haven't hit a shot that felt absolutely pured but left me wondering - how did that miss? Must have been the ball!?!?

[Gioguy21]

gioguy, you didn't answer Fat Slice's question: If you went into a pro shop and they had Pro V1 Balanced on sale for the same price as the regular Pro V1 balls, which one would you take? How about putting the snide remarks to the side for a sec and tell us which one you would purchase? Same price... balanced or regular?

...surely. if they're the same price, i'd ask the guy behind the counter to just pick a d*mn box. lets be honest, like i said before, less you're a low handicapper yo'ure not gonna know or feel the d*mn difference. my point was that for $20 bucks more as it was mentioned it'd be a definite 'oh heeeeel naw...'. people who think that a balanced ball makes THAT much a difference are the same people who think that the fact they were using zero friction tees versus wood when they shot a 79 that it's gods gift and thus a reason to spend upwards of 9 bucks for a box. unless you're hitting an egg versus a prov, sorry you're not gonna convince me that it's worth my time or money. if you got the time to spend balancing golf balls, by all means do not let me tell you to do something more productive with your golf game.

[Gioguy21]

Most posters with equipment in the signature, posts the specific balls they use. Why not just go to Walmart and buy the discount "bag of balls" since you can't see a difference in the performance? Not trying to buck your choices, but if all of the balls now-a-day are all so technologically superior and.... after all, it's just a little golf ball that going to get sliced off into the woods.... (okay, maybe just a little sarcasm)

I lose on average a ball every 5 rounds or so...so yes, i can justify spending more because i'm not losing them.

[Fat Slice]

I was thinking more about putting than anything else. There's another thread about tiny vector changes having significant results amplified by distance. I lipped out 5 putts of 10+ feet a few rounds ago (that got be be frustrating at 3, then comical at 4). If playing a balanced and aligned ball would have helped me drop 1 of the 5 even I'd say it was worth it.

I carry a club polisher and sweeten up my irons when I am waiting for a group in front of me -- it helps to pass the time and keep my frustration level low. I could just as easily use a ball balancer while I waited - I don't see the time being a major issue.

People put lead tape on their putters to try and get them to follow the right path - I am sure that results in a pretty minor adjustment. I don't doubt that the difference would be very small, but every little thing helps.

More than that, I think there have to be some balls that are defective internally but you'll never know it until you balanced it and found out that it was seriously out of whack. That could help save you a bunch of bad shots/putts that you might make until you figured it out on your own. I know I've tossed 6-10 balls over the years that were brand new but were clearly not 'right'.

[Shanks A Million]

...surely. if they're the same price, i'd ask the guy behind the counter to just pick a d*mn box. lets be honest, like i said before, less you're a low handicapper yo'ure not gonna know or feel the d*mn difference. my point was that for $20 bucks more as it was mentioned it'd be a definite 'oh heeeeel naw...'. people who think that a balanced ball makes THAT much a difference are the same people who think that the fact they were using zero friction tees versus wood when they shot a 79 that it's gods gift and thus a reason to spend upwards of 9 bucks for a box. unless you're hitting an egg versus a prov, sorry you're not gonna convince me that it's worth my time or money. if you got the time to spend balancing golf balls, by all means do not let me tell you to do something more productive with your golf game.

Again, you're totally missing the point here. Robot tests have shown that an imbalanced ball can mean the difference between making and missing a putt, no matter how well you hit it. It makes no difference if you're a tour pro, a perfect robot, or a 50 handicap, missing is missing. The ball doesn't have any idea who just hit it, and it doesn't matter how straight you hit it if it's not balanced, you can still miss the putt.

It has absolutely nothing to do with skill level.

[SpoiledRotten]

Again, you're totally missing the point here. Robot tests have shown that an imbalanced ball can mean the difference between making and missing a putt, no matter how well you hit it. It makes no difference if you're a tour pro, a perfect robot, or a 50 handicap, missing is missing. The ball doesn't have any idea who just hit it, and it doesn't matter how straight you hit it if it's not balanced, you can still miss the putt.

He's barely out of his teenage years, so he hasn't reached the point in life where he realizes that he doesn't know everything and could actually learn from someone else. He will probably reach that stage after he grows up some. Maybe if he balanced his golf balls and listened to some that might just know more than he, his handicap might move from 8 to scatch... but he's probably his own biggest handicap at this point. Appears that he might have an anger management problem too. Not sure though.

[Dad-2-3]

I balance my golf balls........18 times per round....on a tee!!

[Fourputt]

fourputt, if I'm not mistaken, I believe you are supposed to spin and mark the ball three times when it comes to rest each time. The center of those three marks would be the light spot.

I spun it 6 times and it never even stopped with the same side up, never stopped in the same place twice. There was literally no relationship between the points where it stopped. I could have done the 3 spin test three times and gotten a different result each time. That tells me that if there actually is any imbalance, it can't possibly be enough to have any impact on a ball rolling on grass.

I admit to skepticism because there are a thousand gadgets out there designed to separate golfers from there money, and the majority of them do nothing more than that. This ball balancing theory is something which you might have had an actual argument for 20 years ago with wound balata balls, but I just don't buy the significance or validity of it with modern balls from one unverified test.

[VMAN]

I spun it 6 times and it never even stopped with the same side up, never stopped in the same place twice. There was literally no relationship between the points where it stopped. I could have done the 3 spin test three times and gotten a different result each time. That tells me that if there actually is any imbalance, it can't possibly be enough to have any impact on a ball rolling on grass.

Oh My God, you've found the perfect ball!

[Shanks A Million]

I spun it 6 times and it never even stopped with the same side up, never stopped in the same place twice. There was literally no relationship between the points where it stopped. I could have done the 3 spin test three times and gotten a different result each time. That tells me that if there actually is any imbalance, it can't possibly be enough to have any impact on a ball rolling on grass.

It doesn't matter, studies conducted by field experts have proven the point beyond any doubt. Balancing balls is pretty much free, unless you count the cost for the salt and water. Just because you found one perfect ball doesn't mean they all are. High quality balls will likely be balanced more often than lower quality ones. Try it with some Top Flites.

[Gioguy21]

He's barely out of his teenage years, so he hasn't reached the point in life where he realizes that he doesn't know everything and could actually learn from someone else. He will probably reach that stage after he grows up some. Maybe if he balanced his golf balls and listened to some that might just know more than he, his handicap might move from 8 to scatch... but he's probably his own biggest handicap at this point. Appears that he might have an anger management problem too. Not sure though.

...oh i'm sorry old man river lol oh please oh wise one. my point for you and shanks is, if you don't balance your balls or waste your time balancin them, to the normal person, they'd assume they missed the putt, but by the same token, are you gonna say that when you sank it...it was the ball and not your swing? seems like for every one you could miss it's also one you could make...but to insinuate i have an anger problem...and that it's my handicap? are you serious? as for my handicap being an 8, it's because i've had shoulder surgery 3 years ago, and on top of that i was playing baseball in college...so i wasn't allowed to play golf (a stupid rule, but one none the less). so keep assuming sir, you're surely making a believer outta me.

[SpoiledRotten]

All you have offered here is snide remarks towards something that a number of golfers have given at least some merit to. Why do you keep visiting this thread if you think it's all BS? Just curious. Seems like you are simply wanting to troll.

[Fat Slice]

Dave Pelz suggests giving it a try and shows how: http://www.thegolfchannel.com/golf-l...king-method/1/

[Shanks A Million]

...oh i'm sorry old man river lol oh please oh wise one. my point for you and shanks is, if you don't balance your balls or waste your time balancin them, to the normal person, they'd assume they missed the putt, but by the same token, are you gonna say that when you sank it...it was the ball and not your swing? seems like for every one you could miss it's also one you could make...but to insinuate i have an anger problem...and that it's my handicap? are you serious? as for my handicap being an 8, it's because i've had shoulder surgery 3 years ago, and on top of that i was playing baseball in college...so i wasn't allowed to play golf (a stupid rule, but one none the less). so keep assuming sir, you're surely making a believer outta me.

Yeah, you are pretty immature. Excuses are something kids use. I can guarantee you your handicap is based on your swing, not your excuses. I have a busted knee and very limited flexibility, but I still manage to play the game pretty well, and I know, even with my problems, there's nothing but me holding me back from being scratch.

Again, there's irrefutable scientific proof that an imbalanced ball can cause a swing robot to miss a short putt, what more do you need? All you're doing is making the game harder on yourself, like 20 handicaps who insist on using blades, even though they never hit the center of the face as it is. You're arguing against science with a willful ignorance that rivals this guy:

[jamo]

I guess for every ball that would normally go in that not balancing made stay out, there is bound to be a ball that would normally stay out the hole but not balancing makes it go in.

I don't really care either way.

[sean_miller]

All you're doing is making the game harder on yourself, like 20 handicaps who insist on using blades, even though they never hit the center of the face as it is.

Or a guy with a 246 yard driving average using a Tour driver with X shaft?