When do balls start to make a difference for newer golf players

[JaapB]

I'm a new player using the cheaper balls, my club use mostly top flite xl balls which are the cheapest at my club.

Currently I'm around hcp 32 and wonder at what point should i look for a better ball.

Should i just try some other balls or shouldn't i worry about different balls as it wouldn't make that much difference for me as a player.

Hope some people can give me some advice about this subject.

[irishmike27]

I think it's more about finding one you like, and then using it consistently. Then you know what to expect from the ball feel/performance wise.

[TheLawFirm]

Hey Jaap, I just started too and I had the same dilemma. I ended up switching from Wilson HyperTi's to Noodles about a month ago simply because I noticed a favorable difference. Before then when I found a nice ball in the trees and I hit it I didn't notice a difference that I felt would really affect me. A month ago I switched to noodles because I felt the difference--they were more responsive, softer and more fun to hit.

Plus Noodles aren't that expensive so I'm not upset if I lose a few So I guess my advice is get a new ball when you notice a difference that benefits your game.

[rustyredcab]

Originally Posted by irishmike27

I think it's more about finding one you like, and then using it consistently. Then you know what to expect from the ball feel/performance wise.

Even a 32 can get a better sense of feel on the greens using the same ball all the time. You may be a bit early in your journey to notice the difference in spin and even distance, but you might notice differences off your putter.

[rkim291968]

I've been there before and experimented a lot with all kinds of balls.    IMO, you won't need "good" balls until you are already playing bogie golf, and start thinking about shaping shots.   But that does not mean you should play with any cheap balls - some can be really bad even for beginners.   New Top Flite balls are ok at your level.  As you inch toward playing bogey golf, a couple of affordable (not the cheapest) balls I suggest are Pinnacle Gold, Bridgestone E6, Srixon Q-Star, Titleist SoLo.

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Even a 32 can get a better sense of feel on the greens using the same ball all the time. You may be a bit early in your journey to notice the difference in spin and even distance, but you might notice differences off your putter.

True.  In the older days, cheap golf balls were rock hard and they had such a bad feedback for all kind of shots, including putting.   These days though, all the name brand cheap balls are fairly decent for beginners.   Golf ball tech has improved quite a bit to take a lot of guess work out of the beginners picking their favorite ball.

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by TheLawFirm

Plus Noodles aren't that expensive so I'm not upset if I lose a few  So I guess my advice is get a new ball when you notice a difference that benefits your game.

Noodles Long & Soft ball is another good one for beginners.

[JaapB]

Thanks for all the comments, I see a lot of players at the golfclub use pinnacle gold so maybe i try those in the upcoming weeks.

[rustyredcab]

Pinnacles are pretty firm/clicky on the greens. If you want to try something that will feel softer off your putter, give the Noodle a try.

[champ198]

was at Academy sports today and picked up 2 18 coount boxes of redo balls. reconditioned. i got one box of Callaway and one box of Titelist. there is a mix of each in each box. think they were $10 a box for 18

for a beginner i think i can afford to loose them and will at least give me some decent balls to play with also.

[Slice of Life]

Once you start getting a feel for chipping/putting. Go from Pro V1's to low end Top Flite's and you'll hate life.

[saturday]

Too true. It took me only a year to realise the differences between golf balls. Now I won't really hit anything besides my regular bridgestones or titleist simply because of the feel...

[GaijinGolfer]

IMO, until you get below a 10 handicap, the ball doesnt matter.  The ball starts to matter when you are able to hit straight shots to a very specific distance, where you want the spin to make the ball hit the green and stop within a few feet.

I always kind of laugh whenever I hear a 20+ handicap say that they couldnt play anything but a Pro V1.

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

I always kind of laugh whenever I hear a 20+ handicap say that they couldnt play anything but a Pro V1.

Fully agree.   In fact, Pro V1 ball will hurt players with 20+ handicap.  They will see more balls spinning off of greens and fairways.

[saturday]

I always kind of laugh whenever I hear a 20+ handicap say that they couldnt play anything but a Pro V1.

I have to disagree with that... how would you know considering you're a 20+ handicap? No offense. I'm not a 10 handicap and I can differentiate what certain golf balls do or don't do. The ball does matter to me when I notice more greenside spin or distance...

[rkim291968]

I don't have 10 handicap (mine is 13) but I have to use certain balls (low trajectory, less spin, high compression).   I also take different type of ball depending on what type of course I play.   I'd bring distance golf balls on longer course and softer ones on hard surface course, etc..   If there is a strong wind, I will use lower trajectory balls.

[rustyredcab]

32.0 index is still a long way from a "20+" handicap. Most players I now over 30 handicap have yet to develop enough consistent ball striking to tell the small differences in spin around the greens between balls within the same class. However, I stand by my assertion that even the 30 handicap player can feel differences off their putter. Most 30+ players will also benefit from lower compression. There are lots of cheap low swing speed soft feeling balls. Srixon Soft Feel is another option not yet mentioned and they are affordable. (I play them when the temps are below 55).

Pick a ball you like to putt.

[spartan6]

I played with Noodles quite a bit and could tell a difference in the softness. Good for beginners like me. There was a great thread for a guy who went from the 130s to 80s and how he got there. One of his steps was to use the same ball every time. Perhaps when I get much better, I will be able to see a significant difference in types. For now, I am content with getting used to the same ball every round. Takes any second guessing on the feel, spin etc and forces me to just work on my swing. I am playing Nike Crush. The only reason is that is the ball he used in the post I mentioned above and I can find them very easily under $20/dozen.