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

[whatwoodtigerdo]

Originally Posted by 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.

Never, ever buy balls at the course. The mark up is ridiculous for something you are going to lose eventually anyway. I wouldn't recommend any top flites or noodles. I won't even pick those up if I find them on the course to be honest. The Dick's here usually has a Srixon TriSpeed for 2 dozen for $35. I would say give those a try if you can get there and they have that deal. Decent ball.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by whatwoodtigerdo

Never, ever buy balls at the course. The mark up is ridiculous for something you are going to lose eventually anyway. I wouldn't recommend any top flites or noodles. I won't even pick those up if I find them on the course to be honest. The Dick's here usually has a Srixon TriSpeed for 2 dozen for $35. I would say give those a try if you can get there and they have that deal. Decent ball.

No doubt it's a bad idea to buy basically anything at the course, anything at all. Everything is overpriced. Unfortunately you can't get around some things, but you can almost always avoid buying tees/balls from there. One thing I don't agree with is noodle golf balls being that bad. I've played with them and did pretty well, for me, with them. Depending on the  type you get. Better than what I was using previously.

[Lash]

I never noticed it much on the course, but one day me and a friend of mine were at the chipping green having a closest-to-the-hole contest, and we were each taking 3 shots with the closest counting. That was where I first saw it. I had 1 ProV1, and the other 2 balls were nikes. I would hit the first shot a little short, the next shot a little longer, and the third shot I would hit the ProV1 and it would basically stopped where it landed, a good 4-5 feet short of where the others rolled. It always stopped after a few inches, while the Nike balls would roll quite a bit. Of course, I could hit either one close if I knew to plan for it. But if I hit the Nike to the hole, it would roll way past. If I hit the ProV1 to the edge of the green, it would stop there. I had to plan accordingly, and since then I have really noticed it on the course as well.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

No doubt it's a bad idea to buy basically anything at the course, anything at all. Everything is overpriced. Unfortunately you can't get around some things, but you can almost always avoid buying tees/balls from there. One thing I don't agree with is noodle golf balls being that bad. I've played with them and did pretty well, for me, with them. Depending on the  type you get. Better than what I was using previously.

Well I will say it has probably been about 6 or 7 years since I hit a noodle but the price point for me makes me think they are just too cheap but expensive balls can be crappy too. I bought some Nike 20xi balls when they first came out and gave them away after 2 holes because it was like hitting a rock to me. I also don't think proVs are worth the money. Nothing special. From what I am reading I guess it's because I am more worried about hitting it straight then spinning it.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by whatwoodtigerdo

Well I will say it has probably been about 6 or 7 years since I hit a noodle but the price point for me makes me think they are just too cheap but expensive balls can be crappy too. I bought some Nike 20xi balls when they first came out and gave them away after 2 holes because it was like hitting a rock to me. I also don't think proVs are worth the money. Nothing special. From what I am reading I guess it's because I am more worried about hitting it straight then spinning it.

I think the newer noodles are much better than the original ones. They were a little softer than the plain wilsons I was using and stopped a little faster, but not much. They were on sale 15 for $9 so I got them to try. I recently bought some DT solo's for 20 and think they are probably the best new ball for the price. They are just as long as the "rocks" I had used and they checked up MUCH faster. Most of my approach shots that hit the green the ball was sitting right next to the pitch mark as opposed to rolling 10 ft or so after landing.

[dbuck]

I also disagree on the Noodles--I use them often and the softer one would be fine for beginners I believe. I don't think a golfer has to be a certain handicap for the ball to make a difference. Once the golfer begins to consistenty get the ball in the air with reasonable forward motion, I think he/she will benefit from using a consistent ball or type of ball. I have some exceptions to buying balls at the course, too. If I want a dozen DT Solos or Bridgestone 330 whatever, then yeah I go to Wal-Mart or Dick's or whatever, but if I want to try a sleeve of something, I will just pick them up at the course. At my course, I will pay maybe $3 a sleeve more, which is less than the gas to W/M. If I like them and want a dozen, I will pick them up when I am near Dick's or whatever and save $10-15 per dozen.

[Jeremie Boop]

Originally Posted by dbuck

I also disagree on the Noodles--I use them often and the softer one would be fine for beginners I believe. I don't think a golfer has to be a certain handicap for the ball to make a difference. Once the golfer begins to consistenty get the ball in the air with reasonable forward motion, I think he/she will benefit from using a consistent ball or type of ball. I have some exceptions to buying balls at the course, too. If I want a dozen DT Solos or Bridgestone 330 whatever, then yeah I go to Wal-Mart or Dick's or whatever, but if I want to try a sleeve of something, I will just pick them up at the course. At my course, I will pay maybe $3 a sleeve more, which is less than the gas to W/M. If I like them and want a dozen, I will pick them up when I am near Dick's or whatever and save $10-15 per dozen.

If you are just picking up a sleeve, you can get away with buying that at the course. However as a higher handicapper I never buy just a sleeve of balls.

[dbuck]

Haha-I understand! I am just finishing up a box of Noodle "practice" balls I bought at Wal-Mart. Loose packed in a box of 24 or 36 I think. Fortunately my course is not to bad on losing balls if you stay out of the water. Another course I play, I want to at least have a sleeve per side in reserve, LOL.

[Meltdwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Lash

I never noticed it much on the course, but one day me and a friend of mine were at the chipping green having a closest-to-the-hole contest, and we were each taking 3 shots with the closest counting. That was where I first saw it. I had 1 ProV1, and the other 2 balls were nikes. I would hit the first shot a little short, the next shot a little longer, and the third shot I would hit the ProV1 and it would basically stopped where it landed, a good 4-5 feet short of where the others rolled. It always stopped after a few inches, while the Nike balls would roll quite a bit.Of course, I could hit either one close if I knew to plan for it. But if I hit the Nike to the hole, it would roll way past. If I hit the ProV1 to the edge of the green, it would stop there. I had to plan accordingly, and since then I have really noticed it on the course as well.

Yeah, I actually stipulated in the post previous to that one that ProV1's are different.  I play a short par 3 course sometimes and one day I found one and played the course with it.  Basically every shot either stopped dead or backed up a little. I thought I was doing something different with my swing.  About half way through, it got slow so I started playing 2 balls - the other a non ProV.  In a side by side comparrison it was obvious that it had better bite.  Also, a buddy of mine plays them exclusively and his shots - long or short - always bite better than mine.

But having said that, I would still contend that to a beginner, it makes no difference. At that level - and generally speaking - you either hit a good shot or you didn't.  It either spins back, stops flat, or rolls out no matter the ball.  But a beginner isn't capable of hitting it to a spot where it will matter - i.e. "ok, since this is a pro v, I'm gonna hit my approach another 4 yards because it isn't going to roll out."  They could just as easily land it too long with the rollout ball or too short with the ProV.  The easier thing would be to buy cheaper, lower spinning balls (which seems to be every other ball on the market) and just expect a little roll-out on all shots.  IMO.

[Jeremie Boop]

I've lost a lot of shots due to hitting the middle of the green and having the ball roll off the back because it's a rock. At the same time I've lost enough balls this year that it would have cost me a lot more than it has if I played better balls to start. That being said, I don't think I'll go back to anything less than the dt solo because being able to stick the green on the good shot is worth the extra .50-.75 per ball.

[Lash]

Originally Posted by Meltdwhiskey

Yeah, I actually stipulated in the post previous to that one that ProV1's are different.  I play a short par 3 course sometimes and one day I found one and played the course with it.  Basically every shot either stopped dead or backed up a little. I thought I was doing something different with my swing.  About half way through, it got slow so I started playing 2 balls - the other a non ProV.  In a side by side comparrison it was obvious that it had better bite.  Also, a buddy of mine plays them exclusively and his shots - long or short - always bite better than mine.

But having said that, I would still contend that to a beginner, it makes no difference. At that level - and generally speaking - you either hit a good shot or you didn't.  It either spins back, stops flat, or rolls out no matter the ball.  But a beginner isn't capable of hitting it to a spot where it will matter - i.e. "ok, since this is a pro v, I'm gonna hit my approach another 4 yards because it isn't going to roll out."  They could just as easily land it too long with the rollout ball or too short with the ProV.  The easier thing would be to buy cheaper, lower spinning balls (which seems to be every other ball on the market) and just expect a little roll-out on all shots.  IMO.

I agree with you, I was really talking more about chipping. When you are chipping and trying to get the ball to the green where it can roll to the hole, it helps to know what the ball will do. From a short distance many beginners can control shots enough to hit it 5 feet or 10, and in that case knowing how far the ball will roll can help. Of course, a cheap ball is just as good in this case, as long as you plan for that and hit it short knowing it will roll more.

[WUTiger]

I do OK if I play the same type of ball, generally in the mid-spin class: TopFlite Gamers and D2s, Maxfli U2, and Pinnacle Gold.

If I don't play my usual Gamers, the round usually goes OK if I can hit a few partial wedges before I play, to see action on the green.