I need a longer ball

Hi there

this year i have been playing the Callaway Tour IX, i like it because it gives me a lot of control on the greens.

However, i am not a long hitter, these days i don´t think my drives pass the 235 yards zone, so i wonder if you could help me in the matter of finding a longer ball and still great control on the greens. Can´t afford the pro v1.

Thanks a lot.

I recently switched from the Callaway Tour balls to Titliest NXT Tours. Getting about 5 yards extra on my irons and finally getting some drives back in the 260ish range.

I agree with Grumpter.  I do play pro-v's but if I am playing in a scramble format where the one ball rule is not in effect, I will hit a nxt off the tee and it does seem to provide 7 to even 15 yards more upon rare occasion.  However I can not speak to its playability on approach shots because I switch back after the tee ball.

Longest ball I've hit were the noodles, what I started out with.  No question about it, that ball goes.

I have read good reviews about the Callaway HX Diablo Tour, i think i will try it and in case i don´t like it will try the NXT Tour.

I am a retired 63 year young avid golfer who forever used two piece balls, a different brand every year for last several years but the same brand the entire year.  Callaway, Nike, and Titleist all made decent balls with my best success with the Nike's.  This year I decided to try a three piece Callaway, the HX Hot Bite. This balls greatly increased ball spin....amazingly. Normally I drive the ball 220 to 240 with a two piece ball but at the start of the year I also got a lot more side spin so fades approached slicing and draws were near hooks. I seemed to lose 10-15 yards consistently off my driver. With a 10 dozen ball purchase....I play a lot of golf...I couldn't and wouldn't give up.  My iron play immediately got an incredible increase in performance. I also switched form Adams irons 5 through GW to Golfsmith Snake Eyes but feel the ball had much more to do with the better performance. I kept my Idea 3, 4 and 5 hybrids and noticed improvement on these older clubs with the HX.  I consistently hit them higher, further and when they hit bit like a snake. Full swings on the Snake Eyes from 5 to GW were even a better performance upgrade.  All of them stopped and popped. Our course has hard greens and is noted for shots that don't take spin.  These HX's cured that, I was able to measure yardage then grab a corresponding iron and hunt flags.  I have never hit as many shots within 15 feet in my dozen or so years at this course.  While never having to fear pulling a ball back off a green, many shots stopped virtually dead or pulled back 2 to 4 feet. I only carry Driver, 3-Metal for woods eliminating my 5-metal because of the hybrid distance increases. I am coping with the extra spin on these longer clubs and not hitting the bad cuts and ducks like earlier in the year and the last month shot a round in the 60s followed by an 81 then 7 straight rounds 72-76 which I can state without exception never happened to me before even when I was a 7-9 handicap at a different tougher club. I would love to find a three piece spin ball that would serve me better off the tee but not lose the green bite that these HX's give.

Long balls with some bite that I have seen "in action" played by my Senior Friends;

Titleist DT Solo

Wilson Noodle

Precept Ladie and Laddie

I would STRONGLY recommend the Srixon tri-speed TOUR ball. Not the regular tri-speed, but the tri-speed TOUR. Its a great ball. For the money it gives you a lot of options. Spin, control, distance, & durability. I used to play this ball religiously until my game improved and I wanted a ball that would spin more around the greens, and then I started playing the Z-star & Penta. The Srixon tri-speed tour is a three piece ball. Its surprisingly spinny for the price. And ive tried the NXT TOUR ball, but in my opinion it cant compete with Srixon. At least not for what I wanted out of my golf ball. Distance, durability and greenside control…. buy a sleeve and you'll see!

These are of course the type of balls the OP needs. Distance balls for a lower swing speed. Basically anything Wilson Staff (Noodle is made by Maxfli, not Wilson) on it because they have lower compression, and there are a few Nike balls (e.g. the Mojo) that fit the bill.

To be honest, I've never noticed hitting anything remotely further than the Pro V1x. I like that it spins enough to stop the ball but not spin back with my wedges. I don't hit it that far compared to guys on about the same handicap, but I do get it out there about 240-250m on average

My personal best drive of 275 yards was with a Top Flite XL distance. Second best with the same ball was 270 yards.

They're some of the cheapest but those buggers will go when you catch the sweet spot just right.

Actually Noodle's are made by Taylormade.

Yesterday I played a Noodle Easy Distance and a Top Flite d2 Distance ball.  Since I was the only one on the course I hit 2 drives one with each ball.  When I caught them both flush they had about the same amount of yardage.  Course was soggy so anything was stopping on the green.

I got a sleeve of callaway hx diablo tours. So far i just have putted with them, feel is not bad at all, you don´t hear the "clic" the tour ix used to display. I hope to be able to try them on the course next week.

Thank you all for the help.

You said "great control around the greens"  --

I use the Bridgestone 330-RXS. Great green side control/spin. Gave a sleeve to a friend and he agreed.

If you want more distance and a bit less green side control/spin -- 330-RX

I normally find them on special and buy several dozen at a time. Special is $35/dz

If you want more distance with spin on full shots, and with more spin than most inexpensive balls (but not near as much as the balls above) -- the new Burner Tour.

Now Noodles are made my TM, but back when they first came out they were made by Maxfli...

Anyways, to the OPs question, you are just gonna have to try balls out; but if your average drive is around 235 then I'd agree with the RX series by Bridgestone, very spinny and built for the slower swing speeds.  I use to play the B330RX and loved it.  The TaylorMade Penta also may be a good option.

The Noodles and Nike Mojos are great for just distance balls, and both are pretty cheap (~2dz for $20). Srixons have been very long balls for me, and they have several mid range balls so check out the Ad333 or Tri Speeds. You can even pick up the older Z-Stars and Z-Star X balls for ~$30/dz.

They used to be a Maxfli product. Guess that's changed now. The only ones I ever used were gifts and had Maxfli stamped all over the box.

From some reason, I can't edit my own post, so I'll add this -- I discovered my swing speed is now below 90 in a driver -- so I was thinking about trying out the 2011 Bridgestone e5 -- it is a 2 piece ball with a urethane cover -- which should give you great green side control; it also has a dimple technology that launches well but descends slowly off the driver for greater roll. It's worth a shot at retail of $27/dz.