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The Truth about Modern Balls and Clubs


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This will be very short.

Every driver goes about the same distance these days. Choose the one you like to look at, the one that fits your game, the one that gives you confidence, the one you want. If it's properly fit for you, a driver from any of the major manufacturers (and any other good ones) will go just as far as any other one.

The same is true of golf balls. Find the one you like, the one you personally prefer, but know that virtually all balls if they fit your swing profile (spin, launch angle, ball speed, etc.) will go exactly the same distances.

Why? The Rules prevent anyone from actually building a driver that goes 30 yards farther (or even 3.0 yards), and the same is true of the golf ball.

Don't buy into the hype. Play equipment you like to play, equipment that you can tune to fit your swing, equipment that fits your style, swing, budget, etc.

P.S. There's a little room for messing around with 3W given the CoR rules are limited to clubs with 15° of loft or less, and a little more with irons, but really that typically results in decreasing loft while lowering the CG to produce a 6I that should have a "4" on the bottom. Your clubs don't really go farther, they're just mislabeled and now you need six wedges to fill in the gaps at the short end of your bag.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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I'm curious... I play a pitching wedge at 48 degrees. Does anyone have a weaker loft? I have only 3 wedges and I don't hit my PW 150 like people with Burners think they can do. I can also hit every iron in my set well, none have 17 degrees of loft or some such nonsense.

I spent 400$ new on all 3 of my woods combined; most would spend that much for one driver and I got a titanium 3 wood, a low spinning driver, and a hybrid with slot technology. None of them were my first choices, but the specs were right. They feel, sound, and look much better than my old ones, and are much more neutral compared to more GI stuff. Hit them about the exact same distance though at first.

Then I changed my swing and NOW I hit it 30 yards farther. Cost me nothing. I like my new sticks a lot, but given the choice between my old swing or my old set, I'd throw the new ones in a lake and keep my new swing. I have some older clubs I carry from time to time, it doesn't matter what I hit if I'm swinging well.

In My Bag:

Adams Super LS 9.5˚ driver, Aldila Phenom NL 65TX
Adams Super LS 15˚ fairway, Kusala black 72x
Adams Super LS 18˚ fairway, Aldila Rip'd NV 75TX
Adams Idea pro VST hybrid, 21˚, RIP Alpha 105x
Adams DHY 24˚, RIP Alpha 89x
5-PW Maltby TE irons, KBS C taper X, soft stepped once 130g
Mizuno T4, 54.9 KBS Wedge X
Mizuno R12 60.5, black nickel, KBS Wedge X
Odyssey Metal X #1 putter 
Bridgestone E5, Adidas samba bag, True Linkswear Stealth
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I think it is important to emphasize the properly fit part. I see many guys at my club with drivers that don't fit them and they lose distance because of it. P.S. I don't let them know this unless they ask so I can continue to take their money.

Michael

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One thing my friend and I love watching are the Taylormade driver fitting videos. Every time they come out with a new driver, Dustin Johnson hits it and pretends he's hitting it 15 yards further than the previous model, but when you watch the fitting video for the previous model, he hits it the exact same distance.

Driver: :tmade: Burner '08 10.5* 3 wood: :tmade: Rocketballz 15* 3 hybrid: :tmade: Burner Superlaunch 18* 4 hybrid: :tmade: Rescue 11 21* Irons: :tmade: Burner 1.0 5-AW Wedges: :vokey: Spin Milled 54* :cleve: CG16 58* Putter: :odyssey: 2 Ball Blade Grips: Golf Pride VDR white Balls: :titleist: Velocity Bag: :tmade: Audi bag

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Originally Posted by iacas

This will be very short.

Every driver goes about the same distance these days. Choose the one you like to look at, the one that fits your game, the one that gives you confidence, the one you want. If it's properly fit for you, a driver from any of the major manufacturers (and any other good ones) will go just as far as any other one.

That's definitely a part of our reviews, to really identify what golfer the club(s) were reviewing would benefit.  So even though no driver is "hotter" than any other, they might have some different characteristics.  For example, the Anser driver is maybe the lowest spinning driver out there so it's not going to be a great club for someone with a slower swing speed.  This is where some golfers can actually hit the RBZ 3 woods shorter, the CoG is more forward but a golfer that doesn't have enough speed, can't get it in the air or keep it in the air long enough.  The 17 yard claim was based off a golfer with 150mph ball speed, much higher than your average player.  But like Erik said there is some wiggle room with fairway woods and I def hit the RBZ farther than my previous fairway wood but it wasn't 17 yards longer.

If you're really looking for more yardage, best way to do it is to work on your mechanics.  That doesn't mean you need a complete swing overhaul but most players would see distance gains as their Keys #2 and 3 improved.  Low single digit handicap golfers hit it farther than double digit handicappers, their mechanics are better, produce better impact alignments.  Even though there isn't necessarily a direct correlation but having some kind of stretching routine can't hurt either.

Mike McLoughlin

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Originally Posted by iacas

Every driver goes about the same distance these days.

I'm going to have to disagree.  The new TM driver is Rocketballzier than anything else on the market.  The empirical evidence is overwhelming.

Kevin

Titleist 910 D3 9.5* with ahina 72 X flex
Titleist 910F 13.5* with ahina 72 X flex
Adams Idea A12 Pro hybrid 18*; 23* with RIP S flex
Titleist 712 AP2 4-9 iron with KBS C-Taper, S+ flex
Titleist Vokey SM wedges 48*, 52*, 58*
Odyssey White Hot 2-ball mallet, center shaft, 34"

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Originally Posted by Ed Rooney

I select golf balls by short game and putting performance. From the tee I might as well hit a pinnacle.

On the green the prov1x is the best for me.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A guy I play with occasionally uses a "distance" ball. He's a scratch guy that regularly hits 300 meter drives and finishes well under par(Bastard).  His rational is he's a huge hitter and most of the greens he's playing to are watered, soft, almost pluggy greens. He says it doesn't matter what ball he hits to the green, it's gunna stop anyway, so he may as well hit a distance ball to get within wedge territory.

Taking the above advice may lead to destruction of your golf game. Laughing at it may reduce stress.

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A guy I play with occasionally uses a "distance" ball. He's a scratch guy that regularly hits 300 meter drives and finishes well under par(Bastard).  His rational is he's a huge hitter and most of the greens he's playing to are watered, soft, almost pluggy greens. He says it doesn't matter what ball he hits to the green, it's gunna stop anyway, so he may as well hit a distance ball to get within wedge territory.

I think you missed the point. There is no distance balls. They all fly about the same distance. I have a launch monitor and bought sleeves of all the popular balls mid to high price. I found Erik's observation to be true. I am going to pick a ball based on price and feel around the green.

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Originally Posted by inthecup

I think you missed the point. There is no distance balls. They all fly about the same distance.

I have a launch monitor and bought sleeves of all the popular balls mid to high price. I found Erik's observation to be true. I am going to pick a ball based on price and feel around the green.

Really! I'm surprised at that. So something like an e7 will go the same distance as a b330 spin ball!! ......Pinnacle gold goes the same distance as a prov1??!!!

**** me!

Taking the above advice may lead to destruction of your golf game. Laughing at it may reduce stress.

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Must be the club and ball technology rules.


My favorite moment was, so your buying new clubs?
The guy I coach yes.
I went on, so your buying those due to they are better?
He "No beacuse they looks good as there is no difference between them."


Looks and feel

Robert Something

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Originally Posted by logman

Really! I'm surprised at that. So something like an e7 will go the same distance as a b330 spin ball!! ......Pinnacle gold goes the same distance as a prov1??!!!

Depending on your launch conditions, one or the other may go slightly farther, but in terms of the rules, just about every golf goes within about a yard or so of as far as they can legally go.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Really! I'm surprised at that. So something like an e7 will go the same distance as a b330 spin ball!! ......Pinnacle gold goes the same distance as a prov1??!!! **** me!

Yes' I only tested a reasonable range of balls but they were all so close that it really didn't matter As I said I am looking for a mid priced ball that I like around the greens.

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Oh, great. Then I go buy a few more lessons, right? Will do. (BTW, Erik sells lessons, not clubs ...)

The other day I bought clubs from 1988, because I like the looks. Blades. Fun thing is, they fly the range rock-ball as far as my GI clubs from 2001. The 1988 stick has 3 degrees more loft and stiff shafts and worn grooves and are hard to hit blades. That made me go hmmm. Bought another set I really liked from 1999 for cheap. Am happy now. Really happy. Now I just need the snow to go away and go test those old irons on the course.

I admit, the new driver show every spring is very tempting. Adjustability of the heads sounds like a really nice feature. But speed slots, etc.?

Or think of those Bridgestones ball fitting events. On bad days I take old balls I found, maybe hit a no-brand bad-looking rock over a pond. And guess what, works like a charm and feels like a rock hit solid. Now I buy e7 balls cheaper with a sponsor logo on them for tourneys.

But when it comes to looks, it more and more gets into the fashion thing. White club heads, black wedges. Whats next? Yeah, orange...

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My kids pick up balls from our family course....all kinds of "junk" balls and high priced balls.

Sometimes I get bored and go outside and hit 8 or 10 shot with a 6 iron or something. Because of this post I just realized that all of those shots travele about the same distance! (If struck well).

Hmmm...maybe I don't need to spend the money on ProV's anymore!

Except.....distance isn't everything! Feel baby! Gotta feel right around the greens!

In the bag:

Cleveland 3-PW Irons CG16, Cleveland CG15 gap, Cleveland 56 SW, TaylorMade Burner 2.0 driver, Nike SQ 3W, TaylorMade r7 Rescue, Scotty, Small Bottle of Crown!

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Except with the ProV1 type balls, I can get a 7 iron to stop after one or two hops.  The NXT Tour or similar balls will run out more, which is what I don't want on the greens.  I don't see much difference off the tee.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

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Interesting thread.  When you say "these days", you mean clubs models within 1-3 years of each other?  My last driver change was a 5 year old driver (7 years ago) to a then current technology driver.  Per the launch monitor, I was hitting the new driver consistently 15+ yards farther than the old.  Now, I'm looking to upgrade my 8+ year old irons.  According to the sales people I'm talking to, the current yardage gains are due to more aggressive lofts, NOT hotter face technology.  I'm looking for the same forged feel, but with a more confident inspiring look. With lofts 2+ degrees stronger, I would expect 5-10 more yards out of a club.  While there is an illusion about distance, if you are upgrading from 10 years ago, I believe a player will get more yardage out of new equipment.

Driver :tmade: R1

Fairwaywood :tmade: Rocketballz Stage 2 15*

Hybrids :ping: i15 20* and 23* Hybrids

Irons :mizuno: MP64 4 - PW

Wedges :edel: 54* and 58* 

Putter :edel: 

Golf Ball :titleist: Pro V1 

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