Are You "Loyal" to One Golf Ball?

[ChetlovesMer]

Most of the folks I play regularly with are very loyal to one particular golf ball. Personally I play the Srixon Divide almost exclusively. Every now and again I'll test another brand of ball, but I pretty much only fill my bag with Srixon Divide. 

One of the guys I play with uses the Callaway "Soccer Ball" pretty much exclusively, another I play with uses the lime-greenish-yellow Kirkland Signature, and another only plays PRO-V1's. 

I find that most of the golfers I encounter play one ball exclusively. ... or pretty close to exclusively. I've always thought that was a pretty smart idea as you get used to how your ball performs off the wedges, the putter, the driver etc... 

So, are you loyal to one particular ball, or are you just playing what ever is cheapest, or what ever you find in the woods, or some other choice? 

[DaveP043]

I have bought only Snell balls for a while now, maybe 6 or 8 years.  I've been given some TP5's (while volunteering at a local PGA event), and will certainly play (in casual rounds) the occasional ProV1 or TP5 I find.   In competitions, I play the Snells.  So yeah, I'm pretty brand loyal.  

[GolfLug]

No. I flip flop between Snell MTB and Titleist Pro-V1x depending upon greens. Fast, hard greens = Pro-V1X since it bites more off wedges and irons. 

[DeadMan]

Yes, I stick with one ball. That ball has changed a bit over the years - from a Callaway to a Snell to a ProV1 currently. I want to know how my ball will react when it hits the green, when I'm chipping, etc. Using the same ball gives me confidence that I know what it's going to do.

Does it matter that much? I don't know for sure. I do think it matters some with wedge shots, because I've had different balls react differently on those. That includes short game and longer wedge shots. I like knowing what the ball will do on the green in that 40-130 yard range.

That said, my very inexpert opinion is that the only difference with a lot of urethane balls is the amount of spin off the driver. I picked a ball with low spin off the driver. I'm guessing I could switch to other manufacturers low-spin models and not notice much of a difference.

[GolfLug]

2 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

Does it matter that much? I don't know for sure. I do think it matters some with wedge shots, because I've had different balls react differently on those. That includes short game and longer wedge shots. I like knowing what the ball will do on the green in that 40-130 yard range.

That said, my very inexpert opinion is that the only difference with a lot of urethane balls is the amount of spin off the driver. I picked a ball with low spin off the driver. I'm guessing I could switch to other manufacturers low-spin models and not notice much of a difference.

For me wedge/iron spin difference and resulting bite seems markedly higher with a Pro-v1x, especially lower flighted shots. I can't tell how different, if at all, are they off the driver. OP, sorry if this is going off topic. This will be the last post on performance.

[Darkfrog]

I am a semi-one-ball-loyal. I play Snell or Vice because the price/performance is right on for me. I buy in bulk when there is a sale, and will play those until I am down to my last box due to lost/retired balls, and then lookout for the next sale or discount code. I think I have 8 or 9 boxes of Snell left from my last buy, so I am good for awhile.

Lately I have been mixing in some ProV1s because I am not losing many balls, I have several gift boxes.

When my swing goes into complete dumpster fire mode, I will buy a 2-pack of Kirklands until I sort out the lost ball misses.

[ChetlovesMer]

1 hour ago, GolfLug said:

For me wedge/iron spin difference and resulting bite seems markedly higher with a Pro-v1x, especially lower flighted shots. I can't tell how different, if at all, are they off the driver. OP, sorry if this is going off topic. This will be the last post on performance.

No problem. Run with it, man. 

51 minutes ago, Darkfrog said:

When my swing goes into complete dumpster fire mode, I will buy a 2-pack of Kirklands until I sort out the lost ball misses.

[zero]

I play the Kirkland Signature neon yellow. It's basically a Pro V1 for the rest of us. I would consider switching to a comparable ball at a comparable price, but how do you beat 2 dozen for $35?

[Vinsk]

I think the ProV1 series receive my sharpie ball mark better than any other brand. Something about the absorption that limits the ball flight effect from the added weight of the ink. I could try some other brands…but it would take me a month to get used to a different ball.

[billchao]

I’ve pretty much only played Snells for a while, now. I have five dozen Prime 4.0s sitting on my shelf waiting for when I finish losing my MTB Primes.

[WillieT]

I wish I could say I'm one ball loyal...but I'm not.  Lately its been Bridgestone in the TourB line (part of that is due to the Mindset testing that I got to be part of).  I have some older found Tour RB-X balls that I like to play.  However, one thing I have found that I really like how urethane covers react around the green - but love the distance a good two-piece offers - as such the Snell 2.0 has piqued my interest - but I have too many "new" balls to play out before I really need some....Maybe I need to donate some new balls to the local high school golf team....

[mcanadiens]

As a hacker, I play a lot of found balls of all sorts. However, when buying I've been generally getting either the Callaway Supersoft or the Wilson Duo Soft.

It's probably a coincidence more than anything, but I feel like I've done better with the Callaway product. It's a extra $5 per dozen most of the time, but it's my head now. May be time to ditch the Wilson ball for good. 

 

[woodzie264]

I’m not good enough that I think it really matters. Occasionally I play a box of something new for funzies. Recently played with the Oncore Vero X1. It’s probably foreign to most, but it does fly straighter for me. Prior to that I was digging Titleist AVX’s. I’ll play the Vero X1s for a while. 

[snapfade]

23 hours ago, Vinsk said:

I think the ProV1 series receive my sharpie ball mark better than any other brand. Something about the absorption that limits the ball flight effect from the added weight of the ink. I could try some other brands…but it would take me a month to get used to a different ball.

I would suggest not filling in every dimple, that might help with ball flight.

[Vinsk]

14 hours ago, woodzie264 said:

I’m not good enough that I think it really matters. Occasionally I play a box of something new for funzies. Recently played with the Oncore Vero X1. It’s probably foreign to most, but it does fly straighter for me. Prior to that I was digging Titleist AVX’s. I’ll play the Vero X1s for a while. 

I don’t think it matters period. Well, I should say there is only recognizable differences among the extremes. If you play with a good ole Pinnacle rock ball compared to a Chrome Soft you’ll see differences in green activity. I don’t deny there are changes period …I just don’t buy how those changes aren’t negligible. ‘Oh…I gain 0.025 strokes with this ball.’ ‘I hit that ball 1.4yds further on average.’ I mean, it’s fun to throw those numbers out there and delve into the hobby…but that’s really all it is; entertaining.😃

[Clemsonfan]

I don’t play as often as I like. Given that, I try and minimize variables and have used the Maxfli Tour X for several years now.

[pganapathy]

Vitamin M determines this.  A lot of times I am buying used balls and hence by default I am not brand loyal since I buy varied balls.  I try to get as many ProV's in that as possible because they tend to perform better even when old.  But that depends on what is available.  When I buy new it mostly tends to be the Inesis Tour 900 of late, because it is the cheapest three piece urethane ball available in India

[Typhoon92]

Nope, no loyalty for the most part.  With my handicap you’d think I’d be one of those anal nuts but no.  I have no idea really the blurred lines between a lot of 5 piece balls.  I try to stick to Pro v’s or TP5 or Chromesoft.  Can’t tell the difference between any of them, can’t tell the difference between x and non x. AVX seems the same to me as well.  Mostly anyrhing I pull out of my bag I use.  Sometimes I pull out a Pinnacle Exception or Callaway Supersoft and use that just fine.  Whatever I find I use