Practice Balls - wiffle, sponge, etc

[mellojoe]

Are these things any good? Or just a waste of time?

A co-worker handed me a couple of these spongy yellow practice golf balls. They look like golf-ball sized (and shaped) stress balls. Dimples and everything. I have a small backyard, so I've been hitting them into the side of the house. My wife doesn't get mad since they don't damage the house, and my neighbors don't complain because there is no noise with them.

However, are they any good for me? Or am I doing myself a disservice with them? Same question regarding the wiffle balls?

((I'm a beginning golfer just working on repetition of what I learned in "Lesson 1". Consistant grip. Consistant stance. Consistant swing. Consistant contact. Comfortably.))

[Snake]

Try THESE .

[Undr Par]

the wiffle balls work really good, in fact when I took a lesson last season the Pro told me about them and recommended them, he was stating that regardless of it being a wiffle ball or not if you make good contact with it, it's just like a real ball without the distance though, great teaching tool imo

[mphsglf]

I play around with almost golf balls and find them to have a pretty accurate ball flight. My only complaint is that after hitting them and then hitting a real golf ball, the real ball feels very heavy and is a bit of a shock to the hands.

[Razorhog]

Those birdie balls look cool, but they go far enough to defeat the purpose of practicing in the back yard. (at least my back yard)

[shortgrass lover]

Those birdie balls look fun. I'll have to order some soon

[mellojoe]

So, the general concensus is that they are OK to use when practicing?

[Snake]

Those birdie balls look cool, but they go far enough to defeat the purpose of practicing in the back yard. (at least my back yard)

Those birdie balls look fun. I'll have to order some soon

They are fun. My sons and I will hit them in the yard for hours. A 9 iron goes about 30 yards or so (depending on swing, wind, etc.). The cool thing is they feel similar to a golf ball when struck unlike foam or wiffle balls. And they fly similar too (except shorter obviously) - they will slice or hook like a real ball so they are good for working on your swing.