Do Pro V Practice Balls matter?

[Termduke]

I have been "practicing" on my game a lot more this spring. I try to go and chip or putt every night after work. I usually just use some random balls that I do not use in normal rounds. WHen I am golfing serious I use PRO V1s. Do you think it is worth the money to buy prov practice balls so i can develop the feel and touch with the same balls that I use in normal rounds???

[David in FL]

For chipping and putting, I definitely think it matters. I just rotate my used balls to the practice bag and keep a good supply there. An added advantage is that they're marked from having been played and are easy to keep track of on the practice green.......

[DavidFehertysBike]

I do pretty much the same thing david does. After i wear out my game balls, i just rotate them to short game duty. I played NXT tours almost exclusivley last season, but the new pro v is more durable now so i switched to that ball. My practice bag is mixed between the two, and i can definatly notice the difference on the practice green with the putting and chipping. Its nice to be able to dial in your game with one specific ball.

[Leftygolfer]

Agree. I think they react so differently that you have to practice with the same ball to see how they will react on the green.

[goblue107501]

You could just use the balls you are playing with (the prov-1 if that is what you use on the course). I don't think there is a need to buy 'practice' balls. If you are going to use them to chip and putt on the practice green, you are not going to ruin them in any way just by hitting some putts and chips. It would be different if there is a practice area and you would hit them 40-50 yards and possibly lose them somewhere or if you hit them hard enough to cut them. I will usually just pull out 3 or 4 of my regular balls and use them to chip and putt from different areas on the green.

[cfmgolf]

One of the biggest selling points of the PRO V1 is their feel around the greens on putts and chips. If you are using balls for your practice sessions that are not of the same "type" you will definitely see a difference. Specifically on the little chips that might roll out for you with a lower quality ball, but might grab when using the PRO V. When you get on the course, you just might not have the confidence to know how the ball is going to react. For short shots around the green, older PRO V's or even your game balls will hold up fine. Good Luck.

[Dub]

Most of the guys I know who game the PROV! Practice balls....sort them and exchange them amound themselves to game the X or the regular.


Great balls.

[barrettbonden]

  DavidFehertysBike said:

I do pretty much the same thing david does. After i wear out my game balls, i just rotate them to short game duty. I played NXT tours almost exclusivley last season, but the new pro v is more durable now so i switched to that ball. My practice bag is mixed between the two, and i can definatly notice the difference on the practice green with the putting and chipping. Its nice to be able to dial in your game with one specific ball.

Completely agree. What I think (and do):

1.- assess my budget and find a ball I can afford to have for everything 2.- stick to it and have ONLY that ball around I think It really matters to use the same ball for practicing

[mdvaldosta]

Definately practice putting and chipping with the same ball you play with. Especially if you play with a high end ball like the ProV1 that checks up on most pitch shots.

[Thaddy]

I used to play Bridgestone e6+ and Callaway Big Bertha Diablo balls until I discovered www.lostgolfballs.com .

Now, I can pick up two dozen brand new/hit once Pro V1x's for $30 shipped. No sense in paying $45 per dozen when you can get them that cheap.

[Bourbon and Coke]

I would say it's important for most players.

I certainly practice with the same balls I play with, and like others, I make a point of using the ones that are no longer gameable.

[Lovgoel]

One way to get a good set of practice pro-v's as well is to go to a play-it-again sports and dig through the bucket of used balls. At the one i went to in MS, they had balls for a quarter and 6 for a dollar. I found 2 dozen brand spanking new pro-vs in this thing. I mean, I dont usually play pro-v's, but who can beat $90 worth of balls for 4 bucks? At the very least, i got some cheap presents for friends.

This is also a good way of acquiring "trial sleeves" of balls that you've been wanting to try. I picked up 3 Callaway Tour I's and 3 Bridgestone B-330's for a buck to try out. Haven't gamed them yet, but it's nice to know i have the option for less than $20 bucks total.

Hope that helps!

P.S. Be sure to pick up a shag bag too, it'll make your practicing much more efficient. You might be able to get them to "throw in" some practice balls with one if they really have no idea what they're giving up!

[maraca2020]

how much worse are the practice pro v1's? because they're alot cheaper. Thanks

[goblue107501]

Same ball, just have 'PRACTICE' stamped on the side. If you can get them cheap, go for it. If I am correct, the X-Outs are the balls you have to worry about, and even then, 99% of them are fine.

[maraca2020]

great thanks. Any way to find out the bad ones? Like I know old pros used to float balls in salt water to find the center

[goblue107501]

If you did find a bad X-Out you wouldn't ever know it, so I wouldn't worry about it. From what I have read and heard about them, the issue with the ball that makes them X-Outs is so small and insignificant no one would ever tell.

The practice balls are fine though.

[Knockglock]

  Thaddy said:

I used to play Bridgestone e6+ and Callaway Big Bertha Diablo balls until I discovered

  None said:

how much worse are the practice pro v1's? because they're alot cheaper. Thanks

I bought 2 dozen of the lowest quality prov1's (2007 kind) on that site, and have been using them to practice and to play rounds (since i'm not really that good yet I don't think the little scratches have affected me too much). They were actually much cheaper, including shipping, than the extremely cheap top flite's I had been buying at Target (top flight straight distance ones) $8 a dozen (including shipping, but if you buy a larger quantity I think shipping starts to get a little bit less per dozen) vs. $10 or 12 a dozen. Basically all the balls had a solid scuff on them, like you would get from a cart path or wedge shot, but other than that they weren't too bad for the most part. Some were bad and some were better than that, I actually got a few that weren't bad quality at all!

I have to say that they weren't that bad. It was exciting playing a quality ball like the Prov1, and I was actually able to get backspin on occasion, and can get them to check quite well compared to the old rock hard top flites I was playing. Sure they're not in the greatest condition, and if I was in a tournament or gambling scenario I probably wouldn't play them. But its nice to have the convenience of a good ball without having to worry about losing one in the brush or in the water.

[Fat Slice]

  goblue107501 said:

You could just use the balls you are playing with (the prov-1 if that is what you use on the course). I don't think there is a need to buy 'practice' balls. If you are going to use them to chip and putt on the practice green, you are not going to ruin them in any way just by hitting some putts and chips.

Exactly. I suppose I don't understand the problem the OP has. What is lost by using game balls for practice?