Ball closest to ProV1

[powerfader]

I'm not sure how a ball that has a non-permeable plastic or urethane cover can "absorb" water. It is true that balls that have been in lakes for long periods of time can lose some of their playablility, but that is mostly due to being "stored" in lower than ideal temperatures under the water. Golf balls need to be stored between 70 & 80 degrees, and the temperatures at the bottom of the water is usually much less, even during the summer months.

I thought this was common knowledge but apparently not, can I direct your attention sirs to: http://www.thegolfchannel.com/equipm...usiness-29260/ “Since our top priority is product quality, we do not approve of the re-used business model,” said one executive at a top company who asked not to be named. “The difference in performance of a ball directly from the factory compared to one that has been subjected to severe weather and water conditions can be significant. Therefore, we don't think consumers who want quality and consistency are well served with re-used balls.” “All golf balls will lose distance if they have been submerged in water for months,” said Steve Ogg, vice president of golf ball research and development for Callaway Golf. “The magnitude of the loss will be very dependent upon the material characteristics of the cover and/or mantle. Different materials have different barrier properties. The spin characteristics are likely to be impacted to a lesser degree. The duration of time that the balls have been exposed to sunlight and water will typically be more important if the cover appears to be in good shape, with no cuts or scuffing.” But is a new coat of paint the cure for all ills? Depends on your perspective. “If the ball has been refinished, the aerodynamic characteristics may be significantly degraded,” Ogg said. “The effect of re-coating will be dependent upon the starting aerodynamic characteristics.”

[pjsnyc]

FWIW - I've been playing Nike One Platinums recently (haven't yet tried the One Tour series yet, but should be similar) and honestly am starting to like them more than ProV1s.

You definitely lose some distance and the trajectory can get pretty high, but I find that they perform much better off the tee in terms of anti slice/hook than the Titleists yet still have a crap load of spin for greenside shots. Feels nice off the putterhead too!

[HytrewQasdfg]

I played the ProV1 for two years. I recently had the opportunity to play the

If they aren't any cheaper than the pro-v1, what's the point (unless you just hate the name Titleist for some reason)?

The pro-v1 is the standard every other ball is measured against. "Just as good as for the same price" doesn't cut it. It needs to be either better or cheaper.

[dalirahma]

I think the high end srixons are pretty darn close to a pro v1. Golf Galaxy had last year's premium ball, zurs, going for $20 bucks a dozen. I bought 8 dozen immediately.

[yellowvette]

[COLOR=navy]
“Since our top priority is product quality, we do not approve of the re-used business model,” said one executive at a top company who asked not to be named. “The difference in performance of a ball directly from the factory compared to one that has been subjected to severe weather and water conditions can be significant. Therefore, we don't think consumers who want quality and consistency are well served with re-used balls.”

“All golf balls will lose distance if they have been submerged in water for months,” said Steve Ogg, vice president of golf ball research and development for Callaway Golf.

Of course a golf company executive will say that, they want to sell more golf balls. The quote from Golf Channel doens't help much either because who funds the Golf Channel? Manufacturers' advertising dollars. It is the same as car manufacture's recommending oil changes every 3000 miles, they want to sell more oil. I follow those guidelines on my Corvette Z06 (I also clean my clubs after every round), but I haven't changed the oil in my 140,000 mile Jeep Cherokee in 4 years... it's still running strong too. Think about the company you work for, everything is about sales, how do you increase them? Sell more. If people are using re-cycled balls then they aren't buying new ones. I'm not saying that they don't degrade over time, but not to the degree they lead consumers to believe. Balls that sit at the bottom of a lake for years are crap. But purchasing mint, or AAAA quality balls can save you a fortune. I get recycled pro v 1's AAAA rated from lostgolfballs.com and they perform just like the new ones and it saves me a bundle. I believe my eyes, not what some executive that is trying to sell more balls says.

[Lefty22]

A couple of the guys I golf with are gaming the ProV1 ''practice" balls.

Great balls and on the "List of Conforming Golf Balls" as well (unlike an X-Out). $25 at Golf Discount if you can still find them...

Link to Titleist Site listing details of X-Outs vs PRACTICE balls

[HytrewQasdfg]

...I haven't changed the oil in my 140,000 mile Jeep Cherokee in 4 years...

There was a long debate on new vs. used balls on here somewhere.

The AAAA rating is based on what the ball looks like on the OUTSIDE. Who knows what the actual condition of the ball is on the inside.

[bIGwIRE]

Studies have shown that lake balls (refurbished or not) fail to perform at anything like the standard of new balls, they might look good as new but they will have absorbed water and as such won't fly as true or long.

True, it has been proven that they lose a little bit after sitting in the water... but still, they closest thing to a new ProV1 is a refurbished ProV1....

I've seen refurbished balls at shop-ko for 12.99 a dozen....I'm sure at least one per dozen was found in the woods.

[GaijinGolfer]

Id go with a Bridgestone B330 or Srixon Z-Star. Both are just as good if not better than a Pro V1 and less expensive. B330s and Z-Stars go for about $40 a dozen.
Another good option if you can find them are Precept U-Tri Tours. They are a 3-piece, urethane covered ball that is just as good as a Pro V1 but can be bought for less than $20 a dozen.
They are an older ball that hasnt been made for a few years though, so they can be hard to find.
Wal-Mart around here sells them they recent cut the price from $20 a dozen to $11 a dozen.

[twinke masta]

Id go with a Bridgestone B330 or Srixon Z-Star. Both are just as good if not better than a Pro V1 and less expensive. B330s and Z-Stars go for about $40 a dozen.

Wow thats ridiculous prices

[Fore Right!]

The Nike One Platinum is by FAR the best ball for the price right now...at $30/dozen it's an extreme bargain and it is just as playable and solid as the ProV1.

[burnerboy05]

The ProV1 and ProV1x are still very good balls to play however they have become expensive. If you are looking for a ball to practice with inbetween tournaments, assuming you do, I would look at the Taylor Made Burner TP LDP golf ball. They are less than $30 a dozen. Another comprable ball is the Callaway HX Bite, and that also comes to about the same price. If you are not worried about the money, Nike One Platinum/Black is a good ball to keep in mind as well. To be honest, for practice purposes, I get sufficient spin and distance when I play Top Flite Gamers. They are cheap and come with 15 in the pack. I golf for a D1 university, and practice with them so I'm not lying when I say that they are good enough to practice with. For tournaments I used Taylor Made TP Black balls. Hope this helps!