Can a golf ball make such a difference?

[Titleist_ProV1x]

On Sunday I played 18 holes and basically played with two golf balls.

It's not called the " #1 ball in golf " for nothing

[andef]

I agree it wasn't the ball but you want to know the two reasons why I play a ProV1x?
1. It lasts 36 holes or more
2. I never lose them so I play with it for 36 holes until it's in terrible shape and I just use for chipping in my garden

[andef]

They say in order to properly compress a V1/V1x, you should be swinging at 110mph+.

There's a podcast on the main site where one of the main Titleist guys says that 110+ is just a myth and almost any player can benefit from playing a ProV1/ProV1x.

I get more distance, more spin around the greens and my drives are straighther and as i stated above it's very durable. Are you saying there's no reason I should play this ball if I like it more than others I've tried? Plus my golf shop sells them to me for 30 dollars since I always buy from them, making it worth the money.

[golfro]

well consider me surprised. I don't mean to be a jerk but I find it hard to believe that a double digit handicapper has that much control of their spin, enough to tell the subtle differences in a 20$ ball vs a V1/V1x. I consider myself a high spin short game player especially with short chips and wedge work, and as long as my clubs have grooves, I can put some spin on it regardless of what ball I use. I can't say I've played a round where I play one ball after another, each with the same shot...but I have played a hell of a lot of balls and not once did I think "damn this Titleist V1/V1x / Taylormade Penta / (Insert premium ball here) is great!"

Truth of the matter is, play what works for you but to think the ball is what makes your drives go straight(er) sounds rather ridiculous to me. Whether I'm using a cheapo driving range ball or a Titleist V1x, a mishit is a mishit. If I'm not on the sweet spot , then I know immediately and the ball, despite what ball I'm using, will immediately show it. A slice is a slice because of my swing. a hook is a hook because of my swing, not because of the ball I'm using.
If you think a Titleist V1 is making your ball go straight, then put that credit towards confidence because you're giving the ball way too much credit.

Hey, if you can buy them for $30, by all means, V1/V1x it is. I just have a hard time believing that people can tell the difference like night and day in the way their ball flies and how much spin they're putting in by the ball they're using. Hell, I have a hard time telling the difference between a tour ball and a driving range ball sometimes. If I'm hitting them well, doesn't matter what ball I use, the things going where I want it to.

[Shanks A Million]

I agree it wasn't the ball but you want to know the two reasons why I play a ProV1x?

How the hell does anyone make a ball last for 18, let alone 36 holes? A ProV1 or ProV1x for me lasts 6 holes or so before the cover starts to show scuff marks from the grooves. Little peices of the cover can be found in the grooves of my clubs as well after each shot.

There's a podcast on the main site where one of the main Titleist guys says that 110+ is just a myth and almost any player can benefit from playing a ProV1/ProV1x.

It's about a 105 compression for a ProV1x, which is similar to most TopFlite or other distance balls. To say it takes a 110 mph swing to compress it would be a little off for sure. If that were true, you could only compress it with a driver.

[senorchipotle]

I agree it wasn't the ball but you want to know the two reasons why I play a ProV1x?

if you're playing pro v1x's and it's lasting 36 holes, i doubt you're getting out of them what you need in a ball, which is distance. my wedges will chew up a pro v1 in a round and a half, often less. i play nike one tour platinum and tp reds, and get them recycled for 15 bucks for two dozen. you don't need to spend lots of money to play decent balls. you'd profit better from an nxt or one of the bridgestone series. when i was your age, i played noodles all day long and loved them. my favorite ball has and probably always will be the original maxfli revolutions, aka the best ball ever, which they no longer make. but i only played titleists when i found them in the woods, water, etc.

but to answer your question, balls make the most difference with iron shots into the green. i know that if i hit a 6 iron from 180 out into the green with a high spin ball, be it a pro v; z star; nike plat etc, it will usually stop within 10 ft. i cannot say the same for the lower compression/lower spin balls.

[andef]

well i'm not saying i can tell the difference between a prov1x and a nxt tour. it might be that i have huge confidence in the ball and play well with it but the only reason i play a prov1x instead of an nxt tour is because i can get it for the same price at the golf shop here and i have three dozen prov1x to use (presents from friends who work at the golf shop).
i don't wonna sound like i don't respect your comments and suggestions and as quite a few of you have suggested, i'll try the nxt tour and compare it to what i currently use. the thing i'm really interested in seeing a ball stop on the greens and i can't do that with a long iron when i use a top flite.
golfro, i agree that i can still spin my shots with a 30$ balls and i don't notice a night and day difference between them...after all only my swing can hit the ball straight.

[ET-Taylor]

I only play Pro V1s i find or buy from this person that sells them for almost 40p a ball

[shades9323]

It's not called the " #1 ball in golf " for nothing

It's not called the #1 most found ball in golf for nothing!

[iacas]

It's about a 105 compression for a ProV1x, which is similar to most TopFlite or other distance balls. To say it takes a 110 mph swing to compress it would be a little off for sure. If that were true, you could only compress it with a driver.

Nobody ever "fully compresses" a golf ball, so why are we throwing out numbers? It's pointless.

All other things equal, a firmer ball has a higher ball speed (and typically less spin and a higher launch angle) off just about any club. That's about it. If you swing at 80 MPH or 120 MPH a Pro V1x could work for you IF you like how it works for you. Or another ball could. Pros play premium balls, which is why the myth that you have to swing 110 MPH to "activate the core" or some crap got started. It's just a ball, there's no "activating the core" and you're not losing distance you'd otherwise gain if you can magically go from 108 to 111 MPH or 102 to 105 or anything - you just get the increased distance that comes proportionally (minus a little bit) with that increased swing speed. It's not a mystery. The myth is just that - a myth.

[Trek3]

I don't think balls make a very big difference for the vast majority of players. I notice which balls go farther and which ones check on the greens but my overall score doesn't really change.

[sean_miller]

I don't think balls make a very big difference for the vast majority of players. I notice which balls go farther and which ones check on the greens but my overall score doesn't really change.

I implied earlier that the average player could adjust after a couple holes (assuming they made good enough contact to hit a full shot and land it on a green). If the ball doesn't bite as much, just allow for a bit of release. That's how I started - worn out grooves and a Top Flite Plus - hit the front edge and watch the ball release to the pin. Front pin? Land it on the apron. Aaah . . . memories.

[Titleist_ProV1x]

Read up and be informed

http://www.titleist.com.sg/customers...sp?faqid=64541

[sean_miller]

Read up and be informed

That looks like the same golf ball marketing jargon seen on the back of any 12 pack of random golf balls - read the company generated press clipping and any ball is the greatest ball ever - even Dunlp DDHs.

[trumps4]

It sorta bugs me when folks say "a double digit handicap has no business playing a [insert premium ball here]." Sure, perhaps we don't have the swing speed to gain much of a distance benefit but I feel sure that the majority of players can tell a difference in a ProV and a HX Hot from 50 yards and in. I know I can.
Having said that, I don't think my scores would be a lot different if I played 5 rounds with a HX Hot and compared that to 5 rounds with a Pro V1. I choose a ball the same way I do any other piece of equipment. By considering price, effect on my scores, and if it makes the game more fun for me. If that formula (weighting those variables however I choose) spits out Callaway Tour I, then that is the ball for me PERIOD.
Bottom line, play what you think works best for you that you are willing to pay for. Don't give it a second thought if your buddy or some dude on a message board says it isn't right for you.

[enis750]

I'm gonna agree with you here. Too many amateurs spend way too much time determining if a certain ball or club is going ti magically make them a better player.

great post bro...opened my eyes

I have been testing some cheaper balls this year, for this exact reason i see no reason to spend $50+ on a box of balls I have testing some premium balls and really, not worth the extra dough I am however a big esthetics guy (I know who cares right) but i like simple designs on balls i am going to give some balls a shot this week the new FG's are a urethane covered 4 piece for $39/box or last years TX4's are on sale for $21/box i may spoil myself w some B'stone B33o-RX S's this year though.....those I like, but r pricey

[golfro]

It sorta bugs me when folks say "a double digit handicap has no business playing a [insert premium ball here]." Sure, perhaps we don't have the swing speed to gain much of a distance benefit but I feel sure that the majority of players can tell a difference in a ProV and a HX Hot from 50 yards and in. I know I can.

the point of my post was not to say that a high handicapper has no business playing a premium ball. My point was that each person should really think about why they're playing premium balls and what they're paying the extra money for. With that said, no offence to anyone, I just personally have a hard time believing that a high handicapper can detect minute spin control enough to be able to distinguish if a ball is a premium ball or not.

But at the end of the day, its your golf ball, not mine. I personally find no reasons to be paying a high price for a ball that doesn't give me that much difference in performance. Like I said, if I want a ball to spin, as long as my clubs have proper grooves and the ball has dimples, its in my swing, not the ball. I've never in my day felt that a certain ball is why I hit a wedge long due to improper spin. If I didn't get the ball to stick on the green, its because I either hit it long or because I didn't hit it right to generate the spin. Never have I felt that the ball didn't stick because I was using the wrong ball. Certainly, the ball does help in aiding more spin control and/or distance, but the difference to me is minimal and hard for me a gulp 30 mroe dollars for the difference.

[Canuck]

Great Post Golfro,

Here's my thought of golf balls, I put alot of research into the balls I play and have tested out a bunch regularly. I have played with V1's and V1x's for awhile and played with Taylormade Reds for awhile. I have gone back to V1's and I will be staying there now. When it comes to choosing the right ball for your game, I would highly recommend not to focus on drivers and long irons. I would start around the greens with putter feel and ball roll. Then I would work back to chips,pitches and bunker play and see how the ball reacts and if the ball does what you are trying to achieve. If you find the right ball around the greens and short approach shots then I would say stick with it. putting and play around the greens as well as shots from 120yrds and in are key to scoring well. Thats my opinion and i hope it helps.