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What's the point in playing a Pro V?


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Has there been tests to see the difference in amount of sidespin on different balls and how it affects ball flight? Like Iron Byron, set up with an open clubface, then looking at how far the ball spun sideways.

That's actually brilliant!

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I think there is a large element of ball selection that has been totally omitted here...cost per ball!!! The difference between Pro V1 and Top Flights is about $30 per Doz. A ball of ProV's foes for average $45.95 (TGW) and the D2's for $15.95 (TGW), that translates to $3.82 and $1.32 per ball respectively. You have to look at this proposition from a cost benefit angle.

Most amateurs do need to play tour balls...can we benefit from them ..maybe, maybe not! But the question is can I afford to loose half a dozen balls in an outing at $3.82 a piece...for me the answer is hell no!!!! In USD's we are talking $22 or $7 for the round. I have played about 8 or 9 different balls since I started playing, ranging from $0.55 per ball to the ProV1 at $3.82 balls, and while my short game did benefit from the ProV1, the cost o0f playing these does not justify the minimal results on my score.

Most amateurs need to know how to properly swing to make the ball check.. I have been able to accomplish great checking from $20 Gamer and Gamers V2, but my issue is consistency...I have had times that the ProV1 just runs out...... Consistency of game will yield higher returns than the greatest ball or the greatest game. Phil M or Tiger W will kick my a$$ of give them a $20 plastic set from K Mart (balls included).

Bottom line is that there are great balls out there for all type of players, and I frankly not all players need ProV1...the Idea that a ball will make me drop my score is nuts, if everything else remains the same ie no classes, no practice, and nothing to change my issues!!). For my game, I have been playing Srixon Tri-Speeds and Top Flight Gamers with great results (gamers are better around the green IMHO) for $2 and $1.50 per ball respectively, and the truth is I will probably loose the ball before it becomes "unplayable" as many have stated.

The "game-improvement" benefits of the ProV1 do make sense at my stage of play when taking the cost into account!
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Most amateurs do need to play tour balls...can we benefit from them ..maybe, maybe not! But the question is can I afford to loose half a dozen balls in an outing at $3.82 a piece...for me the answer is hell no!!!! In USD's we are talking $22 or $7 for the round.

You are completely right. I started playing a premium ball (Nike One Platinum, Callaway Tour i) when I was a 25 handicapper (and lost maybe 3 per round). Was each round worth 11.46$? Hell no. However, I

have become more consistent with my swing so I can manage to play a ProV1x for up to 36 holes. Is a ball that costs 3.82$ worth 18/36 holes? Hell yes!!
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You are completely right. I started playing a premium ball (Nike One Platinum, Callaway Tour i) when I was a 25 handicapper (and lost maybe 3 per round). Was each round worth 11.46$? Hell no. However, I

what does a consistent swing have to do with how long a golf ball lasts?

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what does a consistent swing have to do with how long a golf ball lasts?

Here are couple connections:

1.) a more consistent swing tends to lead to fewer lost balls 2.) " " " fewer balls hit from bunkers, off trees, cart paths, and other cover scraping surfaces I think this is akin to the players v. sgi irons debate - there are valid arguments on either side, but in the end it's just a personal preference.

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.

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what does a consistent swing have to do with how long a golf ball lasts?

Exactly what sean miller stated. I only decided to add that to my comment because some guys attack you if you say that the ball is the thing that's making a huge difference. I only wanted to make sure that it was clear that this ball is helping me play better but the swing is what allows me to shoot lower scores.

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There is a small article in this months Golf Digest about how a higher handicap player should use a better ball, main part is for the short game. Within my golf group there are a good amount of 20+ handicaps and they all love the high end equipment but will not spend more than 20 bucks for a dozen of balls? Go figure....

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I think what this comes down to is that for most players using the same ball every shot should be as important as using the same set of clubs. You have to let yourself grow accustom to the feel and performance of one piece of equipment. Yes there are major advantages to using a top ball, i don't want to say pro v because the real argument here isn't for or against the pro v. The real argument is whether the benefit of playing a more expensive high preforming ball will out weigh the cost of playing it all the time, and i think it does for some people who have reached a certain ability level, but then again who's to say that you cant get just as used to a $15 a dozen ball.

Now if your a 25 hcp don't take offense to this but i doubt your trying to land the ball 10 feet past a pin to let it spin back for a tap in birdie but if your a 8 or 9 hcp the only thing that might be stopping you from making that same birdie is a cheap golf ball that doesn't bite the green and your putting but assume your an excellent putter. I also think it can hurt you more to play a pro v1 one day and a pro v1x the next, or a callaway tour i one day and a callaway tour ix, or a nike one tour one day and a nike vapor the next if you have not experimented with them and know how they both react off the club face. Considering the scenario i mentioned earlier, the pro v1 will spin back or stop leaving you a short 10 ft or less birdie putt while the pro v1x will stop or run out a few feet leaving you a 15 foot or less birdie putt. now if you look at a different scenario, say the pin is in the back and your hitting a pro v1 one day and a pro v1x the next. You hit your pro v1 and it lands on the pin but spins back leaving you a 15 foot putt, now say you come back the next day with a pro v1x and hit the same shot. the ball takes one big hop and stops leaving you a 5 foot tap in for birdie. If you know how to correct for these things you can obviously just land the pro v1x on the pin in the first example and take more club and swing softer with the pro v1 in the second.

Take the average golfer using a Nike Vapor in the same two scenarios. If he has 3 balls in his bag, a pro v1, pro v1x, and a nike vapor and he has already hit into the front pin and back pin with the pro v's and he is going to hit the vapor. The vapor will have to be played differently which most golfers wouldn't think about, you have to land it more before the pin. So you hit into the shot pin and land it on the pin instead of 10 ft past and it rolls out to about 20 feet. your chances of making a 20 foot putt are exponentially less than making a 10 ft putt, also if you didn't know this ball would roll out like a lot of people don't you would have tried to land it in the safe center of the green and you would have a 30 foot putt. Now take the back pin, where i will admit the vapor will have a huge advantage. you take your normal club and swing for the center and it rolls up within 10 feet in that aspect it is just as good as the expensive ball but with an expensive ball you can always just take an extra club and swing easier and more controlled and with both the pro v1 and the pro v1x they should release right to the hole rolling up within 10 feet as well.

The key to all these examples was to show that it doesnt matter which ball you use so much as how often you use it. You can see how using two or three different balls and not knowing how to play them can effect the game more than playing the same ball even if its not a spectacular ball. If you don't want to believe me go do the same test as i did from 100 yards out to a front pin and a back pin with 3 different balls and aim at the same place. The whole thing you should be looking for is consistency, but if you do decide to go with a high performance ball there are more shot options when you are faces with tough pin placements because getting it close and making the putt is how you score.

just my thoughts, let me know what you think.

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No high handicapper is going to benefit from a Pro V1 when 3 out of 5 chip shots they skull it back to the tee box. A lot of high Handicappers do this because they don't have a swing consistent enough to make solid contact with the ball. Until you have a consistent swing, and the ball does what you want it to do the majority of your shots on the course, a high dollar premium ball is useless.

I play primarily on an 18 hole par 3 course. I have over 20 Pro V1's in a bucket that I have picked up from guys who simply can't hit and lose their balls. What a huge waste of money. But just like with clubs and equipment, if having a high dollar premium label stamped on you stuff makes you feel better about the 120 you just dropped on the score card. More power to you....
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I play a premium ball (b330rx) strictly for the greenside play. I need all the help I can get so why not play a premium ball? And oh yea....I can hit them farther than my old 2 piece ball. e7+.
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I played with 3 golf balls today.

I think it matters what type of goler you are ...if you are a weekend warrior with a prety high handicap (like me) I think the top flite xl would be good but if you play a lot more than i think titliest

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I agree with the strong short game attributes of a player's ball like the PRO V1. The ball just does what I want I want it to do. I got up and down on 2 out of 2 par 3s last weekend, 2 out of 3 par 4s and 1 out of 1 par 5s. That's 5 extra pars that were saved! I refuse to believe that I could have gotten the same kind of check up and spin with a rock flite. As far as being a frequency golfer, that was my third time out and I golf about 3-4 times a month.

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who is to say the pro v's dont roll out the same

Again, you are thinking like the great golfer you are. Most of us don't have the consistency(me included) to regulate spin. It is NOT easy. I can hit the same chip shot 3 times. For me 2 are going to check up nicely and the other is going to roll past the hole. We are too inconsistent for a high spin ball. If we play a lower spin ball, the ball is not likeley to check up so it rolls out all the time being more consistent.
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Again, you are thinking like the great golfer you are. Most of us don't have the consistency(me included) to regulate spin. It is NOT easy. I can hit the same chip shot 3 times. For me 2 are going to check up nicely and the other is going to roll past the hole. We are too inconsistent for a high spin ball. If we play a lower spin ball, the ball is not likeley to check up so it rolls out all the time being more consistent.

not all of my shots check up either, being a 1 hcp and being a 11 hcp isnt that big of a difference and honestly the difference in my game now and when i was an 8 is that i play smarter. my swing is no difference and i lose just as many balls but i play for the high percentage shots. not all my chips stop on the dime but i make the semi long putt for the 3rd one that does roll out a good amount of the time and i know when to expect the ball to roll out. if you look at my percentages there not that different than yours. once you develope a repeatable swing the game is all about consistency and smart play. plus if you can make the ball spin 66% of the time your doing well. if you hit 66% of greens you would hit about 1.2% more than i do

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Understanding the characteristics of the balls is important...All top line mfgers make competitive models to the ProV, NXT etc etc...as long as you know what the models interchange to you shop for price...If Callaway is running a special over ProV buy it,,I doubt even a tour player could tell the difference.
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if you hit 66% of greens you would hit about 1.2% more than i do

I am talking about chip shots. I am hitting about 45% gir currently. Hopefully it will go up now that I got my driver squared away. This season is ther first season I am playing premium balls. If I didn't get 2 boxes of TP reds and a gift and found NIke one tours for $13/dozen I would probably be playing some D2 feels. I am leaving most of my 40 yards and in shots short because of the spin I am not used to.

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I am talking about chip shots. I am hitting about 45% gir currently. Hopefully it will go up now that I got my driver squared away. This season is ther first season I am playing premium balls. If I didn't get 2 boxes of TP reds and a gift and found NIke one tours for $13/dozen I would probably be playing some D2 feels. I am leaving most of my 40 yards and in shots short because of the spin I am not used to.

once you get used to that spin your going to have so much more control. i started a thread in the golf talk section about stats and such because i think it would be interesting to see what kind of numbers come from certain hcp players

|callaway.gif X460 Tour Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 73g | taylormade.gif 2i Rescue 11 |  3i HiBore Hybrid |  710 MB |  Wedge Works 48/06 |  cg12 52/08  | vokey.gifSpin Milled 56/11 | nike.gifSV Tour 60/10 | cameron.gif Studio Select Newport 2 34" |

 

rangefinder : LR550

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Has there been tests to see the difference in amount of sidespin on different balls and how it affects ball flight? Like Iron Byron, set up with an open clubface, then looking at how far the ball spun sideways.

Zeph... driver spin is driver spin. If it spins a lot going straight, it will spin (curve) a lot if not hit flush. This is why balls with low driver spin are better for amatures.

As for the others who state Swing Speed has no effect on the ProV1... you need to do some research. Almost ALL pros play a ball with a compression of over 105. Why, because they swing in excess of 100mph, and generally higher. Low compression balls are for slow swing speeds, and visa versa. Don't belive me... look it up!
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Note: This thread is 5040 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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