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Do you balance your golf balls?


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I personally wouldn't do it. They have these balancing things for sale at Sport Chalet for $40. I have never tried it, but I'm not going to bash you for doing it. It probably only takes a few minutes and who knows...maybe there is an advantage. I would never know though because I don't hit the ball consistently enough to tell one ball from the other much less a balanced ball from a non-balanced ball.

Irons: MP 57 with Project X Rifle 6.0 shafts
Driver: Big Bertha 460 (9 degree loft) with UST ProForce 66g V2X Graphite Shaft
Wedges: Spin Milled Black Nickel 56.14, Spin Milled Black Nickel 60.07, Spin Milled Black Nickel 52.08 (next purchase)
Putter: White Hot XG #6
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I personally wouldn't do it. They have these balancing things for sale at Sport Chalet for $40. I have never tried it, but I'm not going to bash you for doing it. It probably only takes a few minutes and who knows...maybe there is an advantage. I would never know though because I don't hit the ball consistently enough to tell one ball from the other much less a balanced ball from a non-balanced ball.

I applaud your honesty, jaj23. I don't hit consistently enough either, so it sure can't hurt.

In my bag:
Driver X460 TOUR OPTIFIT 10.5* Graphite
FW 3W BIG BERTHA DIABLO 13* Graphite
FW 5W BIG BERTHA DIABLO 18* Graphite
Irons X-22 IRONS 5 - PW & SW GraphitePutter Odyssey Dual Force Rossie IIUnder my bag: 2007 EZGO ~ Customized

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My balls prefer to be cupped, gently, to determine proper weight distribution.

Stretch.

"In the process of trial and error, our failed attempts are meant to destroy arrogance and provoke humility." -- Master Jin Kwon

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I'm amazed so many people are so opposed to this, it's quite well known that all balls have a center of gravity slightly off center, as shafts don't bend evenly throughout. For shafts, we have spine alignment. For balls, we have balancing. You can do it easily with some baking soda in water as well. Many pros on tour mark their ball at the balance point, you'll see they've drawn a line or dot, and they align it to the hole before each putt.

Tom Wishon cited studies conducted with a putting machine show that aligning the ball randomly and having the machine hit it was enough to make some putts miss from around 10'. When the balls were balanced, none of them missed. The idea is not to get them flying better, but rolling end over end, so the heaviest point is at the top or bottom at address.
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Not really sure, shorty. I've read about minute' motions that some golfers go through, some wrist movement, some hip roll, some little tip they've picked up and applied to their game that "really helps them". I think some sound pretty ridiculous, but to that golfer, it seemed to have "saved their game". Someone like enis or gioguy have probably got some little method that they will swear by, but would seem so stupid that there's no way they would post it here, but they will be quick to slam a procedure that someone else uses. I don't know if it's detectable or even keeps the ball on a straight path, but if nothing else, it does provide for a very straight line to address the ball by. I posted this to get opinions, knowing there would be a few narrow minded people to call me on it, but that's all part of it.

You pretty much sum it up here. What matters in golf is confidence and if balancing your golf balls means you feel better about the swing you're about to make then that's all that matters. Don't listen to anybody who tells you it's pointless and doesn't work because what's effective for somone in helping them swing a golf club doesn't necessarily have to be something based in facts and figures and maths and physics - something a lot of people around here seem not to realise.

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Yes, there was a detectable difference in putting with a robot

You you neglect to point out that we aren't robots. Any out of balance roll is just as likely to counter a miss hit or miss read as it is to miss because of a perfect hit or a perfect read. And that's if you actually buy into the whole bit, which I don't.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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If balancing your ball makes your putt roll more end over end and less likely to go off line then why not do it???? Golf is already hard enough, it will obviously help out def. wont hurt you. Especially on a 50ft or 100ft putt b.c. it will have more time to go off line. Makes perfect since. Ya the average golfer wont be able to tell, but maybe over a whole round he will make more putts or have better misses. Dont hate on something that is proven in the video above, he stated that a PERFECT putting machine missed putts to the left or right or went in at any given putt, but the putts were improved after the balancing of the ball. I know my putting comes and goes hardcore something like this would give any golfer more convidence over a putt. The pros do it so why dont we? sorry for the paragraph im a nub lol
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The ball manufacturers are missing out on a great opportunity here.

Titleist should just launch a ProV1 'Tour Balanced' Ball and charge $20 extra per dozen. TM can do the same with the Penta - just launch a Penta TP ball which is pre-balanced.

There's a bunch of amatuer golfers who'd get suckered into this!
In the bag...

G10 9° Driver
G10 17° 4 Wood
G10 21° Hybrid i15 4-PW Tour-W Wedges 50/12 & 56/10 Scotty Cameron Studio Select Newport 2 (35")Balls - Bridgestone B330-RX
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The ball manufacturers are missing out on a great opportunity here.

Let's say Titleist did do this and you walked into a pro shop and they had the Pro V1 Balanced on sale for the same price as the regular Pro V1 balls.

Which would you buy and why?

Driver: Nike Ignite 10.5 w/ Fujikura Motore F1
2H: King Cobra
4H: Nickent 4DX
5H: Adams A3
6I 7I 8I 9I PW: Mizuno mp-57Wedges: Mizuno MP T-10 50, 54, 58 Ball: random

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Let's say Titleist did do this and you walked into a pro shop and they had the Pro V1 Balanced on sale for the same price as the regular Pro V1 balls.

Great question.... and I would be almost willing to bet my next three paychecks that 98% of the posters here would take the balanced. They wouldn't admit it here after showing the negativity toward it, but you know they would choose the balanced ball for the same price or slightly higher simply because it states that they are, indeed, balanced. They would be saying this to themselves... either "This has GOT to help my game" or "Ah, it sure can't hurt. I'll try them out".

In my bag:
Driver X460 TOUR OPTIFIT 10.5* Graphite
FW 3W BIG BERTHA DIABLO 13* Graphite
FW 5W BIG BERTHA DIABLO 18* Graphite
Irons X-22 IRONS 5 - PW & SW GraphitePutter Odyssey Dual Force Rossie IIUnder my bag: 2007 EZGO ~ Customized

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this can't be serious. i'm sorry but i don't believe anyone over a 3 handicap being able to tell the difference between a balanced and unbalanced golf ball, let alone enough people who'd give a shiesse about it to the point they'd drop another $20 or so more on a dozen. yea, balls can be partially unbalanced, but instead of spending your time spinning/marking balls don't you think you should be on the range or the course actually playing? to me it makes sense...if you're good enough to use it to your advantage. seems like a lot of effort for someone to do only to walk up on the first tee and shank it into the woods....then waht's the excuse? "oh i must've balanced it wrong"...hahahaha

In my Titleist 2014 9.5" Staff bag:

Cobra Bio+ 9* Matrix White Tie X  - Taylormade SLDR 15* ATTAS 80X - Titleist 910H 19* ATTAS 100X - Taylormade '13 TP MC 4-PW PX 6.5 - Vokey TVD M 50* DG TI X100 - Vokey SM4 55 / Vokey SM5 60* DG TI S400 - Piretti Potenza II 365g

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gioguy, you didn't answer Fat Slice's question: If you went into a pro shop and they had Pro V1 Balanced on sale for the same price as the regular Pro V1 balls, which one would you take? How about putting the snide remarks to the side for a sec and tell us which one you would purchase? Same price... balanced or regular?

In my bag:
Driver X460 TOUR OPTIFIT 10.5* Graphite
FW 3W BIG BERTHA DIABLO 13* Graphite
FW 5W BIG BERTHA DIABLO 18* Graphite
Irons X-22 IRONS 5 - PW & SW GraphitePutter Odyssey Dual Force Rossie IIUnder my bag: 2007 EZGO ~ Customized

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To the OP:
I hate siding with the trolls here but:

Due to the imperfect nature of golf and all of the little things that influence a shot/putt at a given time, this gadget is probably best to gift as a novelty item or entertainment.

That being said, I've played golf most of my life and consider myself a decent golfer, and I look for an edge anywhere I can find one... so don't let these morons put you down for trying to find one.

Best,
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Balancing my balls, like yoga, is something I should do for my golf game, but don't. Right now, I think learning to keep my head still will pay off more than BB. If I get stuck at 81 later this year and can't break through, maybe I'll try BB.

For those interested, Ralph Maltby's web site has a 5-minute video clip on ball balancing. It's interesting stuff.

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
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Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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If I get

Hmmm* . . . heading over to the RM site.

* check my sig

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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To the OP:

though I don't do it (yet) I agree. Why not control every variable you can. I remember the balata days when balls had a noticeable equator. Drive the poles and putt the equator. The equator was the roundest part of the golf ball. In this case we assume the ball is round and let the COG govern. I like the water trick, but do you really have to buy a special cup and "salt"?

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