Pro's-golf equipment

[brgolf]

As someone who has used lake balls for years and never really questioned the limitations of range balls I have recently decided to take more of an interest. It may be true to say that amateurs can have trouble identifying the differences in golf balls if they don't look carefully enough. If one ball hits the green and stops inside 4 yards and the other 6, what amateur is going to notice unless they are looking really closely. If one ball goes 10 yards further off the driver in carry will an amateur put that down to his perception that he just had a good swing. Even if amateurs can't identify what the ball is doing for them doesn't mean that the benefit is not there.

I would also say that a lot of people make the effort to use this golf forum probably because they have an above average interest in golf and learning about it so I would give them some credit for basing their opinions on fact as opposed to pure guesswork.

Finally and I'm sure it is not what is being said but I've seen tests where one player hits ball x 50 yards longer than ball y. So there is in reality a substantial difference in ball properties and even if an amateur or maybe pro can't tell the difference between a mid range spin ball or a premium on like the prov1- doesn't mean that the difference doesn't exist.

Set me a target in the middle of the green 35 yards away, give me that mid price golf ball x50 and give me that pro v1 and lets see which I can get closest. If only I had the resources to do that test!

[kpaulhus]

I believe McDowell just won the US Open with a Callaway FT-3 driver. 4-5 years old? Really its not the arrows, its the archer.

[WUTiger]

yes they do work with some pros on the design but they end up with one design that doesn't nessacarly fit all the pros they sponsor

Possibly the high-end clubs could be considered semi-custom. For both pros and amateurs, you can factory-order a set with special tweaks to help your swing. You might want the irons 1.5* flat lie. And, maybe one of their non-stock shafts (it'll cost extra, but they'll gladly make it for you).

[C-Rope1]

yea it just seems the pros are soo good that they dont really need to use specific stuff. They just go with the brand that sponsors them. I mean Tiger uses all Nike equipment and Ive heard nothing good really about Nike balls on this forum but yet he uses them.

Tiger uses a Scotty Cameron putter, which is not a Nike product at all.

[TN94z]

To weigh in on the ball controversy...

I agree with this. I have seen many friends pick up the game of golf over the past few years and every one of them can tell the difference between a ProV1 and a cheaper ball. In my personal experiences, I can easily tell a difference. From what I have read on this forum over the past year or so, most people on here can tell the difference.

[Shorty]

They frequently do use different drivers and wedges and hybrids from the manufacturer that sponsors them. Depends on their contract.
You will find that professional golfers are more concerned with playing golf rather than spending all their time mucking around with clubs. That's what wannabes like us do
If it works, they are loathe to change, and there are many top players out their using some clubs that are 10 years old or even more.
Even last week, McDowell was using a 5 year old driver (Callaway Ft-3) to win the U.S. Open.
There are quite a few Callaway Steelhead fairways in pro bags, not to mention, for example that Stricker still uses 755 irons.

[sean_miller]

I agree with this. I have seen many friends pick up the game of golf over the past few years and every one of them can tell the difference between a ProV1 and a cheaper ball. In my personal experiences, I can easily tell a difference. From what I have read on this forum over the past year or so, most people on here can tell the difference.

Of course they can tell the difference - the ProV1 is the one slicing into the trees right and the cheaper distance ball is the one that's still playable in the right rough.

[motteler621]

Tiger uses a Scotty Cameron putter, which is not a Nike product at all.

yea I know but thats pretty much the only Nike thing he doesnt use. He must really like that titleist putter

[Cornbread]

Because it's not always the equipment, its the person swinging the club.

There is a lot of truth in this statement. Sure, shaft choice is important, but in general all quality golf clubs and clubheads of the same game type (player irons, game improvement, super game improvement)

are the same .... a hunk of metal of generally the same weight thats mounded on the end of a shaft that you strike a ball with. The reason consumers get so caught up in selecting a particular club or brand is due to media and marketing hype.

[sean_miller]

yea I know but thats pretty much the only Nike thing he doesnt use. He must really like that titleist putter

He probably likes his custom forged irons that you can't buy too.

[motteler621]

He probably likes his custom forged irons that you can't buy too.

are they custom? When i saw them recently on tv they were the VR irons.

[Shanks A Million]

Because it's not always the equipment, its the person swinging the club.

Winner.

I believe McDowell just won the US Open with a Callaway FT-3 driver. 4-5 years old? Really its not the arrows, its the archer.

Exactly, my 3 year old driver still hits the ball just fine. Why someone would need a newer one is beyond me. Come to think of it, my 1985 Pinnacle persimmon driver also still hits the ball just fine.

I agree with this. I have seen many friends pick up the game of golf over the past few years and every one of them can tell the difference between a ProV1 and a cheaper ball. In my personal experiences, I can easily tell a difference. From what I have read on this forum over the past year or so, most people on here can tell the difference.

Yeah, now try it unmarked. I can tell the difference between elastomer and surlyn balls if the compression is low, but that's about it, and I'm autistic, I can feel everything. It's really a lot harder than you think to tell except off the putter. But that's on familiar turf. Try it out on a course you don't know, and can't judge how the ball should act, and then tell me you can tell.

Even last week, McDowell was using a 5 year old driver (Callaway Ft-3) to win the U.S. Open.

Stricker switched to AP2s, as the grooves regulations changed.

He probably likes his custom forged irons that you can't buy too.

Tom Sites repeatedly says he plays VR irons. With the new grooves, he just plays the standard VR clubs. The other pros are the ones with the custom grinds. Why so many people question that, I don't know. I can't see all the hype about Tiger's "magic" clubs. Tiger's clubs are just clubs, put them in your hands, and they're just clubs again. Put your clubs in his hands, and they're suddenly magic. Get where this is going?

[jamo]

Stricker switched to AP2s, as the grooves regulations changed.

Accoreding to Titleist dot com and Golf dot com he is using the CB's.

Tom Sites repeatedly says he plays VR irons. With the new grooves, he just plays the standard VR clubs.

They showed a picture of his bad at the US Open and as far as I could tell it was the plain old Vr TW Blades.

[billysandy]

Ic, but how much can they alter a design. I know most of the pros that are sponsored by Titleist use the 909 driver, what do the pros have done to them to alter them?

All they can do to customise a 909 is probably slight weight changes in the head, but most importantly the shaft (obviously). and the lie angle and loft

[sean_miller]

I can't see all the hype about Tiger's "magic" clubs. Tiger's clubs are just clubs, put them in your hands, and they're just clubs again. Put your clubs in his hands, and they're suddenly magic. Get where this is going?

If he's truly using Nike irons now, then his switch is just one more piece of the "why isn't Tiger dominating like he used to" puzzle. If I used his irons, they'd need some adjustments and my game may suffer a bit at first, but I'd get used to them.

Regarding how he'd do with my old Mizunos: I think he played MP-14s (not MP-11s), but after loft and lies adjustments, he'd do okay.

[TN94z]

Yeah, now try it unmarked. I can tell the difference between elastomer and surlyn balls if the compression is low, but that's about it, and I'm autistic, I can feel everything. It's really a lot harder than you think to tell except off the putter. But that's on familiar turf. Try it out on a course you don't know, and can't judge how the ball should act, and then tell me you can tell.

I HAVE actually done this before. In a lesson a few years ago, my teacher was showing me different ways to bring the ball in on the green from 100 or so and in and have it check. He had 3 balls that were all unmarked. We hit all 3 of them in rotation for multiple shots, etc....After the lesson, I found out that one of the balls was a ProV1 and the other two were a top flite from wall mart and a pinnacle gold or something (I forget now). The ProV1 felt better off the club, stopped better on the green with spin, and IMO, was more consistent because of the feel. The ProV1 was obviously the better ball. The teacher did this to teach me that I can't expect the ball to stop like the pros if I am using the wal-mart shag balls. I have also switched to a Nike in the past and I got a ton more spin with it...so much that I never bought another sleeve because it was too inconsistent. Now with all of that being said, I don't play the ProV1s (unless Im in a tournament) just because they are so expensive.

As far as my buddies that picked up the game along the way, they could tell the difference in the golf balls before they knew that a ProV1 was such a good, pricey ball. At the time, they were the same as the balls you buy at wal-mart as far as they were concerned. So, I don't buy into the fact that "most golfers can't tell the difference in the balls" thing. Let these golfers you speak of hit a top flite off the tee and then hit a prov1 off the tee....when the ProV1 shows them just how bad their slice is, then they will know the difference.

[pbillaa]

My buddy and I have recently switched to the topflite d2 feel. He used to play pro v's, and I played the x. After countless side by side comparisons we actually both liked the topflite's better. He is a 4.5, and I am a 4.9,,,,, the truth is what good does a higher spin ball do you if you come up short? We both hit it straighter, longer, and it putts like a dream. The whole thing started as some twisted joke, and ended up being an eye opening experience. 14.99$ for 15 balls, and they last forever. Now just to continue the twisted joke,,,, I am rocking the topflite glove and towel.....topflite forever lol.

[Weezy]

I you know what to look for then u know tiger's clubs are different. different shape and the muscle part is a little higher on the face to brin the center of gravity up. Why would you think they put out clubs for us hackers that are identical to tiger's. I would bet money if you actually played his club's you would hate them. As to the ball, yeah spin is the major factor for me not feel, but the new top flight gamer v2 is a great ball.