at what distance does ball spin begin to matter?

[steelernation]

to clarify, in my experience using a prov1 and a non spin ball like a pinnacle gold fx long ball at greenside/approach I notice little if any difference.

Its my understanding that club head speed increases the ratio of ballspin that much I realize.

Using yardage as a measuring stick where would the prov1 begin to stop? or check after bounce when the goldfx long has no check? My guess would be 25 yard carry is when the difference occurs. thoughts? I have yet to test it.

[James_Black]

less.
If I hit a chip shot my my lob wedge, the pro V1 will check and stop and the pinnacle will roll out a little bit.

[WUTiger]

I have about 85 mph. clubhead speed with my driver.

At a scramble last year, our groups got a sleeve of brand-name distance balls in our goodie bags. I used them on the front nine. Picked up some distance with the driver, but couldn't stop the things. Hit two very solid short irons into greens, and they both ran 15 yards after hitting. This was on moist, shaded greens.

Switched to my regular ball for back nine, and got some better stop. No spin back, mind you, but several one-hoppers.

Tried another distance ball at mid-summer. Again, I picked up yardage with driver, but stopping was iffy. Particularly unstable on chips and short pitches. Played 54 holes with just one up-and-down.

Switched back to mid-spin ball, and had three up-and-downs on first nine.

[mdbuschsr]

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure they will), but a ball checking up or spinning back has more to do with your ability to hit it correctly than the makeup of the ball. Certainly a high end ball contributes but I have hit rocks "just right" on that rare occasion and had them spin back.

[Cornbread]

  mdbuschsr said:

a ball checking up or spinning back has more to do with your ability to hit it correctly than the makeup of the ball. Certainly a high end ball contributes but I have hit rocks "just right" on that rare occasion and had them spin back.

I find your remarks to be truthful, and I agree with ya.

[mdbuschsr]

DAMN, you mean I said something RIGHT????

[clubchamp]

  mdbuschsr said:

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure they will), but a ball checking up or spinning back has more to do with your ability to hit it correctly than the makeup of the ball. Certainly a high end ball contributes but I have hit rocks "just right" on that rare occasion and had them spin back.

Although the ball helps a little but you are absolutely correct

[tws1098]

  mdbuschsr said:

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure they will), but a ball checking up or spinning back has more to do with your ability to hit it correctly than the makeup of the ball. Certainly a high end ball contributes but I have hit rocks "just right" on that rare occasion and had them spin back.

I agree as well. I have hit many different makes and types of ball and it makes little difference when hit well. I do think the higher end ball helps when you do not hit it just right.

[James_Black]

  tws1098 said:

I agree as well. I have hit many different makes and types of ball and it makes little difference when hit well. I do think the higher end ball helps when you do not hit it just right.

your not making sense.... a pro v1 is

designed to spin more than a distance ball. Are you saying a soft urethane cover of the pro V will give the same amount of spin as the hard cover of a pinnacle?

[Zeph]

  tws1098 said:

I agree as well. I have hit many different makes and types of ball and it makes little difference when hit well. I do think the higher end ball helps when you do not hit it just right.

With all due respect, as handicap 18, I don't believe your ballstriking to be good enough to make out the differences.

Same goes to the OP, who also sits at 18. Softer balls spin more, there is no arguing that, but of course you need the ability to create enough spin. As a bogey golfer, we should strive to hit the ball straight, or at least in the desired direction, rather than worrying about how much the ball will spin. If you don't notice a difference between a hard Pinnacle and a Pro V1, that itself stand as evidence that you don't hit the ball well enough.

[Cornbread]

  Zeph said:

With all due respect, as handicap 18, I don't believe your ballstriking to be good enough to make out the differences.

actually... the ProV1 is a higher compression ball.

Also, softer compression balls don't always spin more than harder ones.

[James_Black]

  Cornbread said:

actually... the ProV1 is a higher compression ball.

don't start about compression.

please...... and btw, most distance balls will have high compression ratings.

[Cornbread]

  James_Black said:

don't start about compression.

OK... agreed. Folks will hopefully learn on their own. .

[sean_miller]

  steelernation said:

to clarify, in my experience using a prov1 and a non spin ball like a pinnacle gold fx long ball at greenside/approach I notice little if any difference.

I notice a high spin ball will check more off any shot with a lofted club, or on a full strike from farther out. That's one reason why I don't like them. I'm not good enough to gauge exactly how much a ball with check or spin back. I can get a cheaper ball to hop and stop or run out (release) - I can live with that.

[brgolf]

I don't really know qualitatively or quantitatively what a Pro V1 does that is different to any other ball. I do buy in to some of the hype that certain balls have qualities different to others. My Bridgestone e7s have a piercing flight, I know that much. However when it gets to the green and I hit say a 50 yard shot 1/4 PW maybe and it rolls out a bit, then I suppose I would have to get a batch of pro V1s and see how the outcomes would vary from a similar range.

I have to test these things for myself as I when 18-20 HC start talking about their comparisons between certain balls and the sort of shots and check they are getting, I just don't believe it.

[steelernation]

  Zeph said:

With all due respect, as handicap 18, I don't believe your ballstriking to be good enough to make out the differences.

I played today in the scorching heat, playing the pinnacle and first hole gave me a chance to see it in action, hit into a 390 yard par 4 from about 110 and pin was up front maybe 10 yards deep into the green. I hit a lob wedge at about %80 and the ball flew true with a nice arc, it hit the front of the green, i couldnt see a mark, but from the fairway I saw the ball land, bounce forward, and roll forward another 5 yards im guessing. next hole was a 171 par 3, the pinnacle landed(green) bounced and checked /ball mark was maybe 10 feet in front of ball. 2 pars in a row, the next hole was a triple, no test could be conducted since I landed a pond from the approach. The next hole was 130 out on a par 5 and again the lob wedge, it struck green bounced and checked 10 feet past ball mark. The ball was flying far today so dont start with the 130 with a LOB? on the ninth I flew one 170 uphill, but I may have hit a sprinkler or hardpan. course was dry and hard, I thought I was flag hunting from 140 and gave it %95. My conclusion so far is that the pinnacle fxlong is a great distance ball, but garbage from under 100 yards as far as spin is concerned. I was too tired to practice the prov1 and only played 14 holes. I have previously tried testing the prov1 greenside and cant detect a great difference from 15 yards.

[JML22]

I dont swing hard enough yet to get them to spin back.. ... well i should say i dont swing hard enough CONSISTENTLY to make them spin back, but for me a prov1 or any other premium ball checks up a lot better than say a pinnacle / x ball, with just easy proper swinging

[steelernation]

I won a case of pinnacle golds and Ive played them before. I played them in 3 scrambles this year, just for the long drive prizes. Im hitting driver fairly straight and some are getting to the green or over(none on yet). I have to bump and run from within 100 yards, they have no stopping power it seems unless your over 100 out. I have a few prov's ill play next round.