Finding the "Right" Golf Ball for Me

[Cornbread]

...and Ladies Balls are low compression for what reason?

[iacas]

then enlighten us - what IS it all about?

Spin. Feel. Looks. Distance. Playability on different kinds of shots. Launch angle.

Compression is over-rated as a factor in the modern golf ball.

...and Ladies Balls are low compression for what reason?

Could be a number of reasons, including "so they don't feel like rocks" and "so they spin a bit more."

Look, go find yourself a ball engineer and talk to him. Compression is far less relevant than it used to be. What's the compression of a Pro V1 or a Pro V1x? A Callaway Tour i (whatever models they have)? Nike Tour D versus a regular Tour? It's not important. Judge the ball by how it performs, not a number on a box somewhere or on the Internet somewhere.

[Cornbread]

Spin. Feel. Looks. Distance. Playability on different kinds of shots. Launch angle.

You didn't pay attention to some of my previous posts. I have talked to a Ball Engineer... actually someone who's job it is daily to tests balls and clubs using an Iron Byron.

Asside from my understanding common physics, this IS where I confired my position on compression's importance. Spin, Feel, Distance and Launch angle are all related to the balls compression in combination with swing speed.

[James_Black]

You didn't pay attention to some of my previous posts. I have talked to a Ball Engineer... actually someone who's job it is daily to tests balls and clubs using an Iron Byron.

There isn't that much of a difference with compression.

Obviously a pga pro swinging at full speed won't be able to hit a ladies golf ball as far as a pro v1x. But for the average player, with and average SS compression won't make much of a difference.

[Cornbread]

Compression is a measure of a golf ball's foot-pound resistance pressure to compressive stresses, or in other words, the degree to which a golf ball's shape changes when subjected to a compressive load. In the golf ball industry, compression is rated on a scale of 0 (softest) to 200 (hardest), where each point represents 1/1000th of an inch of deflection in a ball under load applied by a standard weight. A rating of 200 indicates that the ball does not compress, whereas a rating of 0 indicates a deflection of 2/10ths of an inch or more. Golf balls are typically rated 80, 90, or 100 (plus or minus 3-5 points). The construction of a golf ball and the materials used for its cover, inner layers, and core contribute to a ball's overall rating.

The higher the compression of the Ball the more velocity. The softer the compression, the lower the ball velocity.
Higher compression golf balls jump off the face more due to their hardness. Softer lower compression balls compress on the face thereby reducing ball velocity and spin as well. These are general rules of engineering, not always the case however 90% of the time these statements are true.

[nuck81]

Compression is a measure of a golf ball's foot-pound resistance pressure to compressive stresses, or in other words, the degree to which a golf ball's shape changes when subjected to a compressive load. In the golf ball industry, compression is rated on a scale of 0 (softest) to 200 (hardest), where each point represents 1/1000th of an inch of deflection in a ball under load applied by a standard weight. A rating of 200 indicates that the ball does not compress, whereas a rating of 0 indicates a deflection of 2/10ths of an inch or more. Golf balls are typically rated 80, 90, or 100 (plus or minus 3-5 points). The construction of a golf ball and the materials used for its cover, inner layers, and core contribute to a ball's overall rating.

that's really awesome!! You know how to copy and paste from a website!!

[msd3075]

Compression is a measure of a golf ball's foot-pound resistance pressure to compressive stresses, or in other words, the degree to which a golf ball's shape changes when subjected to a compressive load. In the golf ball industry, compression is rated on a scale of 0 (softest) to 200 (hardest), where each point represents 1/1000th of an inch of deflection in a ball under load applied by a standard weight. A rating of 200 indicates that the ball does not compress, whereas a rating of 0 indicates a deflection of 2/10ths of an inch or more. Golf balls are typically rated 80, 90, or 100 (plus or minus 3-5 points). The construction of a golf ball and the materials used for its cover, inner layers, and core contribute to a ball's overall rating.

I think the point that you are missing is that "overall ball compression" is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to how a ball will perform. What people like iacas are trying to get at is that, compared to 15 or 20 years ago, ball compression doesn't play as big of a roll is how a ball performs. Yes, it is still a factor (I don't think anyone on here is going to argue that), but it's how the compression interacts with all the other design variables that determines how a ball will perform. Simply because a ball has a higher compression doesn't not mean it will be better for a higher SS than a lower compression ball. Your posts here so far seem to ignore any other design characteristics and just focus solely on compression. A perfect analogy would be that a ball's "compression" is like the power output of a car. Yes, a more powerful engine might allow you to go faster, but I guarantee you that a 190HP Lotus Elise will beat the absolute crap out of my 300HP Ford Expedition. Back 30 years ago when all cars were brick-shaped tanks, power was king. Nowadays we have brought into the car's design many much more important factors; weight reduction, better aerodynamics, computer-controlled engine management, stickier tires, more-efficiently shifting automated gearboxes, and so forth. Now apply all that to golf balls and you'll get what we are trying to say.

[Cornbread]

I think the point that you are missing is that "overall ball compression" is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to how a ball will perform. What people like iacas are trying to get at is that, compared to 15 or 20 years ago, ball compression doesn't play as big of a roll is how a ball performs. Yes, it is still a factor (I don't think anyone on here is going to argue that), but it's how the compression interacts with all the other design variables that determines how a ball will perform. Simply because a ball has a higher compression doesn't not mean it will be better for a higher SS than a lower compression ball. Your posts here so far seem to ignore any other design characteristics and just focus solely on compression.

Yea, I understand, however I was simply debating the point made that Compression "is irrelivant".

As for you car analoigy... if the cars were the same size, weight, and dimensions it would matter. Golf balls are.

[msd3075]

Yea, I understand, however I was simply debating the point made that Compression "is irrelivant".

The arguement was never made that a golf ball's compression is "irrelivant" (spelled "irrelevant" in case you were wondering) but instead that judging a ball's performance based solely upon compression (as you did and still are doing) is "irrelivant". It might not have been said exactly like that in a way you can quote and rebuttle to, but it'd be nearly impossible for someone to not see that if they read what was being said. As for the car analogy, golf balls might be the same weight and size, but there are MANY, MANY, MANY variables that all dramatically affect how a ball will perform. Simply because you are able to point out that golf ball is not identical to a car doesn't mean you know what you are talking about.