Shaving the Ball?

[BostonSully]

Ever notice after a well struck hard iron shot ( I hit my irons pretty hard 7i goes about 165+ easily) that you have shavings from the ball stuck in your grooves?? They are just like white plastic stringy shavings from the ball. I notice it occasionally is it cheap balls? Is it a sign im striking the ball well? What would be the reason?

[MJP]

I've had this happen before too. It's like the coating of the ball cover rubbed off onto the grooves. I'm assuming it means you struck down on the ball nicely with minimal turf/ball interaction (likely close to none or none)

[xxsoultonesxx]

I think it's a good thing. It means you are hitting down on the ball and the grooves are doing their job to spin the ball. Some balls have a softer cover that will leave more residue than others.

[wrx_junki]

Only happens to me with range balls and not the Pro V1's.

[xxsoultonesxx]

  wrx_junki said:

Only happens to me with range balls and not the Pro V1's.

Pro V1's have a urethane cover, and that material will "cut" but stay on the ball, vs other covers that "chip" or "flake" off. Although I've had pieces of urethane come off of a ball. By that stage the ball is junk anyway.

[newtogolf]

Were you using refurbs? It could be the paint some of them use you're seeing in the grooves.

[sean_miller]

Only under the following conditions:

1.) hitting a found Pro V1 - possibly a refurbished?
2.) hitting a Gamer V1 (the V2s are so much better they should have retired the "gamer" name)
3.) hitting pretty much any ball when my Vokey was brand new
4.) hitting the same ball over and over like during indoor golf - the better the strike the more of the cover you get on your clubface

[EnergyMatt]

Ditto - exactly the same as me

[Zeph]

Ripping the outer layer off the balls is common, both for new and used balls. Doesn't happen a whole lot to me, since I'm not really a good ballstriker. I can play 18 holes with a ball and barely notice it's been struck 50 times. It's mostly wedges though, perhaps because the grooves are sharper.

[CrazyXGolfer]

very very common to have happen if you hit the ball well.

This happens 100% of the time when I hit wedge shots, even 25% little pitch shots.
If it happens with Irons just mean you hit down on nicly!

[Bigtank]

That is a combination of using a less duriable ball or one that might have lost some of its attributes due to facotrs like weather or sitting in water.
Then it is a downward strike on the ball, catching the ball before any turf. Letting those groves do their job and spin that little white rock.

I use ProV1x's because they have a slightly more durable cover. I still have to swap a ball out every 9, because I do have a tendency to "chew" on them with my wedges and short irons. I play alot of spin.

Good Shot!

[BostonSully]

Thanks Guys. I get it at the range 100% of the time after every shot So I thought it was Range Balls. But ive been using NX-Tour and TopFlights on the course and notice it after a few good shots. Good to know its a good thing and not just the result of me using cheap balls/weathered balls.

[B-Con]

I get it very often from range balls. I felt guilty the first few times I'd do it because I'd come home after practicing just two or three irons and have white shavings practically filling the grooves.

I thought I noticed a correlation between pulling white strands and recent rain, ie maybe the balls that sat out in water for hours shredded a little more easily, but I'm not sure if my memory serves me well enough to make that connection.

[ohiolefty]

This happens to me every once in a while...mainly early and late in the season when it's cold. In the summer months, it still happens but not to the same degree. In the summer, I can play one ball for 18 holes as long as I don't hit it in the woods or scuff it off a path or tree.

In the Spring/Fall/Winter, I usually have to pitch the ball completely after a few holes. I tear it up, cut it, all of that. It's the cold. Unless you're using rocks, and sometimes even IF you're using rocks, this can happen. If you hit ball first with decent clubspeed and reasonably-sharp grooves, it's just part of the deal.

[Fourputt]

  BostonSully said:

Ever notice after a well struck hard iron shot ( I hit my irons pretty hard 7i goes about 165+ easily) that you have shavings from the ball stuck in your grooves?? They are just like white plastic stringy shavings from the ball. I notice it occasionally is it cheap balls? Is it a sign im striking the ball well? What would be the reason?

What it really means is that you have pre 2010 square grooves. I shaved balls as far back as the early 90's with my MacGregor RPM irons. Don't any more with my Titleist AP-2's 'cause they have the new grooves. Still get as much spin as ever, but I don't tear up balls in the process.