For those in the great white north ... danger hitting frozen range balls with high $$ driver ?

[inthehole]

About all I can do is go to the driving range this time of year up north (I'm fortunate, mine has heated stalls - can hit balls in a T-shirt when it's below freezing).        Problem is the automatic ball dispensing machines are outside, and the balls always feel like they're frozen rock solid.      I'm not worried about hitting them with irons, but the titanium that comprises todays largely hollow lightweight drivers is so thin ... I'm a bit leary of hitting frozen golf balls with my new pricey driver ... anybody ever heard of cracking a driver face on a frozen range ball ?      Just curious ... thx !

[1par2win]

I doubt it. For a few years now I have used an outdoor heated range here in MN similar to what your describing and never heard of anything like that. I think your safe.

[enis750]

i wouldnt risk it

use ur back up, cause if the unthinkable happenned and u DID dent ur new driver...........

[kpaulhus]

Im kind of weary playing my new driver here in FL when its in the 30's lol!!! I have only played one round with it so far 11 out of 14 fairways!

[mlf16507]

Not a problem in Erie,PA-we have a Golf Dome!

[granitegolf]

May sound crazy but I take a bucket of hot water to the range and "soak" the range balls. Hit some wedges then some irons and by the time i want to hit some drivers etc... The balls are nice and soft. Also one of the ranges I go to lets me take home a large bucket worth of balls and then I just bring them back once they have been inside overnight.

[The Road Dog]

Inthehole, I think you are exactly right. I have also heard of guys busting drivers using those light up balls at dusk. Hard balls and super thin club faces are not a good match.

[xxsoultonesxx]

I put a little ding in a new forged iron hitting a frozen ball (literally had ice on it) not sure if something was frozen to the ball or what, but it happened.

[LBlack14]

The practice facility/range I work at has a heater that blows into the ball dispenser to keep them at reasonable temps. If it busts, send it back!

[inthehole]

Great, thanks guys for the insight !

[Longpar5]

Originally Posted by mlf16507

Not a problem in Erie,PA-we have a Golf Dome!

Time to pack, and move to Erie, PA!!  Good stuff right there.

[1par2win]

I read several replies here about not risking it. I didn't think that was right since like I said in an earlier posting I have for years gone to an heated outdoor range and the golf balls are nearly frozen and I have not heard of a face being damaged. I checked with a friend of mine who know quite a bit about metalurgy and he didn't think it was likely that there would be damage. Just to check a little further I e-mailed Titleist about this and this was their reply;

Must be cold in Minnesota :)  I posed your question to our R and D group and here's what they had to say.  One caveat is that if you hit way off center on the club face, it is possible to damage the welding.

At the swing speeds under 120 mph it shouldn't damage the clubs.  Our testing speeds for our air cannon are significantly higher than their swing speeds and we use a fairly hard golf ball.
After a quick discussion with our research group and materials experts we agreed they are much more likely to damage the golf ball than the club face.

So there you have it.  Practice away!

Sincerely,
Cathi

Cathi Donahoo
Team Titleist
cathi_donahoo@acushnetgolf.com
1(888) TITLEIST

[darkhunter139]

Originally Posted by mlf16507

Not a problem in Erie,PA-we have a Golf Dome!

Wow I wish I lived near Erie :(

[26point2]

Originally Posted by 1par2win

I read several replies here about not risking it. I didn't think that was right since like I said in an earlier posting I have for years gone to an heated outdoor range and the golf balls are nearly frozen and I have not heard of a face being damaged. I checked with a friend of mine who know quite a bit about metalurgy and he didn't think it was likely that there would be damage. Just to check a little further I e-mailed Titleist about this and this was their reply;

Must be cold in Minnesota :)  I posed your question to our R and D group and here's what they had to say.  One caveat is that if you hit way off center on the club face, it is possible to damage the welding.

At the swing speeds under 120 mph it shouldn't damage the clubs.  Our testing speeds for our air cannon are significantly higher than their swing speeds and we use a fairly hard golf ball.

After a quick discussion with our research group and materials experts we agreed they are much more likely to damage the golf ball than the club face.

So there you have it.  Practice away!

Sincerely,

Cathi

Cathi Donahoo

Team Titleist

cathi_donahoo@acushnetgolf.com

1(888) TITLEIST

Seeing as I just bought a new Titleist, and my max swing speed was 115mph, this is good news to me.

[inthehole]

I'm way under 120 - thanks  for the info  & piece of mind