What will a good ball do for me?

[Machmood]

Ok so lately I've been playing from about 6-730 at night and its very tough to track the ball. Even on some good shots slightly off the Fairway i can't find. Anyway I'm still learning and lose a decent amount of balls so my question is what am I missing out on by playing the balls below. Am I losing distance? Whant makes the better ball better? Sorry if this quesrion has been answersed before http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19173796&lmdn;=Price&cp;=4413989 Or these http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=18665716

[jmsnrth8]

If you still lose a lot of balls ( like me) go cheap as you can. I play top flight and reclaimed balls at the moment. When I get better, I can treat myself

[Chris223]

Ok so lately I've been playing from about 6-730 at night and its very tough to track the ball. Even on some good shots slightly off the Fairway i can't find. Anyway I'm still learning and lose a decent amount of balls so my question is what am I missing out on by playing the balls below. Am I losing distance? Whant makes the better ball better? Sorry if this quesrion has been answersed before

http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19173796&lmdn;=Price&cp;=4413989

Or these

http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=18665716

There's a lot of things that make different balls better or worse - there really is a science behind the design of these things.  Unfortunately you and I wont feel many of those differences because we don't strike the ball as pure as someone who is a pro, scratch or single digit handicap.

There are many good balls out there that aren't that expensive (those in the $20/dz price range) and sometimes cheaper than that.  Just use what you find that's cheap, and determine if you want a cheap ball designed around extra distance (which is going to give you less performance around the greens) or a ball designed for feel (which *might* mean less distance off the tee).  The box will tell you which of these the ball is meant to do.  I have played so many different balls this year, and I just don't see much difference in my off the tee distance.  My clubs still hit the ball about the same distance.  So I choose to play balls that are supposed to be super soft because I don't spin the ball much and need all the help I can get.

[jbest]

IMO there are two kinds of balls: Soft ones for greens work, and distance balls.  I prefer the soft feel around the greens - I hate hitting rocks with wedges and putting...

[Mr Smell Good]

IMO there are two kinds of balls: Soft ones for greens work, and distance balls.  I prefer the soft feel around the greens - I hate hitting rocks with wedges and putting...

Where does the Bridgestone e6 get categorized in that scale?  That is the ball I'm currently playing.

[Chris223]

Where does the Bridgestone e6 get categorized in that scale?  That is the ball I'm currently playing.

Kind of in the middle IMO.  I used to play that ball - its design is to reduce as much spin as possible (sidespin off of a driver say for example) which will help keep the ball straighter.  Of course if you banana slice it there isn't any ball that's going to help you.  But with any low spin ball that also means you're going to get less performance around the green.  I wouldn't say the e6 is a rock, it's a very good ball.  I can tell you that once I started hitting the ball more accurately with my driver I moved on from the e6 and have begun to play a softer ball which will stop on the green a bit quicker.

If you don't have major slicing issues - you might try the Nike PD Soft or Bridgestone Treosoft - both of these can be had around $15-$20 per dozen so they don't break the bank, and both have pretty good feel to them.  They aren't distance balls, mind you, so you may not get quite as much distance as say the e6, but you'll get softer feel around the greens and they'll probably have a more smooth feel off the putter face.  But then again a lot of that is based upon the individual.

[Mr Smell Good]

Kind of in the middle IMO.  I used to play that ball - its design is to reduce as much spin as possible (sidespin off of a driver say for example) which will help keep the ball straighter.  Of course if you banana slice it there isn't any ball that's going to help you.  But with any low spin ball that also means you're going to get less performance around the green.  I wouldn't say the e6 is a rock, it's a very good ball.  I can tell you that once I started hitting the ball more accurately with my driver I moved on from the e6 and have begun to play a softer ball which will stop on the green a bit quicker.

If you don't have major slicing issues - you might try the Nike PD Soft or Bridgestone Treosoft - both of these can be had around $15-$20 per dozen so they don't break the bank, and both have pretty good feel to them.  They aren't distance balls, mind you, so you may not get quite as much distance as say the e6, but you'll get softer feel around the greens and they'll probably have a more smooth feel off the putter face.  But then again a lot of that is based upon the individual.

Well I don't know many people who say "I don't need any more control with my driver" so it seems like low spin balls should be more popular right?  Are there other balls that are low spin like the e6 but also give you more softness around the greens?

I would say my priorities for a ball as of now are in this order:

-control on drives

-softness around greens

-distance

[Dave2512]

I suppose everyone feels something different but I think the E6 feels like a marshmallow, it's advertised as the softest multilayer ball on the market. For me the best sub $30 all around ball is the NXT Tour/Tour S though lately I've been playing the Velocity. People gripe about it not holding greens but I spend a lot of time fixing deep ball marks so not a problem for me.

[Wally]

Ok so lately I've been playing from about 6-730 at night and its very tough to track the ball. Even on some good shots slightly off the Fairway i can't find. Anyway I'm still learning and lose a decent amount of balls so my question is what am I missing out on by playing the balls below. Am I losing distance? Whant makes the better ball better? Sorry if this quesrion has been answersed before http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=19173796&lmdn;=Price&cp;=4413989 Or these http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=18665716

If you lose a lot of balls, I would suggest not playing so late if possible. Lol.

[Chris223]

Well I don't know many people who say "I don't need any more control with my driver" so it seems like low spin balls should be more popular right?  Are there other balls that are low spin like the e6 but also give you more softness around the greens?

I would say my priorities for a ball as of now are in this order:

-control on drives

-softness around greens

-distance

It's not about dumping the e6 because "I don't need anymore control with my driver".  But think of it this way - where does the vast majority of your strokes during a round happen - around or on the green.  Any shot taken inside a full wedge shot and putting.  So which would you rather have?  A ball that might get you a couple more yards at best?  Or one that has softer more responsive feel around the green?  Me, I'd rather take the latter.  I might hit my driver twice in a round - and I haven't actually even taken my driver out of my bag in my last 3 rounds.  I play my 3 hybrid most off the tee.

[Mr Smell Good]

It's not about dumping the e6 because "I don't need anymore control with my driver".  But think of it this way - where does the vast majority of your strokes during a round happen - around or on the green.  Any shot taken inside a full wedge shot and putting.  So which would you rather have?  A ball that might get you a couple more yards at best?  Or one that has softer more responsive feel around the green?  Me, I'd rather take the latter.  I might hit my driver twice in a round - and I haven't actually even taken my driver out of my bag in my last 3 rounds.  I play my 3 hybrid most off the tee.

I know there are kind of 2 different thoughts on this.  I tend to believe that the driver is one of the most important parts of the game despite only using it maybe 10 times per round.  If you hit it long and in the fairway on those times they you're setting yourself up for a pretty good round.  Not to say the 100 yards and in game isn't important too.

However...I don't know that switching to a ball that isn't "low spin" will make much of a difference on my drives.  I can't say that I've ever really felt much difference in golf balls and I've played a ton of different kinds.  Lately I have been sticking with the e6 but I'd like to at least try a softer ball. Maybe bridgestone's tour ball.

[Ernest Jones]

Distance is hugely overrated. Play a ball that suits your short game.

[Chris223]

I know there are kind of 2 different thoughts on this.  I tend to believe that the driver is one of the most important parts of the game despite only using it maybe 10 times per round.  If you hit it long and in the fairway on those times they you're setting yourself up for a pretty good round.  Not to say the 100 yards and in game isn't important too.

However...I don't know that switching to a ball that isn't "low spin" will make much of a difference on my drives.  I can't say that I've ever really felt much difference in golf balls and I've played a ton of different kinds.  Lately I have been sticking with the e6 but I'd like to at least try a softer ball. Maybe bridgestone's tour ball.

Unless you have a touring pros swing speed then don't play a tour ball as it might actually hurt your game.  There's a reason pro's play clubs that need to be hit directly on the sweet spot - because they offer the most workability generally, responsiveness and precision.  There's a reason why it as a result is stupid for anyone else to play them - because we don't strike the ball right smack on that sweet spot EVERY single time like a pro.  Using Tiger Woods clubs would make us play worse - not better.  Same thing goes for balls.

[JCRuzanski]

I'm a big fan of Titleist DT SOLO balls...

[Ernest Jones]

I'm a big fan of Titleist DT SOLO balls...

I'll second that. Great feeling ball, responsive and reasonably priced.

[Mr Smell Good]

Anyone else just not into titleist?  I don't like playing the balls because everyone always seems to be playing titleist balls so it would get confusing and their balls are kinda boring looking.  Also their clubs are always a little more expensive than everything else.

[Ernest Jones]

their balls are kinda boring looking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Smell Good

Also their clubs are always a little more expensive than everything else.

How is that relevant?

[JCRuzanski]

Nike makes decent distance/soft balls... I really like the feel of lower compression balls in the short game. How are golf balls more boring? [quote name="Mr Smell Good" url="/t/69904/what-will-a-good-ball-do-for-me#post_896229"]Anyone else just not into titleist?  I don't like playing the balls because everyone always seems to be playing titleist balls so it would get confusing and their balls are kinda boring looking.  Also their clubs are always a little more expensive than everything else. [/quote]