Good beginners ball?

[Guest ShadowXOR]

I need balls to play with but I don't want to get cheap recycled junk, just something decent that plays well enough for a newbie and doesn't cost much since I will be losing them all the time. I would like a "balanced" ball that does everything well, nothing focused on long drives, etc. Any suggestions?

EDIT: I will be practicing and playing with the same ball due to obvious reasons I didn't think of that you guys pointed out.

[oneil003]

low quality= id go with a dozen srixon soft-feel. they are soft, and nice to putt and chip with.

high quality= either the titleist pro v1 or the callaway hx tour 56. both are real soft and spin like crazy

[Spectrums]

Maxfli Noodle. Soft as heck and great feel at a good price.

[ettsn]

You should chip and putt with the same balls you intend to play with. The whole point of that practice is to get used to the feel. A different ball will have drastically different feel. My suggestion is to find a decent ball in your price to play with for now, since as a beginner, the virtues of a tour quality ball won't matter much to you yet. Something like Callaway's Big Bertha ball, Nike Juice (?), Top-Flites, Maxflis, etc. Find something in the $15-20/dz range and don't worry too much about losing them. Another option is X-outs or practice balls. These are top grade balls with minor (very minor) flaws, usually cosmetic. I saw that Walmart had Titlest X-outs for $10/dz. Most in the pack were NXT, DVC or DTs, but there were a few V1s in there. Might be a good option.

[Snowman]

As others have mentioned, it is important to practice with the same balls you will be playing with. Especially when practicing the short game, when touch becomes an integral part of the game. If you practice with Pro-V1's and learn to chip with such a soft feeling ball, your game will suffer when that same practice swing launches a harder ball to the other side green during a round.

I am just returning from a 7 year leave of golf, and after my first few rounds I decided I need to find cheaper balls to golf with, considering I was throwing away $40 a round in lost balls.

So here are my suggestions for the best bang for your buck in golf balls.

Precept Laddie - Now being sold $20 for 2 dozen, great ball to learn with. Has a soft feel to it and it spins ok for a beginner.

Top Flite D2 Feel - Typically $16 for a dozen, just played this ball for the first time this past weekend, again a nice soft feeling ball and the spin was better than the Laddie ball. Had issues getting the ball to stop on tight lie short chips.

Titleist NXT Tour - Typically $25 a dozen, but I found a store that was selling the 2006 model for $18 dozen so I stocked up with 8 dozen. Very good all around ball, but it is a step below the tour quality balls. But as a beginner you would probably not notice the difference.

Those are the 3 balls I have played since I have realised my swing did not need Pro-V1's when I started golfing again.

[jcrew]

i think pinnacle exceptions are pretty decent for the price..

[Logie]

I enjoyed using the Noodles, unfortunatly i have improved a great deal, and with anything from a 7i up, on a full swing i pretty much cut a section of the ball off! But they feel great to hit and there cheap too.

Currently using NXT Tour, £16 for a dozen so the price is resonable and they feel pretty good.

Also read good thigns about the Top Flight D2 Feels

[Guest ShadowXOR]

I enjoyed using the Noodles, unfortunatly i have improved a great deal, and with anything from a 7i up, on a full swing i pretty much cut a section of the ball off! But they feel great to hit and there cheap too.

What do you mean, your swing damages the ball?

[KingCobra]

try noodles or nike ignites

[Guest ShadowXOR]

A lot of people are recommending the Noodle so I went to check them out and there are three different kinds: Long & Soft, Longest, and Ice.

What are the differences between them and which should I get?

[Norm66]

A lot of people are recommending the Noodle so I went to check them out and there are three different kinds: Long & Soft, Longest, and Ice.

The ice Noodles are the colored balls. My wife likes them, but I don't think they're just for ladies. I haven't tried them myself.

The Longest are their distance ball and I would guess they're a little harder than the Long & Soft which I think is a compromise between distance and soft feel. I've been using the Long & Softs for a while now and like them. I also like the Titleist DT So/Lo but they're a bit pricier and I don't know if they're really any better.

[Guest ShadowXOR]

Sounds like I would likely get the Long & Soft for a nice compromise and my fiance would get the Ice for their color. Do the Ice play like the Long & Soft, or are they different?

[bwinger79]

There is no better "cheap" ball on the market than the Pinnacle Exception IMO. Great distance and great feel for $20. You really should be practicing with the same balls you plan to play with though. Doesnt make much sense to get used to one ball to go play with another. Noodles are cheap, but have alot of spin, regardless of which type you buy, so if you have issues keeping the ball in the fairway off the tee, which most beginners do, this ball is only going to make it worse. If you are a straight hitter, noodles would be alright.

[mcecki]

I'm not sure but wouldn't it be better to use the same ball for practice and for games so you get a feel of spin, compression etc.?

If you practice with a drop and stop type ball on the practice green, and then go out and play a game with a low compression distance type ball, you won't have the same results and familiar feel.

Am I right?

[Guest ShadowXOR]

I'm not sure but wouldn't it be better to use the same ball for practice and for games so you get a feel of spin, compression etc.?

You are right. I didn't think about it but multiple people in this thread brought it up so I'm definitely going to practice and play with the same kind of ball. Makes much more sense. :)

EDIT: Out of curiosity what is the average price for golf balls in general? How much should I be paying per ball (or per dozen) as a beginner. A few people have mentioned the Pinnacle Exception (over the Noodle) so I'm going to check those out as well. I want something balanced for all areas. I'm not looking for a long ball at the sacrifice of everything else, etc.

[bwinger79]

If you are new to this game, you most likely wont be able to tell the difference between a cheap and expensive ball. Feel and spin control are kind of a more advanced part of the game, which you will pick up in time. If you tend to spray your shots and lose balls, I would start with the cheapest ball you can find. Once you figure out your golf swing, then you just have to try different balls and see what suits your game. Its really personal preference. I would classify balls as follows:

Cheap----anything less the $15/dozen
Mid-Grade----anything between $15-$35/dozen
Top Quality----$35/dozen and up.

When it comes to golf balls, you get what you pay for, but like I said, most beginners wont see much difference it their game playing a ProV1 over a Top Flite. Go cheap and spend your saved money on lessons.

[mcecki]

Recycled Balls are also a good way to go.

At your local golf shop, they may have balls that have been "Previously Enjoyed".

If you can indeed tell the difference between a low and high quality ball, you can save lots of money if you don't mind a small grass stain or ink mark.

[bwinger79]

You can find some good recycled balls, but I would never buy them. You never know if they were sitting in the water. Remember...... seamless doesnt mean waterproof. Every ball on the market will take on water, and it really shows up even in the cheapest balls performance. %40 distance loss isnt worth saving $5 IMO.