How bad are range balls?

[Valleygolfer]

[URL]http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/2014-06/gd-tested-range-balls[/URL] I always wondered how bad they get...

[Dave2512]

Even new range balls can be funky. I take lessons at a private club with a short narrow range. They have limited flight balls. Seeing the numbers on flightscope revealed how limited the balls were, about 15-20% less distance and flight was several feet lower.

[MS256]

I don't know very much about actual range balls but the new range where I take care of the mowing bought yellow Top Flight range balls.

I've hit a couple of them with the mower and they certainly don't look like other golf balls on the inside and they seem to break completely in half much easier than regular balls when the mower hits them.

I asked one of the instructors if they were limited flight balls and he said no, but I haven't taken the time to hit any of them to find out.

BTW they don't have a ball picker machine (yet anyway) and the instructors are supposed to go pick them up after the sessions so I can mow. That doesn't seem to be happening and I had to pick up over 1,000 golf balls scattered over a 10 acre field before I could mow Sunday morning and carry them up to the tee area.

Took longer to pick up the balls than it did to mow. (SMH). I think I talked the owner into trying to get a picker but he wasn't too thrilled when I told him what a new one would cost.

[Pretzel]

With range balls I just try to make sure I'm hitting it solidly and on-line (at least to start) more than anything else. When you watch the ball take a s-curve flight you know something's up with them. That said, never Strata range balls aren't all that bad, and my course just got some. I try to pick those out of my bucket to save and hit last when I'm trying to hit 5 on a green in a row or something similar.

[Dave2512]

I try to avoid any range withl nasty old balls. I can live with limited flight balls.

[Moppy]

From the article "forget about practicing distance with range balls."

I have been coming to that conclusion. So how do you get the ranges of your irons? On an empty football field ?

[MS256]

From the article "forget about practicing distance with range balls."

I have been coming to that conclusion. So how do you get the ranges of your irons? On an empty football field ?

Maybe for a sand wedge or lob wedge.

Doesn't take long on the course to get a pretty good idea how far everything goes, or you could donate some decent balls to the range by hitting some balls out of your bag at the range.

But make sure the range targets are properly marked with a range finder (many times they are not).

[isukgolf]

The range I use has shit for balls ... But they are open after sunset, which is important on the 110 degree days ... Plus you hit off of grass ... For me it's, did I make good contact, move my weight, etc ... distant I know is not good, and I also look at the ball flight ... I.e. Was it a banana slice, etc ... While not perfect it's certainly better than my other options ...

[Hammer 4]

At the range I go to, they have the top flight range balls, they aren't limited distance, and they just added 48,000 new balls. But..the older ones are Junk, I use those for chips, and pitch shots. The only thing I find is that the range balls are like hitting rocks, If you hit em off center..lol

[casualguy393]

I did a lot of research about range balls about 10 years ago when I was trying to buy a practice range, and I can say that range balls are designed for longevity, not measuring distances with your clubs. If you want to measure how far you hit your clubs, find a field and hit the balls you usually play with. That is the only way to do it.

What you can do at the range is just check the direction and basic ball flight tendencies. Anything other than that you are not going to come away with much.

[chasm]

My local range uses Srixon range balls. They're clearly manufactured for durability rather than performance. In terms of judging distance, the longer the club the more you lose. I'll hit a wedge just about as far at the range as on the course, I'll lose maybe 10-15 yards with a 7 iron and at least 30 off the driver.

[minitour]

From the article "forget about practicing distance with range balls."

I have been coming to that conclusion. So how do you get the ranges of your irons? On an empty football field ?

Go reeeeally early or reeeeeally late when you aren't going to hold anyone up.  Find a nice flat hole and have at it.

[Moppy]

Go reeeeally early or reeeeeally late when you aren't going to hold anyone up.  Find a nice flat hole and have at it.

Part of the problem with learning the range of my clubs is that there is only one relatively flat hole, a par three, on the only course within reasonable driving distance. Still, I think this might be the best idea.

[minitour]

Just try not to tear up the tee box doing it.

[Dave2512]

Find someone local with a decent launch monitor and see what your actual numbers are. A couple of shots here and there probably aren't going to tell you what you need to know anyway. Toss out the mishits and special shots and average everything in the middle. That's how far you can expect to hit most of your shots for any club.

[ditchparrot19]

I pay no heed to distance with range balls – it's all about feel and general direction and trajectory.

At this point, I know from experience my approximate distances with each club, and that's all I'm concerned with. On the course, I often disregard precise distances and hit a particular club because that's what a shot "looks" or "feels" like. I enjoy playing that way rather than getting wrapped up in yardage numbers.

[HawkNballs]

Hey, guys.  First post.  Just checking the site out.

There are many reasons to hate range balls, but my biggest problem is the fact that they are limited flight.  I find myself over swinging to make my lob wedge hit the 100 yard flag.  It really throws my swing and rhythm out of whack.  I've been trying to just take one more club and swing at my normal speed.

The bald knuckleball range balls are my favorite!

[isukgolf]

Hey, guys.  First post.  Just checking the site out.

There are many reasons to hate range balls, but my biggest problem is the fact that they are limited flight.  I find myself over swinging to make my lob wedge hit the 100 yard flag.  It really throws my swing and rhythm out of whack.  I've been trying to just take one more club and swing at my normal speed.

The bald knuckleball range balls are my favorite!

Welcome!

At my range I swear some are so used they are smooth ...