Golf Ball Uncertainty - That Time Again

[NJpatbee]

As the season and subsequently the calendar year winds down, our golf ball manufacturers are already preparing their offerings for next year.  After a bit of experimentation earlier in the season I selected the Maxfli U/3 and have grown very fond of it and accustomed to its performance.

Now, here are my concerns:  Will Dicks Sporting Goods continue to manufacture golf balls (Maxfli and Top-Flite)?  If not, will some other entity buy the brands?  In either case, will they make changes to the offerings forcing me to look for another ball?

I know its early, but the need for constant change for marketing purposes causes the discontinuation of some excellent golf balls (and clubs).  Taylor Made and Callaway also seem to go the same route.  Anyone else concerned about their favorite ball's future?

[vangator]

No. There are so many balls out there. Every manufacturer makes a ball that will perform. I picked my ball because I like the color. As long as Titleist doesn't go out of business, there will be a ball that will fit any game. PS. I don't play Titleist,.

[SAGolfLuvr]

I know its early, but the need for constant change for marketing purposes causes the discontinuation of some excellent golf balls (and clubs).  Taylor Made and Callaway also seem to go the same route.  Anyone else concerned about their favorite ball's future?

Absolutely not. I discovered Maxfli's and Wilson balls partly because Pro V1's are expensive  and I saw some good responses on the TST for those brands. Then I discovered that my score didn't suffer much when playing "less than a Titleist" ball. After a few rounds, I  figured out to allow for more roll-out on chips and have a higher ball flight (on approaches hitting to a certain distance) on low spinning 2 piece balls based on spin rate tests posted by non-biased golf magazines. Thank goodness that golf ball manufacturers are trying hard to get us to buy their products. I rarely play Pro V1's now.

[joekelly]

I suspect but can't prove that in this world there are very few golf ball factories.   Each factory cranks out balls for many brands according to recipes, secret or common.  Simply reprogram the computer to stamp any name; change paint cans; box shape, etc.

Now it may be that some of those factories make only top grade balls and other focus on 2nd or 3rd rank offerings. Who knows?

[jballard388]

I shoot in the high 90s and low 100s with cheap tommy armour balls. That and the fact all I find in the woods around the fairways are the expensive pro v1s  lets me know that golf balls dont mean a ton. I've only been playing golf 4 months and I guess i am not good enough to notice a difference in ball. My whole idea is swing and fundamentals matter more than buying an expensive ball.

[vangator]

I shoot in the high 90s and low 100s with cheap tommy armour balls. That and the fact all I find in the woods around the fairways are the expensive pro v1s  lets me know that golf balls dont mean a ton. I've only been playing golf 4 months and I guess i am not good enough to notice a difference in ball. My whole idea is swing and fundamentals matter more than buying an expensive ball.

When you play for a while longer and your scores lower, you will understand that a ball can make a big difference. Not too many pros playing Top Flite Gamers. :-)

[DeadMan]

As the season and subsequently the calendar year winds down, our golf ball manufacturers are already preparing their offerings for next year.  After a bit of experimentation earlier in the season I selected the Maxfli U/3 and have grown very fond of it and accustomed to its performance.

Now, here are my concerns:  Will Dicks Sporting Goods continue to manufacture golf balls (Maxfli and Top-Flite)?  If not, will some other entity buy the brands?  In either case, will they make changes to the offerings forcing me to look for another ball?

I know its early, but the need for constant change for marketing purposes causes the discontinuation of some excellent golf balls (and clubs).  Taylor Made and Callaway also seem to go the same route.  Anyone else concerned about their favorite ball's future?

Yes. I play the Callaway Hex Chrome +. It's not a difficult ball to find, but it's not their top of the line model either. It's pretty much my perfect ball - spins on half wedge and short game shots, reasonably straight off the tee, etc. And it's about $30 for a dozen, so a lot cheaper than other urethane balls like that. I am comfortable enough in playing similar, albeit more expensive, balls that it won't make a difference in my score. But I would also be spending $15 a dozne more, so that's not really cool.

[Slice of Life]

I have a couple different balls that I like.

I like Pro V1s and V1xs, but won't buy them.

Bridgestone e6's and e7's work well with me too, but lately I've been playing Nike ONE RZNs since they've been on sale.

[dufferdavid]

I've settled it seems on the Bridgestone RXS and/or the E5.  I do believe it makes a difference to get a ball designed for my lower swing speed (93 driver) and higher spin.  Seems like all manufacturers are going to market that way at least for another year or so until the next big marketing ploy, so shouldn't have any problem finding a ball that fits that description.  I do wish they would leave them alone...we really don't need any better golf balls.  Changes make good reading on the blogs though, so gives us something meaningless to make a fuss over.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

I shoot in the high 90s and low 100s with cheap tommy armour balls. That and the fact all I find in the woods around the fairways are the expensive pro v1s  lets me know that golf balls dont mean a ton. I've only been playing golf 4 months and I guess i am not good enough to notice a difference in ball. My whole idea is swing and fundamentals matter more than buying an expensive ball.

I am calling BS that all you find in the woods are ProVs unless you play really expensive courses and that's all people are playing. People look for those. I see a lot of "lost" topflights and won't even pick them up. To the OP why would dicks stop making their balls?(which honestly I didn't even know they did)

[smellysell]

Saying all he finds is obviously hyperbole, but I find way more ProV1 on the muni I play than anything else, and it's not close.

[jballard388]

I just play on a military course. And yea 90 percent of the balls I find are proV1s. Seeing as how all my coworkers and friends all play proV1s and all the random people I have played with use them to it's not exactly odd that pretty much every ball I find are those. And the other balls I find are still nice balls like callaways and srixons.

[Mr. Desmond]

You can always find a golf ball you like to play even if the one you play is no longer in production. You may spend more, or less, but it's there.

As to golf ball factories, I once heaed that Nike leased out another OEM's factory. When Nike time approached, the factory was shut down, the formulas altered for the Nike Ball, and voila, you have a completely different ball. Same factory, different formula. So no, it's not smoke and mirrors ... or paint and logo.

[NJpatbee]

I am calling BS that all you find in the woods are ProVs unless you play really expensive courses and that's all people are playing. People look for those. I see a lot of "lost" topflights and won't even pick them up.

To the OP why would dicks stop making their balls?(which honestly I didn't even know they did)

Dicks has a stated objective to reduce their golf offerings.  I suspect that their issue this past season was an over commitment to a few club manufacturers anticipating golfers would buy a new driver or irons every year.  Since golf balls are constantly being replaced I believe that the Maxfli and Top-Flite brands were money makers.  However, Dicks may decide that golf balls are not the direction they are going and sell the brands to another manufacturer.  Another option could be to drop the research and just sell the inexpensive distance brands and move away from the Maxfli "U" series and Top-Flite Gamer balls.

[Lihu]

I am calling BS that all you find in the woods are ProVs unless you play really expensive courses and that's all people are playing. People look for those. I see a lot of "lost" topflights and won't even pick them up.

To the OP why would dicks stop making their balls?(which honestly I didn't even know they did)

Less people lose the "Top Flights", because they spin less and therefore slice/hook less. I also find lots of Pro-V1/x balls where I play, and I play public courses. No BS.

[newtogolf]

Dicks has a stated objective to reduce their golf offerings.  I suspect that their issue this past season was an over commitment to a few club manufacturers anticipating golfers would buy a new driver or irons every year.  Since golf balls are constantly being replaced I believe that the Maxfli and Top-Flite brands were money makers.  However, Dicks may decide that golf balls are not the direction they are going and sell the brands to another manufacturer.  Another option could be to drop the research and just sell the inexpensive distance brands and move away from the Maxfli "U" series and Top-Flite Gamer balls.

While DIcks may have a stated objective to reduce their golf offerings I just visited their newest store on Long Island and was pretty surprised at 1) How much space they had dedicated to golf 2) That the space they did dedicate was in a prime location (front right of the store).  They had plenty of TM and Callaway equipment (no lefty) and decent selection of shoes and apparel.

I doubt they manufacture golf balls themselves and probably make decent margins on Maxfli and Top-Flite.

[NJpatbee]

While DIcks may have a stated objective to reduce their golf offerings I just visited their newest store on Long Island and was pretty surprised at 1) How much space they had dedicated to golf 2) That the space they did dedicate was in a prime location (front right of the store).  They had plenty of TM and Callaway equipment (no lefty) and decent selection of shoes and apparel.

I doubt they manufacture golf balls themselves and probably make decent margins on Maxfli and Top-Flite.

Most of the Maxfli's and Top-Flites are made in China or Taiwan, and I would agree that the manufacturing of these balls is subcontracted out and made to spec for each ball.  But Dicks did purchase both brands and they are the ones that have to fund the continued research, and they have done quite well so far.  Hopefully they continue doing so .

[Lihu]

Most of the Maxfli's and Top-Flites are made in China or Taiwan, and I would agree that the manufacturing of these balls is subcontracted out and made to spec for each ball.  But Dicks did purchase both brands and they are the ones that have to fund the continued research, and they have done quite well so far.  Hopefully they continue doing so .

Surprisingly, these balls perform pretty well too. My only complaint about these balls is that after three or four holes, they begin to feel a little too hard. Same with the Snake Eyes balls from Golfsmith. The premium golf balls, all the name brands, seem to last at least eight times as long. I pay about .80 for the cheaper ones, and 1.50 for used premium ones (ball mongers, or free if I find them) to $4 brand new. Premium ones seem to last 3 or 4 rounds, before taking on that "unusable" feel to them.