Sorry, but a bit of help with the golf ball minefield please (2015)?

[Dancers Image]

Top Flite Gamer is not usually available in the UK.

You could try Callaway Chrome Soft or TaylorMade Project(a).

At your (and my level) ball selection depends very much upon "try it and see" experimentation.  Buy a couple of tubes and change for the back nine.  I would recommend experimentation during actual play rather than on the  practice ground. Good Luck.

[iacas]

Of course there is, all spin axis is is a combination of the two and is why GC2 HMT lists figures for back spin and side spin and a figure for the combined "spin axis".

You're not understanding.

There's no such thing as "backspin" or "sidespin." There is only one spin. If a launch monitor gives you "sidespin" it's calculating that (it's not a difficult calculation - just a little trigonometry).

Spin is spin. A ball that "spins more" with any particular club will slice and draw more too.

A ball doesn't know or care where we choose to define a coordinate system - it only cares about a relatively flat surface (in the case of irons anyway) impacting it and the resulting single axis about which it spins.

I know what you mean though, but some balls list eliminating side spin on all shots, reduce back spin on long shots but maintaining back spin on wedges and around greens, which I find hard to believe. Surely has to be give and take to a degree?

It's just marketing.

Spin levels can vary non-linearly - a driver's spin rate is primarily governed by the core materials, while a wedge's spin rate(s) are primarily governed by the outer layer or cover material. But again, that's "spin levels" period - if a company says "reduces side spin" then either they're lying or they're also saying "reduces spin" (for whatever type of shot they're talking about).

Spin access is the somewhat middle ground of the ratio between backspin and side-spin, which tilts the axis through a complex calculation (which I don't know), the ball manufactures won't list anything to do with spin axis on their sites as most won't understand it.

Backspin and sidespin are the calculations, really. The ball only spins around one axis. The axis isn't tilted because of the "side spin" - the axis is tilted because that's what the shot produces.

I agree that most won't understand it. Like I said, it's basic trigonometry.

Here the ball spins ONLY on the black line (the axis is of course perpendicular to this). The "side spin" is the blue line and is thus calculated. If "back spin" numbers are given, it's the calculated red line.

Anyway… long story short, balls can't "reduce side spin" without also reducing "spin" period.

Also… please multiquote, @ChrisWev : . Thank you.

[ChrisWev]

Anyway… long story short, balls can't "reduce side spin" without also reducing "spin" period.

Also… please multiquote, @ChrisWev :  ​ . Thank you.

Thanks for the response Erik.

About the physics stuff, I totally get that (I used to be an aircraft avionics engineer, and is fairly similar to rotors in gyroscope theory etc), and know that the ball only rotates/ spins on one axis, unless there are outside influences. It's what they're calling "back spin" isn't exactly termed correctly, but I know what you mean, you know what I meant and most understand what is meant when the term "back spin"  and "side spin" is used. Spin access doesn't get used a lot as I would expect most don't have the mental ability to understand it.

Totally agree that you you can't reduce side-spin without reducing backspin, ie the spin axis is both intertwined.

I can understand how spin properties can change for driver and wedges though, this is basically due to the 3/4 cores and how the ball reacts differently at certain speeds/ compression etc. Hence why low spinning drives (at 150mph ball speed) and good backspin with wedges and on and around the greens (20-90mph bs?) are plotted on all the robot the charts. Sidespin and spin axis shouldn't matter too much with the more lofted clubs due to the D-Plane. Ie I'm not going to be hooking a wedge.

Sorry about the multiquote, I was using my phone and it's not ideal to do that.

[ChrisWev]

Top Flite Gamer is not usually available in the UK.

You could try Callaway Chrome Soft or TaylorMade Project(a).

At your (and my level) ball selection depends very much upon "try it and see" experimentation.  Buy a couple of tubes and change for the back nine.  I would recommend experimentation during actual play rather than on the  practice ground. Good Luck.

Basically I'm going to start with this as my bible:

http://www.golfdigest.com/images/equipment/2014-05/eqsl32-hot-list-ball-spin-rate-chart.jpg

My only worry with the Project a is the extra driver spin (which most don't want), this might be hard to keep in the fairway which makes the bonus of the ball (the high spin) become negligible from the rough, with less spin due to less friction on the clubface from grass/ water etc. Saying that the ball will probably launch higher to counteract that a bit.

This is all totally give and take and the way I see it, unless you pay the price it's going to be:

Hard ball: Low spin, good driver distance, less hook/slice, approach shots are hard to factor due to the fact the ball is going to be bouncing towards the hole (ie not much control over length)

Med Ball: Med spin, average distance with driver, bit more wayward with the drives, less roll on greens

Soft Ball: Harder to control with driver but if you hit the fairway, the shot to green should stick (if you hit that too).

I'm going to try:

Project (a)

NXT tour

Z-Star or Z-star XV

[Mr. Desmond]

Basically I'm going to start with this as my bible:

http://www.golfdigest.com/images/equipment/2014-05/eqsl32-hot-list-ball-spin-rate-chart.jpg

My only worry with the Project a is the extra driver spin (which most don't want), this might be hard to keep in the fairway which makes the bonus of the ball (the high spin) become negligible from the rough, with less spin due to less friction on the clubface from grass/ water etc. Saying that the ball will probably launch higher to counteract that a bit.

This is all totally give and take and the way I see it, unless you pay the price it's going to be:

Hard ball: Low spin, good driver distance, less hook/slice, approach shots are hard to factor due to the fact the ball is going to be bouncing towards the hole (ie not much control over length)

Med Ball: Med spin, average distance with driver, bit more wayward with the drives, less roll on greens

Soft Ball: Harder to control with driver but if you hit the fairway, the shot to green should stick (if you hit that too).

I'm going to try:

Project (a)

NXT tour

Z-Star or Z-star XV

You are overthinking this... don't.

Project(a) is a fine ball, and if your greens are hard, you will not get the short game spin of a premium ball. If you can find a Rocketballz Urethane for less, it's the same ball, with a little "improvement" since it is the next iteration.

NXT Tour ... an overpriced Titleist ball with less spin for the short game.

Srixon ... haven't used them in a while but find one with a urethane cover.

[SavvySwede]

You are overthinking this... don't.

Project(a) is a fine ball, and if your greens are hard, you will not get the short game spin of a premium ball. If you can find a Rocketballz Urethane for less, it's the same ball, with a little "improvement" since it is the next iteration.

NXT Tour ... an overpriced Titleist ball with less spin for the short game.

Srixon ... haven't used them in a while but find one with a urethane cover.

QFT

Just about anything with a urethane cover will give you the short game and iron game performance you need. NXT and NXT Tour are the biggest waste of money in the golf ball market, you're essentially paying a premium ball price for an unremarkable mid grade ball that happens to say Titleist.

[JazzFatCat]

Here's the 2015 version of that driver vs half-wedge spin graph.

From looking at the graph the E5 sure seems like a good value ball that will give the extra short game spin that you want.

http://www.golfdigest.com/images/equipment/2014-05/eqsl32-hot-list-ball-spin-rate-chart.jpg

[ChrisWev]

Not a lot of love for the Titleist, which is surprising considering it's a four piece ball. I't's not going to be cheap to make.

I'm going to try the Bridgestone E5 out too, something deterred me form this but can't remember what it was. It might have been the swing speed it's recommended for. I know it's a two-piece ball but if it's "almost" as good as the others it's certainly worth a shot, at about 40% cheaper price.

The E5 could be the stepping stone whilst I'm still improving quickly and still prone to loosing a few.

Bizzarely when playing on my own I lose a lot more balls from basically not watching where they go until the ball stops moving, or losing them in the sun, rather than smashing them OOB or in the water.

[Tgb02]

Would suggest the chrome soft, Snell balls, Taylormade project a, titleist velocity balls are actually decent

Also I have never seen anyone talk about them but I found some Taylormade aerobuner golf balls that are like 26 bucks a dozen, 3 piece and I have only ever seen them at target but I played a sleeve of them this week and they felt really nice.

[Mr. Desmond]

Not a lot of love for the Titleist, which is surprising considering it's a four piece ball. I't's not going to be cheap to make.

I'm going to try the Bridgestone E5 out too, something deterred me form this but can't remember what it was. It might have been the swing speed it's recommended for. I know it's a two-piece ball but if it's "almost" as good as the others it's certainly worth a shot, at about 40% cheaper price.

The E5 could be the stepping stone whilst I'm still improving quickly and still prone to loosing a few.

Bizzarely when playing on my own I lose a lot more balls from basically not watching where they go until the ball stops moving, or losing them in the sun, rather than smashing them OOB or in the water.

I played the e5 when it first arrived on the scene. It did spin around the greens, but it was a hard feeling, high launcher that lost too much yardage.

I dropped it.

BUT I understand they have improved it over the last 10 years - probably 3-4X, and I played it again about 2 years ago. It was still hard feeling and distance challenged. Then, earlier this year some guys were raving about the newest version ... it was long and ..

So I have no idea ... I am leery. But it's worth a sleeve to try.

[fanning]

I would go for whatever is cheapest only b/c you are going to end up losing these balls over time anyway.  As long as you use a good pair of clubs you should be fine ;)

[ChrisWev]

Would suggest the chrome soft, Snell balls, Taylormade project a, titleist velocity balls are actually decent

Also I have never seen anyone talk about them but I found some Taylormade aerobuner golf balls that are like 26 bucks a dozen, 3 piece and I have only ever seen them at target but I played a sleeve of them this week and they felt really nice.

I don't really want to use Callaway as they change balls more than I've had hot dinners, which means I would probably have to pay full price for them and would be hard to stick to the same ball. Snell are unavailable in the UK. I'll be trying Project A, Velocities might be more of a distance ball.

I played the e5 when it first arrived on the scene. It did spin around the greens, but it was a hard feeling, high launcher that lost too much yardage.

I dropped it.

BUT I understand they have improved it over the last 10 years - probably 3-4X, and I played it again about 2 years ago. It was still hard feeling and distance challenged. Then, earlier this year some guys were raving about the newest version ... it was long and ..

So I have no idea ... I am leery. But it's worth a sleeve to try.

I don't mid a higher launch as my ball flight is pretty low I think, so I'll be giving these a shot.

I would go for whatever is cheapest only b/c you are going to end up losing these balls over time anyway.  As long as you use a good pair of clubs you should be fine ;)

Under that theory we should all play with pebbles or range balls? I'd go as far as to say that the club is the thing that will have the least effect on the players game as far as the difference between manufacturers goes. From all the reviews there is never more than a couple of yards difference with clubs, and that's normally down to stronger lofts and varying shafts.

[vangator]

I played the Volvik S3 today. It is long and straight with a lot of greenside spin.

[ChrisWev]

I played the Volvik S3 today. It is long and straight with a lot of greenside spin.

They look good on all the charts but they're pricey new, and not common in the UK so I doubt I could get them cheap or a "lakeball" variant.

[vangator]

I've looked for Volvik used balls and all they list are the Crystals, which are hard rocks. I really like the Nike RZN too. They are also pricey. I rarely lose balls, so price doesn't matter. I lost a ball yesterday for the first time in months. A shank no less. I also like the Maxfli U6. Lots of spin. It's been a few months since I played them, but I think they are plenty long as well.