Does Type of Ball Matter for High Handicappers?

[natureboy]

7 minutes ago, Jeremie Boop said:

It depends on where you are looking for increased spin. You can by a cheaper ball that has a soft urethane cover on it and see significant increases in greenside sping. However, for longer shots, if you are looking for 1 hop and stop or spin back  upon landing then multi piece balls help more there. At least, in my experience.

vs a distance ball that will land and release more from less spin?

[Jeremie Boop]

1 minute ago, natureboy said:

vs a distance ball that will land and release more from less spin?

Typically, yes.

[Divotmaker77]

A high HC player has bigger issues than the ball they are using.  Spend the money on lots of lessons and get cheap balls until you can hit the ball consistently.  Personally, I hover in the 8-12 HC range and as I have gotten better over the years the type of ball I use has everything to do with what performs best on the greens I am playing on.  ProV1's tend to be my preferred choice, but sometimes I will play with Bridgestone E6 or something else cheaper and get good performance as well.  The TM Project (a) may be the best cheaper ball option that performs as good as the most expensive balls.  

 

 

[Kalnoky]

Has anyone here tried Volvik? I have been experimenting with Volvik Vivid, which is a 3 pcs matte finish ball. I'm not 100% sure if my ball striking is improving or of it's the ball, but man, that is the longest straightest ball off the tee I've ever tried.. Yesterday I backed one up about 12" on the green using a 48*, that is not very common for me. As a high HC this ball is also extremely easy to find in the fairway or rough. Anyway, might be a good option for the winter months.

[68begin]

As a beginner, I got a recommendation from my local golf course to try the Titleist DP Solo (last year's DP ball).  So far, I've been through a box and a half of them.  Once I get my swing under control (yes, I'm an eternal optimist..........as well as an experimenter), I'll start looking for a ball that could Improve my game.  Right now, my swing needs a lot of work and with balls going out into the hinterlands from all parts of the course, I'd prefer to loose an inexpensive ball to an expensive one.

[GolfLug]

Score wise - in most cases, No.

Feel wise - Yes.

For HCP-ers 20 and above, not much ball wise will affect score IMO, but that is only part of it. I think it is important to experience what solid shots feel like, when you do hit them. Doesn't have to be 3 or 4 layer balls but there are good 2 layer soft balls (it is always better to lean towards soft) as well on the market. Distance for 'distance balls' as not as much longer as you think.     

[Brian W]

2 hours ago, GolfLug said:

Score wise - in most cases, No.

Feel wise - Yes.

For HCP-ers 20 and above, not much ball wise will affect score IMO, but that is only part of it. I think it is important to experience what solid shots feel like, when you do hit them. Doesn't have to be 3 or 4 layer balls but there are good 2 layer soft balls (it is always better to lean towards soft) as well on the market. Distance for 'distance balls' as not as much longer as you think.     

I agree 100% with this.  I believe the Srixon QStar is a very nice, soft 2 piece ball that will give a higher handicap the felling you are talking about and while they are not in the Rock Flite price range, they will not break the bank either.  I have hit distance balls that maybe get you 10 yards but I do not struggle outside of 200 yards so for a high handicapper that doesn't hit the ball far might really need that 10 yards 

[Liko81]

On 9/13/2016 at 2:52 PM, MrTom said:

Probably been done to death but I'm new to the forum and I figured best to get stuck in with a question about balls.

Ok here goes...

Realistically at what hcp rating would you start to consider what ball you're playing with? 

For example does it really make much sense for a high hc player like myself to be using pro v1's. I have roughly 170 mixed titleist balls from pro v 1x's to pts wound etc.

The reason I ask is because I'm wondering if a "pro" ball is more likely to accentuate my poor shots with improved spin rate blah blah.

Whilst playing with a couple of friends the other day one of them said try this... it was a Wilson 'Smartcore' you get them here in the UK  £15 for a box of 24! 

Despite being lower than weasels willy in the quality department  (or so I assume) compared to bridgestone, titleist so on I shot my best round so far with it... (91 on a challenging course) 

So what do you guys think? Is ball choice important for guys like me at this stage?

 

Thanks everyone. Have a great day / night.

Will a better ball help you? Yes? No? Depends on why you're a high-capper, and whether your current ball mitigates or accentuates those problems.

If you have a short drive distance but good mid and short iron play, a better ball can help with that by increasing effective compression rating for drives and lowering spin from the box, without reducing spin on the approach. However, if you're already playing a 2-piece "distance" ball, you're probably only going to get a softer feel off the tee for your money, and if you can spin a distance ball, you might lose a few strokes in close until you adjust for a "spinnier" ball's tendency to stop faster or even back away from its landing spot.

If your short game is lacking, a better ball can help by adding spin at higher lofts. Urethane covers instead of Surlyn/ionomer will grip the clubface (and the ground) a little better, imparting more spin and making the spin work for you more on landing, and a 3- or 4-piece will compress more at lower swing speeds to increase the clubface's footprint, without overcompressing off the tee like a softer 2-piece. However, you still have to dial in your line of play and distances to take advantage of a ball that nails itself to the green; if, like me, your short game woes are tops, turfs, flops and airmails, a new ball will only help if it's part of a bucket at the driving range aiming for the short flags. Even if you're doing well in those departments, you could still lose strokes with a ball that gives you significantly more or less wedge spin, by misjudging the actual impact point based on how far you think it will roll.

Overall, from my experience, high 'cappers tend to make mistakes that a ball upgrade won't help with. That's especially true when you can't find the darn thing after your last hit (or, equivalently, you know where it is; out in the middle of the lake off to your right). Value balls are a new, consistent ball (as opposed to playing a "bag o' shags" on the course where each new ball you hit will do something different), that doesn't hurt nearly as much to lose as a $4 V1x, B330 or Chrome Soft. You aren't going to lose 10 strokes on your next round playing with an NXT or V1. What you will lose is $10 more than you would have, watching those top-grade balls sail into lakes, fenced backyards, pools, windows (eek) etc. 

I currently play Noodles, which are dollar balls that for their price are the best I've found, not getting me ridiculous tee distance nor buzz-saw green attacks, but doing okay at both while feeling really good off the clubface. My only gripe is that since TaylorMade bought Max-Fli, they stopped making the high-vis yellow variant of the standard Noodle, offering it only in their Distance variants which are real rocks (and this isn't as much a gripe as it used to be since my new home course uses yellow range balls, so at least on a couple holes near the range I have to switch to white anyway to avoid having to find a needle in a stack of needles). And because they're a dollar, when I'm at the beginning of a meltdown hole and just can't get one to launch straight off the tee, I'm not throwing my driver into the bushes after the second shanked boomerang slice into some investment banker's back yard. If this sounds like your game, stay with the cheapest ball that feels good to play. If you can hit it straight and find it afterward, but you want more distance or a straight-up bounce on your approach shots, consider an upgrade.

Edited September 21, 2016 by Liko81

[Kalnoky]

9 minutes ago, Liko81 said:

Will a better ball help you? Yes? No? Depends on why you're a high-capper

Exactly. This summer I was paired with a guy who has a monster drive, just crushes it straight every time - but I beat him because he has no touch around the greens. So even though I struggle with my driver, we are both high-cap players suited to different balls.

Not all hi-cap players have some kind of a critical swing flaw that precludes them from understanding or appreciating the nuances of the game. Personally, I will par and occasionally birdie holes, it is the doubles and triples that kill me. I'm inconsistent because I don't have the years of practice and muscle memory that a good player has. I'm seeing certain lies for the first time and playing them incorrectly.. That is why I am "hi-cap". But I can absolutely tell the difference between an expensive ball and a range ball. 

 

[Zeph]

We got charts for spinrate on various models, but I think I've seen a similar chart or graph of how these changes affect the actual ball flight. How a 2-layer low-spin ball behaves compared to a 5-layer high-spin ball on curving shots (slice, hoook etc.).

I might be imagining things though. Wouldn't be the first time. If it actually exist, even just in terms of numbers in a table, it would be interesting to see if there is any significant difference to a 200 yard shot with a 5º open clubface between various ball models, most importantly various spin numbers. The spinrate no doubt affects the ball flight vertically, behaviour when it lands and distance, but what happens on a curving shot, intentional or not?

[RussUK]

I dont thi it matters too much in the general sense, especially for those just starting out. If you are a new starter then any cheap 2 piece will do. The problem is that beng a high handicapper is not that clear cut. You could be high hcp due to putting and short game but have great iron game so a spinnier mulit layer ball may be the right choice. On the flip side you could be a putting ace but hit it short so a 2 piece distance ball may be the answer. Sorry for sitting on the fence on this one!

[Jeremie Boop]

3 hours ago, RussUK said:

I dont thi it matters too much in the general sense, especially for those just starting out. If you are a new starter then any cheap 2 piece will do. The problem is that beng a high handicapper is not that clear cut. You could be high hcp due to putting and short game but have great iron game so a spinnier mulit layer ball may be the right choice. On the flip side you could be a putting ace but hit it short so a 2 piece distance ball may be the answer. Sorry for sitting on the fence on this one!

Honestly, a decent multi-layer ball is going to go as far as most distance balls generally speaking, if you are talking straight line distance. The loss of distance between the two is usually a result of higher spin causing more slice/hook on the multi-layer ball. At least, that's been my experience.

[RussUK]

40 minutes ago, Jeremie Boop said:

Honestly, a decent multi-layer ball is going to go as far as most distance balls generally speaking, if you are talking straight line distance. The loss of distance between the two is usually a result of higher spin causing more slice/hook on the multi-layer ball. At least, that's been my experience.

Good point, i suppose golf balls have come a long way from the old topflites!

For a high handicapper price still plays a big role in their choices though

[Jeremie Boop]

13 minutes ago, RussUK said:

Good point, i suppose golf balls have come a long way from the old topflites!

For a high handicapper price still plays a big role in their choices though

Absolutely. I tend to go for the best deal I can find. Last one I found was $18 USD for 36 used Callaway balls that were Chrome, Chrome +, Hex Black, etc. They were all in really good shape, not refurbs because you could still see lines and such on the, none had any scuffs or cuts, and only 2 had major blemishes out of 36. For me, they were the perfect combination of low price + high performance.

[RussUK]

6 minutes ago, Jeremie Boop said:

Absolutely. I tend to go for the best deal I can find. Last one I found was $18 USD for 36 used Callaway balls that were Chrome, Chrome +, Hex Black, etc. They were all in really good shape, not refurbs because you could still see lines and such on the, none had any scuffs or cuts, and only 2 had major blemishes out of 36. For me, they were the perfect combination of low price + high performance.

Good deal there. Ive used "one hit wonders" in the past (callaway hex hot) and cant complain. Currently on the new AD333 (2 dozen free with a magazine subscription)

[shanksalot]

 My reply will probably just regurgitate what has already been said. My belief is the type of ball depends not only on the player but the type of shots you hit and the type of course you play. If you have too much slice or hook on the ball you might change to a low spin ball which in most cases is a two piece ball. If you lose a lot of balls don't spend a lot of money on the high priced balls. If you're inconsistent with your shots but get the ball near the green in regulation most of the time you should consider a ball with some spin around the green. BUT if the course you play has soft slow greens a two piece ball may fit the bill. The only thing you need to do is try different balls and see which works best for you. 

Find out which balls are two piece and which are 3,4,or 5 piece. You probably don't have to buy them you may be able to find them on the course you play. If you find a ball or balls look them up on the internet to see what their cost and attributes are. Then try some of the out. So the short answer is you have to try them out and find out for yourself. As a last caveat if you are new to the game don;t worry about what you should play the first 6-12 months, just go out and enjoy the game before you get too serious and start getting frustrated with the game. Remember golf is a game not work so don't make it harder than it already is for most of us. 

[MrTom]

Thanks for all the info. 

My strengths definitely in my short game. I'm going through the motions of building a swing and my coach uses the Stack and Tilt system. I haven't really progressed onto the longer clubs yet (under his advice) as at the momoment my miss hits are absorbed some what by the irons but put a driver in my hand and it's a roll of the dice. 

I don't really know what a good distance is driver wise but I hit a Wilson Smartcore 295y (with carry) on the course the other week and that's the furthest I've hit so far. 

It's all coming together slowly but surely my average score 6 moths ago was 105 per round, I shot a 91 followed by 89. 

Looking back I've lost 1 ball per 2 rounds over the past few months so I'll take all of the advice and try some different balls then stick to a particular one as consistency in feel must be as important as it is in the strike or else the strike hit the same each swing will yield an array of results if you're hitting a different ball.

Like i said I've got a box of chrome Softs sat around so they'll get a good working first and I'll go from there.

 

[MacDutch]

@MrTom You are not a high handicapper in my book. Scoring around 90 thats hcp 15-18 depending on the course you play.

Best answer is that type of ball is important for all type of players. When really high hcp, like 30 and above buy the cheapest you can get. So slice and hook it in the woods and rough and it will cost you only 20 cents. Then drop your next ball on the fairway, dont go searching. Thats the way to enjoy.

When you get better, you might consider two different balls: the ones you use on holes where a lot of water comes in play (old balls) and other holes a good ball.

As a 7 hcp I still use this ball-management but a bit different. If I hit a driver and there is wind from the left, I sometimes hit a Nike LD. Sometimes is when I hit fades all the time with driver 

When all is going like I want it to go I hit a Titleist nxt tour s.