Anybody Else Not That Interested in Premium Golf Balls?

[No Mulligans]

The courses I mostly play here in San Diego I can backup a Callaway Supresoft just fine... say often 6 feet with a 9 iron, why would I want to back a ball up more than that?

 

[gregsandiego]

I've been known to play with a range ball. Only the new shiny ones. I get a kick out of the reaction I get.

[David in FL]

1 minute ago, gregsandiego said:

I've been known to play with a range ball. Only the new shiny ones. I get a kick out of the reaction I get.

Probably from the people who bought them, for use on the range...

 

[Jackal1966]

I can play the Wilson Duo soft, Titleist Dt Solo, or Trusoft. They perform ok.

My preference is the NXT. It does what I want. If my wedge shot is too low, there's  enough spin  to keep it from rolling forever.

 This time of year I play a lot of bump and run 8 iron shots.

 They get over the  edge of the green and slow down.

 If it's  real fuzzy around the green, my choice is a pw, or 50° wedge.

It's  hard to get a high lofted shot with all the dead grass right now.

 On green  fairways, I can wedge it up and stop the ball.

Maybe not in a good spot, but it stops.

All the NXTs are bought  used. Either from Walmart, or the 'used'  can at the clubhouse.

 This allows me to play a $34 ball for less than $1 each.

[gregsandiego]

2 hours ago, David in FL said:

Probably from the people who bought them, for use on the range...

 

LOL.
Really it's the guys with the ProV1's

[NJpatbee]

I have played premium balls (mostly Titleist ProV1) and I just don't score as well compared to a Gamer Soft, DT TruSoft, or e6 Soft type ball.  I am a 17 HCP that does not hit a high trajectory ball and on approach shots I am playing baci ball as opposed to throwing darts.  Yes, a ProV1 checks up much faster but with my trajectory I am likely not on the green yet.  I could take an extra club but to me that is a disadvantage. I can adjust to short chips and pitches with a ProV1 just as I am accustomed to a mid-level ball.   On a very good drive I carry the ball as long with a ProV1 as I do with a Gamer Soft but will roll out 5-10 yards less.   And on a drive where I put more fade than I wanted a Tour ball is likely to be in the rough or worse.  

If I scored better with premium golf balls I would play them.  Actually, I score worse with a premium ball.  With a mid-teen HCP swing premium balls are not engineered with golfers like me in mind.   

[Bucki1968]

Not trying to plug Snell golf balls but three piece ball is fantastic and I actually like the Get Sum ball also. At $21.00 a dozen (better deal if you buy 6 dozen), I'm not sure there is a better ball out there for all skill levels. I actually have started using the Get Sum ball more. Not as much spin at the three piece, but still enough spin. I guess I just did "plug" Snell. Sorry.

[Lihu]

On 12/19/2017 at 8:02 AM, JxQx said:

OP/others mentioned $4 golf balls and I tend to agree they are a waste of money.

Right, with great condition used premium balls and lower cost alternative premium balls, there's no good reason to buy brand new $4 to $5 balls unless you can really afford it.

That said, I don't lose that many balls on my favorite tracks, so it's not a big deal if I'm in a crunch and have to pay $5 a ball.

[Club Rat]

Here is a little known fact about golf balls...

According to Golf World magazine, the average golfer loses two golf balls per round for a worldwide total of approximately 2,465,752 every day.  Worried about running out?  Don't be. Companies like Titleist are working hard to ensure that never happens.  Titleist makes 1.2 million golf balls each day.

And one more thought to ponder on...

Stand proud you noble swingers of clubs and losers of balls.  A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year.  Another study found golfers drink on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year. That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon.

Should make you proud!  You're like.... a hybrid

[Buckeyebowman]

Ha!

I'm with the OP. I like to get the ball on the green and rolling to the hole ASAP on chip shots. I've found with some "cheaper" balls, like the Pinnacle Soft, if I hit the approach shot right the ball will stop on the green. And I'm not talking pudding soft greens either.

[jmanbooyaa]

Is the Bridgestone e series considered a premium ball? I am a high handicapper with a lot of swing flaws. I do see a difference with the e6 with strictly ball flight. Distance wise it goes a bit further due to going straighter. 

[shanksalot]

 For my game it depends on the greens on any course I play. If the greens are hard and fast I want a ball with a lot of spin. The course I play right now is usually pretty soft and not fast so I use a low compression ball in the winter and most any ball that I am comfortable with in the summer. Our course even in the summer I can hit anything from a 5 hybrid down to my wedges and stop the ball within 5-10 feet. 

[b101]

I've been through phases with this - I've played utterly awful balls, stuck with mid range and gone to the top end for a while. Ultimately, when my game is on, I am best with a top-tier ball. However, if I lose one, I get very annoyed and actually reckon I make worse decisions... The bargain basement balls don't work well for me as I can't hold greens as easily (I would actually argue that spin matters more on a links course - on parkland, you're likely to hold the green if you hit it with a low-spin ball, you just might be further away, whereas it can be the difference between another short game shot or a putt on links courses). Additionally, I really do notice and hate the clicky feel of some balls around the greens or when putting.

In the end, when I do bulk buy, I'll get either some lake-ball Pro V1s, the DT Trusoft or NXT Tour S; all of which are affordable enough and I like. I've tried a lot of others. If I find a Pro V, I'll play it and feel less guilty when I eventually lose it .

[Lihu]

On 12/19/2017 at 5:20 PM, No Mulligans said:

The courses I mostly play here in San Diego I can backup a Callaway Supresoft just fine... say often 6 feet with a 9 iron, why would I want to back a ball up more than that?

You either have magic balls or a really high swing speed with pure contact on every shot?

I have never backed up a 9i 6 feet, much less do it often. Plugged, a few times, but not backup that much?

On 12/22/2017 at 5:42 PM, Buckeyebowman said:

Ha!

I'm with the OP. I like to get the ball on the green and rolling to the hole ASAP on chip shots. I've found with some "cheaper" balls, like the Pinnacle Soft, if I hit the approach shot right the ball will stop on the green. And I'm not talking pudding soft greens either.

I'll take every rpm I can get within the rules.

Edited December 26, 2017 by Lihu

[p1n9183]

Next month i will be +1 handicap again and I play Bridgestone E6 balls, all of them picked up from water hazards.
21 uds per dozen, not at all a premium golf ball.
 
 

[dbuck]

In my signature, you will see that I play balls from both ends of the spectrum. I don't have much use for the balls in the middle. I am not saying they aren't good/great balls, but the mid price point is too close to premium if you shop.

I like the Wilson DUO. I started playing it with vintage clubs but found it feels good with modern as well. Not quite the greenside response of premium balls, but it does feel great off the putter. It is one of the softest compression balls available. I recently picked up a few on sale for less than $7 per dozen. These are new balls by the way, just on closeout at Dick's.

For years I sort of scoffed at premium balls and multiple wedges, but this year I have used both extensively. Even though I am a 15 hcp, I can tell the difference in feel and performance around the green with fresh wedges and ProV1s, or other premium balls. ProV's were available through Christmas at 39.99, and I had some points, so got 3 dozen at about $30/doz- so less than most mid-priced balls.  Sometimes I use ProV1 PRACTICE, which only have cosmetic differences and are again cheaper than most mid-priced balls.

I used DT SoLo's for years, and still think they are about all I need, but I do enjoy the extra greenside performance  of premium balls.

[Pablo68]

I have bought my premium ones on Ebay for the past several years but I'm going to stop doing that after reading how much effect sitting in the water has on a ball.

For those that buy balls on Ebay or fish them out of a pond, assuming solid contact, how many times have you hit a ball that comes up short on an approach or just performs weird? While it may not be that often, Murphy's law states it'll be when it matters the most.

Edited January 6, 2018 by Pablo68

[inthecup]

The ball is mostly about the cover for me, I like urethane. I play low spinning shots around the green.  Because of this I need consistent spin.  I fiddled around with different balls and settled on Srixon Star Z.  If I find a Pro V on the course I give it away.  I want to know how it is going to spin so I don't like to swap balls.

Star Z is their premium ball.  I can get them for $29.00 a dozen watching for the buy 3 get one free sale which runs several times a year.  I also like a yellow ball, mostly because when we come up on the balls I know which one is mine.  Sometimes a competitor comments on it which I also see as a bonus.  Last I looked Snell did not make a yellow covered premium ball.  I tries the vice yellow premium ball and the color was odd, don't recall how but I did not like it.  Nor the pimp logo.

If I was going to play white it would likely be Snell.

 

After writing this I popped over to Snell, they will have yellow when their new ball is available in March.  I'll have to check that out.

Edited January 22, 2018 by inthecup