Vox Video On Golf Ball Distance Debate

[nevets88]

Not sure where to put this, couldn't find the distance debate threads. I never watched that Rick Shiels video where the liquid is popping out from the PRO VI, didn't know about that.

 

[Yukari]

Very interesting theory.

[Missouri Swede]

21 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

I never watched that Rick Shiels video where the liquid is popping out from the PRO VI, didn't know about that.

The one with the liquid was a Titleist Professional 90 from the 1990s (not the Pro V1).

[1badbadger]

The ball has for sure been a major reason driver distances keep increasing.  The part of this video I don't like is that it seems to imply that the Pro V1 was the first solid-core ball to be developed and hit the market, which a lot of players already assume is true.  Titleist was actually behind a lot of other companies in the development of the new technology with companies like Bridgestone, Nike and Top-Flite (Strata) already having balls in production.

[nevets88]

32 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

The one with the liquid was a Titleist Professional 90 from the 1990s (not the Pro V1).

No wonder! 😜

Too much information out there.

[Edsland]

Larger drive head sizes was about the same time too. 

[Buckeyebowman]

9 hours ago, 1badbadger said:

The ball has for sure been a major reason driver distances keep increasing.  The part of this video I don't like is that it seems to imply that the Pro V1 was the first solid-core ball to be developed and hit the market, which a lot of players already assume is true.  Titleist was actually behind a lot of other companies in the development of the new technology with companies like Bridgestone, Nike and Top-Flite (Strata) already having balls in production.

Yep. Way back in the day my Brother and I were playing when he hit a solid core ball (they were just coming out) that had Lee Trevino's name on it. I forget the manufacturer. The damned thing split in half! Lots of quality control problems back then. Even further back I took a golf ball apart. It was wound ball. I cut the cover off of it, and unwound it. It will do that by itself if if you just enable it. Amazing how "energetic" those windings were. That ball would just dance! 

In the center I found what appeared to be a solid rubber core, but it had some give to it. So, I cut it in half. There were outer and inner chambers, both filled with some thick, viscous liquid! Don't know what it was, but it felt like mineral oil. 

1 hour ago, Edsland said:

Larger drive head sizes was about the same time too. 

Meh, not so much. Besides Dustin Johnson hit Nicklaus' old driver a long way using newer balls. The new club designs seem more to help amateurs hit the ball better. Guys like Palmer, Nicklaus, and other old pros have bitched about the ball! 

[jamo]

Several questions:

• 2000, the adoption of multi-core balls may have been the steepest part of the graph, but distance had already been rising for a decade at a very similar rate. I suppose we attribute that to advances in clubs? Steel heads and graphite shafts?
• Based on my memory, titanium drivers also started coming out around 2000. Does that deserve any attribution?
• The graph flattens out around 2008ish. To what do we attribute that? 
• To what to we attribute the rise since 2014?
• Do we have evidence that the golf ball is still advancing, or just that it advanced once in 2000 and has been relatively steady since?

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, jamo said:

Several questions:

• 2000, the adoption of multi-core balls may have been the steepest part of the graph, but distance had already been rising for a decade at a very similar rate. I suppose we attribute that to advances in clubs? Steel heads and graphite shafts?
• Based on my memory, titanium drivers also started coming out around 2000. Does that deserve any attribution?
• The graph flattens out around 2008ish. To what do we attribute that? 
• To what to we attribute the rise since 2014?
• Do we have evidence that the golf ball is still advancing, or just that it advanced once in 2000 and has been relatively steady since?

Yeah, those.

Plus also the idea and understanding of statistics (and how much is to be gained by hitting driver more often, hitting it far while sacrificing some accuracy, etc.), launch monitors helping achieve more optimal launch conditions, etc.

Two "mistakes" in the video were that a heavier ball might not fly shorter - a lighter ball would though. And… Oakmont is NOT obsolete. Ha ha ha ha.

I think DJ won at, what, -4? Without the course being all that tricky?

[saevel25]

11 hours ago, jamo said:

• The graph flattens out around 2008ish. To what do we attribute that? 
• To what to we attribute the rise since 2014?
• Do we have evidence that the golf ball is still advancing, or just that it advanced once in 2000 and has been relatively steady since

I would say that golfers finally using the new tech. Is the reason for the flattening in 2008. 

As for the rise since 2014, more athletic golfers on the Tour. It use to be Bubba and Tiger at the top. Then add DJ. Then add Rory. How many are with them now, half a dozen? Also, with strokes gained, I think PGA tour players are hitting more drivers. Also, i think that is around the time low-spinning and higher launch is taking hold. So, add in more optimization. 

It would be interesting to take the old Pro-V ball and compare it to the newest. 

[Buckeyebowman]

On 3/15/2019 at 10:28 PM, iacas said:

Yeah, those.

Plus also the idea and understanding of statistics (and how much is to be gained by hitting driver more often, hitting it far while sacrificing some accuracy, etc.), launch monitors helping achieve more optimal launch conditions, etc.

Two "mistakes" in the video were that a heavier ball might not fly shorter - a lighter ball would though. And… Oakmont is NOT obsolete. Ha ha ha ha.

I think DJ won at, what, -4? Without the course being all that tricky?

Yes, hitting the Driver with almost no regard for the consequences was a hallmark of the "bomb and gouge" game that was in vogue for a while. And a lot of commentators have attributed DJ's ascendancy to his acquiring a Trackman. But, if I don't miss my guess, he won a few before then! 

And Oakmont will never be obsolete! I've been out there for a couple of US Opens, and that place can be downright scary! In another thread someone posted about playing Bay Hill, and that it was nothing like when Arnie's tournament was there. Surprise! A good greenkeeping crew can change a course in a heartbeat! When the LPGA had tourneys here at a local country club, we'd walk out there and it looked like the course had never been played before!