Used golf balls vs. Brand new golf balls

[Bridges]

This may be a big surprise to some. I just saw this and knew I had to share.

I put this in the golf section so hopefully it wont vanish in a week like it would in the "main thread part". This should help lots of people save a few bucks on golf balls...

http://www.knetgolf.com/topic/36-golf-ball-testing.aspx

How Do Recycled & Refinished Golf Balls Perform?

Numbers Don’t Lie!

Since the beginning of the Used golf ball industry there has been some controversy raised as to whether used golf balls retrieved from the water perform any different than new golf balls.

The questioning of the performance of recycled balls may have been relevant years ago when balls were made differently, but golf balls today are constructed completely different and are very resilient.

So here is the test:

We bought 10 dozen new golf balls from a major retailer and took 10 dozen of each grade of golf balls that we recover and recycle right off of our shelves to an independent golf ball testing facility (Advanced Golf Solutions) that tests new balls for many of the top manufacturers.

All the grades of balls we sell were tested except for those that are structurally damaged or too old. These we do not sell. We do not have the capability to repair a damaged ball either through recycling or refinishing and these are discarded.

We hoped to once and for all put an end to this hearsay controversy of “water balls” or "used golf balls"and do some independent scientifically controlled testing, not subjective anecdotal testing that has been the mainstay of the common thought on this topic.

And here’s what we found out:

Outside of cosmetics (which really is what the grading is all about), the balls in all the various grades tested against new golf balls right out the package show only a very minimal loss, in fact a statistically insignificant loss of carry distance.

With a driver the maximum loss of carry over a drive of about 260 yards is about 5 yards with a grade B ball while the mint recycled and mint refinished balls show only a loss of 1 yard or less. Similar proportional results with both a wedge and 6 iron as indicated in the graphs below.

Is this difference significant?

Since 99% of all golfers cannot swing with any consistency to attain these averages over many shots, this loss of carry distance form 1 -5 yards is absolutely minimal when you take into account all the other factors that come into play when you swing a club… plane of club, follow through, back swing, in/out or out/in, weight shift, lie etc.

The question then becomes is it worth it to pay 40% - 80% more for golf balls that you are going to lose anyway just to gain a yard or so under ideal swing conditions?

Please note that even though we achieved the following results in our testing the legall team has advised us that we must add this disclaimer:
The products we market do not meet the exact specifications of new golf balls and may be subject to performance variations from new golf balls. These balls do not fall under the original manufacturers warranty or guarantees. However, we believe strongly in our products and stand behind them 100%.

You be the judge… and if you decide to continue purchasing new balls after seeing this, we and all of our 300,000 customers thank you as you are now one of our suppliers.

Test Results Highlights: Overall Evaluation:
Insignificant Total Carry Difference “Our test data proves new balls and Knetgolf.com pre-owned balls are basically interchangeable,” says Tony Nelson, President of AGS. “I don’t see how the average golfer would notice a difference – except for the price.”

"As for the difference between recycled and refinished balls, there is certainly no statistically significant difference in performance that any golfer I know would be able to detect." Tony added, " This is a certainly a win for all golfers."


Test Parameters:
Tests were conducted by Advanced Golf Solutions LLC. an independent certified golf ball testing facility in Sarasota, Florida USA

Date of test: November 17 Temperature Range: 79F to 83F
Humidity Range: 49% to 54% Wind Direction: ESE
Wind Speed: 3.2 MPH to 6.4 MPH Wind Effect: Minimal Tail / Crossing

Tests were conducted by cannon for consistent RPM at an 18% launch angle with 0% side axis and at 57 PSI.

 

[MattyKrack17]

wow, hello used!!!

 

[JR]

I believe it. I love KNET, great products for great prices. I don't think I have bought new golf balls in 6 months. Used is fine for me.

 

[knox co mike]

Very interesting information Bridges. Thank you for sharing this. Everytime I visit my parents in Tampa I stock up on used balls from a retailer nearby.

 

[Bridges]

I will be buying nothing but the grade a or mint condition from now on. I really dont see a reason to buy new after seeing this.

 

[MattyKrack17]

I will be buying nothing but the grade a or mint condition from now on. I really dont see a reason to buy new after seeing this.

im with ya, even though didnt dicks have a sale on last years bs balls?

 

[Esox]

I like new golf balls. Superstition.

Kevin

 

[DawgDaddy]

Interesting, of course the data is presented by a company that has a vested interest in the test. Not saying I doubt the results as I play balls sometimes as much as 4 rounds in practice and they seem fine to me. Just food for thought.

 

[Golf 'N Gator]

I use grade AAAA used balls all the time. I bought 96 Bridgestone B330RX for around $65 this winter. The balls were like new with no cover damage. I like new balls as well, but for casual rounds, I often use the used ones. No big deal to me. A new ball becomes a used ball in just a couple of holes anyway. I'm just to tight to play new all the time. Some good deals can be had online with some searching.

 

[Bridges]

Interesting, of course the data is presented by a company that has a vested interest in the test. Not saying I doubt the results as I play balls sometimes as much as 4 rounds in practice and they seem fine to me. Just food for thought.

I see what your saying, but then again we dont see sites that only sale new golf balls putting tests up about how new golf ball compared to mint or grade a balls are so much better, because they know its not true.

 

[pjcedog]

Unless the used ball is either visibly damaged in some way or more than a year old it should perform exactly like new. If it was never water-logged or hasn't yellowed or been cracked or scuffed there is no difference. When I was learning to play I played nothing but found used balls because I couldn't afford new as a kid. Buy the slightly used, not x-outs and not refinished, which have usually been painted. Or as an in between price ball buy overrruns of printed balls, they are the same exact ball. I buy new because I can afford it and it is convenient but if I was on a tighter budget I would not hesitate to buy used balls.

 

[DawgDaddy]

I see what your saying, but then again we dont see sites that only sale new golf balls putting tests up about how new golf ball compared to mint or grade a balls are so much better, because they know its not true.

Yeah, but then again the new balls have got to be put in the loop for the used ball market to exist. I have gamed a few used balls in my day, I had a friend who used to work on the grounds maintenance crew at the local CC and he would give me about 6 dozen ProV1's each year that were mostly in very very good condition. I did not hesitate to play them anywhere, because no matter how you look at it, after a ball has been hit one time it is a used ball.

 

[MattyKrack17]

im going to order used for now, as i cant afford to buy $45 a dozen balls, thanks for the site!!

 

[Bridges]

Yeah, but then again the new balls have got to be put in the loop for the used ball market to exist. I have gamed a few used balls in my day, I had a friend who used to work on the grounds maintenance crew at the local CC and he would give me about 6 dozen ProV1's each year that were mostly in very very good condition. I did not hesitate to play them anywhere, because no matter how you look at it, after a ball has been hit one time it is a used ball.

Yup, your exactly right. I used to play nothing but "course balls" or in other words, balls I found lost in the trees/tall grass.

 

[RxGus]

Here is the kicker Bridges- and why I stopped using "used" golf balls... (To be clear- MOST of these used balls are recovered from ponds)

Tests were conducted by cannon for consistent RPM at an 18% launch angle with 0% side axis and at 57 PSI.

These balls were shot out of a cannon, and NOT hit. Essentially, they tested the aerodynamics of the ball and found they were unchanged. What wasn't tested was energy transfer on a ball struck with a club. While water may not have a big effect on aerodynamics (like the testing shows) water has a HUGE effect on distance and energy transfer coming off of a club face.

Golf digest published a study in 2005(?) that showed different results

Spoiler

Here, my friends, is the $64,000 question. The cover of a golf ball seems fairly impervious, so how bad could it be for a ball to sit idly in the water for a few months? Does a ball that's been lying in the mud at the bottom of a pond for 30 days lose distance? Does it gain distance? Does being submerged for a length of time have any effect whatsoever?

Like most golfers, GOLF DIGEST editors recover their fair share of water balls (that's right, we're as cheap as the next guy), and also like most golfers, we wanted to know what we were getting from these somewhat soggy transactions. We're not the only ones interested in recycled balls, either.

Here's how we went about investigating the playability of balls pulled from the water, and keep in mind that the test was not all-inclusive. We used only three-piece, balata-covered balls and two-piece balls with a lithium-Surlyn cover.

Step 1: We took 11 new three-piece balls and 11 new two-piece balls and submerged them in a pond for eight days. We took another 22 new two- and three-piece balls and submerged them for three months. Then we took a third batch of 22 new balls and let them sit in the water for six months. The average water temperatures ranged from 36 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during this period.

Step 2: We recovered the balls last November and tested them using a robotic hitting machine. The golf club used was a standard-length metal driver (9.5-degree loft) with an extra-stiff shaft. Clubhead speed was 93.7 m.p.h., launch angle was nine degrees and the average spin rate was 2,800 r.p.m. On the day of the testing, the wind was calm and the fairway was a bit damp.

Step 3: We started testing by hitting 11 new two- and three-piece balls as a benchmark (same brands and models as the water balls). The average carry and roll for the new three-piece balls was 250.7 yards. These numbers are not the maximum carry and roll for two- and three-piece balls, simply the average carry and roll under our test conditions.

The next stage was to hit the balls that had been retrieved from the water. The average carry and roll for three-piece balls that had been in the water for eight days was 235.7 yards. That distance shrunk to 229.4 yards after three months and to 226.2 yards after six months. The differences? A six yard loss of distance after eight days, a 12-yard loss after three months and a 15-yard loss after six months.

For the two-piece ball, the carry and roll after eight days in the water was 244.9 yards compared with 250.7 yards for the new two-piece balls. The average carry and roll for two-piece balls after three months in the drink was 241.6 yards. The two-piece balls that spent six months under water averaged 242.5 yards. The bottom line is that the two-piece ball came up almost six yards shorter after being submerged for eight days. It lost another 3.3 yards (9.1 total) after three months, yet interestingly enough, after six months in the water, the two-piece ball averaged one yard farther than the ball that had been in the water for three months.

"Golf balls basically have a non-porous cover," says Mike Sullivan, senior director of research and development worldwide for Spalding, maker of Top-Flite golf balls, "but like with any plastic or polymer, they are subject to chemicals passing through them. We have looked at this in great detail, because we certainly don't want the balls to be affected one way or the other by humidity or wet fairways.

"For a two-piece ball, being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, and it also slows down the coefficient of restitution (the ability of the ball to regain its roundness after impact), and that makes it fly shorter. Three-piece balls are the opposite in that they get softer in terms of compression, but they will also fly shorter. We have no data that says water hurts three-piece balls more than two-piece balls, but soft-cover balls are obviously a bit more permeable than hard-cover balls."

Another opinion comes from Ron Vanasdale, a senior executive vice president for the golf ball division of Sport Supply Group, a publicly held company that claims to operate the largest golf ball recycling business in the nation. "I can honestly say that we have done tests in the tens of thousands utilizing our environments, and I'll tell you this much, your numbers are off. It's all relative to the types of balls, the makes of balls, when the balls were made and the types of composition of the cover stock," says Vanasdale.

We also asked Howard Stone, a professor of chemical engineering and applied mechanics at Harvard University, for his opinion on what effect water could have on golf balls. Given how long they were in the water, there are two things that might have happened," says Stone. "You might have absorbed a little bit of water into the ball so the ball might not only be a bit heavier, but it might have a slightly larger radius, and both of those factors, in general, will tend to affect the aerodynamic performance, making the ball fall faster. Water may also affect the structure of the molecules in the ball and might cause it to swell a little, a common effect in polymers (the scientific name for various materials used to make golf balls, such as Surlyn, balata, elastomer, etc.)."

The missing link in this equation is that when you scoop a ball from the water, you never know how long that ball has been sitting there. So, the next time you see a little white orb shimmering in the shallows of a nearby pond, remember the adage, all that glitters is not gold.

Ultimately it depends on what you want to get out of your game. I think for a lot of people the used golf balls are fantastic. For me though, I don't want to go through the mental game of "did I not make good contact, or was it the ball" or stand over the ball and wonder about what is going to happen. I wont say that I 100% believe the golf digest article- but it does cast enough doubt in my mind to keep me away from used balls.

 

[Will_Mac]

I've been buying used for a few years now, from LostGolfBalls. Always their 1st quality, AAAAA balls. I've been completely satisfied with every single order.

 

[tdinbr]

I will play new balls for special rounds but I usually go with used balls for my usual rounds. I buy from websites but also get Reloads from Walmart or Academy Sports. Got a dozen e6's for $9.95 just 2 days ago. I can't find a ding on any of them.

 

[ripper]

I buy new ones just cuz it gives me a little more confidence

 

[MikeF]

I use premium grade lake balls. Bought a dozen Nike One Tour for £10 delivered. All were in excellent condition


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk because I am away from my Mac

 

[Hanks]

that's interesting info Bridges.....should make some people think about the used ball option a little bit more

 

[JB]

Here is the kicker Bridges- and why I stopped using "used" golf balls... (To be clear- MOST of these used balls are recovered from ponds)



These balls were shot out of a cannon, and NOT hit. Essentially, they tested the aerodynamics of the ball and found they were unchanged. What wasn't tested was energy transfer on a ball struck with a club. While water may not have a big effect on aerodynamics (like the testing shows) water has a HUGE effect on distance and energy transfer coming off of a club face.

Golf digest published a study in 2005(?) that showed different results

Spoiler

Here, my friends, is the $64,000 question. The cover of a golf ball seems fairly impervious, so how bad could it be for a ball to sit idly in the water for a few months? Does a ball that's been lying in the mud at the bottom of a pond for 30 days lose distance? Does it gain distance? Does being submerged for a length of time have any effect whatsoever?

Like most golfers, GOLF DIGEST editors recover their fair share of water balls (that's right, we're as cheap as the next guy), and also like most golfers, we wanted to know what we were getting from these somewhat soggy transactions. We're not the only ones interested in recycled balls, either.

Here's how we went about investigating the playability of balls pulled from the water, and keep in mind that the test was not all-inclusive. We used only three-piece, balata-covered balls and two-piece balls with a lithium-Surlyn cover.

Step 1: We took 11 new three-piece balls and 11 new two-piece balls and submerged them in a pond for eight days. We took another 22 new two- and three-piece balls and submerged them for three months. Then we took a third batch of 22 new balls and let them sit in the water for six months. The average water temperatures ranged from 36 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during this period.

Step 2: We recovered the balls last November and tested them using a robotic hitting machine. The golf club used was a standard-length metal driver (9.5-degree loft) with an extra-stiff shaft. Clubhead speed was 93.7 m.p.h., launch angle was nine degrees and the average spin rate was 2,800 r.p.m. On the day of the testing, the wind was calm and the fairway was a bit damp.

Step 3: We started testing by hitting 11 new two- and three-piece balls as a benchmark (same brands and models as the water balls). The average carry and roll for the new three-piece balls was 250.7 yards. These numbers are not the maximum carry and roll for two- and three-piece balls, simply the average carry and roll under our test conditions.

The next stage was to hit the balls that had been retrieved from the water. The average carry and roll for three-piece balls that had been in the water for eight days was 235.7 yards. That distance shrunk to 229.4 yards after three months and to 226.2 yards after six months. The differences? A six yard loss of distance after eight days, a 12-yard loss after three months and a 15-yard loss after six months.

For the two-piece ball, the carry and roll after eight days in the water was 244.9 yards compared with 250.7 yards for the new two-piece balls. The average carry and roll for two-piece balls after three months in the drink was 241.6 yards. The two-piece balls that spent six months under water averaged 242.5 yards. The bottom line is that the two-piece ball came up almost six yards shorter after being submerged for eight days. It lost another 3.3 yards (9.1 total) after three months, yet interestingly enough, after six months in the water, the two-piece ball averaged one yard farther than the ball that had been in the water for three months.

"Golf balls basically have a non-porous cover," says Mike Sullivan, senior director of research and development worldwide for Spalding, maker of Top-Flite golf balls, "but like with any plastic or polymer, they are subject to chemicals passing through them. We have looked at this in great detail, because we certainly don't want the balls to be affected one way or the other by humidity or wet fairways.

"For a two-piece ball, being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, and it also slows down the coefficient of restitution (the ability of the ball to regain its roundness after impact), and that makes it fly shorter. Three-piece balls are the opposite in that they get softer in terms of compression, but they will also fly shorter. We have no data that says water hurts three-piece balls more than two-piece balls, but soft-cover balls are obviously a bit more permeable than hard-cover balls."

Another opinion comes from Ron Vanasdale, a senior executive vice president for the golf ball division of Sport Supply Group, a publicly held company that claims to operate the largest golf ball recycling business in the nation. "I can honestly say that we have done tests in the tens of thousands utilizing our environments, and I'll tell you this much, your numbers are off. It's all relative to the types of balls, the makes of balls, when the balls were made and the types of composition of the cover stock," says Vanasdale.

We also asked Howard Stone, a professor of chemical engineering and applied mechanics at Harvard University, for his opinion on what effect water could have on golf balls. Given how long they were in the water, there are two things that might have happened," says Stone. "You might have absorbed a little bit of water into the ball so the ball might not only be a bit heavier, but it might have a slightly larger radius, and both of those factors, in general, will tend to affect the aerodynamic performance, making the ball fall faster. Water may also affect the structure of the molecules in the ball and might cause it to swell a little, a common effect in polymers (the scientific name for various materials used to make golf balls, such as Surlyn, balata, elastomer, etc.)."

The missing link in this equation is that when you scoop a ball from the water, you never know how long that ball has been sitting there. So, the next time you see a little white orb shimmering in the shallows of a nearby pond, remember the adage, all that glitters is not gold.

Ultimately it depends on what you want to get out of your game. I think for a lot of people the used golf balls are fantastic. For me though, I don't want to go through the mental game of "did I not make good contact, or was it the ball" or stand over the ball and wonder about what is going to happen. I wont say that I 100% believe the golf digest article- but it does cast enough doubt in my mind to keep me away from used balls.

Thank you for pointing that one out RX. I think there is merit to both sides. However I will say this.

Buying used is one thing. Buying refinished is something TOTALLY different. Talk to just about any expert in the field and they will tell you to stay away from refinished golf balls. Why? Because it alters the dimple pattern designed and cover to make the goods appear good again.

What your test shows is distance, what it does not show is ball flight. Does it spin the same, does it go right and left the same, does it launch high or low. All of these things can change with refinishing.

 

[ddxu]

like many on here, I've found the used balls to be fine for casual rounds or practice. If I'm playing in a match or against my buddies for some scratch, I like the confidence of buying new. There's enough to worry about in stressful golf, worrying about how your ball may perform shouldnt be one of them. Not to mention a 1-2 shot difference in a match, tournament, win a skin, etc may more than offset the cost difference.

 

[RxGus]

like many on here, I've found the used balls to be fine for casual rounds or practice. If I'm playing in a match or against my buddies for some scratch, I like the confidence of buying new. There's enough to worry about in stressful golf, worrying about how your ball may perform shouldnt be one of them. Not to mention a 1-2 shot difference in a match, tournament, win a skin, etc may more than offset the cost difference.

To be a little devils advocate here...

How do you have confidence in the new ball if you always play the used in casual rounds? What if the GD article is right and you lose 10 yards of distance with a used water ball? When you play with your buddies for money are you a half club long? What if spin numbers change? While this may not be as extreme it is sorta like playing a rangeball for your casual rounds and then switching to ProV1 when money is on the line.

Many people prefer to play the same ball all the time for consistency- wouldn't that also apply to the new/used ball question?


Tapatalk- USGA non-conforming

 

[ddxu]

To be a little devils advocate here...

How do you have confidence in the new ball if you always play the used in casual rounds? What if the GD article is right and you lose 10 yards of distance with a used water ball? When you play with your buddies for money are you a half club long?

Many people prefer to play the same ball all the time for consistency- wouldn't that also apply to the new/used ball question?


Tapatalk- USGA non-conforming

You make a valid argument, but when I play with used balls its for the VERY casual rounds with buddies who arent serious golfers and just want to get out of the house. These rounds are very different than when I really 'play'. My casual rounds are the type of round where the cart is filled with empties by the time we finish 18.

I do notice some distance difference from new balls, but I usually just attribute it to adrenaline / increased focus.

 

[Super_Dave79]

This is contrary to what my somewhat experienced golfing buddies have told me. For a while I was buying recycled balls and they said I need to upgrade to a better ball if I wanted to see my scores improve. Since then I have spent alot more money on golf balls and they disappear quite often due to my golfing skills.

Since I am still in the beginning stages of my golf career so-to-speak, I am definitely going back. The ball isn't going to make THAT much a difference for me at this point.

I need to save that dough for lessons and practice rounds