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How did You Choose Your Golf Ball

JB

JB

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The THP Radio Question of the week. We want to hear from everybody and get your honest answers on how you chose the ball that you play. We talked about this on the radio show with some of the experts we had on. Was it by review? The ball the pros use? Trial and Error? Etc...

We want to hear from everybody on this one.
 
I really just want a ball I feel comfortable standing over. I have the avenues to get many recycled balls for a very minimal cost, so I go for the top tier balls from any company. If I have the thoughts in my head that the ball I'm hitting is not up to par, that is a negative mindset. If I feel like the ball I am hitting is a "good" quality ball, I feel it helps me overall. I love all Bridgestone balls, they are probably my favorite.
 
I used to use the Bridgestone e6 just because...can't really remember why.

Last year I did the Bridgestone ball fitting at my home course and found out my swing is much too fast for that ball so I switched to the Bridgestone B-330S. It really is amazing in that I probably hit my driver 10-15 yards farther and my irons 5-10 yards. The craziest thing is that the B-330S seemed to remove some of my side spin compared to the e6 considering that is what the e6 is made for.

It is a little harder to pay the 20 or so more dollars for a box of golf balls everytime I need them. I would recommend the Bridgestone ball fitting to everyone. At the least it was fun and interesting.
 
I use whatever Tiger uses.

Seriously though, I'm a "feel" kind of guy w/ my golf balls. I need that softer, higher spin ball to really be most effective w/ my scoring clubs.

Nike One Tour fits that need great.
 
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I tried as many as I could in 'game' conditions and there were a few that stood our for me. I would play with one ball for a round or two until I was satisfied I knew what they could do. Some balls didn't even make it nine holes, I knew they wouldn't be right for me.

There are 3 models that I could change out and not have to change my approach or do anything differently. There is one that I regularly play because I can get them free through work. If the other models were free, I would be happy to play either of them as well.
 
I'm using TF D2 Feel or TF Gamers. My selection is based on cost and reviews/feedback on golf forums.

I don't want to play an expensive ball because I lose them at my handicap level. I probably lose around 1 ball per 9 or so. It varies though, some days I won't lose one other I might lose 3.

I also don't want a rock around the greens and don't really care about a ball that's designed to go straight.

The D2 Feel and Gamer met the criteria, so I bought some and tried them out this last year. I plan to keep using them until something forces me to change balls.
 
I'm strictly a sound and feel player when it comes to balls. I don't like that harsh "click" when the ball strikes a wedge. I want a soft cover that I can spin around the greens. Distance is important, but only minimally so. As long as it gets out there with my average drive, that is fine. I don't make my score from the tee, I make it around the greens.
 
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C-Tech said:
I'm strictly a sound and feel player when it comes to balls. I don't like that harsh "click" when the ball strikes a wedge. I want a soft cover that I can spin around the greens. Distance is important, but only minimally so. As long as it gets out there with my average drive, that is fine. I don't make my score from the tee, I make it around the greens.
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You will really like listening from one of our experts on the show this week CT. He talks about that very thing. We have two of them on the show, one from Bridgestone and one from Taylormade.
 
trial and error for me.

found a brand (Bridgestone) that i liked and that worked for me then used theirs in different guises depending on weather.

i have a summer (B330s) and winter ball (Treosoft)

i try others now and again but i seem to come back to bridgestone more often than not.
 
Ive started listening more and more to what other players here on the forum are using and Ive done a couple of the online fittings. Found out I had been trying to use a ball that wasnt a good fit for my swing speed. Now I dont pay any attention to what other players that are better then me play on the course and stick with what I know is good for my swing. So now I chose my ball more by the online fittings and then some trial and error. I feel theres no better way to find a good ball then playing and practicing.
 
I've always bought the bag of recycled balls at Walmart or some other chain retailer because I didn't know the difference in performance I could get from just a golf ball and I thought I'd just lose them eventually anyway. Toward the end of this past season, I picked up a couple boxed of the e6 because I wondered how much spin could actually be reduced. I typically have a fade with my woods and a draw with my irons. These balls went dead straight. For next season, I think I'm going to take the B330-RXS and the Penta for some testing work to see if they really change the way I play.
 
JB said:
You will really like listening from one of our experts on the show this week CT. He talks about that very thing. We have two of them on the show, one from Bridgestone and one from Taylormade.
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I'm a subscriber. It hit my iPhone this AM so I can listen to it on my ride to work. I am hooked.
 
C-Tech said:
I'm a subscriber. It hit my iPhone this AM so I can listen to it on my ride to work. I am hooked.
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Thank you so much!! I told JB we need to work on more banter. We want to make sure to get all the info to everyone we don't talk enough. We are a work in progress haha.
 
I use the Bridgestone e6, and B330-RX.

At the driving range, if I am feeling confident and hitting good shots, I will game the RX, if I am having troubles keeping the ball on a straighter path, I will use the e6.

I chose the balls based on reviews, as well as talking to a couple different golfshop pro's. I feel confident, over either ball.
 
I am in the process of trying to find my golf ball. Presently, I am trying 2007-08 Pro V1 balls. I got them super cheap from an online store. When I start playing a little more consistently, I would like the try the Penta and the Z-Star. I did play my first 18 holes without losing a ball the other day. I am proud of that little accomplishment.

GolferGal said:
Thank you so much!! I told JB we need to work on more banter. We want to make sure to get all the info to everyone we don't talk enough. We are a work in progress haha.
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Getting started his hard. You guys are doing a good job.
 
I used to play a variety of golf balls with no rhyme or reason inmy selection. Now I play the Bridgestone e6 because I took their ball fitting challanges when their truck stopped by a local golf store and saw a difference. Though I was not able to test against the ball I was using at the time, I tested aganst a bal I had previous used and liked. I saw with my own eyes the difference in numbers and while I do not understand them completely, the data that was there made sense to me to at least try them. I have used them now for about 6 rounds and I must admit the ball does work better for me. Drives are straighter, putts feel better and around the green they stop when they should. I am very happy with the ball and until someone proves it otherwise, I am not changing.
 
I found mine (e6+) by a review. Golf Magazine had a pretty thorough review and comparison of all kinds of golf balls in 2007 I believe and I based my decision on that. I still have the issue actually. This was before ball fittings were common and accessible to most everyone.

This year I plan to get fitted for a ball. I have a new driver and putter so I want to see if I'm playing the right ball or if I need to go to the e7+, B330, or RX. I plan to stay in the Bridgestone family as I've been very pleased with the softness off the putter, the flight off all my clubs, and the overall performance in general.
 
I play Pro-V1 or Pro-v1x usually.

The course I play at is full of rich guys and I find more of these than any other ball :) I like the control and the putting of them as well. I don't need the extra distance of something like a Pinnacle Distance, so I stick with what I know. That being said I want to try the Penta.
 
Tried about 10 different golf balls over a six month time frame. Took it down to 3 and tried each one for one more round. Still compare each year if I see a new ball in the category of ball I currently use. I found the Nike Vapor best suited my game given price and performance.


:clapp:
 
For those that have listened to the radio show, what are your thoughts on the two experts and how they talk about fitting vs what you have used to find the correct ball?
 
Trial and error mixed with cost. But also using different brands which I have found during rounds. I never would have even thought of using WilsonStaff, until I found and used a Zip last year. Balls like ProV's and other high ends I also only play or try if I find them. But at that price point even if I love them I won't buy them.

In terms of what I buy, I have tried a bunch all around the same price range- Nike PD's and the like. For me only a few ever stand out as either being very good or very bad. I was set with Noodle SD2's for a long time, but I have probably tried 20 different brands in the couple of years just to see if I could justify paying more for balls.

I have now settled on the three I have. One for cold weather (zips), one for windy days (trispeed) and one for regular days (e6).

Distance and feel (both off the tee and on the green) are the deciding factors for me- but I guess that is the same for everyone. Not good enough to judge spin yet.
 
C-Tech said:
I'm strictly a sound and feel player when it comes to balls. I don't like that harsh "click" when the ball strikes a wedge. I want a soft cover that I can spin around the greens. Distance is important, but only minimally so. As long as it gets out there with my average drive, that is fine. I don't make my score from the tee, I make it around the greens.
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I'm pretty much the same way. I found my ball of choice through trial and error and my favorite is the Pro V1x. However I went in for a ball fitting last month and their #1 ball for me was the Callaway tour i. (Also a ball that I have played with many times in the past) The Pro V1x was 3rd best fit on their list so I feel like the fitting didn't tell me anything groundbreaking, except that I was pretty much playing the right ball. Both of those balls have a great feel to them and I would play with either any day of the week.
 
When I started playing I had no clue what the differences between balls were(aside from price). I chose some recycled Callaways based soley on the fact that they were cheap. I played with them almost all season until I started frequenting this forum.

My interest in new equipment coincided with the end of the season and cold weather. I wanted to try something new and the pro at my golf course suggested I try Srixon Soft Feel because the others "would be like hitting a rock". I actually really liked the ball and still enjoy putting in my basement with it.

I was fortunate to get a ton of different balls for Christmas. This year I'm going to game them all and see what works best for me. They are: Taylormade Burner with LDP, Titleist DT SoLo, Nike Power Distance Soft, and Wilson Smart Core.

JB said:
For those that have listened to the radio show, what are your thoughts on the two experts and how they talk about fitting vs what you have used to find the correct ball?
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I haven't had a chance to do a ball fitting and I'm very eager to try it out. I don't know what my swing speed is, but I imagine that it is pretty middle-of-the road. Because I don't know it, I'm having a hard time deciding what else to try this year.

One point I found interesting was the Taylormade rep suggesting working from the green back when deciding on a ball. I'm going to take his advice and concentrate from 170 yards in when I'm testing. Honestly, I'm not all that concerned with distance from the tee. I need to work on accuracy much more and if I find a ball that compliments my new swing I am going to pick it.

Also, there is a definite balance between performance and price. I have a hard time justifying paying for a premium ball at this stage. As I progress I may choose to spend more.
 
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Bridgestone ball fitting. I use the e6+.
 
Spinscan said:
Bridgestone ball fitting. I use the e6+.
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I'm waiting for Bridgestone to come out this way again so I can get fitted by them. I'm currently playing the e6+ due to the reviews and comments on it by THP members after playing Callaway's Big Bertha the last 3-4 years. The e6+ is a great ball, but I'm wondering if the B330-RX might be a better fit.
 
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