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There are a number of ways to find your golf ball of choice, and while we recommend ball fitting, that isn’t for everybody. How did you choose your ball?



Do you stray from it and test others? Stick with it regardless of what comes out?



Thought it would be a fun discussion on the decision making process with each dozen.

















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Ball fitting at the Titleist event lat summer. And I love the ProV. I do try other balls but until I can prove in another ball fitting that they are a better fit, ProV it is.
 
For me I am looking for something to help with spin. I'm not sure how to explain it, but i need help off the tee reducing my spin but at the same time being receptive on iron and wedge shots. I think feel is subjective so that is the toughest part to explain, but I will know when a golf ball is too firm bc I won't be able to compress it and get the distances I need to see.
 
Before I got here, it was a lot of trial and error. I would also never stick to one ball and always mix and match, even during a round. Finding this place, I got to see discussion by players at my skill level along with those above and below me and see how they liked each ball I was thinking of. Seeing all the praise for the Bridgestone balls, and the spectrum of swings and players those fit, I found sample sleeves of all four and settled on the RX. It has been fantastic for me and I don't know if I would have looked that way if it wasn't for THP.

So simple answer, THP was how I came to choose my golf ball.
 
First I come to THP and read up on what others have said about the different balls.
Then I go do an online fitting if available.
Then I will buy a sleeve of balls from each prospective choice and try them out.
The choice is made from there.

I will also try other balls from time to time but it's usually when I find one on the course or am given a sleeve.
It never hurts to keep an open mind.
 
Before here it was what could I afford and what was cool to play... Everyone played Titleist pro V1, so I had to as well. It sucked losing them so i bought used. Then moved to a Q star didn't like it then to trispeed tour as I liked the price and performance. Game go better and Srixon had BOGO so liked the z star XV deals... Liked z star as well... Then came discounted Q star tour which I really liked. Then I went to Bridgestone event and discovered the ins and outs of golf ball technology. Now I generally know what I like/want so usually stick to it but like trying others as well.
 
I've gone through an on range ball fitting with Titleist and VFit with Bridgestone. Both have shown me that I need a ball that maximizes spin. ProV1x and TourB RXS. Unfortunately, I loose way too many golf balls to game either of those balls. But I've taken that knowledge and play balls with similar characteristics. Cut Grey and Srixon Q Star Tour. Both provide me with excellent results at a price point that is better suited to the rounds that I loose 7-8 balls.
 
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I've sort of bounced around different balls for the last 2-3 years but, with the exception of a few sleeves, I've stayed with Callaway after it came out with the TT balls. I tried both ERC and the CSx.

After doing the Bridgestone VFit, I tried the Tour B. This year, I've been amazed with the new Tour B RXS. It is exceptional.

I read different reviews and stories here as well as the thoughts of THPers in deciding if I want to try something new.
 
I want a ball to feel firm when I chip and putt with it. It shouldn't be clicky sounding, but it can be close to that. When I chip I also don't want to look up and see a ball that looks like it's on ice skates.
 
Buy a 3 ball sleeve of the brands I am think about and test them on the course. I used to play Bridgestone after an online fitting and was happy enough, but the curious mind has me testing others, and I always will.

Currently playing either a TP5x and or an AVX, nice balls and happy with them. Never really played ProV's though had a sleeve of Prov1's the other week and was very surprised how good they were for my skill level.

I am looking to try something else going forward right now. Bridgestone might be back in the bag soon. I've been testing Srixon AD333 Tour and I'm liking those, do whats needed and a good price point.

Never really had a problem scoring with any ball I've played with, though any Callaway ball seem to be ones that don't do it for me, go figure that one out :rolleyes:
 
I always start around the green first. Luckily I have a course not far from me that has a nice chipping, pitching area & even a bunker for practice. I can hit pitches & chips to it all day long. I look to see how the ball reacts into the green. It has to stop well & check up for me around the hole for me to even consider it. I don't play well with balls that release around the green. Not to pull in OEM's slogan but ..... I need the "drop, stop, performance" of whatever ball I'm considering. It has to feel right off the clubface, no real audible click. It has to feel as though the ball is grabbing & sticking to the grooves of the wedge. Performance around the green is of utmost importance. If I'm comparing two different models, I then move to playing with them from Tee to Green. Unfortunately I don't have access to a launch monitor (soon to be remedied I think) so I have to go with how the ball looks in flight. Along with that I look at the initial launch ... is it too high, does it balloon in the wind, does it create too much sidespin, etc.
All of these are factors that I look at in choosing the correct ball for my game (y)
 
I found a matte red Supersoft in the creek and played a nifty even par stretch with it over 5 holes that included a tap-in birdie on a par 3. Then I sliced it into the woods. But this year when I was considering playing only one ball, I went back to the Supersoft and that’s about all I have to say about that.
 
I have never truly been fitted. For the most part it has been trial and error trying tons of different balls to find the one for me. For a long time I honestly believed it didn’t matter what ball I played as I didn’t see a difference in my score. I am now a firm believer that different balls deliver different results. I have done a lot of testing with the Vice series lately and decided on a ball I will stick with for the time being.
 
I bought a few of each ball and got on a launch monitor - driver and iron shots need to be in an acceptable range (not too high or low) and wedges need to spin on partials. Putter is my lowest concern if it meets everything else.

I always try new balls but it has to beat my current gamer in a meaningful way (usually as my swing changes)
 
I tend to use the online fitting tools from the ball manufacturers. A long time of using different balls has me leaning between Callaway Chrome Soft and Bridgestone BX S. I prefer a softer golf ball but one with performance around the green. Once they are out for the year, I tend to buy a sleeve from my club and play a round with each. From there, whichever feels and performs the best goes into the bag for the year. If its a tie, then I take some of each
 
I want a ball that feels soft off the putter, but has great spin around the greens. I don't need spin off the driver so take that into consideration.
The big thing for me also is it has to come in yellow or its a no go.
 
I want a ball that feels soft off the putter, but has great spin around the greens. I don't need spin off the driver so take that into consideration.
The big thing for me also is it has to come in yellow or its a no go.

These are my same thoughts exactly. And this year I'm fully embracing the yellow ball.
 
I really have no idea which ball I should be playing. I need to get a mix and get on a monitor and figure this out. My swing has changed quite a lot this year and I need to reassess.
 
i want something that is soft feeling, without sacrificing distance and spin, mid compression say 70ish-90ish and something for swing speeds around 105ish
callaway chrome soft
titleist prov1
bridgestone tour b rxs - this ball i have not yet tried and am wanting to really bad, $45 a dozen and probably $15 for shipping as we dont have them here anywhere..

i had played with a titleist whatever is closest to the prov over the years and am now playing with a chrome soft also, i would not hesitate to play all 3 which includes the bridgestone at any time. i dont need to stick with just one ball brand for any reason.

that and id like to do a fitting
 
I like to test on the course. My 2 biggest factors are the side spin off of the driver and the feel chipping around the greens.
 
I play all kinds of different top end balls. This year I have played mostly Srixon Zstars (both the standard and XV) and Pro V1/V1X which I had around the house. I just bought a dozen Bridgeston RXS based off the online fitting tool. I will probably wait a round to play them as I have new irons and want to play my first round with a ball I have experience with.
 
Gotta be yellow or orange. I prefer the Wilson Staff Duo Optix overall (after being a THP tester), but the Supersoft is a very close second. I used to be Bridgestone e6 exclusively, but there latest iterations haven;t worked as well for me.

It's overall how well the ball plays for me on the course, tee to green. Feel is least important to me on the green, and is a secondary consideration to performance elsewhere.

I'm willing to try a new ball when there is good buzz about it. I had good success a few years back with the Q Star, for example.
 
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I like to try almost everything that fits a profile. I stay away from low compression stuff for the most part for example the RX, RXS from Bstone. Then it is really just a playing test to see if it does what I think it should and looks right in the air.

Some you hit and it goes too high or too low right off the bat. I have been playing the bridgestone balls pretty much completely for a while. I did switch to the srixon XV for a bit, but I am back to the Bstone again.

Though I am considering trying the TP5 again..
 
Subjective feel. I test balls on a sim and look for flight, spin, etc. But then I get on a course and a ball just feels right or not. I am particularly focused on feel off putter and around greens. That on course feel is the #1 factor of my choices.
 
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