We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Used golf balls vs. Brand new golf balls

With the price of last year premium balls there is no point to buy used balls. You can buy $40-$45 balls for $20!
 
It's probably my imagination but I find used golf balls don't perform as well.
 
Sean said:
It's probably my imagination but I find used golf balls don't perform as well.
Click to expand...

Depends on how used and how long before it was found. I haven't bought any used balls in quite a while now.
 
Went to a high scale course a few weeks back w/ a buddy of mine. On the back 9 on the last 5 holes there are woods and tall grass (actually matted down grass and leaves this time of year!) that line the sides of the fairways. We had no one behind us so we started looking for balls. At first we found about a dozen each, but as we kept searching we found more and more. Pro V1's, TM Penta's, Srixon Z-Stars, etc.....you name it, we found it. All told, we brought home 171 balls that day, most in playable shape. Needless to say, I hope to have no need for brand new golf balls for some time!
 
vj_ross said:
Went to a high scale course a few weeks back w/ a buddy of mine. On the back 9 on the last 5 holes there are woods and tall grass (actually matted down grass and leaves this time of year!) that line the sides of the fairways. We had no one behind us so we started looking for balls. At first we found about a dozen each, but as we kept searching we found more and more. Pro V1's, TM Penta's, Srixon Z-Stars, etc.....you name it, we found it. All told, we brought home 171 balls that day, most in playable shape. Needless to say, I hope to have no need for brand new golf balls for some time!
Click to expand...

wow, thats a ton of balls!
 
cj3ap2 said:
Just ordered some Pro v1x AAA recycled golf balls from amazon (well lostgolfballs through amazon). got 36 balls for $32 bucks. We'll see how it goes
Click to expand...

ive ordered twice from lostgolfballs.com; the first time I ordered the AAAA quality and was very very pleased. Second time went with the AAA quality and was not impressed...youll have to file a report when those come
 
I just bought 3 dozen e7+ from golfballnut..... it's the first time I've bought used. we'll see!
 
thebread said:
ive ordered twice from lostgolfballs.com; the first time I ordered the AAAA quality and was very very pleased. Second time went with the AAA quality and was not impressed...youll have to file a report when those come
Click to expand...

I played with them yesterday and today. Now I've never bought pro v1's new, only played ones that I've found, and I did not notice a difference in performance. The balls feel heavier than a new golf ball, and the wind yesterday was blowing up to 30 mph, and today it was so cold that it was snowing, so I can't give an accurate comparison, but they performed just as well as any other ball i've used. They spin, they fly my typical distance. Again I need to get an opportunity in good weather to see, but my initial impression (after having my spirits dampered reading some of this thread) was a good one.

Of course I think I have a slower swing speed (80's, maybe 90 occasionally) so I imagine those with higher swing speeds would have more of an issue as any issue with the ball would be magnified that much more
 
My question to those that refuse to play a used ball: How long do you play a new ball before it becomes an old ball? Or is more the fact that you don't know where used balls come from therefore are not comfortable playing them?
 
MarcW said:
My question to those that refuse to play a used ball: How long do you play a new ball before it becomes an old ball? Or is more the fact that you don't know where used balls come from therefore are not comfortable playing them?
Click to expand...

Good point, I use the same ball sometimes for 3 or 4 rounds before switching it out. Used balls are fine if they haven't been sitting outside for months or fished out of the water.
 
MarcW said:
My question to those that refuse to play a used ball: How long do you play a new ball before it becomes an old ball? Or is more the fact that you don't know where used balls come from therefore are not comfortable playing them?
Click to expand...

This is what I have said all along. A new ball quickly becomes a used ball. Not a big deal. I buy top grade used balls to save a few bucks. I've been playing a AAAA grade Bridgestone B330 RX this season and for the past week, about 4 rounds, I've used a single ball and have shot scores between 79 and 84 without any performance issues. Works fine.

I like new as much as the next guy, but when it comes to golf balls, they come and go pretty quickly and I hate paying $45 a dozen when I can buy four dozen top grade used at that price.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
This is what I have said all along. A new ball quickly becomes a used ball. Not a big deal. I buy top grade used balls to save a few bucks. I've been playing a AAAA grade Bridgestone B330 RX this season and for the past week, about 4 rounds, I've used a single ball and have shot scores between 79 and 84 without any performance issues. Works fine.

I like new as much as the next guy, but when it comes to golf balls, they come and go pretty quickly and I hate paying $45 a dozen when I can buy four dozen top grade used at that price.
Click to expand...

Great points guys! I'm the same way! After I tested the B330RX Optic Yellow, I bought a dozen used online and I can't tell the difference. Yeah a little scuff here or there, but if you are buying grade A or Mint.. I don't see why a lot of people wouldn't want to buy used!

To me, a ball becomes used on the first tee.. so a new ball becomes a used one after one shot!
 
I definitely stick with the new balls. I love the feeling of a smooth cover and hate the feeling of a scuffed cover. Nothing like pulling a new ball right out of the sleeve and teeing it up :D
 
Lukey719 said:
I definitely stick with the new balls. I love the feeling of a smooth cover and hate the feeling of a scuffed cover. Nothing like pulling a new ball right out of the sleeve and teeing it up :D
Click to expand...

So do you start every hole with a new ball?
 
MarcW said:
I'd love to see a blind test with a couple pros and a couple 12 handicaps for not only hard stats but personal thoughts as well.
For me, if I can save up to $10 a dozen, I'm all over the better used balls.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great idea for the THP Demo Days
 
I think the point RxGus was making is that he does not want to play a "used water" ball.
Since most (insert high % here) used balls are water balls, that is what the GD test used was.
It would be nice to have an identical test that showed how a brand new ball compared to a used "non-water" ball after say, 10%, 25% and 40% scuffing.

A question I dont believe I saw was, how do used (water) balls compare at the putting, chipping and pitching aspects of the game...???

I find all this information really intriguing as I play used balls 95% of the time....hmmmm

bama
 
Great point, Hoosier. Whenever I can get together some extra cash, I plan to hit up that used golf balls site and load up. Makes perfect sense. I've still got a dozen new balls and about three dozen recycled in my shag bag from last season, but any excuse to buy golf balls is a good one. :) I love new golf balls, too, but boy, does it get expensive in a hurry, especially when you spray them like I do.
 
Weezy said:
Great points guys! I'm the same way! After I tested the B330RX Optic Yellow, I bought a dozen used online and I can't tell the difference. Yeah a little scuff here or there, but if you are buying grade A or Mint.. I don't see why a lot of people wouldn't want to buy used!

To me, a ball becomes used on the first tee.. so a new ball becomes a used one after one shot!
Click to expand...
That's pretty clever reasoning...for a Yankees fan. lol
 
I picked up some Knetgolf giftcertificates back in april when they were the featured groupon deal (found it via THPs deal of the day thread). They were offering $40 credit for $20. I made the plunge and submitted an order this morning on Knetgolf. Once I receive my order, I will try to post some pics of how the balls look. I've been reluctant to play used balls full time, but I hope I see some good results during my testing. I plan to just use a different color sharpie dot to know which balls were store bought, which ones were knet balls.

Here's what I bought:
NXT Tour - Mint Recycled - $15.99 doz
NXT Tour - Grade A Recycled - $11.99 doz
Callaway Tour i(Z) - Mint Recycled - $19.99 doz
Taylormade TP LDP Black - Mint Recycled - $16.99 doz
 
Always new! And must be AD333's.

Of course that could all change in two weeks time when the rough has had some time to grow. ;)
 
Well, I have have a bucket of 50 AAAAA Pro-V1x's that should arrive today along with 2 dozen AAAA quality of the same ball for a buddy, bought from lostgolfballs. This is my first purchase of used golfballs, but I have a stash of used Pro-V1 392's that one of the groundskeepers at my home course gave me. I have used these beaten and battered balls quite often, and have no problem keeping up with my friends with their factory fresh golfballs. My home course has no water hazards. On the other hand, I think the water-balls thing is all in the mind. These things are hard resin plastic. Sitting in water for a month or two won't change the chemical composition and I doubt it would cause any erosion of the cover. I mean look at all the plastic trash in the ocean...it doesn't desolve even in salt water, right?
 
MarcW said:
My question to those that refuse to play a used ball: How long do you play a new ball before it becomes an old ball? Or is more the fact that you don't know where used balls come from therefore are not comfortable playing them?
Click to expand...

I have no problem with used balls- I only a problem with "water balls". If I could buy used balls from a trusted source and know that they had never sat in water I would do it in a heart beat. Based on this, I play a ball until I lose it and never retire an "old" ball.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top