We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Tour balls for the high-handicapper

SuperStroke
China Cat>Rider

China Cat>Rider

Dazed & Cornfused
Joined
Feb 28, 2009
Messages
1,876
Reaction score
12
Location
Ormond Beach, FL
I'm sure this has been brought up before so please move it to another thread if needed. But I was reading the article in golf digest about their hot picks for balls. I realize I should not seriously take anything the magazines say about equipment but one thing got me thinking. Someone was saying how even high-handicappers get benefit from using tour balls (pro v's, etc) instead of the usual distance rocks most of us hackers are "supposed" to play.

I have been told numerous times that I "don't have the game" to use a pro v. I have tried several of the new distance balls lately and havn't found any of them to help my score in any way. If anything I believe they hurt my score. I'm not a long hitter at all but my short game is fairly good. I havn't found the distance balls to give me any noticeable difference but I do notice their shortcomings around the green.

Last couple of rounds I have played a few holes with some used NXT Tour, Pro V1 and B330RX that I have and I noticed a definite overall improvement on those holes.

Thoughts, opinions, advice?
 
I'll start with advice- my advice would be for you to go to a ball fitting and see what ball really works best for your game. Being that you're in Philly I'm sure you can find a ball fitting right near you relatively easily. You can share your experience with the ball fitters and tell them what you're looking for and they'll get you the right ball for your game.

Thoughts- my thoughts are this China....someone may say that you don't have the game for a pro v, well guess what, that's not their problem is it? I would say that if you like the feel of a tour ball and you feel that you play better when using a tour ball then play it! You shouldn't have to worry about what other people think.

Opinions- my opinion is that I'll always play a tour ball and I maybe don't have the game either. I know that I love the feel and the performance I get from my ball and that's all that really matters to me.

Good luck China! Keep us posted!
 
I get the performance I want from a 2.00 ball instead of a 4.00 ball. Not to say that I won't need a different one in the future, but for my game, I don't need a tour ball.
 
+1 for ball fitting. at the end of the day, play with whatever suits your game.
 
I think a large part of the equation comes down to dollars. Premium balls cost a lot; it you're launching them into the woods frequently (like me) or drowning them in ponds often (like one of my playing partners), you have to ask yourself how much you want to spend to get the incremental benefit of a premium ball.

There is a difference, particularly in spin around the green: most premium balls offer more greenside control. But -- and here's where "having the game" comes into play -- a player who can't hit the shots around the green, i.e., control spin, won't take advantage of the benefits offered by a premium ball.

Plus, there are some mid-range balls that perform pretty well around the green. Sure, they don't give you as much spin as a Pro V1 but, with practice, you can learn to work with the characteristics of the ball. I actually find it easier to control short game shots with a ball that spins a little less; for mid-handicappers like me, I think there's just more margin for error with chips and pitches that roll a bit.
 
I will echo a few of what P4B says. Why should anybody play anything without it fitting for their game. Nothing wrong with reading consumer and media reviews on items, but until you try them for yourself, its hard to see if it works. That is the entire basis for our shoot outs, to get a larger group of regular consumers together and test products. The same reason we now do demo days.

But companies all want you to buy the premium balls because they make the most money on them of course. But lets remember, MANY TIMES, a ball that spins the most will also spin the most off the driver as well.

In my opinion there is NO reason not to get fit for a golf ball. None at all. Even online fittings work to give an idea of what someone should be playing. I want to know what ball I hit the farthest. I want to know what ball keeps me in play the most, etc... People can do their ball tests and line them up side by side, but unless you take the logos off, there is still a hint of marketing. Proof is in the pudding. Line up 4 of the mid-caliber balls (NXT Tour, e6, etc..) and some will tell you that one brand is softer than the other. Yet if they are all white, with no logos, most cannot tell the difference...In our testing anyway as it pertains to short game and iron shots (where feel is most attributed). Lets take the Hot List for example. The ProV1 got beat in many of the categories but because of "Demand" they got the highest rating (Gold). Well how does that work? Shouldnt it be based on performance? Well according to GD, no, it is about Hot products, not the best products. However the ProV1 was a 2009 product and the ball has also lost marketshare in almost every single month in 2010. So why is the demand still at the top according to that list? Because they are in the most Green Grass shops, that is why, so they still sell the most (by a HUGE margin). It is a great ball, just like the other premium tour balls, but that does not mean it is right for everybody.

Yet the Yellow Srixons that cannot be kept on shelves in most stores got the bottom of the stars in Demand because the marketshare is lower, yet they have increased almost every single month since 2010. Lets not forget that the ProV1 ENTIRE campaign is to "Play the Best Ball", the one the pros use. Yet when ball fitting took over the country by storm, Titleist started ball fitting as well. Yet, in many cases the person does not hit balls, just answers questions (no different than an online fitting).

All of my ranting leads back to the same thing. The ball that someone should play is the ball that is best for THEIR game.
 
great post JB. Can't say anything more to add to that...
 
I do think its funny to read about or see people playing "tour" level balls, yet they also talk about slicing and hooking the ball all over the place etc. If you can't control a tour level ball, then I think its going to hurt your game more than help it.
 
Hacker Charlie said:
I do think its funny to read about or see people playing "tour" level balls, yet they also talk about slicing and hooking the ball all over the place etc. If you can't control a tour level ball, then I think its going to hurt your game more than help it.
Click to expand...

Finding a golf ball means so much. Its about feel, spin, distance. One of the biggest factors for amateurs is compression. Can they actually compress some of the premium balls? If not, they are doing more harm than good. One of my favorites are when you ask peiople what they play and they say "either Pro V1 or Pro V1x"? But those are COMPLETELY different balls for very different players. That is the ultimate in brand marketing when you are playing the premium version of the brand even though it may not fit you at all, or that one of the two will not fit your swing. It is similar to saying I play MX-1000s and MP-58s.
 
P4B well said! Ball fitting is a great place to start. If you do a search for free online ball fittings, you can find one or two that are free and not brand sponsored. Bridgestone BFit with a person is awesome. Its cool having a live chat going to talk to a ball expert. Its only bridgestone balls but they have an awesome selection. I got a 2 ball sample of the B330 S and loved them. But from the fitting you get an idea of balls that would be best with your game and you play what works best (live testing) from there. I play a premium ball and love it. I made sure I wasn't losing a bunch per round anymore before I switched lol. It has definitely helped IMO. It wont help everyone but it sounds like you find better success with them.
 
do the b-fit! click on the banner above at the top of the page and you can get a recommended ball to test out and talk to someone online, I am doing it right now and its awesome, the guys there are really nice and will help you with everything, its a very good experience!
 
The compression point is huge!!!!!!! When I started back up last year I could not hit my premium balls at all. My One Tours stayed on the shelf for a long time until I was generating enough swing to properly compress the balls.
JB said:
Finding a golf ball means so much. Its about feel, spin, distance. One of the biggest factors for amateurs is compression. Can they actually compress some of the premium balls? If not, they are doing more harm than good. One of my favorites are when you ask peiople what they play and they say "either Pro V1 or Pro V1x"? But those are COMPLETELY different balls for very different players. That is the ultimate in brand marketing when you are playing the premium version of the brand even though it may not fit you at all, or that one of the two will not fit your swing. It is similar to saying I play MX-1000s and MP-58s.
Click to expand...
 
Hacker Charlie said:
If you can't control a tour level ball, then I think its going to hurt your game more than help it.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. I've always used the saying "You don't buy a Ferrari if you can't drive a stickshift". At my level, a lower-level 3-piece ball is what works best for me, either Bridgestone e6 or Srixon Tri-Speed. I know I don't need a tour ball, nor do I even WANT to try one until I've improved to the point I know I can handle one. I do, however, have 2 Pro V1x's and NXT Tours in my bag I got as free samples from a Titleist "ball fitting"; I only used them once each time on a Par-3 course, and I realy couldn't tell much of a difference between the two compared to what I currently use. And at $10-20 less per dozen, I can use the extra money for lessons or to upgrade my equipment.
 
The other thing as a high handicapper though, is that it's pretty difficult to be objective. I think when I was starting out, all I would remember would be the really awesome drive I hit with a pro-v1 rather than the 3 that I hooked into the trees.....or the super lucky wedge that stuck and spun back rather than 5-6 that I skulled and ran over the green. The game is as much mental as it is physical!

I agree with JB totally though. You gotta get fit. I did the live-fitting with Bridgestone and it was quite eye-opening.....always thought the difference between balls were subtle, but it's not. Also, the biggest thing about tour balls is their compromise between spin/feel/distance as JB says, but spin (to me) is the biggest element; the premium balls give you the best spin (if you can compress the darn thing) while sacrificing the least amount of distance. However, as others have said, if you're hitting the ball with a lot of sidespin (hooking or fading), premium balls will kill your long game.
 
Most excellent points everyone. Let me first state that there is no way I will ever drop $45 a dozen on balls. Having the thought of losing a $4 ball in the back of my mind every time I swing will not be good for my OCD. I play with several people who game Pro-V's and let me tell you...its very annoying to spend 10 mins looking for their lost $4 ball other every hole. I mostly play with used balls so if I lose it and don't find it after 30 secs I really could care less.

Concerning the ball fitting...I have done them online and especially with Titleist...they seem worthless to me. Getting properly fitted with a ball makes a lot of sense to me and it is something I definitely want to do. What is the best way to do this though? Golf galaxy, etc or at a demo day or do most course pro's offer this service?

I realize I do not possess the skill level to get the most out of a true tour ball nor am I going to compress one. But all of the distance balls I have tried so far I just have not liked. My goal is to find something that is affordable to me yet can give me better feel than the bricks I have tried so far...
 
I think most of us are in love with the Bridgestone ones. I believe the 2nd or 3rd reply here had a link to them. The online one was alright (pretty standard), haven't tried the live chat, but did the live-ball testing at my local range with them when they were around.

Basically you take your favorite ball and hit 3 shots for them to gather info, then they give you their recommended ball to hit 3 shots and you can compare. You also get a free sleeve of the recommended ball to try out.

As for the distance balls you don't like, is there something in particular you don't like about them? Or what is it about the premium balls that you like?
 
no seriously do the live chat, its great. if you know your swing speed and your usual driver distance and what you want in a ball they can tell you exactly what ball would fit your game.. i just chatted with derek a online guy at b-fit for 30 minutes and while i didnt know my swing speed we got everything else covered and exactly down to the balls and what would work for me.. give it a chance it might save you that trip to golf galaxy..
 
I'm doing the B-Fit as we speak (type)
 
jmingt said:
I think most of us are in love with the Bridgestone ones. I believe the 2nd or 3rd reply here had a link to them. The online one was alright (pretty standard), haven't tried the live chat, but did the live-ball testing at my local range with them when they were around.

Basically you take your favorite ball and hit 3 shots for them to gather info, then they give you their recommended ball to hit 3 shots and you can compare. You also get a free sleeve of the recommended ball to try out.

As for the distance balls you don't like, is there something in particular you don't like about them? Or what is it about the premium balls that you like?
Click to expand...

And they ARE honest and will tell you if the other brand is better for you.
 
you're doing the online chat right? make sure you comeback and tell us how it goes.. i was recommended the Bridgestone B330-RX ball and im pretty excited to test it out! i think the penta ball has a little bit much spin off the driver for my liking so i plan on testing out the rx ball asap..
 
Ok...Derek said I should try the e6...so I guess I will try them out when I have a chance...
 
awesome! thats a good ball, helps reduce side spin a lot, there are a lot of people that play the e6. goodluck with it!
 
China Cat>Rider said:
Ok...Derek said I should try the e6...so I guess I will try them out when I have a chance...
Click to expand...

Have you had a chance to check the Bridgestone Ball Fitting Schedule in post 6 of this thread yet?
 
JB said:
Line up 4 of the mid-caliber balls (NXT Tour, e6, etc..) and some will tell you that one brand is softer than the other.
Click to expand...

Kinda like me lol.

Lets put it this way. I am a very high handicapper. I have had numerous people tell me that a top flight will do just fine for my game. For 6 years, I believed tem. When I joined this site and got really serious about improving my game, I decided to see what other balls provide me the ability to do. Needless to say, I don't use a two-piece any more. If you can control the sidespin off the driver, heck yeah, play a tour ball. I would get fitted if there is a fitting in your area. If not, do what I am doing and compare several balls head to head. see what ya like.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top