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Beginning golfer ball selection question

SuperStroke
Dave G

Dave G

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Location
Ocala, Florida (OTOW, Kestrel)
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28.2 USGA
Not actually new to golf, just getting back into it after 30 some years.
1. So, my new clubs are night and day better than my 30+yr old set. That said, has ball technology had the same change?
2. I currently have a 28 handicap. How much change can I expect to see by going from bargain basement balls to something in the $25-30 range?
 
Honestly, you won't see much of a difference. Use your bargain balls for practice, just make sure they aren't cut or no longer useful. When you play for something meaningful like league golf, a few bucks with your buddies, etc then pull out the $25 a dozen pack.

I have a friend that plays crap balls all the time and is near a scratch golfer. Doesn't seem to affect him!
 
DT solos!
 
The Callaway super hot 55 at Costco. 59 bucks for 4 dozen
 
Try places like lostgolfballs.com and get refurbed or AAAAA, or AAAA used balls. They are a fraction of the price and I have had great success with purchasing them for this company.
 
I bought 100 AAA Wilson mixed mostly duo for £25 ($33) from eBay look great couple of pen marks but over 50% are perfect brand new condition about 10/15% with a pen mark and a few with slight scuff, the point in a mix is I can try a few different ones to see what I play best

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Closeouts on balls at places like budget or rockbottom will do you fine. All Surlyn balls are about the same play wise, all urethane balls are the same play wise. Pick a plastic you like the feel of and play that.
 
I would hunt deals on chrome soft - it's an awesome all around ball. Also, q star tours are phenomenal at the price.


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Play something inexpensive that feels good to you. You'll lose a lot of balls so don't waste money on pricey ones.

Dicks usually has decent balls like the Maxfli Softfli on sale 2 for $25 or you can get the Duo 2 for $30 right now. Like others said, you can get quality balls used for great prices too.


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What kind of balls are you currently using?
 
Scrap Iron said:
What kind of balls are you currently using?
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Until the last game nothing consistent. Then picked up 2 doz new Dunlop Sport for $9 so if I need to get something better I'm not out anything.
 
Dave G said:
Until the last game nothing consistent. Then picked up 2 doz new Dunlop Sport for $9 so if I need to get something better I'm not out anything.
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I don't know anything about that ball but I think a simple move to the Duo by Wilson staff or previous years version of the Bridgestone e6 would be a good place to start.
 
1) yes ball tech has changed in 30 years and it is similar to the differences in clubs.

2) start with bargain basement balls and or used balls see what you like then move on to the 25-30 range ones, also as a 28 cap I think this depends on how many balls you're losing if it's a lot stick with the least expensive ones.
 
The ball has changed a massive amount in the last 30 years, just like clubs have changed. Are balls in the $25-$30 range worth it? I absolutely believe they are and I believe they're the most overlooked piece of equipment in most golfers bags. Whether or not they would be worth it for someone just getting back into golf is another issue and it really depends on how many you're losing or where you're losing most of your strokes during a round. Some pretty solid balls can be had for decent prices though. A lot of good options have been previously mentioned, but a more inexpensive urethane ball is the Snell MTB or you can find some used urethane balls for decent prices also.
 
I play the Slazenger raw or money balls from Golf Galaxy or Dicks, raw are 3 dozen for $25 and Money are 40 for $30, considering buying recycled also. Good luck
 
bozack said:
I play the Slazenger raw or money balls from Golf Galaxy or Dicks, raw are 3 dozen for $25 and Money are 40 for $30, considering buying recycled also. Good luck
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I actually like the Slazenger Money ball quite a bit.
Good feel, durability, and performance.


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Michigan Slice said:
I actually like the Slazenger Money ball quite a bit.
Good feel, durability, and performance.


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For me it was inexpensive and it was soft, made the mistake of buying some of the limited gold ones they did and man those are hard to find in the rough....the raw ones also seem ok also, but for that kind of money I am not really picky, most of mine end up in the woods or drink anyway.
 
Will hitting a decent ball make a difference in your score? Maybe. So much of golf is mental and I know I just feel a lot better over every shot knowing that if I do my job, the ball will do it's job. Honestly even as a scratch it might make only 1-2 shots a round difference with me using a tour ball vs a solid surlyn cover ball that feels good. For me to play a totally crappy ball like a Nitro Distance might make 5 shots difference. Some of that no doubt mental, but there are crappy balls that just don't perform at all and Nitros top that list.

The other thing I'll mention is buying high quality used balls is fine. I wouldn't buy refurbished balls for my kids to use. I've literally wiped the paint off of some "ProV1's" that ended up being Top Flites. These balls can be anything under the paint and generally have laid in the bottom of a lake for years sometimes. I had a new looking ProV1x that I killed on the tee box. I expected to find it WELL down the FW. Dropped like a stone at 180 out. Thought that I might have topped it-maybe, then drilled a 3w expecting it to chase up on the green. Went about 150. Set up my next shot with a 5i, again pured it (would have expected 210), it barely went 100. Took it out of play and took it home. Wiped the paint off and it was obvious it had sat on the bottom of a lake for years. It also was miraculously reborn as a Titleist. That wasn't what it started life 10 years ago as. But to look at it prior to rubbing the hell out of it, it looked like a brand new ProV1x. Lesson learned. I wouldn't buy refurbished for 2.00 a dozen for a shag bag. They can be anything after the refurb process. That don't mean they'll play like it.
 
Dave G said:
Not actually new to golf, just getting back into it after 30 some years.
1. So, my new clubs are night and day better than my 30+yr old set. That said, has ball technology had the same change?
2. I currently have a 28 handicap. How much change can I expect to see by going from bargain basement balls to something in the $25-30 range?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a big difference in balls from 30 yrs ago and they have kept up with clubs - no more wound balls. They are made to go with the clubs - high launch, low spin. Forget used or lost balls. Better alternatives are out there.

I see your hc -- try the Snell Get Sum. Go to snellgolf.com - Get Sum is a 2 piece distance ball with some feel. I buy them for my son and use them when conditions are wet and don't need a urethane ball for a baked, hard green. Great ball. Tough to beat the price, too,when you buy 6 dz.

https://www.snellgolf.com/products/get-sum-value-pack-6-dozen/

Buy 6 dz, and it's $14/dz or $1.18 per ball, no shipping, no taxes


I also bought my son some Srixon Soft Feel Balls in a Super Sleeve while on vacation - 24 balls for $29 - go to tgw.com.
 
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Just getting back into it, your lost ball rate is probably pretty high (two sleeves per round maybe?). Go cheap until you get a swing that is repeatable and keeps the ball in the fairway.
 
Wilson Duo Zip. 2 dozen for $20. Just as soft as the Duo but more spin.
 
Many people have already said it. lost golf balls.com. I would recommend Hex Softs at 6.99 a dozen. Good 2 piece ball for a beginner and not super expensive. I still order some once in awhile to offset a bad month of lost balls.


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