Problems with Used Balls

I think I might be done with buying used balls. I been buying used balls off of ebay but I noticed that even though the balls may look good there seems to be lots of issues with them. At first I thought they were a pretty good deal. I noticed that with used balls they seem to be harder to control and a lot times they simply do not go as far or tend to vear to the right or left. Started to play with new balls and my game seems to have improved. Has anyone else seen this sort of thing. I am not sure if my source was bad or it's just used balls but I brought from multiple sources.

I am wondering if there is simply just a lot bad balls out there. I thinking that with used balls these are the biggest issue that face a person buying balls

1) Balls are not consitant for instance it could be a one hit wonder or it could have been hit recylced multiple times and hit hundreds of times.

2) Balls could have been sitting in water or outside for extended period of time in heat or cold.

3) Balls are pained and resold as refubished so balance and orginal specs are no longer there.

I think those 3 things are real issues that could cause problems for ball flight. It's also not a lot cheaper because you can buy some really cheap balls for practice rounds that cost less then $1 a ball.

With so many used balls out there am I over analyzing thigs or does this make sense.

never know where they have been. provi in water for 1 month will lose about 2% distance.

[quote name='deetsal' timestamp='1426033235' post='11118181']
never know where they have been. provi in water for 1 month will lose about 2% distance.
[/quote]

Losing 2% distance on a 300 yard drive is 6 yards. 3 yards off an easy sand wedge. 9 feet. I know it adds up throughout the round, but I don't see many amateurs consistent enough to notice a difference, honestly. I wouldn't game a water logged ProV1 with money on the line, but for fun rounds, I probably wouldn't notice either.

I've been playing mostly used balls for over 20 yrs. I maybe have noticed a 1/2 dozen worth of balls over those yrs. that played differently or felt like duds. Some of my playing partners swear used balls are defective and will not play them. I have no problem playing them even when I am playing for something. I always looked at it like this. I am able to play a more performing ball that I otherwise couldn't afford so to me it's worth playing used.

I play almost only used balls in tournaments or casual rounds. I am a 1 handicap and play a lot, and literally only maybe a handful of balls have ever had problems. That's probably in 100 dozen balls.

Just to add, I won't play refurbished balls since that's a straight alteration but regular used balls have always been great

I also bought a bunch of 5A used premium balls on eBay last year and so far haven't noticed any duds. Of course I've found brands I prefer but the balls themselves have performed to my expectations. There's always a risk with the used balls but I think the affect it has on the game of your average weekend warrior is minimal because we're not consistent enough. If I were hitting sand wedge at 100 yards to 10 ft or less almost every swing, then the ball may be a huge factor to my success. However, lots of handicap players are simply trying to get it on the green and that has a lot more to do with their swing rather than the ball.

i need people to buy into the new is better so they can lose their new ball and i can buy it used.

buy from reputable seller and stay away from refurbished. mint quality 5a used are basically new and at steep discount. usually $2 or less per ball

There is a difference between grades of used ball.....don't buy low grade balls

Don't buy refurbished balls, they are bad. Also if you buy a premium ball in mint condition you will get an excellent ball. As you have noticed a ball with a urethane cover will start to show signs of use after just a few holes of play. So that mint ball will be just that, mint with no signs of use. However if you buy say an NXT that has that harder cover, than it's a lot harder to tell if it's had a lot of use.You could actually get a ball that for lack of a better term is worn out.(used and abused).
Talk about long winded. My point is if buying used balls stick with a premium urethane covered ball.

I understand buying premium used balls can help but they really don't seem that great of deal to me. For instance lostballs sells prov 1's for 23.99 on their site a dozen. I can buy a few decent balls for are $20 a dozen especially if I look for balls on sale. I know I can't get prov 1 balls for that price but do I really need to buy prov 1's.

To me having simular and constant balls seems to help more then anything on the greens. Unless I can get balls for less then $10 a dozen that are high quality it doesn't seem like a good deal.

When I transitioned from used balls to new I noticed a difference in performance and in my game. Those 2-3 better shots per round can do a lot for your confidence. None of the very good players I know hit used balls, for what thats worth.

I bought 5 dozen used 5a from a highly recommended seller, i have played maybe 15 balls.
One i bladed a wedge and cut the ball's cover to where it could not be played and another was just a bad ball that looked fine upon inspection but when I hit it, it did strange things.
This is my first and last time to buy used balls

i think i should just start blaming all my bad shots on the fact i'm playing used balls. as far as good players playing used balls, i know a lot of really awful players playing new. whats your point.

if you want to save money play recycled 5a balls. not refurbished. if you prefer the peace of mind that new balls give you, pay more and play new.

I used to jokingly comment that "I've never hit a used ball". Sometimes I think that is not far from the truth.

Have bought used for years. Other than the obviously scuffed/cut, none have had any performance deficiencies.

Funny those who say they don't play used balls. Ever play your own ball for more than one hole? It's used and most likely same condition as those 5a balls sold online.

[quote name='HoosierMizuno' timestamp='1426121075' post='11125261']
Funny those who say they don't play used balls. Ever play your own ball for more than one hole? It's used and most likely same condition as those 5a balls sold online.
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That was the point of my "joke", meaning every shot I took had to be with a new ball as I never found the previous one, but I am sure you got that.

[quote name='tiger1873' timestamp='1426103875' post='11123291']
I understand buying premium used balls can help but they really don't seem that great of deal to me. For instance lostballs sells prov 1's for 23.99 on their site a dozen. I can buy a few decent balls for are $20 a dozen especially if I look for balls on sale. I know I can't get prov 1 balls for that price but do I really need to buy prov 1's.

To me having simular and constant balls seems to help more then anything on the greens. Unless I can get balls for less then $10 a dozen that are high quality it doesn't seem like a good deal.
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No one said you have to buy Pro-V balls. I don't care for Pro-V's. I do like the NXT Tour balls though and they perform for me. I was lucky to win 120 (second quality) of them several yrs. ago for 29.95 including shipping from a seller on Ebay. I'm still playing out of that deal. I wanted to try the Yellow NXT Tour S balls. I just bought 2 doz of them for $10 a doz and a local golf store selling used balls.
You say you can buy decent $20 a doz balls. If you buy them used how much will they cost you?

I'm personally not a fan of refurbished balls, but just used balls and ones i find I really don't see much of a difference at all

[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1426122062' post='11125425']
No one said you have to buy Pro-V balls. I don't care for Pro-V's. I do like the NXT Tour balls though and they perform for me. I was lucky to win 120 (second quality) of them several yrs. ago for 29.95 including shipping from a seller on Ebay. I'm still playing out of that deal. I wanted to try the Yellow NXT Tour S balls. I just bought 2 doz of them for $10 a doz and a local golf store selling used balls.
You say you can buy decent $20 a doz balls. If you buy them used how much will they cost you?
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I haven't seen decent used balls under $10 a dozen. I can get new balls for $7 a dozen. Granted there from Dicks and there hard as a rock but there still new. But I have still found those balls better then random used balls at that price. I have found you can get decent clearance balls for about $20 on sale. Even if you play a NXT for $30 a doz it's not much money when you look at it. At the most I may get 10 boxes a year. That's only $100 a year and that's assuming I am buy all premium balls.

Refurbished are a mixed bag. Some might not be bad but some could be a whole club shorter.

Never had a reason to go used. I usually buy TF Gamers, or get gifted pro v1x's occasionally.

[quote name='tiger1873' timestamp='1426193697' post='11130811']
[quote name='Greenie' timestamp='1426122062' post='11125425']
No one said you have to buy Pro-V balls. I don't care for Pro-V's. I do like the NXT Tour balls though and they perform for me. I was lucky to win 120 (second quality) of them several yrs. ago for 29.95 including shipping from a seller on Ebay. I'm still playing out of that deal. I wanted to try the Yellow NXT Tour S balls. I just bought 2 doz of them for $10 a doz and a local golf store selling used balls.
You say you can buy decent $20 a doz balls. If you buy them used how much will they cost you?
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I haven't seen decent used balls under $10 a dozen. I can get new balls for $7 a dozen. Granted there from Dicks and there hard as a rock but there still new. But I have still found those balls better then random used balls at that price. I have found you can get decent clearance balls for about $20 on sale. Even if you play a NXT for $30 a doz it's not much money when you look at it. At the most I may get 10 boxes a year. That's only $100 a year and that's assuming I am buy all premium balls.
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Where are you looking? A few places offer top quality used balls for under $10/dozen. I just bought 11 dozen top quality bridgestone E6's at $.75/ball from lostgolfballs.com. They were $9.99/dz and and a coupon code and free shipping helped.