Softer golf ball for senior - 85 mph swing speed?

I've come to the realization that I might like to try a softer ball (lower compression or just feels softer) than my gamer Snell MTB-X. I've been happy with the Snell but when comparing it to some other balls, I really think I like a little bit softer ball. I also think I might be able to squeeze a few extra yards out of the driver, woods, or long irons with a slightly softer ball. I hit a few comparison shots with a 2019 ProV1 and I can feel the difference in firmness. The ProV1 felt a bit better but not having hit any driver shots, not sure what I can expect off the driver and long irons. Any suggestions?

Why not give the MTB Black a shot? That would be comparable to the ProV. If you still feel like those are too firm then you might have to sacrifice a little greenside touch with the 3 piece offerings like the Project A, QST, or BRX.

How about a Duo Pro? They are soft, urethane with some spin.

Plus one...Project A, QST, or BRX

A softer ball won't be longer, but it will (obviously) feel softer. How soft to go if a matter of personal preference. I like soft balls but prefer a urethane cover for spin. Z Star is my favorite but there are lots of similar choices.

Conventional wisdom says if your swing speed is on the slow side you should go with a softer ball. But actual testing does not bear this out. Check out

https://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/features/equipment-features/2019/september/robot-tested-which-golf-bal-suits-my-game/

These folks tested a variety of golf balls at swing speeds of 85, 100, and 115 MPH.

Spoiler alert! TP5X was at the top for all 3 swing speeds for driver distance.

I've always liked the Project A when I've played it (not extensively though).

As others have mentioned, I am not sure why you are thinking a softer ball will help with distance on the driver / long irons. There is always some variation for all of us with exactly how the ball matches up to our swing/equipment so a softer ball could go farther for you, but I think there are plenty of comments that the MTB-X is quite long and in general the firmer tour balls have the potential to go farther.

Of note, I swing about 95 mph with the driver and I don't like the ProV1. It's obviously a great ball, but I feel like it's flight off the irons is too low (at least vs. what I like to see when I look up --- it may be fine if I play it long enough and get used to it). It is hard to know for sure, as exact strike and course conditions are never the same, but I feel like the ProV1 still stops quicker with the short-irons/PW/GW but that the lower lofted irons (say 5/6/7 with lofts of 25-32 degrees) it can actually run out more at times due to the lower flight/landing angle. I typically play surlyn balls, many of which are designed to fly higher, so my reference point may be a bit different than yours. But I have wondered whether these lower flight balls are not the best match for the sub-100 mph swing speeds (they seem to be about the same off the driver and around the greens they obviously have some favorable attributes).

> @Nessism said:

> A softer ball won't be longer, but it will (obviously) feel softer. How soft to go if a matter of personal preference. I like soft balls but prefer a urethane cover for spin. Z Star is my favorite but there are lots of similar choices.

Longer is not so much a concern as "feel". I've noticed that when I setup to hit driver (not so much) but long irons, the thought of hitting a firmer ball does come to mind. Almost makes you want to swing harder because the harder you swing, the less you feel the hardness of the ball. And there in lies the problem... trying to swing harder is never a good idea. Screws up your temp, changes your attack angle... a whole host of things can go wrong.

So this is more of a psychological change for me. I want to be able to setup to the ball knowing that the harshness of hitting a firmer ball will not come into play.

This may be just a big experiment on my part, but it's one that I want to try to see how it affects my game.

> @agolf1 said:

> I've always liked the Project A when I've played it (not extensively though).

>

> As others have mentioned, I am not sure why you are thinking a softer ball will help with distance on the driver / long irons. There is always some variation for all of us with exactly how the ball matches up to our swing/equipment so a softer ball could go farther for you, but I think there are plenty of comments that the MTB-X is quite long and in general the firmer tour balls have the potential to go farther.

>

> Of note, I swing about 95 mph with the driver and I don't like the ProV1. It's obviously a great ball, but I feel like it's flight off the irons is too low (at least vs. what I like to see when I look up --- it may be fine if I play it long enough and get used to it). It is hard to know for sure, as exact strike and course conditions are never the same, but I feel like the ProV1 still stops quicker with the short-irons/PW/GW but that the lower lofted irons (say 5/6/7 with lofts of 25-32 degrees) it can actually run out more at times due to the lower flight/landing angle. I typically play surlyn balls, many of which are designed to fly higher, so my reference point may be a bit different than yours. But I have wondered whether these lower flight balls are not the best match for the sub-100 mph swing speeds (they seem to be about the same off the driver and around the greens they obviously have some favorable attributes).

Some interesting thoughts. I actually think that with the longer irons I could use a lower flighted ball because I tend to get perhaps too much height and feel like I'm losing distance because I don't get much run out.

If you read my comments regarding this being a psychological experiment, then you'll understand that the distance gain that I'm hoping to achieve will be because I make a better swing to avoid that harsh feeling that firmer balls give when you have a lower swing speed. Perhaps it's just me, but I've hit quite a few softer balls and they feel much "nicer" (not sure if that's the right word). What I am hoping to see is fewer mishits because I will avoid the "feeling" that I have to swing harder to avoid the harsh feeling of the ball.

For reference, I play the Apex CF19's and really like them. I spend a lot of time hitting them with impact tape to ensure I'm finding the sweet spot and I'm pretty much on target there. I feel my game improvement will now be based on refining some little things... like choosing a softer ball that fits my personal characteristics.

> @jjfcpa said:

> > @agolf1 said:

> > I've always liked the Project A when I've played it (not extensively though).

> >

> > As others have mentioned, I am not sure why you are thinking a softer ball will help with distance on the driver / long irons. There is always some variation for all of us with exactly how the ball matches up to our swing/equipment so a softer ball could go farther for you, but I think there are plenty of comments that the MTB-X is quite long and in general the firmer tour balls have the potential to go farther.

> >

> > Of note, I swing about 95 mph with the driver and I don't like the ProV1. It's obviously a great ball, but I feel like it's flight off the irons is too low (at least vs. what I like to see when I look up --- it may be fine if I play it long enough and get used to it). It is hard to know for sure, as exact strike and course conditions are never the same, but I feel like the ProV1 still stops quicker with the short-irons/PW/GW but that the lower lofted irons (say 5/6/7 with lofts of 25-32 degrees) it can actually run out more at times due to the lower flight/landing angle. I typically play surlyn balls, many of which are designed to fly higher, so my reference point may be a bit different than yours. But I have wondered whether these lower flight balls are not the best match for the sub-100 mph swing speeds (they seem to be about the same off the driver and around the greens they obviously have some favorable attributes).

>

> Some interesting thoughts. I actually think that with the longer irons I could use a lower flighted ball because I tend to get perhaps too much height and feel like I'm losing distance because I don't get much run out.

>

> If you read my comments regarding this being a psychological experiment, then you'll understand that the distance gain that I'm hoping to achieve will be because I make a better swing to avoid that harsh feeling that firmer balls give when you have a lower swing speed. Perhaps it's just me, but I've hit quite a few softer balls and they feel much "nicer" (not sure if that's the right word). What I am hoping to see is fewer mishits because I will avoid the "feeling" that I have to swing harder to avoid the harsh feeling of the ball.

>

> For reference, I play the Apex CF19's and really like them. I spend a lot of time hitting them with impact tape to ensure I'm finding the sweet spot and I'm pretty much on target there. I feel my game improvement will now be based on refining some little things... like choosing a softer ball that fits my personal characteristics.

Sounds like you’ve made your decision. Go for it.

> @dalehead said:

> > @jjfcpa said:

> > > @agolf1 said:

> > > I've always liked the Project A when I've played it (not extensively though).

> > >

> > > As others have mentioned, I am not sure why you are thinking a softer ball will help with distance on the driver / long irons. There is always some variation for all of us with exactly how the ball matches up to our swing/equipment so a softer ball could go farther for you, but I think there are plenty of comments that the MTB-X is quite long and in general the firmer tour balls have the potential to go farther.

> > >

> > > Of note, I swing about 95 mph with the driver and I don't like the ProV1. It's obviously a great ball, but I feel like it's flight off the irons is too low (at least vs. what I like to see when I look up --- it may be fine if I play it long enough and get used to it). It is hard to know for sure, as exact strike and course conditions are never the same, but I feel like the ProV1 still stops quicker with the short-irons/PW/GW but that the lower lofted irons (say 5/6/7 with lofts of 25-32 degrees) it can actually run out more at times due to the lower flight/landing angle. I typically play surlyn balls, many of which are designed to fly higher, so my reference point may be a bit different than yours. But I have wondered whether these lower flight balls are not the best match for the sub-100 mph swing speeds (they seem to be about the same off the driver and around the greens they obviously have some favorable attributes).

> >

> > Some interesting thoughts. I actually think that with the longer irons I could use a lower flighted ball because I tend to get perhaps too much height and feel like I'm losing distance because I don't get much run out.

> >

> > If you read my comments regarding this being a psychological experiment, then you'll understand that the distance gain that I'm hoping to achieve will be because I make a better swing to avoid that harsh feeling that firmer balls give when you have a lower swing speed. Perhaps it's just me, but I've hit quite a few softer balls and they feel much "nicer" (not sure if that's the right word). What I am hoping to see is fewer mishits because I will avoid the "feeling" that I have to swing harder to avoid the harsh feeling of the ball.

> >

> > For reference, I play the Apex CF19's and really like them. I spend a lot of time hitting them with impact tape to ensure I'm finding the sweet spot and I'm pretty much on target there. I feel my game improvement will now be based on refining some little things... like choosing a softer ball that fits my personal characteristics.

>

> Sounds like you’ve made your decision. Go for it.

Actually, just looking for feedback on what everyone else might think. I don't like to discourage anyone from giving me their opinion.

I’ve used the DT Trusoft the last 2 years and really like it. Unfortunately it is being replaced but maybe you can still find them. For me I don’t notice any distance benefit when I use a harder or a softer ball I just prefer the the softer feel.

> @jjfcpa said:

> > @agolf1 said:

> > I've always liked the Project A when I've played it (not extensively though).

> >

> > As others have mentioned, I am not sure why you are thinking a softer ball will help with distance on the driver / long irons. There is always some variation for all of us with exactly how the ball matches up to our swing/equipment so a softer ball could go farther for you, but I think there are plenty of comments that the MTB-X is quite long and in general the firmer tour balls have the potential to go farther.

> >

> > Of note, I swing about 95 mph with the driver and I don't like the ProV1. It's obviously a great ball, but I feel like it's flight off the irons is too low (at least vs. what I like to see when I look up --- it may be fine if I play it long enough and get used to it). It is hard to know for sure, as exact strike and course conditions are never the same, but I feel like the ProV1 still stops quicker with the short-irons/PW/GW but that the lower lofted irons (say 5/6/7 with lofts of 25-32 degrees) it can actually run out more at times due to the lower flight/landing angle. I typically play surlyn balls, many of which are designed to fly higher, so my reference point may be a bit different than yours. But I have wondered whether these lower flight balls are not the best match for the sub-100 mph swing speeds (they seem to be about the same off the driver and around the greens they obviously have some favorable attributes).

>

> Some interesting thoughts. I actually think that with the longer irons I could use a lower flighted ball because I tend to get perhaps too much height and feel like I'm losing distance because I don't get much run out.

>

> If you read my comments regarding this being a psychological experiment, then you'll understand that the distance gain that I'm hoping to achieve will be because I make a better swing to avoid that harsh feeling that firmer balls give when you have a lower swing speed. Perhaps it's just me, but I've hit quite a few softer balls and they feel much "nicer" (not sure if that's the right word). What I am hoping to see is fewer mishits because I will avoid the "feeling" that I have to swing harder to avoid the harsh feeling of the ball.

>

> For reference, I play the Apex CF19's and really like them. I spend a lot of time hitting them with impact tape to ensure I'm finding the sweet spot and I'm pretty much on target there. I feel my game improvement will now be based on refining some little things... like choosing a softer ball that fits my personal characteristics.

I see. I prefer the softer feeling ball as well off the irons, although the trajectory is a bigger thing for me.

I would ask whether the swinging harder is more a function of the lower lofted irons than the ball though? My thought is that the firmer balls also feels harsher with a 9-iron. But even moderate speed players can get a decent ball flight with this club. In contrast, the long irons just need a lot of speed (or near perfect strike) to get the ball up / staying in the air. You mentioned that your shots here seem to go high enough but maybe aren't going as far as you like (little run-out, which may be fine on a green). Without knowing anything else, I'd wonder if you are adding a bit of loft here at impact with these clubs (trying to hit it harder and/or higher) vs swinging smooth and down like you would with a 7-iron?

Sorry for the diversion as I know you asked about balls, not swing issues. Whatever works is all that matters but I would also be cautious of changing the ball for just one or two irons in the bag (provided it works well everywhere else). Good luck.

Tonight I spent a little time with my Skytrak and the following 4 balls.

Snell MTB-X (current gamer)

Titleist ProV1

Srixon Z Start

Titleist TruFeel

I hit 3 shots (eliminating the bad ones) with a 54*, 7 irons, and 5 iron.

The results were unequivocal. The Srixon was the longest ball with the 7 iron and 5 iron. Not by a lot but in the case of the 5 iron, it was 7 yards longer than any other ball.

There was little difference with the 54* wedge.

All other things were pretty even, launch angle, descent angle, height, spin, etc. I ddi not that the Titleist generated very good smash factors, but the Srixon was just slightly less.

I'm going to give the Z Star a chance tomorrow on my next outing.

BTW, the Snell MTB-X was not the shortest in distance in all cases, but did not give me the longest distance with any of the clubs.

I noticed that the Srixon also felt the softest of all the balls I tested. From a feel perspective, I really liked it. Of course, the real test comes on the golf course and I'll post again tomorrow after my round.

All the ball tests done by the online forums had my curiosity piqued, I took the bait bought sleeve/box of the key players. My 100mph driver swing speed is not showing the distance gains claimed for the higher compression tour balls, play the ball that has a good short game performance and feel.

> @jjfcpa said:

> I've come to the realization that I might like to try a softer ball (lower compression or just feels softer) than my gamer Snell MTB-X. I've been happy with the Snell but when comparing it to some other balls, I really think I like a little bit softer ball. I also think I might be able to squeeze a few extra yards out of the driver, woods, or long irons with a slightly softer ball. I hit a few comparison shots with a 2019 ProV1 and I can feel the difference in firmness. The ProV1 felt a bit better but not having hit any driver shots, not sure what I can expect off the driver and long irons. Any suggestions?

you raved about the BRX...why not just play that?? great ball

My utopian ball right now

> @monks66 said:

> > @jjfcpa said:

> > I've come to the realization that I might like to try a softer ball (lower compression or just feels softer) than my gamer Snell MTB-X. I've been happy with the Snell but when comparing it to some other balls, I really think I like a little bit softer ball. I also think I might be able to squeeze a few extra yards out of the driver, woods, or long irons with a slightly softer ball. I hit a few comparison shots with a 2019 ProV1 and I can feel the difference in firmness. The ProV1 felt a bit better but not having hit any driver shots, not sure what I can expect off the driver and long irons. Any suggestions?

>

> you raved about the BRX...why not just play that?? great ball

I think we all experience a honeymoon period and are always seeking something better. The AVX lovers have calmed down.

> @monks66 said:

> > @jjfcpa said:

> > I've come to the realization that I might like to try a softer ball (lower compression or just feels softer) than my gamer Snell MTB-X. I've been happy with the Snell but when comparing it to some other balls, I really think I like a little bit softer ball. I also think I might be able to squeeze a few extra yards out of the driver, woods, or long irons with a slightly softer ball. I hit a few comparison shots with a 2019 ProV1 and I can feel the difference in firmness. The ProV1 felt a bit better but not having hit any driver shots, not sure what I can expect off the driver and long irons. Any suggestions?

>

> you raved about the BRX...why not just play that?? great ball

"Raved" about the B RX? Not sure about that one, but it is a good ball, it's just that for ME, the Snell MTB-X was better, that's why it is still in my bag... well, not quite... temporarily, I've replaced it with the Srixon Z Star. Whether the Z Star stays there will depend on how it performs today and tomorrow for my rounds. I did find that the RX was about the same as the MTB-X with woods, but with the driver, it always came up shorter for me.

Just for the record, I reserve the right to change my mind about ball selection.

> @monks66 said:

> My utopian ball right now

Have you ever tried the Snell MTB-X? I played the RX for months and really enjoyed it quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of the Snell MTB-Black. I could play them interchangeably. I then tried the MTB-X and saw that my drives were longer, which really caught my attention. I switched to the MTB-X and have been playing it for the better part of the summer.

I'm reminded of the 17th hole at Table Creek in Nebraska City, NE where you have to hit about a 175 yard driver just to clear the water. This was from the men's tee and if I was smart, I should have been playing the senior tees since I'm definitely a senior golfer. Anyway, I was playing the RX that day and my drive on that hole came up about 10 yards short and landed in the water. I pulled a MTB-X out of the bag and hit it and just cleared the water. Both drives were hit well so I can only attribute the difference in distance to the ball, at least as far as I could tell.

I would not fault anyone for choosing the RX. It's a good ball and provides excellent results. Spin may be an issue when hitting into the greens, but otherwise, I could play it, but I'm still testing the waters for something better.

I 2nd the Wilson Duo Pro. One of the softest urethane balls and has good spin. I have played many balls in search of a "softer" feeling urethane ball. It is noticeably softer than the MTB Black, which I like a lot, and has similar to maybe slightly less spin. Distance is comparable. For reference my swing speed is mid to upper 80's.

> @jjfcpa said:

> > @monks66 said:

> > My utopian ball right now

>

>

> Have you ever tried the Snell MTB-X? I played the RX for months and really enjoyed it quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of the Snell MTB-Black. I could play them interchangeably. I then tried the MTB-X and saw that my drives were longer, which really caught my attention. I switched to the MTB-X and have been playing it for the better part of the summer.

>

>** I'm reminded of the 17th hole at Table Creek in Nebraska City, NE where you have to hit about a 175 yard driver just to clear the water. This was from the men's tee and if I was smart, I should have been playing the senior tees since I'm definitely a senior golfer. Anyway, I was playing the RX that day and my drive on that hole came up about 10 yards short and landed in the water. I pulled a MTB-X out of the bag and hit it and just cleared the water. Both drives were hit well so I can only attribute the difference in distance to the ball, at least as far as I could tell.**

>

> I would not fault anyone for choosing the RX. It's a good ball and provides excellent results. Spin may be an issue when hitting into the greens, but otherwise, I could play it, but I'm still testing the waters for something better.

I can just about guarantee that there was something different in the 2 shots other than just the ball.

> @chippa13 said:

> > @jjfcpa said:

> > > @monks66 said:

> > > My utopian ball right now

> >

> >

> > Have you ever tried the Snell MTB-X? I played the RX for months and really enjoyed it quite a bit. It reminded me a lot of the Snell MTB-Black. I could play them interchangeably. I then tried the MTB-X and saw that my drives were longer, which really caught my attention. I switched to the MTB-X and have been playing it for the better part of the summer.

> >

> >** I'm reminded of the 17th hole at Table Creek in Nebraska City, NE where you have to hit about a 175 yard driver just to clear the water. This was from the men's tee and if I was smart, I should have been playing the senior tees since I'm definitely a senior golfer. Anyway, I was playing the RX that day and my drive on that hole came up about 10 yards short and landed in the water. I pulled a MTB-X out of the bag and hit it and just cleared the water. Both drives were hit well so I can only attribute the difference in distance to the ball, at least as far as I could tell.**

> >

> > I would not fault anyone for choosing the RX. It's a good ball and provides excellent results. Spin may be an issue when hitting into the greens, but otherwise, I could play it, but I'm still testing the waters for something better.

>

> I can just about guarantee that there was something different in the 2 shots other than just the ball.

I would concur with this, but the difference could be that the first ball (RX) was struck better than the second ball (MTB-X)... or visa versa. However, that wasn't the only time I compared the 2 balls and I always found that the MTB-X was longer. I kind of find that hard to believe with my slower swing speed, which is why I've compared them so much.

It would be nice to be able to play a complete round and play 2 different balls for the entire round.. yes, that would be a much better comparison than a shot here and a shot there, but I don't know about you, but the either the course is too busy or I feel it would be unfair to my playing partners to do this.

Played 9 holes with the Srixon Z Star. Here are my impressions.

Driver - I didn't have a great day with the driver and since this was the first time I've hit this ball with a driver, it definitely felt "different" and caused me some issues. It wasn't that the drives were not good, just felt different off the driver than what I've been playing. I think I will need to hit a few more to get it dialed in. Drives were more than adequate but I think they will get better.

Irons - Wow... this was really impressive. It was exactly the feeling I was looking for. The ball just seemed to pop off the club head and I was hitting it longer than any other ball I've played. Even the couple of mishits that I had were more than adequate. I need the most help with my long irons and this ball just fit the bill.

Wedges - Nothing noticeably different from the MTB-X. Seemed to check up on the greens just fine.

Putter - Another plus. I played 18 holes a few days ago and noted after my round that every putt was short. Today was completely different. I was dropping putts from 10 feet and in with regularity. The ball feels really soft off the putter, which I thought I would not like, but to my surprise, I was able to adapt very quickly and my confidence was soaring.

I have another 9 holes tomorrow and I'm definitely going to give it another chance. If I can get accustomed to the feel off the driver, I think my decision would be much easier.

I like the Z Star too and scored better with it than any other ball this season, but for me at least I think it was just luck and I happened to play better those days. All of the balls seem to go the same distance for me.

Dave

Played another 9 holes with the Z Star and my driving was on today. Here is my observations playing with the Z Star.

Driver - Wow... just wow. I was hitting it longer than any ball I've ever played... I think. Can't be sure of this because the only way I could determine this is based on where the ball was landing. Since I've played this course many times in the past. In my first round, it was like I just couldn't find the sweet spot on the driver which made the ball feel different. Today, it was wham, bam, long way from here. I was very impressed with the performance of the ball.

Irons - Same as first round... longer than normal. Felt great.

Hybrid - I had a couple of shots with a 4h and they were just great. The 4h had not performed like this previously so I was either hitting it better than ever or the ball was giving me the confidence to make some really good shots.

Putter - Same as first round. Felt great and worked very well on the green.

I have another round schedule for day after tomorrow and I'm infatuated with this ball to the point that I can't wait to play it again.

Just a little follow up after enter my scores from my round yesterday in my self-written golf scorekeeping application. There was really nothing dramatic that stood out from my last round at this course (August 29th) using the Snell MTB-X ball. GIR's, putts, pars, and score were very similar. Shot a 40 yesterday and a 41 on August 29th.

So did changing the ball make any difference in my overall performance? You would have to conclude that it did not.

However, where the real difference was in my confidence during the round. There is no doubt in my mind that the harshness of the ball was much less. I was not over swinging to try and eliminate that harshness that I felt with the MTB-X. My round was definitely more relaxed and much more inspiring.

After I finished, I definitely had the feeling that I could drop a couple more shots had my putter been working a little better because I was in position to score birdies (which turned out to be pars) and pars (that turned out to be baggies). It was a very positive experience and I'm going to continue to evaluate the Z Star for the remainder of the season. It could be I just found a ball that is more suitable for my game. Time will tell.

At 85 mph there is data to suggest "softer" balls fly just as far as higher compression balls so don't worry about that obviously. The new Titleist Trufeel is getting great reviews AND its flying just as far or further than the prov1 in many on course tests. check u-tube for these tests. > @jjfcpa said:

> > @Nessism said:

> > A softer ball won't be longer, but it will (obviously) feel softer. How soft to go if a matter of personal preference. I like soft balls but prefer a urethane cover for spin. Z Star is my favorite but there are lots of similar choices.

>

> Longer is not so much a concern as "feel". I've noticed that when I setup to hit driver (not so much) but long irons, the thought of hitting a firmer ball does come to mind. Almost makes you want to swing harder because the harder you swing, the less you feel the hardness of the ball. And there in lies the problem... trying to swing harder is never a good idea. Screws up your temp, changes your attack angle... a whole host of things can go wrong.

>

> So this is more of a psychological change for me. I want to be able to setup to the ball knowing that the harshness of hitting a firmer ball will not come into play.

>

> This may be just a big experiment on my part, but it's one that I want to try to see how it affects my game.

I hit my driver in the high 80 mph-wise, comparable to the thread-starter. I tested some of the soft balls last year and two came out on top: The Titleist Tour Soft and the Pinnacle Soft. I played the whole season with the Pinnacle and will continue to do so. It feels good off the driver, it doesn't balloon, I have a good mix of carry and roll. Off the irons it feels nice, not clicky, but also not fluffy like some of the softer balls. But the area where it got me was the short game. Pitches and chips are very predictable, there ist enough stopping action from 30 yards out. The feel off the club is what I like, and feel and distance control off the putter just do it for me. I also tested the ZStar and another Srix, they also played well, but overall I liked the Pinnacle best overall. Give them a try, they are good!

> @tsecor said:

> At 85 mph there is data to suggest "softer" balls fly just as far as higher compression balls so don't worry about that obviously. The new Titleist Trufeel is getting great reviews AND its flying just as far or further than the prov1 in many on course tests. check u-tube for these tests. > @jjfcpa said:

> > > @Nessism said:

> > > A softer ball won't be longer, but it will (obviously) feel softer. How soft to go if a matter of personal preference. I like soft balls but prefer a urethane cover for spin. Z Star is my favorite but there are lots of similar choices.

> >

> > Longer is not so much a concern as "feel". I've noticed that when I setup to hit driver (not so much) but long irons, the thought of hitting a firmer ball does come to mind. Almost makes you want to swing harder because the harder you swing, the less you feel the hardness of the ball. And there in lies the problem... trying to swing harder is never a good idea. Screws up your temp, changes your attack angle... a whole host of things can go wrong.

> >

> > So this is more of a psychological change for me. I want to be able to setup to the ball knowing that the harshness of hitting a firmer ball will not come into play.

> >

> > This may be just a big experiment on my part, but it's one that I want to try to see how it affects my game.

>

>

I did try the Titelist Trufeel and it's a good ball, but did not react the way I was expecting. While it did indeed feel soft, I didn't see any distance gains with it with the driver. The irons were shorter for me. I did not like the way it felt off the putter. Sort of hard to predict exactly what kind of results you would get with distance off the putter. I like the Z Star much better as it is much more predictable. Again, YMMV.

> @"Short Pete" said:

> I hit my driver in the high 80 mph-wise, comparable to the thread-starter. I tested some of the soft balls last year and two came out on top: The Titleist Tour Soft and the Pinnacle Soft. I played the whole season with the Pinnacle and will continue to do so. It feels good off the driver, it doesn't balloon, I have a good mix of carry and roll. Off the irons it feels nice, not clicky, but also not fluffy like some of the softer balls. But the area where it got me was the short game. Pitches and chips are very predictable, there ist enough stopping action from 30 yards out. The feel off the club is what I like, and feel and distance control off the putter just do it for me. I also tested the ZStar and another Srix, they also played well, but overall I liked the Pinnacle best overall. Give them a try, they are good!

I will definitely give the Pinnacle Soft a try. It's probably a little cheaper than the Srixon Z Star.

Went out and practiced some chips and putting with both the Z Star and the MTB-X and the Z Star was just flat out better... closer to the hole on chips and holed more off the driver.

I will continue to evaluate and I'll do some comparisons with the Pinnacle Soft.