Range Balls?

What's the deal with range balls?

i can never hit them remotley the same distance as i do in normal play.

case in point is that there is a 148yard flag and i can't even get my 7iron there (about 5 yards short) thats 30 yards shorter than with normal balls.

how much distance do you lose with range balls?

about 10%. maybe a little more with the driver. depends on the range but they go pretty far.

Range balls are different than regulation balls. They are made so that they will float, and this means that they are lighter than regular balls. Lighter balls don't go as far, this is why the USGA limits how heavy a ball can be, but not how light.

In addition to range balls just being range balls, there are also "limited flight" range balls. These are specifically designed not to go as far. If you're at a range that is less than 250 yards long, you might be hitting these.

What type/brand of range balls are they using?

I know the Srixon range balls at my local facility are OK- I've seen them cut open and they are just solid- one piece. Not bad during warm weather, but like hitting rocks in the cold. Even if you hit the sweet spot on a cold day, your whole arm vibrates.

My pro says you lose 20-40 yards with range balls. So it sounds like your results are right.

I wouldn't look for distance on the range- look instead for consistency. If you must judge distance, it is only valid on the range and does not compare to playing with real golf balls on the course.

I always like when a few premium balls make their way into the bucket. You don't know their history, but they seem to fly a little further.

Also you might want to check the yardages of the pins. Often times, ranges will not exactly update the distances when they move the tees.

Also you might want to check the yardages of the pins. Often times, ranges will not exactly update the distances when they move the tees.

not all range balls are the same. The yellow srixon balls are the worst. They're about 20% less distance. Some range balls float and some don't. Some are really old with shaved dimples from the picker. But here's what I find...

They don't fly as far, but because you are constantly hitting them and often times groove a swing at the range you make up for some of that lost distance. On the course you may not have hit that 5 iron for over an hour and you've been waiting for 5-10 minutes just to hit at all, so your swing is a little less warmed up. Things will average out a little.

Try to find the percentage of lost distance rather than a yardage number. say 5%-20% loss?

my local muni has the worst range in history. entire thing slopes from east to west, is never mowed, has no yardage markers (it has 2 steel poles cemented into old tires) and uses ONLY balls found in the water/prairie grass from the course. but due to our explosive community growth it is always busy. despite charging $8.75 for 75 balls. sorry, just had to rant.....

[quote name='InTheHole' post='1905214' date='Aug 21 2009, 12:08 PM']What type/brand of range balls are they using?

I know the Srixon range balls at my local facility are OK- I've seen them cut open and they are just solid- one piece. Not bad during warm weather, but like hitting rocks in the cold. Even if you hit the sweet spot on a cold day, your whole arm vibrates.

My pro says you lose 20-40 yards with range balls. So it sounds like your results are right.

I wouldn't look for distance on the range- look instead for consistency. If you must judge distance, it is only valid on the range and does not compare to playing with real golf balls on the course.

I always like when a few premium balls make their way into the bucket. You don't know their history, but they seem to fly a little further.[/quote]

Srixons at my range aswell.. hate them with a passion.
The range used to have wilson balls which were good.. dont know why they changed them.

I saw a chart with all the distances and how durable they were.

Srixon's are apparently the most durable but fly the shortest.

So that's why they buy them

The ranges I have access to use the yellow srixons. Horrible.

Does anyone know if shots with wedges are greatly affected? My instructor told me the ball isn't compressed enough on a wedge shot. So using these balls on the range to practice full, 3/4, etc, wedge shots are ok. The distances will be about the same as on the course.


Anyone agree with this? I pretty much have my yardages figured out with my irons (through on course play). But my wedges I'm still struggling with.

[quote name='beaner25' post='1907609' date='Aug 22 2009, 04:10 PM']The ranges I have access to use the yellow srixons. Horrible.

Does anyone know if shots with wedges are greatly affected? My instructor told me the ball isn't compressed enough on a wedge shot. So using these balls on the range to practice full, 3/4, etc, wedge shots are ok. The distances will be about the same as on the course.


Anyone agree with this? I pretty much have my yardages figured out with my irons (through on course play). But my wedges I'm still struggling with.[/quote]

i hit my wedges about the same on the range.
i notice the distance loss with the longer clubs.

My course uses Callaway and Nike range balls. They seem to fly about the same as the Bridgestones I play with.

Those yellow Srixon's ARE horrible, I'll agree!

Here's a little comparison chart:

[url="http://www.ngcoa.org/pdf/smartbuy/srixon_comparison.PDF"]http://www.ngcoa.org/pdf/smartbuy/srixon_comparison.PDF[/url]

I'd think a 112mph swing speed would yield more than the 260 yard carry the range balls fly in this test.

[quote]Range balls are different than regulation balls. [b]They are made so that they will float, and this means that they are lighter than regular balls[/b]. Lighter balls don't go as far, this is why the USGA limits how heavy a ball can be, but not how light.[/quote]

Off Topic, But Quick Lesson,

Objects float based on density.... while mass is a component of density, the actual mass of an object has little effect on an objects ability to float... eg. a golf ball that sinks, and a 1000 pound tree that floats...


Range balls that have been used alot also can become "dead" and feel like mush when you hit them, they will so also knuckle and nose dive when they get this way. Tennis Balls also experience this, which is why they put new balls into play at regular intervals during pro tennis tourneys.

[quote name='Williams5203' post='1924665' date='Aug 31 2009, 12:55 PM'][quote]Range balls are different than regulation balls. [b]They are made so that they will float, and this means that they are lighter than regular balls[/b]. Lighter balls don't go as far, this is why the USGA limits how heavy a ball can be, but not how light.[/quote]

Off Topic, But Quick Lesson,

Objects float based on density.... while mass is a component of density, the actual mass of an object has little effect on an objects ability to float... eg. a golf ball that sinks, and a 1000 pound tree that floats...


Range balls that have been used alot also can become "dead" and feel like mush when you hit them, they will so also knuckle and nose dive when they get this way. Tennis Balls also experience this, which is why they put new balls into play at regular intervals during pro tennis tourneys.
[/quote]


So, explain to me how you take a solid object of the exact same size, and make it float without making it lighter? I'll wait, this should be interesting.

Range balls can vary A BUNCH.

There are floating range balls (a tad lighter than regular golf balls) that carry a good bit shorter than regular balls. And they can act really odd in the wind.

There are limited flight range balls that can be pretty darn short.

There are "beat to crap" range balls that are hard to predict.

I once did an experiment with the (good quality) range balls used at our club (Pinnacle Practice). I know from experience that shots under 150 with those balls are similar to Pro V1's (at least in carry distance).

So I hit 10 or so range balls and the same number of Pro V1's into a "shag ball area" with my driver. I was hitting into what you would normally think of as 'light rough' (poor roll conditions). The range balls were 10-15 yards shorter in this very limited experiment.

But it really can vary a bunch.

dave

if you can find Nike range balls anywhere they are the best I have hit. Srixons are probably the worst. Its funny to see Graeham McDowell walking around in a Srixon hat all the time. Makes him look really cheap. Unfortunately the new Topflight range balls they came out with at my range recently hit like rocks. I was afraid I would break my driver on them and just never went back. The carry on the old Nike range balls they had used was decent and sometimes quite good, at least 10% better.

Most range balls have had the heck beat out of them and are like stones so shorter distances and lack of good feel would be normal. The other thing is that they will scar the faces of your clubs quickly, especially the metal woods because of the lack of care of the balls. That's more than likely why you don't get the distances on the range but on the course. Some golf courses keep their ranges balls up to date and in good condition so then the results would be better.

[quote name='Shanks For The Memories' timestamp='1250873781' post='1905189']Range balls are different than regulation balls. They are made so that they will float, and this means that they are lighter than regular balls. Lighter balls don't go as far, this is why the USGA limits how heavy a ball can be, but not how light.[/quote]

Umm. Not all range balls float.

My club uses TM range balls. They always feel pretty good, and I'm pretty sure they are 3 piece. Ah, the joys of having a pro that sells a lot of TM stuff. Passive brag.

The range I used to practice in used fairway finds purchased from dealers. When they have been used for a while they don't go as far but only at the extremes. It's hard to see a difference with only a 150 yards target. See if you can find a range finder and check your target. Wind and a different angle from a different hitting bay can make a bigger difference than you would expect.


Shambles

there is such a wide range of range balls from the pinnacles that seem like they have concrete in the middle, to legit normal balls. depends on the range

[quote name='callawayfan' timestamp='1250872284' post='1905142']
What's the deal with range balls?
i can never hit them remotley the same distance as i do in normal play.
case in point is that there is a 148yard flag and i can't even get my 7iron there (about 5 yards short) thats 30 yards shorter than with normal balls.

how much distance do you lose with range balls?
[/quote]

Who knows, could be nothing or quite a lot.

There are tons of types of range balls, some are identical in every way to standard and some quite different all the way down to purposely limited in flight.

And then you factor in them getting hit hundreds of thousands of times.

The answer ? Don't worry about it. Worry about swing, set up, contact and ball flight. Distance is just a number.

I personally hate range balls. The nicest place I go to has the best range balls Ive seen anywhere, however some of the other places I go the balls look like they are about 15 years old, and I get absolutely zero feel from them. I do notice the loss of distance just like you are saying, and their yardage signs always seem to be off as well.

Honestly Im not a big fan of the range, its great practice but all it does is make me wish I was actually golfing haha.

You guys all need to try these range balls [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIR3oCQMQBE"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIR3oCQMQBE[/url]

[quote name='WdotDynamite' timestamp='1396903903' post='9040637']
I personally hate range balls. The nicest place I go to has the best range balls Ive seen anywhere, however some of the other places I go the balls look like they are about 15 years old, and I get absolutely zero feel from them. I do notice the loss of distance just like you are saying, and their yardage signs always seem to be off as well.

Honestly Im not a big fan of the range, its great practice but all it does is make me wish I was actually golfing haha.
[/quote]

You can always ride out to a field with a shag bag like us old guys used to have to do.

[quote name='BobbieDollar' timestamp='1396680940' post='9024897']
Srixons are probably the worst. Its funny to see Graeham McDowell walking around in a Srixon hat all the time. Makes him look really cheap.
[/quote]

Srixon has among the best gamer balls on the market...