Used golf balls?

golfnut-2X · April 2, 2012

Have you tried?

Never tried playing with used golf balls before... Background upfront / question below...

Recently came across a site to fill another shag bag for my daughter so i figured i would try the "top condition" used balls that go for half the price of new. Found a couple sites. Below is one I decided to try.

http://www.knetgolf.com/Topic/36-Golf_Ball_Testing.aspx

For the top end "refinished" balls you can get 55% off from brand new for tm penta. Below is a quote of their tests for used balls showing the top end refinished is 1 yard or less.

"With a driver the maximum loss of carry over a drive of about 260 yards is about 5 yards with a grade B ball while the mint recycled and mint refinished balls show only a loss of 1 yard or less. Similar proportional results with both a wedge and 6 iron as indicated in the graphs below."

For the shag bag for short game practice seems like a no brainer.

Have you tried using these to play with? What is your experience?

If they do perform this well I think I would just use new balls for tournaments and "refinished" balls for normal play. My course has a lot of water, hazards, and tight OB so no matter how good you are you do lose some balls.

H34D SH01 · April 2, 2012

As Im sure everyone here will tell you, recycled golf balls from a site like lostgolfballs.com are A ok for a shag bag or even the course.
HOWEVER refinished golf balls are a major no-no. You have no idea what the ball underneath the paint really is, also the paint could fill the dimples and a myriad of other bad things.
Stick to recycled

tgt40 · April 6, 2012

[quote name='H34D SH01' timestamp='1333415918' post='4634425']
As Im sure everyone here will tell you, recycled golf balls from a site like lostgolfballs.com are A ok for a shag bag or even the course.
HOWEVER refinished golf balls are a major no-no. You have no idea what the ball underneath the paint really is, also the paint could fill the dimples and a myriad of other bad things.
Stick to recycled
[/quote]

Good pont on the refinished - now what about age? Knet has a great sale right now on 2010 Pro V1's....too old?

golfnut-2X · April 6, 2012

I just played with refinished mint tm penta today. They look absolutely brand new. They performed just like my new prov1s. Zero difference. Yet at the website I referenced above they are 55% off brand new price and that includes the shipping.

Learned each site has their own gradings. I bought their "mint" for shag bag - no major imperfections but not like brand new. Recycled they say is almost new or some sites call them overruns or one hit wonders. They say refinished they only use their recycled mint balls and refinish the outer layer to make them almost new.

After today I am not buying new again. The website references a study witht the refinished for prov1s and all the other lower gradings. Driver loses a couple yards for shag bag quality (surprised its not more) but less than 1 yard for the refinished. On 280 yards I can't tell the difference if I hit it 278 or 280. Sold as of today.

Surprised they are not more popular. I think people have bought the shag bag quality and assume the top quality is similar. Again, they look brand new. Short game too felt good with spin.

If it was only 10% savings then no deal but 55% for no noticable change. Very nice.