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What the Pros Use on the Range


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While I'm talking about my experience at Doral, one aspect of the tournament I found really cool was that every tour player got to hit the ball they use on the range. Tiger gets his specific ball shipped directly to the course to ensure his practice sessions will be as close to the real thing. Thousands of balls were sorted into bags that each player was greeted by on their way to the section of the range the chose.

 

It makes me wonder how different my practice sessions would be if I got to use brand new golf balls that I use on the course everyday. They have such an advantage over your everyday low handicap golfer that gets stuck using the crappy yellow range balls that have been hit thousands of times. All the chips, cuts, and tear on the face really can't be helping my practice. I used some of Tiger's Nike One* Tour D balls(and yes there is a star I will post a pic if you don't believe me). The ball he uses is amazing, softness of a PROV1x but bounces 4-5 times more than the regular Nike One's I have in the bag.

 

I feel that If everyone had the opportunity to use the ball they play would do us all a great deal of help. I got a great experience seeing the pros on the range, I learned a lot. I think it is really cool that all the players get special balls to use when they practice. Let me know if you would benefit from playing your ball and what ball do you play?

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Yes. I don't use new ones, but used Pro v1x's go into the shag bag, and sometimes will get deals on bulk balls from courses, etc. We have an 85 yard practice hole, and the shag bag holds several dozen. So, lots of practice with pretty good balls from 85 and in, which is great.

I think it's a big help to hit short game shots with the actual balls you use.

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[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1394503141' post='8844313']
Yes. I don't use new ones, but used Pro v1x's go into the shag bag, and sometimes will get deals on bulk balls from courses, etc. We have an 85 yard practice hole, and the shag bag holds several dozen. So, lots of practice with pretty good balls from 85 and in, which is great.
[/quote]

You should see the PROV's the pros use

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[quote name='shankman92' timestamp='1394503413' post='8844351']
I could probably play a round with a range ball and not notice much of a scoring difference.
To use pro vs on the range for someone like me would be such a waste!
[/quote]

I mean your name is shankman haha all jokes aside for serious players with a low handicap I think that it would make a big difference

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[quote name='JWUgolf335' timestamp='1394503505' post='8844363']
[quote name='shankman92' timestamp='1394503413' post='8844351']
I could probably play a round with a range ball and not notice much of a scoring difference.
To use pro vs on the range for someone like me would be such a waste!
[/quote]

I mean your name is shankman haha all jokes aside for serious players with a low handicap I think that it would make a big difference
[/quote]

I was a scratch golfer 2 years ago and can play some golf. For me it doesn't matter in the long game. In the short game I use my pro vs. or nikes when chipping....

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Back in the day pros had to bring their own range balls. They'd hit at their caddies who'd act as targets and catch with a baseball glove. True story.

Srixon Z355 - Miyazaki
Taylormade V-Steel 4-wood
Taylormade V-Steel 7-wood
Adams CB3 - KBS Tour 90
Wilson Staff FG TC 56/60
Yes Callie - bunch of lead tape on the bottom

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[quote name='Hawkeye77' timestamp='1394503141' post='8844313']
Yes. I don't use new ones, but used Pro v1x's go into the shag bag, and sometimes will get deals on bulk balls from courses, etc. We have an 85 yard practice hole, and the shag bag holds several dozen. So, lots of practice with pretty good balls from 85 and in, which is great.

I think it's a big help to hit short game shots with the actual balls you use.
[/quote]

Same sort of thing at my course. I always use my own golf balls for pitches, chips, and putting.

Srixon Z355 - Miyazaki
Taylormade V-Steel 4-wood
Taylormade V-Steel 7-wood
Adams CB3 - KBS Tour 90
Wilson Staff FG TC 56/60
Yes Callie - bunch of lead tape on the bottom

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[quote name='shankman92' timestamp='1394503951' post='8844413']
[quote name='JWUgolf335' timestamp='1394503505' post='8844363']
[quote name='shankman92' timestamp='1394503413' post='8844351']
I could probably play a round with a range ball and not notice much of a scoring difference.
To use pro vs on the range for someone like me would be such a waste!
[/quote]

I mean your name is shankman haha all jokes aside for serious players with a low handicap I think that it would make a big difference
[/quote]

I was a scratch golfer 2 years ago and can play some golf. For me it doesn't matter in the long game. In the short game I use my pro vs. or nikes when chipping....
[/quote]

You don't think it would be nice to hit 100 yard or 150 yard shots with the ball that you use on a daily basis

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[quote name='JWUgolf335' timestamp='1394504279' post='8844455']
[quote name='shankman92' timestamp='1394503951' post='8844413']
[quote name='JWUgolf335' timestamp='1394503505' post='8844363']
[quote name='shankman92' timestamp='1394503413' post='8844351']
I could probably play a round with a range ball and not notice much of a scoring difference.
To use pro vs on the range for someone like me would be such a waste!
[/quote]

I mean your name is shankman haha all jokes aside for serious players with a low handicap I think that it would make a big difference
[/quote]

I was a scratch golfer 2 years ago and can play some golf. For me it doesn't matter in the long game. In the short game I use my pro vs. or nikes when chipping....
[/quote]

You don't think it would be nice to hit 100 yard or 150 yard shots with the ball that you use on a daily basis
[/quote]


I just head out to a hole on the course in the late evening and hit approach shots to my heart's content.

Srixon Z355 - Miyazaki
Taylormade V-Steel 4-wood
Taylormade V-Steel 7-wood
Adams CB3 - KBS Tour 90
Wilson Staff FG TC 56/60
Yes Callie - bunch of lead tape on the bottom

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Only recently did I start using my gamer for short game practice. I wasn't aware of places like lostgolfballs.com . Now that I am , it isn't prohibitively expensive to practice with the same ball.

Honestly until you are playing at a pretty high level it doesn't matter that much imo. You need to be hitting the sweet spot all the time and getting on your target before you start worrying about practice balls having different spin characteristics than your gamer. Of course I was playing a cheap ball for awhile (TF Gamer) so wasn't much different than a range ball :) .

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On the range I don't see it making a difference which ball I play. I'm normally just trying to make sure I'm contacting well anyway. After a few twilight rounds solo on the course where I can hit some short game shots with the ball I typically play I'm good there too. Conditions change too much and I'm way too bad to care if I'm warming up with chips using a range ball or a real ball.

D- Ping G30 9*
F- Taylormade RBZ Stage 2 17*
H- Titleist 915H 18*
I- Titleist 714 AP2 4-PW
W- Titleist SM5 50*F/54*F/58*M
P- Scotty Cameron X5 Dual Balance
[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/977470-piper26s-bag-of-bogey-sticks/"]WITB Link[/url]

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[quote name='greens hit' timestamp='1394504757' post='8844519']
How do you explain all the junior, high school, collegiate golfers that could still kick your butt?
[/quote]

I am a college golfer so I know about kicking butt, I'm just saying it would be cool to use my ball during all parts of my practice not just short game

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You'll get the same treatment when you play in a Tour event. I don't know of anyone who did or does that as an amateur, but that doesn't mean there isn't anyone.

I think a four handicap has bigger fish to fry until then.

bought out by private equity.

capitalization, grammar and reasoning slashed as a cost reduction.

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[quote name='JWUgolf335' timestamp='1394505143' post='8844577']
[quote name='epixep' timestamp='1394505019' post='8844557']
I drive an extra 10-15 minutes to go to a range that has pretty decent range balls. Can't stand balls that leave marks on the face and fly all wobbly.
[/quote]

Finally someone understands
[/quote]
Driving an extra 10 minutes for range balls that aren't rocks is a little different than slapping away at a bucket of Pro V1's...

D- Ping G30 9*
F- Taylormade RBZ Stage 2 17*
H- Titleist 915H 18*
I- Titleist 714 AP2 4-PW
W- Titleist SM5 50*F/54*F/58*M
P- Scotty Cameron X5 Dual Balance
[url="http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/977470-piper26s-bag-of-bogey-sticks/"]WITB Link[/url]

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It all depends how you practice. Guys like Bubba Watson don't care what kind of balls they use because he uses the range simply as a way to warm up, get loose, and hit it solid. For guys who spends hours at the range working on ball flight, yardages, etc., it's no doubt a huge advantage practicing with your gamer rather than limited flight rocks also known as range balls.

In general, the pros have plenty of advantages that have gotten them to where they are. The freedom financially to practice endlessly, the ability to travel and dedicate the time, etc.. I know a lot of club pros who have the ability to play with the big boys but simply can't because they have mouths to feed at home and need steady income to pay the mortgage. So instead they spend their days catering to members, play one round a week, and shoot ridiculous scores. But they don't have the resources to practice like the guys on tour.

Former professional golfer. Current amateur human being.

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We use yellow Titleist NXT-S's with "RANGE" on them-

Not what the Tour guys are bangin, though better than the average distance restricted Srixon, lol

I do have a large shag bag that has the yellow NXT-S's and then I have about 40-45 Stones 330-S's, which is the ball that I play, that I use for my shortgame practices-


Have a Great Season Bro :)


Fairways & Greens My Friend,
Richard

In the end, only three things matter~ <br /><br />How much that you loved...<br /><br />How mightily that you lived...<br /><br />How gracefully that you accepted both victory & defeat...<br /><br /><br /><br />GHIN: Beefeater 24

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Honestly I think it helps to use "beat up" range balls. You can count on a little less distance, but they exaggerate spin in man cases. In other words, if you can hit a proV1 on the range, hopefully you will do the same on the course. If you can hit great shots with a beat up range ball, you've got little to worry about. ; )

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When I was living in Houston there was a range that advertised premium buckets of Pro-V's. All you can hit deals too, for like $30 a day I think. I thought that was a good deal so I tried it once, and never went back. All the Pro-V's were scuffed and torn beyond belief, there was nothing but dirt to hit from, and they did not allow you to hit drivers. They [i]felt[/i] like nice balls, but they didn't fly like them. I'd take a range ball with a clean cover for my warmup anytime, and as mentioned above, I go out to a hole late in the evening to dial in distances. Lostgolfballs.com is wonderful for stocking up on that kind of thing.

Do Tiger's special balls get their own climate-controlled room when he travels too?

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Adams Idea A12 Pro 16* Aldila Rip
Mizuno MP33 2i
Mizuno MP-64 KBS X
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[quote name='Muddler' timestamp='1394504114' post='8844427']
Back in the day pros had to bring their own range balls. They'd hit at their caddies who'd act as targets and catch with a baseball glove. True story.
[/quote]Yep, and I shagged balls for Jerry Pate at the '79 PGA Championship at Oakmont CC. I was a marshall, and following his round, a few of us were standing around outside the Pro shop shootin the breeze and he walked by and asked if any of us wanted to make $20 for about 30-45 minutes worth of work. I was on him like a fly on sh*t(I was skoopin Isaly's Ice Cream for minimum wage for my summer job, lol).

He had a 9i, PW & SW and we went next door to the muni(Oakmont East) which they shut down and used for parking and walked up to their number 6 and he paced off 125, 135 & 145 yards and started throwin darts, with me standin on the green(They had removed the pins for the tournament). He was hittin a mix of Macs, Maxfli & Staffs, some in nice shape, though I remembered being surprised that a few were pretty bruised up.

We were out there about 45 minutes.

Real nice guy.

Had his balls in like a bowling ball looking bag.

He & Tom Watson went on to lose to John Mahaffey in a sudden death play-off.

Anyway, I was just surprised that the balls weren't nicer.

Have a great week Gents


Fairways & Greens My Friends,
Richard

In the end, only three things matter~ <br /><br />How much that you loved...<br /><br />How mightily that you lived...<br /><br />How gracefully that you accepted both victory & defeat...<br /><br /><br /><br />GHIN: Beefeater 24

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LMAO, how'd we go from talkin about range balls to guys talkin about "kickin butt," LMAO-

My, this thread attracted an aggressive bunch of golfers, lol

Have a good one Gents :)


Fairways & Greens My Friends

In the end, only three things matter~ <br /><br />How much that you loved...<br /><br />How mightily that you lived...<br /><br />How gracefully that you accepted both victory & defeat...<br /><br /><br /><br />GHIN: Beefeater 24

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