Top Flight Gamersoft - Is there a replacement?

[Tanner25]

Did we ever really find a true replacement of the Top Flight Gamersoft? I'm hanging on tight to the last dozen that I have. The Wilson Spin has been close. But, based on price, feel and quality, it is hard to beat the Gamersoft.

[CR McDivot]

Staff Soft Spin - a bit more spin on driver and long irons, same great feel, better stop on mid to short irons. Considerably more expensive, but works for me.

[munichop]

I too am still looking. I think I am on the 12 th or 13 th different ball. I can’t believe it has been so hard to find a similar ball. This weekend the newer srixon Q star tour and the Cut grey get their chances. The q star chips and putts very close but flies too low for me and it a club shorter off the irons. The ERC is fine tee to green but spins too little for me around the green. If these 2 don’ Work the e12 is next up.

[ghoul31]

Have you tried the Maxfi Tour?

[Tanner25]

> @"CR McDivot" said:

> Staff Soft Spin - a bit more spin on driver and long irons, same great feel, better stop on mid to short irons. Considerably more expensive, but works for me.

 

How does the Staff Soft Spin compare to the previous gen Spin?

[Tanner25]

> @ghoul31 said:

> Have you tried the Maxfi Tour?

 

I haven't. Good suggestion.

[pjerzy]

> @munichop said:

> I too am still looking. I think I am on the 12 th or 13 th different ball. I can’t believe it has been so hard to find a similar ball. This weekend the newer srixon Q star tour and the Cut grey get their chances. The q star chips and putts very close but flies too low for me and it a club shorter off the irons. The ERC is fine tee to green but spins too little for me around the green. If these 2 don’ Work the e12 is next up.

 

I loved the QST when I played over last weekend with it. What is the weather like near you? Here around northern Ohio it was around 45-50 and i was about 1/2 a club short with the QST. Weather may be causing the club shorter.

[Tanner25]

Nice weather in NC, 60's and 70's. The cold weather will affect the ball. I prefer a softer ball. The QST is considered soft by many. To me it is slightly firm. But, a great summer ball. Although, the QST spins on the green, it is a good feeling ball like the GS and the one I game for now.

[munichop]

Weather here is perfect. Mid 50's in the morning low 80's in the afternoon. The sweet spot in Phx right now. The Q star launches lower for me than the GS which I think affects the carry distance. The model I used is the one with 324 dimples. The Q star tour for this weekends auditions is the newer one with 338 dimples. The greens on the courses have been firmer the last few weeks so the added spin may help control the ball for me. I used the grey last summer at 5000 ft. and it was a little shorter than the GS but I am trying it again this weekend to see if it behaves differently in Phx. I was picky last summer because the GS was still available. The duo soft spin seemed to get out of control on the firm greens faster than the GS for me. I have a city tourney in early May and want to make a decision soon. The new hex hot from callaway actually balloons too high for me and is more than a club shorter. I have used the GS since Jan. '15 when I tried it as a cold weather ball and shot a bogey free 64 with it the first round. It's been in the bag since. Like I said, it has been quite a surprise for me that I can't find a replacement.

[Tanner25]

64 nice. Yeah, it's been hard to find another GS. I can't believe they killed a perfectly good ball. I thought it would actually come out in yellow one day.

[munichop]

After what I believe is 14 different ball models my GS replacement is the e12 soft. I played it over the weekend after short game trials last week and of all the balls I tried it is most like the GS for me. It feels a nudge softer on all shots and launches a hair lower than the GS but I like it enough to get a dozen and see how I can score with it. Next week I play in a 50 and older event and will have to shoot -2 or better to finish in the money. The bad news is it is $30/doz. The good news is they have them at my pro shop and I can use mens club credit for them. Today's audition was the e12 vs the cut grey vs the q star tour. I hit drives side by side down wind and into the wind for the cut and e12. Down wind the difference was 40 yards. That drive was the best of the day for me with any ball and it was the e12- 282 yrds. The primary difference was roll. It lands and releases very similar to the GS. Into the wind on the next hole was 20 yards. 241 total. A quick check on google maps found it to go 270 on the really good drives and 245 on the headwind drives. Both numbers very close to my GS. Iron distances are almost identical. One thing that may be an advantage for me on firm greens is I found a soft cut pretty easy to hit with this ball. My usual shot is a low draw. I cannot seem to draw it as easy as the GS so aiming will take a little time on rt to left shots. The q star tour spins more on all shots than the e12. It also putts differently than the e12 and GS- a little more muted energy transfer. So for now the e12 is the starter and I will try to find a magic putter for it.

[munichop]

Update on the e12. First round that meant something with this ball. I played in my 50 and older league which is played from the white tees 6200, yd, slope 119, rtg 68.5. I hit 15 GIR including a par 5 in 2, had 28 putts for a 66. 7 birdies and one 3 putt bogey. The ball played very similar to my Gamer soft with a little softer feel on impact but very similar putting wise. On full wedge shots the ball will stay within 5 feet of its pitch mark. Again very close to my GS. I didn't have to adjust clubs on any of my yardages- same as the GS. The ball is very consistent for me around the green especially putting. So if you go back the last 10 years I have either played a bridgestone ball (e5, 330rx, or e12 soft) or a close relative in the GS ( dimple in dimple cover, similar compression to the rx). Next weekend I will play this ball on my home course (6700 yards and a 125 slope, 71.5 rtg) and hope to break 70. So far so good.

[lenman73]

Nice right up munichop. Much appreciated. I was a big fan if the e6 so now I may have to give the 12 a try even though I still have plenty of the 6's left.

[NJpatbee]

I used to find the e6 Soft indistinguishable from the Gamer Soft. I was a fan of the GS but get along fine with the DT TruSoft, Softfli, and have 3 dozen of the Srixon Soft to try this season.

[munichop]

I am playing North Berwick (home of the original redan green) and Dunbar next week when I am in Edinburgh and thought it would be a fitting goodbye to my Gamer Softs. Though I have moved on with the e12 and likely the Qstar tour when greens are firmer ( see my comments on the e12), I thought using my final sleeves in Scotland would be the right way to pay tribute to the ball I used to play my best golf. I never saw the data for this ball that was available for so many other products but I realized what a gem it was for me all these years when I tried to replace it. I wish a direct market company would make it under a different name so I could still play it. But all things in golf move on. It was a great 4+ years of not having to worry about the most important part of my equipment.