The ball doesn't matter as much as we think it does

[bluedot]

> @kevinscott22 said:

> The softer you swing, the less it matters

 

Not really, because everything is pretty much the same on full shots. But different balls behave differently on partial shots, chips, and putts, where everybody's swing speed is pretty much the same, plus they sound and feel different. So regardless of swing speed, there are personal preference AND performance differences that don't have anything to do with full swing speed. Again, play the SAME ball all the time, whatever it might be.

[chippa13]

> @bluedot said:

> > @kevinscott22 said:

> > The softer you swing, the less it matters

>

> Not really, because everything is pretty much the same on full shots. But different balls behave differently on partial shots, chips, and putts, where everybody's swing speed is pretty much the same, plus they sound and feel different. So regardless of swing speed, there are personal preference AND performance differences that don't have anything to do with full swing speed. Again, play the SAME ball all the time, whatever it might be.

 

Could somebody translate this to English?

[AFcelica]

> @chippa13 said:

> > @bluedot said:

> > > @kevinscott22 said:

> > > The softer you swing, the less it matters

> >

> > Not really, because everything is pretty much the same on full shots. But different balls behave differently on partial shots, chips, and putts, where everybody's swing speed is pretty much the same, plus they sound and feel different. So regardless of swing speed, there are personal preference AND performance differences that don't have anything to do with full swing speed. Again, play the SAME ball all the time, whatever it might be.

>

> Could somebody translate this to English?

 

Ill give it a go...

 

All balls play basically the same on full shots. So swing speed doesnt make a difference.

 

Urethane balls will perform differently on partial shots where swing speed doesnt matter. Basically everyone can hit a 30 yard pitch with an lw even if their driver swing speed is 50mph.

 

There are performance and preferential differences as well.

 

Play the same ball ALWAYSSSSSSSS

 

 

[bluedot]

> @chippa13 said:

> > @bluedot said:

> > > @kevinscott22 said:

> > > The softer you swing, the less it matters

> >

> > Not really, because everything is pretty much the same on full shots. But different balls behave differently on partial shots, chips, and putts, where everybody's swing speed is pretty much the same, plus they sound and feel different. So regardless of swing speed, there are personal preference AND performance differences that don't have anything to do with full swing speed. Again, play the SAME ball all the time, whatever it might be.

>

> Could somebody translate this to English?

 

You're right; I absolutely did a poor job in that post; I was in a hurry, and it showed. Let me try again, remembering that it was in response to a post that said, in effect, that at slower swing speeds it doesn't matter what ball you play.

 

What I tried (poorly) to say was that even for players with slow swing speeds, different balls WILL perform differently on partial shots around the green, and in putting. For simplicity's sake, let's agree that all golf balls off the tee are the same, at least within a reasonable range, so it that respect, it doesn't matter. I used to carry a bag of Top Flites and Pinnacles to use off the tee in scrambles; now it doesn't matter.

 

But it DOES matter around the green, where spin rates and feel are different, regardless of driver swing speed or the players skill or anything else. Which brings us back to playing the same ball all the time, regardless of swing speed or skill or index or anything else.

[Tanner25]

> @bluedot said:

> > @kevinscott22 said:

> > The softer you swing, the less it matters

>

> Not really, because everything is pretty much the same on full shots. But different balls behave differently on partial shots, chips, and putts, where everybody's swing speed is pretty much the same, plus they sound and feel different. So regardless of swing speed, there are personal preference AND performance differences that don't have anything to do with full swing speed. Again, play the SAME ball all the time, whatever it might be.

 

You're right, same ball is a good choice. But, it is so much fun trying different balls and see some of the slight differences.

[xkilgorextroutx]

> @Tanner25 said:

> > @bluedot said:

> > > @kevinscott22 said:

> > > The softer you swing, the less it matters

> >

> > Not really, because everything is pretty much the same on full shots. But different balls behave differently on partial shots, chips, and putts, where everybody's swing speed is pretty much the same, plus they sound and feel different. So regardless of swing speed, there are personal preference AND performance differences that don't have anything to do with full swing speed. Again, play the SAME ball all the time, whatever it might be.

>

> You're right, same ball is a good choice. But, it is so much fun trying different balls and see some of the slight differences.

 

It is fun trying different balls, but not when you're trying to score. Consistency is key.

[NRJyzr]

> @bluedot said:

> The ball matters a LOT, make no mistake about it, but it doesn't matter the way the most people think of it, especially since the ProV1/solid core revolution. It doesn't so much matter WHICH ball you play; it matters that you play the SAME ball all the time. I was "educated" to this by one of the better senior amateurs in the country years ago when I couldn't afford balata balls, and while it might be slightly less true today, it's still the way to approach golf ball usage IF you want to consistently shoot your best numbers.

>

> I play with really good players who use pretty much everything in terms of different balls; I even know some serious senior tournament players using Pinnacles. What I do NOT see is serious players using whatever they find, or whatever is on sale, or whatever they are given, even in practice rounds. If they are playing a different ball in a practice round, it's an experiment, not a casual change. While pretty much everything is the same length off the tee now because of USGA restrictions, the way various balls react of wedges and putters is different, and that's enough to matter over the long run. The difference may be sound and "feel" like the difference between two premium balls, or it might actually be spin and distance, like the difference between a ProV vs. a Noodle vs. a Pinnacle. But it's different, and it matters, at least to serious golfers.

>

> One way to think of it is that, until you get inside 150 or so, it's all more or less the same. From 150 in, though, it becomes a matter of how much spin you want and how much spin you are willing to PAY for. But you can play good golf with a ball that doesn't spin much around the green IF you are used to it and know how it is going to perform.

>

>

 

I largely agree with the sentiment in your last paragraph, but I have found an interesting exception of late.

 

I have largely been playing only two golf balls this year, the Duo Professional and the MTB Black. When I put the Duo Pro in play, coming from the Snell, I found everything largely the same with irons, slight difference in wedges, no big deal. Saw a not insignificant drop in driver distance. The knee jerk response is to think of the conclusions in the you-know-who ball study, decided to try find nny own answer.

 

The Duo Pro was flying on a noticeably lower trajectory than the Snell. I bumped the loft in my driver higher, and the Wilson distance aligned with what I'd been seeing with the Snell.

 

Aside from that, and other than goes-without-saying feel differences, I'd say they're largely very similar. :)