Switching balls. Help with fitting technique

[SUITS]

I have a been a tour 330Rx player for a couple years now but after reading the 2019 ball test I and my supply dwindling I am doing some thinking. Lower compression according to the data is costing me yards.

I am a x100 iron player, 7 carry is around 170-175 comfortably. 60 wedge is currently 100-105. Driver is a crap shoot with my swing of the day. But good balls reach 265-270 with the occasional outlier.

I enjoy the feel of the RX but I do have some issues with holding greens with mid to long irons. It’s a dream off the tee with its flat flight and nice roll. I’ve never had to worry about ripping it off a green either due to its lower wedge spin.

My question is , for those that have changed balls or decided on one. What made you pick fitting from Green to Tee performance or Tee to Green.

 

worst case scenario there is one store in town with 2016 330rx on the shelf. But that just prolongs the inevitable.

[Golf64]

Always fit a ball green to tee!! Sounds like you may need to look at Z Stars, X/XS, TP5/X, ProV1/X?! Currently playing ZS cause I am cheap, but looking forward to seeing the new XS for this year.

[arbeck]

I'd always fit from green to tee. That being said, most of the tour level balls are going to be fairly similar within 100 yards. It's much more of a feel thing than anything else within that distance. The tour balls really start separating themselves from mid to long irons. This is where you have to judge how much spin you need. I'm a firm believer that unless you are a real outlier, you probably need the most spin you can get in this area. Then once you get to driver and fairway woods, the differences shrink again, and you're probably better off fitting your driver to your ball than vice versa.

[cristphoto]

Green to tee. My criteria is:

1 feel

2 spin from 100 yards and in

3 distance

4 price

 

[monkeyboy]

Putter feel is most important for me, then work backwards...Chipping, pitches, short approach. Since you have been playing for awhile, you probably know pretty well what characteristics you prefer and which balls fit into which categories.

Take your top 3-5 candidates and putt/chip with them for awhile. Then play your top 2-3 in actual rounds. Go with the one that gives you the most confidence.

[DonOmar]

For what it’s worth, here is how I test.

It’s a little bit of process of elimination, but I think the best way to test. It’s important to do in this order too.

Step 1 -

a. Putting feel/roll - take a few balls that you want to test to the putting green. Judge on feel and roll

b. Chipping reaction - See which balls react the way you need them to when chipping.

of the balls that perform the way you want with putting and chipping, take those on to step 2.

 

Step 2

Problem shots/ clubs- are you a low flight low spin, high spin etc. which clubs do you need help with?

pick your 1-3 problem shots (long iron too low or perhaps flys too far, spins too much) and see if any of the balls you used in the short game area work better for your problem shot/ clubs. (Tip: book a twilight tee time at an unpopular course and test them head to head on the same hole)

 

step 3 (optional)

which ball gives you the best flight off the driver?

[Sean2]

I don't find much difference in golf balls regarding difference off the tee. Where I do see quite a difference is around the green...so I mainly focus on how a ball performs around the green and on longer pitch shots.

[Stanks]

Use Dean Snells approach.

[SUITS]

Thanks for all the input folks, I tested a 2017 V1x against my 330RX yesterday, I did find it to hold greens better from long yardage even at lower trajectories.

I found the bottom half of the driver too often to give a fair assessment off the tee.

short game and putting was a bit different , feel off the putter took a little adjustment.

I am going to give it some more testing from short yardage at the local short game practice area.