Index vs. Golf Ball Cork Sniffery

[nsxguy]

No worries here either.

We often type what we hear ourselves saying,,,,,,,,,,, instead of thinking about what the reader is likely reading. Doesn't always come out the same.

Been there, done that. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[soregongolfer]

Welcome to golfwrx . Twenty years ago when I started to play golf, there was a big disparity in spin rates between tour balls and "rocks." Today, that disparity isn't nearly as big as tour balls spin less and the "rocks" are better made. I'm not saying they are the same by any means, but a good player can score well with either ball by using the space between their ears. More spin can be helpful, especially on hard greens. More spin can also turn that fade into a slice, leave a pitch short because it checked on the first hop and leave your approach shot short because it spun off of the green or left you further away from the cup.

I also don't buy the notion that two piece balls are more consistent than multi-layered ones. It's hard to make an off-centered two piece ball because there are only two pieces. Not the case with multi-layered balls where extra steps means more chances for mistakes. Ask Callaway.

[Tanner25]

I am loving the soft feel in yellow. Curious as to your thoughts.

[The Pearl]

The evolution of the ball is quite amazing, particularly from the view of anybody growing up in the 70s and 80s.

[HyzerFlipDG]

Only played two rounds with them, while in the middle of a huge swing transition, but I really like them. Its rained during every round I've played for the last week so I haven't tried to compare it to the TFHC yet, but I plan to play both balls the next time I play. That way I can see if its the ball I'm enjoying or the new swing.

Also im playing the yellow soft feel, but you probably knew that already :)

 

[BeerPerHole]

I like the Soft Feel. Until recently, the lowest score I ever shot with with a Get Sum. I have gone on a few 9-hole terrors lately (like 1-over) and it's been with both the MTB-X and MTB Black. Go figure because those balls seem noticeably different to me. I was a fairway-hitting machine with the Black on an outing a few weeks ago (where I first broke 80). I think so much of it is what my swing mechanics for the day happen to be. That's been a constant chase for the 24 years I've been playing the game - now more than ever.

Funny side note...My son won't clean his clubs. I pointed out a few weeks ago during a practice session. "Hey, why don't my balls stop on the green?!" Me - "Look at your wedge" (we look - grooves fully packed with baked-in dirt). A week ago we were playing Rio Vista (that course is a story in itself) and my boy hits a beautiful wedge from about 70 out on #9. Ball comes right over the flag, landing a couple feet past it, and rolls rapidly right off the back of the green. From my vantage point on a mound by the green I watched carefully as he looked at that, lifted his wedge up and stared at the still-not-cleaned face. I laughed so hard...

[MaxBuck]

Without disputing anything anyone here has said, I absolutely love the Taylormade TP5. It just spins like the dickens.

[Tanner25]

cool, look forward to your additional feedback. Ha, not surprised, the SF yellow color is the best I've seen.

[HyzerFlipDG]

Yeah 2 rounds in with the soft feel. Not sure if its the ball or my swing change or both, but I'm getting much better compression on the ball with my irons and because of that way more height and distance on those shots. Trajectory is something i lack with most shots. Even my heaven wood I dont hit very high whreas my dad will carry the same distance as me, but he'll bring down rain with the same clubs.

I play more traditionally lofted irons(Tommy Armour 855s Silver Scots) and I'm getting my PW shots out to 130-135 and that was my 115 club before. I shot for the front of the green three times now at 115 and ended up off the back because of going past the pin,in the air. Not flyer lies either.

Hopefully its not raining during my next round so I can try out thr soft feel and HC to see if it's the ball or not.

[Titleist_PT23]

Hard to isolate exactly if you are changing your swing but I think the SoftFeel or SuperSoft type balls fly higher for the irons and are about 1/2 club longer (due to spinning less which may or may not be a good tradeoff). I like the trajectory/ball flight of the surlyn balls more, but part of that is just what I am accustomed to seeing. If I could only hit a ProV1 for 30 days in a row I would probably adjust.

[HyzerFlipDG]

So this is only a small bit of data, but I just got a box of kirkland balls in the mail yesterday so I played a round with them last night.

I was getting the same carry distance on my irons and seemed like the same height as well. The noticeable difference was an increase in driver distance and obviously different movement when hitting greenside shots.

I'll play more before making any decisions, but I think my form transition is helping more with my increases trajectory and carry distance than the ball I was using.

With that said I do not prefer high compression balls. I find them to be too clicky/hard when hitting and mentally I feel like I have to swing harder in order to compress them. I definitely prefer a softer ball, but I totally understand why people play higher compression multicore urethane balls. If my scores improved with a higher compression ball id make the switch and just get used to it.

[Titleist_PT23]

Which Kirkland ball is it? I think almost everyone will agree that the higher compression ball has a higher ceiling off the driver, provided the other variables like launch angle and spin line up with your driver/swing (most balls off the driver are very very close). I have not played these enough to tell the height off the irons though. For me, the ball flight is a bigger issue vs. the feel. Like you say, if the scores are better I can adjust to the feel. I also think feel is 90% = what are you accustomed to. I've switched driver shafts a couple of times (tipped and/or different shaft) and at first it feels very different but after a few rounds you don't notice it anymore. Sounds like you are hitting the ball better - good luck!

[ChipNRun]

@bluedot said: "BY FAR, the most important thing is to play the same ball all the time, whatever the construction. BY FAR..."
I want a ball that provides decent distance and behaves predictably within 50 yards of green.
Generally, this means a mid-spin ball such as the Callaway SuperHot. It checks up when it hits the green on full shots, rolls out a couple of feet when I hit a close-in pitch shot, and rolls smoothly on putts. Also, I sometimes play a 7i bump shot from 50-70 yards out, so I don't want too much stop when ball bounces onto green.
That said, I've had situations where the course determined the ball I played. Years ago I lived near Ft. Sill army base in Lawton, OK. As a reservist, I had access to the two golf courses on base.
The Ft. Sill Golf Club had plenty of water, which fed tall oak and sycamore trees, and provided rich turf similar to the Midwest. Many of the greens were smallish, and I played a mid-spin ball so I could get some stop going into tight spots.
The Cedar Lakes Golf Course had sandier turf, scrubby trees and long oval greens with smoother banks. Great terrain for chip and run, and using putter from off green. On this course I used a distance ball, in part so I didn't have to hit putts so hard.
Also, ball should mesh with the clubs you have. If you can get the approach shots up high, a steep descent angle will help stop the ball if you don't have pro-level backspin.
Again, take notes and go with what works.

[HyzerFlipDG]

The performance plus.

[lenman73]

Personally, I take issue with the whole use the same ball all the time thing. While I can see it more useful for a high capper, I think anyone with proficiency with a wedge can adjust fairly easy. When time allows, I always get to the course early enough to go at least to the practice green and chip and putt. By the time I get to the first tee, I know what I can get away with and what I can't on the courses greens. I really don't even think about different flights with woods and irons. I just try to hit the shot I see in my head.

 

But hey, everyone is different .

 

[nsxguy]

"I take issue with the whole use the same ball all the time thing. While I can see it more useful for a high capper, I think anyone with proficiency with a wedge can adjust fairly easy."

Oh no, you didn't.

 

[straight crooked]

Me too, man. New ball every week. I think we should use different clubs every time we play too. I can see how using a new driver, irons, wedges, and putter each round would be beneficial to my golf game. As long as I can go hit a bucket and a few putts before I play and adjust really quick I should be golden. I've always been looking for a way to add variables to the game of golf. Can't wait to try out this theory this week!

[soregongolfer]

Due to Covid, I like to get in a quick 9 before it gets too dark outside. This week, I shot under par with a Nike Powersoft, something called a Nike Powerflight and a K3. In fact, I was 5 under through 6 with the Powerflight before I bogeyed 7 and 9. Just imagine if I used the same ball all of those days. I could have ruled the world!