What do you use to practice with?

[toomanydimples]

Range balls, used gamers, or purchased practice balls?

I was at the range yesterday and was sharing the practice chipping/short game green with two other fellows. I was using range balls to practice. When we were all on the green retrieving our golf balls, I ask the other gentleman if he was using range balls as well, he answered, "no pro v1". The other was using what looked like a bunch random used balls (I might have also even seen him fishing out some balls in the little pond by the green as well).

My question:

When you practice, are you particular about the ball you use? For hitting off the mat, I know you're definitely not hitting purchased golf balls into the sea of range balls, but I'm talking about around the green and up to 20-25 yards out.

I would imagine that on shots like this, you'd want to use a ball that closely resembles the results you'd see on the course (albeit the practice green quality isn't as good as what is on the course).

Like I said, I was using range balls, but it got me thinking about it and wanted to know what the general Golfwrx public prefers.

[SMAKCruiser]

Anytime I practice chipping or putting, I always use the same ball that I would be playing on the course.

[CosmosMpower]

Use a urethane covered shag bag ball for short game. You need to see how the ball will react when you play shots you'd play on the course.

[ed27063]

I have 8 dozen PRO V1X "PRACTICE" balls in my Titleist shag bag. Got them brand new one year ago, and they still look brand new (after running them though the ball washer). Practice with what you play, espically in the short game practice area.

Can't get any consistance if all ball check like crazay and one ball runs forever with the same swing.

[mozgolf]

I tend to use old gamers for pitching/ short game, or reasonable finds for driver

[toomanydimples]

good points...i think i'll invest in some practice balls for my short game going forward.

[rblmp32]

I practice with what I play. Helps me learn how the ball is going to react around the greens with different shots and what I need to do to make it react a certain way.

I bought a used bucket from lostgolfballs.com, best $50 I spent in a long time imo. I went with the worst condition, which mostly looked like they were played for a round or so.

[stiffdogg06]

I go to lostgolfballs and buy AAA quality ProV1's to practice with.

[Dei3Nascar8]

I use the balls that I tear up on the course or bounce off the cart path. I always want to practice with the balls that will react like I expect on the course. No sense practicing a shot if when you get on the course your chips are checking harder or not releasing as you thought they would.

[Mags]

Even though I don't normally play them, I couldn't resist buying a shag bag and 50 Pro V1's from LostGolfBalls for $16.95 last year. Close enough to how any urethane should roughly react I think.

[toomanydimples]

I'm playing through the rest of my PentaTP (2011) stock, so I decided to buy a couple dozen of the Penta Practice balls I found at Sports Authority (@$25 ea.) for practice.

I'm likely switching to TP3 or Srixon Zstar soon, so i'll probably switch practice balls eventually.

Thanks all for your opinions and best practices.

[geoangus]

for short game, I practice with what I play with, or at least a close cousin. For practicing full irons or woods, pretty much anything goes.

[Jerry36]

Definitely agree. I think it's very important to chip with the ball you game. Different ball react differently on different types of short-game shots, so if you chip with your game ball, your practice will translate much easier to the course. [quote name='geoangus' timestamp='1332346050' post='4550086']
for short game, I practice with what I play with, or at least a close cousin. For practicing full irons or woods, pretty much anything goes.
[/quote]

[sandtrap]

Practice?

[PhilsFanDrew]

[quote name='geoangus' timestamp='1332346050' post='4550086']
for short game, I practice with what I play with, or at least a close cousin. For practicing full irons or woods, pretty much anything goes.
[/quote]

This. For my woods and full irons I am just looking for crisp contact with the ball and my clubface. I just try to hit the ball straight. Perhaps when I get better and learn to work the ball more I might want to practice these shots with my gamer so I have a better idea of how my ball will react. Short game and chipping is too much about feel and how the ball reacts on the green I don't know how anyone can practice with anything but their gamer.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

It depends on what I'm practicing. If I'm working on the mechanics of my chipping stroke or wedge swing, anything will do. In theory even hitting into a net would work if you're just trying to engrain new mechanics.

If I'm working on touch, feel and getting the ball close to a target I use either used balls that too beat up to keep playing or I just use the same balls I play golf with. No point in learning how some other kind of ball will react when I hit a certain shot.

Unfortunately, it is often not practical to practice hitting at 50, 60, 70 yard targets with balls you have to shag. So it's rare I get any of that type of practice.

[allegrolink]

Practice chipping, pitching, and putting with the ball I plan to use on the course -- for all the reasons above.

I am not a ball shredder. So, I practice with balls that will become the balls I use on the course, not used balls purchased for practice.

[RainShadow]

My shag bag is almost 100% balls I play. TP reds and FG tours. Ther are a few stray Precept U-tri tours and ProV1's in there, but only one or two of each.
Practice your short game with the same ball you play with, always. get familiar with how it reacts to different type shots.
This goes for putting as well.

[Braveone]

I use used Titleist Pro V1x to practice with as you can get them cheap on eBay and still in good condition, also use them when I'm on a hole with out of bounds to the left, just incase. No point using cheap Top Flite or Maxfli as the are awful!

[Aithos]

I practice mostly on the course when I'm playing in the evening on weekends (when I'm basically alone on the course) and I use the same balls I would normally. I'm planning on buying a shag bag full of practice balls when I settle on what ball to game so I can spend more time at the chipping green...

[RacineBoxer]

I think it's very important to use good balls when practicing your short game. A range ball and a prov1 are going to respond completely differently on a 20 yard chip. Completely different putting too.


I use worn down prov1's. I've been using prov1's for the past couple years so I always have some worn gamers that are ready for the practice green. I don't seem to lose that many golf balls. I buy a dozen prov1's and after a month or two I have about 6-8 balls that are somewhat worn and ready for practice duty. Then I buy another dozen and use the new ones as gamers.

[inthefairway]

Every time I play I find a few balls so I use these for practice and gamers that I feel time to retire!!!!!!

[bananapel]

[quote name='drevil' timestamp='1334537110' post='4728250']
Practice?
[/quote]

practice? are we talking about practice?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI



On a serious note...I use range balls. It doesn't really make a difference. My range balls are nike something so they spin out of bunkers and give proper feel on chip shots. If it's like 60 yard shots at a different course by me I have a shag bag of regular pro V1 and pro V1x balls that I use.

[miket_81]

I keep a shag bag in my cart shed. After a couple few rounds I throw my gamers in the bag and they become my practice balls. Also throw any decent balls I find on the course in it.

[narcteryx]

I try to use the same balls I play, mostly scuffed up ones and rougher ones i find in the ponds.