"Reload" recycled golf ball test

[dornstar]

Edit: I called these balls refurbished initially, but they are "recycled". They have the old markings, so I do not believe they have been refurbished. Anyways...

 

 

I've been playing a ton of practice rounds by myself lately, so I bought a bucket of recycled Titleist Pro V1 that are sold at Golfsmith to use in these casual rounds. The balls looked to be in good condition (probably an eBay AAA or AAAA condition), so I figured they couldn't be too bad.

 

 

Bad idea.

 

The course was dead today, so I did a test today between those balls and a new Pro V1x which I usually play and the difference was ridiculous. I hit each until I had a good drive with each. On 10 holes, the Pro V1x was longer by 21, 17, 19, 23, 21, 27, 23, 21, 31 and 19 yards.... an average of 22 yards shorter.

 

On this hole in the pic below, I absolutely nutted the tee shot with the recycled ball. I literally couldn't hit it any better and it was 19 yards shorter than a decent shot with the new ball.

 

 

Buyer beware!!!

[MotoSD]

Sounds about right to me. Not sure what exactly happens during the refurb process, but its gotta decrease performance. All the ones ive found around my course have the paint peeling off or bubbling. Id rather use an ugly, beat up, and sliced non-refurb anyday. Thanks for the comparison.

[dornstar]

[quote name='MotoSD' timestamp='1415257706' post='10404433']
Sounds about right to me. Not sure what exactly happens during the refurb process, but its gotta decrease performance. All the ones ive found around my course have the paint peeling off or bubbling. Id rather use an ugly, beat up, and sliced non-refurb anyday. Thanks for the comparison.
[/quote]
I thought I might lose a few yards.... maybe 5 or so max. Not 20. Good lord.

[360_CS]

Yea 20 is unreal.

I have always stayed cleared of refurbished balls too, even if I found one I wouldn't play it. They look funny and I thought they would never perform as well as new ones. Nice test.

[dornstar]

You know, I'm not sure if they are actually refurbished now that I look at the packaging. They did have old markings on some of the balls and I think I just screwed up the terminology. The are "recycled" balls.

Golfsmith's description says...

[size=4]"Titleist Pro V1 golf balls that have been repackaged in a quantity of 50. These golf balls are in almost mint condition and will have you tearing up the course."[/size]

[Startzel]

I would like to make a similar scientific experiment. Someone please mail me two boxes of brand new pro v1s.

Thank you.

[dagoose383]

Did you put a ProV1 against a ProV1x?

Not making excuses for the recycled balls, and definitely not a scientist or an expert when it comes to the golf ball, but could some of the distance loss be due to the different type of ball? Maybe the lower spinning X works better for your game than the regular ProV? Granted I don't think the distances should be that far off, but just another factor to consider

[CrabDaddy]

Thanks for the write up. Well done. The 10 holes you mention, were they the only holes you hit both new and old balls? Any noticeable difference with irons or spin?
That's a surprising difference if they just clean the balls and don't re-paint or re-surface them. I've bought numerous orders of different brands/models of balls from LGB and never saw any drop-off in performance.

BTW - Your OP was ripe for a passive brag, but you didn't go that route, so good job!

[myspinonit]

I agree with another post that for an apples to apples you should be hitting PV1's too, not Pv1x.

I have bought recycled (and reburbished before) from Knetgolf. The reburbished was a one-off and I don't now trust the process or even the thought to redo "someone else's" ball. But recycled I could see doing again depending on the course and quality rating.

In fact I kinda sorta already do that, but even cheaper and from a known source. I often play "one hit wonder" PV1's that get from a local guy for $20 a dozen. Very few if any are water balls and they likely haven't been out in the weather for long. He does nothing but clean them up in a bucket and they play as good as new for all intents and purposes IMO. And for about half price what I pay for NXT Tours in Canada- my usual new ball.

[dornstar]

[quote name='dagoose383' timestamp='1415288796' post='10405595']
Did you put a ProV1 against a ProV1x?

Not making excuses for the recycled balls, and definitely not a scientist or an expert when it comes to the golf ball, but could some of the distance loss be due to the different type of ball? Maybe the lower spinning X works better for your game than the regular ProV? Granted I don't think the distances should be that far off, but just another factor to consider
[/quote]
Yeah, I hit them virtually the same distance. The V1x might be 2-3 yards longer.

[dornstar]

[quote name='CrabDaddy' timestamp='1415292238' post='10405923']
Thanks for the write up. Well done. The 10 holes you mention, were they the only holes you hit both new and old balls? Any noticeable difference with irons or spin?
That's a surprising difference if they just clean the balls and don't re-paint or re-surface them. I've bought numerous orders of different brands/models of balls from LGB and never saw any drop-off in performance.

BTW - Your OP was ripe for a passive brag, but you didn't go that route, so good job!
[/quote]
There was about 6-12 more inches of spin. The V1x would spin back to it's original pitch mark on full shots and the recycled like a foot max past the pitch mark. Not a whole lot of difference.

[cxx]

Reading the reveiws on golfsmith and others, it sounds like they are refurbished rather than used. Not surprising that they don't perform as well. I've had no problems with used balls which perform as well as new.

[super20dan]

were these water balls?

[cristphoto]

Refurbished golf balls are a very risky purchase. It's best to stay away.

[double_d]

That's a club and a half to two clubs more on your approach shots. That is huge. No thanks to the refurbs. Big thanks to you for the test and post.

[Exactice808]

Can anyone one else confirm this? I will try to confirm myself, but I have been in love with those refurbished balls lately, I have not consciously noticed a loss of distance, but now I will try to be aware and use both too see the tee shot.

Anyways I have noticed that the balls I get (Reload ProV1 and ProV1X) have a nice sticky/tacky coating on them. Seems to give me extra bite around the greens so I really like it. Anyone else noticed this?

Secondly...... Everyone that is saying no dice on the ball is it because of distance loss that you can confirm? Again Consciously I have not noticed, I normally hit my PW say 120-130 and it goes that distance. I go to the driving range and its pretty close??

Anyways will give it a run on Thursday and Report Back! Thanks for the input!

[cxx]

Occasionally I find a refurbished prov. They really don't play like new or used. Most times they are marked as refurbished in tiny letters. I don't think the reloads have that marking. From the comments on the sites that sell them, it is clear that they are refurbished. Seems like they take the balls that are too far gone to sell in the used market and repaint them. I'm not surprised that they perform poorly.

[Exactice808]

Ok.....Damn my fears have been founded, I too have confirmed that the reloaded balls are crap........There is a huge distance loss with them 15-20 yards loss (Driver) The Irons/weges not so much but still maybe about 5-10 yard loss. BUT!.....I will say this.....The only merit I have found with them is the painting on them. Form my understanding there are 2 types of balls. the Referbished and the Reused balls. The Referbished are actually repainted and restamped. The REused balls are just cleaned up.

I am speaking on the ReFerbished balls though that the finish on them gives a nice new tacky fealing, so spin and hold around the greens seem to be increased! If distance is not an issue then have a $25 set of 12 with pretty good spin chracteristics may be worth it.

But from the looks of it, I can get a set of Bridgstone E6's and get more distance and decent amount of spin and spend about the same and not have to worry about the quality control between each ball in a sleeve.

Damn and I was really liking the cheaper option too......

[hova7]

I always was under the impression that the Reload "Refurbished" balls are basically the same core they just put a new urethane cover on them and then legally have to mark them as refurbished.

[Need2golfalot]

Refurbished golf balls are a very risky purchase. It's best to stay away.

 

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