New or used

[Bogeygolfer55]

Who has preferred New or Old. I play typically play Callaway Supersoft or Titleist trusoft and can buy like new condition for.50 cents a ball at Play it again sports and work well for me.

 

[1mcozik]

I play used golf balls. Can’t justify the high cost for new balls when you’re likely to lose them. Not much difference in a like new or very good condition golf ball.

[enfuego]

I've played 3a, 4a and brand new balls for a whole round. They all look the same after about 9 holes. Some of my best rounds were with 3a balls. I draw the line at 3a because when you get them there's usually no signs of use. 2a you'll see wear.

[msg]

I scored some of best games using used golf balls. I cannot see the difference to be honest.

[maxpeck]

I always buy used balls. Never notice a difference, they zoom out of bounds at the same rate.

[Rory4Pres]

If playing leisurely, used balls are fine. If you are competing at Q school, you might want to play new ones.

I like to play new balls and dream I'm competing in q school. Except in my dream, my round of 77 comes in first place.

[Jeff58]

Almost all used balls are water recovery. The variable time in water adds to the distance and spin variation. You’re better off with a less expensive new model. VICE Golf | About | Forget Lake Balls

[canduff]

If somebody else lost it or hit it in the water the ball has bad karma and it just gets in your head. Not a great golfer so a new ball just one less thing to ponder

[BiggErn]

Not exactly break the bank balls when buying new.

[phil75070]

I will only buy balls new. Used balls, no matter how pristine they look cosmetically, could have performance issues. That said, after putting a new ball in play, I will use it until I'm pretty much forced to replace it because it got seriously scuffed or lost. I've played balls so long that the printing on the ball couldn't be made out. The difference is with my balls I know what they have been exposed to environmentally. If you are just out there for the exercise, to have a good time, and score is somewhat secondary, then used balls are a good option. There are also a lot of inexpensive options out there for "new" balls. If you take the game even half seriously why not just go that route?

[enfuego]

I've tested on GC quad the used balls vs new balls, even balls I kept in water a week. There was absolutely no difference. The one type of ball that was an issue was a ball that was repainted/labeled refirbished. Saw 10-15 yards in the long clubs and 5-10 yards in the mid to shorter irons.

Prov1s and prov1xs generally are the only balls that someone would both repainting or refurbishing. Tp5/x, z star/xv or any callaway no one is bothering to mess with those so I have found no issue with buying used.

[Jeff58]

Sorry, don’t mean to to hammer you...

It’s not the water, it’s what’s in the water. You could likely store balls in distilled water for months. The materials, organisms, chemicals, and PH of your typical golf pond are quite aggressive at breaking down otherwise stable materials.

[Whereismydivot]

As I recall Golf Digest did a study on how long a ball can be underwater before it absorbs water through the cover. It wasn't very long (maybe a day or two), and it also didn't state whose ball or cover was tested.

I too play some used balls as 2 of my friends go out on our local course and ball hawk in their spare time. They give me the TP5's that they find. None come from ponds and most look brand new. They even may have been mine at one time

[Breiman]

It truly depends on what time of the season it is. I normally start the season off with new balls then as my son and i play, he finds lots of EXPERIENCED balls. One round about 2dozen. So towards the end od the season in the fall when all the leaves are on the ground, i revert to them

[enfuego]

Thats an interesting difference. I didn't test that as I used regular tap water. The divers I see out are pretty heavily geared up so not surprising.

[monks66]

I play only 5A Mint balls

[bunta]

i play used/found/3A/random balls when im playing a practice/meaningless/twilight rounds or playing alone.

I save the retail ones for when im playing with friends or whatever group i find myself in. Times when im trying to put up my best score.

Having said that, either ball has made no difference to my score. smh.

[sittingbull]

1 buy 2 dz new a year and it last most of the year but also carry a few used balls

[cristphoto]

I've followed this topic for over 20 years and have never seen a test where a water ball didn't lose significant distance and accuracy. That said if you are new to golf and don't hit the ball with much consistency or lose a lot of balls (practice will cure both), then water balls make a bit of sense. But otherwise if you want to play your best then buying new balls is the better choice. Plus play the same model for best consistency. With all the sales on new previous edition balls and new options like Costco balls there is little cost difference anymore.

[dubbelbogey]

Here's one test: Are Used Golf Balls As Good As New? - Golf Myths Unplugged - Plugged In GolfI won't comment on the scientific or statistical validity of this particular test. Any of these tests done without true, rigorous scientific methods (which almost nobody does outside the closed doors of OEM R&D labs) can be found to have some faults. I.e. you can poke holes in to just about anything done by a golf magazine or blog site. That said, this is at least one attempt to make this comparison. We'll have to draw our own conclusions, individually.

 

 

[Hellstorm]

I have been using AAAAA balls for a few years now. I still buy new balls here and there to try some new stuff out, but I really don't notice any difference. I have been less and less impressed with lostgolfballs though. The first two years I ordered, the AAAAA balls were fantastic, all looked as advertised. The last few times I have ordered, I think the standards for AAAAA dropped a bit. Out of 5 dozen balls, I think a dozen plus were less than mint. Some maybe even AAA quality. Customer service was not much help, even after sending them pics of some of the balls I got. But yes, performance of the balls is never an issue.

[gripandrip]

I have had great success with 5A balls from golfballsdirect. Usually they are like brand new, or if you can accept logos, they are typically just brand new overruns of logo production.

I fortunately do not lose too many balls, so I haven't used them in a while.

[FakeClubPro]

Who sells good Titleist Pro V 1X refurbished balls? Wall Mart has some from Waxhaw, NC whihc is near Charlotte. $19.99 a dozen. They look clean and repainted.

[HyzerFlipDG]

Refurbished balls are really bad. Better off buying used at that point. Balls who had their cover sanded off and then reapplied are a real crapshoot.

[enfuego]

Have to agree. Stay away from anything repainted or refurbished. Luckily they have to stamp it I think although I'm sure you'll find some that weren't. The repainting is usually bad enough if I find one I can tell right away and leave it.

[GSDriver]

I only buy new balls, they're one of the least expensive components of playing golf. If you shop around you can find "tour" balls for a reasonable price...I pay $35 a dozen, or less.

If you lose a lot of balls, then playing less expensive new, or used could work for you, until you progress to where you can keep it in play consistently.

Sure, I have 'bad' days (usually alcohol fueled) where I might lose 3 balls during a round, but more often I don't lose any, so comes down to your tolerance for cost of what you hit but can't find.

There have been many tests over the years claiming 'lake' balls lose performance....sounds plausible, and likely true.

I have other friends who play nothing but used balls, they can't tell a difference, but at high teen handicaps, doubt they could.

[Moby]

Never used golfballs, always new..