Do Yellow Golf Balls Play Differently Than White Ones?

[Talldog]

My initial reaction would have been to say they play exactly the same. Then I read the Not allowed because of spam ball tests where they used a swing robot to hit the balls. They tested both the Srixon Z Star (white) and Srixon Z Star (yellow). In theory the exact same golf ball, yet they came up with different distance numbers.

Avg Carry:

White: 281

Yellow: 275

The other numbers are virtually identical, but the carry distance of the yellow is a full 6 yard shorter than the white.

If this was a bad batch of yellow balls, then you would expect the other numbers to be off as well, but they weren't. But I can't imagine that the color of the cover could make this much difference.

[DLev45]

I have always thought that the colored covers feel softer/squishier, but I have nothing to base that on other than anecdotal evidence and my own perception of feel.

[GoGoErky]

Yes and no. The M G S study found some issues with the Srixon ones but most people who have tried the yellow titleist havent seen a difference. I haven’t seen anything saying bridgestone and Tm one perform differently

[Pepperturbo]

That doesn't surprise me, the problem is they used Srixon. Allowing for variable ground hardness, I've played Yellow and White ProV1x and got relatively the same fairway result. They are in my bag now. Each company tells us they are the same ball only different color. If true, result should be the same. Maybe that test tells Srixon users something about their robot, he's either loosey goosey or stoned on lube...

[DavePelz4]

The USGA requires each ball/color to be tested individually which seems to lend credence to them being slightly different balls.

[North Butte]

Lots of people believe they play difference but I personally don't believe it (not for any balls I've played).

Then again, I swear the Tour Velvet grips with the white paint fill are softer and grippier than the plain black ones but Golf Pride insists they are 100% identical. Go figure.

[Tanner25]

They often feel different. Performance wise, I don't think so.

[Guest]

Probably depends on the ball (brand/make, but I'd think if there were material difference then you still more pros adopt a certain color.

[tangojay]

 

Does a white car go faster than a yellow one?

Going to look for article where it dismissed this,,,,,,,,,,

[elwhippy]

I believe the matte finish ammo goes a little shorter as the paint is rougher and has more drag but cannot imagine Srixon releasing a different coloured ball that plays shorter than its white twin.

[ME27]

I always felt the yellow z star xv were a lot harder than the white one but I cant say I noticed a performance difference. I feel no difference between the Pro V1's however.

[hammergolf]

Can you link that test? i have not seen the robot one.

[Warrior42111]

materials/ aerospace engineer here:

So material wise there will be some difference in order to get the paint to be white v yellow v any other color. When keeping the same gloss level the base and filler of the paint will remain constant it s just different dyes to achieve the color wanted. I honestly can not see that making a difference anyone could see.

Now gloss level is more interesting, in order to change the gloss even between the same color (dye), the base / filler formulation must change. Adding less or more of a component. This I would suspect may cause differences perhaps not noticeable to the human senses but definitely there.

Let me put it this way. Per the FAA a paint of a similar color does not need flammability testing if it is the same chemical make up within reason (we will not get into this grey area). However when the gloss level changes the chemical composition is always far different enough to require testing. So Thta's why I am saying gloss level might be the bigger factor than paint color.

[adklee]

 

I agree with the yellow XV feeling firmer than the white. The difference is more noticeable in the fall/winter with colder weather and balls. Yellow and white versions of the AVX feel the same.

[roxald]

I feel this way about the Bridgestone Tour B-XS yellow vs white.

 

Yellow feels hard to me and the performance isn’t there-I seem to have less control with the yellow. Doesn’t seem to

spin as much and honestly feels like a cheap distance ball to me.Not impressed at all.

I used 2 Optic Yellow Balls and gave the rest away.

Back to the white B-XS for good.

Rox

 

[NoTalentLefty]

One difference that I see or should I say don’t see. If the ball isn’t white I have a hard time tracking and finding especially in the rough. I’m color blind. The only ball I can see on the ground is white and blue. Blue is like a neon light to me on the ground but can’t see it in the air after it starts to land.

[Sons_of_Pitches]

^^ I felt this way as well with the Tour B XS. Ultimately, I ended up settling on the Pro V1x in yellow; which to me performs the exact same as the Pro V1x white ball. So, for my elderly eyes, I find the yellow balls easier to track once airborne.

[pallmall]

I believe every ball's resilience is different, since the ball has a rubber core, which is not easy to control the quality. When standard deviation of resilience is big, the difference in distance can be big, too. So yellow ball's short distance may be resulted from quality control.

If yellow ball did travel shorter than white ball, my guess is, a yellow color ball usually has a white or yellow inner layer, so the yellow cover's hue will not be affected by inner layer. To make a white or yellow inner layer, TiO2 is added as filler in rubber or Surlyn. This kind of filler may reduce the resilience, although the ball may become harder.

[roxald]

Hmmm, never considered the ProV1x in yellow....

good alternative, thx for bringing that up!

Rox

[double_d]

Maybe the yellow dye/paint they use to color the cover weighs more/less and that is causing the discrepancy? Joking.

I would look more to quality control for that particular brand and model.

Didn't Callaway a couple years ago have cores that were significantly off-center in a high end ball leading them to revamp and dump $ into their ball division?

 

Edit: After reading the other posts I believe you may be on to something. Interesting that it would make that much of a difference.

[hidrives]

I play yellow srixon and I haven't noticed any difference other than my balls are way, way easier to see.

[HackerD]

Always felt Srixon yellow balls were more durable than white, didn't scuff as easily. Anyone else? Would that be related to distance difference?

[Hougz79]

Yellow balls do have slightly different chemistry. I cannot find the exact article I read prior to the Pro V1/X release of the yellow balls, but there was significant testing to ensure the performed exactly the same.

This article is not the one I read a couple years ago, but it suggests the same idea: https://mygolfspy.com/first-look-2019-pro-v1-and-pro-v1x-available-in-optic-yellow/

[LeoLeo99]

I'd need to see the data before concluding there is a statistically significant difference between yellow and white. Any links to the study data? I've been rotating through B RX, z-star, and Chrome soft truvis all in yellow and Project A in white and I don't see any differences between the balls.

[crazygolfnut]

Every time that I have played the same model ball comparing white and yellow, I found no difference in performance.

[Always Ping]

I use V1X in both white and yellow. i believe the urethane cover on the yellow is a different composition. That's what took Titleist so long to get the yellow V1's out. i do not see a difference between the two in distance or spin. Now i'd like to see Titleist allow you to pick your own number for the yellow V1X. I guess i'm a golf snob, at least according to my friends.?  The best ball for me. Played many, but always come back.

[GSDriver]

Nope, been playing yellow balls for at least 5 years, maybe longer, I can't tell any difference other than easier for me to see.

[DMartini]

recently made the switch to yellow Pro V''s (2019 model i think) from yellow Z Star XV's for the colder months here, im really enjoying the yellow Pro V its cover really holds up well, i did an experiment and have used 1 yellow Pro V for 4 rounds and am just starting to notice the writing starting to fade/come off now, but the cover is still in VG condition not beat and scuffed/scratched and the yellow is still crisp/vibrant etc, i personally think Srixon has the best yellow cover out there, but thats just me.

if that was a white Pro V, you'd be lucky to get 2 rounds out of it before it looks 2 years old, especially if you introduce the ball to a couple of trees during the round like i like to.

performance wise, i personally dont see a difference in play ability of white & yellow of the same model and manufacturer.

[Jack Pearsall]

Totally different. Orange plays the hardest of the neonish colors. the dark hue blues and greens are the worst for feel but they are tremendous fashion accessaries on the tee box or green. The yellow ball has two basic flavors: the matte and the neon. there are subtle differences only a forged iron player can appreciate. Green neon denotes a psychological disorder in the user. Never turn your back or cart on a green neon ball user. menaces to decency.

[coops]

On 8/6/2020 at 3:30 AM, Hougz79 said:

Yellow balls do have slightly different chemistry. I cannot find the exact article I read prior to the Pro V1/X release of the yellow balls, but there was significant testing to ensure the performed exactly the same.

This article is not the one I read a couple years ago, but it suggests the same idea: https://Not allowed because of spam.com/first-look-2019-pro-v1-and-pro-v1x-available-in-optic-yellow/

 

 

I was initially going to say there would be no difference but... the colour/pigmentation in the plastic mix can/does affect performance. A painted finish might be nothing, but if the colour is mixed into the cover material then... maybe it really can make a difference if not accounted for.

 

I say this due to having an interesting listen some time ago to this 

https://blisterreview.com/gear-101/a-very-deep-dive-on-ski-boots-part-1-plastics-ep-54

 

It's a "Very Deep Dive" on ski boots by an Atomic engineer, and in there you'll hear him explain how the colour of the plastics used in the boots does indeed affect performance.