The Balata Balls Thread

[mstuewe]

On 4/16/2022 at 5:33 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

Really not a fan of these sorts of tests, because the wound balls have lost so much due to age.  There's a noticeable (significant?) performance loss after only 5 years, much less 20.

 

 

On 4/16/2022 at 5:33 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

Really not a fan of these sorts of tests, because the wound balls have lost so much due to age.  There's a noticeable (significant?) performance loss after only 5 years, much less 20.

 

Agreed, his video proves nothing and actually probably convinced some people we need the ball rolled back

[ssp]

On 1/11/2024 at 9:46 AM, AnimalGeorge said:

The most fun I had with balatas as a kid was cutting the cover off, taking the end of the rubber band and tying it to a post, unravelling the rest of it while walking 150 yards or so, pulling it tight to the point of breaking. Then letting go of the end I was holding. I estimate the speed it was traveling at 300 mph or so ( it traveled 150 yards in 1 second,  2 seconds max) 40 years later tried it and the rubber band was to brittle to stretch

 

              I grew up in a golf course and found 1000s of these as a kid, needless to say balata balls were a big part of my childhood

Hit one with the lawn mover as a kid in the yard.  Sent it thru the backdoor window that when thru family room, Kitchen, and ended up in Living room.  Left 3 million (+ or -) shards of rubber band thru each room.  That was not a good day for me. 

 

[Pepperturbo]

I played Balata many years back when my SS was much faster, it was soft and spiny.  The user had better hit it solid, or it might spin back over your head or abruptly left or right, depending on user's spin tendency.  When Titleist introduced Professional 100, I switched immediately. 

 

Skip the new Ball rules going into effect, just reintroduce Balata ball.  I am sure, everyone would lose yardage, including pros.  LOL  

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, Pepperturbo said:

I played Balata many years back when my SS was much faster, it was soft and spiny.  The user had better hit it solid, or it might spin back over your head or abruptly left or right, depending on user's spin tendency.  When Titleist introduced Professional 100, I switched immediately. 

 

Skip the new Ball rules going into effect, just reintroduce Balata ball.  I am sure, everyone would lose yardage, including pros.  LOL  

 

You might be surprised how little it would hurt distance.  Modern drivers can mitigate the higher spin quite easily.  Some pros would maybe see more of a difference, but others may not see much at all.

 

10 years ago, I found some wound balls manufactured in Japan only a short time before.  I still had a bit of speed at the time and was able to compare modern balls to these Maxflis.  Very little difference between them.

 

 

[Pepperturbo]

On 1/12/2024 at 1:51 PM, NRJyzr said:

 

You might be surprised how little it would hurt distance.  Modern drivers can mitigate the higher spin quite easily.  Some pros would maybe see more of a difference, but others may not see much at all.

 

10 years ago, I found some wound balls manufactured in Japan only a short time before.  I still had a bit of speed at the time and was able to compare modern balls to these Maxflis.  Very little difference between them.

 

 

Maybe in theory, but I am not convinced that's true in my case.   Using a really soft (senior) compression ball, and my TSR2 10' with Ventus Velo TR Blue stiff shaft, it barely travels past my 2 iron distance, and I hit the ball relatively solid.  I know this having done it.  Can't image how far most average golfers would hit a Balata like ball, considering they are not solid ball strikers. 

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, Pepperturbo said:

Maybe in theory, but I am not convinced that's true in my case.   Using a really soft (senior) compression ball, and my TSR2 10' with Ventus Velo TR Blue stiff shaft, it barely travels past my 2 iron distance, and I hit the ball relatively solid.  I know this having done it.  Can't image how far most average golfers would hit a Balata like ball, considering they are not solid ball strikers. 

 

For some, a balata might actually improve their distance, as it would give them the spin they're lacking to keep the ball in the air.  Emphasis on "some."  😉

 

When you talk of hitting a really soft ball, are you referring to modern solid care balls like the Wilson Duo Soft, or similar?  

 

[Pepperturbo]

2 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

For some, a balata might actually improve their distance, as it would give them the spin they're lacking to keep the ball in the air.  Emphasis on "some."  😉

 

When you talk of hitting a really soft ball, are you referring to modern solid care balls like the Wilson Duo Soft, or similar?  

 

Soft compression, 50-60ish.  Not sure of their makeup.  When I strike those, it feels like I collapse the surface, and drops out of the air.

[RobotDoctor]

I started playing in 1986 and played Titleist Surlyn 90 balls.  After a year or so my ability to strike a ball was much better (and consistent) so I switched to balata balls and played the Titleist 384 Tour balata, first 90 compression then 100 compression.  The Titleist Tour 100 Balata balls were my favorite back in the day.  My current stash of Balata balls.  I bring these out when I bring out my persimmon drivers and hit them on the range.  I have played a hole here and there with them just for fun.

[NRJyzr]

2 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

Soft compression, 50-60ish.  Not sure of their makeup.  When I strike those, it feels like I collapse the surface, and drops out of the air.

 

There are two lovely aspects in play with the lower compression golf balls.  The first is that they produce lower spin.  That lower spin can cause that "dropping out of the air" that you're seeing, if that reduction creates a not enough spin scenario.

 

The second is an over-compression issue.  Once you get over 110 mph, maybe 115mph, you can see an over compression to the point that it affects the ballspeed.  It can make the relationship between clubhead speed and ballspeed produced become non-linear.  Essentially, losing ballspeed, compared to a ball with even slightly better compression, much less something in the firmer tour ball category. 

 

One or both of the above could be what you've seen.

 

edited to add:  when I switched to the Duo Professional, I found I gained distance with my irons.  This was purely due to a reduction of spin, thanks to the lower compression.  Too much spin with irons, compared with my other launch conditions, has long been a problem in my iron game.

 

In contrast, I had to increase loft with driver in order to not lose distance.  The Duo Pro gave me a lower trajectory than I'd been seeing.  Bumping the loft up 1.5* gave me the same distance I saw with firmer golf balls.

 

Edited January 25 by NRJyzr