Golf Balls and Ball Speed (Particularly at Lower Swing Speeds)

[DaveLeeNC]

Has anyone EVER looked at various golf balls to see which balls generate the highest ball speed for a given set of launch conditions (AoA, dynamic loft, FA) vs swing speed? Maybe you don't see it because they are all the same but it seems odd to me that nobody (that I have ever seen) has ever published this data (and it is data that would seem to be quite relevant to everybody). Given my aging body I am particularly curious about SS's under 85 mph which is not anywhere close to the official USGA ball speed test limit specifications of around 170 mph ball speed (requiring way over 100 mph SS). 

 

Is that data out there somewhere? 

 

dave

[storm319]

Google “golf ball test” and the first hits should be the robotic ball tests from MG$ and TG. This should provide what you are looking for.

[DaveLeeNC]

@storm319 thanks - that does seem to address the question (at a glance it would appear that the answer is 'it does not matter much' - at lower SS's). 

[storm319]

23 hours ago, DaveLeeNC said:

@storm319 thanks - that does seem to address the question (at a glance it would appear that the answer is 'it does not matter much' - at lower SS's). 

While there are a few exceptions, there does appear to be a correlation between higher overall compression and increased ball speed regardless of swing speed. If maximizing driver ball speed, then I would recommend sticking to the higher end of the compression range.

[Jeff58]

As @storm319 points out, if maximum ball speed is your goal, just get the highest compression models. They inherently deform less on impact and have a fairly unassailable advantage in that regard.

 

However, it can be an error to use the same criteria with lower to moderate swing speeds. Particularly with your irons, you may need to trade off ball speed with the ability to keep the ball in the air longer. That’s extra true with hyped lofts and low spin.

[DaveLeeNC]

51 minutes ago, Jeff58 said:

As @storm319 points out, if maximum ball speed is your goal, just get the highest compression models. They inherently deform less on impact and have a fairly unassailable advantage in that regard.

 

It is not obvious to me that harder means longer at all swing speeds. Certainly some deformation in the clubface is deemed to be an advantage regarding distance (all that hullabaloo years back over the "springlike effect"). I am not saying that firmer is absolutely not better at 75 to 85 mph SS's, just that it is not at all clear one way or the other (IMHO, anyway). 

 

dave