Low spin golf ball for competitive player

[MattCohn]

Hi Everyone, 

 

I’m a +3 playing a tournament this weekend at a course with incredibly soft greens. I don’t normally even spin my wedges that much, but last year a typical wedge shot spun back 30-40 feet with my TP5x’s. I resolved that this year I would simply play a different ball. Which one would you suggest? My driver club speed is about 110 with good launch stats with my current ball, but I would be totally fine with a ball that spun a bit less off the tee. I just need something where wedges don’t spin back 40 feet. I’ll play a Pinnacle if I have to!

Edited August 30, 2023 by MattCohn

[phizzy30]

Left dash or AVX are the lowest spinning balls on the market.  The difference between the balls is launch and feel.

[grochol17]

I did a Titleist ball fitting a few months back and the AVX was the lowest spinning for me, but the Pro V1 was almost the same ball, just with a tiny bit higher spin and trajectory.  I've played both this season and on course I can't tell a whole lot of difference... the AVX is a bit softer and the Pro V1 checks a bit faster on chips, but in terms of scoring they both work the same for me. 

 

For reference, my driver swing speed is about 105 mph and, while I'm not a +3, I'm a pretty good ball striker.  I play in some local am tournaments and one of my rounds with an AVX I hit 11 fairways and 14 greens.  In a different tournament I hit 12 fairways and 12 greens with the Pro V1 (we won't talk about score because my putting has left a lot to be desired this year).

[Straphael]

If you like harder feel the left dash is what you are describing. 
If you like soft then honestly any of the soft urethane balls works. Chrome soft/avx/Bridgestone rx all will lower spin significantly.

[Wardonation]

BX would be another option

[MattCohn]

So I went full Monty and played Top-Flite XL distance balls. I bought some of the Top-Flite Hammer Control balls too in case the XL was unplayable but never opened them. My experiment was a total success, and I just wish I had made some better swings the last day and finished a bit higher. (As a sidenote, I wonder if my second round 66 is the lowest score ever shot with a Top-Flite XL distance?!) I got exactly what I wanted though: when everyone else was spinning wedges back 30 feet or hitting 9 iron from 120 trying to take off spin, my wedges all stopped right where they landed. I didn’t spin one back more than 4 feet the whole tournament!

 

There were some small adjustments. Wedges flew 5 to 10 yards farther because they had so much less spin through the air. Things evened out around five or six iron. I just had to make sure to get my driver up in the air; my launch stats are good with my TP5x, so the same launch conditions with a lower spinning ball would not be ideal. But it was a small adjustment to make for such a big gain coming into the greens.

 

This will probably remain a once per year endeavor, but I will definitely do it at this tournament next year unless conditions change dramatically!

 

One person suggested that maybe some pros should try this if Pebble Beach is particularly soupy for the AT&T one year. We shall see!

 

[FiveByEagle]

My vote is Left Dash, or try the 2023 ProV1. Its been lower spinning for me.