What ball do you play?

[wombat_vortex]

What is your ball of choice? I should preface this with I don't buy golfballs, I always find plenty of new ones on the course in the bushes or wooded areas.  So I probably play the Pro V1 more than anything, since that's what I find the most.  On the rare occasion I do buy balls, I would prefer the Srixon Q Star.

[Greenie]

I am 63..I play the Callaway Supersoft, Chromesoft in warmer weather and the Maxfli Soft-fli. When the temps are below 70* I notice a distance loss with the Chromesoft off the driver for me. I didn't lose distance with the irons but driving distance was noticeable. For some reason I get that lost distance back with the driver in warmer weather. 

 

I found a fair amount of balls when I play. My recent observations. Because I play three times a week I usually play $40 and less golf courses. The majority of the balls I find at these courses are Kirklands and Supersofts. When I play $60+ courses I usually find more ProV's and some Supersofts. Four years ago it was Prov's everywhere. 

[subrew]

I settled on the Callaway Supersoft, but occasionally play the Wilson Duosoft.  I purchased a big bag of AAAA Mint Supersofts Yellow balls last year, and apparently don't lose as many balls as I thought.  Because I still have a LOT left.  So I won't be buying balls for a while.

 

I play golf at a small course with a annual morning membership rate.  Essentially unlimited play before 10am.  I'm allowed in a side gate before they officially open, so there are times I'm playing at 5:30am in the summer, and I'm the only person on course.  This time of the year I'm teeing off at 6:45am and it is cold, and often wet/moist.  Greens are also soft and receptive, so I don't need much spin.  Plus I play light graphite shafts in traditionally lofted older forged JDM irons.  When I've played ProV1s, they just spin off the front of the greens.  

[BYK]

ProV1 yellow

[Pepperturbo]

I am 70+ and play ProV1x and DASH -ProV1x, with AVX saved for crappy weather days.  Sorry, Wombat_vortex, I hit the ball pretty straight.  Seldom lose balls so won't be ☹ donating to "find a ball" efforts. 👍

Edited December 7, 2023 by Pepperturbo

[phizzy30]

Vice Pro Plus and left dash.  I'm waiting on the '24 Callaway Chrome Tour line and the TP5x so I can test them. 

[goaliedad30]

ProV1x Left Dash

[DrizZzY22]

changed a few times this year. Started with the Tp5x, moved to Prov1x LD. Couldnt get those local anymore so I changed to CSX LS. I think im going back to the LD next year, but it will all depend on availability. 

[scott406]

Wilson Triad

 

Went to them after the Snell Black became extinct 

 

 

[BagofToast]

Settled on the TP5x for a few years now, but if I find a Vice Pro Plus I'll play it until I lose it again.

[WipeyFade]

Kirkland Signature, best value in golf.

[shankasaurus rex]

Currently the Srixon Q-Star Tour. Works well with my swing speed, spins decently, and the cover is fairly resistant to wear.  

[Golf_nutt]

13 hours ago, DrizZzY22 said:

changed a few times this year. Started with the Tp5x, moved to Prov1x LD. Couldnt get those local anymore so I changed to CSX LS. I think im going back to the LD next year, but it will all depend on availability. 

I went on this same journey this year.  Found out tp5x was spinning too much.  Loved the Prov1x LD but availability is scarce so switched to CSX LS which yielded great results for me.  Curious what the new Chrome Tour line will look like

[monks66]

avx yellow

[topher256]

Pro V1 white.

[golfwb]

Pro v1.

It checks all the boxes

[optimator]

Cut Red. I'm a tight a..

[Jifmoli]

Maybe the next respondents should mention their hc? I have never been below 15 and am currently mid to high 20s. I have nver been able to tell the difference unless it is between an extremely hard ball and one that isn’t. I have played with pink women's golf balls and played them the same as a pro v i might find. I guess I am a bad player.. No idea how to go about choosing a ball. 

Sorry, not meaning to hijack the thread, was just wondering if choosing a ball is for the better player only. I mean how to tell the difference between say a Callaway soft high spinning ball and a Srixon soft high spinner??? For me the colour of the package, lol

[gs1184]

Left dash prov1x

Chrome Soft LS

Mizuno tour RB

[bobfoster]

On 12/7/2023 at 3:34 PM, Jifmoli said:

Maybe the next respondents should mention their hc? I have never been below 15 and am currently mid to high 20s. I have nver been able to tell the difference unless it is between an extremely hard ball and one that isn’t. I have played with pink women's golf balls and played them the same as a pro v i might find. I guess I am a bad player.. No idea how to go about choosing a ball. 

Sorry, not meaning to hijack the thread, was just wondering if choosing a ball is for the better player only. I mean how to tell the difference between say a Callaway soft high spinning ball and a Srixon soft high spinner??? For me the colour of the package, lol

 

This is actually a very good question. From my experience (having played for many years with everyone from actual pros to amateurs playing their very first round - and everything in between), I'd say this:

 

If you are commonly shooting high 90s or 100+ (absolutely nothing wrong with this, describes literally half the people on a public golf course on the average Saturday), the ball, frankly, is simply not going to matter much. Mostly because the largest scoring determinant at that level (by far) is going to be consistency of swing and contact (or lack thereof). The characteristics of the ball you play aren't going to matter much if a lot of strokes are off the heel or toe, chunked or bladed, randomly hooked or sliced. In fact, even things like clubs and shafts won't matter much. SGI irons might help a little, but even their contribution will be somewhat limited. 

 

To answer your question specifically, the most important thing to determine is what your intentions are.

 

Over 26 million people played golf in the US this year. Many of them, however, are "weekenders", casual golfers. Golf is actually two different things, a social event, and a sport. I have a lot of friends that play a few times a year, and golf is a sort of refuge. It is four or five hours away from the wife and kids, smoking cigars and laughing with buddies, having a few drinks afterwards. Yes they do play golf, but in all honesty, golf isn't the main point, it is the whole experience. A lot of these folks really aren't that good, but really don't much care if they aren't that good. They spend zero time at the range. Golf is a minor, nice distraction - that they sneak out to do when they have a Saturday that doesn't require them to take the kids to soccer practice. For these folks? There's likely no difference between playing the most expensive clubs with the most premium balls, and playing a used set of 10 year old clubs with whatever random collection of balls they find on the course. 

 

There are, however, also a lot of people that also are shooting 100, but want to get better. They aren't a "happy 100", they are a "100 wanting 90". They are willing to put some time and effort into improving. For them, as the old business adage goes, "don't dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want". They may be currently shooting roughly the same scores as those casual weekenders, but for them it is worth it to take a lesson or two. To get at least an initial fitting. Select a (mid-priced) ball suited to their game. IMO it really isn't worth it to buy ProVs, or high end Callaway or TMs - but you also don't want to be indifferent and just play random range rocks. Equipment isn't going to matter a lot until the swing and ball contact gets at least somewhat consistent, but if someone is actively working towards that, I believe it well worth the money to start using equipment as though it has been achieved. "Dress for the job you want".

 

Just a few thoughts for your consideration. 

Edited December 16, 2023 by bobfoster

[ANimz]

I have been trying different balls the past few years.  I had been on a quest for budget balls.  Vice Pro/Pro+, Maxfli Tour X, Snell MTBX, TP5X, Tour BX and XS, Prov1 and 1x, Almost every Srixon model, Chromesoft and the LS.  Currently have been settled on the Tour BX, although ProV models are king for durability and have great performance.  No huge complaints with the budget balls aside from durability.   If you are losing balls every round, they are a great choice.  Otherwise....I will probably go with the ProV1x.  

[Jifmoli]

14 hours ago, bobfoster said:

 

This is actually a very good question. From my experience (having played for many years with everyone from actual pros to amateurs playing their very first round - and everything in between), I'd say this:

 

If you are commonly shooting high 90s or 100+ (absolutely nothing wrong with this, describes literally half the people on a public golf course on the average Saturday), the ball, frankly, is simply not going to matter much. Mostly because the largest scoring determinant at that level (by far) is going to be consistency of swing and contact (or lack thereof). The characteristics of the ball you play aren't going to matter a whole if a lot of strokes are off the heel or toe, chunked or bladed, randomly hooked or sliced. In fact, even things like clubs and shafts won't matter much. SGI irons might help a little, but even their contribution will be somewhat limited. 

 

To answer your question specifically, the most important thing to determine is what your intentions are.

 

Over 26 million people played golf in the US this year. Many of them, however, are "weekenders", casual golfers. Golf is actually two different things, a social event, and a sport. I have a lot of friends that play a few times a year, and golf is a sort of refuge. It is four or five hours away from the wife and kids, smoking cigars and laughing with buddies, having a few drinks afterwards. Yes they do play golf, but in all honesty, golf isn't the main point, it is the whole experience. A lot of these folks really aren't that good, but really don't much care if they aren't that good. They spend zero time at the range. Golf is a minor, nice distraction - that they sneak out to do when they have a Saturday that doesn't require them to take the kids to soccer practice. For these folks? There's likely no difference between playing the most expensive clubs with the most premium balls, and playing a used set of 10 year old clubs with whatever random collection of balls they find on the course. 

 

There are, however, also a lot of people that also are shooting 100, but want to get better. They aren't a "happy 100", they are a "100 wanting 90". They are willing to put some time and effort into improving. For them, as the old business adage goes, "don't dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want". They may be currently shooting roughly the same scores as those casual weekenders, but for them it is worth it to take a lesson or two. To get at least an initial fitting. Select a (mid-priced) ball suited to their game. IMO it really isn't worth it to buy ProVs, or high end Callaway or TMs - but you also don't want to be indifferent and just play random range rocks. Equipment isn't going to matter a lot until the swing and ball contact gets at least somewhat consistent, but if someone is actively working towards that, I believe it well worth the money to start using equipment as though it has been achieved. "Dress for the job you want".

 

Just a few thoughts for your consideration. 

Cheers mate, and it is what I thought, the swing needs consistency to make the quest for the right ball really viable, as in the Callaway soft high spinner is better than the Srixon soft high spinner. 
 

You say - for the aspiring not happy with 100 of the stick: Selecta (mid-priced) ball suited to their game.

 

So what is suited to my game if I hit 100 or more of the stick? Isn’t my game everywhere at that level (i am certainly everywhere on the course, talk about military golf..lol)? Is it perhaps as simple as “i have decent distance so I don’t need a distance ball” as a starting point?

 

Though right now i am in the “i wish i had the time to have a hit, a chat, and a few beers afterwards” category, once i am back to regular playing i will want to improve. It was when i was staying at 16 hc that a golf buddy kept urging me to choose a golf ball to improve further. That started when he asked what ball we were all playing and i had to pick it off the tee…”this one says bullet and has a picture of a gun on it”…😳

 

Thanks again. 

[JDW3]

Prov1x and occasionally the Bridgestone tour b x 

[PowerCobra98]

TP5.  Does everything I need it to.  Plus it’s a ball I can buy for 15% off with military discount.  Callaway also does 15% off.  Titleist doesn’t give AF about discounts on anything.  I spend a LOT of money on golf so I will take advantage of ball discounts were available.  

[Sir-Shanks-A-Lot]

I alternate between the Srixon Q Star and Q Star Tour (both yellow), depending on which is on special at any given moment. I have had good results with both despite being a 100s-90s shooter trying to eventually break into the 80s. I'm waiting on the yellow Kirklands to arrive in Canada to give them a try.

[jordan2240]

No official HC and I don't keep score, but if I get 5 or 6 pars a round, I'm doing ok.  Mostly bogies and the occasional 'uncle' hole.  I like playing an orange ball and a cheap one, so typically play either Wilson 50 elite or maxfli softfli.  I'm also going to try the Mizuno rb566 once my current stash runs low.

 

I'd say if you are a typical weekend hacker and play a premium ball, you're probably playing something with way too much spin for your game and, if you buy them, wasting a ton of money.

[phil75070]

Currently, when I tee it up it could be a Callaway ERC Soft as I have some left over from a couple of years ago, a Sugar Pure (gen 2) that I received 27 of for free as a tester (used on holes where a lost ball is somewhat likely) or a Vice Pro that I bought a dozen of to test for a softer feel than the Vice Pro Plus. When these are exhausted, I am going back to the Pro Plus, which I feel has performed best for me in the past and seems to continue to do so despite cold temps.

[Ger21]

Maxfli Tour or Vice Pro/Pro Plus. Whichever is cheaper. Best balls for the money. Just stocked up on the Maxfli Tour at $25/dzn.

[outfitter]

56 minutes ago, Ger21 said:

Maxfli Tour or Vice Pro/Pro Plus. Whichever is cheaper. Best balls for the money. Just stocked up on the Maxfli Tour at $25/dzn.

 

I'm like you, testing out 2 dozen Maxfli Tour in comparison to the Vice Pro +. 

[Ger21]

16 minutes ago, outfitter said:

I'm like you, testing out 2 dozen Maxfli Tour in comparison to the Vice Pro +. 

I played Maxfli Tour 2019 model for two years, then Vice Pro Plus for two years, now going back to Maxfli Tour.

Pro Plus is a little firmer, but performance is similar.