Top Flite Z-Balata

ScooterMcTavish · July 24, 2009

Too good to be true?

So in Canada this week, Canadian Tire has Top Flite Z-Balata balls on sale for $9.99 per dozen.

Based on the description (2-piece with Zylin [fake balata] cover), these sound suspiciously like the old Tour Editions.

Anyone tried hitting one of these? Good, bad, or indifferent? For $9.99 they almost sound worth buying, just to see how good they are. FYI, the y have the new (~2 yrs old) Top Flite logo on them, so I'm guessing these are not dead stock.

parpar41 · July 24, 2009

I would have said that "Z-balatas" were about 6 to 10 years old, but then I saw your reference to the new logo.

worth a try for $10 bucks.

ScooterMcTavish · July 27, 2009

Well, bought a dozen, and used them for an 18 hole round this weekend. General comments are:

- Hard off the irons! Wow, like a step back in time. These are certainly not low-copmpression balls. My guess is 90 compression as the numbers are on the ball in red (no kidding).
- Straight! I have a fade which is a borderline slice. This ball had very little sidespin off the driver, and faded nicely without leaking to the right.
- Far! Almost drove a par 4, and I am not a big hitter. Not hitting a boomerang helps.
- Low! Excellent boring trajectory on my shots. I have had a tendency to balloon drives; these stayed low and went.
- Spin? For having a "balata" cover, these balls did not spin very well, and found them a bit stiff around the greens. This being said, I just had to bump and run a bit more, and actually scored better doing this than trying to spin tight to the pin.

Overall, shot an 88 on a course I am not familiar with. Not bad at all. Plus, they are tough - 1 ball for the entire round, and only a few light scuffs.

If anyone has a reasonably quick swing speed, fights slicing, and misses greens (and would improve with a bump and run lower trajectory ball), this is certainly worth trying when they come on sale next time! Heck at $19.99 a dozen regular price, not bad either.

raadkins16 · July 27, 2009

Is this only available in Canada? I can't even seem to find it online.

ScooterMcTavish · July 28, 2009

Sorry Raadkins,

I've only seen these at Canadian Tire, though I was in Golf Town the other day, and saw some Top Flite SD Balata balls for $9.99/doz. These had the old logo though, so were likely 2-3 years deadstock.

Maybe you can find a Canadian Friend to send you some next time they are on sale. I know some guys in the UK do this.

bomberman · July 28, 2009

I remember these from about 8-9 years back, the word "balata" is just marketing as these things were certainly not soft or spinny.

I believe these were just 2-piece distance balls with a fancy label.

Pretty sure if Ukranian tire is selling them they probably aren't a premium ball. But if you like them the price is right.

ScooterMcTavish · July 29, 2009

[quote]Pretty sure if Ukranian tire is selling them they probably aren't a premium ball.[/quote]

Now that you mention it, I don't remember seeing any golf balls that were recognizeable from any golf shop I've ever been in.[]

I had originally asked the question, as I thought the old Spalding Tour Editions had a Zylin cover that was really spinny and nice to hit. If memory serves correct, it was the first two piece ball to try matching these qualities (like the e5+ now).

Going out for another round tonight. Can't say I particularly like the feel of these, but straight is straight.