Low spin ball for high ss golfer?

[jones137]

Been playing the ProV1x and when I hit it flush nothing goes further. SS is around 115-118. However, when I don't catch it flush it has too much sidespin.......same with my irons as well.

 

I'm not concerned around the greens as I typically chip with a 60* and already generate a ton of spin. I hit the the ball pretty high so I control my approaches with angle of descent versus spin.

 

Any recommendations?

[kellygreen]

[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364824097' post='6736033']
Been playing the ProV1x and when I hit it flush nothing goes further. SS is around 115-118. However, when I don't catch it flush it has too much sidespin.......same with my irons as well.

I'm not concerned around the greens as I typically chip with a 60* and already generate a ton of spin. I hit the the ball pretty high so I control my approaches with angle of descent versus spin.

Any recommendations?
[/quote]

In my experience the ProV1x has one of the lowest spin rates off the driver of premium hybrid covered balls. Other balls I've tried will either hit it slightly higher or lower...or with more spin to allow shot-shaping. But I haven't run into anything in that class of ball that is straigher on mis-hits.

If the spin is really a problem, then you may have to consider going to a more forgiving driver design. One that puts less spin on the ball with off-center hits.

[jones137]

Doesn't have to be a premium ball.......as a matter of fact I'd like it not to be a premium ball.

[RocketScience]

In my experience srixon z-star xv is lower spin than last year's pro v1x. Just picked up a sleave of this year's to try out though. The xv still offers good spin around the greens as well as better durability than the pro v. It sounds like you are just looking for a distance rock though?

[jones137]

[quote name='RocketScience' timestamp='1364828228' post='6736461']
In my experience srixon z-star xv is lower spin than last year's pro v1x. Just picked up a sleave of this year's to try out though. The xv still offers good spin around the greens as well as better durability than the pro v. It sounds like you are just looking for a distance rock though?
[/quote]

Pretty much.......really just looking for a ball that is going to stay in play off the tee. The premium balls tend to spin enough extra to put me out of the fairway......and it's costing me strokes. I think I'd be better off sacrificing spin around the greens in order to hit more fairways. I can adjust to a harder ball around the greens by playing different shots.

[G-Bone]

The best premium ball for your needs is this Lethal or 2013 20XI-x. Based on mine and a couple of others Trackman numbers, they are the lowest spinning premium balls off the driver (yes, lower than V1x... by several hundred rpm).

If you are looking for a straight bomber, I'd check out Callaway HEX Hot or TM Super Deep. My buddy was playing Super Deep in Florida this winter and just flat killing the ball!

[kellygreen]

[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364828590' post='6736513']
[quote name='RocketScience' timestamp='1364828228' post='6736461']
In my experience srixon z-star xv is lower spin than last year's pro v1x. Just picked up a sleave of this year's to try out though. The xv still offers good spin around the greens as well as better durability than the pro v. It sounds like you are just looking for a distance rock though?
[/quote]

Pretty much.......really just looking for a ball that is going to stay in play off the tee. The premium balls tend to spin enough extra to put me out of the fairway......and it's costing me strokes. I think I'd be better off sacrificing spin around the greens in order to hit more fairways. I can adjust to a harder ball around the greens by playing different shots.
[/quote]

Or backing down and playing a club you have better cotrol over, in order to keep the ball in play.

Going to a distance ball would be a HUGE trade-off. You'd not only lose spin around the greens on your short game shots, you'd also lose most of your power to stop the ball on the greens with your approach shots. Even at your clubhead speeds, you'd have trouble getting anything longer than about an 8-iron to check up.

A better solution would be to work on hitting tee shots with your three-wood or a 5-wood/2 hybrid. Because at y(our) swingspeed, you have the advantage of being able to hit the ball farther with a fairway wood or hybrid than many recreational players can hit it with their drivers. Then take advantage of your power (again) by having a shorter club into the green from that same spot in the fairway.

With respect, it sounds like the ball isn't the problem. It's that your swing isn't ready for the demands of hitting the driver quite yet...but with your power, you can leave your driver at home----on any course less than 7000 yds---and still have plenty of power in reserve.

[jar59]

I would give the Srixon Z-Star a try. Not the XV, the regular Z-Star. Keegan Bradley and a few other guys that swing in your range are using it according to their website. The disconnect is the tour pros are using the 2013 version and that isn't available yet in the US, but the 2011 version is a little firmer according to the info I have seen. It should be the best for hitting it straighter with great performance around the greens and plenty of distance.

[titleist fan 1]

For you I would say have a look at a ball like velocity or e7 that won't spin a lot off the tee And like you said you can adjust for around the greens that would maybe fit, and even for low side spin the e6 as well I have heard is a good ball and callaways hex hot or hex hot pro they could work I haven't tried any of these as I usually play the B330-S but that wouldn't fit you I don't think.

[bcflyguy1]

Titleist Velocity has a cover hard enough to make Pinnacles jealous.

Having said that, have to agree with others that you likely won't get the sidespin reduction you're looking for just from a ball switch. All balls spin so little off the tee now that if you mis-hit them they're all going to wander off line about the same distance

[DoYouKnowTheMuffinMan]

20xi-x

[Flip4000]

I would consider the topflite gamer v2. I played this ball on a golf trip last week and it actually ended up working pretty well for me. Its fairly straight off the tee, and will give u some green side spin ( enough to hold greens on ur longer shots) but deffinatly less then a prov 1. I too am a golfer who likes to drop the ball in high vs trying to hit it low and nippy so i would say give this ball a try. I know most stores are trying to get this ball out of the inventory to make room for the new "gamer" which i think its pretty much the same as the v2 but i know at golf galaxy (at least where i live) it is currently on sale for about 12 bucks so deffinatly worth trying to pick up. i know the new gamer is selling for something around 20 so i would suggest getting ur hands on the ball and at least trying it out. just my 2 cents

[sonofagunn]

You could try the Wilson DUO. I found it to be very straight on full shots but I was unhappy with the lack of spin on full irons and short game shots. There's a thread somewhere in this forum where people were really liking it.

[jones137]

Thanks everybody for the input. I'm going to try some of the suggestions.........believe me, I understand changing balls isn't going to make a dramatic difference but I'm not looking for much. I'm talking about the shots that are 5 yards off the fairway behind a tree that with a different ball might be in the fairway.....I do this enough were it good be a big difference in score. I'm not slicing or hooking off the planet just small misses.

[kellygreen]

[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364926835' post='6745409']
Thanks everybody for the input. I'm going to try some of the suggestions.........believe me, I understand changing balls isn't going to make a dramatic difference but I'm not looking for much. I'm talking about the shots that are 5 yards off the fairway behind a tree that with a different ball might be in the fairway.....I do this enough were it good be a big difference in score. I'm not slicing or hooking off the planet just small misses.
[/quote]

Small misses....[u][b][i]but how OFTEN?[/i][/b][/u]

If its one time in ten....don't worry about it. Golf is a game of misses. Your time would be better spent working on your repertoire of recovery shots.

But if you're behind that tree multiple times for every 10 drivers that you hit....again...it sounds like a course management issue. That you are trying to press the issue with the driver, when you probably should be hitting a shorter club for position.

...and the fact that you are here asking people's opinions about changing golf balls, suggests that its the latter situation rather than the former.

[jones137]

[quote name='kellygreen' timestamp='1364936173' post='6746671']
[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364926835' post='6745409']
Thanks everybody for the input. I'm going to try some of the suggestions.........believe me, I understand changing balls isn't going to make a dramatic difference but I'm not looking for much. I'm talking about the shots that are 5 yards off the fairway behind a tree that with a different ball might be in the fairway.....I do this enough were it good be a big difference in score. I'm not slicing or hooking off the planet just small misses.
[/quote]

Small misses....[u][b][i]but how OFTEN?[/i][/b][/u]

If its one time in ten....don't worry about it. Golf is a game of misses. Your time would be better spent working on your repertoire of recovery shots.

But if you're behind that tree multiple times for every 10 drivers that you hit....again...it sounds like a course management issue. That you are trying to press the issue with the driver, when you probably should be hitting a shorter club for position.

...and the fact that you are here asking people's opinions about changing golf balls, suggests that its the latter situation rather than the former.
[/quote]

I asked for ball advice.......plain and simple. I'm not asking whether I need to change my course management or not hit driver.

Sure I can hit my hybrid off the tee and put it out there 230 yards and almost always in the fairway........but I enjoy hitting driver and playing the [i][b]game[/b][/i] of golf. The difference between an E6 and Prov1x in terms of sidespin reduction while not dramatic may be enough to put me in the fairway. Keep in mind if I hit driver I rarely need to hit anything longer than a 9 iron into the green which allows me to hit the ball really high.

So I'm going to give the E6 and HEX Hot a shot.

[HiSpeed48]

I found a Callaway Tour i(z) on the course the other day and used it for the rest of my round, that ball is very low spin and long!! I was so impressed that I bought a box of them.

[OUZO Power]

Bridgestone E6
Callaway HEX Diablo

[Brettasaurus]

Bridgestone E5, urethane cover two piece ball that spins enough around the green to get a ball to check up but also spins less than a Pro V1x, Z-Star XV or Bridgestone B330 when hitting the driver. The E5 is an excellent ball that does everything pretty well. If you can't hit rock hard distance balls because they are well, rock hard distance balls, but need less spin that a 3-4-5 piece tour level ball then it's hard to beat the E5. The E6 is also good but the E5 is better around the greens and feels better off the putter.

[kellygreen]

[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364994965' post='6750373']
[quote name='kellygreen' timestamp='1364936173' post='6746671']
[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364926835' post='6745409']
Thanks everybody for the input. I'm going to try some of the suggestions.........believe me, I understand changing balls isn't going to make a dramatic difference but I'm not looking for much. I'm talking about the shots that are 5 yards off the fairway behind a tree that with a different ball might be in the fairway.....I do this enough were it good be a big difference in score. I'm not slicing or hooking off the planet just small misses.
[/quote]

Small misses....[u][b][i]but how OFTEN?[/i][/b][/u]

If its one time in ten....don't worry about it. Golf is a game of misses. Your time would be better spent working on your repertoire of recovery shots.

But if you're behind that tree multiple times for every 10 drivers that you hit....again...it sounds like a course management issue. That you are trying to press the issue with the driver, when you probably should be hitting a shorter club for position.

...and the fact that you are here asking people's opinions about changing golf balls, suggests that its the latter situation rather than the former.
[/quote]

I asked for ball advice.......plain and simple. I'm not asking whether I need to change my course management or not hit driver.

Sure I can hit my hybrid off the tee and put it out there 230 yards and almost always in the fairway........but I enjoy hitting driver and playing the [i][b]game[/b][/i] of golf. The difference between an E6 and Prov1x in terms of sidespin reduction while not dramatic may be enough to put me in the fairway.[i][b] Keep in mind if I hit driver I rarely need to hit anything longer than a 9 iron into the green which allows me to hit the ball really high.[/b][/i]

So I'm going to give the E6 and HEX Hot a shot.
[/quote]

There's an old saying in my line of work, "[b][i]Don't give me what I asked for. Give me what I need."[/i][/b]

Again, you may "enjoy" hitting the driver (I've never met a power-player who doesn't....when he can find the ball when it comes down)...and you may seldom have less than an 9-iron into the green when you keep the driver in play....

But if that strategy were working WELL for you, and letting you score your best, I sincerely doubt that you would be here asking for advice on a lower spin ball to help you keep the driver in play better. C[i][b]ourse management...the decision to play what club, and what shot when...IS as much the "game of golf" as hitting the golf ball. Golf is an athletic game of chess. As much a game of strategy as it is a game of physical skill.[/b][/i]

Like I said in my first post---because every power-player (including myself) has to learn this lesson---one of the toughest parts of the game for those who can hit the ball a long way is learning when to back down and not give in to the temptation to do so. Some players (like Tiger and Rory) learn that lesson early on...and they become dangerous players for whom their power is an asset. Others....like John Daly...NEVER learn that lesson. Because they don't want to deny themselves the "rush" of hitting it long. So they never reach their full potential.

Give me a tight par 4....I'll let you hit your driver...and I'll hit my 3-wood. When your ball is in the fairway, you'll have your 9-iron...and I'll have my 7-iron. Because I play a higher spin ball, I'll be able to hit my 7-iron almost as close to the pin as you'll hit your 9-iron from a fairway lie. But (I'm betting) that over the course of playing that hole ten times, you are going to be behind that tree several times. While I'll be in the fairway 9 times, and in the first cut the other time.

You may outscore me on one or two plays. But I'll easily outscore you over the course of playing the hole ten times. Because those balls behind the trees bring bogey and double into play.
But hey...its your game and your life...and you're free to ignore me. Hower, as my dad used to say, "[i]A word to the wise is usually sufficient[/i]."

[slodsm]

[quote name='Brettasaurus' timestamp='1365005297' post='6751471']
Bridgestone E5, urethane cover two piece ball that spins enough around the green to get a ball to check up but also spins less than a Pro V1x, Z-Star XV or Bridgestone B330 when hitting the driver. The E5 is an excellent ball that does everything pretty well. If you can't hit rock hard distance balls because they are well, rock hard distance balls, but need less spin that a 3-4-5 piece tour level ball then it's hard to beat the E5. The E6 is also good but the E5 is better around the greens and feels better off the putter.
[/quote]

I agree that the E5 is hard to beat when it comes to a decently price urethane ball but I have to disagree a bit on side spin off the driver. I play a course absolutely covered in water and OOB that are ball eaters. I switched to the E5 from the V1x there because I simply can't make it through a round without donating a few balls to the golf gods on a course like this. I've noticed repeatedly when my swing is not quite on that day, I get absolutely brutal slices/hooks with the E5 that wouldn't have been near as bad with the X. I still play it and will continue to play it but I believe being a 2 piece it simply can't have the lack of spin on the driver and still generate the spin it does on iron shots with only 1 layer to compress.

Your mileage may vary but it's just my observation.

[justodd]

Try the callaway hec Black Tour. you will love it thank me later. P.S. golf just ain't cheap.

[spring70]

[quote name='jones137' timestamp='1364824097' post='6736033']
Been playing the ProV1x and when I hit it flush nothing goes further. SS is around 115-118. However, when I don't catch it flush it has too much sidespin.......same with my irons as well.

I'm not concerned around the greens as I typically chip with a 60* and already generate a ton of spin. I hit the the ball pretty high so I control my approaches with angle of descent versus spin.

Any recommendations?
[/quote]

Srixon XV or B330

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

FWIW, in my experience (very short hitter with low clubhead speed) the difference is an e6 and a Pro V1 in terms of how far offline a crooked tee shot ends up exists but it is very, very minor. Couple, three or four yards difference in how far offline a 20-yard slice ends up. Almost no difference in how far offline a 30-yard hook ends up. You can talk e6 to a slice but a hook won't listen...or something like that. If you really feel you're giving up absolutely nothing elsewhere in game by switching to an e6 or similar then do it. But the advantage in terms of lost balls or position for a recovery shot is so small it may only make a noticeable difference on one-in-five or one-in-ten bad tee shots. Of course if you hit your tee shots 270 instead of my 200 yards maybe it's a bigger deal.