Pinned? Best modern balls for vintage clubs

[birly-shirly]

NRJyzr - have you ever seen a decent technical explanation of what, from a shotmaking standpoint, DOES increase spin? I'm not sure I have.

[NRJyzr]

No single comprehensive piece, sadly.

I think the companies like to keep a lot of it close to the vest, and they're generally the folks with all the information.

Sometimes you can find bits and pieces here and there.

Like the "trapping/pinching the ball" discussion. I saw a video piece talking about that, showing the actual video of what's happening. You can see the clubface hits the ball and it instantly is propelled off the clubface.

The compression of the ball is said to be an area in which there is too much loss in the club/ball collision. The deformation of the ball creates an inefficiency. A benefit of higher COR woods is that they reduce some of the deformation, and improved the efficiency of the ball/club collision.

It's all very entertaining.
And I'm getting a bit off track. LOL

[ScooterMcTavish]

Great post Big Stu

Idea for something to try with the buddies next year.

[tevans]

[quote name='ScooterMcTavish' timestamp='1374519013' post='7515214']
One question that seems to get discussed a fair bit is what modern golf ball works best with vintage equipment, and/or which feels most like balata. Thinking if we have a pinned thread for this, I can update the first post continually with what others add in their experiences below. Then, any new or current vintage players can click on the pinned thread and immediately get some suggestions of the ball they could/should play.

I guess we'll wait and see if the mods agree with the idea, but for now, I think I can start the thread. Some important data I think we should include is:
- Clubs it was hit with
- Spin (tee, fairways, approach, pitch/chip)
- Trajectory
- Feel, for woods, irons and putter on the Balata Scale (between 1 - Yuck and 5 - Pretty Close)
- General comments
- Price paid
- Where available

The balls will be listed in alphabetical order by manufacturer. We'll also combine comments into "meta-comments", yet leave everyone's individual posts in place if people want to deep dive into people's impressions. I would suggest starting your post in [b]Bold Letters[/b] which ball you're reviewing to make it easier for people to scan through. I'd also suggest we move debates about a certain ball to individual threads - would really like this one to be more of a collected data/FYI thread.


[b]Bridgestone[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]B330-RXS[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II; Woods - Staff Tour Block Laminate
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, medium; fairways, medium; approach, high; pitch/chip, high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 4, Putter - 4
[u]Comments[/u]: A pricey option vs. the FG Tour, but a perfectly suitable ball for playing with vintage clubs. Disappears off the irons, has a low enough compression and soft enough cover that it feels pretty balata-ish. Has the usual Bridgestone issue of a slightly firmer urethane cover, which gives it a little less spin that the FG Tour, but a little better distance. Very nice ball - would game it everyday if it was a bit cheaper. Can trade the slight loss in feel for the added distance.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $40-47/doz online new, much cheaper recycled

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]e5[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II; Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, high; fairways, high; approach, high; pitch/chip, high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: High
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 4, Putter - 4
[u]Comments[/u]: Very nice ball - a bit firmer than the FG Tour, but spins a lot. We know we can work the ball with blades, but this ball can turn a draw into a hook. Can definitely see the absence of a mantle layer in the ball to help straighten it out. Pretty much the spinniest ball I've tested, and maybe a good one for those who love to work the ball HARD. However, my opinion is control can be lost a little too easily. Urethane cover has a nice muted feel off all clubs.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $25/doz at many retailers

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]e7[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, med; approach, med; pitch/chip, med
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Med/Low
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 2, Irons - 2, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: This ball is HARD! To some extent it does what Bridgestone claims, and it can have a lower trajectory as it does not spin much. Flip side is that it loses almost all feel. Unless you're a ball-crusher like Froth, this thing is a ROCK, making mishits on vintage even more painful (numb hands!). Surprisingly enough though, it does spin reasonably well on approaches, and putts nicely. And, if you're a high backspin driver hitter (like me), it goes like snot.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $25/doz at many retailers


[b]Callaway[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]HX Diablo[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Staff Tour Block Laminate
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, low; approach, low; pitch/chip, medium
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium/Low
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 2, Irons - 3, Putter - 2
[u]Comments[/u]: Plenty soft enough to play with, but does seem to "spring" off the clubs. Disappears on a well struck iron, but it is a surlyn ball. Rebounds too quick off of woods to remind me of balata. Putts OK for a surlyn ball with a non insert putter. Good choice on a day when you're having spin issues, or when windy - ball loses height due to less backspin.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: On closeout for $10 doz, getting tougher to find

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Hex Black Tour[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Staff Tour Block Laminate
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, medium; fairways, medium; approach, med/high; pitch/chip, high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 4, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: The soft urethane cover feels good, but this is a firm ball. My memory ain't so good, but to me, this felt like what a 100 compression balata ball felt like. Definitely more "clack" off the irons, "crack" off the woods, and "clunk" off the putter. A suitable ball, though you have to like the feel of a firm ball. Not as spinny as the FG Tour.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: On sale for $40 doz at most online retailers


[b]Nike[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]20XI-X[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Hogan Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, med; approach, med; pitch/chip, medium
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 2, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: Very hard ball with a firm urethane cover. More reminded me of a B330 I once played. Straight, reasonably long, but only moderate spin. Generally unpleasant off of vintage, with a too-firm feel on the irons, too sharp a crack off the persimmon, and a bit better (though not great) off the putter. Especially for the price, the Bridgestone balls offer better feel (RX, RXS).
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Looks like about $30 should get you a dozen online

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Crush (Red)[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Hogan Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, med; approach, med; pitch/chip, medium
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 4, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: Surprised at how nice this ball was - very straight and long off the tee, yet soft enough to compress with a satisfying smack off irons. Not a tour ball, but one of the better spinning two-piece balls I've used around the green; hard to get it to release. Comes off the putter "hot". Really nice all around ball, would make a great fall gamer; a step above the Slazenger and Maxfli models. Reminds me of the old AD333.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Looks like about $20 should get you a dozen online



[b]Maxfli[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Revolution Spin[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, med; fairways, med; approach, low/medium; pitch/chip, low
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Med
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 2, Putter - 2
[u]Comments[/u]: Clickety-clack, there goes the ball. Not as bad off woods as irons where it is really clicky. Spins well for a 2-piece ball, but noted in testing last year that it spins better in warm weather. One of the better putting 2-pc. balls. Really not bad for what you pay, with a softer feel that is OK off vintage. Cover is just a bit too hard.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Dick's Sporting Goods, usually 2 doz. for $20



[b]Slazenger[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Raw Distance Feel (Blue box)[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, low; approach, medium; pitch/chip, medium
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 3, Putter - 2
[u]Comments[/u]: Been a big fan of this ball for its soft feel, and reasonable spin for a 2-piece. Plus, when you can use a coupon and pick up 4 dozen for the insane price of like $20, why wouldn't you? It's fine off vintage, and isn't too hard, just not a great putting ball. But hey, when leaf season comes around, it's a pretty good option. Slazenger logo is also cool, and almost guaranteed no-one else in your foursome is playing one.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Dick's or Golf Galaxy, usually 2 x 2doz packs for $30-$35.



[b]Srixon[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Z-Star[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, med/high; fairways, med; approach, medium/high; pitch/chip, high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium/high
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 4, Putter - 4
[u]Comments[/u]: A good all around ball for vintage. Fits third in my ranking behind the FG Tour and B330 RXS. Cover is marginally less spinny, and feel is a touch firmer than with the other two balls, and I feel softness gives a ball that "balata" feeling. Very consistent, and I find it's mantle layer (or less tacky cover) keeps things a little straighter off the tee and fairway. If you have some control issues, this might be a good first choice.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: On season end clearance, anywhere from $25-$35.


[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Z-Star XV[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, med; fairways, med; approach, medium; pitch/chip, medium
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 2, Irons - 1, Putter - 2
[u]Comments[/u]: I know others have been a big fan of this ball. Count me out, though it may be my SS is just a bit too slow for it. Playing a round the other day, I switched from an HX Diablo to the XV, and it was like night and day. Hard off woods. Hard off irons. Little spin, no feel. In fact, this was about the least favourite urethane ball I've ever played.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: On season end clearance, anywhere from $25-$35.



[b]Strata (Callaway)[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Jet[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II, Woods - Staff Tour Block Laminate
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, low; approach, medium; pitch/chip, low
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Low
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 2, Irons - 2, Putter - 2
[u]Comments[/u]: Best comparison is to a Wilson Ultra, circa 1985. Cutproof, goes like stink, and feels like hitting a hard chunk of plastic. A poor choice matched with vintage irons, as it doesn't get the backspin necessary for good approaches and chips - had a 5 yd roll out on the green with an PW which was hit high! Supposedly durable, but shredded flakes off the cover with my PW.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Your local mass-market retailer, usually for around $15 for 15.



[b]TaylorMade[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Penta TP3[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, medium; fairways, medium; approach, medium; pitch/chip, medium/high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 3, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: Interesting ball, as it feels rather soft off modern equipment. However, its character completely changes on vintage. Has a harder sound off the woods and irons, nothing like the muted click of the FG Tour, or even the very soft covered Hex Black. Distance is average, and it spun less off approach irons than FG Tour. Putts OK, but a bit firm. Might be a good ball for a harder swing/higher spin player than I.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Anywhere between $20-$30/doz at various online retailers.



[b]Titleist[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]ProV1[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - FG-17, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, high; fairways, high; approach, high; pitch/chip, high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium/High
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 5, Putter - 4
[u]Comments[/u]: This may be heresy, but I've never seen the appeal of the ProV myself. "So it works about the same as a Z-Star, feels harder than an FG Tour, yet costs 150-250% more when I can get the others on sale? Sign me up." Such is the marketing machine that is Titleist. And don't get me wrong, it is a good ball that feels firm (like the Z-Star), yet is completely satisfactory off of vintage. I just have never been able to make the performance/price connection so many others do.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $47/doz just about anywhere.

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]Velocity[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Hogan Apex II, Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, medium; fairways, medium; approach, medium; pitch/chip, medium
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 3, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: I was really prepared to hate this ball, as I generally don't like anything made by Titleist. However, I tried a sleeve at the urging of my partner, and was very impressed. For a two piece ball, felt nicely soft off both the irons and woods, and distance was notably above average. Not clicky, even off the putter. Spin was better than most 2 piece balls. Not a great value for a 2-piece however.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $34/doz at your local big box retailer, have seen Titleist X-Outs full of Velocity at Wal-Mart for $12



[b]Wilson Staff[/b]

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]50 Elite (Yellow)[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon FW, Eye 2 Driver
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, low; approach, low; pitch/chip, low
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 3, Irons - 2, Putter - 1
[u]Comments[/u]: No question this is a surlyn ball - clicky off the irons and the putter, slightly better off the woods. Enjoyed the older white version of the ball (the original 50/50) as it had a surprisingly soft cover (like the original Zip). The current covers do not share this tackiness, and packaging (including inside stampings) suggests it is made in the same factory as discount Wilson balls (like the F.L.I.). I'd pass on this one - many better options out there in a soft two-piece ball.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $13 at Wally World

[u]Ball[/u]: [b]C:25[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Hogan Personal Persimmon
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, med; fairways, med; approach, med; pitch/chip, med
[u]Trajectory[/u]: Medium
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 2.5, Putter - 3
[u]Comments[/u]: Not bad but genuinely unremarkabale - would say it felt more like a 2-piece than a 3-piece ball. Not much like the Zip which it was to replace. Feels hard on off-centre iron hits, doesn't spin or bite remarkably well, but not too clicky putting either. Nice off persimmon though, and does deliver very good distance.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: 2 doz for $30 at Golfsmith

[u]Ball[/u]: Duo[b] (Yellow)[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Hogan Persimmon FW
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, low; fairways, low; approach, med/high; pitch/chip, med/high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: High
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 4, Irons - 4, Putter - 4
[u]Comments[/u]: Wow, what a superb ball. Smooth off the woods and irons, decent spin on approaches and chips. Putts unlike any other 2 piece I've ever played. The hype is real. Not 100% muted in sound like balata, but just doesn't sound clicky like every other surlyn balls. Wanted to hate it based on the hype - ended up loving it.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: $25 just about everywhere


[u]Ball[/u]: [b]FG Tour[/b]
[u]Clubs Played With[/u]: Irons - Staff FG-17; Woods - Staff Tour Block Laminate
[u]Spin[/u]: Tee, high; fairways, high; approach, high; pitch/chip, very high
[u]Trajectory[/u]: High
[u]Feel[/u]: Woods - 5, Irons - 4, Putter - 5
[u]Comments[/u]: Feels like it sits on the face of the woods forever, just like balata, and has such a soft muted cover, it again, feels like balata when putting. Only difference is it does feel a little firmer than a balata ball off the irons. Not clicky, but a little firmer feeling than I remember. Best spin on any urethane ball I've seen with traditional clubs, but can bite you when driving.
[u]Price and Availability[/u]: Good blems for $15/doz, usually $20/doz online, yellow plays the same as white
[/quote]

Love this Thread. Really helpful info as I consider balls for next season.

[minimal45]

Great topic very helpful since I switched to more classic clubs I have been looking for balls that feel softer with older equipment, nxt tour s is a good ball off my old burner and my bullseye.

[minimal45]

The new Callaway super soft might be worth a try.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Saw that one advertised - it's on my "to try" list next spring. In my "try everything" pile for next year, I already have:

Z-Star SL
Noodle Distance
Nike 20-1X - Control

If you like the NXT-S, you may want to try the Duo. Without question, the softest feeling surlyn ball I've ever had come off a putter.

[minimal45]

Yeah I have some duos they are a great ball for vintage play.

[HoldenCornfield]

Has anyone tried the new Hogan golf balls?

[teevons]

Blasphemy

[super20dan]

an old timer(like i am not?) turned me onto the nike pd soft. best for vintage golf i have tried.

[okesa]

[size=5]Am I being over-simplistic if I suggest reading what it says on the packet?........if it says it's a ball played by Tiger,Phil,Rory or whoever that immediately suggests that a) it's not a ball for me and b) it's going to cost about £30 a dozen.[/size]
[size=5]Whilst happy to compliment Scooter on his efforts it is entirely his subjective appraisal of what's on offer,I recently tried FG Tour and found them vastly inferior to either DT Solo or Srixon Soft Feel but that's off my clubs and under my course conditions so maybe you just have to suck it and see.....[/size]

[trapsmv15]

[quote name='okesa' timestamp='1389741015' post='8461247']
[size=5]Am I being over-simplistic if I suggest reading what it says on the packet?........if it says it's a ball played by Tiger,Phil,Rory or whoever that immediately suggests that a) it's not a ball for me and b) it's going to cost about £30 a dozen.[/size]
[size=5]Whilst happy to compliment Scooter on his efforts it is entirely his subjective appraisal of what's on offer,I recently tried FG Tour and found them vastly inferior to either DT Solo or Srixon Soft Feel but that's off my clubs and under my course conditions so maybe you just have to suck it and see.....[/size]
[/quote]
I'm building a vintage bag for fun and was looking at those Srixon Soft Feel balls, have you played their other offering the Trispeed Tour? They're both 2 for $35 at Dicks and was gonna stock up

[okesa]

[size=5]Yes,it's a good ball and I played it regularly with metal driver and fairway but not with wooden clubs so can't comment on that,the Trispeed is noticeably firmer than SF maybe equivalent to an Nxt Tour.[/size]

[trapsmv15]

Gotcha, thank you okesa

[ScooterMcTavish]

[quote name='okesa' timestamp='1389741015' post='8461247']
[size=5]Whilst happy to compliment Scooter on his efforts it is entirely his subjective appraisal of what's on offer[/size]
[/quote]

Absolutely Okesa,

Unfortunately, I had hoped my comments could turn into "meta-comments" and others would try other balls and report back with their findings as well which I would then fold into the initial post. I appreciate that people like my postings, but the more people who participate, the more value the thread will have.

[trapsmv15]

[quote name='ScooterMcTavish' timestamp='1390495542' post='8516671']
[quote name='okesa' timestamp='1389741015' post='8461247']
[size=5]Whilst happy to compliment Scooter on his efforts it is entirely his subjective appraisal of what's on offer[/size]
[/quote]

Absolutely Okesa,

Unfortunately, I had hoped my comments could turn into "meta-comments" and others would try other balls and report back with their findings as well which I would then fold into the initial post. I appreciate that people like my postings, but the more people who participate, the more value the thread will have.
[/quote]
What a great thread, and I'll be glad to participate. Sadly, I'm in New York. I'll get back to you on that in May....

Plan on trying the Maxfli U/2 out to add. I suspect that the feel will not be good at all, but its spin numbers in GD (highest driver spin by far and in the top tier off the wedge) make it look like it could be a great ball performance-wise, especially off the tee with persimmon.

[BIG STU]

I would like to add one question to this. I am getting serious on my vintage golf an I am in the process of going through my sets to figure what I am going to do. Will some of these modern balls crack a persimmon wood? I cracked my beloved Power Bilt blonde persimmon driver in 95 hitting range balls. I think I am going to use one of my Penna persimmons or the last Power Bilt that I gamed. I really don't want to game my 1950 Eye O Matic or the Mac Penna Specials I scored this week. Normally I play the Pro V 1 x or Srixon Z star with my somewhat modern gamers. From what I am reading on here the Wilson Duos seem to be the way to go

[BIG STU]

[quote name='ScooterMcTavish' timestamp='1384543332' post='8154350']
Great post Big Stu

Idea for something to try with the buddies next year.
[/quote]Heck if you come to the Myrtle Beach drop me a line I do see you are from the "Great White North" so if you are flying down and don't want to pay for the weight of extra clubs I have plenty you are welcome to use. We will have a blast

[ScooterMcTavish]

Time to bump the thread back up as golf will be starting for us up North shortly (if it hasn't already).

Again, my comments and observations are completely subjective, and I do welcome comments from others to add to the original post. However, please give some context to the comment, i.e.:

This ball sucked - BAD

The ball had a nice soft feel; not as soft as an FG Tour, but more than suitable for vintage play. Low spin off driver, good spin of FW, great off wedges, and a great feel off the putter. - GOOD

Oh, and Big Stu, from what I've read in the forums, cracked persimmons seem to come from a cause more than just the ball. This being said, avoiding "hard" distance balls is probably a good idea, from both an damage and enjoyment perspective. Personally, I think any urethane ball should be fine, or any surlyn "soft" ball.

I haven't tried the new iteration of the FG Tour yet, but the previous gen one was my favourite ball off vintage. As the lowest compression tour ball out there, it just had such a great soft balata-ish feel to me. If you wanted to try it, likely a Wal-mart in your area is clearing them out for $25/doz - yellow plays the same as white.

[oldschoolrocker]

Still looking to try these fg balls Scott. Played 2 rounds during the past 2 weeks, using the Wilson Duo, the Sxiron Z-star and the Prov1. Have to say did not find much difference off the tee or putting, but on 3 pars from the tee the Prov lived up to its hype and was the winner hands down. No question about it's stopping power on firmer greens. Now, I played the Duo full time last year, but I may go back to the Prov if I can find some decent deals price wise.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Z-Star SL added. Was surprisingly unimpressed. Preferred the regular Z-Star over it off of vintage. Maybe not a bad thing that Srixon is looking at a Q-Star variant with urethane - stay tuned.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Nike 20X1-S added. Considering everyone is blowing these out for $25/doz as the new RZN balls are coming in, they have a pretty good price/performance ratio for those who prefer a firmer ball.

[Froth]

[quote name='ScooterMcTavish' timestamp='1398433974' post='9168077']
Time to bump the thread back up as golf will be starting for us up North shortly (if it hasn't already).

Again, my comments and observations are completely subjective, and I do welcome comments from others to add to the original post. However, please give some context to the comment, i.e.:

This ball sucked - BAD

The ball had a nice soft feel; not as soft as an FG Tour, but more than suitable for vintage play. Low spin off driver, good spin of FW, great off wedges, and a great feel off the putter. - GOOD

Oh, and Big Stu, from what I've read in the forums, cracked persimmons seem to come from a cause more than just the ball. This being said, avoiding "hard" distance balls is probably a good idea, from both an damage and enjoyment perspective. Personally, I think any urethane ball should be fine, or any surlyn "soft" ball.

I haven't tried the new iteration of the FG Tour yet, but the previous gen one was my favourite ball off vintage. As the lowest compression tour ball out there, it just had such a great soft balata-ish feel to me. If you wanted to try it, likely a Wal-mart in your area is clearing them out for $25/doz - yellow plays the same as white.
[/quote]
You will be pleased to know the 2014 FG Tour is actually slightly softer feeling and sounding, and it plays fantastic off vintage clubs(more specifically wood). I hit some beautiful drives that felt just wonderful last week with a Wilson 4300 Tour Block and the 2014 FG Tour, it also felt exceptionally good off of my RAM Axial tour grind persimmon 3 wood.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Noodle Distance (yellow) added. In one work - "Blech"

Got some super-econo balls to add. I'll only try theTommy Armour EVO Soft as it's available in both Canada and the US ($9.99 for 18 in Canada, $7.99 in the US).

In just a basic physical inspection, I am actually somewhat hopeful they are good.

[oldschoolrocker]

Hey Scott,
Last time I was in I played twice with the Bridgestone b330 rxs. Pricey, well not for me at the time got them free. But really turned out to be a good fit with the old stuff.

[ScooterMcTavish]

[quote name='oldschoolrocker' timestamp='1399997702' post='9286695']
Hey Scott,
Last time I was in I played twice with the Bridgestone b330 rxs. Pricey, well not for me at the time got them free. But really turned out to be a good fit with the old stuff.
[/quote]

Just as good as the FG Tours IMHO. Problem (as you stated) is price.

If shipping was cheaper on lostgolfballs.com, I'd probably order some.

If you get a chance to find some of the Nike 20X1-S, they're not quite as soft as the RXS, but they're not too hard either.

[dbuck47]

[quote name='oldschoolrocker' timestamp='1399997702' post='9286695']
Hey Scott,
Last time I was in I played twice with the Bridgestone b330 rxs. Pricey, well not for me at the time got them free. But really turned out to be a good fit with the old stuff.
[/quote]

I go back and forth between the B330 and the 330 rxs when I play with the modern stuff. As a premium ball, I like them a little better than a PROV1, plus it is a few bucks cheaper. Wally World carries the B330 series now. I have been meaning to try the rxs with the vintage clubs but haven't yet. I have been using SoLos with the vintage and also want to try the Wilson Duo.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Top Flite Gamer Tour added.

If I lived near a Dick's or a Golf Galaxy, I would make this ball my gamer for the balance of the year.

[ScooterMcTavish]

Upgraded the Titleist Velocity.

Played it again today, and would be confident in saying it is the best two-piece ball I've played. OK on pitches, but nice to putt with. It also does take down some of the sidespin I sometimes struggle with playing blades....you can still get the ball to move, but it turns slices into fades, and hooks into draws.

As much as I am a bit anti-Titleist, it's a really nice ball.