I am a disgrace to MyGolfSpy. For years, I have been skeptical of what I would call a golf ball. I can’t be the only golfer who wonders if the golf ball really makes a difference.
This line of thinking continued until last summer, when I accompanied the MGS team to Phoenix to watch robots hit golf balls for a week straight. It was then, and only then, that I began to truly see and understand the difference a golf ball makes.
When you go out to slide balls down the range and one brand has a tight cluster near the back and another is 15 yards shorter and splashes in every direction, it’s much easier to quantify and qualify the impact it has the golf ball.
Fast forward to now. Armed with my new knowledge that the golf ball really does matter, I set out to find which golf ball is right for me. I grabbed clubs and headed to the local Golf Galaxy for some golf equipment.
Here are some things I learned along the way.
1. Try everything
Why does a golf ball fit so effectively? Where else can you test dozens of golf balls at once? It is much more economical and feasible to go through an actual golf ball assembly rather than buying a sleeve for each of 15 different balls and doing it yourself.
Because this was my first experience in this type of environment, I made sure to ask a lot of questions and lay out my expectations. I wanted to try everything. My winner graciously let me hit almost every ball they had, even though he knew it wouldn’t suit my game.
The process of trying each ball was eye-opening because it proved the differences between those that suited my game and those that were a definite no-no. Being able to see, in real time, a golf ball that is “good” for you and one that is “bad” for you was very helpful for a skeptic like me.
I suppose that’s the advantage of testing head to head and doing it back to back.
When you try everything, you can easily see the changes. They are bold and easy to understand.
2. Know your game
If you are preparing for a golf ball fitting, you need to have a good idea of ​​your game. What is your typical ball flight? Do you tend to drive your wedges low or high? What kind of ball speed do you expect from your driver?
The instructor can only do so much. Understanding your game and communicating that (along with your preferences) to your fitter takes a lot of the guesswork out of it.
You obviously hit the golf ball differently than I do. So the numbers you expect to see with your 7-iron are very different than mine. But as long as you know your game, the winner can find the golf ball that highlights your strengths and minimizes your weaknesses.
For example, the thing I learned early on is that I struggle to get my 7-iron in the air. My landing (or good) angle is very shallow with the typical Pro V1 I hit here at the MGS hub. Through the golf ball fitting process, I was able to find two golf balls that gave me a very good manageable angle, a little more backspin without sacrificing distance (a priority for me).
Now, I can hit a green from 180 yards away instead of praying for a miracle.
3. Don’t be a snob
Do I have to say it? Don’t be a brand snob. Just because your friend plays a Titleist or your colleague raves about Left Dash over and over, doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
Part of any good fit is being open to brands you might not have considered before. Honestly, I thought I would fit into something from the big three: Titleist, TaylorMade, or Callaway.
This brings us to the moment you’ve all been waiting for. What am I really tuned into?
My suitability
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My top three golf balls were Bridgestone TOUR BX, Srixon Z-Star and Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash. Armed with this knowledge (and my Trackman data), I took these balls to MGS headquarters to conduct further testing on my Foresight GC4.
And, of course, I took all three balls to the court to see how they react in the real world.
After extensive testing (I’ll spare you the details and share a few parts instead), I’ve narrowed my golf ball down to either the TOUR BX or the Srixon Z-Star. Real-world testing showed that the left Dash just didn’t rotate enough for my needs.
So why do the TOUR BX and Z-Star fit my game so well? There were three things that stood out.
- Green side spin. I’ve had trouble stopping balls on the green and both of these golf balls provided enough spin with stop and release.
- Landing angles. As mentioned, one of my problems is that the balls come too low. Both the TOUR BX and Z-Star offered strong landing angles for my long irons (although the Z-Star was several feet longer)
- Ball speed. For my driver, I was looking for fast ball speed. TOUR BX and Z-Star were both fast from the face. TOUR BX was hot!
Who is the winner?
Here’s where I’m unsure. Both balls seem to be a very good fit for me. If you tied my arms behind my back and made me choose, I’d probably err on the driver distance/ball speed side and go with the TOUR BX. But I am pleased with the performance of each of the golf balls.
BX TOUR DATA
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