Finding the right golf ball is difficult, which is why we recommend stocking up on a golf ball. That said, a good ball mounter is hard to find (harder if you’re looking for a brand-agnostic option), so we didn’t even decide Get fiton this list (although I think you should).
What you’ll find here is what I suppose you could call general advice – a short list of dos and don’ts to help you avoid making big mistakes when choosing a golf ball.
DO NOT buy refinished balls
If you only take one piece of advice from this post, make it this.
Avoid refinished (sometimes sold as ‘refurbished’) golf balls.
Refinished golf balls have only one thing going for them: They’re cheap. The problem with refinished balls is absolutely everything else.
The quality of the finish is usually poor and when there is a significant flaw they will often paint right over it.
Beyond that, what’s actually under the hood is never guaranteed. The samples we’ve tested have consistently contained multiple versions of the ball suggested by the side knob, and when we hit them with a robot, the performance doesn’t come close to what you get before refinishing.
If price is a major concern for you, you are better off buying used balls in AAA condition or buying a DTC (direct to consumer) wholesale deal.
Consider DTC brands
If you’re on a budget, big brands may have priced themselves out of the conversation. If $50 a dozen is too rich for your blood, consider buying from what are often classified as DTC brands.
While not all are created equal, smaller brands like it Vice, maxfli, and OnCore (incidentally, those whose products are manufactured by Foremost) offer an attractive mix of quality, performance and more affordable prices.
DO NOT play a low compression (aka soft) golf ball if you are a high swing speed player
Despite what you may have heard elsewhere, there is no such thing as it FAIR Golf ball compression for your swing speed, but very often there is a error one.
As our robot ball tests have taught us, soft is slow. The connection between compression and ball speed is undeniable. As the balls get softer, the ball speed slows down.
To be sure, there is a point where swing speed drops enough that the losses are so minor as to not be worth worrying about, but for players with faster swing speeds, the drop in ball speed can be significant. . We’ve seen differences of more than 3 mph with urethane balls alone. With softer ionomer balls, the drop in velocity is even greater as faster players will crush the ball and lose distance to it.
With that said, there is an exception to the rule. Faster swingers who generate high tee spin (3000+ rpm) will sometimes see more distance as a result of the lower spin properties of softer golf balls.
Give harder balls a chance (even if you’re a slower golfer)
The idea that players with slow swing speeds should avoid harder golf balls is one of the most troublesome golf ball myths.
The reality is that players with slower swing speeds often struggle to generate spin and, while most prefer the feel of a softer ball, the low spin that comes with it often doesn’t provide the stopping power you need.
The reality is that slower speed golfers often benefit from higher spin “Tour” balls such as Pro V1x, TP5AND Chrome X tour. Something else soft by tournament standards, as Bridgestone Tour B XS is worth considering.
Harder balls are almost universally better for faster players and are often better for slower ones as well.
DO NOT play a scratched golf ball
This requires a discerning eye or perhaps discerning touch, but when the ball cover is damaged, it’s time to say goodbye.
The devilish detail comes in the difference between a minor surface blemish and real damage. If you’re just missing some paint, it’s no big deal, but when the cover is cut or scratched in a way that disrupts the dimple pattern, there’s a good chance the ball’s aerodynamic properties will be adversely affected.
Drop it in the shag bag and continue.
Think about quality
Let’s get real for a minute. Between USGA rules and the vast amount of intellectual property that has filtered into the public domain, almost anyone who puts their mind to it can spec a high-performance golf ball that performs similarly to the best-selling balls in the world. market.
The subtlety in that last statement is that turning that high-performance spec into a golf ball, and then making the same ball over and over again, is where many brands and ball factories struggle.
The major OEMs are mostly good (although I would argue that Titleist remains a cut above), the most important one in Taiwan is also very good. After that, the data we’ve collected in our Ball Laboratory suggests that quality drops significantly. The fire that shut down Launch Technologies only made matters worse.
And, yes, I’ve heard the “I’m not good enough to notice” argument, but noticing it from shot to shot doesn’t make the differences any less real. Quality and durability matter.
I will admit that if you are not competitive, just looking to have a good time and don’t care what you shoot then it certainly matters less.
DON’T play what your friends are playing (Maybe)
Consider this a subtle reminder that golf ball fit matters, and just because a ball is popular or your friends are playing, doesn’t mean it’s the right ball for you. If you’re not going to fit the ball, you should at least experiment to find what works for you in every aspect of the game.
DO NOT play checkmate balls
I get it: matte balls can look cool. Color is fun. Unfortunately, the matte finish introduces more inconsistency than you’ll get from a standard gloss-finished ball.
The differences are more noticeable in wet conditions. This includes everything from a touch of morning dew to a full-on downpour. Moisture also gets into the grass anytime between the club and the ball, which it often is.
What does it all mean?
A wet golf ball will invariably launch higher and spin less than a dry ball, but these differences are more significant with matted balls.
The only time checkmate balls make sense is for players who struggle to follow the ball through the air. In those cases, the value of being able to see the flight of the ball may outweigh the loss in performance.
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