Christ on a crutch. At least get the sport right, spammer.
Staying on topic, Tour BXS is still working fine for me. At least it’s not the problem…
Actually this is a great question. My ball of choice has been almost forever ProV1. When it starts to get chilly I switch to Callaway SuperSoft. I bought a dozen Bridgestone BRX and I really liked them. I seemed to pick up an extra 6-7 yds on trackman with them and it translated to the course in August in the summer. Has anyone tried Titleist Tour Soft? I was thinking about giving those a spin. I was reading a lot of reviews. Maybe it’s a tease, BUT several people were saying solid swings were resulting in 10-20yds but not as responsive in the short game. I’d like to hear. One of the sites listed them at under 34. Would like to hear if that’s true. Thanks
Dick’s Sporting, Walmart, TGW and a few others advertising the $34-$35 for Titleist Tour Soft. I did not try the latest version, did try when it first came out ( 2019?) It was okay for $40 back then, not overly impressed.
There are golf balls longer and there are golf balls spinier. Their current price is about where it should be between $30-$35 per dozen.
My go to golf ball had been the Taylor Made, the first 5 layer Penta, then when the Titleist changed ownership and adjusted their pricing strategy; I went back to the ProV1X for the summer months. Winter months I use any soft compression golf ball that is on sale. The fairways and the greens are wet in the winter months so the multilayer high tech balls won’t make much difference than a soft two piece golf ball. Usually Srixon or Bridgestone.
I was going through the bottom of the closet the other day, under the shoe boxes, found a new box of Nike Tour TW. and a box of the original Costco Kirkland Signature. These will probably go back to storage since I can not replace them.
Going through my hallway closet, in the corner of the back, found 2 dozens of brand new NXT Tour hidden in a box with some NOS grips… I’ll use some of it next time out and give my kids the rest. I remembered that it was a decent golf ball.
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I’m going full titleist fanboy this year, though I’ll probably pick up 4 dozen maxfli to have when things are off the rails.
Titleist seems to be more main stream at the price point now. Not sure if they can keep the top dog spot in golf ball and equipment categories.
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Wrong sport, spammer.
And with my spleen thusly vented, a question for the multitude: at around what skill level/handicap does playing a ball “right-for-you” really matter. As stated, I’m around a 20, and while I picked the Bxs for what I thought were decent reasons, I’m not sure it matters all that much.
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J,
You are correct in your assumption. Playing the right golf ball and the fitted golf equipment “probably” will not make a meaningful difference in your golf game; score wise.
I would get the lowest priced golf ball that you can get until you start to collect worn out golf balls instead of losing them on the golf course.
When I started this game, all the wound golf balls were expensive, the “economic” brands were the two piece cast surlyn covered golf ball. Quite a few that I played bought on sale by bulk volume. Top Flite being the one I played most often. Had to adjust for the extra roll out distance and I played it for almost a decade.
Today, we have so many different brands with two pieces, three pieces, and some multilayered golf balls at a very reasonable price point.
The thing to remember is to stay with one type of golf ball if you wish to be more consistent with your golf game.
I did not use premium golf balls until I was below a 15 index and seldom losing golf balls on the golf courses.
Although, many of the guys I golf with insisted on using the premium golf balls. It’s good for their ego and maybe boost their confidence.
If they could afford it, then why not?
I hate to see someone losing a $5 new golf ball into the hazards or lost in the woods.
That’s why I also collected a bagful of the lost puppies, some are in mint condition. Many of them found alongside the edge of rough. If you are familiar with your golf courses, you’ll know exactly where to spend a minute searching for golf balls, while you’re passing by.
The thing with lost balls, is that they’re often fairly beat up. Last thing I need is for the ball to start whiffle-balling through the air.
(Which I’ve actually seen…at a driving range in Houston that’s very pleasant, but needed to replace their ball stock about a decade ago. Still a fun place to visit.)
The BXS is perfectly fine—don’t get me wrong. And getting last year’s model at about 40% of the price for new ProV1s is a decent deal. I just don’t think I can tell the difference, whereas someone like Mike, you, Craigers: probably can.
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Need and want are two different animals.
Do we need to drive a full size off-road truck for commute? Mo! But we do, because we want to drive the truck.
Some of the guys will tee off with the most expensive golf ball they could buy off the shelve. Example, for the Bridgestone Tiger Woods special edition golf ball. Besides the printed TIGER and number 1 on the golf cover, is it really that much different than the retail version? But it demands a premium price and some golfers will want to game that. Like the ProV1 left dash from a few years ago, some will swear that ball is superior and low launch then the other version, I doubt it.
Some of my colleagues wear expensive office outfits, a casual outfit from head to toe is over a grant. It is their money and they can dry clean those expensive shirts and trousers if that’s what made them happy.
I had a few friends paying attention to what golf balls I use, because I will often beat them off the tee by quite a bit.
I told them I had microwaved the golf balls that morning to get the extra distance. Hopefully they won’t be so gullible to copy that.
Dunno about nuking them, but this test used freezing balls vs balls pulled out of very hot water (they were boiled at one time and placed in an ice chest of hot water. No idea on actual temperature) The balls were dried off quickly, then hit.
The net was eight more average yards on the drives with hot golf balls. Out of total distance ~270 yds or so.
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Exactly why, I keep several golf balls in my pockets for the cooler months.
Rotating them to have a normal golf ball in play.
This, of course is not allowed by tournament play. we should play the same golf ball through the round if it is not lost or damaged.
Posting for the index calculation ends every November 15th, so everyone I know will do similar to keep the golf balls warmer.
One guy has this electric hand warmer and he keeps the extra golf balls in the warmer.
You can change out a ball at the start of every new hole if you wish in tournament play. It must be the same ball and type you started with… for instance Titleist ProV1… must be played throughout the round, A ball can be replaced if its found to be damaged during a hole… the players are determinant of that on the course. I don’t believe that rule has changed and you can also sub out a ball taking relief… Just so you are aware… Also, when it starts getting very cold, I put the ProV1s away and play Callaway Super Softs Compression is like 40… I can mash that in cold weather, but remember cold air is denser than warm air and there is nothing you can do about that, and that takes off distance too
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Thanks.
I’ll try to tell our group’s handicap chairman. They seem to utilize their local rules when we have weekly competition.
Like, when someone won with a field or more than 30 then his “club” index goes down by 1 full stroke for the next week, in a field of 50+ and the annual club deal, they’ll deduct our index by 1.5-2.0 respectably.
So you see, we all have two sets of index, one for the GHIN and one for the club.
This playing of the same golf ball deal supposed to be the “club” local rule. I tried to tell them that we could swap out with similar golf ball on each hole through the green but no one listen to me. I guess, it’s because someone was using a electric hand warmer to heat up their golf balls.
Fairness to the field, you think? I’ll find out why they instill this rule for weekly play.
Local rule about a golf ball? I’ve heard playing conditions, preferred lies in fairways, ball in a footprint in sand, rake it place it, if you say so. You might want to check out this friendly link. USGA Rules regarding Golf Balls Everything you need to know. You can warm a golf ball regardless after you hole out. And BTW, a hand warmer isn’t doing much. Maybe 3 yds. Compression is everything in the winter. I play 85-90 compression in summer ProV1 or Bridgestone Tour BRX. In winter Callaway supersoft.
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Local rule as for the senior club weekly competition.
A bunch of retired guys want everyone to have some fun and even out the winning title not limited to a few members.
No one really win anything big except for the bragging right and a chance to pay the balance of the 19th hole. Draft beer and snacks can be very expensive these days and the expansive. The optional betting will never cover the tab.
I know guys will win like $40 and ended up pay a bill of $70-$100. Some guys obviously are doing better than the rest and those will pick up the balance of the tab without being asked.
I had never agreed to their club handicap index, and I seldom play the optional buy-in for the weekly game; KP, long drive and low gross/net… etc. Not going to break anyone’s bank roll , I mean the optional buy-in is like $15.
The one ball rule is optional… it’s in play for professional tournaments, but I can’t imagine a local club bothering to implement / enforce it…
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They also implemented another “their” rules. Anything inside the leather around the cup is deemed a “gimme”.
Originally, they said it’s to speed up the play. But with some have 36" putter and some has 33" putter length, the measuring actually tool a lot more time than just to putt it out.
Too many “garbage” rules, so I seldom go out with them these days.
It’s quicker to get on as a single , finish and then leave right afterward. No guilt trip for not socializing for another hour or two.
I might accept that life style, when I no longer have any bills to worry and nothing else is on the to do list.
Story of me and bar trivia, LOL.
Though it did pay for a lot of my drinking through grad school…
I get people being sticky about handicaps and getting the scores to generate one…if people are playing for money (or something else as prized, e.g. Club Championships, etc…)
Otherwise, I like how Mike’s stated he does it, even if “Slopes/Ratings are only good if you play from the same set of tees!” Shrug. Let’s go have fun.