Been playing for about 2 years. Started off with two large bags of used and various makes of balls donated by my son. This coupled with being an high handicapper meant that when I went searching for my own ball I would often return with other lost balls. An ample and seemingly endless supply of balls. However my playing partners constant explanations ( read nagging) and Google searches convinced me that buying new golf balls was the next step forward. I duly turned up @ the next golfing day the proud owner of 12 new golf balls. Front 9 resulted in 4 lost balls and 6 penalty drops. After loosing ball number 5 and incurring another penalty drop on the 10th I searched my bag and fished out the "found" ball I had completed a whole round with the week before equaling my best score. I finished the remaining 8 holes without any penalties or ball loses. After the hand shakes on the 18th my mate asked what ball I had finished the round with. A Bridgestone B330-RX I replied. Then why did you not buy new ones of them he asked. Very sheepishly I replied " I did"

This topic comes up from time to time. For a high handicapper (and arguably down to category 1) and if there is no preference for a soft/hard ball, then I think it makes v little difference apart from psychological. As long as a ball is not cut then more or less it's good to go. The important thing is the strike. I haven't bought a new ball for ages though saying that there are certain balls I just don't like and wont use (and I don't know fully why, the putting maybe) ie Titleist pro V's, everyone seems to like them but I don't. My test for a playable ball is to drop a ball onto the patio from belly button height and if it bounces back to waist Height it'll go in to my bag. I may be wrong as I haven't seen this scientific method mentioned in technical reviews.

I use prov1 not because they are £3 each but I like them off the tee. Nice to chip and nice and soft to putt with. Although I do think that I loose about 20yds off the tee with a drive against a harder ball. ( I maybe wrong ). It a comprimise im willing to take. Any views on prov1 distance off the tee? In answer to the thread, yes I loose very few experienced balls as against nice shiney 1st hit balls. Dave CAC handed Geordie.

I too use pro v1s again for the feel across all aspects of my game. I do however rarely lose a ball so even though I use £35 per dozen balls I get about 20-30 rounds out of them.

I like a soft ball but lose too many to use premium ones. Nike PD Softs or Srixon Soft Feels for me.

Losing more when you use new ones is just a coincedence though Barry. Don't let it get in your head!

I think you just had a really unfortunate coincidence Barry! I find I remember when I lose a new ball much more than when I lose a used one - that might also happen.

I have used old balls since I started playing but I have recently made the decision to use a new ball for important competitions. I am using Titliest Velocity balls purely as I won them in a comp so I have 12 and also they seem to nip off my vokey wedgies nicely. When I run out though I think I will be shopping around for cheapy ones rather than sticking with a particular brand. I really can't see it making much difference at my level! I only use new ones half a dozen times a year - monthly medals/stablefords etc will still be my old used ones - I have hundreds of them.