Balls - how important are they?

As you can see, I am hardly the world's greatest player.

But what I want to know is, can using a better standard of golf ball make that much difference to a high-handicapper?

If so - does anyone have any recommendations?

I am currently using some Dunlop DDH balls I got from a cheap sports shop. I have been thinking of getting some top quality lake balls, or maybe even the refinished Titelist balls from JJB.

Any other thoughts?

I like DDH's, they seem to suit my game. I sometimes use Pro V's, which suit my long game but I don't like them around the green and messed about with some Srixon soft feels which were the opposite. Will probably use up my huge discount box of DDH's and investigate others as my handicap plummets this year with my new clubs.....

I use DDH but am going to switch to Callaway Warbird. �10 per dozen in Sports Soccer. Heard thay are good for distance and have good feel around the greens.

The one thing I would add to this thread, is that whatever you choose, stick with them for long enough to give yourself time to get to know how far you hit them. In a recent round where I ran out of the balls I normally use (it was a cr*p round), I switched to a harder ball and was hitting everything 10 yards longer than normal, which made the round even worse.

Andrew

Rule 15.1 A player must hole out with the ball played from the teeing ground unless the ball is lost , out of bounds ....

You are correct in one one sense, in most competitions, you could change your ball on every hole, as long as you did it between holes, i.e. you could start with a new one on every tee.

Changing balls during a hole is different, you are only allowed to do this, if the ball is damaged and your fellow-competitor agrees it is damaged. You cannot change balls because you might lose an expensive one.

Wayne, is spot on. In a social game, you could ask your fellow-competitor if you can change your ball. But, he could, within the rules, say no.

I did know the rule, but there's nothing like chapter and verse ...

as a high handicaper i've tended to use any old ball, recentley ive been using wilson staff which i got free with a magazine subscription,there pretty straight but not to long,although i'm not a big hitter anyway,but today i used callaway warbirds that were on offer at £9-99 per dozen. what a differance, must have added 10 to 15 yards to my drive. i also bought some nike ndx balls at the same price, may try them tomorrow!  now if i could only chip and put my scores might come down

I have to agree with you guys the more well named balls definately play better around the greens.  like James I used to use the good old dunlop ddh balls from that well known cheap sports shop, but I managed to find some cheap Top Flite balls from Tescos about £8 for 15, plus they had some of their own brand ones on offer £3 for 15, so I bought them as well, thinking that as I hadnt played for 4 months I would lose a few anyway. 

James pop along to tescos at beaumont leys you may spot a bargain....lol

I have used the Top Flite Z-Balata for the past fifteen years or so. An excellent all round ball which is good for round the green work. It is also very cheap if bought from tescodirect (£8.47 per doz).

John

I've now converted to AD333's, they were by no means the softest in my tests (the Srixon soft feels appeared to be a few percent softer), nowhere near the Pro V's but they are a good budget ball.

I would also like to say that I haven't spent the last six months analysing balls, that makes me sound like a sad anorak.  I have now turned my attention to 'spin milled' wedges, results to be announced soon......

Paul

The softest I had in my test were the Callaway Big Bertha and Pinnacle Exception, but both were virtually identical to the (marginally harder) Titleist Pro V.  A Pro V1 is about 8% harder than a Pro V.  Unfortunately these were the only ones I had to test.

I bought some Callaway Warbirds from soccer sport fosse park for £8.99 per dozen at xmas and theyare good balls. Also like the ad-333, NXT and nike power distance.

I bought some Callaway Warbirds from soccer sport fosse park for £8.99 per dozen at xmas and theyare good balls. Also like the ad-333, NXT and nike power distance.

If a chip stops dead it could not have been a chip, more like a pitch. Chips run - end of.

John

Chris Pepperrell

Why don't you stop talking bulls**t about a subject you obviously know nothing about.

Remember, this is a forum for an exchange of views, and sometimes, others views may not correspond to ones own.

Now that you have this new found skill of being able to stop a chipped ball dead, we can expect to see you handicap come tumbling down.

Have a nice day.

 John

I respond in kind and you are a pretty obnoxious person.

Stating a fact is not talking down, it is not my fault that you wish to attempt to bulls**t the forum with your stupid posts. It is you who needs to get a life I'm afraid.

I have not noticed you correcting the post you made, so you still can do this, I am amazed at your skill.

Remember that every post you address to me will be answered in the way I see fit.

John

Another expert peeps over the parapet.

John

Chris, from your link, the last paragraph:

(Accelerating down through the back of the ball will also impart a little backspin which will make the ball check when it hits the green and give you more control. )

Please show me where he says that the ball will stop, as I know it will not, and will roll out ofter the initial check.

Also please explain to me how this little check gives more control, especially when the chip is a long one and the roll out is what one is looking for. The check is only required if the ball is pitched higher up the green near to the flag.

Your link does not back up your argument at all, please try harder.

John

Paul Mason - fellow arse. I would hardly call the following post, which has initiated all of this, as jumping down ones throat, and I quote.

If a chip stops dead it could not have been a chip, more like a pitch. Chips run - end of.

What on earth is wrong with that, just stating a fact, that even the BBC Pro, whoever he is, could not shoot down in flames.

Please do not be afraid to attempt to put down anything I might say, after all, it is a forum. The mere fact that all you want to do is hug and kiss everybody and feed all the ones, who are really asking for advice, nothing but your own opinion.

John

Hello Paul, nice to see someone who knows what they are talking about.

I doubt any of them could stop a full blown wedge, so a chip would be an impossibility.

I also love a good argument and like yourself am prepared to stand my corner.

John

Chris,

Perhaps you ought to read carefully to what I actually say and not assume that your interpretation is what I actually said.

My point was that it is impossible to stop a chip shot and I might add very difficult to stop a pitch, the reason being that not enough backspin can be inparted on the ball for a shot of such short distance. I myself have had many little chipshots and pitches check up, but never stop.

I did not say you said anything about a full blown wedge, those were my words and I suggest you go back and read them again.

So your coach was an international, so what, most driving ranges are full of young new zealanders and australians on the coaching staff, ripping you off at £25 per half hour and none of them are good enough to play any of the tours.

They are not interested one iota in whether or not you improve your game.

John

(Paul, no not from a distance as short as that, the type of shots I am talking about from  80yds in to about 40 and I use a lob or sand wedge and as I was saying in my first post, it has been very noticeable on using the AD333 ball. 

Now the truth is beginning to come out, the above post from Chris tells me that my response to his initial post was correct. He does not know the difference between a chip and a pitch and will not admit it, just wishes to try and save face by twisting everything around.

You are obviously a more skilled player than me, Chris as we now have you hitting lob wedges anything up to 80 yards. I am afraid I cannot do that.

Golf coaches are interesting, Chris, what are their qualifications and why do they all have different ideas on how the golf club should be swung.

John

Chris, with all the respect in the world I cannot understand how you took my post of one line as aggressive, which was not addressed to you,but just stating my point of view on the difference between a chip and a pitch.

I would have to force a sandwedge to get 80 yds and then I might not make it, personally I only use a sandwedge out of bunkers. Lob wedges are used for what their name implies and do not go eighty yards, unless of course one hoods the face reducing the loft.

There is a big difference in playing and coaching abilities. Some have tjhe attributes to teach others don't.

I get a little peeved when on the occasions that I have gone to a professional for advice to be told things that I know are incorrect.

Now to golf balls, which this thread is supposed to be all about. Being old school, I have always used a golf ball with a balata cover and the one that I like and play is the Top-Flite(Spalding) Z-Balata. This gives me adequate distance(Not really as I am too old now) and is a very workable ball on approach work. I can stop it.

I feel it is important to play with only one brand of ball so that one learns how far one can roughly hit each club. We all know that everyones striking is not consistent enough to be inch perfect, not even Tiger can do that, as we have seen him over the back of many greens.

I am surprised that with the effort you have undoubtedly put in on your short game that your handicap is not reflecting this as it is the short game that reduces scores.

John

David, would you please reply to my last PM rearding golf this week. Thanks

John

Already forgotten Chris, I do not hold grudges, life is too short.

We have all been guilty of three putting from such a short distance at some time or other. The satisfaction has to be in the five iron you played.

John

Well after reading this post I was quite surprised at the diferrence a ball would make to someone's play. I bought a dozen Srixon AD333's from my local american golf for £14.95. Whilst I love the feel and touch of these balls, I'm at a point where after 3 rounds I've already lost half of them, I'm not very good :-(

So having trawled the web, (I have to say that reviews of golf equipment on the web are very poor) I found Tesco direct selling Top Flight XL distance & straight 15 ball packs @£4.99 each +p&p. So I ordered 1 of each approx £15 inc. delivery for 30 balls. I'll let you know what I think compared to the Srixon's.

David, thx for the feedback, I love the Srixon balls, but since I'm losing so many it's not really cost effective and so I went for the Top Flights, I'll not be so bothered about losing them.

I'll use the Top Flights over the winter months and hopefully once I cure my slice then I'll not lose so many and I can switch back to the Srixons.

I've really just started playing regularly 1 or 2 times per week, but opefully I'll continue playing thru the winter months.