When you consider that the majority of golfers have revealed that they will typically lose at least one golf ball per round, it raises the question of just how much the average player is spending each year to replace them.
Should you play dozens of times every season, as much of the Golfshake Community will gratefully do, that's a significant number of boxes that you will probably work through.
Paying for your club membership or regular green fees is one expense that we can budget for, but the recurring cost of resupplying your stock of golf balls is a hidden expense that will quickly add up.
Golfers have previously described to us their favoured brands and how much they are willing to spend, which shone a spotlight on premium products that routinely charge somewhere in the region of £50 per dozen golf balls.
Through the hundreds of comments we received, there was a debate brewing under the surface that simply questioned whether golf balls were overpriced and overhyped.
Are premium golf balls overpriced and overhyped?
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Some of us will be fairly contended to purchase lower-priced releases, recycled balls, or hope that we'll find enough lost in the rough to replenish the ones that our wayward shots have carelessly tossed away to an uncertain fate.
It's no surprise, therefore, that higher-handicappers are less inclined to buy the most expensive products on the market, but that doesn't mean lower-handicap golfers aren't similarly questioning whether the price of the heavily marketed balls really justifies the performance you receive.
As one golfer said: "Major brands are too expensive compared to lesser-known makes that perform almost as well."
This respondent was even more succinct in expressing a sentiment that many of us will share: "The good golf balls cost too much to lose."
Do the benefits justify the expense?
It goes without saying that a Titleist Pro V1 or Callaway Chrome Soft is a genuinely impressive piece of manufacturing and ingenuity. The technology of these balls is extraordinary and has contributed hugely to the incredible distances reached by the best players in the world these days.
No one is disputing that they're good, very good, in fact, but an increasing number of golfers are clearly beginning to question whether the performance difference is enough to justify the cost.
"I use cheap balls in winter, and mid-priced balls the rest of the season, our standard of golf, why pay a fortune for a ball only to lose it."
For the average, everyday golfer, who won't enjoy the full benefits of the innovations, this is a compromise that many out there will find highly relatable.
Are the most expensive golf balls really THAT good?
But another, perhaps thornier issue to raise, is whether the gains offered by the most expensive golf balls is really as pronounced as the glossy marketing will have you believe.
There is palpable scepticism among golfers who are doubting the value of the messages presented in the shiny adverts that will typically feature famous names we recognise from the PGA Tour.
One respondent simply stated: "Distance claims are hype. There’s no appreciable difference."
Another offered: "Generally speaking, the advertising hype is overblown. The top-quality balls - Titleist, Callaway, Srixon, TaylorMade, maybe some others - are probably all equal."
Perhaps the strongest expression of this view was: "The average golfer cannot tell the difference in 80 to 90% of the golf balls on the market. In the mid-price range, most balls perform better than the golfer's ability!"
However, it shouldn't be discounted that a significant number of amateurs, particularly low-handicappers, do place importance on the performance of the products they buy - and they want the guaranteed results that the biggest and most expensive brands can offer.
Our survey found that 70.1% of golfers would switch to a less expensive ball if it performed almost as well, with another 26.5% saying they might. These golfers clearly value performance - but many are questioning how much they're prepared to pay for relatively small differences in terms of gains.
Are golfers even using the balls most suitable for them?
It may well be true to say that a major proportion of golfers are simply using products that weren't designed for them.
Can something engineered for the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy really be suitable for an 18-handicapper?
As one person said: "Most handicap golfers (myself included) play the wrong ball for our standard of golf. Far too influenced by what the pros play - who have a much higher swing speed."
This explains why some were calling for manufacturers to market things differently, rather than declaring that one ball performs better than another, instead make it easier for golfers to understand which ball is right for them.
Custom-fitting is one area that can assist, but there could be more transparent and honest messaging deployed too.
"I've self-fitted balls in the simulator to see which balls work best for me. Highly recommend getting fitted for balls."
Others simply appreciate consistency. Using the same model of ball, irrespective of the cost or reputation, so they have an innate understanding for how it feels and performs.
"Pick a ball and stick with it. Learn how it reacts. Playing randoms is not great for that."
Some golfers are quite content to use any golf ball they find
However, some of us are quite content with using what we find, especially when you have a knack for uncovering lost balls as some golfers apparently do.
"I play early in the morning when nobody is out, my wife walks along and finds dozens of golf balls, I play whatever she finds."
The early bird catches the worm - especially on the golf course.
Ultimately, whether premium golf balls are expensive and overhyped is a personal opinion. Views will differ between the golfers who truly appreciate the performance quality of these products - and those who don't think the cost justifies the benefits.
There is no one-size-fits-all conclusion to be drawn from this debate. But it's a question that more and more golfers out there - understandably - are beginning to ask themselves.
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