How To Choose A Golf Ball [In 6 Easy Steps]
- Compression. Something that many golfers overlook, even when they make an effort to choose a golf ball, is compression rates.
- Feel. The feeling of striking a golf ball purely is sensational. The feeling of a mishit is not! Virtually every golfer likes a good feel to the ball.
- Distance. Since golf balls are so very different in their construction it is a good idea to determine whether you go for distance or spin.
- Spin. High spinning balls are also in demand like distance balls. This is because of the increased spin rates which leads to more stopping power on the green.
- Quality. For the golfer on the budget, this is very important because of wallet aches. ...
- Price. Last but definitely not least is the price. Depending on how many balls you “throw away”, you might be more or less aware of this post in your golf ...
- Summing It All Up. Choosing a golf ball can be a complicated process. We hope that this article has helped answer some of your questions.
- FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions. What Are The Best Golf Balls? As you might have noticed from this article, it’s now an easy task to choose a golf ball.
Full Answer
Which golf ball is best for me?
Jul 08, 2021 · High handicappers can also benefit from premium balls because of their ability to spin and go longer distances, as well as their soft feel around and on the greens. Sticking to a budget, however, is a great idea for everyone when it comes to choosing a ball. 2. FEEL PREFERENCE. Different golf balls have different feels based on their respective designs.
How do you choose the right golf ball?
May 22, 2020 · Low-compression golf balls are the best bet here, as every yard matters in your game. Beginners, juniors, ladies, and seniors will benefit most from low compression. Look for a rating 80 or lower. If your swing is 85-104mph Mid compression golf balls are suggested for you, as low compression balls could create control issues.
Which golf ball should I be playing?
The four-piece golf balls give more distance and feel on shots. The outer layer is thin and almost always made of urethane. The inner layer made of rubber helps to produce that explosive distance. When you hit with drivers, you will get to know how …
What golf ball should I use?
Jul 09, 2020 · As a general rule, place the greatest emphasis on approach shots and short-game shots. (A solid driver fitting can help maximize any ball …
How do I choose the right golf ball?
How do I want my golf ball to feel, firmer or softer? 15+ Handicap: Look for a ball that tends to fly straight and offers forgiveness on mishits. Distance is likely the top priority; spin help is often needed to augment a lack of technique to generate enough stopping power.Jul 9, 2020
What golf ball should I use for my swing speed?
Anything between 55 and 70 will be the best golf ball for your swing speed. 85-95 mph swing speed is fast enough to put a decent move on the ball so medium compression golf balls are some of the best golf balls for 85 mph swing speeds.
Is there really a difference in golf balls?
They can, but when we tested both types of balls at average-golfer swing speeds, the difference was almost negligible: six yards, usually less. The real advantage of urethane-cover balls is the extra spin, feel and control they offer on shots near the green.May 3, 2015
What golf ball should I use with a 90 mph swing speed?
Here is our top pick Golf Ball if your swing Speed is 90-95 MPHRankNameBuy NOWNo.1Callaway Golf Superhot Bold Matte Golf BallsClick HERENo.2Bridgestone E6 Speed Golf BallsClick HERENo.3TaylorMade TP5 Prior Generation Golf BallsClick HERENo.4Nitro Long Distance Peak Performance Golf BallsClick HERE1 more row•Jan 14, 2021
What swing speed is needed for Pro V1?
98-105 mphThe #1 ball in golf, the Pro V1 is a three-piece golf ball meant for swing speeds of 98-105 mph.
Should I use TaylorMade TP5 or TP5x?
TP5 is our softest Tour ball with the most spin and highest performance around the greens. TP5x is our lowest spinning, fastest and longest Tour product. To put it simply, if you prioritize wedge spin over distance then TP5 is the ball for you. If you prioritize distance over wedge spin, then TP5x is your choice.Feb 8, 2021
Do soft golf balls go further?
Do Softer Golf Balls Go Further? As a general rule, soft low compression golf balls will travel further when you hit your driver and irons. With your wedges, soft and firm golf balls should travel the same distance.
Do golf balls matter for average golfers?
Too many golfers just play whatever ball they find. This leads to inconsistency as, no matter your skill-level, different balls will act differently. Consistency is absolutely the most important thing in golf no matter how good you are.
What do red numbers on golf balls mean?
90 compression ballsThe color of the golf balls being black or red go back to when golf balls were truly made to compression ratings. Red numbers used to represent 90 compression balls, and black numbers were to represent 100 compression balls.May 18, 2015
What is the average swing speed for a senior golfer?
between 72-86 mphWhat is the average swing speed of a senior golfer? According to a study done by My TPI, the average speed for 50-60 year old golfers is between 72-86 mph. For golfers above 60 years old, it's between 71-79mph.
What is the difference between Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls?
Pro V1 features a mid-high, penetrating trajectory, low long game spin and high short game spin and very soft feel. New Pro V1x has a fast, high flight and delivers spin when and where a golfer wants it.Jan 22, 2021
Does a lighter shaft increase swing speed?
A lighter driver shaft rarely leads to a faster swing. “Only 12 percent of golfers swing their fastest with the lightest club,” Mucklow says.Oct 21, 2019
1. BUDGET VS. SKILL LEVEL
Let’s be honest … the higher your handicap the more likely it is that you are losing your fair share of golf balls on the course. Therefore, it would be wise to find the best ball that suits your budget. Every major golf ball manufacturer offers multiple brand lines that will deliver high performance and fit nicely into most any budget.
2. FEEL PREFERENCE
Different golf balls have different feels based on their respective designs. And it’s worth pointing out that balls in the same budget range but from different manufacturers can offer very different feels as well. Some feel soft coming off a driver while others are firmer, and the same is true for shots played from around the greens.
3. MAKE A COMMITMENT
My biggest pet peeve is when a self-proclaimed serious golfer tells me that they don’t care what kind of ball they play because they use whatever they can find. And we’ve all been there and done that. But at some point, if you are truly serious about your game, it’s time to decide on a ball and stick with it for a while.
How to calculate swing speed?
If you don’t have access to a launch monitor, there’s a simple way to determine your swing speed. Use the following formula: 1 Find your average driving distance by adding your drive totals together (typically 20 or more drives is recommended) and dividing by the total number of drives 2 Subtract a “roll factor” of 5% of the drive average by multiplying your average driving distance by .95 ( average driving distance x .095). 3 Divide your average driving distance minus roll factor by 1.75, which will determine your ball speed at impact. 4 Divide your ball speed at impact number by 1.5 to calculate your estimated swing speed.
What is the difference between urethane and surlyn golf balls?
Covers come in two main types: Surlyn and urethane. Surlyn covers are the most durable and have lower spin. Urethane covers greater control and softer feel- these covers are usually preferred by skilled players and are found on higher-end balls.
What is compression in golf?
Simply put, compression is a measurement of how much a ball compresses against the club face at impact. The ball launches as that compression is released, which directly affects your shot distance.
4 Tips For Choosing The Right Golf Ball
We don’t have hundreds of best friend, do we? It’s best to stick with a golf ball that you have tried and tested.
Expensive vs Less Expensive Golf Balls
We have heard many say that the price doesn’t matter when choosing a golf ball. But do you really think premium balls would perform the same as less expensive ones?
Golf Balls Categorized By Construction
One-piece golf balls are primarily for recreational golfers. Beginners can also start with these.
Balls From The Perspective Of Spin
Basically, there are 3 types of golf balls. You can either choose low spin, mid spin or high spin golf balls.
Choosing Balls According to Outer Cover Preference
For this, you need to decide what is your style of play and what skills you have.
Ball Preference According To Compression
Compression is the unique feature of a golf ball that tells you if a ball has a hard or soft feeling.
Frequently Asked Golf Ball Questions
Sure you can. There is law in golf that says you can’t have different balls for different shots.
1. Stick with what works
We’re not saying you shouldn’t experiment with different golf ball models from time to time—it’s fun to try new gear and see how it affects your game—but if you’re really interested in shooting your best scores, it’s best to find a model that fits your budget and swing and stick with it.
2. Fit to irons, wedges and putter
A lot of folks understandably think selecting the right golf ball means finding the one that goes the longest off the tee, but in reality you’d be a lot better offer fitting to your scoring clubs. “How well is this working in my short game? How does it feel off the putter? How about my 7-iron?” Those are the questions you need to ask.
4. Compress to impress
While there can be advantages for a very fast swinger (see “Tour player”) to use a slightly higher-compression design in terms of energy transfer and ball speed, most modern golf balls will produce relatively similar driving distances for the vast majority of players.
What is a slug of uncured polybutadiene rubber?
Materials: A slug of uncured or lightly cured polybutadiene rubber is compression-molded into a sphere. Different grades of rubber are typically used in a core to give it certain speed or spin characteristics. The Mantle — Sandwiched between the core and cover, it helps fine-tune spin and distance.
How does energy retention work?
How it works: Energy retention is the name of the game. Once the club makes impact with the ball, it rockets off the face with 100 percent of its energy. However, when the ball is airborne, some of the initial energy is lost.
Who is Jonathan Wall?
Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering equipment for the PGA Tour.
How does spin work on a golf ball?
How it works: Based on the thickness of the firm mantle layer, spin can be adjusted up or down. It also helps keep ball speed (energy retention) up after impact without having to go to a harder cover and sacrifice spin. It’s a turbobooster for the ball.
What is the softness of a golf ball?
The softness of a golf ball is used to check which category it belongs to. A lower compression factor ball will be soft compared to other golf balls with a higher compression factor. The compression factor of a golf ball contributes a lot to the golf ball’s performance.
How to control a golf ball?
The textures on different golf balls determine their controllability rate. One way to control a golf ball is to design its surface textures to ensure that the golf ball spins about its axis at a constant speed.
Do golf balls last longer?
At the same time, a good distance ball will last longer and will give you a better overall experience playing golf as a bonus. In addition to these advantages, a high-quality ball will last longer. You will not have to buy a new ball every time you play golf.
What is the best golf ball for windy conditions?
Windy conditions. In strong winds, the best option would be to choose a spin control golf ball. These balls are designed to take advantage of the wind resistance while in flight. This way, even in windy conditions, a spin golf ball is the best ball to choose.
Is a golf ball a part of golf gear?
Your golf ball is a necessary part of your golfing gear. Having your golf ball stored at a place where it cannot be damaged is necessary in a competition. You do not want anything interacting with your golf ball before the game starts.
What is a ball mark repair tool?
It helps fix this and make the green surface relatively flat again, and the ball mark repair tool is used to lift the depressed region allowing for something like a re-growth of the green grass to even out the surface. The flat bottom of a putter can then be used to flatten out the grass ground, and the game can continue.
Step 1
Find a golf ball type based on your skill level and personal preferences. Ball types available on the market focus on control, spin and distance.
Step 2
Pick a golf ball construction type. Modern golf balls are sold as multilayer, two- or three-piece designs. Three-piece balls are normally produced for golfers desiring additional backspin while multilayer balls are targeted to reducing the effects of spin on the ball.
Step 4
Assess your overall golf game and weaknesses before making the final choice of golf ball.
Feel
- The feeling of striking a golf ball purely is sensational. The feeling of a mishit is not! Virtually every golfer likes a good feel to the ball. But far from every ball is comfortable to play with. Feel is something that isn’t really measurable, so this trait speaks to your senses. A few years back, dist…
Distance
- Since golf balls are so very different in their construction it is a good idea to determine whether you go for distance or spin. Especially if you’re a bit on a budget. If your wallet permits, going for the more expensive balls let’s you get something from both worlds. Typically the cheaper 2- or 3-piece balls are marketed as distance balls. They are firm and produce less sidespin on the long…
Spin
- High spinning balls are also in demand like distance balls. This is because of the increased spin rates which leads to more stopping power on the green. And for the experienced player it means shapeability. Spin balls are usually soft 3- or 4-piece balls with some tech in them. A new trend in golf balls is the implementation of a so-called mantle layer. It sits just inside the cover, and can …
Quality
- For the golfer on the budget, this is very important because of wallet aches. And the for the golfer not on a budget, this topic is largely relevant because they pay for quality and don’t want to battle poor durability and such. The cover durability is largely affected by the material of which it is made and how the manufacturer processed it. Urethane is generally softer, depending on how m…
Price
- Last but definitely not least is the price. Golf balls aren’t cheap, especially not if they end up in that water hazard on 4th, 12th and 18th each round Depending on how many balls you “throw away”, you might be more or less aware of this post in your golf budget. Golf balls range from $10 per dozen for cheap 2-piece ones, to $45 per dozen for premium ones. Another possibility to save s…
Summing It All Up
- Choosing a golf ball can be a complicated process. We hope that this article has helped answer some of your questions. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. And if you’re still a bit uncertain what to think about the process of choosing a golf ball, take a look at the video below, which has some sensible insights. As described in the video, not all players will benefit from a to…
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- What Are The Best Golf Balls?
As you might have noticed from this article, it’s now an easy task to choose a golf ball. To help you find the best one, we’ve reviewed the best golf balls in this article. The balls reviewed are the ones we see as the best on the market today, and there is something for every taste, whether yo… - What Kind of Golf Ball Should a Beginner Use?
Beginners are not necessarily going to get a lot out of optimizing golf ball choice. In the beginner stage it’s all about stabilizing your game and finding consistency. When you’re at a decent level of consistency, consider going for a golf ball that will help you in the areas you struggle. If you stru…