Best Ball given swing characteristics / switching from old Prov1

[thepinkbomber]

Been using Prov 1 for so long. Now finally forced to switch since I can't buy the older version any longer. Probably wrong ball any way I am told.

 

CHS average 93mph

 

AoA 3-5 up

LA 14-15 degrees

 

Spin average 2000-2200

 

Getting about 220 yards carry on average.

 

3/4 Lob Wedge spin is 8500 average

 

Want same characteristics but told we can get more distance by switching:

1. low spin off driver

2. don't notice the hardness so hard or soft doesn't matter

3. higher spin for long irons

4. higher spin on wedges / around the green

 

Tried out door on the fairway the new Pro V1x. Told new versions are basically swapped. Compared side by side against old Prov1. New V1x went shorter than old Prov1. That is out. The new regular Prov1 went same or slightly shorter but given the sample set probably call it about the same.

 

I heard the new Pro V1/x are higher compression and that at this swing speed we don't compress the core enough to get maximum rebound.

 

Anyone experienced with this have recommendations to try on trackman?

 

Thanks.

[hammergolf]

I'm basically the same launch conditions as you. I tried them all, but the best performance for me was the Bridgestone Tour B XS. I played TP5, Vice Pro, and Srixon Z Star in the past. But the Tour B XS is the best ball for me hands down. It's also soft off the putter and very durable so those are a plus for me. I would recommend you try TP5, Srixon Z Star, And the Tour B XS and see which one you prefer. The Tour B XS spun the most, felt the best, and gave me the most ball speed off all clubs.

[mschantz]

I have been playing the Pro V1 and tested a few other balls recently: Pro V1x, TP5, Srixon Z.

 

I first did some testing using my SkyTrak for ball data. The numbers varied a little. Here is the data using my 26 deg 6 hybrid for a little fade.

 

V1: angle-22; backspin-7,287; speed-99; sidespin-2,000; height-69'; distance-130; deviation-8 yards.

V1x: angle-24; backspin-7,072; speed-96; sidespin-2,150; height-71'; distance-127; deviation-19 yards.

TP5: angle-23; backspin-6,301; speed-98; sidespin-1,800; height-73'; distance-135; deviation-10 yards.

Z-Star: angle-22; backspin-8,231; speed-99; sidespin-2,000; height-69'; distance-130; deviation-8 yards.

 

I did the same test with my 7-iron and the numbers were relatively the same. Notice my launch angles were not the same across the board

 

Out on the course the only real difference I could see was with the V1x around greens. That ball for me checks up nicely: one bounce, two bounce, stop. I think if you're in deep rough it will play like any other ball, but if you're in short grass (fringe, fairway, first cut), in my experience, there's a noticeable difference. The first shot I hit where I noticed a difference was a 234 yard par 3. My tee shot landed about five yards in front of the green. It's a two tier green sloping up from front to back. The pin was up on the second tier about 20 yards away. I hit my 54 and when the ball came off the club I thought I'd skulled it and it would blow across the green to the rough on the other side. It was low and hot.

 

But the ball first hit right at the front of the second tier, went another 5-10 feet up, then maybe 3 feet and stopped 4 feet from the pin. I thought maybe it was just a fluke. It wasn't. On the very next hole I was again just short of the green and made the same shot. Then two more times that round. So, I switched to the V1x.

 

You referenced your driver. With that club all the balls were about the same. I am not worried about 5-10 extra yards off the tee because I cannot be sure it wasn't a slight difference in impact that caused one to go a little further or shorter. Close to the green is where it matters most to me because it has the biggest impact on my score.

[Nessism]

> @mschantz said:

> You referenced your driver. With that club all the balls were about the same.** I am not worried about 5-10 extra yards off the tee because I cannot be sure it wasn't a slight difference in impact that caused one to go a little further or shorter.** Close to the green is where it matters most to me because it has the biggest impact on my score.

 

Ball performance is a distant 2nd in comparison to swing performance. Just a little bit of a mishit will have significantly more impact on the shot than the ball. Same thing applies to short shots too. Just for kicks try mixing in a surlyn Supersoft or similar one day and play a few holes (not just a shot or two.) Dollars to donuts the ball performance has NO impact on your score. I play urethane balls but have tried this experiment many times and have yet to have the ball cost me any strokes. Mind you, I'm not switching but just saying... Arguing which urethane ball is best is a hair splitting exercise and you better be a scratch player or it's very unlikely to matter to your scoring.

 

 

 

 

[mschantz]

> @Nessism said:

 

 

> Ball performance is a distant 2nd in comparison to swing performance. Just a little bit of a mishit will have significantly more impact on the shot than the ball...Arguing which urethane ball is best is a hair splitting exercise and you better be a scratch player or it's very unlikely to matter to your scoring.

>

 

This is spot on and why I don't put much stock in ball data. Data is good as a baseline but the only thing to me that matters is score impact. I personally don't like soft balls. I don't feel like I have the same control hitting them with my irons, but this might be in my head. Off the tee I can't tell much of a difference between any balls. I chalk up any differences to my ball strike.

 

The ProV1x is the only ball that improved my score. But others will have different experiences. The bottom line for me is this: play the ball that gives you the best scores.

 

 

[storm3]

> @thepinkbomber said:

> Been using Prov 1 for so long. Now finally forced to switch since I can't buy the older version any longer. Probably wrong ball any way I am told.

>

> CHS average 93mph

>

> AoA 3-5 up

> LA 14-15 degrees

>

> Spin average 2000-2200

>

> Getting about 220 yards carry on average.

>

> 3/4 Lob Wedge spin is 8500 average

>

> Want same characteristics but told we can get more distance by switching:

> 1. low spin off driver

> 2. don't notice the hardness so hard or soft doesn't matter

> 3. higher spin for long irons

> 4. higher spin on wedges / around the green

>

> Tried out door on the fairway the new Pro V1x. Told new versions are basically swapped. Compared side by side against old Prov1. New V1x went shorter than old Prov1. That is out. The new regular Prov1 went same or slightly shorter but given the sample set probably call it about the same.

>

> I heard the new Pro V1/x are higher compression and that at this swing speed we don't compress the core enough to get maximum rebound.

>

> Anyone experienced with this have recommendations to try on trackman?

>

> Thanks.

 

 

First, if you reference optimal numbers from Trackman\Flightscope, you will notice that you are actually not spinning the ball enough off the driver for your avg swing/ball speed and launch angle. Looking for a ball that spins less off the driver will likely hurt you.

 

Next, slower swing speeds not compressing a harder ball resulting in a distance loss is not true. If anything, energy is lost as a ball deforms so the harder ball should theoretically result in a higher ball speed at all swing speeds all other things remaining equal. With that said, the difference at low to moderate swing speeds will be negligible.

 

If you are happy with the ProV1 and want something that plays/feels similar, here are a few recommendations to try:

 

Bridgestone Tour B XS

Srixon Z Star

Snell MTB Black

TaylorMade TP5

[playa]

> @hammergolf said:

> I'm basically the same launch conditions as you. I tried them all, but the best performance for me was the Bridgestone Tour B XS. I played TP5, Vice Pro, and Srixon Z Star in the past. But the Tour B XS is the best ball for me hands down. It's also soft off the putter and very durable so those are a plus for me. I would recommend you try TP5, Srixon Z Star, And the Tour B XS and see which one you prefer. The Tour B XS spun the most, felt the best, and gave me the most ball speed off all clubs.

 

Another Tour B XS user here. I am around 100 swing speed driver and find B XS the best ball for my game. Solid feel, good distance and plenty of bite around the greens. I some times use AVX which is also a good ball, but not quite as good as B XS. B XS is also very consistent with distance control off the irons, which is a big plus for me.