Simple Way to choose a Golf Ball for Low-Mid Handicappers

[Starched]

Golf Ball fitting, part true, mostly hype.

My topic is certain discussion - I will tell you my stats, how I play, and what I have experienced after Golf Ball Selector's "dot" com ball fitting which I paid for, my experience playing my home course, my experience in NCGA NorCal Scratch Flight amateur tournaments, surfing the web endlessly to find the right forged club, game improvement club, best ball for me, ad nauseum blah blah blah blah blah. Guess what? Goydos was right - it's the Indian not the arrow.
Here are my experiences, first with golf ball fitting, second with playing different balls under different conditions, three with my opinions, and four some suggestions..... Let the flames and comments begin, but it should be fun.

Premise before extensive personal testing: There is a perfect combo for me.

Realization after extensive testing: My perfect combo varies because my swing, shot making, level of interest/confidence/commitment varies - and given a well executed swing with the right contact, the difference in tour level balls and many value three piece balls is about 5 yards off the driver max, very little difference off irons, a boat load of difference on chipping and putting feel, some spin difference between urethane, a fair amount of spin difference between urethane and value (though Gamers and Hot Bites and TPs spin plenty well IMHO) and a gazillion degrees of difference in my opinion of the ball based on how "I" was playing that day. Bottom line, when I am playing well, the ball makes little difference, when I am not, it is an easy patsy/scapegoat. Ditto for clubs.

Conclusion: Grab a three piece premium ball with a urethane cover, and take it to the chipping putting area. Hit multiple shots (i.e. dozens) - compare and contrast your results, feel, solidness, workability spin, preference. Pick the one overall you really like best. Heck, part of it may be you like the dimples and font, but by all means pay attention to feel and how confident you are with it. Then, use that ball for your gamer, take some lessons, work on your game, make sure your clubs are the right length and shaft flex, and quit looking to equipment choice to make a difference in your game. It won't if you are properly fitted!

So without further babble, here' s my take on golf balls......

1) My stats: I am a 5.2 HI. My driver swingspeed is 101-104 mph. I am a consistent ball striker, I hit a medium trajectory draw, and can work a high fade or a left to right recovery shot, usually with a tad distance loss. I am a rhythym and feel player. People say my swing looks "classic." I often think it sucks. I idolize Ben Hogan, think the guy Sevam1 gets it, and video tape my swing. I work on my short game more these days, but not enough. The difference between me and scratch is around the greens and between the ears. I fly a good drive 240-250 carry, 265-270 roll (level, no wind). I hit a 7-iron 150-155. I use 4-PW, a 3 H, and 3 wood, and 5 wood. I will never be a pro, but I sometimes look like one. ha-ha. My low tournament round is 74. My typical scores range from 76-82 on hard courses from the blues. I put in all my scores, low or high. I hit between 10-14 greens a round, and sometimes get up and down well, sometimes not stellar. I three put between 0 and 2 times a round, and make on average 0-3 birdies a round. Many pars, fair amount of bogeys too.
2) Golf Ball Selector Ball Fitting exercise:
Loaded my data, and the one thing I did not like about the test is it asks you if you prefer feel, control, or distance bias. My answer really is that it depends. Depends on the course, the weather, etc. etc. and being relatively shorter hitter than some of the young guns, I guess I would say distance but overall I loaded everything to be equal.
The system fitted me with the Nike Tour D, ProV1, B330 RX in that order. The highest budget ball was the Cally Hot Bite, which scored ahead of many premium balls like the TP and Z-Star. These balls were way down there which surprised me. So I decided to try them all plus a few others over a series of the last few weeks. Here are my experiences.

Distance: They are all close honestly. The Top 3 were indeed the longest, but none of the balls were more than 5 yards off, even between the Tour D (100% match) and the Z-Star (50%) On some holes, I would hit a driver with a different ball (s) a few times and make sure I was satisfied with the swing and shot before I compared.
Control: All of the balls respond well to a good swing, and all spin back nicely. I did not feel one was way different than the other, though the B330RX and Nike One Tour D spin a lot, they seem to spin slightly less for me. TP Reds and Apex Tours spin like hell.
Feel: This is where it is at! Do you like a Zing? a ping? a thwack,. athud, a pfffff, a pop, etc. I like a ball that feels "light" but with a pop feel. I like it to "explode" not "launch" personally. On the greens and chips, I like a nice click but not terribly firm. Hard to come by, they seem to work opposite. I like chips that grab and release just a little. The ProV1 is the gold standard IMHO. Ditto on the putting.
Durability: The Srixon and Nike are winners hands down. Most of the others scuff a little but not really a big deal. The value balls are also more durable without question.

I then picked my ball based on mostly greenside performance. What I am saying is that from tee to green, I could tell differences in feel between the balls, but not significant difference in distance or control. This included the budget balls.

By the way, I included some new in box older balls I had, and some mint balls I picked up off Knetgolf. I also tried the new Wilson Zip here as well.

Here are my ratings, 10 points possible for each. If I omitted durability comments it was average.

ProV1: 9.5 damn good overall golf ball

Nike Tour One D: 9.5, minorly too firm a feel around the green. nice ball - scores well because it is also really durable. A great ball, a little more like the Prov1x, but better in my opinion. Slightly longer off the tee 2-3 yards than the 1x for me, and as long or longer than ProV1 by only a smidge.

Nike Tour: 9 - great ball, slightly shorter off the driver. Great feel and performance otherwise. A lot like the ProV1 but slightly shorter.

B330RX: 9 , nice ball all around, scuffs and shreds a little easier than most. Feels great on the green, great distance.

Callway Tour i: 8.5 It's OK, nice ball, too firm for me personally. Much better on a super hot day. Lacks a little feel but performs very well. Not durable at all. Silly combo, firm feel and not durable. Not a ball I use.

Callaway Hot Bite: 9 great budget ball, I like everything about it, lacks a teeny bit of greenside feel. IMHO the best ball Callaway makes. (that will invite comments)

Wilson Zip: 8.5 Lacks a tad bit of distance, unless it is a cold day, and then it shines. Very buttery feel, very durable, good performance, great feel. A sleeper.

Srizon Z-Star: 8.5 good ball despite ball fitting ranking. Lacks feel for me, and I don't like the sound and feel of the driver - just kind of leaves the clubface without much feedback. Performs fine, but really does not give much feedback to me.

Z-Star X: 9 ironically, much better for me than the Z-Star, and the ball fitting put it higher - even though it is compared to the ProV1x (which scored low for me in the test)? I have noticed that the red and black number stampings seem backward or "different" when compared to the Prov1, and 1x, the presumable standards. i.e. the TP Red and Z-Star X play a lot more like the ProV1 to me. The TP Red is lower compression then the TP Black, which is the opposite of Titleist' protocol...

Top Flite Gamer: 8.5 Another sleeper, though not as good as the others. Tends to have a difficult time "holding it's head", and is slightly shorter. A lot like the ZIP but much firmer. A decent ball for the money though, trust me. Totally usable by anyone who isn't emabrassed by the logo.

Hogan Apex Tour circa 2005: 9. Guess what, still is a great ball. No distance difference. None. Downside, a soft cover shred monster. If it were more durable it was right up there with the ProV1. Best greenside feel of any of the balls tested., Go figure.

TP Red: 8.5 Best feeling ball I played tee to green. Excessive spin in my opinion, and not durable. Otherwise, stellar. About 5 yards shorter than the ProV1, B330RX, and Tour D (the three longest for me, which agreed with the test) Love this ball on the putting green.

TP Black 7.5 : A durable, high spinning rock. Feels like a piece of cold dim sum. I really think it gives no feedback, or at least not the kind of feel and feedback that I enjoy. Kind of "thuddy" Plenty long though, good performance and durability, feel is an issue for me. May not be for you. Hated it on the greens.

Precept U-Tri Tour: 8.5 alot like the B330 RX. A great golf ball, slighty shorter though (about 5 yards, like the TP Red) A good value for the money. Great greenside.

BlackMax circa 2005 : 7.5 TP Black by any other name. Same ball for me, different dimple pattern. Also slightly shorter. Better on the greens though, so I would choose it over the TP Black given the choice. Much cheaper mint or new in box also.

HX Tour: 6.5 A Rock. Hate it and turns yellow quickly. Into the shag tube they go.

Wilson TX4 Tour: 7 A good ball, but too firm and slightly shorter off the driver. Very accurate though, I think the flat dimples on this and the ZIP give it higher accuracy points overall. Doesn't scuff, but the paint turns dull really fast. They look pretty nasty after a round or two in terms of luster and paint. ZIP is a better ball in my opinion, even on a warm day.

Overall: The ball fitting works pretty well for the most part, however, some of the low ranked balls I thought were fine, and some of the balls in the middle of the test pack were quite good.

So, what do I use? Honestly, I use them all since I am not gong to throw them away, but for tournaments, it is still the ProV1, with the B330RX and Tour D a close second. For practice rounds? Any of them except the HX Tour. My favorite? The Hogan but it is no longer on the conforming list, though the Tour Deep is and I will try those next. The Hogan may need to be retired after a crisp pitching wedge. If I am paying full retail? The Hot Bite without question. TF Gamers are good too, and the ZIP is great when the temp falls below 60 - it is my cold weather ball of choice.

Biggest realization was that I can score low with any of them, even the TP Black or BlackMax - the funny thing is if you swing well, you subconciously "adjust" to different balls and can hit them all just fine. So I go back to my previous comments. For tournament play, pick the ball you like the best around the chipping and putting green. If it is a three piece modern ball post 2005 or so, you probably will find balls really don't make all that much difference. Plus, if you can get them for free or cost is not an issue, it is probably a good idea to use the same ball for consistency. For me, I enjoy different golf balls at different times. It's a personal choice. Your mileage may vary.....
Starched

[TWoods1623]

I enjoyed every bit on what you were writing about. It was a good and fun read. Very interesting. For me my gamer would be prov1x but that is because i have a too low of a flex on my driver. But my practice ball would have to be the wilson zip. Great job.

[hokey]

This is a great post. Lots of good information, with enough allowance for subjective criteria and lots of background so people know what context its written in. Wish all reviews were like this.

[360_CS]

Awesome review. Has helped me a lot for deciding what balls to get. I agree totally what you said for the B330Rx. I love that ball.

[zkb_10]

I totally agree with your review that most golf balls differ mainly in terms of putting and greenside feel. I am interested to know if you have played the burner TP and the Srixon Z-URS and how would you compare with the many golf balls you have played. Currently gaming the Z-URS but I am running out and the burner TP is only closed second when chipping but not so much on putting. Was wondering if you would have any comments on what you find similar to the Z-URS if you have gamed it.

[Starched]

hey I have played the Z-URS. It's a good ball for sure. I would compare it to the B330S, but that ball is even more expensive. The Z-URS was just slightly shorter on teh Driver (a couple yards) but keeps up with the ProV1 everywhere else. I am not a huge fan of Srixons around the green, but I actually think the URS is the best ball they have. If you want some more cheaply, I saw them at Dr. Mulligans golf balls pretty cheap since it is discontinued. I actually like the Z-URS a bit better than the Z-Star, it had more feel. The TP is a good ball, though you know it has an ionomer cover. My main complaint with it was compared to other non urethane three piece balls, even though it is lower compression, it seems a little firm on the feedback. If budget is an issue, I think the Hot Bite from Callaway, the ZIP 302 from Wilson, or the Precept U-Tri Tour are all good. You can find the Precept new on ebay even though it is discontinued, but I am sure you can find some Z-URS on ebay either still new or mint for about $25 a dozen.

[SwooshLT]

Great review!! my findings are very similar.........didn't give the new Nike balls a good shot but the low spin, soft feel of the TP Red makes it the ball of choice for me........... have not found it to be too spinny around the greens and I'm getting 2-5 rounds with one ball.......... totally agree that the greenside factors out-weigh the tee balls

I'm willing to give any ball a chance if it gives me performance and confidence................actually the 2005-06 ProV1x is my standard bearer ball and the TP Red plays very close ; not quite as long but could be me :-)

[Spumoni]

Good honest informative read. Thank you!

[e-dog9]

Starched - What made you go with the RX over the B330s? While a much higher handicapper than you, our distances are similar. As I need a little higher launch, I was given a sleeve of B330s. At first, I thought I did not have the speed to play it, but found it to be a very nice ball. The spin really helped me get more distance through trajectory, and of course control into the greens.

I'd like to try the RX to compare, but as I lost two out of three last round, I'll probably try the e5+ The price is better for me, and I want to keep the spin.

[amerza18]

Great Reviews! I personally play the TP Reds because of the 2 doz for $55 deal. Picked up a few doz. I'll be playing those for a while. I'm glad to hear that you like the Precept U-Tri Tours as well. I picked up a couple boxes of those as well because of the deal.

I like to pick up a couple of last year's models when they go on special. Love premium golf balls, don't like the prices. So it's good to see that there really isn't much difference between them all.

[Starched]

Hey there, I went with the RX because it is just a smidge longer for me off the Driver. It is also marginally softer than the B-330S, though the B-330S is by no means a super firm ball. Even the B330 to me is the softer of the high compression premium balls, a lot like the ProV1x, Nike, Srixon, etc. versus the Callaways and TM Blacks which are seriously firm. At any rate, to get a high launch, spin definitely is a helpful component, as it helps the ball to lift. This is actually due in part due to dimple design, and in part by the type of cover. Hence most three piece balls go further than two-piece balls for faster swing speeds because in general two piece balls today are low compression, they are just not marketed as ladies balls anymore. On the other hand, the low comp two piece balls tend to go further with slower swings, be it a man or woman. THe avergae LPGA tour star swings at 96mph, the average PGA at 108. A lot of amateurs overstate their swing speeds and/or distances. I always tend to under estimate them so I am pleasantly surprised! So I think that the B330RX is probably right up there with the B-330S in terms of spin. It could have a teeny bit less, but it certainly has low handicap spin and feel. At my swingspeed, I am on the border between top amateur speed and tour speed. i.e. I think 103 would be at the shortest end of the distance category, but barely playable if you were a great putter and chipper and iron player. i.e. I actually do hit the ball 265 versus the tour average of 285. Actually there are only the top speed pros averaging more than 300 yards with their driver. I still knock it by nearly everyone I play with except college players in amateur events around here. So for that category, I think the B330RX really fills a niche. If I were you, I would game the B-330S until you run out of them, and then give the RX a try. Likely you won't see a huge difference. I didn't at all save for maybe a couple yards on the Driver. But I think players in my category benefit from the slightly lower compression which is at the basis of the new RX, without trying to compromise spin. (though I think they have slightly less than Bridgestone's other offerings, it still spins great) The RX has more spin than either Callaway Tour offering, and about the same as the Hot Bite, but not quite as much as the Titleist or Nike premiums. What you might find is that the lower compression makes up for the slight loss of spin, and if you can compress the ball properly, that will help your trajectory more than enough to make up for what the B-330S does for your shot. Make sense? This is assuming you are not picking a ball to compensate for a swing flaw, like too steep an angle or having a shut clubface at impact. Those can affect height as well. The last thing to think of is how are you achieveing your distances, i.e. with a fast or powerful swing speed but so so smash factor, or with a slower swing speed but a consistent smash factor, meaning you are catching the ball pure on the center of the clubhead, and accelerating , most of the time. In other words, you might benefit from a slightly softer performance ball. Absolutely don't forget the ZIP, Hot Bite, and Gamer, though as it stands the RX is the only ball like these that has a urethane cover, so I think that is why it is special and so popular right now. It's a great ball.