Go to your local golf superstore, find the bin with the loose balls with logos printed on them and buy the Titleists. They will probably be DT, SoLos or some variant. You'll likely pay around 1.00 to 1.25 a ball. Example: Nike
This message has been edited. Last edited by: TSF,
Posts: 1315 | Location: Georgia, USA | Registered: January 18, 2006
Originally posted by TSF: Go to your local golf superstore, find the bin with the loose balls with logos printed on them and buy the Titleists. They will probably be DT, SoLos or some variant. You'll likely pay around 1.00 to 1.25 a ball. IMHO, when you get down to about a 10 index, then you can worry about what ball helps you shave the next stroke off your index. It cracks me up to see golfers with ProVs "because I can back it up on the green"... and then they can't drive the ball in the fairway or land the approach shot behind the hole...
I have found quite a few pro V's in the woods. Actually, great advice. One summer I played nothing but Pinnacle logo overruns.
"Enjoy Every Sandwich" Warren Zevon
Posts: 519 | Location: NYC | Registered: August 14, 2008
Not smart A$$ at all. I was playing a round a few years ago with a guy I had happend to be teamed up with before. Well the foursome ahead of us were all kids who worked at the course and felt they were blue tee caliber. every now and again we had to wait on them. Nothing horrible just a few minutes. At one point when we were playing parallel holes, my playing partner saw on of them looking for his ball. My partner calls him over, looks him dead in the eye and says "If you have to look for your ball, you shouldn't be playing from the blues" Now that TSF was a smart A$$ comment.
"Enjoy Every Sandwich" Warren Zevon
Posts: 519 | Location: NYC | Registered: August 14, 2008
Any decent ball will do until you are a lets say a"par player". I am a 5 handicap and play Titleist DT Roll balls for $20 a dozen. Anyone with a high single digit handicap or above are only fooling themselves if they think a ball is going to make them any better. My buddy is a scratch to plus 2 player and plays cheap Top Flite balls and clubs. Do you think any pro can't go low with a cheap ball. It's all about LOFT (lack of f___ing talent).
" and now I've got a 40-yard bunker shot. That's like spending a week with your mother-in-law""
Posts: 312 | Location: Earth | Registered: September 30, 2008
Originally posted by gseagar: Any decent ball will do until you are a lets say a"par player". I am a 5 handicap and play Titleist DT Roll balls for $20 a dozen. Anyone with a high single digit handicap or above are only fooling themselves if they think a ball is going to make them any better. My buddy is a scratch to plus 2 player and plays cheap Top Flite balls and clubs. Do you think any pro can't go low with a cheap ball. It's all about LOFT (lack of f___ing talent).
Pardon the pun, but that post is "hitting it right on the screws."
I useded to play NXT Tours, and I thought they were a great value. Now, I typically play Pov-V's, but only because I got a couple dozen as christmas gifts over the past year. I really like the NXT's. They feel good, and to me, that's the most important thing. If my 8 iron is 2 yards shorter with the NXT versus the Pro-v1, I would have never ever notice. I'm just not a consistent enough ball striker to notice. Unless you're playing to a plus handicap, you might not notice either.
"My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them." Winston Churchill
Posts: 473 | Location: Colorado | Registered: January 21, 2005
Originally posted by kuya51: I'm getting back into the game. Last time I played was 10 years ago on a consistent basis when I was on the golf team in high school. I've already bought new shoes, glove, accesories but I'm clueless on golf balls.
I'm looking for something that I won't get made at if I lose it. I'm sure it's going to happen.
Thanks.
To each their own, but the best balance of value and performance I've found in a golf ball is the Nike SFT, especially if you don't want to get rattled if you knock a few OB. I usually find them in a 2 twelve pack bundle for around $20-$25. But they're not rocks. When well struck they'll act like lawn darts to a receptive green, but can easily go 280+ off the tee.
And if not well struck......
Well, that $4 ProV1 won't help all that much then either
Good luck!!
Posts: 10 | Location: Granite Bay, Ca | Registered: February 19, 2008
i remember reading harvey pennick having told a prominent member of his club who was a hopeless hacker to "always play a new ball" on the off chance that if the hacker ever did hit a good shot he would get the maximum result
otherwise i would just suggest you buy whats on sale
i walk ever time i play so i have the opportunity to never have to buy balls as i usually can find more than i lose - which means i play an assortment of different balls
except for putting with a balata cover ball using a putter with a non-metal insert on the face of the club where i do feel more touch, i do not experience any difference
i think your swing speed is the most important factor in MATCHING a ball with your swing but i tend to agree only touring pros can consistently get any result from that
i prefer to have less to think about while i'm playing
i remember reading harvey pennick having told a prominent member of his club who was a hopeless hacker to "always play a new ball" on the off chance that if the hacker ever did hit a good shot he would get the maximum result
frankD
Having worked in the golf business for 20 years, I can tell you from experience that what Mr. Penick told that "hopeless hacker" is the easiest way for a Golf Pro to increase his golf ball sales...it had very little to do with "maximizing" the results of the hacker's shot.
Most golfers are very gullible...especially those desperately in search of something to "instantly" improve their golf game. The only things that will truly improve anyone's game are lessons, hard work, and patience. Although, having properly fit equipment is the quickest, easiest first step to improving one's game and that often includes playing the right golf ball.
When I was in the golf business and a member of my club would ask me "what's the best golf ball for me?", I would ask them what they were looking for in a golf ball...More distance? More spin? Better feel? A combination of all three? I would then make a few recommendations from different brands and suggest they play a round or two with each ball and decide for themselves which is the best for their game (and wallet).
But often, one ball isn't always the right choice.
Take, for example, my game...if the course/greens are soft (wet and/or greens are holding well), I'll use something with a firmer cover that will also help give me a little more distance off the tee. On days like this, you will find me playing anything from a Top-Flite D2 (on really wet courses) to Callaway HX Hot. On softer/wetter courses, obviously, these balls will not have a problem holding the greens and the added carry distance is a bonus in making up for a lack of roll you will get off the tee on wet course.
If the course/greens are really firm (like during a hot summer or a dry spell), I will go with something that has a softer cover and a higher spin rate. In this case, I will play either a Callaway HX Hot Bite or a Callaway HX Tour. Since the ground is hard, distance off the tee won't be a worry but the added spin will help me to hold the firm greens and give a better feel on those shots around the greens.
So, my advice to anyone is, don't limit yourself to just one ball. Try several different ones and understand that one ball does not fit every situation/condition you will play.
Posts: 691 | Location: Nature's Air Conditioned City | Registered: August 21, 2007
I'm not a great golfer but I have played most of the balls out there and the best bang for the buck is the cheaper Wilson Staff. Soft putting but drives far.
ShortFatHokie - do you know why they stopped indicating the compression of balls? Most golf balls used to show 80, 90 or 100. I always played a 100 compression during the summer months and a 90 when it was cooler. Just curious why they stopped.
I'm not sure you really need to pay the extra $$ for the AAAAA balls. I just got some AAAA rated balls from lostgolfballs.com, and they were just about perfect. Looked like they might have had 1 or 2 holes played with them at most. I think it was $77 for 2 dozen including shipping. Not cheap, but a lot cheaper than going to Golfsmith.
"My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them." Winston Churchill
Posts: 473 | Location: Colorado | Registered: January 21, 2005
I usually use Pro V's, but one day I was playing a local course with only 1 Pro V. I had made it all the way to the 10th with just one ball, then when I teed it up on a par 3 with nothing but lake all around the green... I hit it fat, landed on the fringe and spun back right into the water.
Now I have paid for a whole round of golf... and I've only played half of it.
So, I do an about-face and march into the pro shop and get a sleeve of the Callaway ix balls and every time I hit my approach onto the green... there was no bounce, bounce, stop. It just landed and stopped... every time.
It was like the ball had glue on it and stuck to the green like velcro, everytime.
So, yesterday, I purchased one box of those balls and I am playing Nickalus' course, Pawley's Island this weekend... I'll let you know how I score & how the ball reacts.
(my swing speed is in the 110 mph range and handicap is a 10. I know for a fact swing speed dictate what ball I use when I'm playing.)
i don't know when the last time i "bought" golf balls was - between what i find on the course when i walk, the occasional boxed dozen gift and a stash accumulated of a few dozen from various sources - i guess, either i don't hit them far enough to lose sight of them, or i don't play hazard-laden courses except with very wet turf conditions, there is the periodic mystery of a buried ball deemed lost
