Forums

Balls, balls, balls...

• JasCooper 528 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 11:26 AM

  Balls are the one piece of equipment that has a limited life, so after every sleeve, we're faced with deciding if we should stick with the last one we used or try something different. 

  I don't know about others, but I also use what ball my opponent is using to size him/her up. I figure a player with 600 credit vapor balls and a 300 credit driver has misplaced priorities. Whereas the guy with Cally 33+ balls is going to be a serious challenge. 

  I play the mobile app so dinging shots is not a frequent occurrence. And pricey Max slow meter balls don't change things enough to make them worth it. So I've settled into trying balls that fall mostly between 100-300 credits.

  My question is, given all the factors that affect a shot, how do I determine how much differences in ball specs affect a sot. I'm talking specifically about distance and spin.

  How many yards more will a drive be for a balls distance rating. For example, a 250yd drive in no wind on a level surface while change how much for a ball rated 2 distance? 2.5? 3? 3.5? If I hit an iron rated 125 yds with the same balls, will the distance increase be half as much as with the 250yd driver?

  on the other end, considering spin. I have Max Spin wedges with high spin ratings. Not a big deal with starter balls, but with full b/s with a 60yd wedge and a ball with 2.5 spin rating, I can hit next to the pin and end up rolling back 10 yds off the green. So, how do I determine how much difference a spin rating will make? Say between a ball with a 1.0 spin vs. one with 2.5 spin? Or am I safer with a ball with little or no spin, taking that out of the equation and depending on my b/s setting for the shot?

  im having great difficulty figuring out how much small incremental changes make in a ball's specs. Especially when those small changes can add 50-100 credits to the price of a ball. 

  Right now, I'm leaning toward Cally L33+, Hex Chrome, or maybe Srixon 180 credit balls.. Even WGT 99 credit balls work nicely. But now that I'm at Master tees, I could use whatever distance I can get. But does that mean I have to add distance when I'm hitting an iron shot too?

• TopShelf2010 10,933 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 4:49 PM

  .

• ct690911 7,205 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 5:04 PM

  "I figure a player with 600 credit vapor balls and a 300 credit driver has misplaced priorities"...

  I fully agree with Don...pose the question internally, as you are in a well reputed CC with a ton of experienced players at your disposal.

  That said, I fully agree with your quoted section above. I have seen this also, and I can't figure why people spend $6 on balls they need to routinely replace, rather than on a good club that they don't...at least not often.

  Cally balls are the best bang for your buck (IMO)...they are reasonably priced and provide enough quality to satisfy the average golfer on here. The high level Nikes may be important for the top tournament players, but these players also have the skill and experience to take advantage of the specs.

  ct

• SlicedPepper 796 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 5:15 PM

  JasCooper:

  with full b/s with a 60yd wedge and a ball with 2.5 spin rating, I can hit next to the pin and end up rolling back 10 yds off the green.

  There are quite a few good YouTube videos out there that should be able to help you.

  The best advice I can give is practice with some different balls until you find the ones that best fit your style of play.

  Having said that, you will find as you move up the tiers that balls that give more distance are a plus.

• JasCooper 528 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 5:33 PM

  I was more hoping to get a discussion of the way people deal with ball selection, more than having a top player just telling me a ball like the Cally 33 is the best compromise. 

  Im not sure there's a concrete answer or calculation of how a distance or spin designation translates into yardage. 

• ct690911 7,205 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 6:32 PM

  JasCooper:

  I was more hoping to get a discussion of the way people deal with ball selection, more than having a top player just telling me a ball like the Cally 33 is the best compromise. 

  Im not sure there's a concrete answer or calculation of how a distance or spin designation translates into yardage. 

  From your original post, you covered several things. Point being, money matters when you are replacing balls. I advised you on the best ball for your money (IMHO)...you were also advised to speak with the experts in your CC.

  The advice to try out different balls and find the one that suits you, is also prudent. 

  good hitting.:)

• mkg335 5,491 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 7:43 PM

  I agree that the L33 Cally is probably your best choice at this point.  Later on with higher level clubs you can try some of the more expensive balls, but right now there's no need to do so.

  I suggest you buy a sleeve of the Cally's and play a practice round at BPB B9 with low wind and tourney greens.  Tee off on #10 then hit balls back and forth on the 10th fairway with each iron, including wedges...no need to use the mulligan feature, just hit them up and down the fairway.  Note the carry distance of each club with various amounts of spin.  Once you get your irons mapped, knock the ball onto the green and get a feel for how the ball putts.  You'll probably use up only one ball doing this, and that gives you about 10 shots with each club.

  Now I have to admit that I've never done this, have always just used trial by fire, so to speak...but if I had a lick of sense I'd have done it every time I've gone to a different ball.  But having played the L71 Nike for so long, and being too lazy to take notes or map anything, it just ain't gonna happen.

  Having said that, if you're serious about placing well in tourneys and RG's, I think it's a must to have some reference points which include mapping clubs and having a firm grasp of the effects of wind and elevation.  Once you have that together, all that's left is to putt like a demon.

  ;-)

• AndreasHelke 676 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 8:03 PM

  JasCooper:

  I was more hoping to get a discussion of the way people deal with ball selection, more than having a top player just telling me a ball like the Cally 33 is the best compromise. 

  Im not sure there's a concrete answer or calculation of how a distance or spin designation translates into yardage. 

  The extra length is probably only relevant for the driver and possibly the wood 3. If there even are lenght differences for the irons and wedges they are too small to matter. The longest balls provide about 5% extra lenght for your drive. With a good driver this are about 15 to 20 yard extra.

  Ball spin becomes a lot less important if you use a almost any wedge or an iron with a spin rating of 4.5. With those clubs you almost alwayws have sufficient spin even if the ball has no spin at all. I am now using top clubs. For people with lesser equipment ball spin may be more important.

  I have played with almost all balls WGT offers but have not used the expensive ones much. And I have a spreadsheet with the details of my last 1500 ranked rounds. What I notice there is that I get about 3 times as many really good results if I use the Max Meter balls. The top Nike balls have better flight behaviour and less roll. But for me the slower meter of the Max Meter balls seems to be more important.

  I spent my first year using the free balls almost exclusively. Then I mostly used the GI2-S and GI2-D balls and just played with middle class or top balls if I wanted to play well in a tournament. Currently I mostly use the GI-Tour-S and the low end Callaway slow meter ball with spin 2 distance 2 and meter 3.5. For me this ball works better than the normal Callaway or Srixon balls.

   

• lonniescott711 4,207 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 8:04 PM

  ct690911:

  JasCooper:

  I was more hoping to get a discussion of the way people deal with ball selection, more than having a top player just telling me a ball like the Cally 33 is the best compromise. 

  Im not sure there's a concrete answer or calculation of how a distance or spin designation translates into yardage. 

  From your original post, you covered several things. Point being, money matters when you are replacing balls. I advised you on the best ball for your money (IMHO)...you were also advised to speak with the experts in your CC.

  The advice to try out different balls and find the one that suits you, is also prudent. 

  good hitting.:)

  +1 You see Jas the bottom line is is that you have to play your game and find what works best for you . You want to take whats simple and make it complicated when there is no need .

  In most cases spin is not and wont be a factor until you are either hitting an approach shot or teeing off on a par 3 . But otherwise its not needed from the tee or fairways in the majority of game play . But when choosing a ball if you have clubs with a good spin rating then you can pick a ball with less spin and go for more distance .

  The reason for this is because the clubs will generate spin and in most cases more than enough that you will apply very little to the ball its self . I use 2 of the top Cleveland wedges and find I have to use top spin more than backspin on my approach shots in order to make my shots stick .

  Now when picking a ball ask your self what it is that you are trying to do . Are you a casual player or do you want to play for credits and top RGs . Then you can decide on the ball based on your style of play . But if you dont plan on playing for credits then you really dont need top balls .

  At your tier and level right now anything above the 11+ Srixon would be a waste because that would be more than enough ball for you . But the best advice you were given was to find a ball that works for you and how you play . So dont over think the game or put more into it than is needed . Hope this helps but if not then tell me what it is that you are really looking for and I will help as best as I can .  I will check back later for your reply .

   

• Robert1893 7,722 Posts

  Sun, Aug 14 2016 9:23 PM

  JasCooper:

  Right now, I'm leaning toward Cally L33+, Hex Chrome, or maybe Srixon 180 credit balls..

  For a very long time, I played the Cally L33+ balls. They're an excellent value and will serve you very well. I only recently started using a bit more expensive ball. The Callys took me to Legend and worked well even at that tier. I finally decided I wanted something with a bit more distance and a little slower meter, which is why I switched.
  
  In any case, I think you'll love the Callys. For overall value, they're difficult to beat. By the way, I play exclusively on an iPad, if that matters.