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Question on Balls

• Faterson 2,902 Posts

  Sun, Feb 7 2010 8:35 AM

  Actually, "re-learning the distances" is not so difficult with GI-SD balls. It would be more difficult with GI-D balls, for instance.

  To paraphrase what YankeeJim said earlier: GI-SD balls go to about the same distance as standard free balls (= the clubs' advertised distance); but whereas standard balls only get there through roll, etc., GI-SD balls can go to the clubs' advertised distance without any roll.

  So, you can use full back-spin with GI-SD balls and still get the clubs' advertised distance out of them, whereas with full spin on standard balls, the same shot would come up short.

• ClarkeBosun 150 Posts

  Sun, Feb 7 2010 9:59 AM

  Cheers once again for the info F. It makes sense.

  With the free balls though, I could never get the backspin to work at all!

  Never want to use those again....

• Infinito3010 3,689 Posts

  Sun, Feb 7 2010 10:15 AM

  Let me provide some information in regards to ball types.

  Lets not forget the distances, carry, and spin are defined by the clubs, the ball characteristics are exemplified by the clubs.   All club distances are rated with the starter balls.  Thus a ball like XD will give you longer distance off the tee.  A GI-SD depending on the spin you provide will determine carry, and distance.  Thus using a driver off the tee with a SD ball will go farther than a XD ball using the default setup.  However, you can affect the amount of carry the ball gets by adjusting the spin on the ball. Experimenting with spin with the ball type SD and your clubs is necessary to determine the impact on your game play.

• PugsAce 1,825 Posts

  Sat, Jun 26 2010 2:02 PM

  I just bought a couple sleeves of the GI-SD balls to see what I've been missing... I've been using the GI-D's, it seems, forever.

  Having made it through a sleeve of them, I've DEFINITELY found that the SPIN characteristics are different... even on putts. Either I'm imagining things, or the -SD balls are truely influenced more by the slope of the greens. Any thoughts about this?

  The distance changes are as reported earlier in the thread... and I've found that adjustments indeed are necessary, especially with full/max swings and "spin-dot" placement variations.

  Cost/benefit ratio is still being assessed, but I've got one question about ball changes that I've often wondered about:

  Although it would seem to be a massive undertaking by WGT's programmers, if the clubs are rated using the UL ball, why can't a club's "max" yardage (on the meter) be changed to better reflect it's actual potential distance, when using a different ball? Asking for too much?  

• WGTniv 1,788 Posts

  Sat, Jun 26 2010 2:16 PM

  PugsAce:

  Either I'm imagining things, or the -SD balls are truely influenced more by the slope of the greens. Any thoughts about this?

  No, SD balls are no more or less influenced by the slope of the green.  Putting is the only place where the Spin and Distance benefits are ignored, so on the green a GI-SD will react the same way as the Starter Ball.  The only benefit on the green is the feel that slows down your meter.

  PugsAce:

  ...if the clubs are rated using the UL ball, why can't a club's "max" yardage (on the meter) be changed to better reflect it's actual potential distance, when using a different ball?

  It could probably be done that way, but it's the same reason that there are no percentage marks on the meter.  It's a feel thing.  That's why we haven't specifically mentioned the increases that the balls provide.  We want the user to adjust to new equipment much like a real player would have to adjust to using different equipment.

• PugsAce 1,825 Posts

  Sat, Jun 26 2010 3:03 PM

  Thanks Niv. Makes sense that ball characteristics are ignored, as well as "ball durability", on the greens...

  And being that the "feel" characteristics of the GI-SD and the GI-D balls are reportedly the same, I s'pose there is absolutely no difference between the two on the greens.

  I guess I've gotta find a different excuse for my recent putting woes... lol. ;)