What, in your opinion, is the most important piece of technology for your golf game? Is it that shiny new driver? A new wedge with clean grooves? A range-finder that gives you accurate distance every time? While I agree that all of these things are important for consistency, the most crucial piece for a consistent golf game is the ball you use!
You might be thinking, "A ball is a ball, it's all about how I hit it, and I can play good golf with anything." Well, I would agree with that if you are consistent with the type of ball you play. Nothing is worse than standing up on a par 3, striping the perfect 7 iron, and watching that bad boy fly right over the flag, over the green, hit the path behind the green, and end up 30 yards away from your target. The common excuse is, "I hit a flier." Well, maybe, but was that the ball you found in the creek on the hole before? If so, the spin rate and compression rate may have been different from the ball you were playing the rest of the round. If you were playing the ball from the previous hole, you may have had a tap-in birdie.
But the question is, how do you choose a ball that's right for you?
There are a lot of golf ball specifications out there. Side note: Did you know that there are no regulations on dimple design, maximum weight, or maximum diameter of a golf ball!?!?! Sorry for the tangent, but you can use Google to find a long list of specs: compression rates, elasticity, number of layers, core materials, trajectory rates, spin rates. The list could go on forever. What I want to do here is simplify this for you. Before I start the list, I want to take a minute on dimple design. EASILY the most impressive part of a golf ball's design is the dimple design. The amount of time and energy large golf ball manufacturers, and small ones like mine, put into 330-400 dimples on a tiny golf ball is insane. Titleist has even gone as far as patenting the method they use to generate the specific design of the dimples. Here's why it's important: As a golf ball flies through the air, it generates drag. The air is forcing the ball to slow down because of the friction between the air and the surface of the golf ball. The purpose of a dimple design is to generate disruptions in the airflow, allowing the drag to be reduced because of these pockets of air between the air rushing by and the ball's surface. These little pockets of air act like ice under your tires in the winter. They create lower friction on the surface, so the slowing down of the golf ball (or your car) happens slower. This has single-handedly changed the game of golf. Get this wrong, and the ball won't fly as far, will spin too much, causing crazy curvature, or it will not be consistent with every strike. (This is again why it is important to use the same ball every time if you want to be consistent).
Now the real fun. What can you look at to determine which ball to try? I say "try" because you should try different kinds of balls before choosing your loyalty. They may work for you on paper, but not on the course. Take this information, go out, and try some different balls to see what works for you.
- COST: This might not be the most commonly cited reason for buying a golf ball, but I believe it's the most important one to consider. There's nothing more frustrating on a golf course than opening a brand new box of $6 Pro V1s and promptly losing two balls on the first hole. That's $12 down the drain. We've all been there and most of us probably carry a couple of "water balls" in our bag just in case we hit a shot fat and end up in a hazard. With so many different types of golf balls available, it's important to choose a price range that you're comfortable with. Some companies offer bulk deals that allow you to get a higher-quality ball for a lower price. The key is to find a ball that fits all three categories: cost, cover, and performance.
- COVER: Most golfers are probably familiar with the marketing of Urethane Cover Balls, which are the tour standard. Personally, I prefer a soft cover because of the way it feels and performs, but they can be expensive. That's why I set out to create a better ball. However, Urethane may not be the best option for everyone. Urethane cover balls tend to produce more spin, which can make a slice worse. There are other materials that may work better and be more affordable for "Sunday Warriors" out there. Surlyn can be a great option for golfers who play in wooded areas, want extra distance, and/or don't mind a slightly harder feel around the green. Surlyn balls tend to have lower spin rates, which means less curve on the ball. This could help turn a slice into a power fade. They're also more durable, so if you hit a cart path, tree, or someone's grill (which they shouldn't have left there), the ball will bounce back and you can keep playing it. Softer balls are more likely to get damaged from these impacts and you may end up having to discard them in the nearest body of water.The latest trend is using a multi-material blend in golf ball covers. This is still relatively new, so there aren't many balls out there with this technology. The idea is to design a poly-material that incorporates the best features of all worlds: manageable spin rates, good feel and control on short shots, good distance on longer shots, and durability so that it won't get damaged easily. Keep an eye on manufacturers in the coming years, as I suspect this will become increasingly popular. In summary, Urethane Covers generate the best feel around the greens but are more prone to cuts and generate more spin. Surlyn balls are more durable and offer more distance, but tend to feel harder on short shots. Multi-material balls are still being tested, but look out for them as they become available!
- COMPRESSION:This is obviously the most technical of the three factors, but it's important to consider when choosing the right ball for you. Compression rate tells you how the ball will interact with the club at certain speeds. The higher the compression number, the faster you'll have to swing to get the ball to compress at its optimum level for maximum energy transfer. The Wilson Duo+ Soft is the softest ball out there, with a compression rate of 35. However, this is only suitable for a few golfers, perhaps kids. On the other hand, the Mizuno RB Tour X is the hardest golf ball with a compression rate of 125. Unless you're a long drive professional, there is no need for such a ball, and you'll lose distance if you're not swinging the club over 125mph.For most golfers, a compression rate between 80 and 100 is ideal. This compression rate is good if your typical 7-iron shot goes between 135-170 yards. Almost all premium golf balls fall within this compression range, but if you are an outlier, you may want to consider other options. If you swing slower or faster than average, take a look at some other compression rates.As a general rule, for every yard less or more that your perfectly hit 7-iron goes compared to 150 yards, you should subtract or add 0.75 from 80 on the compression number. For example, if your perfect 7-iron goes 200 yards (you swing like an animal!), you need a compression rate of around 117.5 (±10). If your perfect 7-iron goes 100 yards, you need a compression rate of around 42.5 (±10). The easy formula to calculate your compression rate is 80 + ((perfect 7-iron distance – 150) * 0.75).
Find the right combination of these three things for you, play that ball every time, and you’ll be amazed with the consistency it provides. Maybe next time you find that Pro V1x in the weeds, you’ll think twice about playing it on the next tee shot.
· Urethane – 3-Layer Tournament Ball
· Cover – Urethane
· Core – Speed Rubber Proprietary blend
· Weight – 45.6g
· Diameter – 42.8mm
· Size – 1.684”
· Dimple Design – Proprietary 332 design
· Elasticity – 80-95
· Hardness – 65
Useful info.Thanks
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