Ball fitting according to speed

[BigtazzGolf]

Just saw commercial for a ball designed for golfers with driver swing speed under 105.

That's cool.

My driver speed is 110+ but irons are under 100 with my highest lofted club sitting in the mid 70's.

Should you buy(try) a ball for your driver speed or your iron speed?

 

Tazz

 

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[revkev]

It's the Titleist argument that every player has a variety of swings speeds and that their premium balls are suitable for all players. Having hit all of the balls in the Bridgestone line I do better with the B330 RX which is supposed to fit my ball speed than I do with the B330.

 

According to a fitting that I had with TMag 4 years ago I should use the Pro VIx type ball in a manufacturer's line up.

 

Personally I think you should take several different balls out on the course and test that head to head there paying attention to inside of 100 and wind stability on full shots. Distance is a non factor for you.

 

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[numberonecoog]

Me personally. I try and play something with a urethane cover. No matter the ball I seem to get around the same distance. Within 5 yards. Thats pinnacle to v1x. Where I see a difference is around the green. Find something good there and youll be golden

[BigtazzGolf]

So you don't buy into the ad, that you buy a ball based on driver speed?

 

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[revkev]

So you don't buy into the ad, that you buy a ball based on driver speed?

 

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I don't. Many LPGA players have swing speeds under 105 with the driver and they are playing Pro V1x or some faximile there of.

 

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[jaskanski]

Just saw commercial for a ball designed for golfers with driver swing speed under 105.

That's cool.

My driver speed is 110+ but irons are under 100 with my highest lofted club sitting in the mid 70's.

Should you buy(try) a ball for your driver speed or your iron speed?

 

Tazz

 

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I'd say neither.

When you think about it, the majority of anybody's game is sub-105mph - probably even sub-50mph...

As revkev also pointed out, just about every shot you'll ever play is at a variable swing speed. The driver will be faster than a 6-iron, which in turn will be faster than 9-iron, which will be faster than a pitch, which will be faster than a putt. All potentially equally crucial shots during the play of a particular hole or round, so which aspect should the ball be fitted for?

If you add up the total shots from each club during a round of golf, then the putter wins hands down every time. So why not use a ball that you like the feel of when you putt? Then, if it fits the putter, see if it fits the wedge for spin and feel. The irons and driver should be the absolute last (and least significant) area of ball fitting. Period.

[PlaidJacket]

My performance is the same whether PV1, Snell, MG Tour, Chrome Soft, Project (A), or any other urethane ball.

 

I've never tried a ball fitting and personally don't see the need for it. But... what (hypothetically speaking) if you went to a ball fitting and they told you that you should be playing a "Rock" instead of a soft tour quality ball? What would you say? What would you do?

[StrokerAce]

IMHO:  The most "dangerous" club in your bag is probably the driver because it hits the ball the farthest and thus has the best opportunity to go OB (I think we can all agree that it is easier to control the ball flight with shorter shafted clubs).  That being said I think it's important to find a ball that spins properly for how you swing.  Are you compressing the ball efficiently off the club face?  Is there a lot of sidespin on the ball?

It's not going to make a tremendous difference but if you can reduce the amount of sidespin (hook/slice) and keep the ball in the rough or fairway then why not?

[jaskanski]

My performance is the same whether PV1, Snell, MG Tour, Chrome Soft, Project (A), or any other urethane ball.

 

I've never tried a ball fitting and personally don't see the need for it. But... what (hypothetically speaking) if you went to a ball fitting and they told you that you should be playing a "Rock" instead of a soft tour quality ball? What would you say? What would you do?

 

Exactly!

The point is, there is a minimal amount of difference in raw distance in various ball brands - including those that claim to be "optimised" for a certain swing speed.

Conversely, there is a HUGE difference between balls in terms of feel - I'm talking night and day. So get a ball that feels right, first and foremost. 

For example, the ProV1x is possibly one of the most popular tour balls and is used by many pros for its spin, workability and distance qualities. Numerous fitting sessions suggest I should be using it to suit my game.. It fits a wide variety of golfers, but the reason I'm not using it is because I don't like how it feels off the putter or off the wedge - pure and simple. Instead, I use either the ProV1 or the NXT Tour S - remarkably similar in terms of spin, workability, distance and construction etc, but in terms of feel, there is no comparison.

[PlaidJacket]

I've heard two club pros make the same remark. That being, the NXT Tour-S is the poor man's PV1. And actually I like the Tour-S. Performs well for me.

[DaveP043]

Since I've been lucky enough to be chosen to test the Snell MTB, I've wandered through the Snell website.  Mr. Snell suggests that most of us should choose a ball based on shorter shots, and that the least important factor should be driver swings.

https://www.snellgolf.com/dean-snell-golf-ball-fitting-philosophy/

It makes sense to me, a huge percentage of your shots will be with clubs at much slower clubhead speeds, as compared to your driver.

[BigtazzGolf]

So I take it that balls should be fit not by driver swing speed, as the ad's claim lol, but by performance around the green and feel.

Totally agree.

So why do the manufacturers ie Bridgestone try to sell you on the opposite?

 

Looked around but didn't find the thread of ball reviews done by MGS. Anyone know it?

 

Tazz

 

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[PMookie]

Layer activation comes to mind. Why 5 layers? Why 4? The declaration that one should pick a ball based on driver swing speed only has to do with max compression and an ability to compress a harder set of layers or not. If one can't activate a harder core because their swing speed is less than 105, then the ball for slower swing speeds SHOULD be able to be compressed to a maximum benefit. Anyway. Just thoughts.

 

 

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[chemclub]

I recall a thread on here where Dean Snell was talking about how almost all balls will produce the same distance off the driver. They don't provide the same feel and action in terms of spin closer to the green.

 

[revkev]

There's about a 4K difference in spin rate on part wedges between the NXT Tour S and the Pro V1. I could not afford that trade off on the courses that I play.

 

I don't care how a ball feels, I care how it spins on shots inside 100. Stability in the wind is next and feel a distance 3rd.

 

We all know I don't by the spin off the driver thing. I see no difference between balls, they are all built to spin less off the driver. How they launch might make a difference in distance but I find it's not much top to bottom for me. Less than 10 yards between longest to shortest.

 

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[Kenny B]

He's correct.  I can hit any ball with my slower swing speed and they are all fairly close.  They feel very different though.  Where it becomes noticeable for me is with 8i to LW.  My greens are very firm, so I can't check the ball very quickly but it is noticeable with a tour ball vs a 2-piece ball.  I will always love the ProV1 and play it if I find one in very good shape, but the Snell MTB is my ball of choice.  It's very easy to control around the green.  I actually like the feel of the Snell Get Sum a little better, and will start playing it when it gets colder.

[Seef824]

I think what Bridgestone is trying to do is make it easier for someone to pick out a ball in their lineup by saying "swing speeds higher than 105".  I feel most people have a general idea of how fast they swing their driver, but have no idea how fast they swing a 6-iron (unless they have been fitted for irons).  Bridgestone's 330 lineup is quite large and it is hard to figure out what ball would work better for which type of player.  

 

I have been playing a B330-S for a little while because I was given them as part of a trade for some shafts.  My driver swing speed is in the 105-110 range so I am just barely at where the ball was marketed.  What I have found is the Bridgestone does fly farther off the tee than Taylormade Tour Preferred.  It does not have quite as much green side spin as the TM, but I can still get a controlled stop with any club and the B330-S.

 

So in summary, Bridgestone marketed their ball based on driver swing speed.  They know full well no one swings all of their clubs equal speed.  If you swing a driver over 105mph, this ball should still perform well for you with your irons and wedges.  If you look at a Pro V1X it is said it is longer and lower spin off the driver, wouldnt that mean it would work better for faster swings?  All Bridestone did was put a number on it.

[fozcycle]

As i reported in another thread, I did a Bridgestone Ball fitting on vacation and they putt me in the B330, even though my SS was 80 mph that day.  They said it was because the B330 flew straighter.  That said, I just posted an 83 yesterday playing the MTB.  Let me tell you the MTB was stopping on the greens.  It was the reason I was able to get 2 Birdies and win!  I do believe that the short game is where the differences in ball performance lie.....I was able to stop a 125 yard 8 iron within 6 inches of my ball mark.  Now I can go for the pins!

[Kor.A.Door]

With the tour balls, especially the Bridgestone because of their layers and the soft or hardness of the layers, it can be difficult to compress the ball properly to take advantage of the ball properties with driver, that's why for some the ball will not Go as far, my driver ss is around 100, and I can see a huge difference in the B-330, and the B-330RX, in the same way there is a huge difference for me between the Cally Supersoft, and the Cally Chrome soft, the Supersoft for me spins to much with driver and goes nowhere, the same way for Pro V1, and ProV1x, the V1 has too much spin with driver, but again that's why there are different types of balls so we can find something that works for each of us, the Bridgestone line I beleive has set up their ball lineup as if you have a slower swing you should likely use this ball, if you swing faster you should likely use this ball, there are exceptions but for their tour balls, this is the way they set it up.

[revkev]

I think what Bridgestone is trying to do is make it easier for someone to pick out a ball in their lineup by saying "swing speeds higher than 105". I feel most people have a general idea of how fast they swing their driver, but have no idea how fast they swing a 6-iron (unless they have been fitted for irons). Bridgestone's 330 lineup is quite large and it is hard to figure out what ball would work better for which type of player.

 

I have been playing a B330-S for a little while because I was given them as part of a trade for some shafts. My driver swing speed is in the 105-110 range so I am just barely at where the ball was marketed. What I have found is the Bridgestone does fly farther off the tee than Taylormade Tour Preferred. It does not have quite as much green side spin as the TM, but I can still get a controlled stop with any club and the B330-S.

 

So in summary, Bridgestone marketed their ball based on driver swing speed. They know full well no one swings all of their clubs equal speed. If you swing a driver over 105mph, this ball should still perform well for you with your irons and wedges. If you look at a Pro V1X it is said it is longer and lower spin off the driver, wouldnt that mean it would work better for faster swings? All Bridestone did was put a number on it.

I'm not going to speak to the Bridgestone line because it is unique. I agree with that. There have been independent tests done and Tiltleist's Pro VIx is the longest ball in its line for almost any swing speed. In fact it's longer competitively the slower the speed.

 

I'm not at all suggesting that's what all people should or must play. Im of the school that you pick a ball based on around the green, 100 yards and in. How will a ball perform on a part shot into the greens that you normally play and the shots that you are most comfortable with. Most teachers and ball gurus would agree with that approach.

 

Some guys play courses where the greens are generally soft or the approaches are generous. It could be that spin on short shots and chip shots don't matter or are a hindrance.

 

Try balls from 100 yards in and find the one or ones you like. Hit a few with the driver to make sure they go off the tee (they will) and the discussion becomes mute you've picked the best ball for your game. Since each ball performs a bit differently it's best to stick to one ball once you've settled on it. That way you've eliminated a variable in a game that's full of them.

 

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[mbrodeur86]

I've hit pretty much everything there is in a premium ball. I can't tell you my swing speed but I think it's around 100-107. Not sure, anyways the prov1x was the best for me in every category. I tried Nike, Tmag, callaway, srixon and after 9 years of playing everything, the Snell MTB is the best for me. It does everything that the prov1x does but better. It's further by at least 15-20 yards off the driver. Usually hits the green and either hops a few feet and sticks or sits exactly where it lands. I've even spun it back. The get sum goes close to the same but jumps maybe 10 feet more on the greens.

 

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