DriverBreaker

Thanks for the response! Yes, I completely agree on the new range balls as opposed to used (as an overall test). We have to give the range ball a fighting chance right?!? LOL However you are also correct that ranges vary drastically in what they have concerning quality. I have played at some private courses that have what look like brand new balls every time I played. Then others seem to say, "As long as it ain't in two pieces we'll sell it to ya." Even if a test was done on badly worn range balls it would be fun to see the results. Could give people a realistic idea as to the quality of their practice and let them know they should not waste their time and money on a range that has terrible range balls.

Hey everyone! This is my first thread so I why not jump in on the biggest topic in the golf industry right now? So I originally read the MGS golf ball test report and liked it. Very interesting results (wish I could see the raw data files to do some number crunching). I watched the live video from start to finish and loved it. I'm a college professor so all the research they do really intrigues me. I thought using the robot was an absolute must for this type of test. Here's what really got me thinking...... If balls that are produced for the public to buy have that much variance in their manufacturing tolerances, what does that say about range balls and the actual quality of our practice time and $$$ on the range????? Think about it, if Bryson DeChambeau says that he tests the balance of his golf balls and still finds balls that do not meet his specs (I read somewhere or heard that he says it is 3 or 4 per dozen), and MGS found some balls to be very inconsistent, what can we truly expect from range balls? Surely they are not up to the same tolerances as golf balls produced for actual play are they? What about how many times they are hit, run over by the range picker, washed and soaked (or not, depending on the quality of the range you practice at), etc. Are 4 to 5 out of 10 range balls useless for us to get any real feedback from? It got me thinking about some recent range sessions. I know my swing pretty well. I can immediately tell if the ball is going to go left (for instance), if I hit it slightly off the toe, etc.. There have been sessions where I am hitting lasers and all of a sudden the ball just goes crazy short, or way off line. Now I do not hit balls that are clearly visibly damaged, cut, dimples worn down, etc., but sometimes seemingly good balls that I know are hit well go crazy offline. Then you start wondering if it is your swing. Long story short, I asked my club fitter about range practice and using range balls to work on trajectory, ball flight curve, etc. He told me that the best you can do on the range is work on contact. Spray some foot spray on the club face, baby powder, magic marker, you name it, and that is the best you can really hope for. I mean we see the Tour pros get their specific ball for use on the range in tournaments. They aren't hitting the rocks we practice with on the range. I guess if you are a teaching pro you could find the worst balanced balls possible and just use those for lessons, you'd have guaranteed lessons for life! LOL Is it time for me to put the tinfoil cap on or is anyone else starting to have major questions about the quality of our practice sessions? Maybe the next MGS test should be on the quality of range balls. Take a random sample of 70 balls (or a typical large bucket size) and see how consistent they are with a robot. I think that could be very insightful as well.

James, is this you bud?

Greetings from Dallas, TX! My name is Tony Rosselli and I am a husband, father, college professor, and all around golf fanatic. I have an Instagram page dedicated to my journey of chasing scratch golf (@_chasing_scratch). I try to practice and play as often as I can, but finances, family, and free-time are always factors. My son just turned 5yrs old and he loves spending time with me on the course. He is quite a talented kid who I already taught how to read greens! I'm looking forward to joining the community. How long have you been playing golf? What’s your handicap or normal score? 16 years, typically high 70s or low 80s What do you love about golf? I love that it is the constant pursuit of perfection. You can never truly master the game and that is what keeps me coming back for more! I also love the community you can gain from spending 4+ hours with good people. What brings you to MyGolfSpy? Do you already know any other Spies? I have always appreciated reading the unbiased reports and analyses of golf clubs and golf products provided by MyGolfSpy. As a professor who does research, I can appreciate the concept of getting to the real performance and through all the hype and marketing that goes on in the golf industry. Where are you from? What is your home course? I live in Fate, TX (just outside Rockwall). I typically play at Buffalo Creek in Heath, TX. What are the best and worst things about golf in your region? The best thing about golf in my region is that you can theoretically play year round (some days in summer are deadly and some winter days are just too cold, but for the most part you can make it work). We have a slow play problem where I frequent. Then we also have the opposite problem, regulars who don't even read putts just pick it up when they get to the green and try to run you over and rush you. What do you do for a living? I am a tenured (found out this semester) college professor. I actually study the game of golf from a sociological perspective and strategies/challenges with growing the game for underrepresented groups. How’d you pick your user name? It is an extension of my social media pages (@_chasing_scratch on Instagram and ChasingScratch on YouTube and Facebook). A few years ago I made it my goal to try to become a scratch golfer.