club / ball synergy...does it still exist?

[NiftyNiblick]

In my teens, I had a short-lived interest in firearms.

As I use humane, catch-and-release mousetraps,

you may safely assume that I didn't hunt. (No judgments, here.)

 

I did like to shoot however.

 

Around that time, two cartridges similar to the M16 round

 

(5.56 mm NATO military full jacketed  /  Remington .223 hunting hollow point)

 

were introduced for "varmint" hunting,

 

the rimmed .225 Winchester and the rimless.224 Weatherby Magnum. 

 

We discovered that if one took the factory bullet, factory primer, and factory powder from the Winchester round,

 

and loaded it into the Weatherby brass cartridge,

 

then that handload surpassed both original factory rounds in machine rest accuracy. We had no gear to measure velocity and energy, but group size was definitely and obviously reduced.

 

The .224 Weatherby was an expensive and non-ubiquitous rifle, but if you had one as I did, this is the round that you wanted to shoot in it.

 

I discovered a similar  thing with golf balls and golf clubs later on.

Golf clubs of the era definitely had preferred ammunition.

 

My Lynx Predator woods, related predecessor to the metalwood,  

and Spalding Executive irons / wedges,

absolutely LOVED the high compression Top Flite ball.

 

NOTHING else performed as well with them.

 

I don't hear anything like that in discussions of modern equipment. it seems that such club/ball synergies simply don't exist anymore, or else linksters are just not talking about them.

 

Anybody know of any?

[null]

Absolutely. Club design has changed because of the ball

[revkev]

Interesting - I never found that to be the case in the old days nor do I really recall hearing it but I was never attracted to clubs like the Predator or Executive.

 

In regards to today I remain stunned that OEMs haven't started to claim or even intentionally make balls that “fit” their clubs. I suppose they feel it's not worth the risk.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[RickyBobby_PR]

Interesting - I never found that to be the case in the old days nor do I really recall hearing it but I was never attracted to clubs like the Predator or Executive.

 

In regards to today I remain stunned that OEMs haven't started to claim or even intentionally make balls that “fit” their clubs. I suppose they feel it's not worth the risk.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Some companies have talked about getting into the ball business but smarter heads prevail when they look at market share and it's not a cost effective venture. With only a handful of larger companies not having a ball and their current market share in clubs being around the 5 spot or worse it might be a hard sell to get ball for their clubs

[GB13]

Interesting - I never found that to be the case in the old days nor do I really recall hearing it but I was never attracted to clubs like the Predator or Executive.

 

In regards to today I remain stunned that OEMs haven't started to claim or even intentionally make balls that “fit” their clubs. I suppose they feel it's not worth the risk.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

It would depend on their market share. Someone like Bridgestone, who has a much larger market share in balls would be making a terrible desicion, they would alienate the people who play their ball with X clubs.

 

But for someone like Taylormade, who had a much larger share in the club market than ball market, coming out with a ball that "fits" their clubs best, could be a great move. It would get players who love their TM clubs to play their ball.

 

This being said, it should be an addition to a lineup not a full lineup change. We have the best ball for those of you who play our clubs, and then an offering for those of you who don't.