Jump to content
TESTERS WANTED! ×

2020 Midprice ball selection


Recommended Posts

Would love to get some opinions on mid price ball selection - in reviewing many internet pages the Taylormade Tour Response, Titleist Tour Soft and Srixon Q-Star Tour seem to be popular.  I handicap in the higher teens, my game not in the ball park yet to pay for premium balls of the ProV1, TP5, or Zstar and not interested in dealing with DTC balls.  Thoughts on these balls or is there a sleeper out there that I a should be looking at.  Driver 260+ yards, and need more work on my short game to improve my scores.  Thanks for the feedback.

TS3 Driver, TS3 4 wood, TS2 hybrid, 4-PW Mizuno JPX 919 Forged, 50/55 MP20 Wedges

Mostly Weekend Rounds.

Link to comment

What's your definition of mid-priced? I'm assuming around the $30 mark? I've heard some good things about your response and Q star haven't played them myself though.
Not sure why your nocking DTC balls though that price range is where they excel. How difficult is having balls arrive at your step?

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Driver:  Ben Hogan GS53
4W:  Maltby KE4 
2i: Maltby KE4 FDI 
4-PW:  Maltby TS-1 - C-Taper 120g 
50,54,58: Maltby TSW

Putter:  L.A.B. DF2.1 Accra Shaft 2023 Forum Testers - L.A.B. Putters
Ball: Mixed prefer ProV1 or Snell
Handicap: 9.2  -  Best Score: 72 (E) Springdale CC, Canton NC -2022

2020 Forum Tester - Ben Hogan GS53 Driver

Link to comment

So my $.02 having played all of the options mentioned.. I'm a higher single digits around 8. driver swing speed around 112 mph. The Taylormade Tour Response is probably the best all around ball of the bunch and definitely best of class. It's a 3 piece with a pretty durable urethane cover.

Surprisingly is long off the tee, even with a softer core than the previous Project(a) but doesn't feel like a marshmallow like other softer core options. Feel and performance is as good as anything out there. I know some will scoff and roll their eyes.. or even yell "blasphemy!", but I'd go so far as to say it's just as good as a Pro-V1 or TP5.

I have 3 friends who play Pro-V, Z Star, and TP5X. And we play together a lot so we know how each ball reacts. Skill levels are equal. I play the "cheap ball" of the group but can out drive and out score any of them on any given day with the Tour Response



the more I practice, the luckier I seem to get..

   PXG 0311 Gen 5 9°/ Fujikura MotoreX F1 6X
:cobra-small:  F6 3 Wood 14* / Kuro Kage Silver 65X
:cobra-small: F8 6 wood 20* / Fujikura MotoreX F3 6S

:cobra-small: RADSpeed Hybrid 24*
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg TS1 4-GW / FCM Precision 6.5 Rifle
post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg  TSW Wedge - 56/12
:edel-golf-1:  EAS 1.0 / Grip master 2.0 

MAXFLI  Tour CG

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

I am using the Costco Kirkland and for the money they are brilliant. I loose a little distance 1-10m depending on club, 10M being driver but happy to live with it considering the cost is $1.75 AUD ($1 USD) per ball. They also have a tendency to mark but if I get a round or 2 out of one before I loose it then that is a bonus.

Edited by Firebird

Callaway Epic Flash 9 Degree

Callaway Epic Flash 3 wood 15 Degree

Callaway Apex 21 Hybrid 19 Degree

Callaway Steelhead Pro 4-AW Irons

Cleveland 54 Degree Wedge Steel Shaft

Recoil Graphite Shafts in all Callaway

Cobra Vintage Series Stingray 40

Preferred ball - Seed 001

Link to comment

my definition of mid priced would be $30-$40, I never said i don't like DTC, reason being challenge with DTC is shipping in and to Canada is adding another $10 dollars minimum and with Covid who knows when it will be received.  I see you play Snell and no doubt a potential option but for me it would be the same price as buying PROV1.

TS3 Driver, TS3 4 wood, TS2 hybrid, 4-PW Mizuno JPX 919 Forged, 50/55 MP20 Wedges

Mostly Weekend Rounds.

Link to comment

The balls you listed are all good choices. My order of preference would be:

1) TaylorMade Tour Response 

2) Titleist Tour Soft

3) Srixon Q -Star Tour

 

:titleist-small: Driver, TSi 1 S Flex

:cobra-small: 3 wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex

:cobra-small: 5 wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 

:cobra-small: 7 Wood, Aerojet Max UST Helium Nanocore R Flex 

:cobra-small: 5 Hybrid King Tec MMT R Flex

:cobra-small: Irons, Tour UST Recoil 95 R Flex (6 - Gap)

:cobra-small: Wedges, Snakebite KBS Hi- Rev2.0 54* & 60*

:cobra-small: Agera 35"

image.png Ultralight 14-way Cart Bag

Link to comment

Q star is awesome. And can be found for closer to $20/ dozen quite often.

Take Dead Aim

Take Dead Aim

Driver: PXG 0211 10.5* 

Fairway: Titleist 917 F3 15*

Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro Boxer Gold 18*

Irons: MacGregor MT-86 Pro

Wedges: Vokey 50/54/58

Putter: SeeMore X2 Costa del Mar

Ball: Srixon Z-Star

Link to comment

Thanks for letting us know about the shipping thing.  I'll second the Tour Response.  It's the best major brand ball I've played at that price point.

What's in the bag:
Driver - :cobra-small: F8 - Aldila NV Blue 60 ( S )
3 Wood (13.5*) - :titleist-small: 980F 
4 Wood (18*) - :cobra-small: F8 - Aldila NV Blue 60 ( S )
3 Hybrid (19*) - :taylormade-small: RBZ
4i - PW - :wilson_staff_small: D7 Forged - Recoil 760 ( S )
52* - :cleveland-small: CBX
58* - :cleveland-small: CBX Full Face 2
Putter - :ping-small: Craz-e
Bag - :1590477705_SunMountain: 2.5 (Blue)
Ball -  :titleist-small: AVX
Instagram - @hardcorelooper
Twitter - @meovino
Facebook - mike.eovino

 

 

Link to comment

Just food for thought.  I recently saw a video TXG posted on youtube where they compared the titleist velocity and proV1.  No noticeable difference in distance but major differences in spin characteristics, especially on shorter shots.  Most people would have guessed this.  This is the caveat.  Since high hdcp players miss more greens, they need balls that spin more where better players want balls with more spin.  So age old question of performance vs $

With that being said, I see a lot of last years srixon z-star/z-star xv on sale now for under $30.

Link to comment

Did you ever consider a Wilson Duo Pro?

Is just a really good ball and in my opinion under evaluated

:ping-small: G400 9.0 Alta CB 55g stiff

:ping-small: G400 3W Alta CB 65g stiff

:Sub70: Fairway Pro 5W Ust Mamiya V2 black stiff

:Sub70: 839X 4h Kbs TGI80

:Sub70: 639cb 5-PW Kbs TGI80

:Sub70: Forged Wedge  50.7 Kbs TGI80

:callaway-small: MD4 56.8, 60.12

PXG Bat Attack

:Snell: MTB-X

Link to comment

Q-star is definitely good. But at that price point, I don't think anything is beating the Maxfli Tour / Tour X. 

You can get them at 2 for $50 almost every day at Dick's or Golf Galaxy. On good days you can get them at 2 for $35. And they always ship for free. 

You can check them out in the forums, or in the big ball test from last year. I've played them (the regular Tour version) now for 9 months, they do everything they should. Unless you want to pay for ProV1, Z-Star or BX(S) , you aren't going to get a "better" ball. 

WITB:

Driver:   :taylormade-small: SIM2 Max 12° - Accra TZ6 M4

FW Wood:     th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg Gen5 0311 7w  Fujikura Motore X F3

Irons:   :srixon-small: ZX7 PW-7i, ZX5 6i-5i

Wedges: :cleveland-small:  Zipcore 50°, 58°

Putter:   :taylormade-small: MySpider X

Cart: image.png.5aa5e9b8c0d6e08a2b12be76a06a07ca.pngOnewheel XR+

Ball: :srixon-small: Z-Star Diamond/ Z-Star XV

  1

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

Any of those are great options.  Ill either play the TM, the Srixon or DTC, based on what is available at the best price.  Recently got the Q-Star on BOGO, so that's what I'm playing now.  Great topic!

Mavrik Max 9 degree loft w/ROUGE white X-Stiff 70g

Maverick Max 3W, 5W w/ROUGE white X-Stiff 70g

Mavrik Max 3H, KBS tour prototype 70/80 X-Stiff 80g

Speedblade 4-PW, AW, SW KBS Siff 85g

Ghost Sypder putter

bourbon to be drank neat

Link to comment
On 7/12/2020 at 1:04 AM, Thin2win said:

Q-star is definitely good. But at that price point, I don't think anything is beating the Maxfli Tour / Tour X. 

You can get them at 2 for $50 almost every day at Dick's or Golf Galaxy. On good days you can get them at 2 for $35. And they always ship for free. 

You can check them out in the forums, or in the big ball test from last year. I've played them (the regular Tour version) now for 9 months, they do everything they should. Unless you want to pay for ProV1, Z-Star or BX(S) , you aren't going to get a "better" ball. 

I second the Maxfli Tour, it's a great ball.

Right Handed

Driver: 9° :cobra-small: Speedzone (HZRDUS Smoke Green 70g X-Stiff shaft)

2 Hybrid: 18° :tour-edge: Exotics EXS Pro (Evenflow Black 6.5) (2020 MGS Official Review here)

3/Driving Iron: 18° :Hogan: UiHi Iron (MMT Utility TX 105g shaft)

Irons: 4-GW :titelist-small: T100 irons (Nippon Modus 120 X-Stiff shafts) (2021 MGS Official Review here)

Wedges: 54° & 58° post-76102-0-38507100-1525284411_thumb.jpg TSW Forged (Dynamic Gold S300)

Putter: :EVNROLL: ER2B (2019 MGS Official Review here)

Ball: MAXFLI Tour X

Bag: :ping-small: Hoofer Lite

WITB thread here

Link to comment
On 7/11/2020 at 10:54 PM, Chizzle said:

Just food for thought.  I recently saw a video TXG posted on youtube where they compared the titleist velocity and proV1.  No noticeable difference in distance but major differences in spin characteristics, especially on shorter shots.  Most people would have guessed this.  This is the caveat.  Since high hdcp players miss more greens, they need balls that spin more where better players want balls with more spin.  So age old question of performance vs $

With that being said, I see a lot of last years srixon z-star/z-star xv on sale now for under $30.

Velocity does not have a urethane cover. Response and Q Star Tour do.  Apples and oranges. TXG has a video on last year’s versions of these two and the Tour soft.  Very different conclusion.

  • :taylormade-small: Sim 2 Driver Fujikura Ventus Blue 6R shaft
  • :taylormade-small:Sim 2 5 wood Fujikura Ventus Blue 5R shaft
  •  th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg  0311 Gen 5 Seven Wood Project X Cypher 50 5.5 shaft set to flat with weights set to fade.
  • :titelist-small: H818 Hybrid 25 degrees Tensei ck Series 60 HY regular flex shafts at C4 setting (flat for lefties)
  • :titelist-small: 718 AP1 irons 6-gap Tensei ck Series AMC IR regular flex bent two degrees flat
  • :vokey-small: SM 7 Wedge 58 degrees M grind with 8 bounce Steel shafts wedge flex bent 2 degrees flat
  • :ping-small: Glide 3 52.12 and 56.14 with  Alta CB Red Regular Flex shaft bent 2 degrees flat
  • Go back and forth between :cameron-small: Select Newport 2 putter 34 inch length and :ping-small: Sigma G Tyne putter 33 inch length
  • Bridgestone B X.
Link to comment
13 hours ago, Hadi05 said:

Any of those are great options.  Ill either play the TM, the Srixon or DTC, based on what is available at the best price.  Recently got the Q-Star on BOGO, so that's what I'm playing now.  Great topic!

This.  Love BOGO

  • :taylormade-small: Sim 2 Driver Fujikura Ventus Blue 6R shaft
  • :taylormade-small:Sim 2 5 wood Fujikura Ventus Blue 5R shaft
  •  th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg  0311 Gen 5 Seven Wood Project X Cypher 50 5.5 shaft set to flat with weights set to fade.
  • :titelist-small: H818 Hybrid 25 degrees Tensei ck Series 60 HY regular flex shafts at C4 setting (flat for lefties)
  • :titelist-small: 718 AP1 irons 6-gap Tensei ck Series AMC IR regular flex bent two degrees flat
  • :vokey-small: SM 7 Wedge 58 degrees M grind with 8 bounce Steel shafts wedge flex bent 2 degrees flat
  • :ping-small: Glide 3 52.12 and 56.14 with  Alta CB Red Regular Flex shaft bent 2 degrees flat
  • Go back and forth between :cameron-small: Select Newport 2 putter 34 inch length and :ping-small: Sigma G Tyne putter 33 inch length
  • Bridgestone B X.
Link to comment

@Carm There are good suggestions on here for mid-priced balls if you're in a pinch.  My recommendation if you can afford to, stock up on the premium balls when they go on sale.  If you buy enough you can get the premium balls in the $30-40 or below range. I recently took advantage of the Srixon deal around Fathers Day and was about to get 4 dozen Z Star for $80.  Titleist runs  their promotion in the offseason I believe (Thanksgiving - Easter timeframe). If you search around enough you can find the times each brands' premium ball goes on sale and easily stock up on the "top tier" balls while staying in your price range.

Driver :     :cobra-small: F7 - Project X Hzrdus Yellow 6.5 75g

3w:           :cobra-small:  F7 Fairway - Project X Hzrdus Yellow 6.5 75g

Hybrid:     :cobra-small: F6 Hybrid - KBS Tour Hybrid Prototype 95g X-Stiff

Irons:       :mizuno-small: JPX 900 Forged (4,5) JPX 900 Tour (6-P) KBS C-Taper 130 (Softstepped)

Wedes:         :titelist-small: SM7 52* F Grind, 56* M Gind (KBS C-Taper 125), 60* S Grind

Putter:   :cameron-small: Futura X7M

 

Link to comment
19 hours ago, bacchus said:

@Carm There are good suggestions on here for mid-priced balls if you're in a pinch.  My recommendation if you can afford to, stock up on the premium balls when they go on sale.  If you buy enough you can get the premium balls in the $30-40 or below range. I recently took advantage of the Srixon deal around Fathers Day and was about to get 4 dozen Z Star for $80.  Titleist runs  their promotion in the offseason I believe (Thanksgiving - Easter timeframe). If you search around enough you can find the times each brands' premium ball goes on sale and easily stock up on the "top tier" balls while staying in your price range.

When Srixon is having their BOGO sales, I have recently been experimenting - sometimes getting Z Star and sometimes getting Q Star Tour.  Same price for the Z Star that you cite.   With BOGO, Q Star Tour is only about $3-4 a dozen less.  Keep going back and forth as to which I like better between the two balls.  Not sure.  But, I don't know of balls for $17-20 or so that I like as much as I like these.

  • :taylormade-small: Sim 2 Driver Fujikura Ventus Blue 6R shaft
  • :taylormade-small:Sim 2 5 wood Fujikura Ventus Blue 5R shaft
  •  th.jpg.d6e2abdaeb04f007fd259c979f389de6.jpg  0311 Gen 5 Seven Wood Project X Cypher 50 5.5 shaft set to flat with weights set to fade.
  • :titelist-small: H818 Hybrid 25 degrees Tensei ck Series 60 HY regular flex shafts at C4 setting (flat for lefties)
  • :titelist-small: 718 AP1 irons 6-gap Tensei ck Series AMC IR regular flex bent two degrees flat
  • :vokey-small: SM 7 Wedge 58 degrees M grind with 8 bounce Steel shafts wedge flex bent 2 degrees flat
  • :ping-small: Glide 3 52.12 and 56.14 with  Alta CB Red Regular Flex shaft bent 2 degrees flat
  • Go back and forth between :cameron-small: Select Newport 2 putter 34 inch length and :ping-small: Sigma G Tyne putter 33 inch length
  • Bridgestone B X.
Link to comment

I tried the Q-Star Tour recently and wasnt impressed with it.  It has more spin than the regular Q-Star but it still feels like a cheap ball to me.

For me, its tough to beat the Maxfli Tour for the money.  They are a 3 or 4-piece urethane covered ball that you can often get for $25 a dozen or less.  Its basically a Pro V1 at half the price.

"I suppose its better to be a master of 7 than to be vaguely familiar with 14." - Chick Evans

Whats in my Sun Mountain 2.5+ stand bag?

Woods: Tommy Armour Atomic 10.5* 

Hybrid: Mizuno MP Fli-Hi 3H

Irons: Mizuno T-Zoid True 5, 7 and 9-irons

Wedge: Mizuno S18 54* and Top Flite chipper

Putter: Mizuno Bettinardi A-02

Ball: Maxfli Tour X

Link to comment

I would also consider the Snell MTB Black/X

Driver: :titelist-small: TSI3 - 10*, Hzrdus Smoke 6.0 Stiff

Driver: :taylormade-small: Stealth Plus - 10.5*, Oban Kiyoshi Purple O4Flex-65 Grams Purred
3 Wood: :taylormade-small: SIM - 15*, Graphite Design Tour AD DJ5 Stiff
Hybrid: :titelist-small: TS3 - 19*, Hzrdus Smoke 6.0 Stiff
Irons: :titelist-small:  5 - PW T150, with Nippon Zelos 7 Reg, 4 iron - U505 with Project X HZRDUS Black Stiff

Wedges: :titelist-small: Vokey SM 8 - 50*, 60* Standard Wedge Shafts

Wedge: :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 3 MG3 56* S200 shaft

Putter:  :scotty-cameron-1: Studio Select Newport 1.5        
Putter:  :scotty-cameron-1: Phantom X 5.5
Ball: :titelist-small: Pro V1x

 

Link to comment
10 minutes ago, GaDawg said:

I would also consider the Snell MTB Black/X

I agree, I have been playing it for about a year now and love it. 

Driver -     Rogue ST Max
Woods -   Rogue ST MaxRogue ST Max 3, 5 & 7 Wooda 
Irons -      Rogue ST MAX OS  5 - AW
Wedges -   Zipcore RTX 6 50°  CBX2   54* & 58*  

Putter -    ER2
Rangefinder -  NX9 Slope
Ball -  Vice Pro Soft Drip

Bag -  Xtreme Cart 7.0 Bag Heather/Red/White

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

I'll give another plug for the Q Star Tour.  I can't really tell a difference amongst the various generations, so there are some Gen 1 and 2 put there for sale at dirt cheap prices.  

Driver: Cobra Speedzone 10.5 Mitsubishi AV Blue S flex

Wood: Cobra Bio Cell 3-4 Grafalloy Pro Launch Blue (low launch original version) S flex

Hybrids: Taylormade GAPR 3 KBS graphite shaft

              Strata 4 and 5 hybrids R flex

Irons: Strata 6-PW R flex

Wedges: Texan Classics 52, 56, 60 R flex

Putter: Odyssey Red Ball mallet

Ball: Srixon Q Star Tour

Link to comment
13 hours ago, DawgDaddy said:

I agree, I have been playing it for about a year now and love it. 

I love the Snell balls too, but the OP is in Canada, and the pricing for Snell balls there isn't as good as it is for those of us in the US.  I see at

www.snellgolfcanada.com

that the MTB balls sell at $45 Canadian dollars ($33 US) per dozen, plus shipping.  I didn't have an address available to calculate shipping on those.  An option could be the Getsum, starting at $28 Canadian per dozen, plus shipping.

:titleist-small: Irons Titleist T200, AMT Red stiff

:callaway-small:Rogue SubZero, GD YS-Six X

:mizuno-small: T22 54 and 58 wedges

:mizuno-small: 7-wood

:Sub70: 5-wood

 B60 G5i putter

Right handed

Reston, Virginia

Link to comment

I've played the Q*Star Tours.  Pretty good ball for the price.  Love that it has a urethane cover. You have a lot of choices out there.  Maybe get a sleeve of each and put them into play to see what works best for your swing and game.  I normally play z*stars and took advantage of the BOGO promotion this last go around and stocked up for the year.  When you get this promos, it brings the tour balls down to $20 a dozen...

 

MDGolfHacker

TSssWhat's In This Lefty's Bag?

Driver: :titleist-small: TSR2 11° Project X HZRDUS Black 4G 60g 5.5 Flex

Fairway Woods: :cobra-small: F8 3W Project X Even Flow Blue 75g shaft

Fairway Woods: 

Hybrid: :titelist-small: TSR2  18° Graphite Design Tour AD DI-85 Shaft

Irons: :titelist-small: 2021 T200's 4-GW AMT RED shafts Regular Flex

Wedge: :cleveland-small: Tour Satin RTX 4 Wedges in 52° and 56° 2 Dot

Putter: :nevercompromise-small: Gray Matter TDP 2.2 32.75"

Bag: :1590477705_SunMountain: Three 5

Ball:  :titelist-small:  PRO V1 / :srixon-small: Z*Star

RangeFinder:918457628_PrecisionPro: In search of new range finder

Social Media:

Facebook:   MD Golfhacker
Twitter:        @mdgolfhacker
Instagram:   mdgolfhacker

 

Link to comment

I honestly buy the found/repurposed golf balls. I can get elite balls for the fraction of the price. At my level the mint versions are just the same as if I played a round with one of them. 

:ping-small: Driver: G425 Max 10.5*
:ping-small: Wood: G425 Max
:ping-small: Wood: G425 Max
:titelist-small: Hybrid: TS2 23*
:titelist-small: Irons:  6 to GW, T300 
:titelist-small: Wedges:  Vokey SM8 50F, 54S, 58K
:cameron-small: Putter: 1998 Tei3 Newport Long Neck
:titelist-small: Ball: Yellow Titleist VG3
:nike-small: Bag: Nike Air Hybrid Golf Bag

I Love the Art of Putting!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...