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My Golf Spy Ball Lab Report-Snell MTB X


Golfspy_CG2

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3 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

Very good point on the durability as that will factor into the "lifetime costs" if you will, which is a metric consumer reports uses, that I give strong credence to when I'm car shopping. 

One of the guys in our shop that I play with from time to time is a + cap, he prefers the ProVX but will from time to time play another ball for the round that a rep may have given him.  He doesn't hit many trees or cart paths on a given round,. so it's usually an apt comparison, almost always the ProvX is in like new shape at the end of the round.  Some of the others he has tried, look like they've been through 10 rounds. 

I will say there should be a cut off for balls that make it to a durability test just because of the amount time it might take to do right although I feel it should be done on all of them because it could improve the true price of some of the balls that have already been reviewed, but the problem lies in knowing you get 12 good balls out of the box. However on balls that we can confidently say all 12 in a box will be playable I feel it has to be done to get a true price. If you are having to replace lets say 1/4 of the MTB-X every round it effectively makes the true price $41.25/box (still better than most)  Say after 4 rounds all the balls are trash now you have to buy a new box making the true price $82.50, because where with the ProV's if you go 4 rounds and it is still good and you are into your second box of MTB-X the snell has become much more expensive compared to the proV's.... however that second metric only works assuming the prov1 holds up over 4 rounds. Lets say 3 good bad though it makes the MTB-X around $61.88/box when compared to the Prov1...

I know I made 2 different metrics one factoring in Durability ($41.25/box) and the other cost of replacement vs ProV1 ($61.88 with 3 prov's bad & $82.50 with no prov's bad)

Driver:taylormade-small: SIM 10.5, Graphite Design Tour AD-XC 6X 

Woods:titelist-small: TSi2 16.5, Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X

Hybrid: :ping-small: G410 3&4H, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 95X 

Irons:titelist-small: T-100 3-PW, Nippon Modus 120 X 

Wedges: :mizuno-small: T20, DG TI S400, 50/56/60

Putter:  :EVNROLL: ER1.2 W/BGT Stability Shaft

Ball:  :titelist-small: ProV1X-Optic Yellow

Bag: :ping-small: Pioneer

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8 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

I'm not overly familiar with hardness testing, but I'd suspect that t to be the best way to try and gauge the durability of a golf ball. Anything else you might do is just up to chance - conditions, strike location, attack angle, variation in wedge grooves, moisture, etc. all impact the likelihood of a ball's cover becoming damaged during the course of play. I guess you could also shoot a ball directly at a club face or plate of steel, but it would need to take place in a controlled environment to yield meaningful results. Even still, that wouldn't offer any guarantee's for the individual as we all use different equipment, play in different conditions, and have vastly different swings and impact dynamics.

I once pulled a brand new ball out of the sleeve, played it off the tee, hit my second shot into a bunker, and hit out. When I grabbed my ball off the green to clean it, it had a large gouge in it from the bunker shot. Could have been the simple interaction of sand and club face on the ball, or there could have been some small pebble or something. It's impossible to say for sure - it could have just been a bad ball.

My point is, while durability is certainly an important factor in evaluating the overall performance of a golf ball, how we experience and perceive durability on the golf course can be vastly different. I'm not sure how much value it would truly add to Ball Lab other than to make note of the physical properties of the cover material - which is why I think a hardness test would be best suited for it.

You could do like they do with tires. Use a robot and hit the ball over and over again. Total number of strikes required to make ball unplayable /12 = Avg per that ball which can be converted to a metric for comparison. Second sand test soft med hard. This could be done in a controlled environment with limited factors. Cart path bounce could be done with a ball cannon with various ball speeds etc. My point is lots could be done. Durability is a huge factor if the box of 12 balls is all playable,

Driver:taylormade-small: SIM 10.5, Graphite Design Tour AD-XC 6X 

Woods:titelist-small: TSi2 16.5, Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X

Hybrid: :ping-small: G410 3&4H, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 95X 

Irons:titelist-small: T-100 3-PW, Nippon Modus 120 X 

Wedges: :mizuno-small: T20, DG TI S400, 50/56/60

Putter:  :EVNROLL: ER1.2 W/BGT Stability Shaft

Ball:  :titelist-small: ProV1X-Optic Yellow

Bag: :ping-small: Pioneer

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13 minutes ago, Manimal26 said:

You could do like they do with tires. Use a robot and hit the ball over and over again. Total number of strikes required to make ball unplayable /12 = Avg per that ball which can be converted to a metric for comparison. Second sand test soft med hard. This could be done in a controlled environment with limited factors. Cart path bounce could be done with a ball cannon with various ball speeds etc. My point is lots could be done. Durability is a huge factor if the box of 12 balls is all playable,

Yes you could do that, but as I said in my response before how that translates to the individual golfer would vary greatly. We aren't all the same or play in the same conditions. So, what might not seem very durable to you, could be very durable to someone else. And also, it could have just simply been a bad lot of golf balls.

I'm not arguing that durability isn't an important factor, but unless something is clearly wrong with the cover akin to what MGS found with the Kirkland balls (https://mygolfspy.com/costco-issues-refunds-for-defective-4-piece-kirkland-signature-performance-one-golf-balls/)  I'd consider it a performance characteristic. I wouldn't lump cover durability in as a quality metric because cover hardness is a designed spec.

Driver: :mizuno-small: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S
Fairway Wood: :mizuno-small: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S
Hybrid: :mizuno-small: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB
Irons: :bridgestone-small: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 2 54* & 58* Dynamic Gold S200
Putter: :odyssey-small: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34"
Bag: :titleist-small: Players 5 Stand Bag
Ball: Maxfli Tour

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Just now, TR1PTIK said:

Yes you could do that, but as I said in my response before how that translates to the individual golfer would vary greatly. We aren't all the same or play in the same conditions. So, what might not seem very durable to you, could be very durable to someone else. And also, it could have just simply been a bad lot of golf balls.

I'm not arguing that durability isn't an important factor, but unless something is clearly wrong with the cover akin to what MGS found with the Kirkland balls I'd consider it a performance characteristic. I wouldn't lump cover durability in as a quality metric because cover hardness is a designed spec.

Just like made for shafts vs after market different materials are used that cause tolerance and quality differences. In order to get a DTC cost where it is attractive to the public I would imagine less expensive chemicals or quality of them are used. Even the chemicals themselves used have tolerances and purity factors. 

Driver:taylormade-small: SIM 10.5, Graphite Design Tour AD-XC 6X 

Woods:titelist-small: TSi2 16.5, Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X

Hybrid: :ping-small: G410 3&4H, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 95X 

Irons:titelist-small: T-100 3-PW, Nippon Modus 120 X 

Wedges: :mizuno-small: T20, DG TI S400, 50/56/60

Putter:  :EVNROLL: ER1.2 W/BGT Stability Shaft

Ball:  :titelist-small: ProV1X-Optic Yellow

Bag: :ping-small: Pioneer

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14 minutes ago, Manimal26 said:

Just like made for shafts vs after market different materials are used that cause tolerance and quality differences. In order to get a DTC cost where it is attractive to the public I would imagine less expensive chemicals or quality of them are used. Even the chemicals themselves used have tolerances and purity factors. 

Agree to disagree then...

Driver: :mizuno-small: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S
Fairway Wood: :mizuno-small: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S
Hybrid: :mizuno-small: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB
Irons: :bridgestone-small: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 2 54* & 58* Dynamic Gold S200
Putter: :odyssey-small: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34"
Bag: :titleist-small: Players 5 Stand Bag
Ball: Maxfli Tour

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just thought of something else that needs to be considered in as well.

Snell with 5 boxes of less gives you free shipping but companies like Vice charge shipping for a single box or 5 charge $6.99. So where the vice is $34.99 its base price is really $41 and I have to wait where I can go just about anywhere and ProV1's are the same price... If a DTC charges shipping that has to be factored into the true price... Way to go Snell for not charging!

Driver:taylormade-small: SIM 10.5, Graphite Design Tour AD-XC 6X 

Woods:titelist-small: TSi2 16.5, Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X

Hybrid: :ping-small: G410 3&4H, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 95X 

Irons:titelist-small: T-100 3-PW, Nippon Modus 120 X 

Wedges: :mizuno-small: T20, DG TI S400, 50/56/60

Putter:  :EVNROLL: ER1.2 W/BGT Stability Shaft

Ball:  :titelist-small: ProV1X-Optic Yellow

Bag: :ping-small: Pioneer

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24 minutes ago, Manimal26 said:

just thought of something else that needs to be considered in as well.

Snell with 5 boxes of less gives you free shipping but companies like Vice charge shipping for a single box or 5 charge $6.99. So where the vice is $34.99 its base price is really $41 and I have to wait where I can go just about anywhere and ProV1's are the same price... If a DTC charges shipping that has to be factored into the true price... Way to go Snell for not charging!

I don't think that's necessarily the case. I'm sure there are a lot of golfers who order online and get balls shipped to them, depending on their location and proximity to a store where they can get their preferred brand. I'll just use Budget Golf as an example, since I just saw an email from them - if I go to their online store and order a dozen ProV1, I'm looking at $9.99 shipping as their cheapest option. Does this happen a lot? Probably not. But I don't think that shipping fees should be taken into consideration because buying opportunities are going to vary based on golfer location, preferred method of purchasing, preferred method of shipping, etc. and all of those can impact the overall total cost of the balls. 

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

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Durability is something I've been valuing more lately.

I bought the Titleist Tour Speed when it came out, and noticed in my first round with them that they cut VERY easily. Titleist offered me a sleeve as a consolation, and surprise, the first wedge shot with one of the news ones, and it cut too.

Tiger is the GOAT, change my mind.

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By the time durability will become a factor, I will have for sure already lost that ball 😂

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Tester for the Titleist TSi Driver

Spring 2020 MGS Tester for the Fujikura Motore X Shaft

Updated 07/15/2022
Driver:callaway-small: Rogue St Max LS - Autoflex
Fairway Woods:callaway-small: Rogue Max St 3HL and 7 Wood
Irons:mizuno-small: JPX 921 Hot Metal 5 to AW - Aerotech Steelfiber i95 Stiff parallel tip
Wedges:ping-small: Glide 4.0 54 and 58
Putter:  :ping-small: PLD Custom Kushin 4

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I don't think that's necessarily the case. I'm sure there are a lot of golfers who order online and get balls shipped to them, depending on their location and proximity to a store where they can get their preferred brand. I'll just use Budget Golf as an example, since I just saw an email from them - if I go to their online store and order a dozen ProV1, I'm looking at $9.99 shipping as their cheapest option. Does this happen a lot? Probably not. But I don't think that shipping fees should be taken into consideration because buying opportunities are going to vary based on golfer location, preferred method of purchasing, preferred method of shipping, etc. and all of those can impact the overall total cost of the balls. 

I think it’s different for DTC brand balls that you cannot go to a store to get if they charge shipping.


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:callaway-small: Epic Max LS 10.5 - Motore X F3 6X | :cobra-small: Speedzone 5-wood - Ventus Blue 8S | :titelist-small: TSi3 20* Hybrid - KBS Proto 85S

:edel-golf-1: SMS Pro 4-PW - Steelfiber i110S | :taylormade-small: MG3 Raw Black 50.09, 54.11, 58.11 - DG TI S200

:EVNROLL: ER2B | :titelist-small: Pro V1x | :918457628_PrecisionPro: NX9 Slope | Jones Trouper R | :CaddyTek: CaddyLite EZ v8

 

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16 minutes ago, B.Boston said:


I think it’s different for DTC brand balls that you cannot go to a store to get if they charge shipping.


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Yes I get that but shipping charges may vary based on location, preferred method of shipping, etc. So probably best to just go with retail price and leave it at that.

In my  :wilson_staff_small:  carry bag:
:mizuno-small: ST-X 10.5* Kai'li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 15* Kai/li Blue R Flex
:mizuno-small: ST-Z 4h Linq Blue R Flex
:cleveland-small: Launcher 5h
:cleveland-small: Launcher CBX 6i-PW
:cleveland-small: CBX 54* & 58*
:cleveland-small: Huntington Beach #10
:bridgestone-small: e12 Contact
CURRENTLY TESTING - Mizuno Long Game

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Whew! I've been playing Snell MTB's almost exclusively for at least 3 years, so I'm pleased to see they're still considered a good quality tour ball - I know I have been 100% satisfied with distance, trajectory, spin & durability. I buy a dozen Pro V1's about once a year, but I play Snell MTB's only otherwise. It's a great ball at a great price!

  • Titleist TSR2 11° HZRDUS Red CB 50 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize
  • Titleist TSR2 16.5º HZRDUS Red 60 CB 6.0 & TSR2 21º HZRDUS Black 4G 70 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize
  • Mizuno JPX923 HMP 4-GW, T22 54.12WS, T22 58.04DC w Lamkin ST+2 Hybrid Midsize
  • Evnroll EV5.3
  • Maxfli Tour & ProV1
  • Ping Pioneer - MGI Zip Navigator AT
  • Payntr X 002 LE, Ecco Biom C4, FJ DryJoys
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3 hours ago, Manimal26 said:

At this point a durability test should be factored in. Just because you can have confidence that you can buy a box and all 12 will be playable does not mean they will hold up the same. From this article it makes it look like the best option for a tour level ball is clearly the MTB-X. That being said I have my own first hand experience testing this ball at great lengths vs my gamer the ProV1x. Of The box of Snell’s I purchased only 6 balls made it through to the end of the round and none were lost. On full wedge shots and bunker shots (Texas sand not so soft could be a factor) the ball simply did not hold up. 
 

Thankfully Tony and the team do actual data driven testing, not single person anecdotal results. I've played the same Snell for multiple rounds without any cuts from full wedge shots on brand new Vokeys, and Iowa "sand" is less sand and more gravel.

Driver: :callaway-logo-1: Mavrik Sub Zero,10°, Aldila Rogue Silver 70X

3W: :callaway-logo-1: Mavrik Sub Zero, 15°, Aldila Rogue Silver 70X

3H: :callaway-logo-1: Mavrik Sub Zero, 18°, KBS Tour Hybrid 75S

4i-PW: :callaway-logo-1: Mavrik Pro, +1°, True Temper Elevate Tour S, Standard Lie

Wedges: :vokey-small: SM8 - 50°/12F, 54°/14F, 58°/14K

Putter: :scotty-cameron-1: Special Select Squareback 2, 35"

Ball: :Snell:MTB-X

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3 hours ago, TR1PTIK said:

I went back through the other ball labs to confirm, but concentricity was mentioned in every other report to date. For some, Tony gave numbers, others he did not so it's hard to really compare directly with the data provided, but based on what he did say it does appear Snell had the most issues. However, it's important to note that while 50% may have had visibly noticeable concentricity issues, only 3% were speculated to have any real impact on performance. It is unlikely you'd notice any difference whatsoever if playing the other balls.

IMO, minor simply means that he could see a difference. Maybe he's even taken calipers to some of the balls and has actual data to quantify minor vs. major, but the impact on playability is nil. 

I guess that's my point - I think Tony should spell out what he means by minor versus major. Is a couple thousandths minor or are we talking twenty thousandths? More? I agree with you though - with my swing, I'll likely never notice anything that I could reliably blame on the ball. Unless the ball breaks in half - then I can blame the ball.

Driver:  :callaway-small:Epic Speed 9* (set -1) MMT 70X
3W:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR Recoil 760ES
3H, 4H: :bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR 19*, 23* Recoil 780ES
4-AW:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR HF2 Modus3 Tour 105
SW: :cleveland-small: RTX Zipcore Black Satin 54*
LW:Sub70: TAIII Black 58*
Putter:ping-small: Scottsdale TR Senita
Bag: BigMax Dri Active Lite
Ball:taylormade-small: TP5x or :titleist-small: AVX (yellow)
Pushcart: BigMax iQ+

Testing Complete, Final Review PostedSub70 TAIII Forged Wedges

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5 minutes ago, MaxEntropy said:

I guess that's my point - I think Tony should spell out what he means by minor versus major. Is a couple thousandths minor or are we talking twenty thousandths? More? I agree with you though - with my swing, I'll likely never notice anything that I could reliably blame on the ball. Unless the ball breaks in half - then I can blame the ball.

If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say Tony is just giving it the eyeball test. I have little doubt though that the kind of hard data you and I are looking for is out there or at the very least easy to obtain. I can't imagine that any of the OEMs would not have looked at this before to determine the exact point of failure.

Driver: :mizuno-small: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S
Fairway Wood: :mizuno-small: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S
Hybrid: :mizuno-small: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB
Irons: :bridgestone-small: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 2 54* & 58* Dynamic Gold S200
Putter: :odyssey-small: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34"
Bag: :titleist-small: Players 5 Stand Bag
Ball: Maxfli Tour

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1 hour ago, MaxEntropy said:

I guess that's my point - I think Tony should spell out what he means by minor versus major. Is a couple thousandths minor or are we talking twenty thousandths? More? I agree with you though - with my swing, I'll likely never notice anything that I could reliably blame on the ball. Unless the ball breaks in half - then I can blame the ball.

As long as Tony uses the same standard applied to every ball (I’m sure he does), I don’t care if he does/doesn’t spell it out. If every ball model had defects, or none did, the measurements could be suspect - that doesn’t appear to be the case.

  • Titleist TSR2 11° HZRDUS Red CB 50 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize
  • Titleist TSR2 16.5º HZRDUS Red 60 CB 6.0 & TSR2 21º HZRDUS Black 4G 70 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize
  • Mizuno JPX923 HMP 4-GW, T22 54.12WS, T22 58.04DC w Lamkin ST+2 Hybrid Midsize
  • Evnroll EV5.3
  • Maxfli Tour & ProV1
  • Ping Pioneer - MGI Zip Navigator AT
  • Payntr X 002 LE, Ecco Biom C4, FJ DryJoys
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4 hours ago, Manimal26 said:

I have been waiting to comment on my thoughts till I saw a Snell ball go up since I feel it might be the standard of DTC balls.

I honestly feel the ball lab true cost is missing something very critical when factoring in the true price of a ball. However, this should only apply to balls that reach the level of the Snell or ProV’s.

At this point a durability test should be factored in. Just because you can have confidence that you can buy a box and all 12 will be playable does not mean they will hold up the same. From this article it makes it look like the best option for a tour level ball is clearly the MTB-X. That being said I have my own first hand experience testing this ball at great lengths vs my gamer the ProV1x. Of The box of Snell’s I purchased only 6 balls made it through to the end of the round and none were lost. On full wedge shots and bunker shots (Texas sand not so soft could be a factor) the ball simply did not hold up. 
 

The ProV1x I can go multiple rounds with the same ball (as long as I don’t sink it). But of course some of this could be my own thoughts from the disappointment I had from Snell. 
 

I will say the MTB-X performance is on par 100% when good, but once the true price is established and the ball has the metrics of the Snell or ProV’s a durability Assessment needs to be done and added to the true price. 
 

This is something that I would like to see happen hopefully!

 

I have the same issue with the Prov1x that you described with the Snell, so bad that I switched to Bridgestone after playing Titleist for my entire golfing career. In fact the last iteration to me was the least durable they have put out in 10+ years. Which makes it tough to do a true durability test. 

:taylormade-small:     Stealth 2+ 9 (Diamana PD 60 S 45") 

image.png.dee92ef6cebb2ac4a3883744fc248f12.png     Stealth 2+ 15 (Diamana PD 70 S 43")

:ping-small:          G425 19 (Raijin 2.0 85x)

:ping-small:          G425 22 (Raijin 2.0 85x)

:srixon-small:            ZX7 5-9 (KBS C Taper S)

:titleist-small:            Vokey SM9 45 10 F (KBS 610)

 :titleist-small:           Vokey SM9 49 08 F (KBS 610)

 :titleist-small:           Vokey SM9 55 08 M (KBS 610)

 :titleist-small:           Vokey SM9 59 04 T (KBS 610)

:taylormade-small:     Spider GT Splitback 34"

 :titleist-small:           ProV1 #23

Twitter             @THEZIPR23

 

"One thing Golf has taught me, is that my muscles have no memory."

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8 minutes ago, THEZIPR23 said:

I have the same issue with the Prov1x that you described with the Snell, so bad that I switched to Bridgestone after playing Titleist for my entire golfing career. In fact the last iteration to me was the least durable they have put out in 10+ years. Which makes it tough to do a true durability test. 

I made an edit to my first response on this topic after a bit of research. I was a little convinced that some sort of hardness test would be the best way to estimate durability, but after a bit of research I am a lot convinced (if that even makes sense to anyone lol). 

Durability is just a hard one to really spell out because golf balls are designed with a variety of performance characteristics in mind. In some cases, that could mean a harder more durable cover, and in others it could mean a softer less durable cover. It could even be, based on the exact material composition, that harder is less durable in some instances. Just food for thought. 

Driver: :mizuno-small: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S
Fairway Wood: :mizuno-small: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S
Hybrid: :mizuno-small: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB
Irons: :bridgestone-small: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 2 54* & 58* Dynamic Gold S200
Putter: :odyssey-small: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34"
Bag: :titleist-small: Players 5 Stand Bag
Ball: Maxfli Tour

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2 hours ago, dlow206 said:

By the time durability will become a factor, I will have for sure already lost that ball 😂

Though I understand the point some are making about durability, I lose WAY more balls (still in good or better shape) than I wear out. Frankly I’m proud of myself when I do wear one out occasionally...

  • Titleist TSR2 11° HZRDUS Red CB 50 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize
  • Titleist TSR2 16.5º HZRDUS Red 60 CB 6.0 & TSR2 21º HZRDUS Black 4G 70 6.0 w Lamkin UTx Midsize
  • Mizuno JPX923 HMP 4-GW, T22 54.12WS, T22 58.04DC w Lamkin ST+2 Hybrid Midsize
  • Evnroll EV5.3
  • Maxfli Tour & ProV1
  • Ping Pioneer - MGI Zip Navigator AT
  • Payntr X 002 LE, Ecco Biom C4, FJ DryJoys
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2 hours ago, GBWarPig said:

Thankfully Tony and the team do actual data driven testing, not single person anecdotal results. I've played the same Snell for multiple rounds without any cuts from full wedge shots on brand new Vokeys, and Iowa "sand" is less sand and more gravel.

So first if you read anything I was asking for the durability to be factored in by a data driven test... not just one mans opinion... and only for the best of the ball lab since they are most likely to have all 12 balls playable... I also said for this to be tested after since Tony has put in a years worth of work just to get to this point

Driver:taylormade-small: SIM 10.5, Graphite Design Tour AD-XC 6X 

Woods:titelist-small: TSi2 16.5, Fujikura Ventus Blue 7X

Hybrid: :ping-small: G410 3&4H, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 95X 

Irons:titelist-small: T-100 3-PW, Nippon Modus 120 X 

Wedges: :mizuno-small: T20, DG TI S400, 50/56/60

Putter:  :EVNROLL: ER1.2 W/BGT Stability Shaft

Ball:  :titelist-small: ProV1X-Optic Yellow

Bag: :ping-small: Pioneer

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At this price, with this high quality, I have to try this ball.

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

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Bought three doz in September and I love these over my Pro V1X. So nice to see they came out well in the. Ball test.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using MyGolfSpy

 

Left Hand orientation

:taylormade-small:SIM 2 D Max with Fujikura Air Speeder Shaft 

Cobra  Radspeed 3W/RIptide Shaft
:ping-small:  410  Hybrids 22*, 26*

Cobra Speed Zone 6-GP/Recoil ESX 460 F3 Shafts 

:titelist-small: SM7 54* Wedge

:ping-small: Glide 3.0  60* Wedge

:odyssey-small: O Works putter

:ShotScope: V3
:918457628_PrecisionPro:NX9-HD

:CaddyTek: - 4 Wheel 

EZGO TXT 48v cart
:footjoy-small: - too many shoes to list and so many to buy

:1590477705_SunMountain: And  BAG Boy

Golf Balls: Vice Pro Plus 

2020 Official Teste:SuperSpeed: Beginning Driver Speed  - 78

2019 Official Tester :ping-small:  410 Driver

2018 Official Tester :wilson-small: C300

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  • 2 weeks later...

Based on what I read in the review about the Snell I bought the mixed dozen trial pack - 6 each of the MTB-X and Black.  They arrived very quick, within a few days.   I usually play a ProV1 or 1x. 

I tried the MTB-X first and only got to use it for 9 holes so far but my initial impression is it played well.  My driver & iron distance with the Snell was what I am used to and the iron shots were spinny enough to hold greens like normal.  It felt fine putting and chipping too. 

The only issue I saw was a small scuff mark after a fairway trap shot.  I caught the shot clean enough to get the full yardage to the green and didn't notice if it was on there before I hit it so I am not sure if it was from landing there or from hitting it out. 

I didn't see any marks on it from regular iron use.  I managed to not lose it yet so I will play the same ball some more to see how it holds up.  

The spousal unit (12 handicap) also used an MTB-X for 18 recently and said her driver & iron distance was consistent with the ProV.  I asked about holding greens, chipping and putting but she said she didn't really pay attention to those details but didn't notice anything way off either. 

Modern Bag:  :ping-small: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex;   :titelist-small:  915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex;  Snake Eyes 18* 2h, 23* 4h & 27* 5h; :mizuno-small: JPX 900 Forged 6 - PW, PX LZ 6.0;  Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S;   :ping-small:  Heppler Fetch;  Ball - :Snell: MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! 

Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder

Classic Bag:  Driver - :wilson_staff_small: Persimmon; 3w - :Hogan: Speed Slot; 5w - :wilson_staff_small: Tour Block; 3 - pw - :wilson_staff_small: Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson;  putter - bullseye standard or flange.

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Played the MTB-X again yesterday for about 16 holes and again was impressed with distance and spin performance, no difference than the ProV's for me.  I had a couple greenside bunker shots and had no scuff after those shots.  I lost the last of my allotment of MTB-X from the trial dozen so I will try out the MTB Black next.

Modern Bag:  :ping-small: G410 LST 10.5*, Hzrdus Smoke RDX 6.5 Flex;   :titelist-small:  915F 3w, Diamana S+ 70 S flex;  Snake Eyes 18* 2h, 23* 4h & 27* 5h; :mizuno-small: JPX 900 Forged 6 - PW, PX LZ 6.0;  Edison 2.0 49*, 53*, 57* KBS Tour 120 S;   :ping-small:  Heppler Fetch;  Ball - :Snell: MTB-X; Bag - Jones MyGolfSpy Edition! 

Shot Scope H4, MG600 Rangefinder

Classic Bag:  Driver - :wilson_staff_small: Persimmon; 3w - :Hogan: Speed Slot; 5w - :wilson_staff_small: Tour Block; 3 - pw - :wilson_staff_small: Dynapower; sw - Ram Tom Watson;  putter - bullseye standard or flange.

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  • 1 month later...

Has anyone had any experience playing the MTB Black vs the MTB X?

On Snell's website they say to play the MTB Black if you normally play a Pro V1 instead of a Pro V1X because of the softer feel.

I'm a 10 hdcp and play the Pro V1 over the Pro V1x, but the metrics and results of the MGS test for the MTB X are hard to deny, so I'm just curious if people are getting the same or similar results with added yardage and low driver spin with the MTB Black when compared to the MTB X. If both golf balls are the same in terms of distance and low driver spin, then I guess it just comes down to how much spin do you want and do you want softer feel compression vs slightly less.

I should probably buy a test pack and try for myself, but wanted to reach out first and see what other members were experiencing between the 2 balls.

Thanks!

Titleist 913 D2/15* wood/18* Hybrid

AP2 4-PW KBS Tour X-Stiff

50*/54*/56*/58* Vokey Wedges

SC Newport 2 - 33" 

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10 minutes ago, jscho said:

Has anyone had any experience playing the MTB Black vs the MTB X?

Haven't played a full dozen, but I've had a couple balls of each and can confirm they are two completely different golf balls. The Black is soft and actually reminds me a lot of the regular Srixon Z-Star, which I find to be softer and spinnier than the ProV1. For me, I definitely prefer the X which has a nice click to it and gives me a lot more control and distance (for comparison, I also prefer the Z-Star XV over the regular)

Driver: :srixon-small: ZX5 LS MkII 9.5* (@ 9.0*) with 46.5" Ventus Blue 6X
3-wood: :taylormade-small: SIM 15* with Diamana Limited 75S
5-wood: :cobra-small: RADspeed 18.5* with Motore X F3 60S
2i: :srixon-small: ZX with SteelFiber i95 Stiff

4hy: :titleist-small: TS3 23* with Tensei AV Blue 70 S
4i-7i :srixon-small: ZX7, 8i-PW Z-Forged, Modus3 Tour 120 S
50*, 55* :cleveland-small: RTX 6 Modus3 Tour 125
60* :cleveland-small: RTX Full Face ZipCore DG Spinner S400
Putter: :callaway-small: Toulon Chicago with a :garsen: Quad Tour or :cleveland-small: HB SOFT Milled 10.5S with UST All-in

Ball: :callaway-small: Chrome Tour (but I might still have some :titleist-small: Left Dashes hanging around)
Bag: :srixon-small: Ltd Edition Tartan, blue/green/yellow

Using :ShotScope: to keep track of my shots

Tested:
:wilson_staff_small: D7 Forged 3i-PW, KBS Tour-V 110S - Official Review
:titelist-small: Blind Ball Test (Ball #3 vs Ball #4) - Unofficial Review
:ShotScope:
 V3 GPS Watch + Tags - Official Review
:OnCore:
 Vero X2 - Official Review

The Stack System - Official Review

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I just switched to the Black from the MTB-X because of the softer feel. Spin seems the same to me for approach shots. I am probably going to stick with the Black.

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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1 hour ago, MattF said:

I just switched to the Black from the MTB-X because of the softer feel. Spin seems the same to me for approach shots. I am probably going to stick with the Black.

What about distance? Still the same between the 2 or is one longer than the other?

Titleist 913 D2/15* wood/18* Hybrid

AP2 4-PW KBS Tour X-Stiff

50*/54*/56*/58* Vokey Wedges

SC Newport 2 - 33" 

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2 hours ago, jscho said:

Has anyone had any experience playing the MTB Black vs the MTB X?

On Snell's website they say to play the MTB Black if you normally play a Pro V1 instead of a Pro V1X because of the softer feel.

I'm a 10 hdcp and play the Pro V1 over the Pro V1x, but the metrics and results of the MGS test for the MTB X are hard to deny, so I'm just curious if people are getting the same or similar results with added yardage and low driver spin with the MTB Black when compared to the MTB X. If both golf balls are the same in terms of distance and low driver spin, then I guess it just comes down to how much spin do you want and do you want softer feel compression vs slightly less.

I should probably buy a test pack and try for myself, but wanted to reach out first and see what other members were experiencing between the 2 balls.

Thanks!

Spin difference off the driver and around the greens will be negligible. Initial launch for most similarly constructed balls is usually negligible as well as peak apex being similar given the fact that both of these share the same dimple pattern. The differences in these two models lie in a) iron spin (slightly higher with the X) and b) feel (slightly harder all around for the X). 

:titelist-small:  TS2 9.5

:titelist-small:  909F2 15.5

:titelist-small:  690.CB 3-PW

:titelist-small:  Vokey SM5 50, 56

image.png.e50b7e7a9b18feff4720d7b223a2013d.png   Works Versa 1W

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2 hours ago, greggarner said:

Haven't played a full dozen, but I've had a couple balls of each and can confirm they are two completely different golf balls. The Black is soft and actually reminds me a lot of the regular Srixon Z-Star, which I find to be softer and spinnier than the ProV1. For me, I definitely prefer the X which has a nice click to it and gives me a lot more control and distance (for comparison, I also prefer the Z-Star XV over the regular)

Do you think the distance with the X is enough to warrant using it over the Black? I know "harder" golf balls go further typically but if its a matter of the X giving me 15 more yards off the tee vs the Black then I might have to consider going with the X.

Titleist 913 D2/15* wood/18* Hybrid

AP2 4-PW KBS Tour X-Stiff

50*/54*/56*/58* Vokey Wedges

SC Newport 2 - 33" 

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