2021 MGS Ball Test

[Tsecor]

me waiting for the ball test to be published.......

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, Tsecor said:

me waiting for the ball test to be published.......

One more week of waiting

 

 

[Tsecor]

20 minutes ago, cnosil said:

One more week of waiting

 

 

dying to see all the data

[Tarheelvolvo]

2 hours ago, cnosil said:

One more week of waiting

 

 

Oh man!!! @cnosilwith the insider information  Getting pumped for all the test scenarios they ran and the results! If they tell me a water-logged ball performs just as well, you better believe I'll be that guy with my giant ball retriever out by the lake, lol!

[cnosil]

22 minutes ago, GolfSpy_THV said:

Oh man!!! @cnosilwith the insider information  Getting pumped for all the test scenarios they ran and the results! If they tell me a water-logged ball performs just as well, you better believe I'll be that guy with my giant ball retriever out by the lake, lol!

Not really insider info,  MGS posted it on their social media channels for everyone to see  

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSXCRWrAHxc/

 

[vandyland]

Thanks to MGS for putting in all the work on the ball test! Very interesting data but I was distracted by two main questions that I had:

1) The fast swinger was 115 mph with a driver (faster than me by 10 MPH) but under 90 MPH with a mid iron (I am generally around 90-91 mph with an 8 iron). Does anyone else see that as strange or do I have a speed mismatch in my swing(s)? 

2) The ball speeds on the high swing speed robot seemed odd, compared to my real world testing. The robot was registering a club speed of 87 mph and a ball speed of 122 mph which seem very normal but then the carry distance is 185.64? Is that because it is dead flush every time? I was hitting a ton of 7 irons over the last few weeks and the only way I could get to that kind of carry number was with a ball speed of 130ish. All of this was on Trackman, outside, off of grass. The only thing I can think is that since I was hitting range balls maybe they weren't flying as far? 

[BMart519]

Funny that the Bridgestone B XS is lower launch and spin than the BX, similarly with the regular Z Star vs Z Star XV. At mid speed anyway... Seems like some marketing material needs to be updated. 

As Tony mentions in the article, there really is minimal differentiation between balls other than the top or bottom 5 for each test. I was surprised to see such little difference in roll out on the 55 yard shots between high spinning balls and the lower compression/low spin balls like the Tour Speed and RX/RXS. 

Based on this information, I don't see anything conclusive pointing me toward using Titleist balls given the mark up. My confirmation bias was satisfied that the Tour BXS works best for me or close to it based on how I score on the course. The only thing I plan on comparing is if the 2 Z Star balls are actually shorter off the tee as shown in the data. 

With Srixon regularly going on sale for 33-50% off in Canada (and making it cheaper than Snell or Vice with shipping and exchange rate), hard to argue against that ball unless information from the MGS Ball Lab can quantify performance impacts from the perceived quality issues with the balls. They are also in a price tier below Bridgestone for used balls and another tier below Titleist. 

Edited August 16, 2021 by BMart519

[bens197]

I'm right in the 112-118 SS range depending on the day so this top end is right where I can relate...

My biggest takeaway from this is just validation that the TP5 is a regression from the earlier generation...I really really really wanted to love this underwhelming golfball.  

[russtopherb]

Lots of great info and graphics in the article, well done MGS.

I've been in the "lower price/non-urethane" group because I do still lose 2-3 balls per round, but that number is thankfully getting smaller. As someone who continually tries the ProV1 and never seems to like the feel or performance (but have been a fan of the QST), this gives me a lot of great info to use when considering a ball to stick with. The MTB Black seems to be the one I should be trying out, based on these results. 

[Tsecor]

i dont know about you guys, but my head exploded reading all this data.....im not sure I know my own name any longer....what i realized in the Chromesoft which i have been using has always been a good ball for me and this teast validates Callaway has made significant improvements.   It also seems left dash is good for all swing speeds which was shocking to me....

TP5x still sux IMO as i hated the old and new version and this test shows its not really improved....the TP5 has regressed and that is depressing because the last model was really good. 

Avx looks like its made its mark as a better all around ball than the previous model. 

Prov1 always a great all around ball.....

did the BXS get lost in this test? tigers ball didnt seem to make any real splash in this test....

after reading all this i wonder what ball is best for me....feel + performance for an all around mid swing speed guy....still trying to figure it out....head has officially exploded

[Londo]

Have been getting back into golf this past year (handicap down to 15 from 22). I found the 2019 test super interesting and was excited to see this year's results as I was looking for a ball to regularly use. I have used a variety of golf balls this past year (e6, Tour Soft, V1x Practice, and Chromesoft Xout) and actually liked the Chromesoft Xouts the best but cant justify buying the regular chromesofts at $50 a pop. I was looking at Snell and Vice but wanted to see the test results before buying and it was nice to see that their performance is as good or better than what I have been using. The Vice Pro, Snell MTB-X and Maxfli Tour CG will be the ones I buy to start next season and will certainly be using one of those going forward- Thanks MGS!

[yungkory]

I hover in the 105-108 mph range so I fall between the mid and high speed designations. The 3 balls that I've had the most success with were all in the recommendations for mid speed: Tour B X, TP5, and V1x. While I don't have any quantifiable data due to not having an LM, I found that the ball test results were consistent with what I saw on the course: these 3 balls are all really close in performance, and the TP5 and V1x spin more than the BX.

[MGoBlue100]

I've been pretty loyal to the Bridgestone Tour B RX and RXS for almost two years but looking at the data I can see myself trying Vice Pro again.  I liked those balls a lot, then they graded about a "D -" in Ball Lab.  Seems like the newer gen balls fared a little better, and I do like to embrace my Vice(s).

[Gavwlee]

The relationship of distance and speed for lower compression balls and swing speed...eye opening...Goes against the "bro science" of low compression = less distance and more spin...just depends on how fast your hitting it.

I'm with @vandyland...my driver links up with the high speed but my irons are decidedly on the mid speed category. I'll just take that as I can play from both categories...I gravitated toward the Tour B XS (it did most everything I need it to do without sacrificing the feel that I enjoyed) but might need to check out the Tour B RX...seems like it could help with the occasional "super spinner" drives.

Thanks to the MGS team for the test and the thorough write up. Such a great read..and it's clear a lot of thought and effort went into it! 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Tsecor said:

It also seems left dash is good for all swing speeds which was shocking to me....

In my use of it and talking to a couple people I know who play with one being a  high swing speed guy and another in the middle group it works. I like the consistency in flight but I need more spin with driver so off the tee it didn’t provide my any real advantage. I also don’t like sound on the putter. This was one of the main reasons in my online fitting that it was recommended to go v1 or the regular 1x

[TBS]

47 minutes ago, MGoBlue100 said:

I've been pretty loyal to the Bridgestone Tour B RX and RXS for almost two years but looking at the data I can see myself trying Vice Pro again.  I liked those balls a lot, then they graded about a "D -" in Ball Lab.  Seems like the newer gen balls fared a little better, and I do like to embrace my Vice(s).

I agree. I thought all three Vice did well in the testing. Right up there with Snell. Looks like there is a good value premium ball out there but not necessarily a clear overall winner but rather a need to test all of them out and get fit for what you need. 

[Desert Dewsweeper]

We're here in AZ if you need any assistance or have any questions about anything?!?

 

[GregGarner]

2 hours ago, vandyland said:

2) The ball speeds on the high swing speed robot seemed odd, compared to my real world testing. The robot was registering a club speed of 87 mph and a ball speed of 122 mph which seem very normal but then the carry distance is 185.64? Is that because it is dead flush every time? I was hitting a ton of 7 irons over the last few weeks and the only way I could get to that kind of carry number was with a ball speed of 130ish. All of this was on Trackman, outside, off of grass. The only thing I can think is that since I was hitting range balls maybe they weren't flying as far? 

Worth noting that they were at elevation, roughly 1200 feet above sea level. I'm sure there's a conversion somewhere to normalize for this?

[Tsecor]

18 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

In my use of it and talking to a couple people I know who play with one being a  high swing speed guy and another in the middle group it works. I like the consistency in flight but I need more spin with driver so off the tee it didn’t provide my any real advantage. I also don’t like sound on the putter. This was one of the main reasons in my online fitting that it was recommended to go v1 or the regular 1x

i loved the left dash off the tee but it bothered me from a feel perspective around the green and it definitely didnt spin around the green like I thought it would. Its a good ball all around, especially if you have a nice descent angle but for me, the super firm feel under 50 yards was not for me. 

i realized i like a soft feeling ball in my irons and putter.....firm off the tee is fine though.... 

[Tsecor]

10 minutes ago, greggarner said:

Worth noting that they were at elevation, roughly 1200 feet above sea level. I'm sure there's a conversion somewhere to normalize for this?

everything was off a tee as well....not outside on grass.

[vandyland]

@greggarner That is certainly worth noting! I must have missed that. I play basically at sea level in Tennessee. 

Also I looked up the Specs on a PXG 0311 Gen 4 8 iron and it is 37" long with 31* of loft...which is a 7 iron in most sets or even almost a 6 iron in traditional lofts like Ben Hogan.

So if I compare that to the hottest 7 iron I hit (New Level MODB-1 30* 7 iron) the MODB-1 topped out at 132.1 Ballspeed which was 182.3 yards carry and rolled out to 186.7 yards total. So getting closer but that 10mph difference in ball speed is a real headscratcher. 

Edited August 16, 2021 by vandyland

[GregGarner]

14 minutes ago, vandyland said:

Also I looked up the Specs on a PXG 0311 Gen 4 8 iron and it is 37" long with 31* of loft...which is a 7 iron in most sets or even almost a 6 iron in traditional lofts like Ben Hogan.

Ha! I didn't even think about that... now I need to go back and see what 7i they used in 2019 (if they even disclosed it?)

My 7i is 32 degrees, so that is REALLY helpful to know!

[TBS]

Something looks a little off in the Srixon Z star XV. I wanted to see how it stacked up to Snell but I also kept the titleist balls in as a sort of constant/gold standard. The mid speed iron has comparable data points except the carry and total distance. It is consistently about 5-8 yards shorter than the others. But when you switch to high/low speed, it evens out and is back in a comparable range. 

Could the XV truly have this big of discrepancy for a mid swing speed when the other balls did not have a jump like this?

[GregGarner]

5 minutes ago, TBS said:

Something looks a little off in the Srixon Z star XV. I wanted to see how it stacked up to Snell but I also kept the titleist balls in as a sort of constant/gold standard. The mid speed iron has comparable data points except the carry and total distance. It is consistently about 5-8 yards shorter than the others. But when you switch to high/low speed, it evens out and is back in a comparable range. 

Could the XV truly have this big of discrepancy for a mid swing speed when the other balls did not have a jump like this?

I noticed this too. Toss in the regular Z-Star and it's even more perplexing... the XV's Peak Height Distance suggests it's climbing for quite a while and then the descent angle is steeper, but still comparable to the others, so I can't figure out why it's not the absolute longest on the 8i for mid speed. (Assorted selection of other balls below)

 

[Kansas King]

Overall, I'm around the mid swing speed if not a little faster. According the data, the Bridgestone Tour B XS seems to really be a standout for both driver length and 8 iron/wedge spin. The Maxfli Tour had a good showing and the Snell MTB-X seemed to perform decently but it wasn't as long in this test as it was in 2019. I have not played the Tour B XS much in the past but when I have picked up one, I've always thought they performed well. I may have to buy a dozen and give them a workout. I currently play the Spalding Tours from Walmart which weren't tested (didn't expect them to be) and I really like them but my gut tells me they are probably on the way out as they don't hold them in stores anymore. The only problem with the Bridgestone Tour B XS is that they are at least $45/dozen and it's not a ball I see on sale very often. 

[TBS]

17 minutes ago, greggarner said:

I noticed this too. Toss in the regular Z-Star and it's even more perplexing... the XV's Peak Height Distance suggests it's climbing for quite a while and then the descent angle is steeper, but still comparable to the others, so I can't figure out why it's not the absolute longest on the 8i for mid speed. (Assorted selection of other balls below)

 

Right - definitely has a little more spin and is flying the highest but it does not seem like it should take off that much, when it has comparable ball speeds.

[RickyBobby_PR]

2 hours ago, Tsecor said:

i loved the left dash off the tee but it bothered me from a feel perspective around the green and it definitely didnt spin around the green like I thought it would. Its a good ball all around, especially if you have a nice descent angle but for me, the super firm feel under 50 yards was not for me. 

i realized i like a soft feeling ball in my irons and putter.....firm off the tee is fine though.... 

basically the same for me

[Thin2win]

so much data, so much data, so much data. I think that if you had a favorite ball you could find some reason to justify keeping it as your gamer(assuming it wasn't the inesis). Chrome Soft to ProV1 Left dash, and everything between. It looks like if you found a ball that you like, you probably aren't giving much up to play it. I don't think that was the case 2 years ago, so big props to the 2019 test for getting the industry to refocus on quality control. 

For me, I need a ball that has a little more spin on the driver and there are a number that fit that bill nicely as this test shows. But that ball I have been playing all year, Vice Pro, is right there in the mix. If I were going to try some others out, the Chrome Soft x seems to hit the marks I am looking for, and the Wilson Staff also looks good, but at about $20 more per dozen than the Vice... lots of good info, and it will take me a couple more spread sheets to make sure I am happy with my choice, but yeah, biggest take away is that they are all better than 2 years ago to the point where it wasn't worth including shot areas. 

[PMookie]

Right off the bat, after looking at numbers across the board for the 115 swing speed, Z Star has my attention. I know one thing, the 10 yard advantage that Left Dash showed in the test off the 8 iron vs Pro V1X, I saw it last round! I hit a Left Dash and it carried a green that the V1X, AVX, and MTB Black hit the front-middle! There would be a definite yardage adjustment needed in my head if I go Left Dash full-time.

[Shankster]

4 minutes ago, PMookie said:

Right off the bat, after looking at numbers across the board for the 115 swing speed, Z Star has my attention. I know one thing, the 10 yard advantage that Left Dash showed in the test off the 8 iron vs Pro V1X, I saw it last round! I hit a Left Dash and it carried a green that the V1X, AVX, and MTB Black hit the front-middle! There would be a definite yardage adjustment needed in my head if I go Left Dash full-time.

Feel question, the Rock Hard cue ball left dash doesn’t bother you?

I wanted to like it, but I can’t do granite.