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How many rounds does a golf ball last?


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I guessing there's other MGS members that tend not to lose a lot of golf balls like myself.

 

Last year, I played a ProV1 for 8 rounds in a row. While the Pro V1 seems like the most durable ball, after 8 rounds, it was really beat up. I just wanted to see how far I could push it. 

 

A couple of the DTC balls I've experimented with are lucky if they last 9 holes. The "Cut" ball was the worst performer. 

 

What are your experiences? Should MGS also examine durability when it conducts ball testing or do most golfers lose the ball before performance degregradion?

 

What's the longest you've played with a single ball?

image.png.94f13df8145a5d3d3e8432352619fb85.png

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11 hours ago, Duxman130 said:

I guessing there's other MGS members that tend not to lose a lot of golf balls like myself.

Last year, I played a ProV1 for 8 rounds in a row. While the Pro V1 seems like the most durable ball, after 8 rounds, it was really beat up. I just wanted to see how far I could push it.

A couple of the DTC balls I've experimented with are lucky if they last 9 holes. The "Cut" ball was the worst performer.

What are your experiences? Should MGS also examine durability when it conducts ball testing or do most golfers lose the ball before performance degregradion?

What's the longest you've played with a single ball?

ProV1's and Maxfli's will last a couple rounds. Once the dimple edges start to feel smoother, I'll move it to the shag bag unless I'm just out getting some reps and not trying to shoot a score. It's a judgment call, but I like to pull a fresh ball and compare to see when it's time to retire it. I've been tinkering (again) with the Chromesoft XLS and it definitely shows more wear by the end of one round. (I typically game the same ball for the whole round unless it's cold and then I'll swap between two balls every ~3 holes.)

I tried out the Cut Blue DC a couple years ago and it scuffed on a well-struck iron shot from the fairway. I went through an entire sleeve in 2 holes just from scuffs...

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 was involved in testing the Top Flite Gamer and the Maxfli Tour and Tour X golf balls. Part of my testing was durability. I don't loose balls often and the course I was testing at (my home course which was private) didn't have many cart paths or water that came into play. Between two balls I was getting 1500 strikes to the ball. So that's about 10 rounds or so for me per ball. But it was a test so I wanted to see how long it would go before I deemed it time for the shag bag. After 10 rounds they still were producing good scores. I did wear the gloss finish off of them. But in reality, there are not many golfers that will play a ball for 10 rounds. Some play a new ball every round some lose 6 in a round. It all depends on the golfer. 

Here is an example from my testing.  A few rounds on each ball.  Then put through the ball washer.  You can see I wore through the paint on the Pro V1 and I had two less rounds on it than the TF Gamer.   

Balltest1.jpg.1e19298e99730cb426432c41959bff09.jpg

: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

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  • 2 weeks later...

For me, it's still more about how long I can keep a ball in play and keep finding it versus the time it takes for it to become scuffed or cut on the cover. However, I have determined that the Kirkland balls are garbage for durability; definitely cheaper and probably good for me, as I'm still losing them, but sometimes it only takes a single wedge strike to damage the cover. I've had the cover be scuffed like crazy after a single hole without hitting a cart path or tree. It's generally worth it for me though with the price to performance. I don't need it to last super long. I did play one for an entire 18 once, first ball I kept through 18 holes since I started playing again. It was pretty damn scuffed by the end.

In contrast, the one time I played a new ProV1, it made it through 8 holes without a single mark or scuff before I winged it OB on the 18th hole. I've switched to Vice Pros recently, and I've been really happy with the durability of them. Definitely notice the drop in spin rate compared to the Kirklands at the executive course I play a lot, but they just last and feel great off the driver.  

MsWalkrOfSky - 22.1 HDC - Best 18 hole Round - 80 at Rea Park Golf Course - Red Tees - 5,219 yards

Driver:       :PXG:             0211 2021 10.5* - Shaft Diamana s60 Limited - Stiff Flex

Woods:     :callaway-logo-1:        XR 3 Wood - Regular Flex

                 Acer                  XP Stainless 9 Wood 27*       

Irons:        :cleveland-small:         CG7 Black Pearl Irons 4-PW - A Flex

Wedges:   Kirkland          52*

                 Kirkland          56*

                 Kirkland          60*

Putter:      :ping-small:            PAL 5

Balls:        Pro V1 Yellow  

Other:      ShotScope X5 Watch and Sensors     

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've become a bit more picky about when I take a ball out of play. Used to be as long as I could find it and it would still roll I would keep hacking at it. But as my handicap has decreased I'm much more aware of scuffs and scrapes on the ball and much more willing to take it out of play. 

Ive recently switched from Callaway Supersofts to Vice Pro and I personally feel the durability is a bit better on the Vice ball. But part of that could be my increased ability to not slice every tee shot 60 yards into the woods. 

But I'm to the point that if the ball makes it through a round it goes into the swag portion of the bag for the provisionals and water balls. If they get a knick or scratch they get to meet their wet demise at the next earliest convenience. 

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Rounds? lol

Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple diamond 10.5 Ventus black TR 6x

3 wood ; Callaway Paradym triple diamond 15 degree, Ventus black TR 7x

Apex UW 19 degree, Ventus black TR 8x

Utility Iron: Mizuno Pro Fli Hi 4 utility, Ventus blue HB 90X

Irons: Callaway Apex MB 5-PW, KBS $ taper 130x

Wedges: Callaway Jaws Raw 50, 54, 58, KBS $ taper 130x

Putter: Wilson Staff TM22, hand torched, KBS cutter putter shaft, Super stroke Pistol GT 1.0

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Depends on where you play really, one course i play has like 80 bunkers and trees lining every hole. Ball gets very scuffed unless you're hitting every fairway and GIR (which I don't). I'll replace MaxFli almost every round there from big scrapes, and it's a pretty durable ball. Another course I play often is wide open so scuffing doesn't happen and I'm more likely to lose it than replace it

JK

Driver: Callaway Rogue

3W: Callaway Rogue

Hybrid: Callaway Apex

Irons: Callaway APEX 21

Wedges: Cleveland RTX6 Zipcore

Putter: PXG Hercules 

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  • 7 months later...
On 3/8/2023 at 11:42 PM, Duxman130 said:

What's the longest you've played with a single ball?

I usually play with ZStars the proVs poorer cousin. I also played with TP5 a bit. Z Stars are good for 3- 4 rounds if you stay out of bunkers, trees and carts paths/ rocks. TP5s rarely last a full round and ProVs can keep going for at least 4 rounds. 

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I play Maxfli Tour S in both white and yellow flavors depending on the sky and terrain.  Yellow is easier to see on gray days and white is easier on sunny days; however, white is currently easier to see with the leaves on the ground.

I can play a single ball for 4-5 rounds, but it seems like @Yellow Ball has more of a tendency to take a detour to the one of the four ponds.  😆

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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Just now, Yellow Ball said:

A common condition known as OPERATOR ERROR! 

But that doesn't explain why the white balls don't go for a swim.  Theoretically, given the same number of opportunities, the number of yellow and white balls in the water should be about the same.  I suppose yellow balls could be defective; I'll contact Maxfli for you... you're welcome!  😆

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I've played balls long enough, granted with no scuffs, that the printing (brand/model) has become almost unreadable. In those cases, I did not notice a decline in performance.

Edited by PhilM75072

In my TaylorMade Supreme Golf Bag:
Driver:  PXG Gen 6 0311 10.5° with Motore X F3 R Shaft 45"
3W:  Callaway 3W Mavrik Max w/ UST Helium Black 4F2
5W: Callaway Epic Flash (+1/N) w/ Project X Evenflow Green R Flex
Hybrid:  Callaway Big Bertha 4H (+1/N) w/ UST Recoil 760 ES F2
Irons: PXG 0211DC 5-GW w/ MMT 60 A Flex
Wedges: Kirkland 52°/56°/60° w/ True Temper Shafts
Putter:  Seemore Original FGP Mallet / Cobra King Nova / Toulon Portland
Ball:  Callaway ERC Soft / Snell MTB Black / Sugar Pure / Vice Pro

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been experimenting with golf ball since this year hoping to find "the one" that I can complements my lack of club head speed and better than average short game.   Below are examples of an OnCore Elixr and Snell MTB Prime golf balls.  Each have been played for one round.  As you can see, the Snell ball tended to be "less robust" to my club face and course obstacles.   I've read on the Snell site that there were some issues with batch number 1 experiencing "cover shearing especially from higher swing speed players".   They went on to say that process improvements have been implementing to improve the overall durability.  So there can be significant durability differences between manufacturers and their golf balls.  

 

Ballslogo.jpg.097ad21235b5ba0be6da08a7380443b5.jpg

So, when do I take a ball out of play?  I'd like to say when I see the kind of ball damage seen on the right.  However, I got on a hot streak while playing that Snell MTB Prime ball and I kept it in play until I had two double bogies in a row before replacing it.  Why temp fate by changing the ball and negatively impacting my streak!  

Ping G430 Max driver 10.5 degrees with an Alta Quick45 gram senior shaft
Callaway Epic 3 wood, Project X Evenflow Green 45 gram senior shaft  
Callaway GBB Epic Heavenwood, with a Mitsubishi Diamana 50 gram senior shaft
Ping G 20.5 degree 7 wood, with a stock Alta 65 gram senior shaft
Ping G 26 degree hybrid, stock Alta 65 gram senior shaft
Callaway Paradym X irons, 7-AW with Aldila Ascent Blue 50 graphite shafts
Edison wedges:  50, 55 and 60 degree, KBS Tour Graphite A flex shafts
Putters:  L.A.B. Direct Force 2.1 putter, 34.5" long, 67 degrees lie
 
2022 MGS Tester:  Shot Scope Pro XL+ with H4  
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  • 2 weeks later...

I really have no idea but believe the closer we get to 2030, they will last progressively longer 😊.

:ping-small: G410 Plus, 9 Degree Driver 

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 16 Degree 3w

:ping-small: G400 SFT, 19 Degree 5w

:srixon-small:  ZX5 Irons 4-AW 

:ping-small: Glide 2.0 56 Degree SW   (removed from double secret probation 😍)

:EVNROLL: ER5v Putter  (Evnroll ER5v Official Review)

:odyssey-small: AI-One Milled Seven T CH (Currently Under Product Test)

 

 

 

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I have one that has survived about 5 rounds and is still going strong.  I have also had them last less that one round.  Haha

:callaway-small: Paradym TD Driver w/ Ventus Blue 6S

:ping-small: 3W

:srixon-small: MKII ZX 5's (4-6) w/ KBS Tour V

:srixon-small: MKII ZX 7's (7-PW) w/ KBS Tour V

:titleist-small: Vokey Wedges 50* 54* 58*

:L.A.B.: DF2.1 Putter

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