Who has the best premium ball? Let's find out!

[CCorley99]

Here is the bracket I am going with. Had to set some kind of limit on the number of balls that will be facing off!! Hoping to start the first match up tomorrow if weather permits. Check back later for the first head to head and see which ball advances. 

[3Putt4Double]

59 minutes ago, CCorley99 said:

Here is the bracket I am going with. Had to set some kind of limit on the number of balls that will be facing off!! Hoping to start the first match up tomorrow if weather permits. Check back later for the first head to head and see which ball advances. 

Overall winner goes up against the Slazenger ball?

[Tmakris]

I was very impressed with the Maxfli balls as a Pro V1 snob. I need to venture out more and try some different ones this year.  Has anyone used Ballnamic and what was your experience?

[Zgrabby11]

I just changed to Chrome Tours right now from Callaway and they fit the play style of me pretty well. Not super long off the tee compared to a TP5x but great spin around the greens and approach. I like them so far!

[Rob Person]

9 hours ago, CCorley99 said:

Here is the bracket I am going with. Had to set some kind of limit on the number of balls that will be facing off!! Hoping to start the first match up tomorrow if weather permits. Check back later for the first head to head and see which ball advances. 

Great idea on the bracket. what format will you use for testing?

[dt-17]

19 hours ago, HikingMike said:

Can confirm

 

Am I right in saying the higher the spin the less the ball will travel though?

 

Really interesting table. Didn't expect Titleist to be so low for both irons and driver, especially considering majority of pros use them.

[CCorley99]

4 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Great idea on the bracket. what format will you use for testing?

I’m not 100% sure yet. I’m mainly looking for a ball to fit me personally. I think mainly field test on the course and around practice areas will be most beneficial to me. Taking notes on what I’m looking for from each ball to decide which of the two is best for me. 

[RetiredBoomer]

That's a daunting task that the tester set up for himself.
Also a lot of balls, even without the Penfold Ace. 

My ball is in the bracket, but I'm a creature of habit with golf balls and probably won't change regardless of the results.

I once mentioned that I change balls when the one that I'm playing goes out of production.
Then I was told that even within a specific model, the ball is changed every two or three years.
I didn't need to know that.   

 

 

[chisag]

23 minutes ago, RetiredBoomer said:

I once mentioned that I change balls when the one that I'm playing goes out of production.
Then I was told that even within a specific model, the ball is changed every two or three years.
I didn't need to know that.  

 

... It is a cliche' for a reason: ignorance is bliss. I find it interesting that some Pro's horde previous generation balls when a new one is released because it performs juuuuuust a hair better for them. How nice would it be to tell the difference in actual performance between this years and last years ProV1x? If I could do that I would be shooting 63's on the Champions Tour and not 69's from my muni's Sr tee's. 

[bens197]

My go to is the Z Star XV. I’ll give the diamond a shot when I’m out of this years stash. 
 

Regarding best ball, sure it’s easy to say ProV1 models. The margins within each premium ball have been fairly close so the best ball may not end up being best for you or me. 
 

Most wanted testing has revealed that the best performing value is Maxfli. I still can’t believe it. 
 

Following along to see how this plays out. 

[Lefty11]

6 hours ago, dt-17 said:

 

Am I right in saying the higher the spin the less the ball will travel though?

 

Really interesting table. Didn't expect Titleist to be so low for both irons and driver, especially considering majority of pros use them.

I wonder where the new Taylormade TP5 and TP5x slot in on that chart.  

[KC Golf]

41 minutes ago, bens197 said:

My go to is the Z Star XV. I’ll give the diamond a shot when I’m out of this years stash. 
 

Regarding best ball, sure it’s easy to say ProV1 models. The margins within each premium ball have been fairly close so the best ball may not end up being best for you or me. 
 

Most wanted testing has revealed that the best performing value is Maxfli. I still can’t believe it. 
 

Following along to see how this plays out. 

Love the Diamond.  It’s a great ball.

[OdinSnipes414]

For DTC I have to go Odin X1

other top brands I’m a TaylorMade guy the 2021 TP5x were the best 

[HikingMike]

11 hours ago, dt-17 said:

Am I right in saying the higher the spin the less the ball will travel though?

Really interesting table. Didn't expect Titleist to be so low for both irons and driver, especially considering majority of pros use them.

Not necessarily, that depends on how you hit the ball and your club also. Sometimes people need more spin to keep the ball in the air longer. 

I can come up with a chart for you, based on the 2023 ball test data. It’s not you and your swing and club, but it’s the best we can do apart from you testing yourself. Thanks to excellent MGS testing!

To do that, let me know the following…

Pick one for club speed and club-

• Club speed: [Fast, Mid, Slow]
• Club: [Driver, Mid-iron]

Pick two data points to compare in the scatter plot (as X and Y axes)-

• Ball Speed
• Launch Angle
• Spin Axis
• Spin
• Max Height
• Max Height Distance
• Descent Angle
• Carry (distance)
• Total (distance)

Spin vs carry distance or total distance would probably fit what you want. 

Fast is 115 mph for driver and 87 mph for 8 iron. Mid is 100 mph for driver and 77 mph for 8 iron. Slow is 85 mph for driver and 67 mph for 8 iron. 

More details here - https://mygolfspy.com/buyers-guides/golf-balls/2023-golf-ball-test/

It looks like that last test was posted in September. So we’ll probably have to wait a while for the next one with data on new balls.

Edited May 24 by HikingMike

[CCorley99]

The rain cleared up this afternoon and the course drained well enough for my first head to head. Match 1 was between the Callaway Chrome Tour X and the Titleist Pro V1.

How I tested:

I played 18 with both balls in hand. The first 6 holes were completed with the Pro V1. The second 6 holes with the Chrome Tour X. The last 6 holes were completed with both and to double check any notes I took on them. I also chipped and putted around the practice area to get more feel for both. I tried to get a true feel for both balls by playing them for entire holes and sometimes repeating shots with both balls. I played extremely well today, and my swing was pretty consistent throughout the round. I shot a +3 75 which is a below average score for me. 

Results:

The Titleist Pro V1 has a firmer feel which suits me much better. I felt more control in putting the ball where I wanted it. The Pro V1 also had much more control and stopping power (which is huge to me) with my short irons, wedges, and around the green. The Pro V1 dominated the tee box in accuracy as well.

I felt a lack of control with the Chrome Tour X. This may be due to how much softer it felt. Chips and pitches tended to roll out much more with the Chrome Tour X. The spin rate I wanted was just not there with this ball. I did see a noticeable difference in iron distance. I consistently hit the Callaway Chrome Tour X 5 to 8 yards further than the Pro V1. 

Both balls rolled very true off the putter, and I hit many medium to long putts with both balls.

In the journey to finding what ball fits me best, Titleist Pro V1 defeated the Callaway Chrome Tour X in Match 1. On the course, the Pro V1 was the clear winner in my round. 

 

Disclaimer: Huge emphasis that this test is to find what ball fits ME best. My swing, my game and what I want in a ball.  

[HikingMike]

1 hour ago, CCorley99 said:

The rain cleared up this afternoon and the course drained well enough for my first head to head. Match 1 was between the Callaway Chrome Tour X and the Titleist Pro V1.

How I tested:

I played 18 with both balls in hand. The first 6 holes were completed with the Pro V1. The second 6 holes with the Chrome Tour X. The last 6 holes were completed with both and to double check any notes I took on them. I also chipped and putted around the practice area to get more feel for both. I tried to get a true feel for both balls by playing them for entire holes and sometimes repeating shots with both balls. I played extremely well today, and my swing was pretty consistent throughout the round. I shot a +3 75 which is a below average score for me. 

Results:

The Titleist Pro V1 has a firmer feel which suits me much better. I felt more control in putting the ball where I wanted it. The Pro V1 also had much more control and stopping power (which is huge to me) with my short irons, wedges, and around the green. The Pro V1 dominated the tee box in accuracy as well.

I felt a lack of control with the Chrome Tour X. This may be due to how much softer it felt. Chips and pitches tended to roll out much more with the Chrome Tour X. The spin rate I wanted was just not there with this ball. I did see a noticeable difference in iron distance. I consistently hit the Callaway Chrome Tour X 5 to 8 yards further than the Pro V1. 

Both balls rolled very true off the putter, and I hit many medium to long putts with both balls.

In the journey to finding what ball fits me best, Titleist Pro V1 defeated the Callaway Chrome Tour X in Match 1. On the course, the Pro V1 was the clear winner in my round. 

 

Disclaimer: Huge emphasis that this test is to find what ball fits ME best. My swing, my game and what I want in a ball.  

I like your tournament setup!  Very ambitious and fun. Interesting results with the first match. I didn’t realize the Pro V1 would be much firmer.
 

I’ve tried a Chrome Tour, non-X, but haven’t tried an X version. I didn’t try them back to back and compare, but I would have thought it would be close with the Pro V1. 

[RetiredBoomer]

18 hours ago, chisag said:

 

 How nice would it be to tell the difference in actual performance between this years and last years ProV1x? If I could do that I would be shooting 63's on the Champions Tour and not 69's from my muni's Sr tee's. 

Well, since Donald Ross built our course in 1906, I can still play from any tees because it screams if you try to stretch it much beyond 6000 yards!

69, though?  The custom ball number imprinted on my Pro V1s balls is 79, and if I can get there three or four times again this season, I'm one happy old man!