Balls balls. Are any better than the proV1?

[Sluggo42]

Since I'm a poor cheap old man, I buy used balls off Craigslist. Only proV1's.

 

Also since I'm ignorant as a rock, I haven't tried anything else other than one or two that I'll find.

 

Not looking to restart a ball thread, but rather a few quick suggestions of balls that are equal or better than a proV1

 

Like I'm hearing the Penta 5. Good distance with good spin. That's all.

 

There any others ?

Thanks

 

Slugger

[revkev]

The Penta is the Pro VIx equivalent so there is a difference - every major brand has its Pro VI and Pro VIx equivalent - if your preference is for the Pro VI type just look for the words, softer and greater green side spin compared to the less spin off the driver that comes with the Ix type balls.

 

If you want the Taylor Made equivalent it was last year's Penta TP 3 - you can buy that very cheaply and IMO it's a good ball.

 

I hope that helps -

[Mr_Theoo]

The Nike rzn 20XI is a good choice as well. Some say they were a little firm but I thought they felt softer than the proV1s that I have hit

[silver & black]

I game last year's Penta. I love this ball. Never been a fan of the Pro V1. I played the new TaylorMade RocketBallz Tour (urethane cover) today. I'm pretty impressed with it.

[sai-jin]

For me if I want a softer ball, like the V1, I actually like the original Penta. THey should be very cheap by now.

[JBones]

Master Grip C4 Tour, you can't go wrong; it's like the ProV, but only $19.99 a dozen.

[RookieBlue7]

Is there anything better? Absolutely, depending on the person.

 

For me, when the question is asked, that answer is a definitive yes, and the ball is the original TaylorMade Penta (not the newer TP3 or TP5). Track man numbers confirm it for me, ball speed off the driver, spin off the wedges, distance averages, etc are better FOR ME with the original Penta. I hated the TP5 and TP3. Want to try the Lethal, course I am trying to clear all of Lost Golf Balls stock of original Pentas first.

 

If you want cheaper and new, as Bonesy said, you're gonna be hard pressed to beat the Master Grip Tour C4 (which is actually just the old Ben Hogan Tour Deep, as they bought the patent on that ball and started producing it, loved those Hogans btw). I reviewed them on here as well if you want more in depth.

 

My advice, if possible go get on a track man with all the balls you want to play and get truth in numbers. If that's not possible, either catch your range immediately after they picked it and its vacant and hit all you can, or buy a sleeve of all the ones you want to try and play a round with each to pick.

 

I did have an idea though for those of us looking to try other balls. Do a sleeve swap on here, how it works is I post I have XXX balls and list what I'd like to try. If someone has something from my list and want to try what I have, I ship them the sleeve of what I have and they ship me the sleeve of what they have I want to try. It'd be a fun way to try out new balls and help other MGSers not have to buy balls, just pay a few bucks shipping. Cause if anyone is like me, they buy in bulk and have balls lying around. I have new, cherry boxes in my storage locker for my golf stuff and I'm sure others do.

[Sluggo42]

Master Grip C4 Tour, you can't go wrong; it's like the ProV, but only $19.99 a dozen.

Never heard of them, what stores carry them?

[The Artful Duffer]

A little off topic. I know the Maxfli U4 gets a lotta love round here, anybody hit the U6 yet? And my vote to overtake the Pro V is the Hex Black from Cally. It's fantastic. Take a couple sleeves to the course of different balls and do side by side comparisons. Find what works best for you.

[RookieBlue7]

Never heard of them, what stores carry them?

 

Master Grip's online store (great gloves too). MGgolf.com

[Sluggo42]

Master Grip's online store (great gloves too). MGgolf.com

Cool, ordered a couple gloves and a dozen balls to try out. Thanks guys!

[Sluggo42]

Master Grip C4 Tour, you can't go wrong; it's like the ProV, but only $19.99 a dozen.

ok, I'll be playing my new MG C-4 tours tomorrow morning, along with one of my new gloves...

Report back tomorrow afternoon with my personal review of both...

[Kor.A.Door]

I really like the cally hex black tour, recentlyinfound a penta tp5 and tp3, and those play very well also, the penta's felt a little softer on the cover than the blacks on the greens, but both played good distance and good spin.

I also think the v1x is better than the v1, it has better distance off the tee, and you can still put some pretty good spin with the irons.

[apprenti23]

Buy a sleeve of every ball out there, go out and lose them. It's the only way you can tell which ball is better for you. Every company out there makes a good golf ball. There is a vast assortment of balls too. If I were you I would buy a sleeve of every ball that every company makes and compare to find what you like best from that company. Then compare the top dogs From every company. You'll find a winner that way.

 

The public is brainwashed that the ProV1 is the best ball out there. It is that simple. There's no reason prov1 should be the top selling ball in any golf shop. I'm a firm believer that 90% of all players have no business playing prov1s and there are better options out there.

[Sluggo42]

Wow, the mg C-4 Tour ball is very good. Totally everything I need. Good distance, and spin is right between the v1 and the v1x. Actually just right for me.

I am a fan, especially at 19.99 doz.

 

Their glove is really nice too. Super soft. But I may wear a hole in the palm too quickly... I have a bad habit of holding the club too much at the end...

 

But I still can't get over how nice that ball played...

[RookieBlue7]

Buy a sleeve of every ball out there, go out and lose them. It's the only way you can tell which ball is better for you. Every company out there makes a good golf ball. There is a vast assortment of balls too. If I were you I would buy a sleeve of every ball that every company makes and compare to find what you like best from that company. Then compare the top dogs From every company. You'll find a winner that way.

 

The public is brainwashed that the ProV1 is the best ball out there. It is that simple. There's no reason prov1 should be the top selling ball in any golf shop. I'm a firm believer that 90% of all players have no business playing prov1s and there are better options out there.

 

 

Yep, that's why I said buy a sleeve of each he wants to try as well. I like to get to the range after its freshly picked if possible, though, and hit as many as possible there, walking out and picking them back up to see which stacks up with which in what ways (plus they're harder to lose, lol). But yeah, taking them out on the course works well too, even though the risk of loss is more lol.

[apprenti23]

HA! I tell people all the time that "They all get lost the same."

[dru_]

Wow, the mg C-4 Tour ball is very good. Totally everything I need. Good distance, and spin is right between the v1 and the v1x. Actually just right for me.

I am a fan, especially at 19.99 doz.

 

Their glove is really nice too. Super soft. But I may wear a hole in the palm too quickly... I have a bad habit of holding the club too much at the end...

 

But I still can't get over how nice that ball played...

 

You may find the gloves wear better than you expect. I've gotten a full season from one of their gloves though it is starting to look pretty ratty.

[jaxbeachpackerfan]

Two months ago, played the same course three days apart. Second hole, par 3, pin position the same, 142 and 143 by the laser. Was playing well both times. Both times I hit really good shots for me. First time Bridgestone E6, next time the Pro Vix. First time, ball mark just short of the pin, ball 2 yards further. Second time, ball mark pin high, ball mark 1 foot further. I like the Pro V.

[shot74@75]

after playing golf for almost 70 years, and still breaking 80 regularly-3 times a week usually, I find damned little ,if any difference in golf balls. My ability to strike the ball hard may have eroded but I still can spin the short iron shots enough to make even Pinnacles and Top Flites stop on the greens and even back up on softer greens, The south Florida course that I play 5 times a week has firm and fast conditions almost all year. It softens in the summer rainy season. The distance with the driver or long irons is so marginally different with different balls that I play whatever I find or whatever is on sale somewhere.

I think the main difference in balls is the advertising and as 90% of players are not as skillful as I am, when they think the ball makes a difference in their play is purely in their minds./

 

Sorry Titleist, Taylormade and the rest. Golf ball performance is as standardized and measurable as shaft flex...All makers have their own standards and the public is just foolish to take their "facts: as gospel.

[revkev]

I have to say that I disagree with shot 74@75 with great respect of course.

 

Perhaps you have a different game than I but I consistently find what any published statistical analysis about balls says conforms to my game - I'm longer with whoever's Pro VIx type ball, with middle irons it really doesn't make a bit of difference what I use and on part shots I will always spin pro line balls better.

 

That's what the numbers say should happen and miracle of miracles that's exactly what happens for me.

 

I'd also like our friend apprenti to expound upon his comment. If by saying Pro VI shouldn't be the top selling ball he means all manufacturer's Pro line balls are about the same - I agree. Essentially they come in two types the softer higher spinning one and the firmer less spining one. No doubt one is as good as the next.

 

If he buys into the Pro Line ball won't benefit all players I disagree because of the numbers above - Like all things golf they benefit the better players more than they do the average player but there are still benefits - just fewer.

 

I think the biggest rip offs are those mid priced balls - if you don't want to shell out for the pro line balls go for the cheap two piecers - much, much longer and the difference in spin or lack there of between them and the midline ones is so little that it really doesn't matter.

 

Buy a Pinnacle or a Topflite or my favorite long drive ball in the friendly scramble the Warbird over the NXT tour and th elike.

 

The midline balls are the sucker punch IMO. You can always find some discontinued proline ball for the same price.

[Kor.A.Door]

It really is preference, I think that majority of the tour balls react the same, how do YOU want the ball to react for certain shots, do you play chip and run, or do you play chip and check, do you play your irons to stop on a dime or do you play them to land and run to the flag. One of my brothers plays everything to run out, so the "tour ball" doesn't work well for him, because he doesn't want the check, he wants it to run. With a distance type ball, you will gain some length of the tee and irons, but you will lose that check and stop on the greens, unless you are a high spin guy and can stop anything, but very few players are like that. Their are some less expensive balls that try to give you both, noodle long and soft is decent, Titleist nxt tour, there are others mentioned in earlier posts here. Find one you like and play it for a while, see what happens

[apprenti23]

Back when I was still in school, maybe the month before I left for freshman year of college, I had the debate with my father about the whole balata vs top-rock argument. He was convinced it was the Indian and not the arrow and I thought everyone should play balata!. I played with a top-flite that round- the whole way through and shot 66 with a double bogey on 18 after a shitty duck hook off the tee into the water. Had I made par I would've shot the course record, albeit with a top flite. I haven't played a top-flite since. Moral of the story is - the ball doesn't matter that much. If you suck or don't have money play whatever you find. If you're good, think you're good, or just have too much money, play the most expensive option out there now. Heck some Callaway staffers including Mickelson haven't been playing the highest tiered tour balls in the lineup and are doing just fine. So don't quite rule out the mid level balls just yet. If you don't play in tournaments or could give a crap about the rules tee off with a pinnacle and swap it for a prov1 for your approach or chip/putt. Maybe swipe some chap stick on the face of that driver too while you're at it. The grease doesn't help a duck hook though!

[Sluggo42]

after playing golf for almost 70 years, and still breaking 80 regularly-3 times a week usually, I find damned little ,if any difference in golf balls. My ability to strike the ball hard may have eroded but I still can spin the short iron shots enough to make even Pinnacles and Top Flites stop on the greens and even back up on softer greens, The south Florida course that I play 5 times a week has firm and fast conditions almost all year. It softens in the summer rainy season. The distance with the driver or long irons is so marginally different with different balls that I play whatever I find or whatever is on sale somewhere.

I think the main difference in balls is the advertising and as 90% of players are not as skillful as I am, when they think the ball makes a difference in their play is purely in their minds./

 

Sorry Titleist, Taylormade and the rest. Golf ball performance is as standardized and measurable as shaft flex...All makers have their own standards and the public is just foolish to take their "facts: as gospel.

 

Make a pinnacle back up? You are awesome my friend. That takes one heck of a crisp strike mate!

Personally, I hope I'm on this side of the grass when I'm your age, much less breaking 80!

God Bless you sir!

[BIG STU]

Make a pinnacle back up? You are awesome my friend. That takes one heck of a crisp strike mate!

Personally, I hope I'm on this side of the grass when I'm your age, much less breaking 80!

God Bless you sir!

Amen to that Sluggo my sentiments exactly.

[BIG STU]

Yep, that's why I said buy a sleeve of each he wants to try as well. I like to get to the range after its freshly picked if possible, though, and hit as many as possible there, walking out and picking them back up to see which stacks up with which in what ways (plus they're harder to lose, lol). But yeah, taking them out on the course works well too, even though the risk of loss is more lol.

What I do here is a little cheaper. Like I have said here before everyone around here hawks golf balls at the flea market and I have several people I deal with. They usually get grade A balls ( Thanks to all the rich tourist golfers) I have several deals working. Recently I switched to the Srixon Z Star balls and just so happens Golfsmith has them on sale $29 a dz. This one dealer was selling them used for $20 for 18 balls. He called me the other day because he is not selling a lot of Srixon balls I told him why. He offered me 18 balls for $10 I jumped on that and bought 54 balls for $30. Also the TP reds and blacks are not selling good so I bought a couple of 18 count for $7 each. These are all grade A balls no sharpie marks or lines. But if you are trying balls they will be glad to sell you a mixed 18 ball deal for the usual $20. The used golf ball market is highly competitive here. Those deals suffice for me now that I am not playing competition. when I was playing comp golf I had a ball deal with Titleist. I have not played comp in close to 4 years now.

[The Dansome]

I think it comes down to buy the best deal going at the time for the most part, I've had great success playing the Wilson FG Tours last 3 years. But sometimes I'll find a Penta, Titleist or Srixon etc on the curse and play it the rest of round and it's still business as usual.

[revkev]

Back when I was still in school, maybe the month before I left for freshman year of college, I had the debate with my father about the whole balata vs top-rock argument. He was convinced it was the Indian and not the arrow and I thought everyone should play balata!. I played with a top-flite that round- the whole way through and shot 66 with a double bogey on 18 after a shitty duck hook off the tee into the water. Had I made par I would've shot the course record, albeit with a top flite. I haven't played a top-flite since. Moral of the story is - the ball doesn't matter that much. If you suck or don't have money play whatever you find. If you're good, think you're good, or just have too much money, play the most expensive option out there now. Heck some Callaway staffers including Mickelson haven't been playing the highest tiered tour balls in the lineup and are doing just fine. So don't quite rule out the mid level balls just yet. If you don't play in tournaments or could give a crap about the rules tee off with a pinnacle and swap it for a prov1 for your approach or chip/putt. Maybe swipe some chap stick on the face of that driver too while you're at it. The grease doesn't help a duck hook though!

 

Sorry buddy I'm not biting here - we aren't talking about balata - they don't make those any more - the trade off between balata and top flite was enourmous - 15 to 20 yards no matter the golfer and a ridiculous amount of spin inside of 100 yards plus workability for the better golfer.

 

Beyond a doubt you, I and many other golfers have shot very good rounds with balls that aren't top shelfers - the question always is - what gives a golfer the best chance to shoot a good score. Heck I'm shot even with my beginner Kroydon's that included wooden driver, three wood, 3,5,7,9, putter and I had this utility wedge that I picked up on the side - should I go back to playing those also?

 

So lets drop balata and price, because there are always attractive pro-line balls available somewhere out there for the same price as the mid priced OEM offerings.

 

The three types of balls are the two piecers (topflites), mid line (in type A and type and pro line (in type A and type . If there is a touring pro who uses the mid line in type A or type B (a non - urethane cover) I'd like to know whom cause I haven't seen it - I've seen any number of touring pros who use an older pro line ball because that's what they prefer. Yes for a couple of years some brands charged more for their Pro VIx type ball than their Pro VI type ball but that didn't make the Pro VI type ball a midliner by any stretch - it gave them something at the $35 price point. I believe both Callaway and TMag tried this. But like the Balata balls of yester year that's for touring pros not us so lets move on to reality.

 

To us - every study I've seen shows that cheaper two piece balls go the farthest off of every club (about 10 yards farther off the driver) - no argument there - if distance is your sole criterea that's the choice. If price is your sole criterea that is also the price choice - again no argument there - I'd applaud that decision for a mid to high handicapper or a lower handicapper who is strapped on a budget.

 

The same studies show that the pro line balls go as far as the midline balls and that for many swing speeds and angles of attack, even slower swing speeds, they go a bit farther (3 or 4 yards)than their midline non-urethane counterparts. This means that Srixon's claim about sidespin (whatever the heck that is) is bogus. But that's a topic for another day.

 

With middle irons all balls spin approximately the same - it's likely that 74@75 does stop a pinnacle just as fast as a Pro VI with his 6 iron and given the courses we play in Florida when the greens are wet and into the grain he might well spin both balls back a bit on a solid hit.

 

Inside of 100 yards where scores are made is where the difference comes - spin rates on midline balls (NXT tour types) are much closer to 2 piecers than pro line urethane covered balls. Could I play a midline ball around the green and succeed - of course - I'd have to change my approach and would loose some options, I'd play more flop type shots but lots of bump and runs but it's very doable except when I need to stop the ball - that's even tougher for a higher handicapper by the way who now has to execute a very difficult shot, a flop of some sort, if he wants to get it close on a tight pin. I would have the same options with the two piece ball by the way and I'd get the added yardage so I'd miss fewer greens because I'd have shorter clubs in. Of course I'd have to shoot away from more pins because I couldn't stop them as quickly inside of 100 but I could simply manage for that.

 

To be fair the one advantage that the non-urethane midline ball has is durability of cover - I think - but again the two piecer has the same durability.

 

So I think I'm spot on writing those midline suckers off - you can purchase a vastly superior ball for the same price by shopping around and buying yesterday's news of a proliner - yesterday's news works just fine for lots of guys on tour like Tiger who uses one of my favorites - the Nike One tour D. The next option, and I think the preferable one for a number of guys, should be the two piecer that will in fact give longer and straighter distance and greater affordability.

 

One of the purposes of this site is to talk about equipment and cut through the bullspit that advertisers give us. IMO midline balls are a huge, huge part of that bullspit. I don't see their purpose other than to fullfill PT Barnum's words about one being born every minute.

 

I really do want to know what the fault in my logic would be here -

 

If you really want to save money go all the way - who cares if you're playing a Pinnacle - you'll get the same results as the NXT tour for half the price and along the way you'll get some extra yardage.

 

I say these things with a good deal of respect for the people whom I'm disagreeing with - I'd also respectfully ask that if you want to rebutt please don't do so off the basis of an exceptional round but rather on the basis of established fact. Some data would be especially helpful.

 

Better yet take bunches of balls out and try them - start with one from each category and see for yourself. You'll find very little difference around the green between the two piecer and the midliner - if you find very little difference between all three then you have your answer as to which ball to use.

 

Enjoy

[dru_]

The exception Kev, IMO, is when you are plaiying in soggy conditions, and I admit I still carry a sleeve of NXT Tour S' ( in yellow ) in my bag for soggy days. If the greens are soggy enough that you are giving up any hope release and roll, there is no reason to play the 5 layer urethane ball. The advantage I find with the NXT to say a TopFlite or Pinnacle 2 layer is that the NXT still feels 'right' off the club face, particularly on the green. I know it's a trivial thing, but there is a sound and touch, particularly on partial swings where the difference is noticable, to the point where with balls like the TopFlite's, a good swing will 'sound' like a mishit. It can be quite disconcerting.

 

All of that said, for the most part I agree, and I play a more expensive ball that I buy on discount. I like the Lethal, but right now, I am still playing through my stash of Penta TP5's that I bought at steep discounts.

[BIG STU]

Sorry buddy I'm not biting here - we aren't talking about balata - they don't make those any more - the trade off between balata and top flite was enourmous - 15 to 20 yards no matter the golfer and a ridiculous amount of spin inside of 100 yards plus workability for the better golfer.

 

Beyond a doubt you, I and many other golfers have shot very good rounds with balls that aren't top shelfers - the question always is - what gives a golfer the best chance to shoot a good score. Heck I'm shot even with my beginner Kroydon's that included wooden driver, three wood, 3,5,7,9, putter and I had this utility wedge that I picked up on the side - should I go back to playing those also?

 

So lets drop balata and price, because there are always attractive pro-line balls available somewhere out there for the same price as the mid priced OEM offerings.

 

The three types of balls are the two piecers (topflites), mid line (in type A and type and pro line (in type A and type . If there is a touring pro who uses the mid line in type A or type B (a non - urethane cover) I'd like to know whom cause I haven't seen it - I've seen any number of touring pros who use an older pro line ball because that's what they prefer. Yes for a couple of years some brands charged more for their Pro VIx type ball than their Pro VI type ball but that didn't make the Pro VI type ball a midliner by any stretch - it gave them something at the $35 price point. I believe both Callaway and TMag tried this. But like the Balata balls of yester year that's for touring pros not us so lets move on to reality.

 

To us - every study I've seen shows that cheaper two piece balls go the farthest off of every club (about 10 yards farther off the driver) - no argument there - if distance is your sole criterea that's the choice. If price is your sole criterea that is also the price choice - again no argument there - I'd applaud that decision for a mid to high handicapper or a lower handicapper who is strapped on a budget.

 

The same studies show that the pro line balls go as far as the midline balls and that for many swing speeds and angles of attack, even slower swing speeds, they go a bit farther (3 or 4 yards)than their midline non-urethane counterparts. This means that Srixon's claim about sidespin (whatever the heck that is) is bogus. But that's a topic for another day.

 

With middle irons all balls spin approximately the same - it's likely that 74@75 does stop a pinnacle just as fast as a Pro VI with his 6 iron and given the courses we play in Florida when the greens are wet and into the grain he might well spin both balls back a bit on a solid hit.

 

Inside of 100 yards where scores are made is where the difference comes - spin rates on midline balls (NXT tour types) are much closer to 2 piecers than pro line urethane covered balls. Could I play a midline ball around the green and succeed - of course - I'd have to change my approach and would loose some options, I'd play more flop type shots but lots of bump and runs but it's very doable except when I need to stop the ball - that's even tougher for a higher handicapper by the way who now has to execute a very difficult shot, a flop of some sort, if he wants to get it close on a tight pin. I would have the same options with the two piece ball by the way and I'd get the added yardage so I'd miss fewer greens because I'd have shorter clubs in. Of course I'd have to shoot away from more pins because I couldn't stop them as quickly inside of 100 but I could simply manage for that.

 

To be fair the one advantage that the non-urethane midline ball has is durability of cover - I think - but again the two piecer has the same durability.

 

So I think I'm spot on writing those midline suckers off - you can purchase a vastly superior ball for the same price by shopping around and buying yesterday's news of a proliner - yesterday's news works just fine for lots of guys on tour like Tiger who uses one of my favorites - the Nike One tour D. The next option, and I think the preferable one for a number of guys, should be the two piecer that will in fact give longer and straighter distance and greater affordability.

 

One of the purposes of this site is to talk about equipment and cut through the bullspit that advertisers give us. IMO midline balls are a huge, huge part of that bullspit. I don't see their purpose other than to fullfill PT Barnum's words about one being born every minute.

 

I really do want to know what the fault in my logic would be here -

 

If you really want to save money go all the way - who cares if you're playing a Pinnacle - you'll get the same results as the NXT tour for half the price and along the way you'll get some extra yardage.

 

I say these things with a good deal of respect for the people whom I'm disagreeing with - I'd also respectfully ask that if you want to rebutt please don't do so off the basis of an exceptional round but rather on the basis of established fact. Some data would be especially helpful.

 

Better yet take bunches of balls out and try them - start with one from each category and see for yourself. You'll find very little difference around the green between the two piecer and the midliner - if you find very little difference between all three then you have your answer as to which ball to use.

 

Enjoy

Kroydons that brought back long memories my dad sold many a set of those at the old course