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Golf Ball Testing- It can't be that difficult


heidistriker

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I think there must be an industry conspiracy when it comes to testing golf balls.  There is a machine that hits the ball consistently every time.  They can change the club head speed, etc.  So if that is the case, why cant just line up every golf ball and report how far it goes.  I have a slow club head speed so I am looking for a ball that goes longer, and these reviews get so complicated that I know that I can't believe them

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Funny you should mention this.  I love the subject of golf balls, because so much about ball preference is subjective, while pure ball performance is qualitative.  

 

In terms of the raw numbers, everything I have found shows that real distance numbers are all about the cores, while the subjective performance things like feel, sound, spin and touch are all about covers.  

 

Keeping that in mind, and the fact that I think that better covers DO make a difference inside 150 yards, I think that there are few balls out there that beat the Wilson Staff DUO balls for the 75-90mph swing speeds, with the Lady Precept from Bridgestone Golf being a very close second.

 

All of that said though I'll tell you my dirty little secret.  I am a big supporter of most cancer research projects, and Wilson Golf's support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation via the Hope golf ball sub branding means that I always have a sleeve or two of their little pink bombs  in my bag. Even with my fairly high swing speed and compression factors, I find these pink little gems to be really fun balls to play.  The can feel a little 'clicky' on the green, but still get enough check on a 1/2 swing wedge that you aren't giving up a much playability for distance.  The Hope balls are "distance" balls geared towards moderate swing speeds, and they are a bargain, especially considering that half the price goes The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

 

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Dru - Owner, President & Janitor, Druware Software Designs

RH 13.1 Handicap in soggy Georgia 

WITB
* 1W 10.5* @ PXG 0211 ( HZRDUS Smoke Black X-Stiff )
* 3W PXG 0211 ( HZRDUS Smoke Black X-Stiff ) 
* 5W 18* Tailor-made AeroBurner ( Stock Stiff )
* 7W  Sub70 949x ( HZRDUS Smoke Black X-Stiff )
* 5i-PW @ PXG 0211 ( Gen 1 )
* 52 @ Hogan Equalizer
* 56 @ Sub70 
* 60 @ Hogan Equalizer
* Carbon Ringo 1/4
* Vice Pro Plus

 

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LOL RP I think you and dru have came up with the next Wilson commercial. Having that "hacker" that is in the commercials buying the pink balls and giving them to the pretty ladies--- Seriously? All joking aside I think it is a good thing and I am going to buy a couple of dozen and give them out to the ladies at church (who have a ladies golf league) on our Cancer Awareness Sunday. You guys gave me a great idea for a worthy cause Thanks!

Driver ---- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha  Speeder 565 R flex- 5W TM V-Steel Fubuki 60r--- 7W TM V-Steel UST Pro Force Gold 65R----- 9 W TM V Steel TM MAS stiff---- Irons 2015 TM TP CB Steel Fiber 95 R--- GW Callaway Mack Daddy 2 52* shaft unknown junk pile refugee. SW Callaway PM Grind 56*  Modified sole grind--- KBS Tour Wedge-- LW Vokey 58* SM5 L grind--- Putter Ping B90I Broom Stick 

 

 

 G

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Me, personally, when it comes to selecting a ball, I do it the old fashioned way. I buy sleeves of everything I want to try and try to get to the range when it's empty and has been freshly picked. I hit my own balls (after letting the guys in the pro shop know what I'm doing) and go pick them then repeat. That's how I figure out which is the top 3-5 off the driver. Then I'll take those out and play with them and see which mesh best with my game. I don't care what a robot would say because that robot isn't hitting my golf ball.

In The Bag
Driver: TaylorMade M2 (2017) w/ Project X T1100 HZRDUS Handcrafted 65x 
Strong 3 wood: Taylormade M1 15* w/ ProjectX T1100 HZRDUS handcrafted 75x
3 Hybrid: Adams PRO 18* w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4 Hybrid: Adams PRO 20* (bent to 21*) w/ KBS Tour Hybrid S flex tipped 1/2"
4-AW: TaylorMade P770 w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue Black Onyx S400

SW: 56* Scratch Tour Dept(CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
LW: 60* Scratch Tour Department (CC grooves) w/ Dynamic Gold Spinner
XW: 64* Cally XForged Vintage w/ DG X100 8 iron tiger stepped
Putter: Nike Method Prototype 006 at 34"

Have a ton of back-ups in all categories, but there are always 14 clubs in the bag that differ depending on the course and set-up. Bomb and gouge. Yes, I'm a club gigolo.

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First off welcome and second off what do you want out of your ball? I have a good friend whom I will play two person scrambles with. She hits it around 200 and typically uses some sort of ProV1 like ball. Whatever is on sale. Gillian has some game though she's a 12. I agree with the others here that you need to take a few different balls out for test drives.

 

Good luck.

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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While robot testing would give raw numbers on an equal playing field, it won't take into account individual swing characteristics that may work better with a ball that may not perform as well when hit with an optimal swing that a robot can produce.

As others have said, I will test balls head to head, I have three new balls from Callaway that I have been testing for next season. I will go out late in the day and play one of each ball and keep stats for each. Lastly I will spend time on the short game area and see what ball performs better around the green.

Ping G410 Plus Oban Kiyoshi Tour Limited
Ping G410 LST 3 Wood Oban Tour Prototype V430
Titleist U500 3 & 4 Oban Kiyoshi Purple Tour Reserve
Titleist 620 MB 5-9 Oban CT 125
Titleist Vokey 47* Oban CT 125, 51*, 55*, and 59* Shimada Tour Wedge Black
Bettinardi Studio Stock SS28

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Great topic. My wife likes to use pink golf balls. It does not matter what kind, just pink. I played with a lady that crushed (drove 200+) the ball last week and she was using any and all random golf balls that were in her bag.

 

I have noticed my wife hitting farther with the pink Slazengers. Her swing speed is pretty low and that ball works for her. I am not sure if it would be the same with any other lady ball though.

 

I personally have tried lots of golf balls and found that the hardest, lowest spin golf balls work best for me. I get roll with my woods and I hit my irons high enough that they usually stick the greens pretty well. I do not know how to spin my wedges yet so it doesn't really matter there.

 

Good Luck! Have Fun!

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Great topic. My wife likes to use pink golf balls. It does not matter what kind, just pink. I played with a lady that crushed (drove 200+) the ball last week and she was using any and all random golf balls that were in her bag.

 

I have noticed my wife hitting farther with the pink Slazengers. Her swing speed is pretty low and that ball works for her. I am not sure if it would be the same with any other lady ball though.

 

I personally have tried lots of golf balls and found that the hardest, lowest spin golf balls work best for me. I get roll with my woods and I hit my irons high enough that they usually stick the greens pretty well. I do not know how to spin my wedges yet so it doesn't really matter there.

 

Good Luck! Have Fun!

Sure you do. If its going in the air it's spinning. You just need to learn to hit it cleaner so that you get more spin. Good luck!

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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