Golf Talk Tuesdays 2015-2020

[Midpack]

Good for Reed. Speith and Fowler made it interesting, along with Rahm until he got derailed late in the round. No one else really mounted a challenge. Rory didn’t have his best day and Casey was too far back to be a threat.

[6miths]

Yes was good to see a couple of them make a run. Was interesting to see the lead pair really not get any traction all day. Reed had just enough of a lead that -1 did it.

[Huston55]

What ball(s) do you normally play?

Lately, I’ve been playing Nike RZN, which I got on a close-out special.

Have you tried any of the direct sales balls (Cut, Snell, Vice, Ksig, etc.)? If so, what did you think?

I just ordered a Cut sampler but, haven’t played them yet.

[pb4uski]

I almost hate to admit it but I play good quality AAA used Titleists (not ProV) that I buy 50 at a time for ~$23 shipped to my door. If I lose a ball I don't care... more concerned about the lost stroke than the lost ball.

https://www.amazon.com/Titleist-Good...ist+golf+balls

[golfnut]

Just a 14 capper and brand of ball I play does not affect my score. More often than not, I pick up 5A balls from Golfballsdirect or Lostgolfballs. Usually pick them up in bulk (48 or 96 count). Wait for sales.

Lately, I have been going with Callaway Supersofts, Bridgestone E6s or Wilson DUOs.

[frayne]

I play good quality new balls, Bridgestone, Titliest, Callaway. Don't believe in playing found balls (bad mojo from the golf Gods, find one, lose two. That sort of thing). Usually I break out a new sleeve every other round and very seldom lose a ball and pretty much shoot in the 80s. Give all my old balls to the grandkids.

[Music Lover]

I play middle of the road to decent new balls...that I find on sale. My current stock is a few dozen Taylormade Burner balls on clearance for $10, and I still have a couple 18-packs of Wilson's I got for $9.

[Midpack]

After decades using only Titleists, I switched to Snell MTB’s last summer and never looked back. IMO Snell MTB’s at $32/dozen ($28/doz if you buy 6 doz, both free shipping) are comparable to Pro V1’s at $48/dozen. I like Titleist and they are the golf ball benchmark. But the premium for Titleists and other big name balls isn’t for a better ball, it covers pro endorsements, advertising and retail support - I don’t feel a need to subsidize those costs.

Snell updated their MTB line and it now includes MTB Black and MTB Reds, arguably to match Pro V1 and V1Xs. I have 5 dozen Snells ready to start the season!

I also won’t play with found balls, they’re too unpredictable - distance and spin. But I keep quality brand good looking ones for practice. I toss ugly found balls into the fairway for the next guy (who wants them) to find or offer them to others in my foursome.

I did use Wilson’s Duo Spin 3-pc ball over the winter when it was really cold, nice to have a softer ball then.

[Huston55]

I found this chart interesting for evaluating balls. Evidently, this comparison is done each year.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/spi...ice-categories

[zinger1457]

I always play a tour level ball, all of the top brands make good ones. My winnings from the tournaments I play in usually go toward new balls, plus the golf shop gives a discount for members. I do notice the difference with tour balls and 'distance' balls on approach shots (wedges) and chips and pitches. Did try the Kierland ball that Costco sells and it's pretty good, no local Costco's where I live and not a member so not much of an option. I would be careful on the refinished balls, I did try a dozen of the Titleist Pro V1's and it was obvious to me that some of the balls were not real Pro V1's. Could tell from the feel on full shots and the spin when hitting wedges and chipping.

[golfnut]

I have a relatively small circle of friends (about 6 of us) that play golf on a somewhat regular basis. Hcps range from 7 to 16.

- one guy has to play prov1s - new or refinished. Talks about how they are superior in distance and spin. However, none of us see this superiority (esp. distance) on the golf course ( he is a 8 hcp). I think he is swayed Jim Nantz's titty commercials.

- Another guy won't play used balls even though I got him a dozen 5A e6s which he then mixed in with new ones. Never heard how that experiment went - if it went badly, I'm sure I would have heard from him

- 4 of the 6 have to play brand new "name brand" equip. Touting all the new technology and the big budget the major brands have so they can afford r&d. I just think of all the endorsement money the major brands pay which comes out of the customer's pocket. The r&d talk is mostly a load of cr+p. Just wait a year or 2 and pay 50 cent on the dollar for new equipment. As an example, purchased a set of Mizuno jpx ez forged on ebay (brand new) on ebay when this model was about a year old for $325.
Few weeks later went into a Golf Galaxy and saw the same irons for $999.

- Related to the above only 2 of us will consider component (ie Maltby) equipment. The others automatically think "knock off".

-One of us (not me) inflates his driver distance when discussing it by 25-30 yds. All of us hit our (good drives) 240-250. He'll claim 270-275 (which might happen on concrete fwys and with the wind).

Bottom line is we have fun playing and debating the above (and more ) topics after our round.

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack I also won’t play with found balls, they’re too unpredictable - distance and spin. But I keep quality brand good looking ones for practice. I toss ugly found balls into the fairway for the next guy (who wants them) to find or offer them to others in my foursome. .

That's all I play with. Find them everyday when walking the mutt. I play with the mostly new ones(Pro VI or similar) and notice no difference to one out of the box. Of course I'm not a scratch golfer. The older balls I hit into the range. Before someone says I shouldn't be hitting old balls into the range, that is all that's there anyway. A mixture of old balls. I don't play at a tour quality club.

[golfnut]

Big difference between refurbished (which I won't play) and recycled. When I purchase 5A recycled, I see no difference vs. new (except in my wallet)>

[Music Lover]

I save the balls that I find and hit them in the back yard...my property is 630 feet deep and I have a couple flags set up for target practice. Between the balls I find and those that my friends find and give to me, I currently have two full 20 gallon pails stock piled.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg52 That's all I play with. Find them everyday when walking the mutt. I play with the mostly new ones(Pro VI or similar) and notice no difference to one out of the box. Of course I'm not a scratch golfer. The older balls I hit into the range. Before someone says I shouldn't be hitting old balls into the range, that is all that's there anyway. A mixture of old balls. I don't play at a tour quality club.

I’m far from scratch too. And while some found balls are perfectly good, some aren’t, and I can’t always tell by how they look. Again, I do use good looking found balls for practice rounds, just not for a round I plan to post for HI. My previous hobby was way more expensive than golf, so I can afford to buy golf balls. Gives me more incentive to try to avoid losing them...

[Music Lover]

One of my golf superstitions is to start every round with a new ball. After the round, if I haven't lost it, it goes into a different pocket and is used in scrambles or when I've lost a new ball during a round.

[Big_Hitter]

been playing pinnacles softs - for a dollar a ball, can't be beat. One of my buddies ordered a bunch of vice balls

[Dawg52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Hitter been playing pinnacles softs - for a dollar a ball, can't be beat. One of my buddies ordered a bunch of vice balls

Do you actually get some feel with these balls? Will they check up with a wedge shot?

[Huston55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big_Hitter been playing pinnacles softs - for a dollar a ball, can't be beat. One of my buddies ordered a bunch of vice balls

Tell us what your buddy thinks of the Vice balls, if you hear from him.

[Big_Hitter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg52 Do you actually get some feel with these balls? Will they check up with a wedge shot?

not that much i guess - last night in league I hit an 80 yard approach shot about 120 yards last night with a sand wedge - yes it did hit the green by the stick then proceeded to hop about 40 yards such a nice shot too