It may come as a surprise to many, but not all golf balls are created equal. In fact, there are significant differences between the most affordable golf balls you can find in stores and premium golf balls available for advanced players. Almost every piece of golf equipment can be upgraded and optimized for a player’s game, including golf balls. Yet, 40 percent of the purchased balls are the cheapest option available. This buying habit shows that golfers are interested only in the tee-shot performance and forget about the other variables that may improve their performance.
While the value-for-money golf balls are rather simple and designed to add control to moderate swing speeds, top-end golf balls are complex and contain multiple components. You will find different categories of golf balls and, within those categories, multiple types created to serve different golfers. The truth is golf balls have a say in a golfer’s performance and can contribute to the success of a shot. Many manufactures hope you won’t notice this but golf balls matter!
What are the main characteristics of a golf ball?
A golf ball is a little white sphere whose purpose is to be propelled across the green and hit the bottom of a 4.25 inch wide and 4 inch deep circular hole. However, things are not as simple as they may look at first glance.
A golf ball has a core that can influence the spin rates, initial velocity, and compression. Compression plays an important role in the game because it determines how much a ball will compress against a clubface on impact. Now, a golfer with a high swing speed might want to choose a compression golf ball with a compression rate higher than 100, while a golfer with a slower swing speed should consider a ball with a compression rating below 90 to gain more initial ball speed.
When it comes to the golf ball’s cover materials, you’ll mainly find two types: Surlyn, a resin, and urethane, most likely polyurethane. The first is harder and more durable than the latter, but it lacks in backspin, which is not an advantage for low-handicap golfers. While Surlyn-covered golf balls are ideal for beginners, Golf Datatech explains that urethane is the cover of choice for professional players looking for a higher spin and more control. Urethane-covered golf balls facilitate better spin control and perform better in windy conditions but are more expensive golf balls, and sometimes their cost isn’t justified for amateur players.
And then we have the dimple design! All golf balls feature small indentations across their surface meant to control the ball trajectory and reduce drag. They may seem unimportant at first, but a golf ball without dimples will only travel half the distance that a golf ball with dimples would. If we go deeper into the golf ball’s anatomy, we’ll discover that dimple patterns vary depending on the type of ball and manufacturer. A ball’s performance in flight is influenced by the number, shape, size, and depth of dimples, although most golf balls come with 300 to 400 of them.
How to shop for golf balls?
The type of golf ball you need for your game depends on various factors. One of the key factors to consider when choosing a golf ball is its construction. You can choose a two-piece construction, three-piece construction or a multi-layer ball.
A two-piece ball contains only its core and cover and is the ideal ball for amateur players. They have a large core that promotes a longer flight and contributes to fewer hooks and slices off the tee. A two-piece golf ball has a more durable outer layer and is more resistant to wear. Multi-layer golf balls include additional layers between the cover and core and are usually the go-to choice of professional golfers. Their cover is significantly thinner than the one used for two-piece balls for increased spin control and feel.
Golf balls may also be soft or firm. Soft balls known for their low compression include popular balls like Callaway Chrome Soft, Bridgestone Tour B RXS, and Titleist AVX. Firm balls are faster, spin more, and are generally longer. So, while softer golf balls assure more spin, firm balls travel farther. Usually, an average golfer will choose a softer golf ball because it offers more control and requires less club speed to compress the ball, thus increasing the chances of a straighter shot.
If you swing the club under 90 MPH, you will find it really difficult to hit a firm ball that will most likely feel like a rock to you. A faster speed, considerably above 100 MPH, is more appropriate for a firm ball, and that is why this golf ball is usually better left in the hands of professionals.
What are the best golf ball brands?
While brand names shouldn’t be the deciding factor in your decision to purchase a golf ball, you’ll find several brands that stand out due to their high-quality golf balls. For example, Titleist never disappoints, and even though their products are not cheap, experienced golfers never hesitate purchasing them. Players who wish for longer distances, a consistent flight, faster ball speeds, and softer feel gladly invest their money into Titleist golf balls.
While Titleist is often the choice of professionals and experienced golfers, mid-level amateurs have a lot to gain from a TaylorMade golf ball. The TP5X golf ball, TaylorMade’s latest innovation, features a five-layer construction and promotes faster ball speed, high launch, and a soft feel. A new dimple pattern delivers improved ball flight.
Callaway is a well-known brand in the golfing universe, especially due to their popular Supersoft golf balls that add a bit more spin control to your game. Callaway invests in geometric engineering for its golf balls and makes sure beginners and intermediate players get access to low compression balls.
Bridgestone takes golf ball manufacturing to the next level infusing their balls with innovative golf tech. You’ll find that their Tour B XS balls feature a Gradational Compression core to allow players to hit farther with minimum effort. Their purpose is to create aerodynamic balls with improved spin and trajectory control.
The Stacker: What all golf balls love to have in common!
If there is one thing that brings all golf balls together it is our spectacular Stacker pyramids. Created to add elegance and convenience to any golf game, the Stacker is more than a pretty thing to look at when you play golf. It is a smart device that allows golfers and driving ranges to manage their golf balls and obviates the need to count balls.
A great improvement from the “traditional” bucket used to issue and carry golf balls, the Stacker pyramids are available in different sizes to simplify ball management for driving ranges and help golfers keep count of the used balls. Moreover, our Fore-n-one pyramids allow golfers to control the number of balls used for each club during structured practices.
