Best ball on the market (and glove)

theroversreturn

I know theres probably been a hundred threads on this but with the way balls change theres always something new out there. I've played a Pro v1x for the last number of years but have found it to be terrible when it comes to durability. I was getting 3 holes out of a ball last summer with the 2009 version of the ball. I would have assumed that ball would have been more durable than the previous one but 3 holes isnt a lot for a ball that costs 5 euro in lots of pro shops around the country (obviously i dont buy them for that i use the internet). I have never looked at any other ball but i think its time I looked at something else and was wondering whats out there. I'm a low handicap golfer and a pretty long hitter. I know the wedges these days can tear balls to bits but surely there has to be alternative out there which hopefully equals the distance of the pro v1x and spin capacity.
On a seperate note I've also used the Titleist players glove for the last few years and have found them much better than anything else I've come across but within 3 weeks theres a hole in the thumb section which is fine for Rory McIlroy and them who get them for nothing but not for the ordinary joe whos shelling out big bobs for them. Is there anything out there to compete with the players glove where feel is concerned. I know the players glove is very thin almost like a layer of skin between your hand and the club.
If anyone has any stroing opinions on these let me know cos its about time to get the gear bcak out for the summer.

ShriekingSheet

For me, taking into account value & durability, the Srixon AD333 is better than the ProV1, purely because it's cheaper and lasts longer, while only really being marginally harder and less playable. So no, it's not a better ball, but it could be a better buy for you.

The AD333 is especially good for the winter, where the loss in spin & softness matters less, due to soft greens, and the few extra yards it goes is welcome in cold winds.

In terms of a glove, I think you're mad to copy what's worn on tour, in short-sleeve weather 365 days a year, and where the glove is used for 1 round max! In Ireland, something like the FJ Weather-Sof will cope with wet conditions better, and last longer.

GreeBo

+1 on both of them Sheet, though the NXT Tour is also pretty good.

I still get a hole in the thumb of the FJ glove, but only if I use them while practicing.

theroversreturn

iv used a couple of srixons and im sure one was the ball you just mentioned and i found it didnt go nowhere. I've never used a z star which is their flagship ball so I don't know if that goes any further than the AD333. I have one of those gloves at the moment but I find those gloves as useful as rubber gloves you'd wash the wear with. their just that bit too thick

L.O.F.T

One or two here have played the new Taylormade Penta and say its a very good ball, but still expensive. I use the new 2010 ProV1x and am steep with my shorter irons and they are a better wearing ball in my opinion than the 2009 version. A good solid ball that is hard wearing and harder than the ProV's is the NXT Tour.
http://www.golfstoreeurope.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=457

As for the glove I use the Players and Footjoy Weather Sof Gloves
http://www.golfstoreeurope.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=208

theroversreturn

i never liked the NXT tour i found that was another ball that didnt go the distance. I wasn't aware that there was a 2010 model out for the pro vs? on a separate note that golfstoreeurope seems a good spot alright doesnt it.

ShriekingSheet

theroversreturn wrote: »

the ball you just mentioned and i found it didnt go nowhere.

theroversreturn wrote: »

i never liked the NXT tour i found that was another ball that didnt go the distance.

Both the AD333 and NXT Tour fly noticably further than the ProV balls. If you're not finding it's the case, there's other factors at play.

theroversreturn

that suprises me now. I was talking to my brother last night and he said the same as me. I found id hit the srixon walk out the fairway and be 20 yards back from where id a expected to be? their a lovely looking ball and they feel quiet soft as well but i couldnt handle losing out on the distance the Pro v1x affords.

GreeBo

I find better spin with the AD333 but the NXT lasted longer (Stupid TM clubs ripping the shiite out of the balls anyway)

ozymandias10

theroversreturn wrote: »

that suprises me now. I was talking to my brother last night and he said the same as me. I found id hit the srixon walk out the fairway and be 20 yards back from where id a expected to be? their a lovely looking ball and they feel quiet soft as well but i couldnt handle losing out on the distance the Pro v1x affords.

Can you elaborate or even explain the above...Maybe I am just missing something here

theroversreturn

ozymandias10 wrote: »

Can you elaborate or even explain the above...Maybe I am just missing something here

theyve a nice finish to them as opposed to callaway for example but go nowhere not hard to understand

Osgoodisgood

theroversreturn wrote: »

theyve a nice finish to them as opposed to callaway for example but go nowhere not hard to understand

People have been giving you good advice. The NXT is longer for everyone else that I've ever discussed the subject with. Now, chill.

f22

Normally play the pro v1x but got a box of the Taylormade TP reds and i am pretty impressed, especially with durability. They don't seem to shred half as easy as pro v's.

ozymandias10

are they as responsive as the pro v's ...thinking of trying them out

ozymandias10

theroversreturn wrote: »

theyve a nice finish to them as opposed to callaway for example but go nowhere not hard to understand

apologies for not being clear..it was the issue saying that they are a lovely looking ball that I focused on....They are white with dimples and black writing maybe a touch of red .....just how you would differentiate between them in a line up is what intrigued me

Russman

I was in the States a while back and, talking to a pro over there, he was saying that amateurs have no business using the Pro V1x - they simply don't compress the ball enough to get any benefit, that the, say, NXT Tour is far more approporiate (and cheaper). He reckoned that unless you had tour level clubhead speed, the "x" was a waste.

Personally I find the Pro V1 much more playable than the Pro V1x and a lot softer to use around the greens.

For gloves, its hard to get away from the Footjoy Sciflex or Titleist Players or Perma Soft IMO, but in winter the Weathersof is your only man .

theroversreturn

fair enough. garcia uses them tp reds as far as i know and i have a friend who always uses them as well but their not a ball iv come across too much. mite buy 3 and see how they go. its hard to see past the pro v but unless ur getting them for nothing its hard to justify shelling out for 3 a round. anyone have expeience of the callaway i-tour i think its called? my brother was on about trying them out he says mickelson uses them. that brings me to another subject that iv heard mentioned before that woods and the rest who use alternatives to titleist really are using pro vs with nike logos etc. on them. I wouldnt be surprised in the slightest of that was so.

f22

Russman wrote: »

I was in the States a while back and, talking to a pro over there, he was saying that amateurs have no business using the Pro V1x - they simply don't compress the ball enough to get any benefit, that the, say, NXT Tour is far more approporiate (and cheaper). He reckoned that unless you had tour level clubhead speed, the "x" was a waste.

Bit of a blanket statement to be perfectly honest, and quite a ridiculous one IMO.

Considering "amateur" can cover players from +5 to high 20's plus what sense does that make. Any amateur who is a decent ball striker can pretty easily tell the difference in distance or control off a variety of balls.

Incidentally, what did he consider "tour level clubspeed", this varies greatly even the the top level. What about the likes of say Tim Clarke vs Alvao Quiros? A world apart!

L.O.F.T

theroversreturn wrote: »

fair enough. garcia uses them tp reds as far as i know and i have a friend who always uses them as well but their not a ball iv come across too much. mite buy 3 and see how they go

.
http://www.golfstoreeurope.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1139

[QUOTE=that brings me to another subject that iv heard mentioned before that woods and the rest who use alternatives to titleist really are using pro vs with nike logos etc. on them. I wouldnt be surprised in the slightest of that was so[/QUOTE]

Where have you heard that? Its a stretch to believe

theroversreturn

L.O.F.T wrote: »

.
http://www.golfstoreeurope.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=1139



Where have you heard that? Its a stretch to believe

i wouldnt be a bit surprised. i couldnt see how nike and the rest could all of a sudden come into the ball market and bring out a ball to rival titleist who had dominated the market for all time with donkeys years of research etc. and have all their players use their ball. if its not up to the standard of the pro v then they wouldnt use it and im not sure a lot of them are. plus its not that hard to do in fairness

ShriekingSheet

L.O.F.T wrote: »

Where have you heard that? Its a stretch to believe

Is it? I have no supporting info, but I certainly would believe it goes on.

It's well known that Woods in his opening years on tour, when he had a Titleist equipment deal, was using a set of Mizuno TP blades he'd always used as an amateur, but bearing the Titleist logo on the heads.

Also, I always thought there was no way Monty used the massively popular (among hackers) Callaway X10s circa 1997. I had them, and they were miles too chunky. Am convinced Monty had some kind of personalised head that looked like the X10.

A ball with a different logo is totally doable if you ask me, and looking at Woods' history of reluctance to change in other areas, such as the Cameron Putter with Ping grip, taking the Nike driver, then going back to his old Titleist etc... I think it goes on.

theroversreturn

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Is it? I have no supporting info, but I certainly would believe it goes on.

I always thought there was no way Monty used the massively popular (among hackers) Callaway X10s circa 1997. I had them, and they were miles too chunky. Am convinced Monty had some kind of personalised head that looked like the X10.

It's also well known that Woods in his opening years on tour, when he had Titleist equipment, was using a set of Mizuno TP blades (11s?) he'd always used as an amateur, but bearing the Titleist logo on the heads.

A ball with a different logo is totally doable if you ask me, and looking at Woods' history of reluctance to change in other areas, such as the Cameron Putter with Ping grip, taking the Nike driver, then going back to his old Titleist etc... I think it goes on.

guaranteed it does

L.O.F.T

theroversreturn wrote: »

i wouldnt be a bit surprised. i couldnt see how nike and the rest could all of a sudden come into the ball market and bring out a ball to rival titleist who had dominated the market for all time with donkeys years of research etc. and have all their players use their ball. if its not up to the standard of the pro v then they wouldnt use it and im not sure a lot of them are. plus its not that hard to do in fairness

They haven’t all of a sudden come into a market. For the longest time Woods used the prov whilst playing Nike clubs until Nike could recreate a ball that played (and in his opinion outplayed) his previous Titleist ProV. He has said it countless times that he will only change equipment as long as it’s as good as his existing gear or better. Im searching at the moment but it was reported that Harrington used a Nike ball at the Northern Trust open and he is a ProV1 player.

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Is it? I have no supporting info

And I like you am none the wiser but why spend millions on R&D on golf balls to simply take a ProV1 and erase the Logo and stamp it with a Nike logo. Surely an employee by now would have leaked this!! Besides these days with technology advances you can cut any given ball in two and test all materials that the ball has been made of and recreate, why go to the lengths to rub a logo out and stamp another. Take the Penta golf ball by Taylormade with 5 layers. Or the Nike One with 4 layers.

The ProV’s are 3 piece!

kagni

Some of these posts belong over here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=576

L.O.F.T

Originally Posted by theroversreturn [QUOTE=my brother was on about trying them out he says mickelson uses them. that brings me to another subject that iv heard mentioned before that woods and the rest who use alternatives to titleist really are using pro vs with nike logos etc. on them. I wouldnt be surprised in the slightest of that was so.[/QUOTE]

L.O.F.T wrote: »

.
Where have you heard that? Its a stretch to believe

theroversreturn wrote: »

i wouldnt be a bit surprised. i couldnt see how nike and the rest could all of a sudden come into the ball market and bring out a ball to rival titleist who had dominated the market for all time with donkeys years of research etc. and have all their players use their ball. if its not up to the standard of the pro v then they wouldnt use it and im not sure a lot of them are. plus its not that hard to do in fairness

You still havent said where you heard it?

theroversreturn

L.O.F.T wrote: »

Originally Posted by theroversreturn





You still havent said where you heard it?

stuff like that is contantly speculated throw it into google and you'll find many forums topics on the subject

Russman

f22 wrote: »

Bit of a blanket statement to be perfectly honest, and quite a ridiculous one IMO.

Considering "amateur" can cover players from +5 to high 20's plus what sense does that make. Any amateur who is a decent ball striker can pretty easily tell the difference in distance or control off a variety of balls.

Incidentally, what did he consider "tour level clubspeed", this varies greatly even the the top level. What about the likes of say Tim Clarke vs Alvao Quiros? A world apart!

Agree with you in general. Most decent club players can tell a difference between certain balls.
I can only assume he was referrring to mid-high handicappers in the US from the way he was talking. I do think there comes a point though that the ball you use becomes largely irrelevant, obviously that will differ for individuals depending on their ability, particularly with the short game.

I would add that there are not too many +5 handicappers knocking about (and even less that can play to it ) and not too many people with Quiros' clubhead speed either, if we're talking about the broad spectrum of golfers.

gorfield

L.O.F.T wrote: »

They haven’t all of a sudden come into a market. For the longest time Woods used the prov whilst playing Nike clubs until Nike could recreate a ball that played (and in his opinion outplayed) his previous Titleist ProV. He has said it countless times that he will only change equipment as long as it’s as good as his existing gear or better. Im searching at the moment but it was reported that Harrington used a Nike ball at the Northern Trust open and he is a ProV1 player.



And I like you am none the wiser but why spend millions on R&D on golf balls to simply take a ProV1 and erase the Logo and stamp it with a Nike logo. Surely an employee by now would have leaked this!! Besides these days with technology advances you can cut any given ball in two and test all materials that the ball has been made of and recreate, why go to the lengths to rub a logo out and stamp another. Take the Penta golf ball by Taylormade with 5 layers. Or the Nike One with 4 layers.

The ProV’s are 3 piece!

Nike have spent 0 dollars on r+d in golf balls. They simply pay Bridgestone for the rights to their balls and stamp them. Fact.
Woods plays a prov1x. fact.
Part of nikes deal with tiger when he left titleist was for nike to pay compensation packages to titleist in exchange for unstamped balls for as long as required. This is ongoing until nike begin to manufacture their own ball. Fact.

ShriekingSheet

gorfield wrote: »

Nike have spent 0 dollars on r+d in golf balls. They simply pay Bridgestone for the rights to their balls and stamp them. Fact.
Woods plays a prov1x. fact.
Part of nikes deal with tiger when he left titleist was for nike to pay compensation packages to titleist in exchange for unstamped balls for as long as required. This is ongoing until nike begin to manufacture their own ball. Fact.

Figured as much. Cheers Gorfield.

L.O.F.T

gorfield wrote: »

Nike have spent 0 dollars on r+d in golf balls. They simply pay Bridgestone for the rights to their balls and stamp them. Fact.
Woods plays a prov1x. fact.
Part of nikes deal with tiger when he left titleist was for nike to pay compensation packages to titleist in exchange for unstamped balls for as long as required. This is ongoing until nike begin to manufacture their own ball. Fact.

Any proof of the above?

kagni

gorfield wrote: »

Nike have spent 0 dollars on r+d in golf balls. They simply pay Bridgestone for the rights to their balls and stamp them. Fact.
Woods plays a prov1x. fact.
Part of nikes deal with tiger when he left titleist was for nike to pay compensation packages to titleist in exchange for unstamped balls for as long as required. This is ongoing until nike begin to manufacture their own ball. Fact.

Putting "Fact" after your post means nothing, some evidence to back up what you are saying might help though.

Nike have a guy called Rock Ishii who is well paid as head of golf ball development, are you saying he is doing nothing?
In fact here's a job spec for a Nike golf ball development engineer, so they clearly spend something on R&D
http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/sa/Nike%20-%20GB%20Development.pdf

Bridgestone definitely used to (possibly still do) manufacture some of Nike's golf balls, Nike say they were to their design specifications, I don't se any reason not to believe that.

I'd love top see some "Fact"s backing up the claim that Tiger is still playing a Pro V1.

ShriekingSheet

kagni wrote: »

Putting "Fact" after your post means nothing, some evidence to back up what you are saying might help though.

Nike have a guy called Rock Ishii who is well paid as head of golf ball development, are you saying he is doing nothing?
In fact here's a job spec for a Nike golf ball development engineer, so they clearly spend something on R&D
http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/sa/Nike%20-%20GB%20Development.pdf

Bridgestone definitely used to (possibly still do) manufacture some of Nike's golf balls, Nike say they were to their design specifications, I don't se any reason not to believe that.

I'd love top see some "Fact"s backing up the claim that Tiger is still playing a Pro V1.

eeesh... good post Kagni.

G1032

gorfield wrote: »

Nike have spent 0 dollars on r+d in golf balls. They simply pay Bridgestone for the rights to their balls and stamp them. Fact.
Woods plays a prov1x. fact.
Part of nikes deal with tiger when he left titleist was for nike to pay compensation packages to titleist in exchange for unstamped balls for as long as required. This is ongoing until nike begin to manufacture their own ball. Fact.

Are you Rafa Benitez in disguise?

Where is your evidence to back up your claims? I imagine if you had any you would have posted it so one now has to assume that you don't have any evidence..........

theroversreturn

ronaldochokes wrote: »

Are you Rafa Benitez in disguise?

Where is your evidence to back up your claims? I imagine if you had any you would have posted it so one now has to assume that you don't have any evidence..........

theres hardly going to be any rock solid evidence too much for companies to lose by letting that information get out there but you can guarantee it goes on

kagni

theroversreturn wrote: »

theres hardly going to be any rock solid evidence too much for companies to lose by letting that information get out there but you can guarantee it goes on

So you have no evidence whatsoever to back up what you are saying, but you can "guarantee" that it's the truth?

L.O.F.T

theroversreturn wrote: »

I have never looked at any other ball but i think its time I looked at something else and was wondering "whats out there"

theroversreturn wrote: »

theres hardly going to be any rock solid evidence too much for companies to lose by letting that information get out there but you can guarantee it goes on

You dont need to be told here about "whats out there" if you know as much about the golf ball world business. I should be asking you

G1032

theroversreturn wrote: »

theres hardly going to be any rock solid evidence too much for companies to lose by letting that information get out there but you can guarantee it goes on

How many millions worth of Nike equipment is purchased each year just because Tiger uses it? I don't have an exact figure but I'd say it's quiet a significant sum. I would also suggest that there is no way in hell that Titleist would lose out on the golf ball part of these sales just because Tiger wants to paint their balls with a Nike logo. If Tiger is using a Titleist ball you can be sure that each time a TV camera gets a close up of his golfball that it would say Titleist on it and not Nike.

theroversreturn

no published evidence just common sense something ye dont have obviously

L.O.F.T

theroversreturn wrote: »

no published evidence just common sense something ye dont have obviously

Common sense is wearing an extra layer if its cold outside or bringing an umbrella if its forecast to rain. Saying that Tiger uses a ProV1x with a nike logo stamped on it with no evidence or support is weak speculation and not a claim you can stand over. Common sense is to admit you havent got a clue and are open to reasonable evidence, which I have but you dont seem to be open to.

ShriekingSheet

theroversreturn is talking some serious brown, but I have to say my gut feeling is that it does go on, whether specifically with Woods' ball or not.

LOFT, the story of his Mizuno irons, copied and stamped as Titleist is well known. That was back in simpler times. But it's a known example of what is being debated.

f22

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

theroversreturn is talking some serious brown, but I have to say my gut feeling is that it does go on, whether specifically with Woods' ball or not.

LOFT, the story of his Mizuno irons, copied and stamped as Titleist is well known. That was back in simpler times. But it's a known example of what is being debated.

It was also well known that through the earlier part of Woods move to Nike (at least) that he was indeed using a pro v1x with a nike logo. Whether that has changed I don't know.

theroversreturn

f22 wrote: »

It was also well known that through the earlier part of Woods move to Nike (at least) that he was indeed using a pro v1x with a nike logo. Whether that has changed I don't know.

unless you give them court evidence of this they wont believe ya. I was thinking of sending a few of the them there a message saying they won "10 Million Euro" and all they have to do is send me back their bank details and I'll go and put it straight in. I reckon they'll fall for it as well seen as they think nothing like that could possibly go on.

L.O.F.T

theroversreturn wrote: »

unless you give them court evidence of this they wont believe ya. I was thinking of sending a few of the them there a message saying they won "10 Million Euro" and all they have to do is send me back their bank details and I'll go and put it straight in. I reckon they'll fall for it as well seen as they think nothing like that could possibly go on.

your invited, sign it up: http://www.jimcorr.com/

markie4

f22 wrote: »

It was also well known that through the earlier part of Woods move to Nike (at least) that he was indeed using a pro v1x with a nike logo. Whether that has changed I don't know.

Tiger used a solid-core 3-piece Nike Tour Accuracy prototype to win the Pebble Beach US Open in 2000. Pro V1 was only introduced on tour in Oct 2000, and the Pro V1x was only introduced later. He might have been using a rebadged Titleist Professional in the early part of his Nike contract (98/99?), but Nike/Bridgestone introduced the 3 piece ball before Titleist, and Tiger switched then.

From everything I've read, the pro V1x claims are nonsense. Nike balls are manufactured under license by Bridgestone, so that may be where some of the stories come from about him not playing a Nike ball....that and the Titleist fanboys refusing to believe that the top player might not be using a pro v......but of course Tigers clubs are Miura's :rolleyes: