Difference in Golf Balls

Someday

I started playing early last year and it is going well for me.

I used to play with any ball I had in the bag, I then went with e6, that was fine but a bit hard and switched to Sirxon soft feel which was also fine and seem to suit me. I then tried the titleist solo's, didn't suit me at all, sliced 90% of the balls off the tee. I hit 21 pts on sunday because of the balls!

Back to Sirxon soft feel!

Anyone else notice this with soft balls with a high handicap?

alxmorgan

Someday wrote: »

I started playing early last year and it is going well for me.

I used to play with any ball I had in the bag, I then went with e6, that was fine but a bit hard and switched to Sirxon soft feel which was also fine and seem to suit me. I then tried the titleist solo's, didn't suit me at all, sliced 90% of the balls off the tee. I hit 21 pts on sunday because of the balls!

Back to Sirxon soft feel!

Anyone else notice this with soft balls with a high handicap?

Not trying to be smart but I just do not believe the ball was the reason for this.
A soft ball will spin more and should therefore be more liable to move further (e.g. slice) but the spin rate differences should be nowhere near enough to make that big a difference.

PARlance

Those Solo's are notorious for making you swing out to in.

Someday

Soft Ball v Hard ball! I don't slice the harder ball, makes sense.

newport2

Someday wrote: »

Soft Ball v Hard ball! I don't slice the harder ball, makes sense.

The thing is, I wouldn't rate the DT solo as a soft ball. Never played the Srixon soft-feel, but I'd be surprised if that was harder, although I might be wrong.

I use the same ball all the time. I sometimes go through spells of fighting a hook. It's because for some reason I have my driver's face closed at impact, it's nothing to do with the ball. If I switched to a harder ball, it might hook slightly less, but it would still hook.

ForeRight

You didn't hit 21pts just because of the balls you were using.

I've heard it all now excuse wise.

Almaviva

Someday wrote: »

Soft Ball v Hard ball! I don't slice the harder ball, makes sense.

It doesnt make sense, no.

Best advice would be to go back to playing whatever you happen to pull out of the bag and accept that it has no effect on where the ball will go - that will free you up to work on the things that actually do determine where the ball will go.

mike12

Someday wrote: »

I started playing early last year and it is going well for me.

I used to play with any ball I had in the bag, I then went with e6, that was fine but a bit hard and switched to Sirxon soft feel which was also fine and seem to suit me. I then tried the titleist solo's, didn't suit me at all, sliced 90% of the balls off the tee. I hit 21 pts on sunday because of the balls!

Back to Sirxon soft feel!

Anyone else notice this with soft balls with a high handicap?

The Solo is the hardest ball Titleist make and would be comparable to the Srixon, just a bad day with the driver, different ball would have made zero difference.

realgolfgeek

specifically for titleist.

http://www.titleist.com/golf-ball-fitting/

Almaviva

realgolfgeek wrote: »

http://www.titleist.com/golf-ball-fitting/

specifically for the gullible

Someday

It's like the Puma King boots lads is it? All in my Head!

Just got some Sirxon soft feel magic balls! ;0)

kelbal

Someday wrote: »

All in my Head!

100% in your head

The swing path determines that you will slice. You honestly think you were swinging fine, and its the ball's fault? You must be a wind-up merchant!

Maybe the titleist balls have some voodoo effect on you - they trance your body into a slice swing. That sounds more realistic.

Someday

Maybe not either! I don't slice the Sirxons!

ssbob

If you don't slice the Srixons then stick to them.............even though thats not whats causing the slice.

I never found any difference off the tee with soft/hard balls but around the greens, it is unreal the difference!

flanzer

This thread should be highlighted to this guy on Twitter!! I get a great laugh out of it

Here

Sorry to hear about your low score Someday, but it's probably wasn't the ball

slingerz

ssbob wrote: »

If you don't slice the Srixons then stick to them.............even though thats not whats causing the slice.

I never found any difference off the tee with soft/hard balls but around the greens, it is unreal the difference!

what difference do you see around the greens?

ssbob

slingerz wrote: »

what difference do you see around the greens?

Same chip with soft ball and hard ball creates 2 different reactions, soft ball checks up and hard ball runs out.

Someday

So people are saying no difference with soft or hard ball or the tee?

alxmorgan

Someday wrote: »

So people are saying no difference with soft or hard ball or the tee?

I would think not much. But....and this is huge......if you believe you don't slice Srixons then bloody well use them. Facts are irrelevant here....whatever works for the 6 inchs between the ears is good for me

Austmcc

All ive ever noticed with soft vs hard balls off the tee, is that the hard balls will bounce/run on further after ground contact. the major difference is the stopping power around the greens. if you like to carry all the way and stop go with the soft ball. if youre more of a @scottish' type of golfer with the low rollers, then harder ones may be the way to go

m r c

Off the tee maybe the only difference I'd notice re soft vs hard golf balls is that the softer ones fly farther in cold weather because they are a tad easier to compress and hence go a little further.

Almaviva

m r c wrote: »

Off the tee maybe the only difference I'd notice re soft vs hard golf balls is that the softer ones fly farther in cold weather because they are a tad easier to compress and hence go a little further.

Have you detected the softer balls flying further in cold weather, and conclude that they are compressing more easily ?

Or do you think these are softer balls, so compress more easily, and balls that compress more easily must go further. And conclude that the ball must be going further ?

m r c

Almaviva wrote: »

Have you detected the softer balls flying further in cold weather, and conclude that they are compressing more easily ?

Or do you think these are softer balls, so compress more easily, and balls that compress more easily must go further. And conclude that the ball must be going further ?

I've known the reasons for it

http://www.golf.com/special-features/avoiding-stinger?mobile=n


But I've believed I can feel it too, off the sweet spot I think I'd know a srixon distance vs srixon soft feel in the cold.

I play the soft feel for the winter league and know I've a small advantage off the tee lengthwise over the red box ones.

Arsenium

For what its worth, I find that if I am playing a Prov 1 on a day when I am not driving particularly well, they veer miles off target for me. Which makes sense since they take the most spin. So I have started using the Velocity balls a bit more, as I dont think they spin nearly as much off the tee but have quite a bit of control around the greens.

The Nike 20XI are supposed to be engineered for exactly that it seems. Less spin off the tee and just as much control around the greens. I never realised there was so much science to it.

With a bad swing off the tee, I definitely find the Nike balls dont curve nearly as much as the prov's. Bloody expensive though.

realgolfgeek

It's your swing on a given day guys, not the ball, trust me :rolleyes:

realgolfgeek

Arsenium wrote: »

For what its worth, I find that if I am playing a Prov 1 on a day when I am not driving particularly well, they veer miles off target for me. Which makes sense since they take the most spin. So I have started using the Velocity balls a bit more, as I dont think they spin nearly as much off the tee but have quite a bit of control around the greens.

The Nike 20XI are supposed to be engineered for exactly that it seems. Less spin off the tee and just as much control around the greens. I never realised there was so much science to it.

With a bad swing off the tee, I definitely find the Nike balls dont curve nearly as much as the prov's. Bloody expensive though.

yardage wise to the right or left, how much of a difference does it make for you ?

Arsenium

realgolfgeek wrote: »

yardage wise to the right or left, how much of a difference does it make for you ?

On a bad swing...possibly 10 - 15 yards. When the prov moves...it moves :-)

I guess that makes the Nike ball less "workable". I can live with that :-)

realgolfgeek

Arsenium wrote: »

On a bad swing...possibly 10 - 15 yards. When the prov moves...it moves :-)

I guess that makes the Nike ball less "workable". I can live with that :-)

So let's say on a 225 yard shot,
Two exact same shots, one with the titlesit ball, and one with the nike ball. You think that could equate to 15 yards of a difference left or right?

Arsenium

realgolfgeek wrote: »

So let's say on a 225 yard shot,
Two exact same shots, one with the titlesit ball, and one with the nike ball. You think that could equate to 15 yards of a difference left or right?

Yes. Maybe more. When the prov starts to move it really moves. Which I guess is what it is designed to do.

I find the Nike ball doesnt move nearly as much.

I would be waiting on the tee for the ball to start moving left to right mid flight but find it stays on it's line. The pro v at that point is almost coming back to meet me :-)

Which was when I decided the prov was probably too much ball for me.

realgolfgeek

Arsenium wrote: »

Yes. Maybe more. When the prov starts to move it really moves. Which I guess is what it is designed to do.

I find the Nike ball doesnt move nearly as much.

I would be waiting on the tee for the ball to start moving left to right mid flight but find it stays on it's line. The pro v at that point is almost coming back to meet me :-)

Which was when I decided the prov was probably too much ball for me.

I can promise you, the ball is not making that much of a difference.

however, if it's working for you, stick with it.

dan_ep82

I'm only recently playing so I'm using all recovered balls ( Callaway ,Titleist,Nike,Srixon,Dunlop,Bridgestone etc) and I don't think there is any difference.

However, sometimes I get it in my head that I'll hit the more expensive ones better. I don't bother arguing with myself,I just hit the one I feel more comfortable with at the time and try not to attribute the good or bad shot to the ball.

m r c

realgolfgeek wrote: »

I can promise you, the ball is not making that much of a difference.

however, if it's working for you, stick with it.

Easy enough to see your point here.... But I've often played the 20xi x and also can say it makes a difference off the tee.
They are the straightest ball I've hit.
Tbh even if I think that I'm right though :-)

whizbang

My straightest balls are Taylormade Penta's. Z-stars, other soft exotics.

Maybe its just the 'posh ball' factor.

But I do categorically believe the very hard balls, i.e. Topflite, skip and slide off the face as its connecting with the ball, causing all sorts of bad slices.

So therefore the opposite applies for the soft balls.!

Almaviva

whizbang wrote: »

My straightest balls are Taylormade Penta's. Z-stars, other soft exotics.

Maybe its just the 'posh ball' factor.

But I do categorically believe the very hard balls, i.e. Topflite, skip and slide off the face as its connecting with the ball, causing all sorts of bad slices.

So therefore the opposite applies for the soft balls.!

If the soft balls spin more, wont they slice or hook more ? The harder ball, spinning less, will go less of line for the same misplaced sidespin. Unless you have the skill to apply control spin for your short game (approximately single figure men and better) then play an Ultra or a Pinnacle. (Oh sorry, the manufacturers prefer their customers that lose the most balls to lose more expensive ones. Let the cat out of the bag there:o)

scubapro

whizbang wrote: »

My straightest balls are Taylormade Penta's. Z-stars, other soft exotics.

Maybe its just the 'posh ball' factor.

But I do categorically believe the very hard balls, i.e. Topflite, skip and slide off the face as its connecting with the ball, causing all sorts of bad slices.


So therefore the opposite applies for the soft balls.!

Slip and slide off the face even though impact lasts for a micro second!

GreeBo

whizbang wrote: »

My straightest balls are Taylormade Penta's. Z-stars, other soft exotics.

Maybe its just the 'posh ball' factor.

But I do categorically believe the very hard balls, i.e. Topflite, skip and slide off the face as its connecting with the ball, causing all sorts of bad slices.

So therefore the opposite applies for the soft balls.!

If it skipped off the face it would have less spin, gripping to the face is what gives it spin. Think predator boots.

Arsenium

Almaviva wrote: »

If the soft balls spin more, wont they slice or hook more ? The harder ball, spinning less, will go less of line for the same misplaced sidespin. Unless you have the skill to apply control spin for your short game (approximately single figure men and better) then play an Ultra or a Pinnacle. (Oh sorry, the manufacturers prefer their customers that lose the most balls to lose more expensive ones. Let the cat out of the bag there:o)

Controlling spin around the green is not an issue. For that very few balls come near the prov. My issue with them is when I apply unwanted spin to ball from the tee shot. In that case it spins quite a lot, as per design.

whizbang

The harder ball will grip less, producing less spin, given the swing .

- But its much more unpredictable, given the fact it moves around the face as its being struck,

GreeBo

whizbang wrote: »

The harder ball will grip less, producing less spin, given the swing .

- But its much more unpredictable, given the fact it moves around the face as its being struck,

Define "moves around the face".....where does it go?

I've seen thousands of impact marks...there is no movement of the ball on the face; it gets squished and then expands and flies away.

Gin77

GreeBo wrote: »

Define "moves around the face".....where does it go?

I've seen thousands of impact marks...there is no movement of the ball on the face; it gets squished and then expands and flies away.

I think the poster means that a harder ball will slide up the face during impact. Harder balls have higher launch angles and more distance, i.e. no grip equals slippage more so if its wet.

neckedit

Gin77 wrote: »

I think the poster means that a harder ball will slide up the face during impact. Harder balls have higher launch angles and more distance, i.e. no grip equals slippage more so if its wet.

The golf ball does not have time to slip, slide or deflect at impact, As discussed already, the hardest model of ball is designed to compress a little when struck, by even the the most modest of swing speeds.

GreeBo

Gin77 wrote: »

I think the poster means that a harder ball will slide up the face during impact. Harder balls have higher launch angles and more distance, i.e. no grip equals slippage more so if its wet.

Again I have never seen anything that would show a ball moving on the face.
Its milliseconds of contact time. Why would it move? It compresses a little less...but why would its density make it move?

ForeRight

Golf balls don't slide along a driver face. The ball touches the head for approx .02 of a second according to an article someone posted on here about golf myths only last week

The spin is put on the ball due to an open or closed club face at that contact time so instead of lads convincing themselves it's all the balls fault have a look at your impact club head position.

Gin77

neckedit wrote: »

The golf ball does not have time to slip, slide or deflect at impact, As discussed already, the hardest model of ball is designed to compress a little when struck, by even the the most modest of swing speeds.

How do you explain a flyer then? When grass gets between the face and the ball an goes an extra 30 yds.
Same principle hard ball slips maybe not a lot but it slips upward just like a flyer giving higher launch and longer distance.

You could day the same with cast clubs vs forged the cast clubs are harder less grip which is one of the factors thats gives higher launch.
Just because a hard ball compressed a little doesn't mean it gripped to the face, its not the skin of the ball that compresses its the center softest part.
Its science baby!

GreeBo

Gin77 wrote: »

How do you explain a flyer then? When grass gets between the face and the ball an goes an extra 30 yds.
Same principle hard ball slips maybe not a lot but it slips upward just like a flyer giving higher launch and longer distance.

Because the grass interferes with the "normal" backspin on the ball.

Gin77 wrote: »

You could day the same with cast clubs vs forged the cast clubs are harder less grip which is one of the factors thats gives higher launch.
Just because a hard ball compressed a little doesn't mean it gripped to the face, its not the skin of the ball that compresses its the center softest part.
Its science baby!

huh?!
You think a forged club is compressing against the ball?
If that was the case then the club would be useless after a couple of rounds...

I dont think its science....perhaps Scientology.

Gin77

GreeBo wrote: »

Because the grass interferes with the "normal" backspin on the ball.



huh?!
You think a forged club is compressing against the ball?
If that was the case then the club would be useless after a couple of rounds...

I dont think its science....perhaps Scientology.

Whats with the attitude? can I not put forward a perfectly logic without being ridiculed? I feel a bit like the guy who said the world was round lol.
I never said a forged club was compressing.
The softer something is the more friction it will have thats basic stuff.

I'll put it in simpler terms for you, a car tyre that hard will slip more at take of than a soft tyre both are compressed against the road.
Anyway I'm not here to convince you I'm just putting the theory out there. A lot can happen in 0.2 milli seconds.

GreeBo

Gin77 wrote: »

Whats with the attitude? can I not put forward a perfectly logic without being ridiculed? I feel a bit like the guy who said the world was round lol.
I never said a forged club was compressing.
The softer something is the more friction it will have thats basic stuff.

I'll put it in simpler terms for you, a car tyre that hard will slip more at take of than a soft tyre both are compressed against the road.
Anyway I'm not here to convince you I'm just putting the theory out there. A lot can happen in 0.2 milli seconds.

No attitude at all!
However I disagree with the logic...and havent seen any science to prove or support your theory...

The ball is the soft thing compared to the club. The ball deforms on the face of the club. The face of the club might flex but thats about it.

A car tire is spinning against a stationary surface.
In golf the road is moving, nothing is spinning.

To be honest I dont know why you are proposing new theories on stuff that has already been figured out?

Gin77

GreeBo wrote: »

No attitude at all!
However I disagree with the logic...and havent seen any science to prove or support your theory...

The ball is the soft thing compared to the club. The ball deforms on the face of the club. The face of the club might flex but thats about it.

A car tire is spinning against a stationary surface.
In golf the road is moving, nothing is spinning.

To be honest I dont know why you are proposing new theories on stuff that has already been figured out?

Apologies I didn't realize you knew everything. Lol

neckedit

Gin77 wrote: »

Apologies I didn't realize you knew everything. Lol

been working in the golf biz for over 20 years as a professional and a fitter baby..... Never experienced this Scientific Fact before.....We were not at any stage talking about flyers or any debris caught between the clubface and ball.

FixdePitchmark

Had a feeling the lad was right - he is right.

There would be no such thing as backspin if the lad was wrong.

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-2-287-99054-0_24#page-1

From another source the ball movement is called the Initial Slide.

neckedit

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Had a feeling the lad was right - he is right.

There would be no such thing as backspin if the lad was wrong.

http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-2-287-99054-0_24#page-1

From another source the ball movement is called the Initial Slide.

I understand the link....I am saying a harder ball will not cause a "flyer" outside the normal context. Ball slide and rotation are the norm and hence back spin but do not cause jumping or deflection in my experience.