Buying golf balls can be like buying a car.
Which one goes fastest?
Which one is the most in style?
Which one is the most durable?
Translated into golf terminology: Which one can I, Joe or Jane Amateur, hit 300 yards⢠Which one will my buddies be playing⢠And, which one will do its best to stay out of the hazards and last me a few rounds?
Which brings us back to the car comparison -- Do you really need a Porsche when a Chevy Cavalier will get you to the green?
"That is not an easy question to answer," Brackenridge Heights Country Club head professional Brian Sterlitz said when asked to recommend a universal ball to the golfing public -- a loaded question. "There are so many choices nowadays, especially for the weekend golfer. It all depends on the player and his or her needs."
Those needs often center on price, efficiency and features. Anti-lock brakes, cruise control, sun roof -- get the picture?
The Titleist Pro-V 1 has changed the game and dropped jaws -- particularly those of professionals such as Sterlitz and low-handicappers -- in recent seasons with its extra yardage and drop-and-stop technology. The ball has given pros a tennis ball to use as a shot put, and sharpened the ball's nose-dive into the green so pros can throw more darts.
But as Scott Koontz, a PGA pro and the director of golf at Stoney Creek Golf Center, said, the Pro-V 1 and similar styles such as Ben Hogan's Apex Tour, Callaway's HX, Maxfli's M3 Tour and Wilson's Staff Tour Elite, may be "too much ball" for regular players.
Those balls range in price from $30 to $50 per dozen.
Too much compression can lead to poor shots for golfers who cannot get the most out of a gourmet ball.
"Most manufacturers revolve around the general basis of compression," Koontz said. "The more compression you get out of it, the better. Every time you hit the ball, it flattens, or compresses."
Koontz said even a PGA Tour player likely would have trouble spinning a low-priced, low-compression ball.
"I can't see it happening," Koontz said. "If it did spin, it would not be nearly as much as a softer cover ball. They would have a much better chance spinning a better ball."
So, beggars can't be choosers?
"One of the most frequently asked questions I get from a teaching standpoint is how come I can't spin the ball⢠I tell people there is a three-fold answer. No. 1 is the ball. No. 2 is the conditions you're hitting from (fairway, rough). And No. 3 is the swing -- is it conducive to spinning a ball?"
For someone who plays weekends, select days when the course keepers are not cutting the grass, or for the occasional outing, finding the right golf ball isn't essential, but it has been proven to help a player's score.
Every player would like to hit the ball a mile and make it spin back another two, but posting a satisfactory score is what sends most players grinning all the way to the 19th hole.
Basically, there is a golf ball out there for everyone in what has become a booming market. The shelves of balls at the local pro shop or department store are more stocked than the soup isle at the grocery store.
A variety of factors come into play when choosing the right ball for each individual player.
There is distance -- one of the major factors that started the explosion in the ball-making industry. Hard-cover balls soar and roll after they nick the fairway. But they are not as soft off irons and can hinder "feel players," Koontz said.
There are a lot of balls out now that have low compression for people with average to slower swing speeds," Koontz said. "The harder-cover balls can go farther, but they still have to compress some. One disadvantage is off the irons into the greens. The green may not be as receptive with threes types of balls. Putting, chipping and feel may be harder to attain."
Then, there's compression, spin, feel and launch-angle. Players need to become familiar with these factors to understand how golf balls work and why they carry a particular price tag.
"I would say the ball is more of a factor today than when I started playing 20 years ago," said Rich Mottura, one of the better amateur players in the Valley and the head boys golf coach at Kiski Area High School. "There is definitely a distance factor that is clear with these newer balls, and I feel that if the pros are playing with them, then it must be a wise choice. Selection of them definitely should be factored in with your swing speed, however."
Some other factors --which rarely interest players -- are the ball's ingredients. For instance, urethane-based covers are what provide feel and prevent scuff-marks. A rubber core also plays a major part at impact, releasing and storing energy like a thrusting fist. Again, these factors also relate to cost and efficiency.
Mottura likely will use a Pro-V 1 ball when he attempts to qualify for this year's U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club. He trusts that ball and, like many better players, has benefited from it.
Mottura was so sold on the Titleist model, he chose it for his team to play.
"And we're not the only team to use it," he said. "I have seen quite a few."
Some popular average-player models which attempt to take a little of each feature and wrap it into one ball, are Maxfli's Noodle, Nike's Power Distance series, Top Flite's Xl-3000, Precept's Laddie and Titleist's SoLo and NXT series.
These balls range in price from $13 to $20. Each model attempts to give soft feel, longer distance and lower spin to reduce the risk of errant shots finding the out-of-bounds stakes.
Some harder-cover or value balls include the Wilson ProStaff or Jack, Top Flite XL Pure Distance, Taylor Made Distance Plus and Pinnacle Power Core Straight Distance. These models enforce distance and range from $9 to $20 and can come in 18-packs.
"If someone says, I don't play much, what do you recommend, I may say the Titleist NXT," Sterlitz said. "I am partial to Titleist, but the Maxfli Noodle is similar in its features.
"There really isn't one particular ball to recommend. There are a lot of models geared toward low compression for people with slower swing speeds."
Teaching pros likely will tell you to test a few balls and see which one benefits you most. It's just like buying a car. Sometimes, Joe Amateur wants to drive what Tiger Woods drives. But not everyone cruises the strip in a Buick. Additional Information:
Weekend hacker's tips for buying golf balls
Distance comes first. Golf balls for the average player are made to fly, but that is about it. As enhancement goes up, so does price. If you want to out-drive opponents and ignore feel, spin and compression, tee it high and let it fly. Otherwise, several other factors could go a long way in lowering your score.Save distance balls for those shaky-knee, par-3 tee shots over water.
Spin 101. The word spin shouldn't scare you away. In fact, average players want more spin around the greens and less off the tee. The more spin off the driver face, the more hooks and slices can result. Some two-piece or multi-layered balls claim to reduce back- and side-spin.
Every golfer wants to see their ball hit once, and dance on the green, but backspin comes from perfect contact, practice and a few lessons. Don't assume a better ball will spin on the green.
Don't be a copy cat. Unless you are a professional player or low-handicapper, don't be too awed by the Titleist Pro-V 1 or similar soft-cover models and think you can duplicate what the pros can do with those types of balls. These models are proven to fly farther and have a softer feel, but how many times do you hit the ball on the sweet spot of the clubâ¢
Be realistic. If you have a tendency to be erratic off the tee, and are not afraid to admit it, don't break the bank on a dozen premium balls that will likely end up in the woods or nearest pond.
If you spend more money on balls than green fees, and have more double-bogeys than balls at the end of each round, you may want to reconsider your next trip to the golf ball isle.
