It's time to stick with one ball... can you help?

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By Matt G

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  • 15 Replies
  1. Matt G

    Matt G
    Atlanta, GA

    Hey guys,

    I'm a 15 year old golfer with a handicap around 15. I play alotttttt of golf and am continuing to get better. Being a small fifteen your old and playing from the tips in tournaments is not easy so i find control a very important factor in playing a certain ball and hope to squeeze every last inch of distance out of my ball. Since I started golf (2 years ago) I've been playing premium golf balls but I have been playing all different brands and all different models.I think picking one ball and sticking with it will help me get more consistent results.So that's where i need your help!

    My swing speed is kinda of between regular and stiff flex so 90-95

    My game changes alot but the most consistent part of it is my around the green chipping, bunker play, and putting

    I'm in an on going battle with my driver but am beginning to straighten it out but any help in the ball would help

    While I'm not a very good ball striking I am certainly improving but am generaly accurate with my irons

    I would like for you all to suggest a ball for me not show me some distance charts and spin charts. Because I am confused as to how spin on full shots differs from spin with short game shot.

  2. The best advice that I can give you is to either get fitted for your golf ball, or, buy a sleeve of some different Titleist balls (Pro V1, Pro V1x, NXT Tour, NXT...and so on) and do your "own fitting". Hit some drives, irons shots, wedges, chips, putts, bunker shots, in the rough, behind trees (tricky shots)...whatever position(s) that you may come across on a golf course and take notes. Which one was longer? Which one had the spin you were looking for?...felt better putting? and so on. Hopefully, you'll find the right Titleist ball for you game!

  3. Quintin H

    Quintin H
    Morehead, KY

    Ball speed, launch angle, spin rate determine distance on full swing.

    It depends on your ball speed and launch angle to determine how much spin you need to maximize distance.

    Backspin fights gravity.

    So the lower the ball speed, and/or the lower the launch angle, then the more backspin you need to maximize distance.

    You are at a swing speed where more backspin would be good, but more spin also means it will have more side spin which is bad, because it will cause the ball to curve more. This you have to make the determination.

    Backspin also determines the angle the ball will fall, the more spin the more likely the ball will stop where it lands.

    Short game spin along with the covers ability to grab the green determines the roll out.

    With equipment you can lower the full swing spin of a high spin ball, or increase the spin of a low spin ball.

    How you swing the club you can increase or decrease spin.

    See how it all starts fitting together.

    No one can determine what ball you need on the internet.

    And if you find the perfect ball, don't worry the manufacturer will change it, and your on the search again.

  4. Matt S

    Matt S
    arvada, CO

    Your first instinct about sticking to one ball is SPOT ON!!!

    You have received a very helpful answer above!!

    My own story is, I really was used to the feel of the ProV1x, but wanted to have more control around the greens. Making the change was awesome this year with the new release of the ProV1 and x. I think the ProV1 feel for me off the driver is equal to the X of past, and the control around the greens and on approach is better for my swing.

     

    If you need a little more launch angle (and distance, which you mentioned) in your driver, go to the Prov1x if the numbers are good otherwise, and you have enough control and feel around the greens.  

     

    Try putting too, huge difference.

     

    I played lights out the first full round after I made the change. I had played 9 holes here and there and practiced a lot with the new ball before playing a full serious round. First round made 3 birdies in a row, second round, hole out eagle from the fairway(suck back to the hole), 180 par 3 to 2 foot birdie on the second, and some nice bombs on a tight golf course throughout the day.

  5. Clinton M

    Clinton M
    flowery branch

    i would suggest you to be fitted with a golf ball.

  6. Hotsauce

    Hotsauce
    Georgetown MA

    You can fit yourself very easily. Snag a sleeve of Pro V, 1x, and NXT and play a self scramble or a match with 2 or 3 balls (depending on how open your course is).  Write down what ball produced your best shots or lowest score and stick with it.

  7. Fit yourself and then stick with the ball. The past weekend I played our monthly medal round, first 9 shot 35, back 9 the wind came up and was cold, I hit into the water next to the 11 th green, I then realised that I did not have another ProVx in the bag and used a different ball RXS, shipped close and made a 5. I then proceeded to 3 put the next 3 holes. To me the biggest issue is finding a ball that you 100% feel at ease with on and around the green. I often play the B330S, this ball feel very close to the ProVx, a 4 piece ball with the same feel as the ProVx on the putter and on short game. they play much the same. However, I prefer the ProVx as it spins slightly more. End result of the round, Shot 4 over and can say that it came down to the 3 three puts and not making 2 possible birdies as I was unsure about the ball on the green coming of the putter. will never make the same mistake. As they say, the only piece of equipment used on every shot is the ball.

  8. Quintin H

    Quintin H
    Morehead, KY

    Matt, what ball have you decided on? How did you come about the decision?

  9. Sam

    Sam
    Fort Myers, FL

    Youre best call would be either a pro v1 or pro v1x, take them out to the course and hit some wedge shots with each, some long shots with each, some drives, and some chips and putts with both. better yet do what i did and play 9 holes with each ball. the more situations you face witth the ball will help you to get to know it better. spin off the wedges and spin off long shots differ by sidespin, when you hit a full shot you get alot more sidespin because of the slope your on, the way you swing at it and whatever. the sidespin is why you slice hook draw or fade the ball, with the wedges you get alot more backspin instead of sidespin because of the loft of the club. so the charts just tell you how many rpms of backspin the ball has off of the certain club hitting it.. enjoy, i was in your situation last year at 15 and trying out new golf balls is always fun

  10. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    To make it a little more detailed on what to look for, try a a sleeve NXT/NXT Tour and/or Pro V1/Pro V1x..  Start with puttng, chipping, and mid-irons to the green.  Do you have a definite winner?  Now, with your driver - are you losing the ball on a miss hit?  Consider trying the NXT and NXT Tour off of the tee if you are.  At this point, are you costing yourself more shots off of the tee with penalty strokes with a high spin ball like the Pro V or through lack on control landing on the green?  I've found if I'm having a bad swing day, I do better with an NXT.  I almost never lose one, unlike a Pro V.  When I side spin a Pro V, it really goes on a journey.  I might lose 2-3 strokes rolling across a green to the fringe, but 2-3 penalty strokes and playing 3-4 more shots from the woods or deep rough is also a problem. Titleist says it is less than 5 yards distance, but my best drives have come from NXT and I play more fairways.  Makes sense for a 24 handicap like me.

    Have fun finding you.

  11. Christian M

    Christian M
    Modesto, CA

    I was somewhat in the same boat, I'm now 16 and been playing a year and a half and a month or two ago I was in between golf balls (NXT Tour series and Pro V1 series) and couldn't stop shooting 82... But one day during a practice round for a tournament I chose to only play a Pro V1 and I shot my lowest round 77 from the semi tips (played from blues but there was longer tees that were gold). My SS is like 110-ish and I think ball compression is a bunch of hog wash, so I've stuck with the Pro V1 (no x). And for me, with any ball, if you make a bad shot, the ball won't help you no matter what. However, if you strike a premium tour ball golf ball flush, you're bound to get better results than a low end ball. Case and point, a bad shot is a bad shot, a ball won't help you there, but a good shot is a good shot, the better the ball, the better the flush shots will end up. I love the very soft compression, the loads of spin on approaches and around the greens, and the ease of workability from the Pro V1, so I'm sticking with it. If you ask me, equipment in general is 50% technology and performance, and then 50% personal feel.
  12. Hi Matt,

    Picking one ball and sticking with it is a great idea but as others have pointed out, once you find the ball you love, the manufacturer will come out with a "new and improved" model so you'll have to start the search again.

    Don't get hung up on distance. Hale Irwin won the U.S. Open 3 times and never came close to a 300 yard tee shot. Zach Johnson at the Masters? Not a big hitter either. Check out your local golf shops to see if they're hosting any ball fitting sessions or seminars. Sometime golf ball manufacturers will bring in a truck with a simulator so you can hit their products and you get immediate feedback as to how the ball feels to you.

    Good luck to you.

  13. Geoffrey  B

    Geoffrey B
    Celina, OH

    Good, playing only one ball will lead to consistency

  14. Anonymous User

    Anonymous User
    Fairhaven, MA

    8,355 Posts

    Het man, I have the almost exact same characteristics as you. I normally play the Titleist Pro V1x and found that it is the best ball for me. I get a couple of extra yards off the tee and can control it very well around the greens.

  15. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    The fun part of this thead is the original author started it in July, 2012.  Since that time, he never got back on this thread, and the new ProV lines came out.  The second best advice was to not worry about the best ball - it will change, has come to pass.

    I will add I've been testing balls so far this season.  Even though the 1x is the highest compression of all Titleist balls and higher than balls designed for the rest of us that don't have pro speed, with my (barely) 90 mph driver speed, it won the distance contest.  NXT Tour was next, and a close third place went to a (softer) 4 piece Callie (in the mix because it comes in optic yellow). The first 2 were about equal on dispersion,  Need to get the short game in a better place to test for total score. 

  16. Team Titleist Staff

    Don O said:

    The fun part of this thead is the original author started it in July, 2012.  Since that time, he never got back on this thread, and the new ProV lines came out.  The second best advice was to not worry about the best ball - it will change, has come to pass.

    I will add I've been testing balls so far this season.  Even though the 1x is the highest compression of all Titleist balls and higher than balls designed for the rest of us that don't have pro speed, with my (barely) 90 mph driver speed, it won the distance contest.  NXT Tour was next, and a close third place went to a (softer) 4 piece Callie (in the mix because it comes in optic yellow). The first 2 were about equal on dispersion,  Need to get the short game in a better place to test for total score. 

    Hi Don,

    Great to hear the testing is going well and that you're zeroing in on the best ball for your game. One thing I wanted to clarify is the point around a ball being designed for a certain swing speed. That is a common myth that we hear a lot.

    Something to think about...

    When you're out on a golf course you're playing a wide variety of golf shots during the round. And since a golf ball only reacts to the force being applied, different shots require different swing speeds in order to execute them properly.

    Keeping this in mind, a golf ball must perform for all golfers of all swing speeds on all shots, otherwise it won't perform for any golfer.

    Here's a great post that sheds some more light on the topic as well. Definitely check this out...

    http://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/archive/2011/06/10/titleist-performance-golf-ball-fitting-affects-of-swing-speed.aspx

    Hope this helps and good luck on the final testing!

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