Jan
10
2008

Golf Magazine Reveals the Best Ball for You

Posted by Double Eagle in Equipment

In its February 2008 issue, Golf Magazine’s cover story, called “Revealed: The BEST BALL FOR YOU!“, made use of a little science to make golf ball recommendations to players based on handicap and other factors.

What they accomplished is what I wish I had the resources to accomplish when I did a post on selecting a golf ball in August 2007.  Their golf ball ratings are quite extensive.

Golf Magazine scientifically tested the spin, distance, and feel characteristics of 54 different golf balls to help players decide which one to use. It’s quite a comprehensive comparison, and I highly recommend checking it out (I’ll link here when it hits the website note:  the article has since been removed – Mike).

The side by side comparisons of distance, feel, and spin were quite enlightening. That’s really why I brought this up. I thought I’d mention it because I think you’ll find it useful, but I really want to revisit the review of the Nike One Platinum that I did in November.

You may recall that it has been my ball of choice for a little while now. I was pretty shocked when I read Golf Magazine’s ball comparison article.

For testing, they used a hitting robot. In the distance category, of the 54 balls they tested, the Nike One Platinum finished dead last. It was about ten yards shorter than the Titleist Pro V1 and over 14 yards shorter than Callaway’s new Tour i ball.

That one really surprised me. I guess I wasn’t the only one, because in a sidebar comment next to the charts was a comment from Nike’s product development director Rock Ishii basically stating that the ball is intended for players like Tiger Woods – players that want total performance in the areas of feel, spin around the green, and shot shaping ability as well as players who are not worried about distance. He adds that it’s best for players with a shallow angle of attack.

In addition, I was quite surprised with the comparison of the various balls in the area of cover softness. You’ll recall that in my review for the One Platinum, I commented that the Titleist Pro-V1 feels slightly mushy to me compared to the Nike Ball. However, Golf Magazine’s testing shows that in the cover of the One Platinum is, by far, the softest of all the balls tested.

Finally, in the category of spin, the One Platinum had the highest of any ball, at over 1,150 rpm more than the Pro-V1. In my initial review, I commented that it has good spin. Well, apparently it has more spin capability than any ball I normally play.

All this teaches me some valuable lessons.

First, as I read this information and think about my own game, I’m seeing where this ball isn’t for me. In my last few rounds, I’ve really been overworking the ball right and left. I’m also coming up short on a fair number of shots. This is likely due to the increased spin. My mis-hits are hurting worse.

Also, with respect to the softness, In my last two rounds (both in the last week, thanks to nice temperatures in January), I’ve been cutting the cover of the ball a little. That could be due to the high amount of softness, coupled with the way I’m striking the ball right now.

So why did I like the ball so much?

Just to be clear, I still like it. My problem is, I’m working heavily on my game and last year I was very inconsistent, with the pendulum of mistake tendencies swinging back and forth – hook, slice, hook, slice. The answer could be that it was a simple coincidence that I was hitting the ball better when I tried out the One Platinum.

One thing is for sure, I prefer a harder ball and a decent amount of spin, but not a lot. I think I’m going to consider switching back to a Callaway ball. I used to play the HX Tour, but now they have the Tour i ball. According to the Golf Magazine research, it has better than average distance, is near the bottom of the high-spin ball list, and isn’t among the top dozen softest balls.

This is another example of the ever present problem of feel versus real. My perceptions are shaped by a lot of factors, and sometimes it takes some research and a hitting robot to make me seriously think about things like the ball that I play.

All my issues aside, kudos to Golf Magazine for a very useful, eye-opening article.

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There are currently 20 responses to “Golf Magazine Reveals the Best Ball for You”

  1. 1

    Saturday Golfer said:

    Thanks for the heads on this new article. I think that analysis of equipment is always interesting.

    I have played a variety of balls and continue to come back to the ProV1, I think that it does a great job of blending all factors taken into consideration. However, in the winter here in the NW I switch to the Nike Power Distance balls. The courses are always so wet that I don’t want any extra spin and can defenitely use the extra distance with no roll.

    Thanks for the post.

    Posted on January 11th, 2008 at 2:19 pm

  2. 2

    Double Eagle said:

    Glad you enjoyed it, Saturday golfer.

    And great point about switching the ball based on the conditions. That’s something I hadn’t even considered.

    It’s winter here, mostly cold, but when there are breaks that are decent for playing golf, it’s not uncommon for conditions to be wet. Switching to a distance ball with less spin is probably a very good idea, especially since distance tends to suffer in cool/cold conditions anyway.

    There’s a good reason that the Pro-V1 is so popular. It’s a top of the line ball and is good for a great number of players (assuming the price is acceptable). I’m going back to Callaway, but I’ll probably be back to Pro-V1 at some point.

    Sometimes I think switching balls is good for a temporary confidence boost, if nothing else.

    Posted on January 11th, 2008 at 2:28 pm

  3. 3

    Greg B. said:

    While not as cold as you guys, I play all winter here in Houston, usually at night on lighted courses. When the temps are below mid 40s, I keep a ball in my pocket to keep it warm. I switch to that ball on the next hole and the one just holed goes in my pocket.

    Posted on January 12th, 2008 at 11:28 am

  4. 4

    Double Eagle said:

    That’s a good tip, Greg. On the really cold days, that’s a good way to keep the ball in a reasonable state.

    Some people like to throw those little chemical heating packs in their pockets too, which is against the rules, but hey it’s, “winter rules” right? ;)

    Posted on January 12th, 2008 at 11:32 am

  5. 5

    Saturday Golfer said:

    Do you know what the new Callaway ball is going to retail at?

    Posted on January 13th, 2008 at 2:18 am

  6. 6

    Double Eagle said:

    Golf Magazine shows the price at $44.99. I’m kind of wondering when it’s going to hit the streets.

    Posted on January 13th, 2008 at 2:45 am

  7. 7

    TP Golf Online said:

    “This is another example of the ever present problem of feel versus real.”

    Love your quote because it is so true. I find this is true with other equipment also, especially drivers and putters.

    Posted on January 15th, 2008 at 8:08 pm

  8. 8

    The Golfaholic said:

    This article will be a real eye opener to lots of people. I used to think that what ball I played didn’t really matter. Over the years though with lots of experimenting I realized it definitely does matter. I have found that the Titleist Pro V1x works best for me.

    Posted on January 24th, 2008 at 7:13 pm

  9. 9

    Double Eagle said:

    It was a definite eye opener for me, Golfaholic. The problem with experimenting to find the right ball, is that it’s tough to do if you’re on a budget. At $30-$50 per dozen for decent balls, it can get expensive to try several different ones, so players might feel discouraged from doing it.

    That, plus you have to try a ball for more than one round to really get a feel of how it plays in different situations, so the time involved for a casual player to try a lot of different ones can add up as well.

    This article does a lot of work for the player and lets him focus on a few candidates based on desired characteristics.

    Posted on January 24th, 2008 at 7:23 pm

  10. 10

    Bob Silverman said:

    I totally agree with your assessment of the Nike One Platinum. I read the Golf Mag article and decided to use the Taylor Made TP Black. My distance has increased off the tee by about 20 yards and the spin on iron shots is still very good. I have switched, needless to say. An objective test article is a good thing.

    Posted on February 15th, 2008 at 1:03 am

  11. 11

    Double Eagle said:

    Thanks for checking in, Bob. I hope Golf Magazine continues to do these tests periodically. You’re right that an objective test article is a good thing.

    As soon as I exhaust my current supply of Nike balls, I’m going back to Callaway.

    Posted on February 15th, 2008 at 8:32 am

  12. 12

    Steve Kirchner said:

    great article! I have been experimenting with different golf balls this year after picking up a new Srixon z-rw driver. When I bought the drive I asked for a sleeve of the ZRUS, TRISPEED and AD333. I found I liked the TRISPEED the best, But still not really happy. I was playing with my Dad last week and of all thing I barrowed a Noodle+ from him and I hit is 10 to 15 yeards further that any of the Srixon balls. But the Noodle+ was only average around the green, not as much feel as I would like. So I am going to now try the Calloway HX balls. I wish there was a website where you could buy mixed dozens of balls. Like a sleeve of each Calloway and each Titleist

    Posted on May 15th, 2008 at 8:17 am

  13. 13

    Double Eagle said:

    Glad you liked it, Steve.

    That’s an interesting idea about buying mixed dozens. In this day and age, you’d think that some web entrepreneur would have thought of that. You can buy by the sleeve at a lot of golf courses, so why not online as a mix and match? Sounds like a winning idea to me. Run with it!

    Incidentally, since I wrote this originally, I switched to the Callaway Tour-ix ball, which I like a lot. I’ll be doing a review at some point, but for now I’ll just say that I’m totally happy with it.

    Posted on May 15th, 2008 at 8:36 am

  14. 14

    DeadSolidPerfect said:

    I’ve played Titleist since I was 10, and shelled out $45 for the ProV1 for several years. Y’know what? The Nike PD Soft flies just as far, has the same feel, and performs just as well as the ProV1. And they’re only $15 a dozen. Suckers!

    Posted on July 8th, 2008 at 1:32 am

  15. 15

    orby kelley said:

    I received some Titleist NXT 1NX balls that are marked “Titleist Testing.”

    Do you know anything about these balls?
    OMAN

    Posted on August 25th, 2008 at 9:16 am

  16. 16

    Double Eagle said:

    Sorry, Oman, I don’t know anything about that particular ball. I’m guessing ball manufacturers create special runs of particular models for testing purposes. I assume that’s what you have.

    Posted on August 25th, 2008 at 6:19 pm

  17. 17

    Jon Myers said:

    I just started playing again after a 13 year layoff & boy is the technology passed me by! Just shaft spec’s alone are enough to make me want to quit again. But balls are just as bad. They change them every year, the names the construction & then add more! From internet research so far, the best ball for a 54 year old man with a 100 mph driver swing speed [& therefore an 80 mph iron swing] is the Bridgestone B330-RX, which I will try in the next week or so. Apparently, this ball has no weakness of any kind for we slower swingers. But they cost more than Pro V1′s! I know there iare going to be several balls that approximate the -RX performance at much less money, but how does one find them? Your link to the Golf magazine test article doesn’t go where it needs to go & I’ve Googled this a dozen ways without success. Help!!

    Posted on January 20th, 2009 at 10:49 pm

  18. 18

    Double Eagle said:

    Sorry about the link, Jon. It was correct well into 2008. Unfortunately, Golf Magazine’s parent site golf.com isn’t much of a long-term resource like Golf Digest’s website is. I can’t seem to find the article on their current site.

    The thing about selecting a ball is, it really is a trial and error process. These days, the top-shelf balls from just about every brand are pretty good. It’s hard to find a really bad one until you get down in the cheap section.

    Depending on your handicap, you may not even really notice the difference among the top-tier balls. As I said, though, trial and error is your best bet. If you can find a pro shop that will let you buy by the sleeve, that will allow you to try several different models without having to buy by the dozen until you feel comfortable with one.

    While I’ve never played the Bridgestone, I hear that it’s a good ball and you’re likely to have success with it. Incidentally, Rob over at Golf Views reviewed the B330-RX. If you’re interested in reading it, you can get to it here. He has positive things to say about it, and I trust in his reviews.

    I’m hoping Golf Magazine or Golf Digest publishes a ball finder for 2009. If they do, I’ll be sure to discuss it here. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I know the frustration you feel.

    Posted on January 20th, 2009 at 11:20 pm

  19. 19

    Fred said:

    If this is you: average driver (not max) swing speed is 90 – 100 mph, your shot shape is of a medium height; you miss as many fairways as you hit, then the Tour balls (pro V1, etc.) are not for you. Particularly in cold weather. You need a softer ball with low spin rate. In your swing speed range this type ball will be 5 – 15 yards longer and will hook qnd slice somewhat less than a high spin ball. It may not feel or sound as good as a tour ball, but there is no place on a score card for those results. If you play a typical US golf course with soft over watered greens, the low spin ball will usually hop once and stop. It may not spin back 30 feet like Tiger, but if you hit it close to the hole, it will stop within a few feet of where it lands. If the greens are hard or your typical shot does not bite, you may be better off with a high spin ball. These conclusions have been reached by hitting 6 each of 2 different balls and walking down the results a couple of hundred times in the last year. I tried over a dozen balls from all the major manufacturers. The ball that rose to the top for me was the Precept Laddie-X. I had previously played nothing but Titleist Pro V1′s. Everyone hits the ball a little differently, so my results may not be exactly what yours will be, but I think they would be close.

    Posted on January 30th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

  20. 20

    hurlz1 said:

    Interesting posts on golf balls
    I play off a 6-7 handicap and on average hit about 230 – 250 yards off the tee (I dont try and kid myself that just because I hot the odd 300yard drive that i can do it all the time) and have found that the best balls for golfers of my ability are the srixon soft feel and the nike power soft.
    I can and have used pro v1 and nike one black and they do spin more with short approach shots. The prov1 is probably more forgiving but the nike one is a better ball when you are on your game.
    But for every day use the srixon soft feel and nike power soft are very good. I would say that the srixon soft feel is the longest ball I have hit.
    The average 6 – 14 handicap golfer has a swing speed of 80 – 90 mph and the softer balls are a lot better for that swing speed and they should also use regular shaft clubs

    Posted on April 11th, 2010 at 4:50 am

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