Five Golf Tips On Buying Balls

Copyright (c) 2009 Jack Moorehouse

Gift certificates to a sports store or golf warehouse are great gift ideas. It gives the golfer in your life a chance to buy something useful for his game, like a dozen golf balls. Great golf balls exist in every price range. But you must find a ball that fits your game for it to work—whether you have a high golf handicap or a single digit golf handicap. When it comes to golf balls, the right one can contribute as much to your game as your clubs, as I’ve said in my golf tips newsletter. Below are some tips on choosing the right ball:

Be Realistic and Practical

Golfers often buy Pro V1 or MC Lady balls just because they make them feel like real players. That’s not wise or practical. Your goal when buying balls is to find one that’s compatible with your game, course, and budget. Key factors to consider are distance, feel, and spin. Distance alone is the most expensive. Expect to pay more for combinations of the three. But ball companies are always offering specials. Take ‘em up on these offers. Be realistic. Be practical. Be smart.

Buy For Your Home Course

Golfers should by balls based on which course you play the most. If you need to work the ball, buy a spin ball. If you need to hit it long, buy a distance ball. To decide between distance and control, try this experiment from Bob Toski, the famed golf instructor:

Every time you miss a fairway, move your shot back 15 yards and place it on the fairway. Now compare scores. You will probably find that you did much better than you normally do. The exercise may show you that there’s more to a good golf ball than it’s distance potential.

Trial And Error Is Best

You’ll never really know which ball works best until you actually try them. Here’s a systematic way to do that:

Hit 10 shots each with different balls to determine trajectory, carry, and distance after they land. If possible, ask a pro to help you find a ball you can launch at optimum angle. Now hit five shots with your long and mid irons. Check trajectory and the spin you get on the greens. Now hit a variety of scoring shots from 100 yards in—shots with a lot of spin, bump-and-runs, and pitches. Here you want to check your ability to hit scoring shots with these balls.

Narrow your choices down to two or three balls. Then try each for a few weeks. See which provides the best result. That’s your ball.

Spin Essentials

You don’t have to understand how balls are made. But it helps to know something about what the dimples do. You need dimples on a golf ball to get it airborne. No dimples, no lift. It’s that simple. Dimples add “drag” to a ball. But adding too many dimples to a golf ball doesn’t help either. Diminishing returns come at about 500 dimples. The minimum number of dimples on a golf ball is about 300, with optimum performance at about 350 to 450 dimples per ball. Try golf balls with different dimple designs to find one that gives your shots a good lift.

Take Care Of Your Golf Balls

Some players are diligent about taking care of their clubs, but not so diligent about taking care of their golf balls. While golf balls are more durable than ever, you still must take care of them, as I tell students who take my golf lessons. Leaving balls in your trunk on a scorching hot day is not taking good care of them. Store your ball at normal room temperatures, away from the furnace if possible, is a good way to take care of balls. If you have to err on one side, better to let them get cold than hot,

These golf tips on buying balls will help you narrow down your choice. While you may not want to spend your paycheck on golf balls, you also don’t want to buy “pond” balls or X-outs either. Some are fine. But most aren’t. Instead, buy new golf balls that help chop strokes off your golf handicap and provide value for your money. It’s the only way to roll.

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