I was able to snag 4 dozen online last week. Played a round yesterday and for the $$ its a pretty great value. I usually play whatever I find but I might be OK spending $15/box for these. One ball held up to 18 punishing holes including a few kisses from a cart path. I'd wager that 95% of amateur golfers couldn't tell the difference between a 4 piece golf ball. Of douse, all of those 5% that can tell the difference are on TexAgs. Wink.

LHIOB said:

---

I was able to snag 4 dozen online last week. Played a round yesterday and for the $$ its a pretty great value. I usually play whatever I find but I might be OK spending $15/box for these. One ball held up to 18 punishing holes including a few kisses from a cart path. I'd wager that 95% of amateur golfers couldn't tell the difference between a 4 piece golf ball. Of douse, all of those 5% that can tell the difference are on TexAgs. Wink.

---

I am probably an 11-12 HC but my irons are the strong part of my game and since I've improved in this area in recent years, I've been able to tell with some balls, esp the Prov1. I don't care what anyone says, there is no feeling like hitting a Prov1 pure imo. That being said, that feel is definitely not worth $48/dozen. And it doesn't perform THAT much better for me. I don't care if my Wilson Duo Spin (really good ball btw imo) rolls 1-2 more yards on the green.

I have to admit, half of the reason I want to get a bunch of Kirkland Signature balls is because I usually play with ball snobs and I can't wait to represent with a bunch of cheap ass Costco balls. So part of it is novelty for me. But extra bonus that the balls appear to perform well and be durable.

LHIOB said:

---

I was able to snag 4 dozen online last week. Played a round yesterday and for the $$ its a pretty great value. I usually play whatever I find but I might be OK spending $15/box for these. One ball held up to 18 punishing holes including a few kisses from a cart path. I'd wager that 95% of amateur golfers couldn't tell the difference between a 4 piece golf ball. Of douse, all of those 5% that can tell the difference are on TexAgs. Wink.

---

I don't know about that. People may not notice the differences, but they are different. If people don't notice the difference it is because they don't play enough. They wonder why the ball seems to fly a little higher today, or the ball is checking up less, etc. And not think of the fact that last week they played a Bridgestone B330 and this week they have a Titleist Prov1x.

Mst people may not be able to tell the difference on one shot but they are different. That's why I think it is important to stick with one ball whatever that ball is.

Unless you're playing on the PGA tour, you're going to get the same result with every ball.

ClassOf17 said:

---

Unless you're playing on the PGA tour, you're going to get the same result with every ball.

---

Sorry dude but that's horse ***** Give me a top flight and a pro v 1 and I can guarantee you a difference in my scorecard

agsalaska said:

---

LHIOB said:

---

I was able to snag 4 dozen online last week. Played a round yesterday and for the $$ its a pretty great value. I usually play whatever I find but I might be OK spending $15/box for these. One ball held up to 18 punishing holes including a few kisses from a cart path. I'd wager that 95% of amateur golfers couldn't tell the difference between a 4 piece golf ball. Of douse, all of those 5% that can tell the difference are on TexAgs. Wink.

---

I don't know about that. People may not notice the differences, but they are different. If people don't notice the difference it is because they don't play enough. They wonder why the ball seems to fly a little higher today, or the ball is checking up less, etc. And not think of the fact that last week they played a Bridgestone B330 and this week they have a Titleist Prov1x.

Mst people may not be able to tell the difference on one shot but they are different. That's why I think it is important to stick with one ball whatever that ball is.

---

I think a typical muni player sees a ton of volatility in their game so they aren't apt to notice. Give a guy like you that's a low handicapper ten shots with their 8-iron with the same ball and you'll probably have a fairly tight grouping.

Same exercise for a 20 handicapper and you're going to see huge variations because a 20 is just not nearly as good of a ballstriker as you are.

So if I gave you ten shots with ten different balls, I think we would see your shot dispersion spread out significantly. With the 20 handicapper maybe it would spread out some, but since the dispersion is already so big I don't think they'd notice.

I think this would be even more evident around the green, and that's where the ball is going to make the biggest difference.

He's almost right

Im a 5 HC and I play any decent ball I find....anything better than an NXT Tour and I shoot the same. 3 yards longer or shorter doesn't matter....400 RPMs less or more doesn't really matter. I shoot the same with pretty much every ball.

The quality of the greens is pretty much the only thing that makes me play worse. Faster the better for me. I will shoot lower at Miramont than Bryan Muni

Low handicapper playing 10 different higher quality balls won't see much of a difference...not like they will be a club longer or 8 yards left because of the ball

I continue to use this example but it's a good example. My buddy plays professionally and he plays for Callaway. Callaway shipped him 3 boxes of their high quality balls. 2 are available to public...1 isn't. The difference is 2-3 yards on average between the top 2 he liked.

Aggie369 said:

---

Low handicapper playing 10 different higher quality balls won't see much of a difference...not like they will be a club longer or 8 yards left because of the ball

I continue to use this example but it's a good example. My buddy plays professionally and he plays for Callaway. Callaway shipped him 3 boxes of their high quality balls. 2 are available to public...1 isn't. The difference is 2-3 yards on average between the top 2 he liked.

---

I agree. I was thinking more like a complete mix from recycled Top Flite all the way up to ProV1.

Most on here think they can tell a difference between two balls but can't break 80...just not possible if your ball striking alone will effect the spin rates of the same ball over 1,000 RPMs on back to back swings

U have to be a mid single digit HC to maybe tell the difference. You might think you can but more than likely what your noticing is a difference in greens on one whole to the next and ball striking not being consistent enough.

Aggie369 said:

---

Most on here think they can tell a difference between two balls but can't break 80...just not possible if your ball striking alone will effect the spin rates of the same ball over 1,000 RPMs on back to back swings

---

What do you mean by "tell a difference between two balls"? 80 is a very good round for me and I can absolutely tell a difference between balls. Even some of the premium ones. i.e. the Nike 20xi from a few years ago felt noticeably worse compared to the Prov1 when I played them side by side. So much so that it got in my head and I gave them away (I even wondered if they were defective). Feel is important to me, even if it was just a minimal difference in distance on pure shots. In a game where someone sneezing or a bird chirping can psyche out a seasoned PGA Tour pro enough to get him to back off his ball and have to regroup mentally, knowing what a ball is going to feel like when you hit it can definitely impact your game imo...even for us mid handicappers who may not be as consistent.

I also routinely spin Prov1's back, sideways, or get them to check pretty good from 170-ish in...and I notice a little more roll when I'm playing my Wilson Duo Spins...and this is coming from someone who usually considers 84 a pretty solid round. I bet there are quite a few on here who could say this.

Wycliffe_03 said:

---

Aggie369 said:

---

Most on here think they can tell a difference between two balls but can't break 80...just not possible if your ball striking alone will effect the spin rates of the same ball over 1,000 RPMs on back to back swings

---

What do you mean by "tell a difference between two balls"? 80 is a very good round for me and I can absolutely tell a difference between balls. Even some of the premium ones. i.e. the Nike 20xi from a few years ago felt noticeably worse compared to the Prov1 when I played them side by side. So much so that it got in my head and I gave them away (I even wondered if they were defective). Feel is important to me, even if it was just a minimal difference in distance on pure shots. In a game where someone sneezing or a bird chirping can psyche out a seasoned PGA Tour pro enough to get him to back off his ball and have to regroup mentally, knowing what a ball is going to feel like when you hit it can definitely impact your game imo...even for us mid handicappers who may not be as consistent.

I also routinely spin Prov1's back, sideways, or get them to check pretty good from 170-ish in...and I notice a little more roll when I'm playing my Wilson Duo Spins...and this is coming from someone who usually considers 84 a pretty solid round. I bet there are quite a few on here who could say this.

---

Most of what your experiencing is the sound...which like you said could very well have an impact on your mental game

Unless you are playing a very nice course the greens aren't consistent enough to gauge if a ball is spinning 500 RPMs more or less. If 80 is a good score then you also probably don't strike the ball consistent enough to say whether the result you had was from the ball, the green, the slight elevation change, the club, or swing......hell I don't strike the ball well enough to know that.

After I caddied in a professional tournament I really got see how inconsistent greens are and how slight elevation changes change the ball. I learned the most in the practice rounds as we made notes on every hole, green, hole location, and side of fairway

I watched 3 of 4 professional golfers not be able to hold their approach shot into the green from 130 yards. Only my guy held his because of the homework we did in practice round

Aggie369 said:

---

Most of what your experiencing is the sound...which like you said could very well have an impact on your mental game

Unless you are playing a very nice course the greens aren't consistent enough to gauge if a ball is spinning 500 RPMs more or less. If 80 is a good score then you also probably don't strike the ball consistent enough to say whether the result you had was from the ball, the green, the slight elevation change, the club, or swing......hell I don't strike the ball well enough to know that.

After I caddied in a professional tournament I really got see how inconsistent greens are and how slight elevation changes change the ball. I learned the most in the practice rounds as we made notes on every hole, green, hole location, and side of fairway

I watched 3 of 4 professional golfers not be able to hold their approach shot into the green from 130 yards. Only my guy held his because of the homework we did in practice round

---

So unless you are a scratch golfer or better, there will be no noticeable difference in distance or roll-out on greens between different balls, all things being equal? Just because some of us may not hit it pure every time does not mean we haven't noticed or can't notice differences between balls when you're talking about hitting dozens of shots over the course of a few rounds. I especially notice it on chip shots from 100 yds in. No way it's all in my head.

All that being said, aside from feel and performance around the greens, the difference is pretty minimal on iron shots in terms of my score, as i am not precise and consistent enough to fully take advantage of the different spin and feel i get from playing one ball over the other. And I'm not nearly as good at gauging wind or elevation as the pros are. But I DO notice a difference in feel and results through observations over time. Hopefully that makes sense, and honestly, we may be somewhat saying the same thing...in terms of score, I may not always be able to tell a difference because I'm not a pro and i don't hit 1,000 balls a day and I don't routinely put it to within 6 feet of the stick from 160-180 out. I scored my lowest round two saturdays ago, complete with my first eagle in 3 years with a $20 Wilson ball and then had another excellent round which included another eagle 5 days after that, with same Wilson. But I notice the difference in how far it tends to go after impact on green and how it feels compared to Prov1 and prefer the Prov1.

I don't think it will impact score if you are playing the same caliber of ball.....play 10 rounds with one ball and 10 with another. I don't think you will find that ball A is consistently longer or your score is significantly lower with Ball B.

Play the ball you make eagles with!

Again my buddy I grew up playing golf with is a professional golfer. Between two high quality Callaway balls there is about 2-3 yards difference for him. He could only tell this with a launch monitor....otherwise you don't know if that ball is reacting from wind u can't feel, a hard fairway, a more descending blow, etc

Aggie369 said:

---

I don't think it will impact score if you are playing the same caliber of ball.....play 10 rounds with one ball and 10 with another. I don't think you will find that ball A is consistently longer or your score is significantly lower with Ball B.

---

I agree with this 100%, which is why I usually try to find bargain balls that feel/sound good to me.

I think I misinterpreted your "can't tell a difference between balls" from the get-go.

One thing is for sure, I could never personally justify a $45+ ball. I could string together two awesome rounds using just 1-2 balls and then go out the following week and have a slightly off day with the driver, with all other aspects of the game on point and lose 4-5 in a round if the course isn't very forgiving.

I'm a bad golfer and even I can tell the difference around the greens. Can I tell the difference between premium balls? Probably not. But I can tell the difference between a premium and bargain ball based on how it reacts.

Yea, I agree

Same caliber balls are tough to tell though

Aggie369 said:

---

U have to be a mid single digit HC to maybe tell the difference. You might think you can but more than likely what your noticing is a difference in greens on one whole to the next and ball striking not being consistent enough.

---

Pretty sure agsalaska is a low single digit. I think at one time he may have been plus-handicap. Not sure if you meant it to come across like I read it, but it sounds like you're patting him on the head and telling him he's not a good enough ball striker to know the difference between two different balls.

I have no idea how good agalaska is or who agaslaka is besides seeing his name on this forum.

I'm speaking from my experience, knowing some guys on tour, and caddying a few times in smaller PGA events

Aggie369 said:

---

I have no idea how good agalaska is or who agaslaka is besides seeing his name on this forum.

I'm speaking from my experience, knowing some guys on tour, and caddying a few times in smaller PGA events

---

I agree that guys who do not hit the ball consistently cannot tell the difference between tour level balls. That was never my point. The point is they are different. And in some cases they are very different. And they are designed to be different. The 1 x launches much higher than the 1. It only takes two swings to notice the difference. And you don't have to be a tour pro or caddy for one to see it.

I have no doubt that most guys who are say a 3 or better could shoot about the same scores with any of them. You could probably hand me 10 different putters and I could drain putts with 8 of them as long as I consistently played with it. But if I switched putters every round I would notice obvious differences.

While maybe not quite as dramatic, golf balls will have the same effect. I may shoot the same scores with a srixon z star as a B330 if I played 10 straight rounds with them. But if I alternated balls every hole with 6 or 7 different tour level balls I bet I would not score as well.

My point is to be consistent. You don't change putters every round because, while they may all be good putters, they all roll the ball a little different. Golf balls are no different. While the differenceS may not be as dramatic as putters or drivers, they are not golf shoes or towels.

The idea that they are interchangeable is not the point. I could probably shoot the same scores with Ping irons as I do with my Titleist Irons. But if I changed all of the time I would have problems.

It may be hard to notice because a lot of guys just don't play enough, or hit it consistent enough, to really notice it. But I do believe that guys who are say better than a 4 handicap benefit from consistently playing the same golf ball.

Im pretty sure the prov1 will tend to launch higher than the X

The X was designed to launch lower

The Pro V1: The higher dimple count and three-piece technology will cause the Pro V1 to have a softer feel off the club face, helping it generate more spin and giving it a consistently higher flight.

The Pro V1X:The four-piece construction and fewer dimples of the Pro V1X give a harder feel, lower spin rate, and flatter trajectory

Aggie369 said:

---

Im pretty sure the prov1 will tend to launch higher than the X

The X was designed to launch lower

The Pro V1: The higher dimple count and three-piece technology will cause the Pro V1 to have a softer feel off the club face, helping it generate more spin and giving it a consistently higher flight.

The Pro V1X:The four-piece construction and fewer dimples of the Pro V1X give a harder feel, lower spin rate, and flatter trajectory

---

Alaska's post is correct above.

2015 V1 = Launches Lower
2015 V1x = Launches Higher

http://www.titleist.com/teamtitleist/b/tourblog/archive/2015/01/21/the-difference-is-total-performance-titleist-introduces-new-titleist-pro-v1-and-pro-v1x-golf-balls

Yep you are correct

Lower spin rate but launches higher if you can generate over 105 MPH

The X has about 400 RPMs less for me....so that's where my perception comes from. I add or subtract loft for launch angle

So let me give you a real life example of why playing a consistent ball matters.

Hole 17 is a 385 yard par 4 sharp dog leg right with huge oak trees protecting the dog leg, water down the left, and water cutting off the approach at about 100 yards. There is also a big oak tree on the left that protects the hole from a 3 iron off of the tee. It is a really well designed par 4. Not to mention the prevailing south wind usually fights the dogleg.

The first year or so after I started playing it I averaged about 4.5 on the hole with multiple crooked ass numbers caused by all kinds of trouble off of the tee. I do not play the ball left to right very well and just couldn't get the shot down.

I finally figured out at the end of summer this year that I could get a 5 wood over the trees on the right, barely, and play my natural draw against the dogleg and land it nicely just past the 150 mark giving me a 9 iron/wedge approach. But the trees are just 70 or so yards form the box and I have to get it up in a hurry. I clear them by a matter of feet or even inches.

I have played that hole 3 under in my last 20 rounds. I have only hit those trees once. I have 6 birdies, a double, and a bogey. The double hit the trees. The bogey was yanked left into the water.

Now like I said I just barely clear those trees. I just hit a normal 5 wood and the natural trajectory barely gets up fast enough. But the reason I know I can clear those trees is because everyone of those balls was hit with a 2015 Prov1x. If I played a random ball on that shot I would not be 3 under on that hole in my last 20 rounds. Some balls would perform about like the 1x does. Some would hit the trees. Some would probably hang out a little right and catch the trees further down the dogleg. Some would probably pull across the dogleg into the water.

Of course with any of those different balls I could probably figure something else out, whether it would be trying to hit the perfect 3 iron or punching a driver. But I know that the ball I am about to hit will clear if I hit it solid..


It matters. Just be consistent.

Earlier in the thread at 1:55 I said you would have to be a low single digit HC to notice a difference....looks like you are a low single digit HC and sounds like you notice. 99% of discussion on this board about golf balls is discussed from players that aren't low single digit handicap. My point was unless you are consistent enough with your ball striking trying to find a ball is kinda pointless because your swing is so inconsistent that it's hard to find a ball that matches. If you just play a decent Golf ball then it shouldn't matter much.....glad you figured out how to play that hole

Fair enough. Before that though you made some comments that even low digit handicappers will not see much of a difference and I thought you replied to me specifically. I must have lost your point in translation somewhere. It happens.

I still believe that even a 5 like you should play the same ball. One day you will hit the tree and the next you will clear it and try to figure out what you did different and completely ignore the fact that the two shots were put on different golf balls(I mean 'you' generically'). I firmly believe that if you have two otherwise equal players, regardless of handicaps, and one plays the same ball every round and the other plays whatever they find, the player that plays the same ball every round will have an advantage in the long run.


And I am glad I figure out that hole too. Now if only I could figure out 2, 8, 10, and 11.

No didn't reply to you specifically

Figuring those certain holes out makes the round fun....what course?

cclearman said:

---

The XOUTS and practice are 100% the same.

I agree the refurbs can have issues.

I stated earlier that I'd consider the Costco balls if they were just blank. So clearly the Kirkland logo is an issue for me....

---

X-outs and PRACTICE are not the same.....
----------------------------------

https://www.usga.org/RulesFAQ/rules_answer.asp?FAQidx=16&Rule=5

Rule 5-1

Status of "X-Out" and "Practice" Balls.

Q. May I use an "x-out" ball or a ball stamped with "Practice" to play a round of golf?

A. Our present policy provides that if the List of Conforming Golf Balls or the One Ball Condition is in effect, a practice or logo ball may be used provided the other markings on the ball (i.e., pole and seam) correspond exactly to a ball listing on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls. Balls labeled with "PRACTICE" or a circled "P", are essentially treated as a logo ball (such as a Mickey Mouse emblem). A player's name stamped on the ball is also acceptable. However, the original ball markings (i.e., pole and seam markings) must be readable in order for a Rules Official to determine whether that ball is on the List of Conforming Golf Balls. X-Out balls are not permitted to be used in any competition in which the List of Conforming Golf Balls or the One Ball Condition is in effect. However, if neither of these Conditions are in effect, X-Out balls may be used because all balls are presumed to conform unless they have been tested and found not to conform or are obviously non-conforming (e.g., too small or too heavy). (See Decisions 5-1/4).

1208HawkTree said:

---

cclearman said:

---

The XOUTS and practice are 100% the same.

I agree the refurbs can have issues.

I stated earlier that I'd consider the Costco balls if they were just blank. So clearly the Kirkland logo is an issue for me....

---

X-outs and PRACTICE are not the same.....
----------------------------------

https://www.usga.org/RulesFAQ/rules_answer.asp?FAQidx=16&Rule=5

Rule 5-1

Status of "X-Out" and "Practice" Balls.

Q. May I use an "x-out" ball or a ball stamped with "Practice" to play a round of golf?

A. Our present policy provides that if the List of Conforming Golf Balls or the One Ball Condition is in effect, a practice or logo ball may be used provided the other markings on the ball (i.e., pole and seam) correspond exactly to a ball listing on the current List of Conforming Golf Balls. Balls labeled with "PRACTICE" or a circled "P", are essentially treated as a logo ball (such as a Mickey Mouse emblem). A player's name stamped on the ball is also acceptable. However, the original ball markings (i.e., pole and seam markings) must be readable in order for a Rules Official to determine whether that ball is on the List of Conforming Golf Balls. X-Out balls are not permitted to be used in any competition in which the List of Conforming Golf Balls or the One Ball Condition is in effect. However, if neither of these Conditions are in effect, X-Out balls may be used because all balls are presumed to conform unless they have been tested and found not to conform or are obviously non-conforming (e.g., too small or too heavy). (See Decisions 5-1/4).

---

That rule doesn't say if x-outs or practice balls perform differently. It just addresses whether or not they can be used in a competition with a specific set of rules. (One Ball or on the Conforming List)

I was replying to the statement that X-outs and PRACTICE balls are 100% the same. They are not, technically.

From what I was told years ago, X-outs are balls with possible manufacturing defects. There is one ball (or more) that are found during mfg. to have some issue, and a certain number of balls before and after that one are also removed from the process and designated X-outs. Could be a dimple isn't formed completely, the seam isn't perfectly smooth, etc.

On the other hand, PRACTICE balls are rejected solely for cosmetic issues, usually something with the printing of the logo ("i" not dotted, "t" not crossed, misaligned, etc.), therefore not deemed "defective."

Yes, probably 99% of X-outs will perform exactly like the full priced balls, but they are non-conforming for a reason. There's no guarantee they are constructed to the exact specs of the real deal, which is why they are priced $10 or so less than even the PRACTICE models.