I was watching a TXG video where the guys were talking about how a premium golf ball actually benefits the high handicap player more compared to the skilled player. The argument was that the extra spin you get from premium materials helps the player who has to hit more chips and pitches in a round.

I'm a high handicapper that's enjoying the direction my game has gone over the last year. I am getting more and more consistent pitching and chipping, and my putting - while still awful - is getting somewhat better. I generally can score in the mid 90s, with the occasional flirtation with breaking 90. I have a high swing speed and pretty decent driver control, so distance off the tee is not a primary concern. I still have trouble with my mid irons, though I think some of that might be a problem having too weak a flex, but I digress.

Now that I'm not losing balls like crazy, I've started trying to investigate balls to play instead of thinking with my wallet. I recently played a round (95) oscillating between Callaway ERCs and Supersofts. I loved the smash I was getting with the Supersofts and managed to hit the best drive of my life, but the ERCs felt better controlled from 140 and in. After watching the TXG video, it got me thinking that I might benefit from working with a 3-piece urethane ball since the vast majority of where I'm missing shots and control is inside that range.

My concern is lateral spin. I don't hit it exactly right every time, of course, and I'll through out the occasional unintentional "fade+" bender off the tee. I don't want to exacerbate the mi****s with a 3-piece ball.

Is it worth it to hunt down some ProV1s (or other premium balls) off a site like LostGolfBalls, or am I asking for trouble until I can claim consistent ball striking the vast majority of the time?

I went through this debate last summer. I spent the summer using the Maxfli tour balls you can always get at Dicks for 2 dozen for $50, they are a 3 piece urethane ball that actually performs really well, I found some durability issues with them, but while I was getting my game back in shape I thought really high of them. This year I took the plunge with the ProV1 and I definitely am a firm believer in the "premium" golf ball. My plan from on out is to start the season each year with TourSoft or the Maxflis and once in a groove go to the Pro V's, they are just great. Im sure Bridgestone and Taylormade are good too, I personally have never cared for the Callaway balls. If you are not losing as many and getting more consistent, then you can definitely benefit from better golf balls without a doubt in my mind.

I honestly can't tell a difference between a new ProV1, a repackaged ProV1, and a Bridgestone. I have a few Supersofts in my shag bag and they're a totally different feel to me. It feels like a ping pong ball... and just way too hot on 50 - 110 yd wedges for me.

I've been playing Callaway Chrome Softs lately and I love them. Feel like they give me much less spin off the tee and my misses have been fewer and less severe. I've played Bridgestone Tour B X a little bit too recently, I like them so far, but need to play them more.

Have also tried Z-Stars and I'm not too big of a fan.

The aforementioned TXG had a video on Maxfli Tour vs ProV1 with really good results. Good to hear some experience first hand. I'll definitely check them out.

Srixon Z Star XV are my go to.

I like the TaylorMade project (a). I believe they're discontinued though. Haven't tried the TP5 yet as I've been using Srixon.

Srixon Q Star

I will play any multi piece "tour" ball I can find on sale.

Currently it's the chrome soft x's.

The maxflii tour balls are good as well. My only issue is the matte color. I dislike that. Maybe they've changed that now?

I'd say that video is pretty accurate. The only knocks on the Maxfli Tour balls I could find and I have played probably 4 dozen of them, is one they don't seem as durable as the ProV1, I would have to replace a ball every 6 holes or so, and I did have one cover cut on a wedge, also, I'd say it always seemed like maybe 1 ball of every 12-18 just seemed off or out of balance or something. Other than that they were great balls for the price, you do get what you pay for when going all in with a ProV1 level ball, but if you are someone making the next step from cheap balls to looking for some performance, then the Maxfli sounds like a good fit for you.

Was surprised to see Champ use the Srixon Z-Star XV this weekend at the PGA

Shouldn't be that surprising considering he's sponsored by Srixon and has played them since turning pro

Yea I guess nothing about the Nike apparel and PING clubs screams sponsored by Srixon.

Kirklands signature 3 piece urethane ball is worth trying for $12.50/dozen

Working OK for me right now. Not super soft off the putter, but it spins OK on chips.

Kirkland spins great for me around the green. Not my favorite off the tee but you can't beat the price.

NColoradoAG said:

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I'll keep beating the drum for Snell. Fantastic ball at a great price. Awesome customer service too. MTB is softest off the putter but I've become partial to the MTB-X from tee to green.

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+1 for the MTB-X. Made the switch from the Pro V1 after watching a TXG video on them and absolutely love how they play. Great spin control, a few yards longer off the tee, and about $1.50/ball cheaper. I'm a 6-7 handicap for reference.

I'd look toward a higher compression ball with your high swing speed. I don't think you need a "premium" ball at this point unless you just want one. MTB-X or Vice Pro Plus would be good options in the mid range. Srixon is the cheapest of the premium balls at $40 and is a very solid ball. Bridgestone makes a very good ball as well. You could also look to TM TP5X if you're wanting to step up in price to $45. That's what I'm playing after a recent switch from the TP5 which was spinning up on me too much.

Like you mentioned, more spin also means more spin sideways, so I'd stay away from the softer, higher spinning balls (which you shouldn't need with your swing speed anyways). PGA Superstore will do a free ball fitting for you.

I absolutely hate Callaway balls.

My teenager is a 3 handicap and he plays the Snell MTB-X. I ordered the 5 dozen pack last Monday and they were on the porch Wednesday at noon. Great customer service always. $28.80 dozen delivered is hard to beat in my opinion. Flies straight and spins very nicely on chips.

Golf ball reviews have been my obsession the past few months. These are the common themes in all the reviews I've seen:

• Urethane balls consistently outperform surlyn balls. There are no exceptions. If you want maximum control around the green, use a urethane ball.
• Some manufacturers have better quality control than others. If you're playing a ball from a manufacturer with "loose" QC processes, your bad shots may be the ball's fault. (See the MyGolfSpy report.)
• Distance is roughly the same between all balls, regardless of construction. "Distance" balls don't go significantly farther on a consistent basis. You're not going to pick up 10 yards extra (or lose 10 yards) just from switching balls.
• Low spin balls (like the e6 and Velocity) tend to produce straighter shots, but premium balls (like ProV1x and TP5) tend to produce tighter dispersion.
• It is a myth that golfers with slower swing speeds can't compress balls with higher compression.
• Matte finish balls perform worse in wet weather than "normal" finish balls.
• Ball construction affects flight trajectory. Golfers who have trouble hitting high shots may benefit from choosing a ball that is designed to produce a higher flight. The reverse is true, too. e.g., Titleist AVX is designed to fly lower than a ProV1x.
• The most important thing you can do is play the same brand/model ball 100% of the time, regardless what it is. Pick a ball and stick with it.

HSAT, choosing a ball has a lot to do with perceived feel and confidence. If you don't trust a ball, it will affect your play. What works for you may not work as well for another golfer.

Over the past few months, I've tried most of the popular balls. My current ball is Titleist TruFeel. For me, it provides a good balance of price, feel, straight high trajectories, and predictable greenside performance. It is a surlyn covered ball, though, so it won't check up or spin like a premium ball. (Anyone used to a premium urethane ball will not be happy with it.) I would say the TruFeel is comparable to a Callaway SuperSoft or Srixon Soft Feel. Of those three, the TruFeel works the best for me.

Snell MTB-X here.

Great ball.

That my friend is a great post and sums it up quite well. Though I would say that distance within categories do not vary much, not across all golf balls. You are not going to find much difference in distance between two tour balls but could compared to, say, a Top Flight XL.

But to your point, you will see differences in flight and spin. That is what differentiates good golf balls from one another. I was playing several years ago at TPC Vegas with Jay Don Blake and noticed after a couple of holes that he was using an older version of the Pro V. He said that he was on 9 hitting a seven iron into the green and it got caught up in the wind and landed short. He hit another and the same thing happened. He pulled out an older version and hit it to the middle of the green and after that just stuck with them. For his flight path and swing speed the older version performed better, but for other players it might have had the opposite effect. (He also had 8 birdies that day).

I think the most important thing is to stick with one brand and model for at least several rounds. I think for the OP the best thing to do is get on Ebay and find an older model on discount. I would go with a Srixon Z Star or Z star XV. You can find them under $30 a dozen.

Golf ball build quality tests have kept me in Titleist, Srixon, or Bridgestone camps for the past couple years. All the others seem to struggle with manufacturing tolerances and off-center cores.

Great responses from everyone! Thank you all a ton.

Do you guys see a problem buying recycled balls from a source like LostGolfBalls if you stick to near mint or better? There are some good savings there, and an opportunity to buy in bulk.

For example:

Stay away from refinished and they are good especially for the price.

Agree with powerbelly. If it is only recycled water balls, you should be fine. Anything refinished and the durability is garbage. 1-2 full wedges and the "refinish" is cut, cracked, or chipped. At least my experience with them.

5A balls from lostgolfballs have always been great in my experience. Even the 4A's have been decent.

Like the others said, i don't touch the refinished balls.

MW03 said:

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Great responses from everyone! Thank you all a ton.

Do you guys see a problem buying recycled balls from a source like LostGolfBalls if you stick to near mint or better? There are some good savings there, and an opportunity to buy in bulk.

For example:

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I ordered from LostGolfBalls for a long while, but started to notice I'd even get some duds in the mint buckets. Made the move to the Snell balls because they were so well reviewed and you can get five dozen of them for $145 shipped in two days.

I get a lot of balls from the water traps behind my house. As long as they haven't sat in the water for more than a day or so, I'll keep them. Any longer and I throw 'em back in the deep water for LostGolfBalls to find.

NColoradoAG said:

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MW03 said:

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Great responses from everyone! Thank you all a ton.

Do you guys see a problem buying recycled balls from a source like LostGolfBalls if you stick to near mint or better? There are some good savings there, and an opportunity to buy in bulk.

For example:

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I ordered from LostGolfBalls for a long while, but started to notice I'd even get some duds in the mint buckets. Made the move to the Snell balls because they were so well reviewed and you can get five dozen of them for $145 shipped in two days.

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That seems to be the trend lately for lostgolfballs.

I used the mygolfspy study as well. I narrowed it down to the maxfli tour, the bridgestone b x, and srixon z star. I play the best with the z star. I hit the b-x a little further, but the z star is straighter, better around the greens, and I putt it much better.

As an added benefit, the z stars go on sale -- 2 for the price of 1-- twice a year...that's $20 a dozen. I buy 6 or 8 dozen at that price, and have plenty until the next sale.

As stated above, the best thing you can do is play the same ball for every round you play. It builds confidence due to the fact you "know" what it will do when you hit it correctly.

Snell MTB-X for me.. amazing ball at an even better value when you buy 5 dozen.