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Do Premium Balls do More Harm Than Good For A 17 HCP?

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weten2

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I want to stick to one ball this season and need to make a pick soon. I'm 62 and started playing serious 11 years ago with my handicap ranging from 15-20. I've taken about 10 lessons over this time and hit pretty straight off the tee with misses hooking or pushing right. Swing speed is in the 90 range and don't use spin on chips.
I've read many posts on golf balls and wonder from players with similar handicaps if they see more bad than good from a premium ball with its spin? I read Titleist site and it seems contrary to many other opinions about premium balls for everyone.
Thanks for your help.
 
Since certain companies make a premium ball that will compress for your swing speed, you can certainly hit a premium ball that will not hurt your distance at all off the tee. So it comes down to how much spin is desirable for you for your tee game, short game, and the sound/feel of the ball off your clubs. If you are hitting shots with lots of slice or hook (sideways spin) off the tee, then there might be better choices out there for you than a premium ball (like the trying the e6 from Bridgestone, for instance).
 
+1 on trying the Bridgestone e6

I think you just need to find something that you like the feel of. I found that when struggling with hooks/slices off the tee that a low spin ball would help, two piece something like the Diablo or and NXT. It takes a while to find a ball you feel comfortable with but you do need to try some variety!
 
I'm a 17 hcp. I like the E6 and Topflight v2 gammer.
 
I'm a 19+ handicap and I play either the e6 or a z-star. The z-star is a premium ball and I love the extra spin it gives me around the green that the e6 doesn't. I am slowly transitioning to using primarily the z-star simply for the fact that I love being able to limit the roll out on the greens.
 
jefrazie said:
I'm a 19+ handicap and I play either the e6 or a z-star. The z-star is a premium ball and I love the extra spin it gives me around the green that the e6 doesn't. I am slowly transitioning to using primarily the z-star simply for the fact that I love being able to limit the roll out on the greens.
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Jef
I have heard many good things about the Z star including the yellow aiding in finding the ball. Do you see much difference in side spin off the tee between the two?
 
My suggestion is to look at your game and see where you are losing strokes. There is a big difference between a 15-20 handicap that hits a lot of fairways and greens but then hits 50 putts a round vs a guy who takes 4 to 6 shots just to get to the green but then manages to 1 putt a lot of greens. If you lose a lot of balls, if you have trouble keeping the ball in play, then use the lower spin ball because it will help to straighten out your shots. One other thing to ask yourself, do I hit balls at the driving range straighter than I normally hit balls on the golf course? Some of the reasons people hit the ball straighter at the range is the low spin ball they are hitting. If the answer is yes to that then go for the low spin. Which low spin ball you choose is completely a matter of individual preference but if I were to recommend a ball with your swing speed it would be a Burner or Noodle or other softer low spin ball. You will get more distance out of it and it will go straighter. If your chips and short shots are not relying on spin then that is another reason to choose a low spin ball. Titleist is trying to sell as many golf balls as they can so what else are they going to say?
 
Why not get a ball fitting? Either in person or over a chat session? Why guess or second guess when you can get proper information that will aid you in finding the right ball?
 
weten2 said:
Jef
I have heard many good things about the Z star including the yellow aiding in finding the ball. Do you see much difference in side spin off the tee between the two?
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I really don't see much of a difference. If I am going to play the z-star, I feel like it makes me concentrate a bit more on my swing and usually results in even few slices/hooks than the e6. For instance, I normally battle a fade/slice off the tee, but the last time I played, I played with the same ball for all 18 holes (A big accomplishment for me). I was so worried about the ball spinning off the tee, I felt like it forced me to really groove my swing.

And yes, they are MUCH easier to see. One of the main reasons I tried them and was pleasantly surprised how well they worked around the green.
 
There's two things I look for in a ball. Can I compress it properly and amount of spin. I was just talking to a coworker yesterday who bought some random balls and I told him I only play with e6's and Srixon soft feel right now. He asked if I could tell a difference. I said yes. When I fully compress a ball it feels like I hit a marsh mellow. I tend to swing a little over the top at times with my driver and woods and a low spin ball leaves on the edge of most fairways and a tour ball will put it in the next fairway. But my shots don't check up as well compared to a high spin ball so I adjust for that.

In conclusion I doubt in your handicap range which is about where I am, and your swing speed is a bit lower then mine, there's a lot of "premium" balls you'd actually want to play with. I just don't think you'd compress them properly in most cases and the extra spin is more of a hindrance if you occasional hook/slice a shot then you get back on it for draws/fades and checking up on the green. Of course, that's just me and how I play. I'd imagine others would look for their own qualities like "feel of the putter" or "chips and pitches" above what I value the most.
 
With so many OEM's now doing some sort of ball fitting or making different types/versions of premium balls I don't think that there could be any harm from being fit to a ball that works with your game. Getting a premium ball without beingn fit would do more harm than good
 
From the looks of your swing speed, a decent premium ball would seem to be the Bridgestone B330-RX. At worst, you could always pick up a single sleeve and compare how they perform against your current ball.
 
Another +1 to the E6 and what has been said about a proper ball fitting.
 
I love the E6, just cant keep track of them in my course's high rough
 
According to my online handicap site I am off 17 atm. I use either the Nike One Tour or Bridgestone B330-RX balls (online fitting). Just make sure to get a ball that you like the feel of and suits your game
 
JB said:
Why not get a ball fitting? Either in person or over a chat session? Why guess or second guess when you can get proper information that will aid you in finding the right ball?
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Quoting for relevancy to this topic.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. For the questions above I usually only hit 2-3 greens and have around 31-33 putts. I beleive the low greens is due to the inaccuracy of my second shot; maybe longer than most and inconsistent.
JB;
For the ball testing what should I look for? I've taken the Bridgestone a few years ago and they said I should be in the 330S over the E5 and didn't need the E6 since I was straight with my driver. I think this test only tells part of the story and is only as good as my ability to swing consistently during the test. By me I can chose from the big chains and one custom place EJL. What should I ask them to know I am getting a good test? They will be doing it on an inside monitor.
 
JB said:
Why not get a ball fitting? Either in person or over a chat session? Why guess or second guess when you can get proper information that will aid you in finding the right ball?
Click to expand...

Wouldn't he have to at least have a brand picked out to do either of these suggestions? I mean, if he calls titleist, they are not going to suggest the e6, right? Just asking.
 
weten2 said:
Thanks for all the suggestions. For the questions above I usually only hit 2-3 greens and have around 31-33 putts. I beleive the low greens is due to the inaccuracy of my second shot; maybe longer than most and inconsistent.
JB;
For the ball testing what should I look for? I've taken the Bridgestone a few years ago and they said I should be in the 330S over the E5 and didn't need the E6 since I was straight with my driver. I think this test only tells part of the story and is only as good as my ability to swing consistently during the test. By me I can chose from the big chains and one custom place EJL. What should I ask them to know I am getting a good test? They will be doing it on an inside monitor.
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In theory, you should not ask them anything. Let the numbers speak for themselves.
 
yorkem said:
Wouldn't he have to at least have a brand picked out to do either of these suggestions? I mean, if he calls titleist, they are not going to suggest the e6, right? Just asking.
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There are places that do multibrand ball fittings.
 
JB said:
There are places that do multibrand ball fittings.
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Then that would be my suggestion. He should find a place that will do a multibrand fitting as that would be the best possibility for him to find the right ball for him, IMO.
 
Ive tried a few balls over the last 2 years, ranging from Srixon AD333 and Z-Star to Bridgestone B330s and e6. I am currently trying the Nike One Vapor which felt ok after one round. I would say I have had the best results with the AD333 but it's hard to say with any real accuracy. I don't really agree with a ball fitting as you really need to get it on a course and hit every kind of shot/putt that you normally would, not just 15 drives or whatever they do. Saying that, I am going to get a fitting done as I am curious in the results.
 
Wouldn't you think that something with hard data would at least be better than nothing at all? Can you tell your spin rate or launch angle by looking at a shot? I get that you should take the time to find out how a ball works for your short game, but it's not hard to figure out if a ball is going to spin or not around the green.

Murray said:
Ive tried a few balls over the last 2 years, ranging from Srixon AD333 and Z-Star to Bridgestone B330s and e6. I am currently trying the Nike One Vapor which felt ok after one round. I would say I have had the best results with the AD333 but it's hard to say with any real accuracy. I don't really agree with a ball fitting as you really need to get it on a course and hit every kind of shot/putt that you normally would, not just 15 drives or whatever they do. Saying that, I am going to get a fitting done as I am curious in the results.
Click to expand...
 
Hawk said:
Wouldn't you think that something with hard data would at least be better than nothing at all? Can you tell your spin rate or launch angle by looking at a shot? I get that you should take the time to find out how a ball works for your short game, but it's not hard to figure out if a ball is going to spin or not around the green.
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Thats what I meant by being curious :) I still think that you need to ultimately have a few rounds with it and see for yourself. Feel and confidence in a ball is much better than data. I think anyway
 
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