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What's The Point of Using a Premium Ball...

Sean

Sean

Earthbound Extraterrestrial
Albatross 2024 Club
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...unless you have fresh grooves on your wedges?

I have found that with new wedges, you can really get the ball to dance around the greens, which is great because you can be a bit more aggressive, knowing your ball won't trundle 15-20 feet past the hole. Whether it's a chip, pitch, or full wedge.

However, if the grooves are worn, you lose that ability. Many professionals change their wedges monthly, some even more frequently (Spieth changes his 60º wedge after a few tournaments). Titleist found that after 75 rounds grooves begin to deteriorate (probably sooner if you practice your short game a lot), and by 125 rounds it's much worse. Given the cost of wedges, most of us can't afford to be getting new wedges that often. For example, I play close to 200 rounds a season, and practice my short game a lot, so I would need new wedges a few times a season. That's cost prohibitive.

So, if you can't take full advantage of all that a premium ball has to offer, then why spend the money? Perhaps they offer other advantages, but the biggest one for me is how they perform around the greens.
 
Sean said:
...unless you have fresh grooves on your wedges?

I have found that with new wedges, you can really get the ball to dance around the greens, which is great because you can be a bit more aggressive, knowing your ball won't trundle 15-20 feet past the hole. Whether it's a chip, pitch, or full wedge.

However, if the grooves are worn, you lose that ability. Many professionals change their wedges monthly, some even more frequently (Spieth changes his 60º wedge after a few tournaments). Titleist found that after 75 rounds grooves begin to deteriorate (probably sooner if you practice your short game a lot), and by 125 rounds it's much worse. Given the cost of wedges, most of us can't afford to be getting new wedges that often. For example, I play close to 200 rounds a season, and practice my short game a lot, so I would need new wedges a few times a season. That's cost prohibitive.

So, if you can't take full advantage of all that a premium ball has to offer, then why spend the money? Perhaps they offer other advantages, but the biggest one for me is how they perform around the greens.
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For me, I use a 55 deg SW most around the green and in practice. If I play 75 rounds a year, I'd probably have that one wedge checked and replaced. My second most used wedge is the 59. So, at the most, if I kept my other clubs, I could do two wedges once or twice a year.

I'd also have a second, older set for practice.
 
My last wedge fitting I went to, they recommended wedges are changed every 6 months if you play regularly. I notice the extra spin when I buy a new wedge but my wedge is probably 18 months old now and I still get it to hop and stop with a premium ball which I’m happy with.
 
A premium ball, or anything with a urethane cover, is even more critical if you're not changing wedges. As much spin is lost on grooves not channeling debris and moisture (wedges down grab the cover and spin the ball) even more is lost without the urethane cover.
 
Depends on the lie.
Clean lie the grooves matter less in creating spin
 
JB said:
Depends on the lie.
Clean lie the grooves matter less in creating spin
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What’s a premium ball again?!:ROFLMAO:
 
Hey Sean!

Even if your ability to spin a ball deteriorates, some balls are still going to spin more than others. So i want one that is going to give me best spin characteristics even if my wedge isn't brand new. As JB said too, off a clean lie the grooves aren't as important as many think, i believe.

The other reason i would use a premium ball is feel off the putter. I find it hugely different than something like a noodle or supersoft etc...
 
I like mid range to premium balls for the putter and short game feel, I don't rely on spin per se.......my irons come in at a fairly high angle (ok fine very high angle) so they hop and stop just based on physics and gravity. Around the green I am more a bump and run guy now than flop and plop......but I do like how the premium ball will check up more when I hit something a little too aggressively......."Ooops oh crap......of wait, that could have been worse"......
 
I use a premium ball for a few reasons. I love the way it feels off the putter and anything from a 6 iron down to wedges I can get the ball to check up. I do not like the ball the hit the green and roll more than a few feet
 
My Tour Edge wedges are old, but they still put enough noticable spin on the ball that it checks up. Probably not as much when they were new, but still enough.

The price of the ball doesn't add, or subtract the amount of spin I get with these old timers.
 
MtlJeff said:
The other reason i would use a premium ball is feel off the putter.
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Agree 1000%

At the end of the day, I think a golfer should choose the ball they like, learn it, live it, and love it.

But that’s just me….
 
Because they were on sale.
 
I can afford them and I like the way they feel off the putter.
When your not loosing 4+ balls a round they aren't that expensive.
 
PatsFan said:
I can afford them and I like the way they feel off the putter.
When your not loosing 4+ balls a round they aren't that expensive.
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Ouch, should have put a trigger warning there, mate.

I pull-hooked my Pro V1x into oblivion on the 16th hole today. I had two full rounds (and most of a third) on that ball and was starting to get fond of it.
 
PatsFan said:
I can afford them and I like the way they feel off the putter.
When your not loosing 4+ balls a round they aren't that expensive.
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If you can play my home course without losing a golf ball, that's no mean feat. It's littered with hazards, has narrow fairways, heavy rough, and small greens.** On the plus side, I haven't purchased any golf balls in over a decade as I find a lot on the course. A good 35% are premium golf balls (mostly ProV's), so I have quite a collection.

For example, play was slow this weekend and while waiting to hit I would look for golf balls, found around 30 in excellent condition. If I had one of those ball retrievers it would have been more.

On the rare occasion I play somewhere else, I always appreciate how wide open those courses are.

**the middle tees are 5400 yards, and the slope is 127.

ps: when visitors come to play the course most are excited because it's so short. After 18 holes, many say they will never play the course again, lol.

pps: however, if you are an accomplished golfer you can tear the place up. Megan Khang, a friend who plays on the LPGA Tour, shot a 29 from the back tees a few weeks ago (it's a nine hole course). I, on the other hand, shot an 81 today, with three triples and a double...seven lost golf balls. I also had five birdies.
 
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Sean said:
If you can play my home course without losing a golf ball, that's no mean feat. It's littered with hazards, has narrow fairways, heavy rough, and small greens.** On the plus side, I haven't purchased any golf balls in over a decade as I find a lot on the course. A good 35% are premium golf balls (mostly ProV's), so I have quite a collection.

For example, play was slow this weekend and while waiting to hit I would look for golf balls, found around 30 in excellent condition. If I had one of those ball retrievers it would have been more.

On the rare occasion I play somewhere else, I always appreciate how wide open those courses are.

**the middle tees are 5400 yards, and the slope is 127.

ps: when visitors come to play the course most are excited because it's so short. After 18 holes, many say they will never play the course again, lol.

pps: however, if you are an accomplished golfer you can tear the place up. Megan Khang, a friend who plays on the LPGA Tour, shot a 29 from the back tees a few weeks ago (it's a nine hole course). I, on the other hand, shot an 81 today, with three triples and a double...seven lost golf balls. I also had five birdies.
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If you don't mind me asking, what course?
 
Wedges? Even at my age I can still pull the string on an 8 iron on a green with a backboard. Urethane balls are also better for working around a corner or into a tucked pin.
 
River19 said:
If you don't mind me asking, what course?
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Harmon Golf and Fitness in Rockland, MA. I pay $295 a month for unlimited golf, grass range, heated bays (both with Top Tracer Range), gym membership, 100 yard grass pitching range, a 9 hole short course, practice putting/chipping greens. Since I am there pretty much every day, it's a real bargain.
 
Sean said:
If you can play my home course without losing a golf ball, that's no mean feat. It's littered with hazards, has narrow fairways, heavy rough, and small greens.** On the plus side, I haven't purchased any golf balls in over a decade as I find a lot on the course. A good 35% are premium golf balls (mostly ProV's), so I have quite a collection.

**the middle tees are 5400 yards, and the slope is 127.

ps: when visitors come to play the course most are excited because it's so short. After 18 holes, many say they will never play the course again, lol.
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Now that just sounds like a challenge!

I am sure I would lose my fair share.
 
As a hacker and possibly breaking the 100 round mark this year, getting new wedges yearly is pricey, but new and shiny things are wonderful. I will follow the science.
 
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