Quiet please. Important decisions being made.
Choosing the Right Golf Ball
There are five considerations when purchasing a golf ball:
1.Distance. The USGA Rules of Golf limit the distance balls will travel. All modern golf balls will come close to that limit. The ball that goes furthest for you may not go furthest for another golfer due primarily to the spin your swing imparts on the ball.
2.Feel. Feel is usually expressed in degrees of firmness or softness. Some golfers prefer balls that feel hard, some prefer ones that feel soft, and some do not have a preference. Generally, more experienced golfers prefer a soft feel and these balls are more expensive.
3.Spin Rate. How much a ball spins effects the distance, control, and direction of a shot. To maximize distance, a ball needs to spin just the right amount to produce the proper lift. If it spins too much, you will get a ball that keeps climbing and then just dies. Too little spin and the ball never gets airborne. To maximize control with an iron, the ball needs to spin. To hit it straight, less spin is better. You can see that there are a number of trade-offs.
4.Durability. It is very difficult to cut today's golf balls. Durability is more an issue of abrasion and paint quality and is not a major consideration with today's golf balls.
5.Price. Generally, a more expensive golf ball offers a softer feel and a spin rate that varies depending upon how hard the ball is hit. An expensive ball has a low spin rate with a driver and a higher spin rate with an iron. Less expensive balls will typically go further than an expensive one but will be more difficult to control around the green.
6.Advice on Selecting a Golf Ball.
· Since most golf balls go about the same distance with a driver, how the ball performs around the green trumps distance with the driver.
· If direction is your challenge - select a ball that spins less.
· If getting the ball airborne is a problem - choose a ball that spins more. Go for the opposite here if you hit it too high.
· If distance is your goal - match your swing speed to the spin rate. Fast swingers choose lower spin, slow swingers choose higher spin.
· If you are just starting or are a casual golfer - go for quantity over quality because you may be difficult to tell the difference from one golf ball to another.
