Buying the Right Golf Ball
There are five considerations when purchasing a golf ball:
- 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.
- 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.
- Spin Rate. How much a ball spins effects the distance, control, and
straightness 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.
- 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.
- 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 might have a low spin rate when hit with a driver and a
high spin rate when hit with an iron. Less expensive balls will
typically go further than an expensive one but will be more difficult to
control around the green.
Advice on Selecting a Golf Ball.
- If you are just
starting out or a casual golfer - go for quantity over quality because you
may not be able to tell the difference from one golf ball to another.
- If direction is your challenge - select a ball that spins less.
- If getting the ball airborne is a problem - choose a ball with that spins alot. 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 course conditions are hard and dry - you'll want a ball that flies high and spins more..