Last week as I was heading to the first tee, I was excited about teeing up one of my new Pro V1 golf balls. For the past two years I had been using the Titleist Pro V1x but had switched to the Pro V1 on my last round and really liked how it felt. My reason for playing the Pro V1x was that it promises more distance than the Pro V1 and as we get older, like me, we are always looking for that little bit of extra distance. However, I found I hadn’t lost any distance with the Pro V1 and I really liked how it felt coming off the club face and on the green putting. It definitely felt softer, just as advertised. So it was back to the Pro V1 for me.
So, as I went to the first tee, I cracked open the signature gold box and teed up my new Pro V1. I nailed it in the middle of the club face but to my amazement it didn’t go nearly as far as it should have. In fact, it was a good 20 to 25 yards behind my normal drive. When I got up to it I noticed it had my name stamped on it and it was ….a Titleist Professional 100 ball! It came in the same gold box but they had quit making these in 1999! Somehow this ball, which I used nearly 20 years ago, had got mixed up in my current ball inventory. I still have, for collection purposes, many different balls from the 80’s and 90’s.
What immediately came to my mind was what a difference a ball makes and maybe I should write a column about it. Balls have improved so much over the years and many will agree that the main reason the pros hit it so far today is because of the ball. If you have bought any balls lately you may have been a bit confused as to what ball to buy considering the huge selection and brands available. Let me first say, what ball you play makes a huge difference and you should consider what ball is right for you as it is the only piece of equipment you will use on every shot. Rory McIlroy recent switched to Taylormade mainly because of the ball.
To simplify an explanation of what ball you should be using we are going to reduce the criteria down to the balls’ cover and focus on the best selling ball manufacturer, Titleist.
If you are new to the game or have a high handicap it would probably be in your best interest to choose a ball with an ionomer cover. This would be a Titleist DT Solo, NXT, or Velocity ball. This cover delivers lower spin to reduce hooks and slices, provides distance and helps players with lower club heads speeds to get the ball higher in the air. They feel hard to better players. These balls are your lower priced balls which is good, especially if you are prone to losing them!
For expert players (70’s low 80’s) you should be looking for balls with urethane covers like the Titleist Pro V1 and Prov1X. These balls are long off the tee but offer great feel and higher spin for your short game. Many of these balls are 3 to 5 piece in construction. These are your most expensive balls in your proshop. All pros use these balls.
Golfers are superstitious and will often have a favourite ball with which they feel most confident. If you haven’t figured out what ball is best for you, then experiment and try some of the different options available and of course ask your local pro for some advice to help in your decision making.
Choosing the right ball will be a big factor in helping you play YOUR best golf, especially if that ball isn’t 20 years old!
