Golf Ball Buyer’s Guide
Have you ever found yourself wondering which type of golf ball you should actually be using? With so many different brands, specific types within a brand and even different colors to choose from, the choice can seem daunting.
Picking the right golf ball might be overwhelming, but fear not, I am here to help discover the perfect ball, because having the right ball is important to the game. Like golfers, not every ball is the same and it is best that way because balls are unique just like the golfer using them. The type of ball that works for one might not work for the other, since it comes down to personal preference.
To simplify the process, keep in mind the five categories of a golf ball to help consider which to use:
1. Feel
2. Priority
3. Driver Distance
4. Compression
5. Price
Golf balls have a specific Feel, some are soft and some are harder. This is designed by the products that makeup a ball and how many layers the ball has. It is not terribly important to focus on the equation that leads to building a ball but what kind of ball feels good to an individual. Typically slower swing speed golfers, 75 miles per hour or less, prefer a softer ball to a hard ball and vice versa with faster swing speed golfers. For an example, Callaway has an ERC Soft Ball that feels softer to hit than a Chrome Soft or a Chrome Soft X. The Chrome Soft X would be considered a firmer ball but is just slightly soft. The Callaway Superhot ball would be a hard-firm ball because they are made for distance regardless of high or slow swing speeds.
Driver Distance and Compression go hand in hand because they both feed off of swing speed. Shorter driving distance links with lower compression of the ball, while faster swing speeds associate with higher compression. The shorter and lower combo is usually the beginner to average golfer type and would qualify for a softer ball. The longer-faster combo is related to more advanced golfer and that qualifies for a harder ball.
Now for Priority, an individual golfer should have an idea of what they want out of a golf ball. Some want distance, some want distance with some spin or less distance and more spin. Usually having more spin helps control shots on and around the greens, whereas distance balls pop off the driver club face a little better and result in longer tee shots.
Last but not least the Price category. A dozen golf balls can range anywhere between $20.00 and $60.00, so find range that feels appropriate. Just because the more expensive ball would be well made, it might not work the way someone needs or wants it to work. Sometimes the inexpensive ball could be exactly what is needed. Do not let the ball options become overwhelming, remember the previous four categories and that picking a ball is mostly a personal choice.