Lets talk balls, lots of them.

Some are hard, some are soft, some spin more, some less, some can cost as little as .25 and some can cost over $3.00.  Many amateurs use balls they find on the course while others mimic the pros they watch on TV.

Technology in golf balls over the last 5 years has reached an unprecedented level; surlyn covers, urethane covers, multi-layer, liquid-center, hexagonal, circular or even double-dimples.

The paramount factor that must always be considered is swing speed (SS) when selecting a golf ball.  Golfers with a slower SS should be choosing a harder “distance” golf ball to help get any extra yards they can, while golfers with a faster SS should be playing a “softer” golf ball so that they can benefit from additional control and feel.

And I am not the only one saying this is absolutely necessary; just take a look at Callaway’s “Speed regime” line. This line (SR1, SR2, SR3) apply to SS of 0-90, 90-105, and 105+ respectively.  The age old thought of “one ball for everyone” has gone out the window.  If you aren’t playing a tour ball fit around your swing speed, you are sacrificing significant play-ability, performance, and ultimately hurting your chances of lower scores.

I would be remised not to mentioned the most popular ball out there, that continues to be the leader in performance.  The Titleist Pro-V1 which bursted onto the scene in 2000 (Titleist actually had to push their release date forward nearly a year after the wide acceptance on tour).  No other ball manufacture has more worldwide tour wins than Titleist. And, its not even close. However, with only 2 options in this line, the Pro-V1 “soft feel” and Pro-V1X “hard feel” offer more and less spin, respectfully.

I myself am what you would consider a “high spin” player with a SS between 105-110mph. I thought that the Titleist Pro-V1x and TaylorMade Lethal were best for my game – however, I have recently switched to the Bridgestone e6, which is a lower-spinning ball helping me control distance way better. Is that the best ball for everyone?  Of course not. Balls are like clubs, they are very specific to each and every golfer.

Don’t be that golfer who plays a ball just because your favorite pro on tour does.  Most balls that the pros play are not what we are playing – a lot of them are prototypes or in reality are different brands than they portray on the ball. Tiger Woods may be playing a “Nike” but the inner workings of the ball are exactly like a Pro-V1X.

All in all, if you want to shoot better scores you need to make sure you are playing a ball that will benefit YOUR swing and YOUR skill level.  You will surprise yourself after putting the “correct” ball on the tee, which is built for your swing, and your playing style.

Some ball fitting sources:

Titleist

Bridgestone Golf

Golf Galaxy

Please comment below on the ball you are currently using and which part of your game you feel needs improvement.  Thanks for reading!