How to Pick a Golf Ball
Choosing a Golf Ball, image: azgolfhomes.com
Golf is a game where you get to pick your own ball to use. So how does one go about doing that?
The Price Difference
The first thing that becomes obvious to the neophyte golf ball shopper is the wide range of price diversity in the market. A golfer can go to the first tee with a bag full of golf balls that cost anywhere from $12 per dozen to nearly $50 per dozen. That’s a big difference.
What are you buying with a high-end golf ball? Performance. There is a lot of engineering under the hood of a high-performance golf ball that will benefit the beginner and expert alike. Golf balls are designed to respond differently to the individual differences among players. Once you recognize your individual traits, you’ll be better served to find a golf ball that fits your game.
Golf Ball Construction Advances
Golfers who swing hard at the ball will typically be better served by golf balls with higher compressions. Players who use smoother swings will get more distance out of lower compression golf balls. Up until a few years ago, all golf balls were manufactured with compressions between 80 and 100. Now golf balls with compressions under 50 have jumped up to grab a large share of the market. What has happened? Older golfers and players with slow swings like the way these balls feel when struck. Knowing how to pick a golf ball these days means knowing your compression numbers.
Today’s golf balls all stress “high-energy” innards in pursuit of the Holy Grail of more distance. Some of those $50 per dozen golf balls may have as many as five layers of construction. Part of that construction equation is managing spin. The less spin a golf ball produces, the further – and straighter – it will fly. If you are looking to hit the golf ball a long way, shop for balls that promise reduced spin off the club face.
Other golfers prefer golf balls that are easier to control. This means maximum spin rates that produce those crowd-pleasing “bites” from Tour pros. Top-end balls sport polymer-blended urethane covers to encourage that spin.
One thing to remember when selecting high-spin golf balls is that no amount of technology will produce those “oohs and aahs” on approach shots if the ball is not struck perfectly like professionals can do. If you aren’t able to deliver that kind of ball contact, steer away from high-spin balls.
What If I Don’t Play Golf?
If you don’t play golf but are buying golf balls for the golfer in your life and are bewildered by the price points and brands and styles on the market, here is a tip – buy top of the market balls like the pros play for a gift. If your golfer normally plays low-end balls, these new high-tech marvels will be a treat. If your golfer is serious, chances are these are the balls already being used. Even if a high-end golf ball is not perfectly matched to your golfer’s swing, these balls will get used.
Personalized Golf Balls Make Great Gifts
To make the balls extra special personalize them. When purchasing new golf balls, you can get that fresh dozen imprinted with a name, message, monogram, or logo. You can even upload your own photo for a more personal touch.
Personalized Golf Balls From Golfballs.com
Add Fun with Colors
Once you navigate through compressions and spin rates, now’s the time to get creative. Consider colors! Today’s golf balls run the color spectrum with enhanced visibility to help your player track the balls in low light and hazy conditions while aiding in spotting it in the rough. Colored golf balls are also especially welcoming to aging eyes. As eyes age, they lose some of their peripheral vision, and the bright colors help older eyes spot the ball in their peripheral vision.
