The Right Golf Ball for You Can Improve Your Game!

You spend a lot of time on your swing. You've spent a ton of money on new equipment. What's left? How about the ball you are using.

Most amateur golfers fall into one of two categories when it comes to golf balls. The first group plays with whatever ball they can find, and are usually found scrounging around for balls on the course -- either in the rough or in the woods or especially in water hazards.

The second group is the kind that plays a specific brand and that they buy in quantity from a store. Some of these golfers buy the most expensive, tour-type balls. Some buy a specific brand that they've come to know and like, and some buy whatever is on sale.

All in all, most golfers don't really test golf balls out the way they test out drivers or irons. Most people figure you can just play any old ball and it won't make much difference. But that's not entirely true.

What Features Should I Look for in a Golf Ball?

Professional golfers play with the golf balls they do because of the performance that they provide. Most tour players hit the ball a long way because of their fast clubhead speed and solid ball striking. They don't need balls that give them extra distance, they want extra spin so they can control the ball flight and the bite on the greens.

Many amateur golfers figure that if a ball is good enough for the pros, it's good enough for them. I meet a lot of amateurs who play the Titleist ProV1, even though they shouldn't be. Why not? Because they have big banana slices and the ProV1 isn't going to help them out with that problem. They also hit the ball weakly, and the ProV1 doesn't help them there, either.

But wait, isn't the ProV1 supposed to be one of the "long" balls? Well, it is long in comparison to other performance balls that are built primarily for control. So the pros hit it farther than they used to hit the old balata balls (really soft, lots of spin, but not very long). Yet, in comparison to some of the solid construction two-piece distance balls on the market, the ProV1 falls way short.

"Long" Golf Balls are Perfect for High Handicap Golfers

These two piece "long" golf balls are actually perfect for high handicappers who don't hit it very far and suffer from a slice. The reason why is because these balls are very hard and travel 10-20 yards farther than the softer 3 piece balls. Plus, the harder balls spin less and therefore don't slice as much.

Obviously, fixing your swing is the best solution. Work on your game and once you start hitting it solid and straight, then you can consider those tour-type golf balls. In the meantime, stick with the two piece balls and you will likely shave a stroke or two off your round.

Why are Golf Balls so Expensive?

Whether you buy the two-piece distance balls or the high performance 3-piece golf balls, brand new brand-name golf balls can be expensive. The reason they are expensive is similar to the high cost of golf clubs: player endorsements and advertising.

Golf ball manufacturers know that golf balls are something that people buy over and over throughout the golf season. Therefore they pay pros big bucks to endorse their ball and spend millions advertising on TV and magazines. This drives up the cost of golf balls up to over 500% of their manufacturing costs.

That's bad news for average golfers. Even good players who play on a course with a lot of water or forest will lose an average of 3 balls per round. Higher handicap players often lose 6 or more on tough layouts.

So what is the average player to do?

Options to Reduce your Golf Ball Costs

One option is to scrounge for used balls on the course and use those. Two problems with this are that it is considered bad etiquette to scrounge for balls and it slows down play (already enough of a problem). In addition, it is against the policies of most golf clubs to harvest lost golf balls off their property. The second problem is that you will have all kinds of different balls. You will never gain the consistency of using the same ball and many of the ones you find may not suit your game.

Playing with the same brand and model of golf ball throughout a round has several advantages. You will develop a consistent feel for that ball, especially in touch situations around the green. You will also better be able to judge what club to hit in any given situation when you play the same ball. Different types of balls can vary up to 22 yards in the distance they travel. That can mean the difference between par and bogey or worse.

Most golf pro shops have a bargain bin of balls that have been collected from their ponds and rough. These are okay to use for most amateurs as long as you pick the same type of ball out of the bin. Try to avoid getting all different kinds. There is a difference!

Another thing to avoid is the x-out golf balls at discount stores. X-out balls are balls that failed to meet the quality standards of the ball manufacturer. They are usually off-center and therefore will usually not fly straight.

The best overall bet that I have found is to order used name-brand balls online through one of the retailers listed on this page. They grade all the balls and sell them in standardized sets. You get the benefits of the quality golf ball at a fraction of the price. That's a win-win situation and most important, you'll have a lot more fun playing golf!

Joel Thomas is an avid golfer, gardener and fisherman who lives in S. Arizona with his lovely wife and children.