Why is the golf ball the most disrespected piece of equipment in golf? đ¤
Golfers will spend hundreds (or thousands) on the latest driver, irons, wedges, and putter, yet many will tell you the golf ball doesn’t matter. They’ll insist they shoot the same score no matter what ball they play. But why is the golf ball the ONLY piece of equipment that gets this treatment?
In this episode of Tidbits, I go on a passionate rant about one of golf’s biggest misconceptions. We don’t buy the cheapest car and expect the same experience. We don’t watch movies on the worst TV available. We don’t ignore the quality of the food we eat. So why do so many golfers believe every golf ball performs the same?
We’ll talk about:
Why the golf ball is the only piece of equipment used on every single shot
The myth that “a ball won’t lower your score”
How compression, spin, cover material, and construction affect performance
Why golfers are willing to invest in clubs but dismiss the one piece of equipment they actually hit every stroke
Whether it’s time for golfers to start giving the golf ball the respect it deserves
Whether you agree with me or think I’m completely wrong, this conversation is one every golfer should hear. Let me know your thoughts in the commentsâdoes the golf ball matter, or is it all marketing?
Yeah I don't get it either if you're capable of scoring well you're only hurting yourself by not going down a path and choosing of all that fits you properly. It took me a little bit of trial and error and I now play Pro v1x. I've been playing it for a year and my score has dropped from 90 average to around 82. And occasionally drop into the high 70s.
I've also tried the maxfly tour balls they are great and a great price however the Tour X I would generate too much side spin and would fade 5 to 8 yd more than the tour. Yes golf balls are different you got to try and find the one that fits you
One theory I have is the fatigue we all feel from the Bananas marketing speak that most companies use to hype up their equipment. Like for drivers for instance, CARBON TWIST FACE, TRIPLE LAYER SPEED POCKET, FASTEST DRIVER EVER. But research has shown that drivers havenât really improved in like 5-10 years. People are so jaded by the buzz words and marketing lingo.
So when we see the same type of thing on golf balls, I think there are people that like to think theyâre flexing and saying âit doesnât matter at all, who caresâ and asserting that they are keen to the marketing tricks from golf ball companies for some kind of clout.
And then coupled with that wonderful internet phenomenon where people are more likely to hate on something than to say they like something. I think we all deep down are afraid of putting out our likes online and having people comment âyouâre stupid for liking that.â So hate and outrage tends to gain more traction online in general.
Sorry, long winded, but great video! I like the short form just like, 5 minutes of something.
It depends on your financial situation, golf balls were was what I could find or bought used. It didn't matter if I could play golf đ
I love your passion! You have opened my eyes to understand why ball selection is so important. Thank you!!
Great topic to cover and you're so right, out of all our other gear this one gets the least attention from most golfers, like its not even close! I play in a mens league every week and my playing buddies will hit just about anything in their bag or worse yet, what they find in the weeds. Blows my mind. I want a ball that will help me score better, just like clubs that are built for my swing. And you made a great point, the ball is the only gear we use on every shot. Before I saw your content I remember going out to a night course with my son and used some amazon glow golf balls and was shocked (at the time) they didn't carry nearly as far as a regular ball, and they felt like hitting a little rock. Thank goodness we have many options to chose from, cause there are alot of different golfers, and thankfully you are leading the charge with some great content for us. Keep it up! You're rocking it.
Iâll admitâŚ, up until this year I was in the camp of âit doesnât matter what ball you use, what matters is how you hit it.â Thatâs after a decade away from being a casual golfer and coming back to it. Maybe itâs because my nerdiness/ocd has intensified with age, but I have to research more now. Watching one of your videos was enough to convince me that they actually do make a big difference, especially for bad players. đ
Nick you will never convince some people no matter how strong the argument- On Anything !! Is it the wide variety of golf balls now available ? The wide disparity in pricing ? Itâd be interesting to know for sure but if we were to jump ahead 5 years You would probably have the same questions you do today !
I have a theory that it has to do with the idea that people (especially mid/high hcp) expect to lose any ball they play. Why do all this research if I'm gonna lose 3 balls a round in the trees or water anyway.
I expect the amount of people who care about their ball goes up the lower the average score of the person, cause now you're keeping the same ball all round. Now it matters that what the ball does is consistent every time you play.
My 2¢.
First off thank you for researching the golf ball and the content you do for us. It is very informative to us golfers !
I believe some just get into clubs being researched so much that they don't think about them and forget about the ball. After decades of playing golf I have tried many golf balls over that time. The golf ball is just as important as the clubs. Finding the right ball that feels good off the club and does it do what you want when you play.
I think to many just look at the golf ball as "just a ball" necessary for golfing. The golf ball is just as important to research as the club you operate.
Just my opinion in my years of playing golf.
I overthink and research everything. You will be glad to hear that includes golf balls . Lol
People see golf balls as disposable so they give it less thought and consideration. Also some people just grab proV1's and call it a day as it's the "best and most popular ball".
My feeling is because most golfers never achieve the level of skill necessary to utilize the added capability of top tier golfballs. I heard you tell Dean Snell you shot one of your lowest rounds with a "get sum" ball which doesn't have the capability of a ProV1. I myself can't control spin enough to get the full potential out of a pro level golfball so to me I probably will shoot a similar score with either ball depending on my swing that day. Keep up the interesting work.
Until a person's skill level rises above expensive or cheap, the ball doesn't matter. When a person doesn't find out about the diversity within the cover, whether it be Ionomer, Surlyn or Urethane, the ball doesn't matter. When the person has the skill sets available to hit the green or fairways consistently, when he needs a ball that will stop or roll out, a ball that will play to his shot shaping and he knows the distances and how to work them, then and only then will the ball matter. Thank You for the opportunity to tagalong and learn, it has made me a better golfer.
I honestly think people should give cut golf another try especially cut Grey. It's durable and performs decent. I bought it for $15 a dozen and it's the best 3-piece urethane golf ball in terms of value.
To be fair-people use golf clubs that his favorite players use. Plus they have unnecessary ego to use way stiffer shafts than they are capable of.
My take is from my own experience. When I got serious about golf 5 years ago, Titleist was the best. Every pro said so. So you go buy those until you loose a bunch. Then you try the next box of whatever that cost less that your buddy is playing. Then you start to improve. I, like you, research a lot. So, I started researching. There is a lot of marketing. Not a lot of "fitting". And I stumble on your podcast. And I get educated about the balls. And now I'm armed with knowledge and I'm playing balls that fit my game, that feel good and perform for me. No more tour balls spinning OB everywhere. My friends call my driving boring!! Straight in the fairway for the most part. I thank you for your passion about an aspect of the game that is not easy to get unbiased information about golf balls. You've helped my game.
Here's why I think people don't believe balls matter- because on the course, outside of feel, you can't actually see any of the things that you'd measure to compare golf balls. You know it because you test golf balls day in and day out, many people will never compare golf balls on a launch monitor so don't understand that golf balls can and should be fit just like clubs.
I think ppl that care about stuff like chip tier lists and whatnot are all playing a ProV1 or equivalent because that's their line of logic. It tends to be less skilled players, old guys, or new players that just hit whatever.
My thoughts on golf balls âwhy try just one? Iâll try them all!â And now my family thinks Iâm crazy.
I think it's a lot of things. I know that the golf ball can make a difference, but I also am more in the it doesn't matter much camp. I will say that when you get further away from the center so to speak, then it starts mattering more. I also feel that there's enough variance from shot to shot at my level that would override the ball characteristics. I also play so many rounds where I don't keep score that it also skews my perception.
My playing style and the courses I play also are a big factor. Where I think we see the biggest difference is the greenside chips and I'm generally playing a bump and run or the use the bounce method. I'm generally not trying to hit some super spinny chip unless I have to, and even then the balls I generally play aren't biting that much. I also don't play many courses where you'd need a spinny ball.
Finally, I think an individual's personality can make a big difference too. I'm a very "go with the flow, it is what it is" type. I hit a chip that doesn't give me a good chance. I would be annoyed but I'd also probably look at the quality of my strike, what I could have done to leave myself in a better place before the chip, etc. There are definitely times where I think a different ball would have helped me, but than can oftentimes be mitigated by other things.
One way I will agree with you where it does matter is if you really do care about your score, then I think you need to pick a ball and stick with it to learn the intricacies of its performance.
I use to think that way but finding golf balls and hitting them and wow was that a hard ball, what a difference. Or wow did that one slice compared to the other one I used. I'm a believer Nick, I can feel it and see it on the course, even as a 20 handicapper, it makes a difference!!!!!!
Agree, the one constant in every shot is the ball.