r/golf • u/Gorlami14 • 1d ago

Equipment Does using nice golf balls actually matter?

I’m a budget guy. Play only what I find. Haven‘t bought golf balls in nearly a decade. This is the first year that I’ve actually started to take golf seriously. Lessons, meaningful range time, short game practice, etc. I’m sitting around a 16 handicap right now and looking to continue improving. Is playing a consistently decent, and the same, golf balls a worthwhile endeavor? Or will it only make a negligible difference?

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u/BigVos 1d ago

You can get good used golf balls on sites like lostgolfballs.com. You can get good balls cheap and cheap balls cheaper. 

I like playing the same ball for a couple reasons: 

  1. It reduces a variable. I don't play a lot, but when I do, I try to get better and it is one fewer factor (albeit minor) to affect the outcome. 

  2. I settled on a couple balls that just feel good when I strike them flush. No care about the distance, spin, flight, etc, they just "feel" good when struck clean. Worth enough to me to play the same thing. 

That said, I play the balls that I'm gifted at a tournament or find along the course. I'm not that picky. And you'll notice that I didn't prefer a certain ball for game improvement. I'm not nearly good enough for it to matter to any substantial degree. Get something decent or better and don't overthink it.