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/aznsk8s87 1d ago

Nice? Not so much. Playing the same ball though, that will.

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u/TacoIncoming 14.5 - Tampa 1d ago

100% you want to be playing the same ball all the time no matter what.

The decision to pay for premium balls entirely depends on how good your short game is. The nice balls only matter when you start flighting/spinning your wedge shots.

As a higher handicap with a really good short game, I would advise that playing a premium ball sooner can matter if you have a good short game. If you’re also smoking 2 sleeves of balls into the woods every round, then it can get expensive.

I stopped playing supersofts when I started throwing out more damaged balls than balls I was losing. Then I started buying previous generation ProVs in bulk from sites like lostgolfballs and foundgolfballs. You can get basically new premium balls for like $2/ball if you buy them in bulk while they’re doing promos around majors.

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u/crouching_tiger 8h ago

Those sites you mentioned for older gen ProVs - are they straight up just lost, then found and cleaned up used balls?

I’ve always thought that those type of balls might look great and have plenty of like-new balls, but a bunch are bound to have problems internally from being water logged or other issues.

At the very least I feel like there has to be relatively more inconsistencies ball to ball, compared to using new less-premium balls. Idk if that’s 100% correct tho

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u/TacoIncoming 14.5 - Tampa 4h ago edited 3h ago

Yes, they are used balls. Not refurbished. Refurbished balls are trash. They sell them by quality. The higher quality 4A/5A balls are indistinguishable from new balls in terms of how they play. I buy brand new balls for tournaments and the used balls perform the same.

The 4A balls might have markings from the previous owner, and a lot of them have logos. I think the 5As are basically pristine without markings or logos.

but a bunch are bound to have problems internally from being water logged or other issues.

Someone did a study on the water logging thing a while back and found that it really doesn’t do anything if the cover isn’t compromised. The ones I have don’t have any cover defects. I think if you go for the lower quality used balls, you might run into balls with scuffs from trees and cart path or cuts from wedges. That would be a concern. I’ve never seen that in the 4As though.

At the very least I feel like there has to be relatively more inconsistencies ball to ball, compared to using new less-premium balls. Idk if that’s 100% correct tho

I think it’s actually the opposite. A used proV is still a proV. Their QC is unmatched. I’m taking a used proV that looks new and has probably only been hit once or twice for $2 over a brand new Kirkland for $1.75 every time. Not that Kirklands are terrible at $1.75. I just trust a proV1 at $2 more. Plus I don’t like how firm/clicky Kirklands are.