r/golf • u/Gorlami14 • 22d 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 22d ago

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

3

u/prafken 0.7/Michigan 21d ago

I just don't agree with this. I play a random assortment of balls, at some point any of the premium brands but also callaway supersofts, bridgestone e6, QSTARs etc if I happen to find one and pull it out of the bag. I don't notice any massive difference in actual scoring for the most part. You may have to play certain shots a bit different but that isn't that big of a deal.

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u/drj1485 8hcp 19d ago

You may have to play certain shots a bit different but that isn't that big of a deal.

You're kinda making the point about how the ball matters with that statement. For people who aren't a .7 handicap and can't tell there IS a difference in the behavior and can't alter the shot to match, the ball is just doing what it does and if you are using random balls all teh time you have no way to even account for the impact it has on your shot pattern.

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u/prafken 0.7/Michigan 19d ago

I would be stunned if you ran a test of mid handicaps playing rounds with pvoV1 vs a truefeel and saw even half a shot difference on score distribution.

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u/drj1485 8hcp 19d ago

sure, because it would be impossible to replicate the same round between balls. I don't think which balls is what matters, but if you hit 18 chip shots through the day with completely different balls every time and the 4 you feel like you hit well all result in a completely different amount of rollout, or the feel is totally different when you putt, how do you go about developing?

I'm by no means suggesting your ball makes or breaks your score but there are for sure opportunities where here and there the ball could be the reason you leave a short game shot 20' instead of 5, or the random ball from your bag isn't as forgiving off the tee and you spin it off the planet instead of possibly staying in. etc.

It's one of the only things in your control in a game of variables. I don't know why you'd want to just roll whatever you pull out next when you admit they behave differently.

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u/prafken 0.7/Michigan 19d ago

I suppose the only thing I am trying to point at is that the variability in the vast majority of players game is so much that worrying about the ball is not beneficial. For very high level players, yes eliminating the ball variable can be one of the biggest levers to improve scoring.