Golf balls are uniform in size (1.68+ inches in diameter), layered (one to six) and covered in dimples (between 250 to 500). They all look the same – except for the colors and logos. And there are a seemingly endless number to choose from at your local golf store, big box store, or online.
So, when it comes to choosing the best ball for your game, what’s the secret? Make no mistake, it’s hard. Unlike many pieces of golf equipment, golf ball technology is hidden from view. For starters, it may be easier to determine if you are playing the wrong ball than the right one. Here are four signs you need to rethink your go-to dozen.
1) Your golf ball is not acting on the green
By that, we mean it doesn’t do what you want it to do. Let’s take your short game, for example. Are you the type of player who uses a high wedge, such as 54 to 60 degrees, on every chip and bet on the field? Next you will most likely need a urethane-coated ball, such as the ELIXR or VERO series. Or do you prefer to mix in some spats and wedges, and sometimes a 9 or 8 iron around the greens for a putt? Then a Surlyn-coated ball, such as the AVANT 55, may be a better fit for your game. Bottom line: Test different golf balls around the greens to make sure they perform as well as you want them to. Then work your way up to close and eventually tee shots.
2) Your golf ball isn’t going as far as it can go
Semantics is the key here. We use “as much as possible” as opposed to “as much as we should.” He can be objective when he usually should be personal. And to be more clear, we are talking specifically about driver distance. We see it all the time – golfers between 75 and 85 mph will buy a “distance ball” with a high compression rating (85 or higher). At this swing speed, the driver cannot fully compress the “harder” golf balls to increase distance and obtain correct spin and trajectory. If you swing a driver at over 100 mph, you might want to consider a higher pressure ball, such as the VERO X1 or VERO X2. Speeds between 85 and 100 are optimal for the 2020 or 2022 ELIXR, while fluctuations below 80 are suitable for the AVANT 55.
3) You can’t control a ball in the wind
We take a deep dive into this popular topic in a recent blog post. But for the sake of summary, here, while you can’t always control the ball in the wind, you can play a ball that performs better in windy conditions because of its geometry. This is exactly what we at OnCore have done with our proprietary perimeter weight technology. In fact, this is one of the reasons why OnCore Ambassador Louis Kelly switched to VERO X1 – and soon after VERO X2 – and went on to win the New Jersey Open against Jason Gore in a playoff.
4) Wedge shots fly too high
A decade or so ago on the PGA Tour, players were all about shooting towering putts on the green. But today’s pros can have it both ways. For example, at Augusta National, they need higher wedge shots to hold heavily undulating greens. During the “Florida Swing” winter tour, players regularly encounter coastal winds of 20-30 mph and need to fly the ball low. That’s right: they can hit both shots with the same ball. how? With today’s multi-layered, urethane-coated golf balls, they can have their cake (penetrating wedge shots) and eat them too (high wedge shots with precise post-impact control).
For casual golfers, strong balls tend to fly higher because they slide down the face. Softballs that spin less often have a lower flight as the cap grips the grooves rather than sliding off. Get several different types of balls and test them from 80 to 100 yards. Learn which ones you can keep relatively low on the fly while catching the greens close to the pin.
A golf ball is one piece of equipment used for every shot. This is why it is so important to find the right ball.
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