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CHOOSE YOUR BALL FROM THE GREEN BACKWARDS 2008-03-18
Srixon Z-UR, Titleist Pro V1x. Both of the balls shown above are multi-layer golf balls that have almost identical compressions.
But, while the compressions are virtually identical, the ball speeds, when leaving the identical Driver, swung on a test robot at 112 mph, are different. The spin rate on one is lower under the same test conditions. The result is that, under these conditions, one goes slightly further.
But if you select your golf ball from the green backwards is that important? And would either of these be in your final list anyway?
If you were a Touring Professional you would start the process of choosing your golf ball by finding a selection of golf balls (assuming that you are not sponsored!) that perform for you around the green and off the putter face. You would then work backwards from the green narrowing down your selection until you got to the tee box.
At which point you would customise your Driver to fit your golf ball! Yes, that’s how important the choice of ball is today and how critical the relationship between ball and Driver has become.
Whilst starting from the green and working backwards is the way that ALL golfers should approach this selection procedure, changing your Driver is rarely an option. So having worked on your selection, it is about finding a ball that, with the Driver, levels out and then carries on far down the fairway. What you do NOT want to see are drives that start low and then shoot up like a jet plane taking off. This indicates that the driver has added too much spin to the ball, which will result in shorter drives that will hook or slice more as well.
You will notice that different golf balls, hit using the same equipment, swing and swing speed, will produce very different spin rates and launch angles. So you should make a point of trying out different golf balls, especially if you are already using one of the premium golf balls. If you are going to pay top dollar, then make sure that you are investing in the right golf ball.
If you are a committed two piece golf ball player because they provide you with either distance or a soft feel then be aware that the latest advances in golf ball technology produce more benefits for the amateur golfer than they do for the Professional golfer. Today’s multi-layer golf balls with urethane covers provide a combination of distance, soft feel and lower spin (for most golfers reducing the impact of side spin). If you don’t believe me then just try out a Srixon AD333 against any traditional two-piece distance golf ball.
There is a strong argument that most golfers (with double figure handicaps) should actually start the selection process from the “wallet backwards”. The good news is that, the innovations in the quality of 2-pce balls (Srixon AD333, Titleist NXT & NXT Tour) means there is no need to sacrifice the above selection process for financial reasons. You can still have great feel with a minimal compromise on distance.
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