Our Golf Ball Reviews, Fitting Guide is a great starting point for matching your game with the perfect ball. The key phrase being “starting point.”
To begin with, you've got three golf ball reviews categories to choose from (Value, Premium and Tour). Each of the dozen or so major manufacturers offers at least one Value model, and most offer multiple options in the Premium category. About half of these companies produce Tour models, with several offerings from each manufacturer.
In other words, there are almost too many choices.
Of course, too much of a good thing is still a good thing, and that's where our tests, comparison, and reviews come in. We take individual golf ball models and give you the important technical info, such as cover material, construction, dimple pattern and any new or innovative features. Then we analyze the ball for feel and distance, plus control on approach shots and in the short game. Finally, we offer a bottom-line assessment of the ball's performance.
While there’s no substitute for personally testing a golf ball on the course, these reviews should help you sort through the clutter and narrow down your options. Happy hunting!
It All Starts with Golf Balls
Quite obviously, golf balls are not on the ‘optional’ list of golf equipment. If you want to play, you are going to need to find some kind of golf ball that will work for your game. One trip to your local pro shop will reveal the incredible number of golf ball brands and models on the market today. They come in a range of prices, from as little as $10 or $15 per dozen, on up to $50 per dozen and more. To make sure you purchase a box of balls that is a good fit for your game, it is important that you go to the store with a clear plan in mind.
The first thing to understand is that it is not at all necessary to buy the most expensive box of golf balls that you can find. The highest priced models tend to be the ‘Tour’ balls – and while they are great quality, they might not be right for your game. It takes a certain level of ability to use a Tour golf ball properly. If you don’t play at that level currently, you will only be wasting your money.
To decide what kind of golf ball is right for your game, review the points below –
• Save money as a beginner. If you are just getting started in golf, go ahead and buy the least expensive golf balls you can find at first. In fact, if you can find a good deal on used golf balls, you might even be able to save more money. Simply put, when you are just getting started in the game, you aren’t yet good enough to understand or notice the difference between types of golf balls. That isn’t meant as an insult – it is just the reality of learning the game. After you gain some experience hitting shots on the course, you will start to develop a feel for your swing and you can then pick out a better golf ball that compliments your abilities.
• Beware of high spin rates. There are plenty of golf balls available that advertise the impressive amounts of spin they can help you generate. While backspin can be a useful thing on the golf course, sidespin is your worst enemy. Therefore, you need to be careful when picking a ball because it offers a high spin rate off of your club face. Are you good enough to control that spin? Professional golfers can use balls that generate a lot of spin because they are skilled enough to not hook or slice their shots into trouble. If you can control your swing well enough to manage the spin, then feel free to use a higher spin ball. However, don’t just give in to marketing hype – if your game isn’t ready for a high spin ball, steer clear and use an option with a firmer cover (and lower price tag).
• Testing is your friend. There is only so much you can learn from reading about different models and brands of golf balls online. To best determine which one is the right pick for you, try out as many different options as you can. Buy sleeves of three instead of whole dozens at first while you are testing various golf balls. Play a round or two with each ‘contender’ until you have decided which balls provides you with the correct performance characteristics. You might be surprised at how easy it is to tell when you have found just the right ball.
The nice thing about buying golf balls, as opposed to a set of clubs, is that you don’t have to invest hundreds of dollars to put them into use in your game. If you settle on a specific ball, only to later decide that it isn’t quite right for your game, you can always make a switch the next time you need to buy a box. Also, you can always test out golf balls that you find on the course to see if they might work for your game. You never know, the ball you find deep in the woods while looking for your lost drive might be the perfect model to enhance your game!
