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Do you know how many people in the USA play golf on the golf course? I bet you don’t. Well, according to David Lange who published his data on statista.com, the number of golf participants (on the golf courses) between the period 2006 to 2019 is 24.3 million. That’s a huge number!
Not only this…Golf equipment has a huge share in the import and exports…generated by the purchase and sale of sports equipment in the USA. Again as per statista.com, the value of golf equipment imports and exports is 420.52 billion and 162.27 billion respectively in the year 2020.
The above data is enough to estimate the popularity of golf in the USA and the world. The sport of golf is no doubt an expensive one but the popularity of golf is increasing year by year.
Golfers(like you) invest a huge amount of time and money in improving their golfing skills. But unfortunately, playing golf is not a piece of cake. It requires consistent practice, the right gears, and experience to level up your performance.
As you know, the lack of these things would drag you from leveling up. And, you end up staying the high-handicapper throughout your life. That’s too bad!
One of the most crucial pieces of equipment that many golfers don’t care about is; ‘THE GOLF BALL‘.
Of course, the selection of the right club for the right shot and the swing of your arms matter more. But, the right golf ball can also help you improve your game and fix the problems.
When I first thought of the golf ball, I couldn’t list down its importance and criteria of selecting the best golf ball for me. So, I did in-depth research, and here are my findings that would help to find, “which is the best golf ball for me?”. Please pay careful attention! Because this guide will help you know the exact procedure of selecting the best golf ball.
How to Choose a Golf Ball
Among the profusion of golf balls, the selection of the best ball is challenging. The reason behind this is each ball is engineered to meet the needs of a smaller group of golfers.
Yet, choosing the best golf ball for you is not rocket science. You just need to pay careful attention and find the answers to the following questions related to your game. The more accurately you will answer these questions, the more likely it would be to choose the right ball.
So, let’s face them quickly.
#1. What is Your Handicap?
The very first question that I want you to ask yourself is “Where do I stand as a golfer?” Listen! I want you to be really honest with yourself otherwise you would make a wrong decision. Each group of golfers needs a different kind of ball based on their ability to hit the ball.
(I) How to Choose a Golf Ball Pro Or Scratch Golfers?
Scratch golfers of low handicappers(those who have a single-digit handicap) use tour-level balls. The most expensive balls are made of 3 or more layers to give extra softness and an astounding feel across the course.
They have at least one extra layer of Surlyn in the middle that works collectively with the outer Urethane cover to get the maximum distance and better-controlled shots off the tee. Being low spinning balls, the fly low gives a longer distance to pros while they hit those greenside shots.
(II)) How to Choose a Golf Ball for Mid-Handicapper/Bogey Golfer
By the time you become a bogey golfer, you have a better understanding of your game. The time spent analyzing the different aspects of golf and hours of sweating on the course teaches you a lot of good lessons about your game.
Now, you have a better understanding of the clubs and equipment. Though you still want to keep a distance from the tour-level equipment because your high-handicapping flaws have not yet been fully defunct, you want to make fewer mistakes.
So if your handicap is somewhere between 15 to 30, I suggest you go for a 2-piece golf ball that is not rock-hard like beginners’ golf balls.
Having a specifically designed outer core these balls will give you a great feel when making contact with the clubhead and travel a good distance.
(III) How to Choose a Golf Ball for Beginners/High Handicapper?
If you have just started trying your hands in golf or have a handicap of more or less than 30 is normal. At this stage, you are training your muscles to become habitual of swinging them with strength.
You also want to get a nice distance out of your strokes. And, shouldn’t care about the feel because at this stage what you care about are just two things:
- Learning to make contact every time you swing your arms.
- Getting a decent distance.
2-piece golf with a hard outer covering will help you to get some extra yards which you can’t get with tour golf balls.
So, remember never go for a tour ball if you are a newbie. That’s not going to help you and cause you a huge fortune since the tour balls are insanely expensive.
Check: Best golf balls for beginners
#2. What to Look for in a Golf Ball?
The next question that you want to ask yourself is, “What exactly do I want?” Is that distance, feel or spin? The change in your objective will change the type of ball that you should go with. Below is a brief explanation of the said concept.
Explore: Best golf balls for distance & accuracy
(a) The Distance
If you have messed up with those lake balls and want to get some extra yards off the tee. I advise you to go with a harder ball built specifically to provide some extra distance on the field.
(b) Spin & Feel
You are getting a decent distance in your shots and you fail to keep the ball within the green though. At this point, you need a multi-layered that is comparatively softer than a 2-layered ball and tends to sit closer to the green. These are mostly used by scratch golfers.
(c) Structure of the Golf Ball
After deciding on distance and spin, now the time is to look deep into the anatomy of the golf ball. See, I’m not beating a dead horse here! Learning about the structure of the ball and how it affects its performance is immensely important to make the right choice. So let’s open the layers of the golf ball one by one.
a. The Outer Covering
The cover material of a golf ball affects both the feel and longevity. The rule of thumb is, “the softer the material is, the more spin the ball will get, and the less distance it will travel and vice versa.”
Primarily, a golf ball’s cover can be made of the following materials:
Urethane
Urethane cover balls are expensive because they are made in small batches and require a high level of engineering.
This soft, resilient polymer gives the ball the best of both worlds. On one hand, the urethane cover is super strong on the other hand they are silky soft on impact. This transfers this sensation to the scratch golfers’ minds and bodies when they come into contact with the club.
But unfortunately, if you are a beginner and your short-game shots are not impactful as scratch golfers then probably you wouldn’t be able to take the advantage of urethane golf balls.
Synthetic Ionomer
Synthetic ionomer cover balls more commonly known by a brand’s name Dupont’s Surlyn are tougher and smoother than urethane balls. Meaning that will provide you more distance than urethane balls if you are a newbie or even a bogey golfer.
The downside is they lack the feel of a urethane ball that is why you can’t find them in professional tournaments. Since these balls are manufactured in larger batches than urethane balls they are comparatively economical.
b. Compression of the Core
The outer cover material and dimples on the golf ball have their own importance but you can neglect the effect of the core on the performance of the ball.
Basically, there are two compression cores:
- High-Compression Cores
- Low-Compression Cores
Let’s face them:
High Compression Cores
Manufacturers have given some ratings 70 to 100 to measure the compression of the core. High-Compression balls have a rating of 90 or above.
Such balls have a dense core that demands the fast swing of the club to get optimal compression.
Naturally, mostly pro golfers can have this level of golf swing so they are the ones who take the most advantage from these balls.
LOW-COMPRESSION CORES
These balls are ideal for slow swingers. No matter if they are newbies or bogies. These balls have a compression rating equal to or less than 80.
Slow swingers can hit these balls farther than the high-compression ball. The credit for this feature goes to the low-compression core that can reform easily and gives a soft feel. They also remain stuck to the clubs’ faces for a long time which gives them a better spin and higher trajectory.
Learn more about the topic in the video below.
Price
Finally, the last question that you want to ask yourself is, “How much money do I want to spend on a golf ball?” The price range of balls is very wide. You may find a pack of golf balls starting from a few dollars and can go upto $50 or more.
High handicappers may prefer to go with buying refurbished or used golf balls that cost as little as $1 in bulk. While a pro golfer may not want to go anywhere except the premium brands irrespective of the money.
At the end of the day, it depends on your budget and how far you can go for your love for golf. Check prices at Amazon
Do a Golf Ball Really Matters for Your Game?
The short answer is “yes” but not as much as the right club and technique.
High-quality premium balls from reputed brands give you a better “feel” and “spin control”; and can cover more distance. However, To get the best out of the premium balls you need to be an expert on the game; you should have a lightning-fast swing and power shots.
On the contrary, cheap golf balls can be light on your pocket but you need to sacrifice the feel. Also, they are a better option for you if you are still a baby in golf.
Different Types of Golf Balls
When you don’t want to go deep in understanding all the science behind the selection of a golf ball or just want to keep the selection process simple.
The right way for you to do this is just to remember your purpose and leave the rest of the things to manufacturers.
Based on the purpose golf balls can be divided into three types:
TOUR GOLF BALLS
- Urethane cover
- Great Feel
- High Compression
- The ability to hit any kind of shot
- Costly
Distance Golf Balls
- Thin Surlyn cover
- Best for Beginners and Slow Swingers
- High Compression
- Less Drag
- Cheap
- Poor Feel
Feel Golf Balls
- Surlyn Outer Cover
- Low Compression
- Squishy Feel
- Less Distance Cover
- Fast Deformation
Golf ball Fitting Chart
Choosing the right golf balls involves a lot of care and knowledge about the different balls and their specifications.
Nonetheless, it’s an extremely difficult task to do. Fortunately, there are several options available online that are really handy to make you lose easier.
You can use the gold selection chart or can go with an online golf ball selector. Below are the links that can be really handy for you.
How to Choose the Right Golf Ball For YOU? [VIDEO]
Where to Buy Best Golf Balls at Reasonable Price?
Amazon is a kind of reliable and trusted source to buy golf balls at a reasonable price. Check here
Related Resource:
Golf Ball Selectors
● TaylorMade golf ball selector
● Callaway Golf Ball Selector
● Titleist Golf Ball Selector
Frequently Asked Questions (To Choose Right Golf Ball For Me)
What color golf ball is the best?
Having the best in contrast to the great yellow golf balls is the easiest to track. For the shorts longer than 250 m the yellow ball outperforms any other color golf ball.
Why do golf balls have dimples on their surface?
Dimples on the golf balls are given to reduce drag(air friction). Consequently, they help the ball to cover longer distances. A golf ball with dimples can go as twice as far as the smooth ball.
Why are most golf balls?
In the past, initially, golf balls were made feathery but those were very expensive balls. Players didn't want to lose them as well as the natural color of the feathery ball was difficult to track due to low contrast. So the manufacturer started to paint the balls white. Also, the white paint was easily available.
Why is Titleist Pro V1 good?
Titleist Pro V1 is the undisputed champion of golf balls. Specifically engineered for pros, the ball gives an exceptional feel when the ball hits off the tee, has stunning short game control, and covers as much distance as the distance balls. All of these qualities make the Titleist Pro V1 the best golf ball at present.
Is it ok to use a yellow golf ball?
Scientifically green and its shades are the best and the easiest to track for the human eye but since golf is played on green grass, a green ball wouldn't produce a proper contrast. So, the next best color to track is yellow. Yellow balls are three times easier to track than their white siblings.
We hope you are educated enough now to find the best available balls for a better golfing experience. Golferarena is committed to helping fellow golfers to become better at golf. Keep visiting GOLFERARENA.