Which Golf Ball Is Right For Me?
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If you are playing golf with golf balls that don’t suit your game, they could be adversely affecting your shot making ability. You need to play the right golf balls for your playing ability; you don’t want to give up accuracy or control to gain 5 yards.
How do you know which are the best golf balls for your ability and your strength? To make an informed decision, you need to understand what the different characteristics of the golf balls mean.
For the purpose of this article I will not get into details about the diameter of a golf ball, how much does a golf ball weigh, the number of dimples on a golf ball, or the specific materials that go into making a golf ball. Instead I will go over the important factors that will help you in choosing a golf ball that is right for you.
One-Piece Balls
One-piece balls have no separate core and covering -they are just made from one solid material. You will find these balls on some driving ranges and they can be used by the beginner who doesn’t want to loose expensive balls all the time. Although they don’t have much distance, they are hard-wearing and low-cost.
The Two Piece Golf Ball
Two-piece golf balls have just a solid core and a tough outer covering which makes them very resilient. They are very popular with the casual golfer because of their maximum distance. They get the distance from the fact that they are a firm feel ball with a low spin rate - this causes them to roll along the fairway when they land. The downside is their lack of control because of the firmness of the ball.
3-Piece Golf Balls
Three-piece balls have a solid or sometimes liquid inner core followed by a secondary core and then covered by an outer cover. Skillful golfers generally use these balls as they can control the extra spin and soft feel of them around the green. They are controllable for teeing off and so more accurate and the spin rate and feel factor makes them a good ball for short irons and chipping.
Four-Piece Balls
With golf ball technology advancing at a rapid rate, the latest improvement is the four-piece ball. They combine the characteristics of good distance, spin, and feel; they are generally marketed towards the more skilled golfer up to the PGA pro golfers. Each of the four layers helps the ball to perform to the maximum for distance, spin, and feel. You get great distance with the driver, plenty of spin with your middle irons, and enough control with your wedges and feel with your putter.
Low Spin Rated Golf Balls
Low spin golf balls spin less and therefore they don’t carry as far but they will roll further on the fairway. The low spin doesn’t just apply to back spin but also to side spin, which makes them less likely to hook or slice and so are suited to higher handicap players looking for straighter shots.
Mid Spin Balls
Most golfers are quite happy with the mid spin rated golf balls. They give you a good blend of distance and feel resulting in more consistency and a decent length off the tee. The softness factor can differ a lot from brand to brand so you have to try different ones to get the ball that feels comfortable for you.
High Spin Balls
As these balls spin the most they create more backspin which keeps the ball in the air the longest and so has the biggest carry. Although they won’t run far on the fairway, you get the benefit of great control around and on the greens as they have more feel.
Firm Feel Golf Balls
Firm feel golf balls are the ones that feel hard off the club face. Most distance golf balls are firm ones, so although you will get maximum distance you will loose feel around the greens. Most high handicappers like the firm feel balls for their distance as they prefer distance to the ability to spin the ball on the greens. These are the most durable of all golf balls so they will hardly scuff or mark at all.
Mid Feel Golf Balls
The mid feel golf ball are the preferred choice of the mid to low handicapper, as they combine the qualities of good distance, control, and feel.
Soft Feel Balls
Professional golfers and low handicappers normally go for soft feel balls. These golfers have the ability to make these golf balls do what they like with them. They are particularly suited to the short-game where great feel and spin come into play. High handicappers normally stay away from soft feel balls as they will loose some distance and they also mark easily.
Golf Ball Compression
A golf balls compression is related to the feel factor. Golf balls are rated by how much they compress, with Compression 0 deforming at 0.2 inches or above and compression 200 not deforming at all. Low compression golf balls are soft feel golf balls that are around compression 50 to 70; medium compression are 80 to 90; and high compression golf balls are hard feel golf balls that are around 100 and above. These rates are not that exact as different manufacturers use different rates.
It is generally recommended that slow swing speed golfers use golf balls with a compression rate of 80; golfers with an average swing speed should use compression 100; and Compression 110 is best for fast swing speed golfers.
The compression of a golf ball should be chosen with care depending on the weather conditions. When it is hot, golf balls compress more so you should choose high compression golf balls; so, obviously, when it is cold you should choose low compression golf balls.
When the golf course is very wet you will need to choose a golf ball that has more carry and less spin to achieve maximum distance. On the other hand, when the course is baked hard by a prolonged dry spell, choose a golf ball that has a soft feel and higher spin rate for more control.
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