In my hand I hold a ball, white and dimpled, rather small….but when the rubber hits the road or should I say the club face hits the ball, are all golf balls created equal?
They are the same size and shape and have a dimpled surface and a lot are white in colour but we are seeing more coloured ones on the market as well as some with jewel like surfaces. But this is where the similarities differ. When the clubface comes in contact with the ball different characteristics come into play. Different brands offer different feel, spin rates and trajectory characteristics.
In early times golfers saw that as the balls got older and had more irregularities in the surface the ball would fly higher and further. So, the so called dimples were purposely printed into the surface of each ball. The rule goes: the more dimples a ball has, the higher it goes. Then, balls having too many dimples, do fly too high but will lack distance. Most companies have found their optimum number of dimples; mostly they are ranking between 300-500 per ball. There is a very technical answer to why dimples make the ball go higher and further but much too technical to cover here.
You don’t hear much about compression any more but all this means is that the lower the compression the softer the feel. Players with slow swing speeds generally play softer balls (i.e., balls with a lower compression rating), while players with higher swing speeds generally play harder balls (higher compression rating).
Some other differences are covers and construction. A Balata covered ball, for example, will spin easier and is preferred by players who demand maximum feel and control, but for most recreational golfers this is not a requirement. The deciding factor for most is economics: many of today’s regular golfers have turned to durable covered balls simply because they know an occasional miss-hit won’t cut the cover.
| The other thing is construction; there are 1, 2, 3 and 4 piece balls. 1piece balls are seldom used as a playing ball however it is good for beginners and cheap to produce so is affordable. You will also see them used on driving ranges. |
| A 2 piece ball is used by most recreational golfers as it combines durability and maximum distance and the 3 and 4 piece balls are used by more skilled golfers. Do you have a favorite brand? Do you believe you get more distance with, say a Callaway? As we all know golf is a mental game and for the most part some of us prefer a specific brand because we believe they get more distance. However it has been said that for the most part if you took three sleeves of balls to the range and tested each one there will be very little difference for the average recreational golfer. |