The inherent difficulty of the game of golf can never be understated, as you no doubt have probably learned during an afternoon spent on the vast and serene landscape of some course, trying to perfect your swing.
Indeed, it is this difficulty that’s central to the attractiveness of this gentleman’s sport, such that even world-renowned stars can have days as bad as your own on any given outing. In the words of six-time champion golfer Lee Trevino: If you’re caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.?
How to Pick Golf Balls
As elusive and difficult a game as golf is, there is little doubt that the right clubs and golf-balls can help out your game. Especially true for the avid player, you’ll find before long that your swing and club favors certain golf balls over others.
It’s probably obvious to you that pro golfers consistently use different golf balls than amateurs and beginners; as such, the first part of getting the right balls is assessing your level of talent and commitment. At the very beginning of your golf career college, there’s a good chance the feel of the ball takes a back seat to the cost. The bargain golf ball found at many general sporting stores will suffice, as well as higher-end amateur options from makers like Titleist, Precept and Callaway. If your swing speed is a blazing 90 miles per hour, then you’ll benefit greatly from getting the right kind of ball, and should consider the higher-end amateur options.
Golf Ball Choices for the Experts
Many of the same companies that make golf balls for the amateurs also make them for the pros but the price point is usually a good deal higher. Generally speaking, these pro balls also called tour balls don’t give you much extra distance, since to be a pro, you need a swing in excess of a hundred miles per hour (not in all cases, but these are few and far between).
The biggest difference is the elastomer and urethane external covering of these golf balls, which extends their lifetime and resistance to wear. TaylorMade, Callaway and others are just a few of the companies that specialize in tour balls, and if your game hasn’t progressed to the level where the feel? is evident as you hit with your driver, then buying these is probably a waste of money at the moment or an investment, depending on your outlook and the depths of your pockets.
As Your Golf Game Progresses
One of the most economical ways to figure out how different golf balls will affect your swing is to simply try a selection of them. This is accomplished by being friendly with people on the greens, all of whom are likely to have different models than you. Or, you could purchase some and try them out, taking care to maintain the condition, and then return them to the store if you haven’t settled on the kind your particular golf game favors. It’s important to realize that the brands you settle on may very well not be the same brands you’re using a year from now, or whenever your game starts to noticeably improve. You’ll develop a feel for different golf balls, or the ones you’re currently using will seem to have lost something intangible and you decide to try another. It’s all a part of the process of improvement.
Lastly, this final attribute of golf balls is something that can take years to master: the spin on the ball. This significant attribute manifests differently with different golf balls, and can increase both the direction and speed of your approaches. If you’re just starting out and can’t hit the ball very far, you’ll want to stay away from the difficult art of spinning in competition, because it further reduces your distance. Ultimately, much of the extra price of golf balls comes from the added control, softness and spin ability with which the makers endow the ball.
