Golf Balls

Finding Your Ball!

The look, sound, and feel of a golf ball are very personal.

The look, sound, and feel of a golf ball are very personal. You are looking for optimal performance from 100 yards and in. You can simply visit your local golf shop or professional for recommendations. Or you can work with a clubfitter to utilize launch monitor technology to measure your ball flight characteristics and find the best ball that matches up with your clubs and ball flight. Because many manufacturers make golf balls with similar construction and characteristics, purchase a sleeve of a few different recommended balls and go test them on the course – especially around the greens.

Remember, the golf ball is one of the most important pieces of equipment in your game, so don’t take this lightly. My personal brand of choice is Titleist. Designed to fit your game, Titleist’s advanced technology is second to none, offering a golf ball for every playing level.Christina Ricci / Golf Author & 5 Handicap in 5 Years

Golf balls are designed for specific swing speeds or specific types of ball flight or spin. Using a ball that doesn’t match your swing speed or ball flight will not give you optimal results—and can often be a waste of money. For example, if you are a lower-swing-speed player who tends to slice the ball, you do not need a premium ball with a high-spin characteristic. Finding the right match for you will help you hit the ball farther, straighter and more consistently—and often save you money.

Golf Ball Construction
Golf balls can contain from one to five layers. The cover is common on all balls. Each item beneath the cover counts as an additional piece. The most complex golf balls contain five pieces, including a core plus three separate, inner layers.

Compression » Finding the Squish-Factor
Compression is a term that refers to the density of a golf ball. It is a measure of how hard or soft a golf ball really is. Golf balls are typically rated in density from 70 (softest) to 110 (hardest). When the golfer hits the ball with the club, the ball is basically “squished” at the moment of impact The golf ball then springs back to its original shape. A softer ball is called a high-compression ball (squished more easily at impact). A golf ball that is harder (low-compression ball) will require more energy to compress at impact.

Cover of a Golf Ball » Find Your Feel
The cover of the golf ball determines the “feel” on shorter shots like putts and chips. A softer cover typically spins more for better control around the green. Soft covered balls are typically crafted with blends of co-polymer plastics, high-energy rubber or similar resistant materials. Covers made of Surlyn and polymer blend are typically more durable and more affordable, but are slightly less responsive and have a firmer feel. Urethane covers tend to be the dominant material in softer, premium golf balls that offer enhanced feel, but urethane covers are less durable.

Golf ball performance is the result of design and manufacturing quality, and includes distance, spin control, and consistency.

One-Piece » Most inexpensive and not recommended

A one-piece golf ball is the simplest construction available. Designed mainly for beginners and use at driving ranges this construction is rarely used as a playing ball. One-piece golf balls are made form a solid sphere of Surlyn with dimples moulded in. These balls are inexpensive and do not give the distance of other construction due to their lower compression – hence their use at driving ranges in vast quantities.

2-Piece Golf Balls » Designed for Distance

A low-spin ball is typically lower in cost, will give you more distance, but you will sacrifice control around the green where we lose most of our strokes. Balls of this nature will hit the green and run out, often off the green and into that back bunker! Track your rounds to determine how many greens in regulation you hit. If under 5, than a low spin ball may not be the best fit. Many women golfers have trouble reaching the green in regulation. A low spin, Surlyn®-covered golf ball may provide distance but it is difficult to hold shots into the green. Golfers who are distance challenged have many more up-and-down opportunities.

Large solid rubber core provides a lot of velocity off the clubface
Firm Sand plastic covers are common
Performance can be altered by changing the size and hardness of the core
Low spin helps reduce slices and hooks and promotes a straighter ball flight
The most common ball, making up roughly 50 percent of the market

2-Piece Golf Balls » Designed for Women

  Low-compression ball
  Flies straighter due to low spin
  Optimized to perform ideally at lower swing speeds
  Generally features a soft core that provides increased carry and distance

Terms to Know

Harder Feel and Reduced Spin for Distance

A two-piece ball often has a Surlyn, although Bridgestone, for example, sells a urethane-covered, two-piece ball. Inside is a core that is generally made from rubber or a similar material. Many Callaway, Top-Flite, and Titleist balls use polybutadiene – a synthetic rubber – as the inner material.

The harder outer layer of the two-piece golf ball provides a more resilient surface upon impact with the club, producing greater distance than most three-piece golf balls. Furthermore, two-piece golf balls generally have greater compression, which is a measure of the ball’s springiness when it is struck. Golf balls with greater compression do not collapse as much when struck at very high club speeds, leading to greater distance.

Two-piece golf balls produce a harder feel upon impact than three-piece golf balls, making them less advantageous around the green. Some golfers, however, prefer the heavier and more solid feel of a hard golf ball off the tee. The softer feel of a three-piece golf ball often doesn’t produce the satisfying “thud” that the two-piece ball does when struck well.

Reduced Spin
Two-piece golf balls produce less spin than three-piece balls. While this is a disadvantage for more advance golfers who need to shape shots and stop the ball quickly around the green, reduced spin may actually help beginning golfers. For golfers who struggle with hooks or slices, a ball with less spin may help them keep more shots in the fairway.

Three-Piece »  Multi-Piece Ball with Softer Cover with Stopping Power

A low-spin ball will give you more distance, but you will need a swing speed 90mph+ to get the benefit of a three-piece ball.

  Thin “mantle” layer between core and cover
  Low-spin – Lower spin off the driver results in longer shots
  High-spin – Higher spin off an iron results in better performance around the green
  Soft urethane cover or firmer durable Surlyn cover
  Requires high swing speed/compression in order to create high velocity
  Not recommended for golfers with swing speeds lower than 90mph
  For intermediate and advanced golfers

Four- & Five -Piece »  Latest technology; contains an extra layer for even better feel and control

A low-spin ball will give you more distance, but you will need a swing speed 90mph+ to get the benefit of a three-piece ball.

  Requires high swing speed/compression in order to create high velocity
  Not recommended for golfers with swing speeds lower than 90mph
  For intermediate and advanced golfers

TaylorMade have achieved the first mover advantage when it comes to the five-piece golf ball. The TaylorMade Penta TP is the first tour ball with five solid-layers, with each layer engineered to optimize performance in five key shot categories that skilled players need – driver, long-irons, middle-irons, short-irons, and short wedge shots. The five layers of Penta TP include the core, inner mantle, middle mantle, outer mantle and cover, and each one plays a critical role in optimizing the performance of each of the five key shots.

Spin Factor » Find Your Spin

Low Spin

Lower spinning golf balls tend to decrease side spin on your shots, causing the ball to fly straighter through the air and roll further once landed. This type of ball is more suited to golfers who tend to slice the ball and struggle to find distance.

Mid-Spin

The mid-spin golf ball bridges the gap between the low- and high-spin golf balls. These balls try to incorporate the best from both distance (low spin) golf balls and soft (high spin) golf balls. These balls are aimed at the widest range of golfers and are suitable for use by all standards in all conditions.

High-Spin

This ball is designed to spin the most through the air, creating a longer carry. A high-spinning golf ball will not get the run out on the fairway of a low- or mid-spin ball – but will make up for it around the greens. A high-spinning golf ball will give better players more control and feel in, on and around the greens.