Choosing A Golf Ball For Your Style Of Golf
June 5, 2008 – 9:53 pmMake no mistake; playing golf with the wrong type of golf balls will negatively affect your game. You should play the best golf balls for your particular game otherwise you may be sacrificing accuracy and consistency for a few extra yards.
So, how can you tell which are the best golf balls for your skill level and your physical ability? First and most important is to understand a few golf ball specifications and what they mean.
In this article I will not bore you with technical details about the the number of dimples on a golf ball, the materials that make up each layer of the ball, the diameter of a golf ball, or the weight. These details won’t make any difference to you choosing the right golf ball, so I will stick to the most important specifications.
One Piece Golf Balls
The one piece golf ball is made from a solid material and is normally used on the range as a practice ball and sometimes by beginners. Although it is very durable and inexpensive it doesn’t give you much distance.
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
Consisting of a solid or liquid core surrounded by an outer core and enclosed in an outer cover, the three piece golf ball is preferred by more skillful golfers. Good players get the most out of these balls as they have more spin and a softer feel than the two piece balls. These characteristics make for a more controllable flight with more spin and control around the greens.
4-Piece Golf Balls
The latest advancement in golf ball technology is the 4-piece golf ball which is a good combination of a distance ball with spin and feel. These balls are more suited to the mid to low handicapper all the way to the professional golfer. They are designed for maximum distance of the tee, give you good spin off your mid-irons, and good control and feel around and on the greens; their biggest disadvantage being their high price.
Low Spin Golf Balls
Low spin balls produce less spin which causes them to carry as far but when they hit the fairway they roll more to compensate. The higher handicapped golfer will appreciate that there is less side spin as these balls will have less tendency to hook or slice - resulting in straighter shots.
Mid Spin Balls
Mid spin balls are the most popular and widely used golf ball. They are a mixture of good distance and good feel or control which gives you the ability to hit long drives and with good accuracy. The degree of softness available depends on the brand that you choose though.
High Spin Rated Golf Balls
The high spin balls produce maximum backspin that helps keep them airborne longer for maximum carry. When they land on the fairway, though, they won’t run as far as the low or mid spin balls. Around the greens and on the greens you will get great control and feel.
Firm Feel Golf Balls
Firm-feel balls will feel hard when you strike the ball with the club-face. The majority of distance golf balls are firm which is fine for distance but not good for feel around or on the greens. You will find that most high or mid handicap golfers will choose these balls because of the extra distance which they are willing to trade for the loss of control onto the green. Apart from the distance, these balls are the longest lasting and are difficult to scuff up or mark.
Mid-Feel Golf Balls
The most common ball for the mid handicap golfer is the mid-feel ball because they offer good control, feel, and distance.
Soft Feel Golf Balls
Soft feel balls are used most often by the pros and by more skillful players. These players appreciate the ability to control the spin onto the greens and the extra feel on the greens. They are obviously very well matched for use with your short irons when you need to control the spin. Less skillful golfers loose distance with these balls and will easily mark or scuff them.
The Compression Of A Golf Ball
The feel factor relates directly to the compression rate. Most golf balls are rated by the amount that they compress; a compression of 0 deforms by 0.2 inches or more and a compression of 200 does not compress at all. Soft feel balls are low compression golf balls that have a compression rating of around 50 to 70; whereas hard feel golf balls are high compression that are rated at around 100 or 110. Manufacturers can use different systems to rate their balls so they can differ from brand to brand.
To take advantage of the right compression for your golf swing to attain maximum distance a golfer with a slow swing speed should use compression 80; a golfer with a medium swing speed should use compression 100; and a golfer with a fast swing speed should use compression 110.
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.
Also, after a long dry spell when the course is rock hard, you will want a softer feel ball with more spin so that you have a chance of controlling the golf ball when it lands. When it has rained a lot and the fairways are soggy, you will need a ball that will carry further but produces less spin so that you have a chance of maximizes your distance.
Tags: Golf
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