The Simple Golf Ball And How It Affects Your Game

May 17th, 2009 by articles

This subject is dear to my heart and I have discussed at great length with Amateur members at my golf club regarding the type of golf ball they are using. The answer is nearly always the same. They use different golf balls from day to day, even to the extent of swapping golf balls midround to a different manufacturer. This can have a detrimental effect on your handicap and your ability to produce consistent golf shots.

Picture the scene if you will - David has just hit his tee shot out of bounds on the fifth hole using a Top Flite XL, he then proceeds to use another golf ball this time it’s a Titleist ProV1 which he plays to the front of the green, he is now about 15 yards from the pin and takes his trusty 8 iron out and proceeds to chip the ball to the hole, it comes up about 4 yards short. Under normal circumstances David is excellent around the greens and was surprised to see his golf ball pull up short; he misses the putt then carries on with his round of golf as if nothing untoward had happened

Ok let’s back up a bit here and analyse that scenario. I am sure by now a few of you have guessed the problem, its common enough and happens thousands of times a day on golf links around the world.

When David switched his ball to a ProV1 he created the problem with his next shot from the edge of the green. David plays most of his golf with a top flite ball which jumps off the face of a club quicker than a ProV1, but because he changed to the softer ProV1 (which you need to hit firmer) his chip ended up short with the subsequent missed putt costing him a valuable stroke.

All golf balls can vary in the distance they travel, the spin they create and the control you have, that is why it is no good using a different golf ball on a regular basis, especially with putting where consistency is paramount. Feel is a very important factor in golf and should not be overlooked.

The simple fact is you should use the same type and make of golf ball all the time. That doesnt mean you shouldn’t try different Golf balls but you should get used to a Golf ball and not change them on a regular basis. Especially during the course of a round. Get used to the ball you use so you can be more consistent. I cannot stress strongly enough to you how important this will be to your future scores. Like I said earlier this is a common mistake that most of us at some time have been guilty of.

Next time your out on the course check the golf balls you are carrying and make sure the ones you take out onto the course with you are all the same type and make.

This is one thing you can all do, no excuses, enjoy your game.