Comments on: Balata Golf Balls

By: Kevin M.

Kevin M. — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 21:46:11 +0000

All this talk about the importance of selecting just the right golf ball has me scratching my head, wondering how those who don’t play the game for a living can possibly tell the difference. Balls will spin when I need them to roll out and roll out when I need them to spin. This is true no matter the ball I play. As a 10 handicapper for 40 years, slight variations among modern-day golf balls do nothing to enhance or detract from my game in any significant way. How good do you have to be at this game before the type of ball one plays really matters matters? I can’t tell you, other than to say I’m not there.

My buddies, same foursome for 30 years, will tell me they prefer this ball over that ball for this reason or for that, but I think mostly they’re full of baloney. Try having someone hit four balls, the brand names whited out, then tell you which of the four is the brand he or she plays. Gues what? They’ll get it right about one in four times.

By: Josh H

Josh H — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:29:29 +0000

Surge
You are coming across as one who is in a hurry to sell a product and not one who knows what they are talking about. First of all, yes, surlyn covers changed a lot with balls. However, surlyn is not used on today’s premium golf balls. If you are trying to make a comparison to the balata balls (which were the premium balls of their day) of yesteryear and today’s comparable ball, you should draw the parallel to urethane covered balls – not surlyn. Surlyn is used in a lot of mid-range or even low-end balls but you wouldn’t compare those to the balata balls used a decade ago. And by the way the 4-piece cover ball that you claim you have “heard about” is actually a 5 layer ball. For someone in the golf industry you should have a better handle on things. It also wouldn’t hurt to have someone proof read your blog since you regularly have spelling errors.

By: HANK

HANK — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:55:56 +0000

I have some old DUNLOP 65 Balls —
anybody knows when they were first made.

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 19:36:24 +0000

Boy, did you ever bring back some old memories regarding the balata golf balls! I distinctly remember how I would cherish those gleaming Balata Titleist balls and how I would always have in the back of my mind DON’T HIT IT THIN! Then when the inevitable happened and I misshit it I would wonder how big a smile I would find when I walked up to my not so any more perfect ball.

It responded to what you asked of it, though, and you could work the ball like crazy. Misshit it and it also responded in a great big negative way.

My favorite is the PRO V 1 which seems to be able to overlook some of my not so perfect strikes.

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:21:34 +0000

Here in the NW, I practice at a golf range that doesn’t use “range” balls.
They buy recycled balls composed of many different brands.
This has given me the opportunity to experiment a lot with distance, spin, feel, and workability.
I’ve found, for me, the best results with the Pinnacle Gold Distance ball in the late fall and winter months.
In the summer when the greens firm up and get mowed more often, I switch balls and use the
Titelist NXT Tour for best overall results.
I’m sure this is the case for many golfers in the Northern hemisphere.