How to Choose the Best Golf Balls For Your Game

[Lamar Hepburn]

Make 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.
How do you know which are the best golf balls for your ability and
your strength? To make an informed decision, you need to understand
what the different characteristics of the golf ball means.
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 Balls
One-piece balls have no separate core and covering -they are just made
from one solid material. You will find these balls on some driving
ranges and they can be used by the beginner who doesn't want to loose
expensive balls all the time. Although they don't have much distance,
they are hard-wearing and low-cost.
2-Piece Golf Balls
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
With golf ball technology advancing at a rapid rate, the latest
improvement is the four-piece ball. They combine the characteristics
of good distance, spin, and feel; they are generally marketed towards
the more skilled golfer up to the PGA pro golfers. Each of the four
layers helps the ball to perform to the maximum for distance, spin,
and feel. You get great distance with the driver, plenty of spin with
your middle irons, and enough control with your wedges and feel with
your putter.
Low Spin Rated Golf Balls
The low spin rated golf balls don't carry as far of the tee but they
will roll far after landing on the fairway. These balls are good for
high handicap golfers that need to straighten out their golf shots;
the low spin also applies to the side spin, so they are less liable to
slice or hook.
Mid Spin Rated Golf Balls
Most golfers are quite happy with the mid spin rated golf balls. They
give you a good blend of distance and feel resulting in more
consistency and a decent length off the tee. The softness factor can
differ a lot from brand to brand so you have to try different ones to
get the ball that feels comfortable for you.
High Spin Golf Balls
As these balls spin the most they create more backspin which keeps the
ball in the air the longest and so has the biggest carry. Although
they won't run far on the fairway, you get the benefit of great
control around and on the greens as they have more feel.
Firm Feel Golf Balls
When you hit a firm-feel golf ball you will notice that they feel hard
against the club face. Distance golf balls are generally firm feel;
they give you the distance but lack the feel around the green. Mid to
high handicappers normally go for these balls as they want more
distance and are not worried to much by the lack of spin for their
approach shots. They are also very hard-wearing and don't scratch or
mark easily.
Mid Feel Balls
The mid feel golf ball are the preferred choice of the mid to low
handicapper, as they combine the qualities of good distance, control,
and feel.
Soft Feel Golf Balls
Professional golfers and low handicappers normally go for soft feel
balls. These golfers have the ability to make these golf balls do what
they like with them. They are particularly suited to the short-game
where great feel and spin come into play. High handicappers normally
stay away from soft feel balls as they will loose some distance and
they also mark easily.
The Compression Of A Golf Ball
A golf balls compression is related to the feel factor. Golf balls are
rated by how much they compress, with Compression 0 deforming at 0.2
inches or above and compression 200 not deforming at all. Low
compression golf balls are soft feel golf balls that are around
compression 50 to 70; medium compression are 80 to 90; and high
compression golf balls are hard feel golf balls that are around 100
and above. These rates are not that exact as different manufacturers
use different rates.
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.
Finally with regards to compression, did you know that the weather can
play a part in choosing the compression of your golf balls? Low
compression balls are best for colder weather because the ball doesn't
compress as much when it is cold; therefore high compression balls are
better for hotter weather.
When the golf course is very wet you will need to choose a golf ball
that has more carry and less spin to achieve maximum distance. On the
other hand, when the course is baked hard by a prolonged dry spell,
choose a golf ball that has a soft feel and higher spin rate for more
control.