29 replies to this topic

[pm4610]

I've looked a little but not extensively for a urethane ball that goes somewhat straight without any luck.  Maybe this combo doesn't exist?  I like urethane for the short game and I love it for putting.  However, if I could get less spin when I use the driver, that would be great.  I am currently playing the Srixon Z-Star and I'm using a Callaway Ft-i driver which someone told me was high spin driver (I don't know if this is true or not).  I struggle to break 100, but without the Z-Star for the short game I really wouldn't break 100.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

[Viewing As Guest]

[iteachgolf]

To my knowledge there are no golfballs that go straight without hitting a perfectly struck golf shot.

[TCMP]

pm4610, on 30 June 2010 - 12:06 AM, said:

I've looked a little but not extensively for a urethane ball that goes somewhat straight without any luck.  Maybe this combo doesn't exist?  I like urethane for the short game and I love it for putting.  However, if I could get less spin when I use the driver, that would be great.  I am currently playing the Srixon Z-Star and I'm using a Callaway Ft-i driver which someone told me was high spin driver (I don't know if this is true or not).  I struggle to break 100, but without the Z-Star for the short game I really wouldn't break 100.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

Your best bet will be a lower spinning urethane if you must have a urethane. Like ProV1X, TP Red LDP, Tour I (Z), B330RX. I think as your swing gets better with lessons and practice then you'll be able to play pretty much any urethane ball with good results.

Like iteach said, you must hit a good golf shot for a straight ball flight. No ball can really make a lot of difference and still spin around the green.

[storm319]

Any ball that spins less off the tee is also going to spin less around the greens (ProV1x is somewhat of an exception). I am a 12 hcp, an avid Prov1 user for years and have been struggling off the tee this year. After losing ProV1's on my first two tee shots last round (never played course before & heavily wooded) I decided to play some NXT Tours that my buddy had rather than continue to lose more ProV1's. I was consistantly straighter and longer off the tee and ended up hitting the rest of the fairways on the rest of the 9. What really surprised me was how it spun around the greens. Obviously it spins less than the ProV1 (which at times can spin too much), but it checked nicely with little roll out which is more than I can say about most non-urethane balls I have tried.

To get back on topic, If you are struggling to break 100 your time and money will be better spent on lessons rather than a new ball search.

[MB_Viking]

pm4610, on 30 June 2010 - 12:06 AM, said:

I've looked a little but not extensively for a urethane ball that goes somewhat straight without any luck.  Maybe this combo doesn't exist?  I like urethane for the short game and I love it for putting.  However, if I could get less spin when I use the driver, that would be great.  I am currently playing the Srixon Z-Star and I'm using a Callaway Ft-i driver which someone told me was high spin driver (I don't know if this is true or not).  I struggle to break 100, but without the Z-Star for the short game I really wouldn't break 100.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

While the title of your topic reminded me of the story of the one Native American in a tribe who complained that "no arrows fly straight", I understand where you are coming from.

I have been searching for the perfect ball as well and suspect that I found it in the Nike Tour D.  I spun one back 12 feet for my first hole-in-one this past weekend.

Low spin off the driver and still spins on the green..... the perfect ball!

[SaltytheSlicer]

Try the Callaway Tour ix.  Really low spin off the driver so its fairly straight and pretty long, with plenty of short-game spin.

Yeah, nothing's totally straight, but a bit less sidespin can make a difference.

[pm4610]

SaltytheSlicer, on 30 June 2010 - 05:28 PM, said:

Try the Callaway Tour ix.  Really low spin off the driver so its fairly straight and pretty long, with plenty of short-game spin.

Yeah, nothing's totally straight, but a bit less sidespin can make a difference.

Thanks for the suggestions, etc.  I just don't have the golf "DNA" so to speak, been through plenty of lessons with plenty of different teachers - some good for me and some not so good for me.  Of course no ball is going to stay straight with a really poor swing, but like Salty said, "a bit less sidespin can make a difference" and that is what I was looking for along with short game spin.  No fun hitting a green with a good shot only to have it run off.  And I really do like the feel of urethane.
Admittedly, my original post wasn't worded as carefully and as detailed as it needed to be.  Thanks again to everyone and especially to those that took a second to understand where I was coming from.

[Redhill]

One option to look at might be the Bridgestone E5 ball.  It is a urethane cover and I believe either a 2 piece or 3 piece ball.  It is a high spin ball that competes well with the premium balls with just lower RPM's.  

It is priced wonderful at around $25-28 a dozen.  I tried them and like them.  Normally I'm playing a Pro V1X

[Cornbread]

storm319, on 30 June 2010 - 08:30 AM, said:

Any ball that spins less off the tee is also going to spin less around the greens.

An absolutely false statement!

[Cornbread]

pm4610, on 30 June 2010 - 12:06 AM, said:

  I'm using a Callaway Ft-i driver which someone told me was high spin driver.

That statement is not relative to your question. It's High Spin (backspin) and that doesn't really relate to side-spin.
Additionally, almost all, if not all, urethane Tour Balls are LOW Spin from a Driver.

Edited by Cornbread, 04 July 2010 - 08:53 PM.

[Viewing As Guest]

[turnbowm]

pm4610, on 30 June 2010 - 12:06 AM, said:

I've looked a little but not extensively for a urethane ball that goes somewhat straight without any luck.  Maybe this combo doesn't exist?  I like urethane for the short game and I love it for putting.  However, if I could get less spin when I use the driver, that would be great.  I am currently playing the Srixon Z-Star and I'm using a Callaway Ft-i driver which someone told me was high spin driver (I don't know if this is true or not).  I struggle to break 100, but without the Z-Star for the short game I really wouldn't break 100.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

The USGA Conforming Ball List (see link below) provides driver and short iron Spin Ratings which may be of some interest.

As indicated, the Z-Star that you're playing has a M-H (driver-short iron) spin rating which means Medium driver spin and High short iron spin.  The Pro V1/V1x also has a M-H rating, whereas all B330-series have a L-M rating.  Some of the Callaway tour-grade balls have a L-H spin rating, which might be what you're looking for. As always, YMMV.

http://www.usga.org/.../gball_list.pdf

[remlapr]

I understand exactly where the original poster is coming from.

I love the feel of urethane, but hate the feeling of watching my push\ fade miss turn into a woods ball. Right now that best compromise for me is the NXT Tour, but I may try some others based on that chart.

[marrigo]

Cornbread, on 04 July 2010 - 08:52 PM, said:

That statement is not relative to your question. It's High Spin (backspin) and that doesn't really relate to side-spin.
Additionally, almost all, if not all, urethane Tour Balls are LOW Spin from a Driver.

An absolutely false statement .

[Arafel]

marrigo, on 05 July 2010 - 01:40 PM, said:

Cornbread, on 04 July 2010 - 08:52 PM, said:

That statement is not relative to your question. It's High Spin (backspin) and that doesn't really relate to side-spin.
Additionally, almost all, if not all, urethane Tour Balls are LOW Spin from a Driver.

An absolutely false statement .

Perfectly said.  

We wouldn't want to be spreading false information on this sight now would we?

[wjdpar1]

another vote for the E5 (2010 version).

[Ranman]

wjdpar1, on 05 July 2010 - 06:01 PM, said:

another vote for the E5 (2010 version).

The Wilson FG Tour is a high performing ball at an affordable price as well.

[Relaxxx]

You find me a urethane ball that goes straight everytime and I'll buy 100 dozen of them.

[storm319]

JASONR5, on 05 July 2010 - 05:53 PM, said:

marrigo, on 05 July 2010 - 01:40 PM, said:

Cornbread, on 04 July 2010 - 08:52 PM, said:

That statement is not relative to your question. It's High Spin (backspin) and that doesn't really relate to side-spin.
Additionally, almost all, if not all, urethane Tour Balls are LOW Spin from a Driver.

An absolutely false statement .

Perfectly said.  

We wouldn't want to be spreading false information on this sight now would we?

Agreed. To add to this, the position of the clubhead at impact and the swing plane dictates the direction of spin. The ball can only be prone to spinning more or less, not dictate spin rates in a given direction.

[storm319]

Eternal_Envoy, on 05 July 2010 - 06:20 PM, said:

You find me a urethane ball that goes straight everytime and I'll buy 100 dozen of them.

More like find ANY ball that goes straight every time!

[801]

I also empathize with the original poster. I have a natural cut from outside to in swing-type, especially with my driver, but am skilled enough (currently playing to a 4 handicap) to appreciate the benefits of a high-end urethane cover ball.  As many, many top end urethane balls are classified as "low driver spin", the fact of the matter is, is that if you put a little cut swing on these low-spin balls with your driver, they will slice out of play with no problems.  I have spent my golfing career searching for the best true low-spin driver urethane high-end ball and to be honest with you, the best one I have played to date, is the no longer available TM TP Red LDP. A lot of folks here proclaim "I've tried them all", but truly, I have.  Titlest, Srixon, Bridgestone, Callaway, Nike and so on and so on... every ball in every brands' entire lineup. With a little cut driver swing, all of the above mentioned brands highest end, urethane covered, low-spin driver balls, will slice on me into the right rough/right woods, right OB. The one ball that consistently stays not only in play, but in the fairway, is the good old TM TP Red LDP. This ball also fits my iron, wedge and putting game perfectly so you can understand why I'm in a panic as a true replacement ball for the Red LDP simply does not exist.  So bottom line, I understand the poster's lament and my recommendation stands at the TP Red LDP .. if you can find them.  What I'm gonna do when I eventually run out is the question.

[Viewing As Guest]

Wanna get rid of this ugly yellow box? And remove other annoying "stuff" in between posts? Create a FREE GolfWRX account here.

[sk373]

Quote

More like find ANY ball that goes straight every time!

the Polara is the ball that you want.  it's not USGA legal, though.

[cristphoto]

storm319, on 02 September 2010 - 08:30 AM, said:

Eternal_Envoy, on 05 July 2010 - 06:20 PM, said:

You find me a urethane ball that goes straight everytime and I'll buy 100 dozen of them.

More like find ANY ball that goes straight every time!

Not even a bowling ball goes straight every time (I've cleaned lots of gutters).

[aliikane]

pm4610, on 30 June 2010 - 12:06 AM, said:

I've looked a little but not extensively for a urethane ball that goes somewhat straight without any luck.  Maybe this combo doesn't exist?  I like urethane for the short game and I love it for putting.  However, if I could get less spin when I use the driver, that would be great.  I am currently playing the Srixon Z-Star and I'm using a Callaway Ft-i driver which someone told me was high spin driver (I don't know if this is true or not).  I struggle to break 100, but without the Z-Star for the short game I really wouldn't break 100.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
paul

A higher spin driver could equate to more accuracy. A lot of times fitters will put guys into higher backspin drivers to keep the ball from spinning left and right. The Nike tour d is a lower spin ball but has less feel.

[caseyc1]

im not trying to be a smart a** but its not the ball, i would try working on your swing. i use pentas, callaway tour i(s) and proV1 and hit them straight down the middle or a nice little draw. If you cant get your swing worked out i have found the callaway tour I(Z) to be the straightest out of the premium urethane balls, it just has less of a draw or on that rare occasion slice than the others.

[jabrch]

sk373, on 02 September 2010 - 01:51 PM, said:

Quote

More like find ANY ball that goes straight every time!

the Polara is the ball that you want.  it's not USGA legal, though.

Anyone ever hit these?  Do they work?

[simonv05]

storm319, on 30 June 2010 - 08:30 AM, said:

Any ball that spins less off the tee is also going to spin less around the greens (ProV1x is somewhat of an exception). I am a 12 hcp, an avid Prov1 user for years and have been struggling off the tee this year. After losing ProV1's on my first two tee shots last round (never played course before & heavily wooded) I decided to play some NXT Tours that my buddy had rather than continue to lose more ProV1's. I was consistantly straighter and longer off the tee and ended up hitting the rest of the fairways on the rest of the 9. What really surprised me was how it spun around the greens. Obviously it spins less than the ProV1 (which at times can spin too much), but it checked nicely with little roll out which is more than I can say about most non-urethane balls I have tried.

To get back on topic, If you are struggling to break 100 your time and money will be better spent on lessons rather than a new ball search.

+1 on the NXT Tour. Very straight ball.

[minimal45]

so far out of all the balls iv tried when it comes to urethane bridgestone and callaway balls are the lowest spin off the tee!

[Cornbread]

marrigo, on 05 July 2010 - 01:40 PM, said:

Cornbread, on 04 July 2010 - 08:52 PM, said:

That statement is not relative to your question. It's High Spin (backspin) and that doesn't really relate to side-spin.
Additionally, almost all, if not all, urethane Tour Balls are LOW Spin from a Driver.

An absolutely false statement .

Not false based on the USGA (and other independant) tests.

[CassinoNorth]

jabrch, on 21 September 2010 - 10:10 PM, said:

sk373, on 02 September 2010 - 01:51 PM, said:

Quote

More like find ANY ball that goes straight every time!

the Polara is the ball that you want.  it's not USGA legal, though.

Anyone ever hit these?  Do they work?

So every time you hit it in the fairway you need to lift and move your ball?

Great, more showering with raincoats for terrible players. Gonna be scratch golfers but when they enter a tournament with real balls or try some blades they'll be back to a 20 hcp.

[aliikane]

Try the Nike Tour D. Doesn't have the best feel in the world nor does it spin a lot around the greens, but off the driver it is one of the more straighter low spin urethane balls. I am using them for a winter ball in soft conditions.

[Viewing As Guest]

Wanna get rid of this ugly yellow box? And remove other annoying "stuff" in between posts? Create a FREE GolfWRX account here.