101 replies to this topic

[NRJyzr]

I jumped on this wagon, my order (a paltry two dozen) showed up a couple days ago.  Haven't had a chance to play them yet, might be able to get out tomorrow.

I've liked Wilson balls for a long time, played the True Tour, the Tx4 and Px3, and even the I Wound (underrated IMHO).

I only checked a couple balls for the blem, saw one with a crooked label.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I tried some of the cosmetic blem mixed-ball dozens from Rock Bottom Golf and found that the ZIP was a great ball for me. So I've got about 2-1/2 dozen of the ZIP blems left and sold off the others. So today I went to Budget Golf and stocked up with some of their $20 two-dozen packs of ZIPs (new, not blems) so I'm set for the rest of 2012, I figure. Generally I average losing about one ball a round and occasionally have to toss one that gets too scuffed up. So at two rounds per week it usually works out to a dozen balls lasting me about a month.

On impulse tossed a couple dozen of the FG Tour blems in the cart. At $14.96/dozen they violate my "Never Pay More Than A Dollar For A Golf Ball Rule" but if I average them in with all the Zips I'm still at a dollar a ball. How's that? I'll try them later this summer and it will be interesting to see how some $1.25 FG Tours stack up against the $1.50 used/recycled ProV1x's that I played 15 rounds with over the winter. I seriously doubt they'll knock the ZIP out of my bag though.

During June/July and again in late September/October our greens gets really hard. They'll have that metallic thump when a ball lands on them for several weeks in early summer and again for several weeks during the dry weather in the fall before they go dormant. As much as I like the ZIP I suspect that when those days roll around a little more spin on wedge shots might be a very good thing. Hopefully the FG Tour will play somewhat ZIP-like from tee to green while giving me a fighting chance of keeping shots on the greens during the toughest parts of the year.

[IMAway]

Fourmyle of Ceres, on 02 May 2012 - 09:42 AM, said:

I tried some of the cosmetic blem mixed-ball dozens from Rock Bottom Golf and found that the ZIP was a great ball for me. So I've got about 2-1/2 dozen of the ZIP blems left and sold off the others. So today I went to Budget Golf and stocked up with some of their $20 two-dozen packs of ZIPs (new, not blems) so I'm set for the rest of 2012, I figure. Generally I average losing about one ball a round and occasionally have to toss one that gets too scuffed up. So at two rounds per week it usually works out to a dozen balls lasting me about a month.

On impulse tossed a couple dozen of the FG Tour blems in the cart. At $14.96/dozen they violate my "Never Pay More Than A Dollar For A Golf Ball Rule" but if I average them in with all the Zips I'm still at a dollar a ball. How's that? I'll try them later this summer and it will be interesting to see how some $1.25 FG Tours stack up against the $1.50 used/recycled ProV1x's that I played 15 rounds with over the winter. I seriously doubt they'll knock the ZIP out of my bag though.

During June/July and again in late September/October our greens gets really hard. They'll have that metallic thump when a ball lands on them for several weeks in early summer and again for several weeks during the dry weather in the fall before they go dormant. As much as I like the ZIP I suspect that when those days roll around a little more spin on wedge shots might be a very good thing. Hopefully the FG Tour will play somewhat ZIP-like from tee to green while giving me a fighting chance of keeping shots on the greens during the toughest parts of the year.

+1 ^

Zips when it's colder outside.  FG Tours all other times.... especially when more spin is needed for the greens.  2 of the greatest and most underrated balls out there.  Love them both.

[MrFlapjack]

Awesome ball.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I haven't really given the FG Tours much of a tryout yet as the ZIP is working great for me. But I did play one for about 5-6 holes in the middle of Saturday's round. I think the pan-head dimples on the ZIP and some of the older Wilson models give me a bit more hang time and higher trajectory than the conventional dimples on the FG Tour. Off the putter, the FG Tour plays very soft so it's not really a great idea to mix that in for a few holes in the middle of a round. Don't know that it isn't rolling well, more that it just seems to need a big bigger stroke than the harder, clickier ZIP.

The ZIP-type Wilsons don't putt that much different than a ProV1x for me but the FG Tour seems softer, maybe like a Callaway i(Z) or something. Really about as soft and "heavy" off the putter as anything I can recall playing.

I hit a couple of full-ish wedge shots with the FG Tour during that partial round and it's the real deal with the wedges. Even out of a sliaghtly "down" lie in Bermuda rough it comes out exactly the intended distance and then stops absolutely dead on a firm green. So I suspect a big wedge-game advantage over non-Tour type balls. Plays like a higher-trajectory version of a ProV1/ProV1x with the wedges, not a boatload of spin but as much spin as I'd ever need. Probably not enough advantage to be worth giving up the high, straight, slightly longer flight of the ZIP with irons and hybrids for me at the moment, though.

[Smartluck]

Are there any X's mixed in or are they all the original FG Tours?

[driverwedge]

Not sure why there'd be any X's.  When I get blems of other balls, I've never found another type mixed in.  Stranger things have happened though.

[teeitlow]

Wow!! Thanks for that sweet deal...10 boxes on there way to me!!! For the price of Noodles around these parts, plus they got 'em a couple of bucks cheaper on the 'bay.
-D

[teeitlow]

Anyone think the Zip would make a good ladies ball...thinking about picking up some for the wife...you know...to validate my purchase and all.
If not can anyone recommend a wilson ball for a sloooow swing speed...much thanks!
-D

[driverwedge]

Decent lady's ball is the D2 Diva. CHEAP!

Edit: just saw you wanted Wilson. Sorry.

Edited by driverwedge, 13 May 2012 - 12:12 PM.

[teeitlow]

driverwedge, on 13 May 2012 - 12:11 PM, said:

Decent lady's ball is the D2 Diva. CHEAP!

Edit: just saw you wanted Wilson. Sorry.

Yes, but if the Zip would work for my wife...I could...you know....snag a couple of sleeves...
-D

[driverwedge]

They'll be great! Go for it!

[JSouth]

How is the distance on this ball?  comparable to say Penta Tp5 or srixon xv?

[Smartluck]

driverwedge, on 13 May 2012 - 08:31 AM, said:

Not sure why there'd be any X's.  When I get blems of other balls, I've never found another type mixed in.  Stranger things have happened though.

Just curious because the ProV1 "practice" come in a mix of reg and X.

[slbpsi63]

JSouth, on 13 May 2012 - 07:06 PM, said:

How is the distance on this ball?  comparable to say Penta Tp5 or srixon xv?

I played the TP5 a few weeks back. I was not impressed with the distance off the tee. The ball was great for mr 5 iron in. My Driver, woods and hybrids felt and looked like knuckle balls off the blub face. My FG tour ball was 20 yards longer with the driver.

[jonnyrose]

I picked up 2 dozen of these blems when they dropped the price to $11.96, and have played them for the past 8 rounds.  What an awesome ball!  I think it's everything a Pro V1 is.  Soft off the club face (98-102 driver ss), long with little side spin, very easy to control off the irons, good hit and stop on the greens, easy to get the ball checking on pitch and chip shots, and feels great off the putter.  I find the cover to be quite durable, and can easily use the same ball for multiple rounds.  I really can't find anything I don't like about this ball!

[revrat]

Best $13 you'll spend on golf stuff anywhere right now. Absolutely awesome ball. I can find a speck or ink smudge or something on a few of the balls, but I can't find anything on most of them that would make me send them to the seconds bin. Certainly nothing that would make the ball not perform.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I've been playing the Wilson ZIP lately, I have several dozen each of those and the FG Tour. Today it was breezy (about an 8-10mph NE breeze, quite steady) and I know the ZIP wants to upshoot a bit and get blown around because it flies so high and doesn't have a ton of spin. So I played the FG Tour instead and it was a remarkable wind-cheating ball. I play the same nine holes twice, once from the white and once from the blue tees, so I had a chance to try the same shots into the same breeze with two different clubs.

On one Par 3 the hole was playing directly into the breeze. So both times I clubbed for the back of the green even though today's hole location was about 8-9 paces shorter. Once with a 7-iron and once with a 4-iron the FG Tour went dead straight, medium-high and landed a few feet past the back of the green. So basically normal distance for those irons, regardless of being into an 8-10mph breeze. And downwind iron shots didn't seem to go too much farther then usual although they did "release" a bit more than when there's no wind behind them.

Very good wind ball, the FG Tour, at least for moderately breezy conditions. Never tried it or the ZIP in a real heavy wind, though.

[strungoutt1]

Just ordered a couple dozen. Can't wait to try this ball out. At just over a dollar a ball, these could be the best value out there.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

I must say after a second day in a row with the FG Tour, this one in a slightly gustier breeze, I am even more impressed with its playability in the wind. Now obviously when the breeze gusts up 12-14mph straight in my face I lose some distance. But it holds its trajectory well upwind or downwind and doesn't have to be started out hugely to the left or right in a 8, 10, 12mph crosswind. And anything less than about a "one club wind" can be almost ignored on well-struck iron shots. It also does not have that knock-down effect on wedge shots where some balls a gust of wind from behind you causes a high wedge or short iron to fly lower. Great wind ball for me.

Hard to say if $14.95/dozen for the FG Tour is a better deal than about half that much for the Wilson ZIP. Given that in a bad round I might lose two or three balls (although yesterday I played the same FG Tour all day) I'm still best sticking to under a dollar a ball. But the performance of the FG Tour this weekend is tempting. I have about 5 dozen of them plus 6 dozen ZIPs so I'll probably alternate them a few rounds at a time through the summer and into the fall.

[tonyy]

What kind of trajectory are you guys getting with the zip and FG tour? Are they low, medium, or high ball flight? I haven't used them yet but thinking about jumping on this.

Edited by tonyy, 21 May 2012 - 10:28 AM.

[Fourmyle of Ceres]

For me the ZIP is very high trajectory. High like the old Bridgestone e5+ except without the spin when it hits the ground. About as high as any ball I've played (except the Precept Laddie X which was wicked-high and wicked-short and just plain wicked all around).

The FG Tour I'd say is a notch or two lower, if that makes sense. Still what I'd consider a high-flying ball but not nearly as much as the ZIP. If a ZIP or e5+ were a 10 on a scale of 1-10 and a ProV1x were as 4 on the same scale I'd put the FG Tour at maybe 7-8, something like that. Closer to the ZIP than the ProV1x but just pleasantly high, not scary high.

I'll add that in general I'll take all the hang time I can get and prefer to hit the ball high. But the ZIP is bordering on too high for me. My clubhead speed is moderate at best (5-iron goes about 155) and higher usually translates to a bit of extra carry distance.

The ZIP also seems to go higher or lower depending on how solidly I hit it while with the FG Tour seems to have a very consistent trajectory with 'most any decent shot. I can sometimes hit a ZIP with a mid-iron and it'll go higher than normal and fly 6-8 extra yards which is no bargain when I've hit the correct club to a back hole location and there's a bunker behind the green...no fun at all. My distance control is better with the FG Tour, it seems the best of both worlds. It isn't as prone to jumping a few extra yards as the ZIP and not as prone to coming up 5 yards short in slight mishits as the ProV1x.

[tonyy]

You guys have swayed me. I currently play the ProV1x but always looking to try something new. Especially at a little over a $1 a ball! Ordered 2 dozen and cant wait to try them out.

[better_than_most82]

Huge fan of the Wilson balls since the 50/50 days.  It was the perfect ball for spring/late fall due to the low compression and greenside spin.  Hopefully the FG's I bought thanks to this thread will live up to the hype.

[RW_Shankar]

Just got my 6 dozen from the bay (12.99).  I've looked through 2 dozen so far and haven't found a blemish yet.  The bay shows over 500 dozen sold (so far), plus what they've sold directly on-line from their store.  That seems like a whole lot of blemished balls.  I'm starting to think Wilson is just unloading their inventory, mixing in perfect balls with the blems, just to clear out their warehouses.   Feeling like I bought 6 dozen perfect premium balls for 12.99 because of their inventory manangement issues, and because not enough people tried the ball because it's made by Wilson.  

Extremely legitimate premium urethane ball for 12.99....Seriously?

[IMAway]

RW_Shankar, on 24 May 2012 - 08:39 AM, said:

Just got my 6 dozen from the bay (12.99).  I've looked through 2 dozen so far and haven't found a blemish yet.  The bay shows over 500 dozen sold (so far), plus what they've sold directly on-line from their store.  That seems like a whole lot of blemished balls.  I'm starting to think Wilson is just unloading their inventory, mixing in perfect balls with the blems, just to clear out their warehouses.   Feeling like I bought 6 dozen perfect premium balls for 12.99 because of their inventory manangement issues, and because not enough people tried the ball because it's made by Wilson.  

Extremely legitimate premium urethane ball for 12.99....Seriously?

Agree 100%.  It's a crazy price.  Any you know what?  I like the fact I am not playing a ProV like all the other wannabes.   I think it's somewhat odd that people think they have to play a Prov or a high end Callaway/TaylorMade ball because they see the pros play them.

I love your quote "Extremely legitimate premium urethane ball for $12.99.... Seriously?" People spend 3 1/2 times that on the other balls and this one is just as good, if not better.  

Awesome.

[Big Ben]

I had to do it boys, I refuse to pay full price for premium balls and gloves! I prefer to invest my golf funds on GOLF and equipment. Wait for it, dropped $105 bucks on 7 dozen FG Tour Blems, that's so sweet! Lets do the math, if I choose to bite the bullet and purchase (insert any top Brand premium) I'm spending roughly $350 bucks for the same volume. Thats $200+ savings, I will turn around and purchase MG Golfs PREMIUM cabretta leather gloves for $12/ea (this glove is LEGIT!) buy one get one free ($7/ea) and save $15 bucks on each one! So let's do the math...

10 premium gloves and 7 dozen premium balls shopping smart...$175 total
10 premium gloves and 7 dozen premium balls purchased at retail from major OEM...$600
Savings on basically identical products...$425 bucks

Based on my golf budget just saved enought to pay for my new Ping G25....NICE!

BB

Edited by Big Ben, 24 January 2013 - 07:48 PM.

[m3nace]

How is the yellow on this ball? Anything like the Z-Star yellow or more like the flat Pinnacle yellow?

[tjumper78]

closer to pinnacle yellow

[Dillio187]

I did the same thing recently, I purchased 6 dozen for under $100 shipped.  Great deal.