29 replies to this topic

[pt77]

Of course i want to use new  titleist pro v1 all the time but when you take cost into consideration sometimes lake balls have there advantage.I know the saying you get what you pay for but when you are not playing 2 or 3 times a week and a few balls go in around .I understand the advantage of playing all equal balls for consistency. What are your opinions on this topic???

[NUSZA]

Been buying from LGB for a while now and still can't tell the difference between them and a new golf ball.  Great deal imo.

[MadGolfer76]

I don't play golf balls that have already gone feral. Once they taste freedom, it is all over.

There are too many deals out there on premium golf balls these days; just have to be patient and be willing to play something else. If you want to play ProV's all the time, you have to be prepared that you are going to have to cough up the cash from time to time. Agree that LostGolfBalls is a good option.

[Guia]

The best reason to use new balls is that you do not have to get wet getting lake balls.:}

[Sean25rp]

I got some lake ball tp reds for knocking around with over the winter from eBay and this happened to one of them on Saturday after hitting a gap a wedge into my 10th:

[attachment=1417895:image.jpg]

This has never happened before but I guess might be why some people don't play lake balls as you can't really be sure of the quality/durability with secondhand balls.

I agree that there are so many good deals on new balls now that lake balls are less attractive, I just happen to really like this model and can't get it new anymore.

[MountainKing]

Unless its a tournament it's a used golf ball.

[hoosiervolunteer]

I picked up 2 dozen 2012 ProV1x from Lostgolfballs and have been pleased.  All have played exactly the same as a new one, but I went with the highest grade.

I'm pretty sure if a ball spent a bunch of time at the bottom of a lake, it would be ruined though.

[slodsm]

There are so many deals out there on balls that are top of the line there's really no need anymore. I just buy in bulk when one goes on sale. Right now I'm on a TP3 kick because they are dirt cheap and are excellent balls. I've played plenty of recycled balls in the past but I like the smell of new balls.

[myspinonit]

I've recently been converted to Mint Recycled Pro V1 from Knetgolf. Haven't noticed any play difference from new- and I've had some of those in the bag recently for comparison. I have noticed that there seems to be a limited supply of the Mint Recycled (mostly just Refinished- won't use those), not sure why.

Especially a good thing in my opinion for travelling and therefore playing strange courses, when you want to play a good ball, but know that it's inevitable that more than the usual share will go off the planet.

My last purchase of 6 dozen Mint Recycled ProV1 with on-line 15 % off coupon was delivered for what worked out to exactly $2 a ball. At that price IF I found a dud (not so far), or if gets lost, or gets scuffed with a wedge or cart path, do I care if it's out of play for me?  Not.

Edited by myspinonit, 13 November 2012 - 12:27 AM.

[feedlotdoc]

I buy 95% of my balls from LGB.  I cant tell the difference between these and new balls.

[beutelwomb]

I actually asked my distributor if they can send me a test package: 6 different types of premium balls of the best grade, 3 balls each. Great for testing and comparing the quality ! Shot my best tournament round with a Z-star during my test..

[cristphoto]

I agree with the earlier posts about water balls being less of a deal when compared with the current sales on many new balls. For instance Taylor Made TP3's can be had (two dozen for $55) and the TP5's are buy two get one which equals $30 per dozen). The Srixon Z-Stars are also buy two get one which equates to $30 a dozen also. A week ago I looked into LostGolfBalls and the shipping costs made the overall price basically the same as new balls that were on sale. No thanks.

Edited by cristphoto, 15 November 2012 - 10:42 PM.

[johnboy1954]

pt77, on 12 November 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

Of course i want to use new  titleist pro v1 all the time but when you take cost into consideration sometimes lake balls have there advantage.I know the saying you get what you pay for but when you are not playing 2 or 3 times a week and a few balls go in around .I understand the advantage of playing all equal balls for consistency. What are your opinions on this topic???

There's not that much difference in performance among the premium balls so would just go for the best deal on new ones.Balls in water any length of time must be affected and would rather trust in a new ball.

[fochs13]

johnboy1954, on 15 November 2012 - 11:33 PM, said:

pt77, on 12 November 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

Of course i want to use new  titleist pro v1 all the time but when you take cost into consideration sometimes lake balls have there advantage.I know the saying you get what you pay for but when you are not playing 2 or 3 times a week and a few balls go in around .I understand the advantage of playing all equal balls for consistency. What are your opinions on this topic???

There's not that much difference in performance among the premium balls so would just go for the best deal on new ones.Balls in water any length of time must be affected and would rather trust in a new ball.

Do you have any data to back up your theory on water balls?

[cristphoto]

fochs13, on 16 November 2012 - 01:46 PM, said:

johnboy1954, on 15 November 2012 - 11:33 PM, said:

pt77, on 12 November 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

Of course i want to use new  titleist pro v1 all the time but when you take cost into consideration sometimes lake balls have there advantage.I know the saying you get what you pay for but when you are not playing 2 or 3 times a week and a few balls go in around .I understand the advantage of playing all equal balls for consistency. What are your opinions on this topic???

There's not that much difference in performance among the premium balls so would just go for the best deal on new ones.Balls in water any length of time must be affected and would rather trust in a new ball.

Do you have any data to back up your theory on water balls?

It's not a theory. There have been many studies of the performance effects of balls retrieved from water hazards. This has often been covered here.

[muxi87]

I won't play a "water ball".  I used to order from lgb for balls to just use while practicing on the course, but I had a couple literally crack in half...

The ball recyclers use a very deep cleaning process...I bet you'd hate to see what some of those "mint" balls looked like before cleaning.

And like others have pointe out, with the deals you can get on new balls now, why go recycled?

You can get "practice" TP5 balls for $25/dozen or less..."practice" Zstars for $20/doz or less.  Non practice of either at $30ish/dozen.

[barkydog1]

I don't buy new balls, ever.  I find them, (lots of them, I sell them, too) clean them with soap and water and a dish-washing pad, and use a little acetone to get off pen marks.  No difference between used balls and new balls.  I've played plenty of balls I've found in lakes, too.  No problems.  And better to be in the lake than in the baking sun on the side of a hill for a year.  Do you have any idea how long it takes urethane to degrade?  It's a long, long time.

[pt77]

mixed views on this topic.
i think until i am playing regularly and am lower than 4-5 handicap i will play good quality lake balls, found balls  etc and until one ball does me for a whole round.
practice practice practice

[Sniperman]

I recently picked up a box of two dozen "B" grade mix of yellow Srixon Z Star and Z Star XV from Target for $15.99.  As we all know, these tour yellow balls from Srixon have been dubbed, "indestructiballs," for their seeming ability to withstand the deepest wedge cuts and deflect the hardest concrete pavements - as one poster once put, when a Z Star XV hits a cart path, it scratches the cart path!

Anyway, out of the 24 balls in the box, there were actually three that deserved the "B" grade mark on the box.  The rest were in better condition than the the XV I've played for 2.5 rounds.  And to be honest, after using one of those balls today, I COULD NOT tell the difference - granted I don't know if these were fetched out of lakes, but I heard majority of these used boxed balls are from lakes.  I think professionals and REALLY GOOD players might be able to tell the difference in performance.  So if you're near scratch or have a + handi and don't want to have another factor to blame poor play on, avoid used lake balls.

But if you are like the rest of us (I have a 5.8 index), worse or better, nothing wrong in being frugal - buy these.  Then again, if you have money to burn...buy new.

Edited by Sniperman, 18 November 2012 - 03:10 AM.

[twixster888]

pt77, on 12 November 2012 - 05:12 PM, said:

Of course i want to use new  titleist pro v1 all the time but when you take cost into consideration sometimes lake balls have there advantage.I know the saying you get what you pay for but when you are not playing 2 or 3 times a week and a few balls go in around .I understand the advantage of playing all equal balls for consistency. What are your opinions on this topic???

brand new balls are livelier than lake balls.  thats just from my experience.  the chemicals couple with water has to have some affect on the balls.

[golfdad907]

I recall seeing a Golf Digest article sometime back where they tested new vs. water balls, having been submerged for varying lengths of time.  According to that, water balls do perform less, some significantly less than 'dry' balls.

I tried to find article, but no luck, it was a while back I recall.

[DaveLeeNC]

golfdad907, on 04 December 2012 - 06:31 PM, said:

I recall seeing a Golf Digest article sometime back where they tested new vs. water balls, having been submerged for varying lengths of time.  According to that, water balls do perform less, some significantly less than 'dry' balls.

I tried to find article, but no luck, it was a while back I recall.

Probably this article which is a reprint of a GD article.

http://forum.ottawag...-Balls-Any-good

Note that this study is limited to balata covered (not wound) and surlyn covered balls.

Contrary to statements elsewhere in this thread, I don't believe that this is a well-studied subject (WRT newer golf ball technologies).

dave

[DaveLeeNC]

I vaguely recall a golfballtest.org study from a couple years ago involving 'current technology balls' (which included the V1x). This study was different in that they compared new balls with balls purchased from an unnamed ball recycler who frequently gets balls from ponds and lakes. This is both a good thing (matches a 'real world experience'). OTOH, they don't really know if what they tested matches what is typically shipped.

The results were that there were no differences found between recycled and new balls (I'm pretty sure that I recall this correctly - you have to be a premium member to see the study).

dave

[Jon Robert]

The answer to this is simple. If you can't hit a ball to the same spot in the fairway 10 out of 10 times (a drive +or- 7yds) then you can't benefit from new ball consistency.  If you hit with that precision then premium balls are your choice.

One of my favorite practice balls that had the most consistent ball flight was a grey and alligator cracked surface ancient ball that spend years in the woods before I found it.  It was truly a great ball until I lost it in the leaves.

Edited by Jon Robert, 09 December 2012 - 07:04 PM.

[Shadrach]

Like some of the other posters, I am not sure of the "science" whether a ball submerged for 6 months including through the winter months (I live near Buffalo, NY) will play as well as a new ball.

Some years ago, I came up with the idea of playing "last year's best ball" when it goes on sale the following spring. I have not always been faithful to this strategy, but it is definitely where I am going this spring. I found this season's Z-Star SL; Bridgestone RXS; TM TP3; and the Cally Chrome all to be "close enough" for my short but straight long game - good short game. I even have set a cutoff price for bargains, based on discounts I've observed offered by the various makers: $27. I will play any or all of these (new) balls all season (or two) long for <= $27.

[golfdad907]

DaveLeeNC, on 09 December 2012 - 04:33 PM, said:

golfdad907, on 04 December 2012 - 06:31 PM, said:

I recall seeing a Golf Digest article sometime back where they tested new vs. water balls, having been submerged for varying lengths of time.  According to that, water balls do perform less, some significantly less than 'dry' balls.

I tried to find article, but no luck, it was a while back I recall.

Probably this article which is a reprint of a GD article.

http://forum.ottawag...-Balls-Any-good

Note that this study is limited to balata covered (not wound) and surlyn covered balls.

Contrary to statements elsewhere in this thread, I don't believe that this is a well-studied subject (WRT newer golf ball technologies).

dave

Nice find, re-read says they tested two and three piece balls, so couldn't have all been balata...did someone make a real balata covered 2 piece ball?

[DaveLeeNC]

golfdad907, on 09 December 2012 - 07:36 PM, said:

Nice find, re-read says they tested two and three piece balls, so couldn't have all been balata...did someone make a real balata covered 2 piece ball?

The article only referenced three-piece balata balls and two piece surlyn balls.

dave

[Waingawa]

It's a pity they didn't do a few more elementary stats in the GD test.

While the averages may have shown a loss of performance, the variability of the outcomes may have meant that the results were not statistically different.

For example the quote "... after six months in the water, the two-piece ball averaged one yard farther than the ball that had been in the water for three months"  would suggest that their mileage was certainly variable.

The results would however lead you to suspect a loss in performance with time underwater might be shown in more statistically rigorous tests (enough weasel words for you?).

All in all, I suspect I wouldn't be entering the US Open with a lake ball.

[Par-A-Medic]

I play mostly at a private course, and about twice a month I will Get out early and practice around to the water hazards and weeded areas and ball hunt. I keep the prov1 prov1x and tp5 and the rest get taken back to the driving range and put into a new life there. It's good for the range and good for me. All said I can't really tell much difference Ina water v1 and a new one during practice. But if its a tournament or leage round, I only play new. They are cleaner, easier to mark your own, and no worry of quality.

[strick13]

I'm agreeing with the people saying LGB. I've bought 2 dozen ProV1's from the and they look no different than a new ball. And to me, they play exactly the same too at half the price.