Hi, I’m brand new to this forum, just got the net hooked up at home and have come across this site in my quest for practical equipment info from (relatively) unbiased golfers like me. Just a quick intro, I’m a casual golfer, not joined up anywhere and not handicapped, although I’m keen to join a club real soon. I love the game and I try to play at least weekly, playing as many different courses as I can. I took up the game around 5 years ago, and with a few lessons, some quality, fitted kit and alot of reading and practice, I have brought my scores down from around 120s (yikes!) to now regularly scoring around the mid 90s off the stick, and (so far) the scores and general feel seem to be heading in the right direction.

I’ve crapped on a bit, here’s my question: I appreciate the benefits of using quality balls, even to a high handicapper, or high scorer, like myself. I have no problem paying AU$70-80 for a dozen balls if they play well and feel good, but ideally I like to be able to at least get a solid round out of a ball, barring any tree-hits or such which will obviously cause significant damage. I have recently come across Hogan Tour Deeps, and found them to be really nice off the mid-irons and reasonably soft around the greens, with relatively good durability. You may disagree but i would love to hear your recommendations for other premium balls which you like for both playability and durability.

Again, sorry for going on, and thanks in advance for any tips.

G’day catweazle. If you think you’ve crapped on, just read some of the other stuff on here.(mine included) I’m no sort of a ball snob, and will buy anything that’s on special, and softish. eg. when top flite first bought out the D2, as advertised here, they had a promo, 2 for the price of one, making them $2.50 ea. At that price the green “feel” ball is good value, but at $5 ea, I don’t think so. Balls are like tees, just your friend for a short time, then gone. There’s plenty on the market you can pay top dollar for, but really, they don’t make you a better golfer. The ball might save you a shot or two once you’re in single figures, but when you’re hitting mid 90s, the ball you’re using should just feel good of the stick and thats about it. Cheers, D.

I like Calloway HX and warbirds, usually get a pretty good run out of. Srixon ZUR-S are relatively good too. I love the Titilest V1 but for the $$$ find Calloways are the go for me. I’m getting some Bridgestone B330s soon so I’ll let you know how they go too.

Cant go past Precept Laddies. Nice and soft, decent distance wise and dirt cheap. Bridgestone B330’s are a great pill on were going real cheap not too long ago. Under $40.

Alternatively find a good supplier of used balls and play Pro V’s. If you are in Sydney I can hook you up with some good contacts.

Hi guys, thanks for your suggestions, I’m in Adelaide BTW. I should clarify that I am under no illusions that a new ball is going to shave shots off my game (which is sporting a pretty full beard at the moment!), it’s just that I’ve found, initially after trying a Nike Platinum which my regular playing partner, a 4 Handicap, gave me, that playing a quality soft/softish ball really enhances the enjoyment factor, and that’s what I play for. I was really taken aback by the difference in feel off the irons and wedge in particular, even the putter. I stumbled across the Hogans almost by accident ($40 on the clearance table at Rebel Sport!) and have been really pleased with them. I have read various reports/opinions that the HX Tour is the same ball rebadged since Callaway bought Hogan, and yet I also read that the Callaway deteriorates fast, which I haven’t really found to be the case with my Hogans. Maybe I just don’t rip my wedge (TM rac black) as hard as others.

I saw the Bridgestone B330s for around $40 today, I think they were the superceeded model, might be worth a try at that price.

Thanks again for your kind advice, and keep it coming!

I have tried lots of balls, tried the nike one back, Titliest proVIx, HX tour and Srixon ZUR and Hogan balls also,

Recently I thought I would try an experiment, I played two rounds with a Pro VIx and 2 rounds with a HX tour and two rounds with a nike one black, the nike wore the most, the HX tour was second and the pro VIX was suprisingly the vest last ball. I payed 3 balls together in the middle of the day on my days off from work when the course was pretty empty in case your wondering how I did it,

I have used Callway HX hots also and they are pretty good, srixon ZUR’s didnt last long and cut up on irons pretty quickly, the best 2 piece ball were the srixon ad 333 and bridgetsone E6 in my view.

Recently UK golf magizine “Todays Golfer” rated the Callaway Warbird as the best value 2 piece ball, for a distance ball its suprisingly good around the greens.

I’ve been using the B330S for a few rounds now and like them a lot. The ball itself seems quite durable but not the cover if you have good grooves on your wedges. It doesn’t put me off using them though.

Definately the Pro V1 as the most durable premium ball, but you can buy cheaper, good balls for hackers at 2 or 3 for the price of 1 Titleist. You’ll probably find the Bridgestone’s chop up pretty easily, but as far as bang for buck goes, the Srixon’s are the best. The premiums don’t cost as much, and the middle of the range balls will suffice for most of us choppers.

Definately the Pro V1 as the most durable premium ball, but you can buy cheaper, good balls for hackers at 2 or 3 for the price of 1 Titleist. You’ll probably find the Bridgestone’s chop up pretty easily, but as far as bang for buck goes, the Srixon’s are the best. The premiums don’t cost as much, and the middle of the range balls will suffice for most of us choppers.

Gee Dan, glad you consider yourself a chopper like us! Hey catweasel, try drummonds at enfield, they had warbirds at $26 doz clearing last years balls.

ebay guys, cheap as chips

why people buy balls from shops still is beyond me.

A good hacker ball is the srixon ad333 designed for 75-95 mph swingers

Dan, love the pic of big Dwayne Leverock what a catch! Interested to hear you suggest that Pro V1 is most durable of the premium market. Maybe I should take advantage of the apparent abundance of ‘AA’ used V1s doing the rounds on ebay and give em a go. Flip, thanks for the tip re Drummonds. It was Drummonds/Kerry Ellis on West tce where they are selling older Bridgestone B330s for $40 too they’ve got some decent specials at the moment might go have a chat with the staff there tmrw. I’m on annual leave for a couple of weeks got time on my hands..

The 2007 Nike one + platinum very durable and at the top end of the ball tree. Alot more spin than the prov1x, cheaper and more durable. My fav ball is the Cally HX tour 56 when the greens are not very receptive but they chop up within a few holes for me.

Gee Dan, glad you consider yourself a chopper like us! Hey catweasel, try drummonds at enfield, they had warbirds at $26 doz clearing last years balls.

You’d be kidding yourself if anyone here thought otherwise. This is an age-old ISG argument that no one wants to go back to.

Catweazle – I find you get 2-3 full rounds out of one before you start to take too much skin off (trees and cart paths aside). The only problem I have with Titleists is that they go off-white fairly quickly. Having said that, they Titleist NXT Tour ball is a great value ball without the expense of the Pro V’s.

I don’t use Callaway’s much, but I bought some Warbirds a few years ago. I still have all of them – they are like hitting a lump of concrete!

I find that the Srixon’s hold together well and retain their whiteness better than other balls. Each to their own, but that’s my advice.

Yep Nike Platinum is the most durable top end ball, the Cally 56 Tour is the best ball flight and spin but cuts up bad after about 3 holes.

I’ve just started to use the Taylor Made TP Red and was pleasantly surprised. Switched to it after losing a HX Tour 56 and seemed to gain a few metres with no loss of feel,spin etc. Only used it for the 2nd half of the round so can’t say how durable it is.

Tried the Srixon Z UR-C yesterday. Very durable. Only a couple of marks on it after 18 holes from bunker shots & it backed up nicely on full short iron shots without going completely into hard reverse gear like the Pro V or HX Tour does for me. Not quite as checky on chips as those balls around the greens but thats what I expected. Felt nice off the putter too. No idea what they cost.

The New Srixon zur’s seem to play pretty good and even after 2 rounds the ball is still looking like new!

golfballs.com.au are great. I use them for all of my purchases. Their 1st Quality second hand balls are always in v good nick.

interesting to note that, as I used the nike one black 06 model and they chopped pretty quickly, maybe the new model is better.

ive just started using nike one platniums best nike one ball they have brought out also cant beat the pro v and the the callaway hxt tours go off

srixon all the way.

the “trispeed” is great if you like the titlest nxt – hits long, very-very durable and only $40 a box.

the “z-ur” is good, but a bit too much spin for us higher handicappers

Hello to you all, yay for my first post (have been reading for a while and thought it’s about time I participated).

Favourite premium ball and one that I play with is the B330s. Why? Feels great on all shots incl. putting, doesn’t spin excessively (but checks on the green) and goes a good distance. It still hurts to buy any balls for $70+ per dozen, but just bought 5 dozen new B330s (last years model) for $38.90 per dozen on ebay.

If budgeting (or going through a bad spell), i’d be on the Precept Laddie Extreme for $19.00 a dozen.

Superceded B330s and ZUR-S can be bought for less than $40… Both great balls

Hi guys, just to update you all, coincidentally I picked up a box of the old B330s as mentioned above for $40, haven’t used em yet but playing Friday and Saturday. I’ll see how I go no miracles expected and if I find em a bit hard to handle the damage to the bank account won’t be too bad. Thanks for all your advice, hope this thread might help others out too, and by all means keep your suggestions coming!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/50-E...

I have bought balls from him and they are very reasonable balls….lot cheaper than 40 for 12

I have also tried the Bridgestone E6 ball, very good for a 2 piece ball