Consumer Reports tests golf balls...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Ok...the results are in and not influenced by advertising revenue. Here's an article that you would never see in GD or GW. Take a look at their methodology. Take a look at the results. I predict a run on the the Nike Power Super Distance Soft ball, a best buy.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/travel/golf-balls-506/overview.htm

[TEPaul]

By the way, CR apparently has been using testing equipment and protocols of their own that although perhaps not identical to the USGA's tests and protocols is close enough.

Also from at least one distance example in the CR article it would appear there is no real disportionality in distance production through the swing speed spectrum (the 90 mph compared to the 110 mph example).

The distance spike seen occasionally with some tour players is the result of this new phenomenon of individual "swing/ball/club" test monitoring known generally as "optimization testing". An example of this from one source was Ernie Els. He had apparently been using all the wrong combinations for him and when "optimize" tested picked up considerable distance with the same swing and MPH.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Yeah, why the heck not play a $14 per dozen ball if it goes just as far.  I have played a bunch of them, and the spin rate doesn't seem to affect my game.

Maybe the USGA is right, though - when JN was longest by far, perhaps it was just because he had a 120MPH swing speed.  I think the shafts may have the most to do with increasing swing speed.

Hard to believe that 27 MIL golfers only spend $763 MIL ($28 per golfer, or less than two dozen each) on balls in a year......I guess a lot of sales go to those lake vendors on used balls.

[David Ober]

Yeah, why the heck not play a $14 per dozen ball if it goes just as far.  I have played a bunch of them, and the spin rate doesn't seem to affect my game.

Maybe the USGA is right, though - when JN was longest by far, perhaps it was just because he had a 120MPH swing speed.  I think the shafts may have the most to do with increasing swing speed.

Hard to believe that 27 MIL golfers only spend $763 MIL ($28 per golfer, or less than two dozen each) on balls in a year......I guess a lot of sales go to those lake vendors on used balls.

It's not just that. Heck, probably 1/3 to 1/2 of the people they call "golfers" in those article play ONCE a year.

[A_Clay_Man]

In short, selecting a ball today involves more than a quick stop at the local leathersmith. “It’s so confusing, many players just buy the equipment that the people they play with like or their favorite pros use without taking into account the possibility that their choice may be hurting their game,” says Michael Marion, director of golf at Promontory golf course in Park City, Utah, and Golf Digest’s pick for Utah’s top golf teacher. For example, beginners may not know enough about their games to determine whether they do better with a harder or softer type of ball.

Beginners hurting thier game?

Do beginners even have a game?

Decomposition is emminating from Denmark.

[BCrosby]

TEP -

There's something I don't understnd in their distance/swing  speed numbers.

If you take the middle range of the distance results for each swing speed, you get a 2.509 multiplier for 110 mph and a 2.5666 multiplier for 90 mph.

The multipliers ought to be the same. What the above says is that, in effect, you get more distance per mph at 90 mph than at 110 mph.

Anyone got an explanation? Is it a function of increased wind resistance at higher initial velocities?

Bob

[redanman]

So let me get this, Bridgestone makes better balls for Nike than they do for themselves?

[A.G._Crockett]

So let me get this, Bridgestone makes better balls for Nike than they do for themselves?

Actually, this COULD happen if the Nike brand was strong enough to allow Nike to have Bridgestone build balls to specs that Nike could sell at $40+, while Bridgestone's ability to still sell the ball under their own name successfully might end at a lower price, and with lesser specs.

That said, I doubt that the above is the case.  I would imagine that Nike buyers are helping pay Tiger, David, and others, rather than buying a better ball that stuff labeled Precept or Bridgestone.

[redanman]

So why do I like Bridgestone's B330 better than every ball sold under the Nike aegis? (and all the others)











Because I simply like them better.  

[Jeff_Brauer]

Bill,

Rugge makes that comment at the end. Just play what you like.  I have been told that feel is really non-existant.  Its more a matter of the sound of the ball, since you really have no connection between the club/ball interface.  That could be a result of cover material, thickness, etc.

I recall touring the USGA testing facility when Frank Thomas was running it.  He got a lot of questions, most of which he sidestepped nicely.  However, he did comment that Bridgestone balls (this is ten years ago and may have changed) were the closest to the 255 ft/sec limit overall.  Because of tighter construction tolerances, they were able to be at 254.5 rather than the 253.75 of other mfgs and still pass the 99/100 balls required to be legally within the limit.

So, I guess at the 2.5 Yard per MPH multiplier listed above, you probably get another 1.875 Yards, which I am sure you noticed.....

[John_Cullum]

So why do I like Bridgestone's B330 better than every ball sold under the Nike aegis? (and all the others)

Because Tiger plays Nike!!!

[TEPaul]

" I have been told that feel is really non-existant.  Its more a matter of the sound of the ball, since you really have no connection between the club/ball interface."

Jeff:

That's an interesting point about sound and not feel. However, no good player will deny that around greens and such the old high spinning "soft" ball definitely performed different than the old low-spin two piece "rock".

On the other hand, back to your point about the sound of club and ball. Have you ever tried to play golf with earphones on with your favorite music?

If not you should try it sometime. It's pretty cool actually as it can enhance your swing at first but not hearing the sound of the club hitting the ball is totally weird and the even odder thing is after a hole or two you can even totally miss shots, and you know what---you don't even care.

I'm serious. Try it sometime. It's amazing.

redanman:

Might it be safe to say if NIKE payed you in the neighborhood of 25 million a year you might like their ball a bit better?

[John Kavanaugh]

I was about to go out and buy some Nikies and realized they probably did not seam the Titlest during the test...In a cross wind I always seam the ball against the wind...could have helped the accuracy numbers..not to mention the distance numbers in a head/back wind.

[Ryan Crago]

as much as i trust consumer reports when i'm buying, say a dvd player, i am skeptical this time 'round.  who knew the pinnacle gold distance and pinnace exception had VERY GOOD and EXCELLENT "Soft Feel".  

cough.

[David_Tepper]

I read an article a while back in Golf World saying market research has shown that "better golfers" prefer golf balls that have a slight off- or egg-shell white color rather than a bright-white color.  Given two identically-made balls, one bright-white and the other off-white, golfers chose the off-white ball as the "better" playing ball, even though the playing characteristics of the two balls were the same.

My guess is the off-white color is associated with the old Titleist balata ball, while a bright-white color reminds golfers of the old Top-Flite surlyn ball.

The human mind is a very funny thing some times.

[Garland Bayley]

as much as i trust consumer reports when i'm buying, say a dvd player, i am skeptical this time 'round.  who knew the pinnacle gold distance and pinnace exception had VERY GOOD and EXCELLENT "Soft Feel".  

cough.

Scientific testing as reported in GD has shown that people attribute feel to sound. If the pannacles don't have the harsh sound of the old rockflites, people are going to attribute a softer feel to them.

It seems that what most good golfers think about when they hear the term soft feel is spin rate around the greens. The ratings for spin rate for the pinnacles more accurately reflect what you may be thinking of as soft feel.

[Ryan Crago]

garland,

perhaps you are right re: the spin rate ratings... however, i suppose my definition of "soft feel" is multifold to include approach shots, pitching, chipping, as well (and perhaps most importantly for me personally) putting.  even with a blindfold and earplugs, the pinnacles are going to "feel" like the rockflites you mention.

[Garland Bayley]

Ryan,

Why don't you perform a controlled experiment of what you just suggested and report back to us.

[redanman]

redanman:

Might it be safe to say if NIKE payed you in the neighborhood of 25 million a year you might like their ball a bit better?

Tom

I'm disappointed that you evn had to ask that.  For $25M, there's a few things I might do, even play Nike Balls. Money out of my own pocket?   It ain't going to Phil Knight; Tiger? I actually don't really care anymore. His prime time is past. It's Michelle "non-winner" Wie and her opportunistic dad.  But at least he's no Mr O'Hair.

I'd agree with the off-white vs. bright white comment.

[Mike_Trenham]

Last time CR rated the products in my industry a person in the know would have rated the brands in the exact opposite order, so I put no trust in CR especially in things they know little about or have minimal history reviewing.  

Would you rely on the Top 100 courses from MAXIM?

[TEPaul]

"I was about to go out and buy some Nikies and realized they probably did not seam the Titlest during the test...In a cross wind I always seam the ball against the wind...could have helped the accuracy numbers..not to mention the distance numbers in a head/back wind."

Yeah, right John. The manufacturer suckers another one into becoming fixated on some non-existent wrinkle.  "Seaming" your Titleist for side wind or head wind falls into just about the same category as psychosomatics.  

[John Kavanaugh]

Has Mr. Rugge or Geoff S. ever offered an opinion or facts on seaming...I just love doing it..

[TEPaul]

"...I just love doing it.."

Of course you do. It makes us feel pretty clever, doesn't it? And don't let GeoffShac or Rugge or anyone else take that away from you. David Moriarty may come up with some tour stats and homemade graphs that attempts to prove that seaming is the very thing that allows clever tour players to unfairly gain disportionate distance over everyone else.

[John Kavanaugh]

It really isn't a bad swing thought...

[A.G._Crockett]

Last time CR rated the products in my industry a person in the know would have rated the brands in the exact opposite order, so I put no trust in CR especially in things they know little about or have minimal history reviewing.  

Would you rely on the Top 100 courses from MAXIM?

Mike,
Actually, this particular CR report wasn't bad at all.  They rated highly the cheaper balls, which makes perfect sense for the average golfer, and is consistent with CR philosophy of looking for the trade-off of value and quality.  They do, however, point out that better golfers might need a more expensive ball, and they also rate the various premium balls highly.  I doubt there would be anything new to anybody on this site in the article, but for a beginner/infrequent player, it really wasn't bad stuff.

BTW, I don't know what industry you're in, but I have had a lot of luck with CR Best Buy picks over the years.  I basically just buy what they say from Toyotas to appliances, etc., and I've never had a bad experience yet.  I do think that the more specialized your knowledge or product use becomes, the less applicable CR is, because they put such emphasis on value.

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