Ball Fitting

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  • 01-25-2009
    Horseballs
    Ball Fitting
    I went to pick up my Wishon irons yesterday and did a ball fitting with the club maker.
    Pretty interesting stuff.
    I used a Bridgestone B330S as the baseline.
    I hit five balls with a driver, 5 iron, and PW into a net with a launch monitor to get averages.
    Turns out the my ball of choice should be a Callaway Tour IX, which I've never hit before.
    Some numbers...
    Driver ball speed 158.9
    Driver launch angle 13.6
    Driver spin 2862
    5 iron ball speed 131.8
    5 iron launch angle 15.6
    5 iron spin 6033
    PW ball speed 105.1
    PW launch angle 24.9
    PW spin 10280

    My PW had spin levels greater than the software could handle, which I thought was a little strange. The program wouldn't accept anything higher than 9999. I don't even feel like I've got incredible spin with my wedges.
    The Bstone was not very good for my game apparently. It came in no better than 10th place on each club.
  • 01-25-2009
    SoonerBS
    Callaway Tour iX is a good ball.
  • 01-25-2009
    Horseballs
    I'm definitely going to check it out. The last Cally I played with any regularity was the HX Tour about 3 years ago. Good ball, but terrible for durability.
  • 01-25-2009
    golfaholic
    [QUOTE=Horseballs]I'm definitely going to check it out. The last Cally I played with any regularity was the HX Tour about 3 years ago. Good ball, but terrible for durability.[/QUOTE]


    ix is better for durability, however, i find it sucks on the green. Feels like your putting a marshmellow.
  • 01-25-2009
    bigpun1974
    I can't wait to see Camp Freddy's input on this topic.
  • 01-25-2009
    Omen2
    Wisho Irons??? did i miss something... did you have a stroke?

    cally iX... huh... i might have to give this ball a look..

    Omen
  • 01-25-2009
    rooboy
    HB - What other balls were tested and how did they compare? Is there that much difference between 1st and 10th and how they would perform on the course?
  • 01-25-2009
    NiftyNiblick
    I wish that I weren't such a technophobe. I'd be as likely to get electronically fitted for a ball as I would to get fitted for electrodes on my balls. I'm not suggesting in any way that it's a bad idea (the former, I mean). Quite the contrary, but it's just not the type of thing that old guys do.

    I was going with the Bridgestone B330RX but upon trying some cheaper Top Flite Gamers, I honestly couldn't see where I was giving anything up.
  • 01-25-2009
    NiftyNiblick
    [quote=Omen2]Wisho [sic] Irons??? did i miss something... did you have a stroke?

    [/quote]

    The 770CFEs. at least, are a nice club. They're in my II bag.
  • 01-25-2009
    SoonerBS
    [QUOTE=NiftyNiblick]I wish that I weren't such a technophobe. I'd be as likely to get electronically fitted for a ball as I would to get fitted for electrodes on my balls. I'm not suggesting in any way that it's a bad idea (the former, I mean). Quite the contrary, but it's just not the type of thing that old guys do.

    [B]I was going with the Bridgestone B330RX but upon trying some cheaper Top Flite Gamers, I honestly couldn't see where I was giving anything up.[/B][/QUOTE]

    The Callaway iX is definitely not cheap. I don't buy them personally, but I do have a couple of guys I play with that know I like to play them so they save them whenever they find them and give them to me. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't bother with them.

    Another ball I have found and bought that I like just as well as the Cally iX is the Maxfli Blackmax. I think this ball is very underrated simply because it is not a big name brand. That's alright with me though because I get to play a great ball at a low price.
  • 01-25-2009
    dorkman53
    [QUOTE=Horseballs]I went to pick up my Wishon irons yesterday and did a ball fitting with the club maker.
    Pretty interesting stuff.
    I used a Bridgestone B330S as the baseline.
    I hit five balls with a driver, 5 iron, and PW into a net with a launch monitor to get averages.
    Turns out the my ball of choice should be a Callaway Tour IX, which I've never hit before.
    Some numbers...
    Driver ball speed 158.9
    Driver launch angle 13.6
    Driver spin 2862
    5 iron ball speed 131.8
    5 iron launch angle 15.6
    5 iron spin 6033
    PW ball speed 105.1
    PW launch angle 24.9
    PW spin 10280

    My PW had spin levels greater than the software could handle, which I thought was a little strange. The program wouldn't accept anything higher than 9999. I don't even feel like I've got incredible spin with my wedges.
    The Bstone was not very good for my game apparently. It came in no better than 10th place on each club.[/QUOTE]

    Wishon makes several iron sets. Which one did you get? I am currently playing the 560 MC's.
  • 01-25-2009
    DeadlySight
    Me and my friend had same testing done

    Both of us Had Callaway Tour IX #1 with Nike One Black and Nike One Platinum Close behind.
  • 01-25-2009
    NiftyNiblick
    [quote=SoonerBS]I think this ball is very underrated simply because it is not a big name brand. [/quote]

    It's strange for an older linkster with a good memory to think of Maxfli as "not a big name brand."

    Along with the old Spalding Dot, the Dunlop Maxfli used to be every bit as big as Titleist. And the Acushnet Titleist was the newest to join the big three.

    "Maxfli" used to be a Dunlop model then, not a brand name as it is now. The main 1.62" (old R&A size) Dunlop was the "65," and the main 1.68" model was the Maxfli. It was a huge name back in the fifties and sixties. Things change, obviously.
  • 01-26-2009
    Pky6471
    I played with all kinds of golf balls , most of them fairly new which I found on golf courses, some are new from corporates.. I have not bought a golf ball in 15 yrs and I played better in the last 3 yrs, mostly due to new equipments that fit me (I am told that I have a good golf swing since the beginning of my golf life). I am sure that there are a few balls that would match me better , but I doubt if it would lower my handicap, I believe that it's all in our clubs and mostly in our golf swing... Having said that, don't play with junk balls
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    I got the 555M's in 7-PW and 555C's in 3-6 with KBS Tour shafts. I got fitted with true length technology with is supposed to allow you to be in the same spine angle for every iron. The irons are also MOI matched and all the other stuff Lyle knows about (and I still really don't). These irons are every bit as pretty as the MP32's.
    The TLT will take a bit of getting used to. My new PW is the same length as my old 8 iron, and the irons progress in 3/8" increments as opposed to 1/2". My 5 iron is the same lenght as my MP32 3 iron.

    Rooboy, I only tested the B330S. It was pre-programmed to be used as a baseline. I could have used any ball for the testing as long as the software had the characteristics loaded. Based on the numbers, there is some interpretation I had to do based on what I'm looking for a ball to do. If I wanted more spin on the wedges, I would have picked the Nike Platinum but would have sacrificed distance on the driver and longer irons.
    The difference between the B330S (came in 16th, I believe) and Cally Tour IX was about 10 yards of carry and 15 total yards with the driver.
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    [QUOTE=SoonerBS]The Callaway iX is definitely not cheap. I don't buy them personally, but I do have a couple of guys I play with that know I like to play them so they save them whenever they find them and give them to me. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't bother with them.

    Another ball I have found and bought that I like just as well as the Cally iX is the Maxfli Blackmax. I think this ball is very underrated simply because it is not a big name brand. That's alright with me though because I get to play a great ball at a low price.[/QUOTE]
    I buy balls with proshop credit. It is usually enough to pay for them during the year. Everything else in the proshop is ridiculously expensive and I already have about 20 SPCC shirts.
    I used to play the Blackmax when it was a $29 3 piece ball. I think the new ones aren't nearly as good though.
  • 01-26-2009
    SoonerBS
    [QUOTE=Horseballs]I buy balls with proshop credit. It is usually enough to pay for them during the year. Everything else in the proshop is ridiculously expensive and I already have about 20 SPCC shirts.
    [B]I used to play the Blackmax when it was a $29 3 piece ball.[/B] I think the new ones aren't nearly as good though.[/QUOTE]


    That's the ones I play mostly, HB. Whenever you buy used balls in MINT condition off ebay, they send you mostly the old balls, but they are in great shape. I'm not as excited about the new ones either, but the older model has a great feel.
  • 01-26-2009
    poe4soul
    H-balls, was that the longest ball demoed? It seems to me that the spin rate is a bit higher than optimum. I was also wondering what LM he was using?

    On a different subject but related. One on the pro's at the range I frequent says Ping has a new program out that will give you all of your club distances to a yard by entering your club stats and averages from your driver, a long iron and a wedge. He showed me a white paper on tours and average HC's who used it with real average comparisons to actual averages. The programs yardages were very close usually within a yard or two.
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    [QUOTE=poe4soul]H-balls, was that the longest ball demoed? It seems to me that the spin rate is a bit higher than optimum. I was also wondering what LM he was using?

    On a different subject but related. One on the pro's at the range I frequent says Ping has a new program out that will give you all of your club distances to a yard by entering your club stats and averages from your driver, a long iron and a wedge. He showed me a white paper on tours and average HC's who used it with real average comparisons to actual averages. The programs yardages were very close usually within a yard or two.[/QUOTE]
    All of my numbers were from a Bridgestone B330S. The program extrapolates how other balls would perform given those numbers from the Bridgestone. Does that make any sense?
    I really don't know what LM he was using. Apparently it's a pretty good one though, doppler I believe.
    My driver spin rate wasn't too bad, considering I use a 10.5 driver. The ball speed would go up and the spin would go slightly down if I was to use the Callaway.
    I may have the guy do another one when I go pick up my wedges in a couple weeks. After we got done with the ball fitting, I told him the balls I used for testing spent a week in the back of my car in below freezing temps. He called me a moron.
  • 01-26-2009
    golfaholic
    [QUOTE=Horseballs]I buy balls with proshop credit. It is usually enough to pay for them during the year. Everything else in the proshop is ridiculously expensive and I already have about 20 SPCC shirts.
    I used to play the Blackmax when it was a $29 3 piece ball. I think the new ones aren't nearly as good though.[/QUOTE]
    Huh? They stopped making the Bmax years ago..didn't they?
  • 01-26-2009
    dorkman53
    [QUOTE=Horseballs]I got the 555M's in 7-PW and 555C's in 3-6 with KBS Tour shafts. I got fitted with true length technology with is supposed to allow you to be in the same spine angle for every iron. The irons are also MOI matched and all the other stuff Lyle knows about (and I still really don't). These irons are every bit as pretty as the MP32's.
    The TLT will take a bit of getting used to. My new PW is the same length as my old 8 iron, and the irons progress in 3/8" increments as opposed to 1/2". My 5 iron is the same lenght as my MP32 3 iron.

    QUOTE]
    Those should be sweet.

    I currently have a mixed set on order from Scratch. I'm getting the 3-6 in the EZ-1's (muscle-cavity backs with the emphasis on cavity, with a thin topline and minimal offset), and the 7-PW in the AR-1's (also muscle-cavities, but with a less deep cavity; definitely in the "player's cavity" category) with Black Gold shafts (my personal preference.) I know Lyle G isn't a fan of the Black Golds, but I've done very well with them, and I am confident that Scratch will get it right regarding the frequencies and swingweights.
    In the meantime, I'll probably hang on to my Wishon 560 MC's for the time being as a backup set.
    There is some delay in getting the heads from Japan, but I can be patient, since I am playing with a great set of irons already.
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    I'm also going to hold on to my old clubs. I now have 2 full sets, but my backup putter isn't exactly ideal. It's a plumber neck offset mallet that is bent. I thought it would be a good idea to throw a ball up and hit it baseball-style after a particularly bad 3 jack. I never thought I'd actually make contact, let alone bend the plumber neck. I've tried to bend it back, but it's even worse now. Lesson learned.
    I really wanted to do a side-by-side but the place I was at only had hard rubber mats. I'm just going to go cold turkey when I go to Florida in March.
  • 01-26-2009
    Not a hacker
    [QUOTE=Horseballs]....Rooboy, I only tested the B330S. It was pre-programmed to be used as a baseline. I could have used any ball for the testing as long as the software had the characteristics loaded. Based on the numbers, there is some interpretation I had to do based on what I'm looking for a ball to do. If I wanted more spin on the wedges, I would have picked the Nike Platinum but would have sacrificed distance on the driver and longer irons.
    The difference between the B330S (came in 16th, I believe) and Cally Tour IX was about 10 yards of carry and 15 total yards with the driver.[/QUOTE]
    First off HB, I must echo Omen's comments on your choice of clubs. Wishon? WTF?

    As for balls, it seems like a no brainer. The iX is the longest ball for you. All other things are irrelevant. I find it hard to believe the B330S would give up THAT much distance to the iX, but if it's true it makes the B330S a POS ball. I've used the B330S lately and my suspicions were that they were a fair bit shorter off the tee than the ProV1X and Srixon ZURC (longest for me from experience). Your LM experience seems to confirm this so I won't be putting any more Bridgestones into play. On the topic of balls, during the week I found some D2 distances on special so I picked up a dozen. I used them on Saturday and drove the green on one of our par 4's that I haven't reached for a while. I hit them well with the irons too and they stop well on full shots. They give up a little stopping power around the greens, but in every other respect they feel and perform like a tour ball to me and putt great (NN I have tried the gamer but they just don't cut it for me and are too soft). I'd love to have access to a launch monitor like the one you used to copmare the D2 results. If it didn't have top flite stamped on it I'd game it for sure, but I just can't bring myself to gaming them on good courses. I'll be using them exclusively around the goat track from now on though, and on other courses when the greens aren't hard.
  • 01-26-2009
    dorkman53
    [QUOTE=Not a hacker]First off HB, I must echo Omen's comments on your choice of clubs. Wishon? WTF?

    QUOTE]
    Perhaps you'd like to share with the class what you know about Wishon clubs.......

    Particularly helpful would be your personal experiences hitting different models.......
  • 01-26-2009
    Not a hacker
    [QUOTE=dorkman53][QUOTE=Not a hacker]First off HB, I must echo Omen's comments on your choice of clubs. Wishon? WTF?

    QUOTE]
    Perhaps you'd like to share with the class what you know about Wishon clubs.......

    Particularly helpful would be your personal experiences hitting different models.......[/QUOTE]
    I hit some in the nets a few years back when I was getting a set of Mizunl blades re-shafted. I wanted to compare them to the Mizzies first to see if I should just go with a new set of Wishons instead, but there was no comparison in feel. That was a long time ago s the newer ones might be better.

    But you should know that my comments were mainly because of the irons he was ditching, not the ones he was picking up. I would have said the same thing no matter what clubs he was going to (with the possible exception of Miuras).
  • 01-26-2009
    dorkman53
    [QUOTE=Not a hacker][QUOTE=dorkman53]
    I hit some in the nets a few years back when I was getting a set of Mizunl blades re-shafted. I wanted to compare them to the Mizzies first to see if I should just go with a new set of Wishons instead, but there was no comparison in feel. That was a long time ago s the newer ones might be better.

    But you should know that my comments were mainly because of the irons he was ditching, not the ones he was picking up. I would have said the same thing no matter what clubs he was going to (with the possible exception of Miuras).[/QUOTE]
    I'll agree that the Wishons don't have quite the same softness in feel of the Mizuno irons I've had in the past (the MP 60's most recently), but they are fine performers and still feel great on well hit shots, and not too bad on less than great shots.
  • 01-26-2009
    Not a hacker
    [QUOTE=dorkman53][QUOTE=Not a hacker]
    I'll agree that the Wishons don't have quite the same softness in feel of the Mizuno irons I've had in the past (the MP 60's most recently), but they are fine performers and still feel great on well hit shots, and not too bad on less than great shots.[/QUOTE]
    Wishon obviously have a much more comprehensive fitting program than OEM brands like Mizuno too, which is a big plus. Getting the right fit and knowing yourclubs exact specs is a definite advantage.

    I suppose HB will be the best one to compare the two though. It will be interesting to hear his views on the subject after he has bagged the Wishons long enough to make a comparison.
  • 01-26-2009
    Kiwi Player
    [QUOTE=Horseballs] I thought it would be a good idea to throw a ball up and hit it baseball-style after a particularly bad 3 jack. I never thought I'd actually make contact, let alone bend the plumber neck. I've tried to bend it back, but it's even worse now. Lesson learned. [/QUOTE]

    I saw a guy do that with his driver after a poorly hit drive. Hit the ball with the shaft and snapped it clean in two. The head went flying and it took him a few minutes to find it in the deep rough. LMAO - he had to tee off for the rest of the round with some sh*tty old 3 wood. :D
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    [QUOTE=Not a hacker][QUOTE=dorkman53]
    Wishon obviously have a much more comprehensive fitting program than OEM brands like Mizuno too, which is a big plus. Getting the right fit and knowing yourclubs exact specs is a definite advantage.

    I suppose HB will be the best one to compare the two though. It will be interesting to hear his views on the subject after he has bagged the Wishons long enough to make a comparison.[/QUOTE]
    To be honest, the Wishons feel just as soft as the Mizuno's, but that is likely more a shaft issue. Project X, while a very good shaft for me and others, is very tip stiff and is said to be harsh.
  • 01-26-2009
    Omen2
    HB pics please i dont want to offend my mizunos by searching for wishons... those clubs are finicky enough as it is.

    Omen...
  • 01-26-2009
    SoonerBS
    [QUOTE=Horseballs][QUOTE=Not a hacker]
    To be honest, the Wishons feel just as soft as the Mizuno's, but that is likely more a shaft issue. Project X, while a very good shaft for me and others, is very tip stiff and is said to be harsh.[/QUOTE]

    If anybody ever buys the Mizunos with an Exsar shaft like I did, then they will find the Exsars are tip stiff, too. Of course, I like this feature. A more mid ball flight seems to give me more control over where my ball goes. The Project Xs were my second choices if I didn't decide to go graphite.
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    1 Attachment(s)
    [QUOTE=Omen2]HB pics please i dont want to offend my mizunos by searching for wishons... those clubs are finicky enough as it is.

    Omen...[/QUOTE]
    I'll try. They are in my basement right now and I don't want my wife to think I'm a psychopath by taking pictures of my clubs (sorry BJ, RIP).
    Here's the 7-PW. The 3-6 wouldn't thrill you.
  • 01-26-2009
    dorkman53
    [QUOTE=Horseballs][QUOTE=Not a hacker]
    To be honest, the Wishons feel just as soft as the Mizuno's, but that is likely more a shaft issue. Project X, while a very good shaft for me and others, is very tip stiff and is said to be harsh.[/QUOTE]
    The subjective softness is probably model dependent, anyway. You went closer to blades than I did, so yours will probably feel a bit sweeter on well hit shots, and a little harsher on poorly hit shots, particularly thin ones.
    Of course, as you say, the shafts can make a big difference, too, depending on the bend profile and the flex.
  • 01-26-2009
    Not a hacker
    Certainly look the part HB. I didn't realise their new stuff was so sharp. The only stuff I've seen here is the chopper CB models. These actually look like real golf clubs.
  • 01-26-2009
    Horseballs
    1 Attachment(s)
    [QUOTE=Not a hacker]Certainly look the part HB. I didn't realise their new stuff was so sharp. The only stuff I've seen here is the chopper CB models. These actually look like real golf clubs.[/QUOTE]
    Here's what I've got in 3-6. Same loft progression as the blades. They don't look awesome, but I think they are pretty nice. I'm more excited about the shafts and fitting (insert joke) than any of the clubheads.