Robotic testing data can offer valuable insights that otherwise might get lost in a sea of product marketing speak. Those insights become even more valuable when searching for the right golf ball amongst a myriad of deserving offerings.
As we’ve highlighted in past pieces, and on GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast, golf ball testing generally takes time and access to a proper short game area. Not to mention several rounds to vet potential options on the course. There’s a reason why golfers tend to throw a budget-friendly ball in the bag and call it a day. Not everyone has the time, patience or practice facilities to conduct ball testing.
But let’s assume for a second that you want to conduct ball testing but don’t have any interest in going through the same thorough vetting process as, say, Tiger Woods. Maybe you’re good for the Cliff’s Notes version.
Where do you start? Head straight to the short game area and drop balls around 40 to 50 yards from the green. For most pros, this is the money distance that generally determines if a ball is worthy of further testing.
“It’s your short game that’s going to be the biggest defining factor,” said Golf Laboratories founder Gene Parente. “For most tour players, the money shot that determines whether they’re going to use a ball is the 40-yard wedge shot. They want to know how the ball flies, controls and lands. Start short and work your way back.”
Last year, GOLF and Golf Laboratories linked up to conduct golf ball testing with the help of a swing robot. Looking strictly at the numbers, the spin rate delta on a 50-yard wedge shot with the robot was noticeably larger than the driver — to the tune of 3,300 RPMs for the wedge and 600 RPMs with the driver. Those are the extremes at the top and bottom of the spin spectrum, but it highlights the importance of knowing your golf ball and prioritizing the short game during testing.
TaylorMade TP5x Stripe Ball
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Out of the 40 balls that went through testing, 31 had a spin rate of over 6,300 RPMs on the wedge shot, which is ample spin for a wedge shot. So even if you don’t know the ins and outs of your current ball, there’s a good chance it’s somewhere in the neighborhood of what you should be using — provided it has a urethane cover. Just don’t assume until you see the numbers for yourself.
As for golfers currently playing offerings with a firmer Surlyn cover, greenside spin is being sacrificed for more distance in most cases. Depending on needs (not to mention budget) and where your game is currently at, it might make sense to start with Surlyn and graduate to urethane when you start finding the green on a more consistent basis. That’s one way to look at it.
