This handy device will save you from a defective golf ball

Ever hit a drive that felt more like a smush than a smash? The culprit isn’t always you, your swing or your driver—it could be your golf ball.

Most balls have compression ratings that fall within a particular range for each model, but it’s not uncommon to find a few outliers among your daily dozen that throw your normal shot distances and spin rates completely out of whack. Enter ProCheck ($199), a handy device used to check any ball’s compression rating in seconds.

With ProCheck, it’s easy to identify where your ball ranks on an 8-point spectrum ranging from “very soft” to “very firm.” And via the tool’s simple compression guide, you’ll know right away whether your pellet aligns with the compression rating best suited for your swing.

Lastly, the ProCheck isn’t just for quality control—it’s also useful for determining compression variances due to weather conditions and for testing the longevity of older golf balls or ones you find lying around the course.

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