With all this talk of new iron designs, giant size Drivers, what about the ball.
What is every one using? and does one make stand out from the rest.

I've been using the new Maxfli M3 Tour Red during the last couple of rounds - which I reckon is the A10 re-packaged - and though it's winter conditions it responds well and is very durable. The Titleist Pro V1 is still hard to beat in terms of length and spin, though not as durable especially if you discover much sand on your travels around the course. Strata were always my favourite but these have now been superceded and re-launched as Hogan Apex (we'll see). Callaway make good balls but tend to mark easily if your game's not quite on. The jury's still out on Nike, more swoosh than whoosh! Personally not a fan of Pinnacle, Dunlop (too hard), Precept, Srixon (softish and too easy to mark), Top-Flite, Wilson (length but hard to control).

As much as I try to deny it, the Pro V1 is tops. Not cheap, but when I line up the "seam" I am sure I hit staighter drives! My irons really "go" too and sit down very quickly. And heck, anything short of a 7 iron spins back!

I don't think I'm good enough to worry about what sort of balls I play. I play titleist balls if i can (but almost always buying them in bulk in a pro shop, often lake balls), but i'm sure it's only becuase of the reputation and logo, not any real difference that I feel they give me. At what sort of handicap does a player start to be affected by the ball he plays?

Because there is a significant difference in the way that balls play Ollie, I personally think that it is worthwhile either sticking to one type that suits your game. This will aid consistency.

I happen to like balls that have a little bit left in them on landing but also like a softer feel than some of the usual 'distance' balls.

I used Top Flite Magna's for years and saw my handicap drop and won a few comps. with them. Then I started using Strata Professional distance but didn't win a tapper.

Now I play Titleist NXT distance - still haven't won anything this year but have maintained my Hcp.
For general play Dunlop Total Performance play very similarly (not quite the same feel) but cheaper.

Ollie,

you should really try and use the same ball all the time, this gives you consistency and feel you can trust.

Lake balls can also be "damaged" you never know how long they've been down there and this can affect the performance of the balls.

I recently tried the Dunlop LoCo balls and found them very good for balls that cost around £12 for 12. Titleist balls are good but can be expensive if you are worried about losing them.

You should chose a ball on what you a looking to either improve or eradicate in your game, if you have a slice or hook go for a ball that has a low spin rate, mainly distance balls but they don't have to be the rock hard cheap distance balls (I don't want to slander any make but most people know which ones these are). If you are looking to hold the ball on the greens more or have a greater feel go for a tour ball.

A while a go a series of articles were started about which ball suited your style of play. If I remember rightly it we only got one part of it and it was never finished. Bob can we have another go at this kind of thing?

It's a murky world ball choice. It can easily get clouded by marketing speak. The best thing is to find a ball you like and stick with it. Look at Alan, he used to always go on about how good Top Flight 2000 magna where and used them for years, he only switched recently to Titleist nxt and seems to be using them consistantly. I my self have used Callow CB1 red for the last 2 years but have started using the Dunlop Loco ball as well (cost mainly). I noticed a marked improvement in the fact that I knew how the ball was going to react on a given shot.

Lionel,

I think you got in there while I was typing.

We must be thinking the same things.

Pro v's are very hard to beat. Soft and long with a good durability factor thrown in. It's a pity they are so expensive :-( I've been getting them from lakeballs.co.uk even though you have to get them on back order as they are so popular.

Ian, I've heard about the seam on the Pro V as well. Which way should the seam line up? Should it be vertical or horizontal? That sounds really desperate I know!!!

Titleist continually deny there's any advantage from lining up the seam with the line of intended play (well they would, to avoid falling foul of the R&A or USGA) but I know PGA Tour players, including Mickelson and Duval (before he switched to Nike) proved it. Saw a TV programme about long driving the other day and the instruction pro endorsed the seam theory, saying it added 10-15 yards. Personally I always draw a red line down part of the seam to a) help personal identification and b) line-up tee shots and putts. Range balls sometimes have similar lines printed on them but mostly it helps identify where they split!

Thanks for the pointers on the balls. I totally understand what you're saying, that using the same balls every time gives you the consistency that you need to work on your game. If I'm honest, though, the weaknesses in my game differ from round to round (one day I'm putting well, then next shockingly; one day I'm fine off the tee, the next I have so little confidence I have to take an iron), so I suspect the balls are the least of the inconsistencies in my game.

Like everyone (I imagine), the reason I love golf is that there is no single component that I can't do really well, it's just a matter of stringing it all together on the same day.

This got off the subject of the balls. Back on that, what is the seam in a golf ball? I've never noticed what I would think of as a seam.

I think it is how most balls are manufactured - some sort of double moulding - it can be seen in the random pattern of dimples as a line running around the equator of the ball where there are no dimples overlapping.

I got married this year, and one of the most interesting wedding presents "we" got (from my wife's cousin no less) was two dozen Nike balls. They are called something like the "Nike precision feel accuracy length speed power style money girls sun love happiness balls".

I'm looking forward to playing with them, but am a bit confused by the message. Are Nike trying to be all things to all people, or are these balls truly special?

It's total balls Adam.

not sure i should eb so public about looking forward to playing with my new married balls