Compress a Golf Ball

scotts33

Depending on club head speed can you over or under compress a golf ball? To get best performance what's the ideal compression of a golf ball for under 90 mph driver SS, 90-100 and over 100?

I ask because majority of sites like MGS say for slower swingers they should still be using 90 -100 compression balls. Do you think this is true?

While many sites say under 90 low compression 2 piece balls.

What's the perception vs. reality thinking?

Par4QC

scotts33 Many years ago I got paired up with my 1st 300 yd. hitter. After several holes I asked what ball he was using.....Warbird. At the time, I just considered that ball as 'soft' and was amazed that he was hitting it so far with his fast swing. Of course I had to run out and buy a dozen. Boom....at least 10 yds. longer than whatever I'd been using, but not close to 300.
It's always been my opinion since then that 70-80 compression is best for mid/slower swingers; firmer cover/soft core for slow, softer cover/firmer core for fast. I still see guys like Jake, his Dad, my son, pound them over 300 as they also do with 90-100 compression.
I can hit a ProV1x as far as any Warbird or other 70-80 compression ball. I do not hit the ProV1 as far as my 'regular' balls though.

It may just come down to what direction that the compressing of lets the ball go in😉.

scotts33

Par4QC Callaway Warbird is around 90 compression and I consider anything 90 and above a high compression golf ball. Just for edification.

garyt1957

For me, MGS is right. I hit the harder compression balls farther, probably not enough to worry about though. This is off the driver.
I seem to hit the softer balls farther with irons though. Would be nice if you could switch balls from tee to FW. I've never done a serious trial either way, though. I might actually get more total distance with the soft ball because while it might be 5-10 yards shorter off the tee it's a pretty much guaranteed 10 more with irons.

scotts33

garyt1957 Some of that must be driver spin vs. iron spin?

pellmell

garyt1957 I seem to hit the softer balls farther with irons though

It's because softer balls spin less with irons. I need more spin, so I play higher compression balls.

KCee

garyt1957 This is what I tend to see in my game as well. I like the urethane covered balls for some check around the greens so I'm going premium, but the lower compression version of the premium ball does seem to give me a boost with the irons. I like this as I sometimes still have just enough pop to get over some trees at my course.

With some balls it seems to even out as the driver goes 10 less, but the iron goes 10 more. Some seem to give me a bit more overall like the Chrome Tour. Still it's not game changing so I will play a less $$ ball like the Oncore Elixr or Legato and they're fine.

Par4QC

scotts33 Probably is now and you can feel it...firmer than the older Warbird ball, which was around 75. I used them for years until they started changing them. They feel harder than any TF ball. They still do fly, but I'll not use them any more. They ruined a good ball imo, trying to 'keep up'.

Typhoon

There was a Golf Tec snippet on the Golf Channel the other day and the guy was going through an older bag vs. a newer bag of clubs. He was saying regardless of your clubs everyone should be playing a premium ball. Different speeds compress different layers so the premium ball works better for slower speeds.

ode

I never really thought about it much until the study/ies came out, but am of the mind that the longer balls I've used have been on the firmer side or slightly firmer....but would need to test it and get some actual on course data. I don't prefer the mushy balls and some of them have been shorter then what I've been used to. When I had a higher rate of speed definitely something firmer , but age is catching up! Being a low ball hitter I've always tried to play a slightly spinnier ball to have some better stopping power into the green.

Sneakylong

Been playing the Srixon Soft Feel (orange) for years. It's ~ 60 compression. Love the ball. My swing speed used to be ~ 90 mph. Most likely now it's ~ 85 mph. Like a softer feeling ball.

Hit the ball plenty high and rely on high trajectory to stop the ball on greens. I don't have the swing speed to get the performance for high spin balls. Plus the Soft Feel a reasonably cheap ball.

scotts33

Per usual on G'Buzz everyone states their own personal preference but no one did answer my question. Can you under or over compress a golf ball and at what driver SS is the under/over compression levels at? Example at under 90 mph driver SS can you under compress a golf ball of 100 compression and not get peak performance or on the other side of the equation with a driver SS of 110 mph can you over compress a 38 compression ball and get poor performance? Inquiring minds! ☺

PA-PLAYA

scotts33

Well….. you might as well answer the question, teacher. You obviously have the answer.

Sneakylong

scotts33 Per usual on G'Buzz everyone states their own personal preference but no one did answer my question

Without a degree in physics all we have is anecdotal. 🙄 And I’ll go with my own anecdotal experience everyday and twice on Sundays over what physics says.😉

sdandrea1

scotts33 Can you under or over compress a golf ball?

I have no idea, nor the inclination to know. I just hit the ball, go find it and hit it again. 😉👍

ode

scotts33 I don't believe that is actually a thing per the testing as it relates to slower ss and firmer balls. I suspect few play those balls per not liking the firmer feel and part of that maybe a perception that there is not as much distance. MGS seems to believe thru the testing that it's not true! I don't like the super low compression as they feel like mush and IMO it is more difficult to tell where on the face I hit it. Does that mean over compress and loss of distance🤔.

scotts33

PA-PLAYA No I don't. I have an idea but not any data or stats. that can back up any claims. MGS seems to have data but I find MGS to be golf elitists and more or less golf ball snobs. So I kinda factor that in also.

PA-PLAYA

😁

scotts33

sdandrea1 This guy says you can over compress a golf ball. Has said many times with his 97 to 99 mph driver SS that he over compresses a low compression ball. This is where I started thinking about this factor. Just wondered what others thought.

https://www.youtube.com/@GolfBallAddict

sdandrea1

scotts33

I understand your curiosity and admire it. This level of thinking will only clutter my already over cluttered mind. I need to spend my mental calories on ball striking. Carry on!

garyt1957

scotts33 This guy says you can over compress a golf ball. Has said many times with his 97 to 99 mph driver SS that he over compresses a low compression ball. This is where I started thinking about this factor. Just wondered what others thought.

My understanding is you can over compress a golf ball. Well I can't but it can be done. As for under compressing, who knows. Typhoon's research says even with a harder ball you still get good compression from the outer core even if you don't compress the inner core.
Now that the weather is getting better I'm going to have to experiment some.

Par4QC

scotts33 This guy says you can over compress a golf ball.

When I see things like this, I always stop and ask myself the same question......what is logical vs. reality?

Reality is the fella is ~~trying to make~~ making a living by posting videos(17K subscribers/400 videos= $$$$).

Logic tells me that NO golf ball company would produce a golf ball that only certain players could play. They do make balls 'for women' but are not stated as 'for women only', or even slow swingspeeds. In fact, a lot of us, maybe, should be using them.....I found one a few years ago and it was much longer than the 'men's' version of the same ball.

I have yet to see any warnings from any golf ball company about using/not using their product, or a certain product.

As in my post above about playing with guys that can and do hit the balls over 300, I'm going to say it is impossible to over-compress a ball, yet I have no 'real' proof of that statement except for on course.....that is reality! I've given Jake a variety of balls, he has no idea of compressions, and he will hit them fairly much the same distances.

btw....TM has got the worst ball ever put out.....that new(er) Super Soft. Shortest ball ever.
I totally flatten it!!🤣😄

scotts33

See Mr. ShortGame on MG Senior ball with Trackman data on 86 mph driver SS. I have no idea on compression of a MG Senior ball. I remember Rex hated them. I have found a few and they seem high compression to me.

garyt1957

scotts33 I had a 3 pack of those someone gave me. They were shorter than a regular ball for me.

scotts33

garyt1957 Yes that's what I thought but Mr. ShortGame's Trackman 86 mph driver SS indooor data says different. Hmmmm!