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- Golf Balls for WomenPosted 11 years ago
Golf Balls for Women
Do you know which golf ball allows you to play to your potential for your game?
I can tell you now my most frustrating moments on the golf course are when my ball landed on the middle of the green, rolling towards the hole and then, the unthinkable happen! It rolled off to the other side of the green!
What if you could gain an extra 10 to 20 meters or more? What if you could confidently clear that water hazard; clear that bunker; reach that green; or simply impress your friends?
What about elevated greens? How you wish the ball goes higher with more spin.
Choosing the right ball will help to with the above aspects of your game! So read on!
The characteristics of your swing will determine which ball will perform the best for you.
- Your swing speed
- How high you normally hit the ball
- Do your chip or pitch shot normally stop on the green
- The consistency of your swing
Not all golf balls are made the same – some are softer; some give more spin; some give less spin; some might be harder but travel further etc.
There are 4 main characteristics which you should consider when looking for the type of ball to match your swing and game:
1) How hard or far do you hit the ball ?
2) How much do you spin the ball ?
3) How does the ball feel and respond to your swing ?
4) How the ball is constructed ?
1) How hard or far do you hit the ball ?
Most women do not hit the ball as hard as men, therefore the typical men’s ball might not suit a women’s swing.
How hard a golfer hits the ball is generally measured by his/her swing speed. In the absence of a swing speed meter, below is a table which approximates the swing speed by the distance when a driver impacts the ball.
The average woman golfer swings a driver 60 to 65 miles per hour compared, to the average male at 85 miles per hour.
The carry distance is the distance before the ball bounces on the ground. This would be the distance the ball ‘çarries’ for example, over a lake or other hazard. Typically there is a 10-15% roll after the ball lands. This will depend on the firmness of the fairway.
To get the maximum distance, the ball needs to compress and rebound off the club at the optimum amount. This is measured as the compression of the ball. Some manufacturer will list a number for a type of balls (e.g. 45 for low and 100 for high compression), the majority will simply list the type of ball as Low, Medium or High.
The table relates the driving distance to the recommended ball compression. This is an indication of what type of balls a golfer should use to maximise her driving distance.
2) How much do you spin the ball ?
There are two conflicting spins with a golf ball. The side spin will result in the ball slicing or hooking. The more the ball side spins, the more it will hook or slice, resulting in the ball moving away from your intended line. This side spin also results in a loss of distance.
The other spin is the back spin. This is usually a desirable spin that generating a form of aerodynamic lift to the ball and allows the ball to fly higher and stay in the air longer giving greater carry and distance. The backspin also will allow the ball to stop quickly when it hits the green.
Ideally we require a ball which provides more backspin to maximise distance and to minimise the side spin to keep the ball on our intended line of direction.
Based on the above information, you will be the best person to determine which type of ball (more spin or less) is most suitable for your game.
3) How does the ball feel and respond to your swing ?
To get the most out of your game you need a ball that provides a controllable feel and response in a consistent manner.
The type of cover on the ball usually determines the feel and response of a golf ball. The less expensive balls have a Surlyn that is more durable and wear resistant material.
More expensive and multilayer balls generally have an outer cover of Urethane, a very soft material that produces the highest level of spin and control available in a golf ball.
Urethane may provide exceptional green-side control, however the trade-off can be reduced accuracy off the tee and lesser durability. These can be less wear resistant and prices can also be higher.
4) How the ball is constructed
The simplest balls are 2-piece, which have a bouncy, rubbery core with a wear resistant cover on the outside. The composition of the core is a material to optimise the performance of the ball and are the least expensive to produce and purchase.
To provide a better performance and feel, most “premium” type balls are multi-layered. The centre core is surrounded by layers with different compositions to respond differently depending how hard the ball is hit.
Many “premium” balls are 3-piece but may have up to 5 layers including the cover. The more layers the ball is constructed with, the softer the cover and the least worn, the better the ball should perform.
What Ball is Suitable for Your Game
To maximise the potential of your game, you need to determine the most suitable combination of compression to give you the distance, spin to get the height, feel to provide control for your swing and a price you are willing to pay.
You may need to trade off between distance and control to get to your desired outcome for your game. Some of the professionals who play with the premium balls would need to do the same trade off!
Being a woman golfer, the “ladies” balls might not always be right ones to use. As described above, it depends on what you want for your game at this point in time. Do you require more spin and control or would you prefer more distance?
Golf Ball companies are now starting to better understand these needs and are producing both low spin multi-layered golf balls to reduce hook and slice as well as softer compression Urethane covered models that provide tour level green-side spin and lower spin off the tee. The softer core of these multi-layered golf balls allow slower swingers to maximise the compression they put on the ball and achieve greater distance and benefits of reduced spin off the tee.
We aim to provide specifications and reviews of various golf balls from various manufacturers. This is to help you to choose the right ball to suit your game so that you can achieve your best result each time you play.
See the Precept / Bridgestone golf ball page to find a ball most suitable for your game
Take the above link to Precept / Bridgestone golf ball page to find a ball most suitable for your game and take the link to the Ball Promotion Survey and be in the draw to win one of 10 boxes of Precept Lady IQ+ golf balls.
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