What I need is for one of the ball manufacturers to develop a ball specifically for winter play. It’d have to be a very low compression ball, with a very soft cover. And, because of the wind and hard ground, I’d like it to be designed to fly low and roll. The winter ball should also be available in blaze orange.

I have a few suggestions for names:

The Nike Yeti.

The Titleist Tundra

The Callaway Chill

The TaylorMade Arctic.

MACGREGOR VIP

I wonder who’s making these.

MacGregor was acquired by GolfSmith earlier this year, so these MacGregor VIP balls have to be a product of the Golf superstore.

They’re expensive at $39 a dozen, so you have to assume that it’s a multi piece ball, but the literature doesn’t say. From the GolfSmith site:

The MacGregor VIP features a urethane cover that provides the ultimate in control-shot shaping, spin control, pin point distance control and stroke-saving short game control. All of this with no sacrifice in distance. The unique core design provides exceptional ball velocity combined with ideal high launch angle, low spin launch conditions for greater carry and distance. Finally, the high trajectory 330-dimple pattern provides a strong and penetrating trajectory in all wind conditions.

I think GolfSmith likely is making a mistake pricing these in the same range as the Pro V1, Bridgestone Tour models and so forth. I can’t imagine anyone with $39 burning a hole in their pocket choosing these instead of the Pro V. But if it was in the $20 range, they might gain some traction.

PRECEPT EV Extra Spin 15-Pack

The Precept EV Extra spin now comes in a fifteen pack, which, at $15 makes it an exceptional value. The ball is a two piece that Precept says is exceptionally soft and has nice spin around the green.

Precept has been making some inroads these last few years with the ladies market, thanks to their work with LPGA players. Paula Creamer plays a Precept.

Precept is manufactured by Bridgestone.

I really want to like Nike balls. They feel good off the tee, irons and putter, and are as long as anything I play on a regular basis. But there’s something wrong with the covers. Case in point: I recently bought a box of the NIKE Power Distance Long 2009. With them, I had one of my best driving days in memory. But the balls wouldn’t survive more than a couple of holes without a scruff.

The photo above is of a Nike PD Long after just three holes. I hit the following with the ball. Hole 1: Driver to fairway, three wood to fairway, nine iron to green. Putt. Putt. Hole 2: 4 hybrid to sand trap. Wedge to green. Putt. Hole 3: Driver to fairway. Seven iron to just off the green. Chip with a seven iron. Putt. Putt.

It was then I noticed the scruffs. They were staring at me angrily, taunting me with their intimation of flawed aerodynamic performance. There are scruffs on the opposite side of the ball also. It wasn’t a fluke. Every ball I put into play became destined for the shag bag after just a couple of holes.

I’ve always thought that the covers on Nike balls were a bit “soft.” But this was ridiculous. How the heck does a ball get scruffed like this after three holes without hitting a cart path, tree or other hard object?

Intellectually, I know that at my level of play scruffs probably don’t make any difference. The minor aerodynamic flaws pale in comparison to the flaws in my swing. But I still expect more.

NIKE Power Distance Soft 2009

Grade: B / A for juniors

The 2009 version of Nike’s Power Distance Soft balls are supposed to have an even softer feel than the 2005 version that I liked so much. It certainly feels like it. There’s an almost rubbery feel to them.

At the same time, Nike has managed to keep them in the long ball category; they’re as long as any ball I play on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, I still think that Nike has some durability issues. In fact, I’d say that’s the general impression from everyone I know that plays Nike balls. They just scruff too easily. When I dig out out with a wedge, I’m sure to see scruffs..

But maybe that’s not an issue of you’re the type who loses a couple of balls a round (be honest ... you know who you are). If you tend to lose balls, for the price—under $20 a dozen—the Nike Power Soft is a very good value.

I also think these would be a good value for the junior golfer who doesn’t have quite the strength and swing speed of an adult. I gave these balls to my boys, and the big one plays fairly well with them.

BRIDGESTONE Tour B330-RX

Grade: B
Teacher’s Comments: A great ball, but too expensive for me to play on a regular basis. The price gives it a lesser grade

I’ve been playing the Bridgestone Tour B330 for the past several weeks, and think it’s likely the perfect ball for this mid handicapper.

The Tour B330 series ball from Bridgestone are their top of the line products, aimed at the same crowd that plays the Pro V1. Until this year, the line consisted of the Tour B330 and the Tour B330-S. The B330 is designed for swing speeds of 112+; The B330 is designed for players with swing speeds of between 105 and 115 mph, and is a little softer. The Bridgestone Tour 330-RX is the softest of the three and is designed for players with swing speeds of 105 mph or less. The 330 and 330-S are four piece balls; the RX is a three-piece.

Bridgestone really has going a good thing here. While I appreciate the qualities of the Pro V1, I don’t think I have the swing speed to take advantage of it. The B330-RX is designed to let skilled, but slower swinging players take full advantage of a premium ball.

I’ve had very good success playing the Bridgestone B330-RX. Indeed, it’s one of the better balls I’ve used.

The Bridgestone B330-RX is plenty long and very consistent in its distance. Ball flight is moderately high and for me, very straight (but then, I don’t even try to “work” it).

The B330-Rx also has a nice soft feel, and is wonderful around the greens. Shots off the shorter irons stop quickly; I’m sure better players will be able to get that spin-back everyone seems to want so much.

In short, the Bridgestone B300-RX does everything well. 

The only problem is that it’s expensive. At $43 a dozen, I just can’t afford to play it, no matter how wonderful it is. The Bridgestone E6+, which I also like very much is nearly $20 cheaper; the TreoSoft—also a very good ball—is less expensive still.

I wonder why—other than positioning it as a “premium ball”—Bridgestone thinks $40 a dozen is an appropriate price for a three piece ball designed for slower swingers. Typically, those are in the mid- to upper- $20 range.

This ball gets an A for quality, but an E for price. Give it a B overall.

ZERO FRICTION 312 Distance Golf Ball

I like the Zero Friction tees. Now the company has branched out into the golf ball business with its Zero Friction 312 Golf Balls. The balls are a two piece model, with—obviously—a 312 dimple pattern. The company claims that the dimple design makes the ball fly up to five yards longer than the competition (no word on who the competition is).

Interestingly, Zero Friction also is making an effort to market these as “Green” balls. The covers, it seems are “made from 100% renewable resources with no toxic synthetic materials used in the process.”