TAYLORMADE Noodle + - 2 For $25

Last Spring, I reviewed the Noodle Plus Golf Ball and noted that they were one among many good balls available for the mid handicapper. But all through the past season and this spring, I continued to

Last week, I was in my local golf shop and noticed a box of the Noodle Plus on sale. Always a sucker for a sale, I bought some.

So I put the ball in play this past weekend, and promptly went out and shot an 89—my lowest of the season. The two young guys I was playing with basically accused me of being a sandbagger for playing from the white tees.

Naturally, being as superstitions as any golfer, I intend to continue playing the Noodle Plus until all my luck with it runs out.

TOP FLITE Gamer

Reader Bruce E reports that the Gamer is a good ball for the price:

Earlier this week after completeing 9 holes for my league, I thought I’d try a sleeve of “Gamer"s on the back 9.  Sliced the first one into hazard & lost it.  Dropped by the hazard, and pulled the second one into a hazard on the left.  hmmm…this isn’t starting out too good.  Put up a quad-bogie on 10, then played the last 8 holes 5-over par, all either pars or bogies, with the remaining ball.  For a 25-handicapper, that’s pretty good.  While this was hardly a conclusive trial, it certainly doesn’t appear that using them is a hinderance to me.

The Gamer is a 3-piece ball, which generally sells for $20/dozen, although I noticed several online retailers selling them for $35/2 dozen.  I recently picked up a couple dozen for about $28 at a local shop, and am thinking I should have bought more.

After a lot of speculation from various media outlets about whether the USGA had the power and influence to force a grooves rule change that the PGA Tour and manufacturers clearly didn’t like, Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem ended the issue with a single sentence:

“It is our intention to move ahead and utilize the condition starting on Jan. 1, 2010.”

If I thought it would end the era of Bomb-And-Gouge on the Tour, I’d be in favor of it. But it won’t The ball manufacturers will simply design a new cover that performs the same off the new groves. And then we’ll be right back where we started.

Memo to the USGA: It’s the ball.

Maxfli Black Max Maximum Distance

Dick’s Sporting Goods bought the Maxfli trademark from Taylormade last year and since then, Golf Galaxy (also owned by Dick’s) has been the exclusive golf retailer selling the brand.

The Black Max used to be MaxFli / TaylorMade’s entry into the premium ball category. I liked the original version, although like all of the balls in that category, they were way too expensive.

The new Black Max is a different animal altogether. A two piece ball, it sells for under $20 a dozen. In fact, right now, Golf Galaxy is selling two dozen for $35.

PINNACLE Platinum Feel

Grade: B+
Teacher’s Comments: For the price, a good all-around ball.

Among my friends, the Pinnacle balls are somewhat looked down upon. There seems to be a sneaking suspicion that if they were “real” golf balls, they’d have the Titleist brand and cost twice as much. (Pinnacle are made by Titleist).

But after playing off and on with the Pinnacle Platinum Feel for the last few months, I can’t find any cause to complain about them. From a mid-handicapper’s perspective, they offer commendable distance, decent play around the green, and a nice feel off the putter. No one is going to mistake them for the Pro V1, but you can lose a bunch of these and not feel the pain.

I’m actually taking a dozen of these of these to Florida in a couple of weeks when we take a family vacation to Disney World. I’ve got a tee time at Lake Buena Vista and after seeing all the water there, I don’t plan on sacrificing a dozen Pro V1s to the gators.

PINNACLE Exception Double Dozen

These Pinnacle Exception balls are a real bargain: $24 for 24 balls.

The Exceptions are an older model—Pinnacle has since moved on to the Platinum models. But at that price, you might want to pick some up. They are a two piece with a “high velocity” core, a soft cover, and a resultant 70 compression.

CALLAWAY Warbird Plus

With the PLUS version of its venerable Warbird golf ball, Callaway has ditched the dimples and applied their unique hex pattern to the surface. At under $20 a dozen, it’s still a bargain two piece ball, but the core has been redesigned with new materials for what Callaway says is more distance with a softer feel.

Meanwhile, the original Warbird is down to $14 a dozen.