Wilson Zip Golf Balls

Grade: B
Comments: Plays ok, but it scruffs too easily.

I found these Wilson Zip balls at a golf show in the late winter and bought them, thinking that a “zero compression ball” would be just the ticket in the early spring weather in Michigan.

I was right. I’m getting nearly midsummer distance in cooler weather.

According to Wilson, the Zip’s inner core is so soft that it registers a zero on Atti compression testing equipment. The core is surrounded by a mangle made from HPF polymer and the entire thing is wrapped in a soft ionomer cover designed to offer touch and spin.

The ball also has an interesting dimple design that is noticeably flatter and more shallow than others in my bag.

Ball flight on the Wilson Zip has been moderately high. It’s not as penetrating for me as the HX Hot, but is lower than some others I play, like the Noodle. I’m also hitting it with a little less fade than I’m used to. The ball tends to head left (my usual game), but not come back as far as I’d like. In that, it’s more like the HX Hot than the Noodle or Top Flite D2.

I really like the ball around the greens, where it has more spin than the hot. Playing these, my short game has been really remarkable in the early going. It’s got a nice feel in putting, too.

But if there’s one reason I can’t give this ball a whole-hearted endorsement, it’s that it scruffs too easily. With a new ball, after a couple of holes, I start noticing scruff marks. It’s not as bad as a Nike ball, but annoying nonetheless.

The price on these balls also is right. I got them for $15 at the show, and have seen them under $20 at most online retailers.

I’ll continue to play the box of Wilson Zips for as long as they last, and may even get another box and store it away for this fall.

Titleist DT Roll Golf Balls

I played the Titleist DT SoLo balls for several years before moving on to the Callaway HX Hot and Bridgestone E6. But that was some time ago. Now Titleist has updated the line with the DT Carry and the DT Roll.

The DT Roll is a two piece, 392 dimple ball that’s designed to offer a lower, more penetrating flight—and thus more roll. It seems like it would be a good ball match for me. I tend to hit the ball high off the tee, getting lots of carry but no roll.

I’d welcome any reviews of the ball. I plan to test it as soon as the weather warms up a bit—but in Michigan that could be a while.

Wilson Staff Zip Golf Balls

Wilson Staff’s new Zip Golf balls gets its name from the fact that the compression core is so soft that it registers a “zero” on compression testing equipment. Wrapped around this is a high velocity mantle layer, and a resilient ionomer cover. The mantle gives th eball its power. The ionomer cover delivers touch and spin. The dimples are flat bottomed and shallow, in what Wilson offers as a unique design. In all, Wilson says, this ball offers a great combination of soft feel, distance and control.

TaylorMade TP Black 12 Pack Golf Balls

I really liked the initial release of the TaylorMade TP Red golf balls. And now that they’ve updated them, I’m going to have to give them another try.

The new ball sports a new LDP (Low Drag Performance) dimple pattern, and a new core material that TaylorMade says offers faster ball speed and increased distance. The four piece design has a NdV4 core, a distance mantle that’s supposed to boost Coefficient of Restitution and initial velocity, a Feel mantle that softens impact, and a cast cover for “supreme shear-resistance.”

I find it interesting that many of the new high-end balls are now four-piece designs. I remember when three piece was the mark of a better ball. Can five piece be far behind.

Callaway Golf HX Tour ix 12 Pack Golf Balls

Callaway’s new HX TOur ix ball is a four piece, dual core technological wonder. Around the inner core is a tungsten-infused outer core that’s supposed to shift weight away from the center, reducing driver spin. The result is more distance and straighter shot. In addition, Callaway has refined the HEX aerodynamics pattern to further reduce drag and increase stability.