Greshmahg,

I believe you on the reduced distance, but where do your stats come from? Who tested, when, where, what kind of balls, what conditions, was it industry sponsored, whose recycled balls, where were they reclaimed, etc.

Thanks

gizmokid18 wrote:If it makes you feel any better I need a macro lens for mine....

Perhaps a ball magnifier may help with that.

These are a bad deal.

If you're paying $48 a dozen for Warbirds, you're making a nice profit for whoever you're buying them from.

The following is a recent reprint from GOLF DIGEST on the pros and cons of the reprocessed golf ball. Or, more precisely, the reprocessed water ball.

Here, my friends, is the $64,000 question. Exactly how much life is left in those golf balls that have been fished out of the water? The cover of a golf ball seems fairly impervious, so how bad could it be for a ball to sit idly in the water for a few months? Does a ball that's been lying in the mud at the bottom of a pond for 30 days lose distance? Does it gain distance? Does being submerged for a length of time have any effect whatsoever?

Like most golfers, GOLF DIGEST editors recover their fair share of water balls (that's right, we're as cheap as the next guy), and also like most golfers, we wanted to know what we were getting from these somewhat soggy transactions.

Here's how we went about investigating the playability of balls pulled from the water, and keep in mind that the test was not all-inclusive. We used only three-piece, balata-covered balls and two-piece balls with a lithium-Surlyn cover.

Step 1: (a) We took 11 new three-piece balls and 11 new two-piece balls and submerged them in a pond for eight days.

(cool.gif We took another 22 new two- and three-piece balls and submerged them for three months.

©Then we took a third batch of 22 new balls and let them sit in the water for six months. The average water temperatures ranged from 36 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during this period.


Step 2: We recovered the balls last November and tested them using a robotic hitting machine. The golf club used was a standard-length metal driver (9.5-degree loft) with an extra-stiff shaft. Clubhead speed was 93.7 m.p.h., launch angle was 9 degrees and the average spin rate was 2,800 r.p.m.

Step 3: We started testing by hitting 11 new two- and three-piece balls as a benchmark
The average carry and roll for the new three-piece balls was 250.7 yards. These numbers are not the maximum carry and roll for two-and three-piece balls, simply the average carry and roll under our test conditions.

The next stage was to hit the balls that had been retrieved from the water. The average carry and roll for three-piece balls that had been in the water for eight days was 235.7 yards. That distance shrunk to 229.4 yards after three months and to 226.2 yards after six months. The differences? A six yard loss of distance after eight days, a 12-yard loss after three months and a 15-yard loss after six months.

For the two-piece ball, the carry and roll was 250.7 yards for the new two-piece balls and 244.9 yards after eight days in the water. The carry and roll for two-piece balls after three months in the drink was 241.6 yards. The two-piece balls that spent six months under water averaged 242.5 yards. The bottom line is that the two-piece ball came up almost six yards shorter after being submerged for eight days. It lost another 3.3 yards (9.1 total) after three months, yet interestingly enough, after six months in the water, the two-piece ball averaged one yard farther than the ball that had been in the water for three months.

"Golf balls basically have a non-porous cover," says Mike Sullivan, senior director of research and development worldwide for Spalding, maker of Top-Flite golf balls, "but like with any plastic or polymer, they are subject to chemicals passing through them. We
have looked at this in great detail, because we certainly don't want the balls to be affected one way or the other by humidity or wet fairways.

"For a two-piece ball, being in the water typically makes the ball harder in terms of compression, and it also slows down the coefficient of restitution (the ability of the ball to regain its roundness after impact), and that makes it fly shorter. Three-piece balls are the opposite in that they get softer in terms of compression, but they will also fly shorter. We have no data that says water hurts three-piece balls more than two-piece balls, but soft-cover balls are obviously a bit more permeable than hard-cover balls."

Senior executive vice Vanasdale, president for the golf ball division of Sport Supply Group, says "I can honestly say that we have done tests in the tens of thousands utilizing our environments, and I'll tell you this much, your numbers are off. It's all relative to the types of balls, the makes of balls, when the balls were made and the types of composition of the cover stock," says Vanasdale.

The missing link in this equation is that when you scoop a ball from the water, you never know how long that ball has been sitting there. So, the next time you see a little white orb shimmering in the shallows of a nearby pond, remember the adage, all that glitters is not gold.

This is a great price vs. the normal retail of $45.00+. However, it will not play exactly the same as a new ball. It plays as a worn ball. If that is not a big deal...great deal.

Greshmahg wrote:Proven science: Recycled golf balls achieve 9% LESS distance than new balls. This is due to the recycled balls being exposed to things such as water logging, as well as damaged dimples that result in increased drag.

I dunno, maybe you can all hit a ball 500 yards and are OK with losing 45 yards, but personally, I'd rather maintain maximum distance. Yes, every time I lose a Callaway Warbird I curse myself and the 4 dollars I just threw away, but at least I'll get the most out of every feeble swing I make with them.

Pass.

The last time they had these a month or 2 ago, I got 3 dozen. They look and feel great, and tests were run showing that they lost about 1% on average compared to brand new balls. If you're good and consistent enough that you can tell the difference of 3 yards on your drives, or 1.5 yards on a 7 iron, by all means don't play these balls. However, since none of you are twice as good as any pro in the world, you will probably like them, especially for the price.

in for 3

I want a golf ball that never needs recycling because it's always hit in the middle of the fairway, never finds a bunker or hazard and is allergic to trees. Any recommendations? Until then, I'm in for 3 dozen of these.

theotheborg wrote:Proven science? I'm intrigued but not feeling assured. Citation?

86% of statistics are made up 50% of the time

Bought 2 dozen the last time these came up.

"Reporcessed" doesn't mean "recovered." Most of my two dozen came with significant cuts and scuffs (even more than the recycled balls you get at say Target or Walmart). They make good water hole balls, but I usually use something else of the tee.

Are these safe for whales?

I love playing golf, but I've only borrowed from people. I would buy a ton of these if I had any money

ThunderThighs wrote:Part of being funny is knowing your audience.

So what you are saying is people that golf have a more twisted sense of humor than the nerds? I don't know about that because I'm as twisted of a nerd as they come. I can play to any audience ThunderThighs- even you

snoodle9 wrote:I would buy a ton of these if I had any money

At this price, a ton of these balls would cost only $21,650, plus $5 shipping.

Too bad about the three-dozen limit.

If you are paying $4 for a Calloway Warbird you should curse yourself. They're a buck a ball.

will these work with a mac?

If you say so...

onclejulien wrote:will these work with a mac?

Of course but I tend to lose swing speed with a Mac.

therealjrn wrote:I heard that Arnold Palmer's wife kissed his balls for luck before every game. Are these balls kissable?

I bet that made his putter hard.

I try to always play with inexpensive reused golf balls due to the law of new balls: Brand new golf balls are water-magnetic. Though this cannot be proven in the lab, it is a known fact that the more expensive the golf ball, the greater its attraction to water.

traveltruth wrote:Text: Wall Of.

The operative word there is "balata"... that material hasn't been used in 10 years. Covers these days are more impervious, but, still recycled balls are nowhere near as good as new ones.

There was a more recent study that said that scuffed balls flew longer and straighter than un-scuffed but submerged balls. But the worst thing for a ball is mud or dirt... they impact ball flight more than anything else. So, new or used, clean your ball before you hit the tee box.

MarkErick wrote:I want a golf ball that never needs recycling because it's always hit in the middle of the fairway, never finds a bunker or hazard and is allergic to trees. Any recommendations? Until then, I'm in for 3 dozen of these.

latomei wrote:I can really use these. My definition of shooting one under is when I find one more ball in the water and woods than I lose.

Great comment!

RELOAD brand is by PG Professional Golf. http://www.pgprofessionalgolf.com/

$17.99, ProV1, in stores at SPORTS AUTHORITY

$19.99, ProV1, every day. I've seen many choices in terms of qty, cost and brand selection in the stores. ACADEMY SPORTS & OUTDOORS

michaelt84 wrote:86% of statistics are made up 50% of the time

50%? that's almost half!

I really wanted the V1X balls but I guess those are sold out?

I bought 3 dozen of these last time they were on here a few months back. I am about a 10 handicap with a high swing speed (290-310 yard drive). I went with the V1Xs because of my swing speed and for the most part I was very happy. A couple of these that I shot felt dead with my low irons and didn't seem to grab the green like I would expect and I actually cracked one of them all the way around off the tee box with my driver. Luckily, my buddies (who also took advantage of this deal) let me replace it with another ball instead of playing out the hole. It is a great deal but beware that you will probably have 1 or 2 duds per dozen based on my experience.

onclejulien wrote:50%? that's almost half!

Only about 28.6% of the time.

In days of old, when knights were bold,
and it was an offense to draw arseholes on the royal standards...

'Twas the day of the King's castration, the night of his last ball.
There were Counts, Viscounts, Discounts, Recounts,
and a whole lot of Nocounts, who didn't even count,
sitting around the oblong table throwing camel**** at each other.
(Because in those days round tables and bull**** hadn't been invented yet.)

When in strode Lancelot in his diamond-studded jock strap.
In strode the King, with his balls hanging to his knees.

"Ho!" said Lancelot.
"Ho who?" said the King.
"Ass ho'!" said Lancelot

"Your Majesty," said Lancelot, "where's the Princess?"
"She's in bed with Dyptheria," replied the King.
"Don't tell me she's ****ing around with that Greek bastard again?" said Lancelot.

"Does she prefer the puny perforated prick of a prince"
"To the domineering dork of a duke?"
In those days, because the King's word was law,
Lancelot was thrown into the lion's den.

The lion took a bite out of Lancelot
"That tickles," said Lancelot
"What tickles?" asked the lion
"Testicles," said Lancelot
(Chalk one up for the lion)

They threw the chalk at Random, but Random ducked,
and the chalk hit the King in the face.
"****!" cried the King.
(Because in those days the King's word was law, a mighty rumble shook the battlements as sixty-nine thousand loyal subjects dropped their drawers, squatted, strained and laid their load upon the road which then became indented)

Next day the King confined Lancelot to his deepest, darkest dungeon on a diet of Ex-Lax and water.
"But I'll die!" said Lancelot.
"You'll ****!" said the King.
And **** he did, for in those days the King's word was law.

The King said, "Lancelot, come forth."
(Lancelot stepped forth, slipped on the ****, and came in fifth.)

"Your Majesty," said Lancelot, "Where's the Queen?"
"Oh **** the Queen!" said the King
(Because in those days the Kings word was law, sixty-nine thousand loyal subjects were killed in the rush to fornicate with Her Majesty but naught came near the Royal Bush save the Gardener who trimmed around the edges most carefully.)

"Oh, Balls!" cried the Queen. "If I had 'em, I'd be King."

"Balls!" said the Jack. "I have them but I'm still not King!"

"Balls!" said the Jester. "If I had five, I'd be a pinball machine."

...and the King laughed. Not because he wanted to, but because he had two.

your order is in.
you're all set now.

Hmmm tempting... but my 2 cents:

1. I think these are the ones where they clean up the cover and then put a glossy clear coat. The problem is sometime the coat is too thick/inconsistent, which
a) Covers up the dimples inconsistently, affects flight and reaction to the ground
b) Changes the size of the ball in all different places
c) Affects the balls reaction to the club on impact
d) Makes them look, well, just weird, almost too shiny and showcase-like

2. When they are refurbs, it is impossible to tell whether they were waterlogged for 2 years or played with for 18 holes without a hard scratch. I would prefer like AAAA+ quality from eBay without the coating, much easier to tell what quality they are when you get them. The clear coat covers up almost any trace of its history.

3. If you are about a 15-25 handicap, these will be he best cost/performance if you make decent contact with your wedges but short game suffers. If you are over 25-30 handicap, ball performance/type is negligible.

I usually try to stay within $1.25-$1.75 per ball for AAAA quality or better. Judging from the price and the fact that Woot deals have NOT been in our best interest for the last 3 years consistently, I almost guaranteemuch more than half these balls are AA quality or less and have been "covered" up. I wouldnt be surprised if a lot of these react like little mudballs. Pass.

"A good walk, spoiled."

Deserves a rating of -2 stars.

-1, they aren't chocolate.
-1, they aren't salty.
0, for just being balls.

First ball I used split on the 4th hole after a perfect tee shot. Perfect that is except for the split. It wasnt a cut in the ball but rather a split in the cover.
Thanks

fastest woot shipment ever. wow! they look ok. some scuffs but overall as expected since the prov1x's have such a soft shell. one has an atlanta falcons logo on it. might give that one to the dog....

I purchased 3 dozen pro v 1x golf balls I was surprised when I discovered the word "PRACTICE" stamped on several of the balls. I can understand a team or company logo or other markings, but "PRACTICE" is unacceptable as this deems the ball as a range ball not meant for course play. This was not mentioned in the description of the product being marketed. I would not have purchased had this info been disclosed.

mjsalmi wrote:I purchased 3 dozen pro v 1x golf balls I was surprised when I discovered the word "PRACTICE" stamped on several of the balls. I can understand a team or company logo or other markings, but "PRACTICE" is unacceptable as this deems the ball as a range ball not meant for course play. This was not mentioned in the description of the product being marketed. I would not have purchased had this info been disclosed.

Sorry about that. Looks like you've already emailed in, so we'll get you taken care of.

Balls came today. Truly disappointed. I bought 3 dozen and there might be 5 I'd be willing to play on the course. And that's being generous. Some are truly cut. Not scuffed, but cut.

Never again.

kkshields wrote:Sorry about that. Looks like you've already emailed in, so we'll get you taken care of.

Exactly what I thought. The PRACTICE stamp really frustrated me as well. I went back and re-read the description and it says that cut balls are not included. And that these balls resemble a ball that has been played for 9 holes. Neither of these are true. I too, would not have purchased if the description was accurate. PRACTICE balls, cut balls, and balls that look like they've been used for months. Can anything be done? These are useless.