Golf Ball Craze

There is, undoubtedly, a large segment of generously-numbered handicap golfers whose decision on the golf ball they play is essentially limited to the next one they find in the woods, lake or in the depths of their golf bags. They’ll play a found ProV-1 until the next water hazard steals it back or will emerge from a wooded wasteland with a Callaway HX Tour replacing the Top Flight X-out they sent whizzing in off the tee.By contrast, scratch golfers and low handicappers are far more loyal to a golf ball that fits their game, spending money on gall balls based on performance rather than price point or two-for-one close out sales. 

Yet improvements in golf ball technology have made it possible for manufacturers such as Nike, Dunlop, Wilson and Top Flight to offer better golf balls at better prices.

The trick, however, is convincing even the most wallet conscious of golfers to become loyal users of the latest and greatest balls that now flood the market.

Let’s see, there are the MOJO, the LoCo and the SOLO. Let’s not forget The Noodle, The Laddie and the Infinity. Almost all at once, golf ball manufacturers are showing the duffers some love. Now the question becomes, we will love them back for somewhere between $15 to $25 a dozen?

Perhaps believing the average player won’t or can’t differentiate between the performances of these balls, manufacturers have come up with clever names and marketing campaigns to distinguish their product. But looking past the sharp titles and intelligent slogans, today’s line of mid-priced golf balls really are better than their cheaply priced predecessors.

Nike Golf’s offering in this field is among the best with its MOJO line of balls. Featuring a two-piece, solid core, the MOJO is far less expensive than the NIKE One, but offers much of the same feel and distance control qualities of its counterpart. Highlighted by a psychedelic packaging and throwback Volkswagen buses that will tour the country, Nike promises the ball will jump off the driver head and stick to the wedge.

Not to be outdone and priced even less than the MOJO, Dunlop in 2003 released its LOCO (low compression) golf balls to go with their LoCo driver and fairway medals. Already, Dunlop has replaced the LoCo with the Super LoCo, which features an even lower compression and the DuPont HPF polymer cover, and the LoCo Bite, which offers a firmer but still low compression ball.

Even Top-Flight, long known for offering more affordable golf balls, has come up with a better-performing edition of its line with the Top Flight Infinity. The Infinity will actually offer four distinct balls – the Absolutely Straight for the hook or slice impaired; the Ideal Spin for great spin around the greens; Awesome Distance for the longer hitters; and Buttery Feel for better control and distance.

These and several other newcomers join other balls, including the Maxfli Noodle, Titleist SOLO and Precept Laddie in offering golfers more for less – and in a prettier package. In addition, many of these popular new balls, including the LoCo, are packaged as 15- or even 18-packs, further sweetening the deal for still unsure about parting with the cash.