Uniform Golf Ball Opinions

PingV1 · 12-04-2006 , 05:49 PM

Hi everybody, I'm a college student in Wisconsin and I'm looking for some fan/player opinions on the possible implementation of a uniform ball on the PGA, state, or mini-tour level to use in my final project in my English 308 class.

A uniform ball is one ball that all players in a particular tournament would be forced to play in order to level the playing field for all players regardless of how long they are off the tee. Please help me out and leave some brief opinions, along with your first name and the state you are from, telling why you think this would be a good idea or a bad idea. Thanks in advance!

GolfinSC · 12-13-2006 , 07:01 PM

In my opinion, the idea of a uniform ball doesn't make any sense. Equipment is always being advanced upon no matter what you're dealing with. Let players used the Pro V1 if they want, Titleist developed it so the ball would be used, not to collect dust. Hope this helps.

-Glen from SC

**SWFlaGolfer** · 12-16-2006 , 10:02 AM

I agree with GolfinSC. Without competition from different manufacturers, technology would lag behind. Let them all compete with each other to develop the next best ball. If everyone wants to use the Pro V1 series, they're all more than welcome to... but it's more of a case of which ball manufacturer is paying what player what amount of money to hit their ball during a tournament. Also, if you choose to go the route of forcing everyone to play a certain ball, where do you stop? Do you force them all to use the same driver? Same putter? It is a slippery slope effect that would never end. Next they'd all be wearing the same red Nike shirt, same tan khaki pants, same black Nike hat, same black Nike shoes, same clubs, and they'd all have to be called Tiger, because the tournament is the Tiger-Nike Classic.

Illegal_Alien · 12-25-2006 , 12:25 AM

A Uniform golfball is being discussed and is a great idea. Many of our great golf course are becoming obsolete because the new technology is making them play too short. Great course like Merion can no longer be played. We can't make course longer because 1) it's too expensive and 2) sometimes there is nowhere to expand. With today's golf balls a 100mph swing with a standard 45 inch Titanium driver produces a carry of about 250 yards. If we can scale that back to equal 220 yards then we can bring these out courses back into the circuit and not have to continue building 7200 yard course. Soon we will be playing 8000 yard courses! The way technology is advancing. Golf companies will never let it happen without a serious fight that will drag on forever.

**SWFlaGolfer** · 12-25-2006 , 12:51 PM

So you're saying bring on the uniform golf ball but let everyone use new equipment, etc? I may be wrong but I think if that's the case we'll still run into the same problems, ie. the courses will still be too 'short' because the technology behind the equipment will just get bigger and better even if the ball stays the same. Your thoughts?

PS. Happy Holidays!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illegal_Alien

A Uniform golfball is being discussed and is a great idea. Many of our great golf course are becoming obsolete because the new technology is making them play too short. Great course like Merion can no longer be played. We can't make course longer because 1) it's too expensive and 2) sometimes there is nowhere to expand. With today's golf balls a 100mph swing with a standard 45 inch Titanium driver produces a carry of about 250 yards. If we can scale that back to equal 220 yards then we can bring these out courses back into the circuit and not have to continue building 7200 yard course. Soon we will be playing 8000 yard courses! The way technology is advancing. Golf companies will never let it happen without a serious fight that will drag on forever.

Illegal_Alien · 12-25-2006 , 11:05 PM

My point was to scale back the ball. They set the COR limit at .83 on drivers so were are not getting any more distance out of them unless you lengthen your shaft. Their are many things you can do to reduce distance on the ball. You can change the dimple pattern. You can make it softer, whatever. This way the manufacturers can still produce a new 460cc .83 COR driver every year. This is where they make there money. Understand my point? Every year we play a fun tournament at a 5700 yard golf course. We hand out old marshmallow spalding golf balls from decades ago. The balls are old. We try and give everyone the same ball. In other words, each player gets a used ball from that era. Nobody complains because it's only for giggles. I can swing a red speed stick(That Vijay endorses) at 137 MPH to give you an idea and yet I have a difficult time propelling one of these old, used, possibly water-logged balls 250 yards!