Combatting the cold with low compression
As temperatures drop, the core (centre) of the golf ball becomes firmer, meaning that it does not compress as well as a warm golf ball does when struck. The firming of the core can lead to shorter distances and less control, especially for those of you who use softer golf balls such as the Srixon Soft Feels, Titleist Tour Softs or Callaway Supersofts.
In addition to the issues the firming of the core causes, the denser cold air during the winter months also increases drag, further reducing the carry distance of the golf ball.
To offset cold-weather compression issues, try switching out to a golf ball with a lower compression rating during the winter months. These golf balls are designed to compress more upon impact, even when the temperatures drop below 10°C, and should help you regain some of that lost distance.
Some great low-compression options include Bridgestone Tour B RX, Vice Pro and Titleist TruFeel golf balls.
Winning in the wind with multiple-layers
During the winter months, it’s highly likely that most of your rounds are either going to be wet, windy or both. When playing in these conditions, maintaining control of your golf ball is crucial, especially if you want to stay out of that wet rough and keep your feet dry. Opting for a multi-layered golf ball constructed from a soft cover and firmer core will help with both spin and distance. Multi-layer golf balls will provide better control around the green while still giving you the compression needed to hit those bombs off the tee.
If you’re looking for a solid multi-layer option with a medium to low compression rate, consider the TaylorMade TP5, Callaway Chrome Soft, Srixon Q Star Tour or the TaylorMade Tour Response.
Fighting the frost with durability
The tough winter conditions don’t just take their toll on us golfers, but also on our equipment too. Damp, wet and often frosty fairways and greens can somewhat quickly wear a golf ball’s cover, so where possible, consider a ball with a durable cover to better withstand these harsh winter conditions.
Golf balls with Ionomer covers are considered to be more durable than urethane balls and are commonly found on ‘distance’ golf balls such as Titleist Velocity, Bridgestone E6 and Srixon AD333 – all excellent choices for those of you looking to get several rounds out of the same ball.
Increased visibility with coloured golf balls
The winter months often bring tough conditions in terms of visibility due to overcast skies, low light, fallen leaves and even snow. In such conditions, traditional white golf balls aren’t always the easiest to see, so switching to a brightly coloured optic golf ball can make tracking shots and finding balls much easier. Most golf brands now sell brightly coloured optic alternatives to white golf balls, available in pinks, yellows, oranges and blues, which should be easy to spot during the winter months.
If you’d like to find out more about the benefits of using brightly coloured golf balls, why not check out my recent blog post on the benefits of using colourful optic golf balls this winter.
Some of my favourite colourful optic golf balls include the Srixon Soft Feel Yellow, Callaway Supersoft Pink, TaylorMade Tour Response Yellow and the Srixon Z-Star Divide.
So there you have it – some of my top tips to help you choose the right golf ball for you this winter. If you’ve made your mind up about the right ball for you and would like to save some cash, feel free to enter my exclusive discount code ‘ANDYSGOLFBLOG‘ at the Mail Order Golf checkout to save 10% on your next order of premium lake golf balls.
One Response
In winter spin control is more important as ground usually is firmer or even frozen in the US North East. Best to use spinny urathane premium balls that are softer like Vice Pro Air, ProV1 or AVX. Stay away from cheap two piece balls or ionomer balls IMO as they will not spin enough. It’s not just softer balls you want but most spinniest as well. Good luck.