Question:
Another thing to remember is that the ball-manufacturing companies do not actually set out to make a certain compression ball; the balls are tested for compression *after* the process is finished, and are then stamped according to hardness. The tolerences on these compressions are also quite high; any ball with compression in the range 85-94 will be stamped as a 90, for example.
This suggests that golfers might wish to home-test the compression of their golf balls to bring some consistency into what they hit. I don’t know how you’d reliably do that, but it makes me wonder why someone hasn’t come up with a "home compression tester" apparatus. Mike Dalecki
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I read a report once that measured the differences between 90 and 100 compression balls. 100’s averaged about 1 or 2 yds farther than the 90’s but the 90’s, on a warm day, spun more. Play only 90’s because they seem, to me, to be softer putting. My friends have blind folded me and put balls infront of my putter and I can tell the difference 9 times out of ten which is which.
FWIW, I recall reading several features in magazines such as Golf Monthly some years ago, when the magazine gave several professionals a mixture of unstamped 90 and 100 compression balls to hit. Not one of them could tell the difference with any degree of accuracy while hitting irons; I forget the results when hitting putts. Another thing to remember is that the ball-manufacturing companies do not actually set out to make a certain compression ball; the balls are tested for compression *after* the process is finished, and are then stamped according to hardness. The tolerences on these compressions are also quite high; any ball with compression in the range 85-94 will be stamped as a 90, for example. Does this mean that there are golfing gods out there who can tell the difference between a 93 compression ball (stamped as 90), and a 96 compression ball (stamped as 100)?? I don’t think so (certainly not me, anyway!!!!). Hit it long and straight, Conor. Conor O’Mahony Silicon Technology Group National Microelectronics Research Centre (NMRC) Lee Maltings, Prospect Row, Cork, Ireland.
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I dought Davis Love gets many stingers from off center hits. I agree with the other fellow got to be a marketing thing. I have
used both 90 and 100 and can’t tell the difference.
i can tell the difference in wound balls. for example i can feel a difference between professional 100’s and 90’s, this is more pronounced when the temperature is in the teens (*C) which equates to something like temperatures lower than mid 50’s (*F). i can’t tell a difference performance wise but i like the slightly softer feel that a 90 offers me and so play them. i actually just read an interview from one of the ball designers at titleist. he basically says that becaue the performance of both 100 and 90 compressions are identical and the 90 feels softer they would produce only 90s given the opportunity. but there are so many people who think they are missing out on a bit of distance with the 100s that the market demands they keep producing them …. that’s the basic gist of the piece anyway. brett
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I read a report once that measured the differences between 90 and 100 compression balls. 100’s averaged about 1 or 2 yds farther than the 90’s but the 90’s, on a warm day, spun more. Play only 90’s because they seem, to me, to be softer putting. My friends have blind folded me and put balls infront of my putter and I can tell the difference 9 times out of ten which is which. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I dought Davis Love gets many stingers from off center hits. I agree with the other fellow got to be a marketing thing. I have used both 90 and 100 and can’t tell the difference. i can tell the difference in wound balls. for example i can feel a difference between professional 100’s and 90’s, this is more pronounced when the temperature is in the teens (*C) which equates to something like temperatures lower than mid 50’s (*F). i can’t tell a difference performance wise but i like the slightly softer feel that a 90 offers me and so play them. i actually just read an interview from one of the ball designers at titleist. he basically says that becaue the performance of both 100 and 90 compressions are identical and the 90 feels softer they would produce only 90s given the opportunity. but there are so many people who think they are missing out on a bit of distance with the 100s that the market demands they keep producing them …. that’s the basic gist of the piece anyway. brett
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From reading and listening to the "golf authorites" it was my understanding that compression was the ball’s design to resist compression against the clubhead. So the rule was 100 for the big swingers and 90 for the average golfer and senior for the slower swinger. Then I read an article with Davis Love III and when the subject of his choice of golf balls came up, he said he used 90 compression balls. That the 100 ball had a tendency on off-center hits to send a sting up his arms. Here is one of the most accurate and long golfers today and he uses 90 compression balls. You can’t argue with that, now when I come in possession of 100’s, off they go to my son-in-laws to use and I go my way with the 90’s and use a senior when I need a long drive with little spin.. Tony
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Could someone please post an explanation of the compression rating on golf balls?
As I understand it balls are not designed to have different compression categorised into the different compression ratings in a fairly coarse sort of way. Higher quality balls as used by pros are probably measured to tighter tolerances than the cheaper variety. The difference in performance is more a matter of feel than anything else, and is particularly noticeable on the putting green. Very slow putting greens are probably easier to play with high compression balls where the stroke contact needs to be less subtle than on very fast greens. Most pros would use the lower compression balls on the faster greens. David
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I dought Davis Love gets many stingers from off center hits. I agree with the other fellow got to be a marketing thing. I have used both 90 and 100 and can’t tell the difference. — UNLIMITED flat rate long distance 6.9 cents/minute! Callining cards as low as .08 cent/minute. Save money! http://www.myfreeoffice.com/starcom A FREE business opportunity you can run from the comfort of home http://telcom-mlm.com/bizop.cgi?rjcomp1998 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – From reading and listening to the "golf authorites" it was my understanding that compression was the ball’s design to resist compression against the clubhead. So the rule was 100 for the big swingers and 90 for the average golfer and senior for the slower swinger. Then I read an article with Davis Love III and when the subject of his choice of golf balls came up, he said he used 90 compression balls. That the 100 ball had a tendency on off-center hits to send a sting up his arms. Here is one of the most accurate and long golfers today and he uses 90 compression balls. You can’t argue with that, now when I come in possession of 100’s, off they go to my son-in-laws to use and I go my way with the 90’s and use a senior when I need a long drive with little spin.. Tony
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Compression measures the hardness of a ball. The test involves places a ball in vice like machine that exerts 200lbs of pressure on the ball, for every 1000th of an inch the ball compresses, one is deducted from 200; therefore a 100 compression ball deflects a 10th of inch, a 90 compression deflects a little more than a tenth. As good as manufacturing techniques have become, it’s not an exact measurement, it is more a category — for example a 90 compression ball might be anywhere from a true 88 to 92 compression. Manufacturers use different guidelines and tolerances, much the same way there is no standard for flex in the shaft industry. More the anything compression affects feel, and even there, most golfers probably couldn’t tell the difference between a 100 compression and 90 compression of the same make and model. As opposed to feeling the difference between balata and surlyn covers. The difference in distance is minimal, but it follows the harder the ball, the longer — but at best it may be a yard or two on a 300 yard drive…. Same thing with spin and control. A softer ball should spin more and thus you can more easily draw fade or back it up, but the difference is so small between 90 and 100, it’s not worth considering. In terms of swing speed etc. The harder you swing at the ball, the more it will "compress" on contact. If you have a slow swing speed and are playing something like those Dunlop 110 compressions, well then the ball will react like a rock as opposed to say if you were playing an 80 compression — that is why markets with typically slower than average swing speeds (older golfers and women) are dominated by 80 compression balls. Another factor is that ball naturally "shrinks" — compresses — in cold weather. I forget the exact correlation but you find many golfers who play in cold temps will try to drop down a compression rating or two so that the ball still feels the same. You’ll see many manufacturers not placing a compression rating on balls anymore. That’s an indication of how subjective a measurement it is. Back int he days when cover materials were either balata or surlyn, the ratings made a lot of sense, but with the advent of softer covers, double covers and other variations, it’s a lot easier to make a hardball feel soft and vice verse. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Could someone please post an explanation of the compression rating on golf balls? I understand the physics, but how does it effect your distance, control, etc. Does your swing velocity matter? Thanks…
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Could someone please post an explanation of the compression rating on golf balls? I understand the physics, but how does it effect your distance, control, etc. Does your swing velocity matter? Thanks…
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A cynical friend of mine in the golf business contends that "compression" is basically a marketing tool.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Could someone please post an explanation of the compression rating on golf balls? I understand the physics, but how does it effect your distance, control, etc. Does your swing velocity matter? Thanks…
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Is it possible to buy a device to check golf ball compression. Is there a specification on how to check golf balls for compression Is there a web site where I can get this information? Thank you in advance for your help Marc
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No, no and no. If you could check, you would probably find that one brand of 100’s is somebody elses 90. There was an article in GOLF or Dolf Digest about a year ago. Basically it said that a compression could be + or – 5 (ie a 100 could be 95 or 105). If it feels good, hit it! — Jay "Work is for people who don’t know how to play golf" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is it possible to buy a device to check golf ball compression. Is there a specification on how to check golf balls for compression Is there a web site where I can get this information? Thank you in advance for your help Marc
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I’m a new golfer (6 mos) and am a bit confused on the difference between a 90 and 100 compression ball. I have been told that the 100 compression ball will give more distance in the warmer weather and the 90 compression ball will give more distance in the colder weather. Is this true or is the compression more of a feeling (softer vs harder)? I have read somewhere (this news group I believe) that the compression of a ball affecting the distance travelled is a myth. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. Former Microsoft Shrink-wrap Beta Tester! John Basso LINUX Raytheon Service Company phone : 205-461-6254 The choice 306 Wynn Drive fax: 205-461-6259 of a Huntsville, AL 35805
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It’s mostly feel. 90’s are softer in feel. Nicklaus says you have to hit any ball hard to get it to travel further. Unfortunately. Well, just try a 90 vs. a 100 and see what you think. Good luck.
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A 90 is simply softer than a 100. Case closed. There is no statistical difference in distance between the two. Some regular 100 compression users do prefer 90 compression in cold weather as a ball will feel harder in cold weather and the lower compression will help compensate for that. Note, compressions measured in PSI actually range from the mid 80’s (for the softest balata balls up into the 120’s for the hardest two piece balls). Bottom line – the only difference is feel and that’s a matter of individual preference.
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – John: The key difference between a 90 / 100 compression ball with respect to distance (ie: performance) is the speed of the club head at impact. Go back to H.S. physics. Mass * Velocity = ??? If you where to impact a 100 comp. ball at average club head speed it wouldn’t go any farther than a 90 comp ball. However if you impact (compress) a 100 comp ball due to increased head club speed yes it will out perform or go farther than a 90 comp. Again the key is the speed of the club head at impact. Will a 90 out perform a 100 in cooler playing conditions? My experiences are yes; why – it’s easier to COMPRESS the ball. Hope this helps out ….. Good Golfing in ‘96
Thanks for the response. It is appreciated. Newton’s "…for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction…" intuitively tells me that given a constant clubhead speed the amount of potential energy stored in each ball (90 or 100 compression) would be the same and therefore travel the same distance. Saying that the 100 compression ball will "out perform" the 90 if it is hit harder doesn’t seem to be related to the balls compression. Still confused. Former Microsoft Shrink-wrap Beta Tester! John Basso LINUX Raytheon Service Company phone : 205-461-6254 The choice 306 Wynn Drive fax: 205-461-6259 of a Huntsville, AL 35805
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A 90 is simply softer than a 100. Case closed. There is no statistical difference in distance between the two.
What assumptions (if any) are you making here in terms of swing speed, etc? Dudley Cornman Systems Programmer Academic Computing Services – EKU *** When it comes to boats… *** *** I’d rather have a new boat than a used boat… *** *** I’d rather have a Baja than a Bayliner… *** *** I’d rather have a used Bayliner than no boat at all… ***
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John: The key difference between a 90 / 100 compression ball with respect to distance (ie: performance) is the speed of the club head at impact. Go back to H.S. physics. Mass * Velocity = ???
F. Which is probably what *you* got in H.S. physics 
What’s your point here? If you where to impact a 100 comp. ball at average club head speed it wouldn’t go any farther than a 90 comp ball. However if you impact (compress) a 100 comp ball due to increased head club speed yes it will out perform or go farther than a 90 comp. Again the key is the speed of the club head at impact. < snip
Oh yeah? What about coefficient of restition? Elasticity? How come John Daly & Nick Faldo play 90 compression? Cheers, John
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< snip Go back to H.S. physics. Mass * Velocity = ??? F. Which is probably what *you* got in H.S. physics What’s your point here?
Yikes! I meant P! P! Honestly. Oh well, an F for me too.. Thanks to Chris Lee for being the first one to point out that obvious error.
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Newton’s "…for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction…" intuitively tells me that given a constant clubhead speed the amount of potential energy stored in each ball (90 or 100 compression) would be the same and therefore travel the same distance. Saying that the 100 compression ball will "out perform" the 90 if it is hit harder doesn’t seem to be related to the balls compression. Still confused.
From what I have read over the years I deduce that a 100 might have an advantage over a 90 at the point where the club head speed is fast enought to "over-compress" the 90. It may not be easy for the average golfer to tell a distance advantage between 90 and 100 compression balls. But if you can find some 70 compression balls (some ladies balls) and compare them to 90 or 100 compression balls it could be enlightening. Dudley Cornman Systems Programmer Academic Computing Services – EKU *** When it comes to boats… *** *** I’d rather have a new boat than a used boat… *** *** I’d rather have a Baja than a Bayliner… *** *** I’d rather have a used Bayliner than no boat at all… ***