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As the colder months come around, there are a few golf equipment decisions that need to be made. The question of whether you should use a different golf ball in the winter is certainly a common one.
When golfers are teeing up a ball in winter, or indeed at any time of year, there are several factors that go into deciding which one they’ll be playing.
For some, it’s the first golf ball that comes out of their bag when they reach in. If that’s you, then you’re probably leaving performance benefits on the table, but that’s a whole different conversation altogether.
However, if you are a golfer who wants their choice of golf ball to help them on the golf course, then you’ve probably wondered if using a different one when conditions get cold is worthwhile.
On the surface, the theory stands to reason, too. Cold air will shorten the flight of your golf ball, so using a ball that flies further, and might be a little firmer, does sound reasonable.
As well as that, if you play winter golf in the UK, you’re likely to encounter wet conditions, where a firm golf ball might, in theory, perform better.
However, is there science behind these theories?
Should you use a different golf ball in the winter?
According to Titleist, the answer is a simple: ‘No.’ In a blog post from a member of the No.1 ball in golf’s R&D team, they dispel the myth that using a golf ball with a different level of compression is going to help when playing in cold weather.
They say that the best course of action is to play the same golf ball you would typically play.
When you think about it, this does make sense, as the last thing you want to do is create another variable in your game.
However, Titleist say that there are other issues you need to consider when it comes to your golf ball in the cold weather.
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How does cold weather impact your golf ball?
Firstly, your ball is not going to fly as far in the cold. There isn’t anything you can do about this, but Titleist say that for every 20°F, you should anticipate a 1.5% change in how far your ball travels.
Put in real terms, for a 50°F (10°C) day versus a 70°F (21°C) on a 200 yard shot, you’re going to lose around three yards of carry.
You also want to try and mitigate against your golf balls being too cold on the course.
Titleist recommend that you play with balls that are room temperature. If your golf ball is particularly cold, its materials can lose some resiliency, meaning a reduction in initial velocity off the face. Essentially, if your golf ball is cold, it won’t carry as much speed in its flight.
There are a couple of ways you can try and stop this from happening. Firstly, it comes before you even get to the course. Leaving your golf bag, and thus, golf balls in the car when it’s cold isn’t going to help the performance of them.
Secondly, it might be a good idea to keep two or three balls in your pocket during a round, and rotate them between holes.
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In summary, changing the model of your golf ball in the winter is probably going to cause you more harm than good. Doing this just throws another variable in the mix, in a time of year when it’s already tricky to play your best golf.
Instead, make small adjustments like rotating golf balls between holes, keeping them in the house overnight, and anticipating a shorter carry distance, and you’ll see better results.
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