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BuffGolf 2002 Pre-Season Ball Review: What's "Noodle" In 2002 ? |
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| Maxfli: -Noodle -A10 |
Nike: -Tour Accuracy DD -Precision CC |
Wilson Staff True | Callaway HX |
| Titleist: -Pro V* -NXT |
Precept: -Laddie -Tour Premium LS |
Srixon Hi-Brid Tour |
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| It
is a safe bet that never have more revolutionary ball designs
and compositions been released to the golfing public than in
2002. The buzz at the PGA Merchandise Show in late
January was as much about what comes off the clubface as it
was about the clubface itself. Even with the exciting
new irons and woods on the market, the entire industry was
talking about the new domination of the solid ball.
Below the BuffGolf team of researchers has given you our take
on the new round offerings from the top names in golf ball
technology. No doubt one is the right ball for you.
The Noodle proclaims, tongue in cheek, that it is long and soft. With Gary McCord as its official spokesman (although he plays the A10 on tour), you simply cannot take the Noodle seriously, until you hit it. With an 80 compression core, it is everything that we thought golf balls were supposed to not be. And, so what? This ball has feel and distance, and a pretty darned patriotic look to its packaging. It also has an incredibly high rate of repurchase among first-time users, as reliable a survey as there is. The A10 took over a seat at the round table late last summer, as a player's ball, offering both distance and accuracy. The aforementioned McCord, along with Woosnam, Couples and Nicklaus, are a few of the big names playing the A10. It is a tremendous orb, scary long, yet comfortably solid. In addition, the Slazenger brand has released its Black Label ball, a sphere that supporters claim may just be the longest ball out there. Click Here To Visit The Maxfli Website The buzz in Orlando was all about the new forged irons that Duvall and his stablemates are playing on tour. They are sweet like candy, but these two new golf balls taste just as nice. The DD (like its TW compatriot) is named for one of the Nike Golf's Major winners, and delivers a solid performance from tee to green. The CC, more of a distance product, responds to the trend in ball manufacturing to develop both a length and an accuracy model. No doubt that the Nike name will sell a lot of these eggs, and the quality of the little white stars will keep the golfers happy. Click Here To Visit The Nike Golf Website
No company created more of a legal stir than our gang at Wilson. With the debut of the True ball, The big W claimed that all golf balls are a certain degree off balance, with the exception of this one. Rumor has it that lawyers from the competitors made their way to the Wilson booth space, to check out exactly what Wilson was purporting. No lawsuits are in the works, so the fine line must have been tred successfully. No question that this addition to the Wilson Staff family tree is a successful one, as it offers the feel and results of a champion. Click Here To Visit The Wilson Golf Website
No company is higher on its new line of golf balls than the Carlsbad Crew. Having recovered from the passing of their founder, Ely Callaway, the Crew is banking that the HX series will change the way golfers golf their ball. The hex-shaped dimples deviate from the traditional round dimple, although they were tried in the 70s by Royal Golf. The benefit, according to Callaway, is the absence of "land area" between the dimples, which reduces drag and increases lift at the apex of flight. Excellent. The Callaway balls differ from the majority of solid-core balls in their make-up: three pieces. The blue version is the distance edition, while the red symbolizes greater spin and accuracy. Click Here To Visit The Callaway Website
How do you follow-up a revolutionary ball? With another one, duhh! The Pro V1* (or, Star) is the second generation of the highly-touted Pro V1. Let's face it, though, with all the great players on Titleist's staff, they simply have to lead the tour in wins. So what does the new version mean to you? According to Titleist, less spin into the green, lower spin, and flatter trajectory. A tougher, more resistant cover adds to the durability of the Pro V1*. The NXT replaced a less effective line, and added the marketing touch of the ever-hysterical John Cleese as pitchman. Have you seen the golf course architect-uprising commercials? Who else could hit Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein in the face with a cream pie and get away with it? Good stuff, and a good ball. Not as much spin as you are likely to get with the V Brothers, but certainly a long-distance carrier. Click Here To Visit The Titleist Website
The original solid-core company has brought out a companion to the Lady for 2002. Turns out that the macho ones among us were mispronouncing Lady as Laddie, in order to cover up for their embarrassment at playing a woman's ball. Well, fear no longer. Play the Laddie as you did the Lady, and it's all good. Precept also posted the season's best tag line: Everything is not what it seams. The intentional misusage, of course, refers to the absence of a seam on the LS Premium. This move, made to counter the urban myth of "seaming" the ProV1, is the Precept way of restating their dominance in the field. Click Here To Visit The Precept Golf Website
Who? Srixon, of course. A well-known name in Japan, and competitor of Bridgestone, makers of the Precept line, Srixon is not as well known on this side of the Pacific pond. However, that is changing. Taking a more high-profile approach, Srixon recently announced the signing of Tom Lehman to a contract to play the Hi-Brid Tour on the PGA Tour. Their Hi-Brid Tour is the flagship design in a three-ball series, and responds to each club in the bag with durability and sensitive feel. Click Here To Visit The Srixon Website
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