Article by Gareth Tait

This may or not be a question you would ask yourself-the question being what golf balls are for me?

If you were like me you didn’t know much about the game at the start and just dived into things I bet you played with any golf ball you liked. I would pretty much use any golf ball that came to hand as long as it was playable. I didn’t understand there were so many choices when it came to golf balls. There are so many manufacturers out there and each has their positives and negatives.

I have played with many different balls through practicing and playing rounds. What I would advise for beginners is a two piece ball it is designed for more distance and improving your game. It’s a great start up ball for any novice golfer. I will show you the other types available in a handy list so you can compare each of the choices.

The Two Piece Golf Ball

This is the most common golf ball on the market. The two piece ball has a large solid rubber core and is surrounded by the outer plastic or urethane cover.

There are many different types of two piece ball on the market this is due to golf ball developers changing the size of the core, compression of the core and the softness of the core.

The two piece ball is aimed at improving your game and adding more distance to your game. It is a low spinning ball which means your slice or hook will be as pronounced and will fly a little straighter. Generally speaking the two piece ball is the least expensive and this is the type of ball I would advise a beginner to use.

The Three Piece Golf Ball

These can often be referred to as hybrid balls. They are similar to two piece balls but they are made differently and offer different things. The solid core is surrounded by a mantle layer and then these “two pieces” are surrounded by a soft plastic or urethane rubber cover.

Like two piece balls golf ball developers can play around with the layers and offer different things to every golfer.

Just like the two piece golf ball the three piece golf ball offers some forgiveness. It does offer better performance and more spin control. The three piece ball also has great feel. This ball is more expensive than its two piece equivalent this is due to the increased performance advantage.

The Four Piece Golf Ball

The solid core, the first layer, of the ball is the solid rubber centre that is primarily designed to offer explosive distance. The next, inner cover, layer is in the ball to transfer the energy from the strike to the hot core. Next is the middle cover, which is the extra layer, compared to a three-piece ball.

This ball again offers better performance. It offers better driver distance while still offering mid iron spin and feel around the green. These balls can be quite expensive but shop around and find a deal.

The Five Piece Golf Ball

The first five piece ball on the market was Taylormade Penta back in 2009. The ball has 5 pieces which feature a solid main core, three mantles and the outer urethane cover.

The ball itself is aimed at players of different levels from beginners to professionals. All these pieces it’s made of offer something to every player. The core of the ball will come into play if you have a fast swing this is because it’s made of low compression material. This will ensure the fastest swingers will be able to get those extra yards. Beginners should not be discouraged by this though because the ball itself has been designed to also offer extra yards and increased feel.

I hope you find the above information of some use. I have used all of the above but I have not really played much with the five piece Taylormade Penta. I have many favourites the main ones being the Bridgestone e5+, Precept Laddie and the Maxfli Noodle. I suggest you find a ball that suits your game. If you stick with it you will develop as a player as the feel factor will come with it. Getting it right will improve your golf.