Kid tested, Grandparents approved
Written: Feb 28 '08 (Updated Mar 02 '08)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very soft offers more distance and loft for slower swing speeds.
Cons: This is a swing specific ball and not for your average golfer.
The Bottom Line: If you have a slow swing speed or are looking for a ball for a kid, a senior, a lady, or just a slower swinger, this is the ball.
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| smallmouth's Full Review: Us Kids Golf Championship Golf Ball |
Golf ball manufacturers are concentrating more of their efforts on producing balls for specific golfers of all levels. While some balls are made for the general golfer, if there is such a thing, most of them are made for a specific golfer, whether it be a pro, a scratch golfer, a fast and strong swinging golfer, a slow swinger, golfers who needs more feel, and golfers who need more distance. This ball is made for the little golfer, the next Tiger Woods, the kids.
I was first introduced to this ball at a golf shop. I hadn’t golfed much with kids or youth but have been golfing a bunch lately with my grandparents and other senior citizens. Some of them are hitting balls they really should not be hitting. They should be hitting balls that give them more distance and more height. With low swing speeds, these octogenarians need every advantage they can get. I am a slight golf ball fanatic. While I have my favorites, I like to try out as many different balls as possible and I am always looking through stacks of balls at golf stores and pro shops. When I saw this box and it said more loft and longer distance, the light-bulb went off. This would be perfect for my grandparents I thought. It would also keep them away from my Pro-V1's so I picked them up a box and we took them out to the course to give them a try.
-------------------- Comparing Apples to Apples:--------------------
The most important thing to keep in mind when testing or choosing a golf ball is what it is made for and the specifications of the ball, not so much who it is made for. This ball is made for kids and is marketed for them. But it is made for slower swingers such as kids, seniors, some ladies, and golfers who just do not swing very hard. Even though it is marketed as a kids ball, it is an excellent ball for my grandparents who have very slow swing speeds. This ball might not be well suited for kids who have fast swing speeds. The way it is marketed or suggested by the manufacturer is for swing speeds under 90 mph. You can get this tested with the Medicus Power Meter or at golf stores with the testing equipment such as Edwin Watts or Martins.
-------------------- More Distance and Loft:--------------------
I find it humorous when I see More Distance or Super Far printed on golf balls. The marketers are utilizing every possible surface to hit certain golfers in their sore spots, giving them false hope from a golf ball while promising more distance and longer drives. The real technology isn’t written on the ball that will make it go farther, it has to do with the core, cover, and compression, and matching those things with swing speeds. The reason this ball offers more distance to kids is because they have slower swing speeds so the ball has less compression. It is a 62 compression compared to those of the usual 100 or 90. This suits my grandparents as well who also have slower swing speeds. I took them and aa handful of different balls out to the par three course and we tried the different balls. They hit driver or three wood on the par threes that I hit pitching wedge but we all tried the same balls. They were getting about 5-10 more yards out of the US Kids Golf balls. This doesn’t sound like much but when you put it into perspective of percentages it adds up to about 6-10 percent more distance which they are grateful to get. This will relate to kids with slower than adult swing speeds as well. We didn’t really notice much more for loft because they were hitting flat trajectory clubs and when they hit their irons they keep them low regardless of ball. I tried the balls as well and definitely found them to go higher than I was expecting but not much longer for me. I was getting ridiculous backspin and loft and actually spinning them off of some of the greens. I could definitely feel how soft they were. I haven’t checked my grandparents golf swings for speed but I am guessing they are around 65 mph. I know mine with the driver is above 125.
-------------------- Sound and Feel:--------------------
When I hit this ball with my irons and especially my wedges, it gave a strange sound I was unaccustomed to, more like a thud. But this ball was not built for me with a fast swing speed. When my grandparents hit it with a slower swing speed it sounded much better. It gave more of a click sound. As far as feel goes, this is an excellent feel ball for all levels. Being soft, it stays on the club face longer during contact which leads to more feel. Other than overspin, I found it incredibly easy to control around the greens. My grandparents loved it as well. This is definitely a feel ball for people with slower swing speeds.
-------------------- On the putting green:--------------------
These balls were excellent on the putting green and had a feel more like the new Callaway ix or Titliest Pro-V1 balls. Most of the so called distance balls are as hard as rocks and feel more like glass marbles on the putting surface. But since these are distance balls for slower swing speeds they are made to be soft and offer excellent feel and feedback. As far as holding their line, I found them to be adequate and decent. I didn’t think they were anything special but also didn’t find any deficiencies. With this green on the putting surface it is more about finding the right speed first then the line. Being softer you can give it a little more of a thump or whack with the flatstick.
-------------------- 19th Hole, Final Thoughts:--------------------
This ball is great when it is put into the right situation. I wouldn’t play it with my fast swing speed, it feels like a nerf ball off of my driver and I could tear one up in over the first nine holes, but for people with slow swing speeds like seniors and kids, this is an excellent ball. It will be plenty durable even with its soft cover to last several rounds with the slower swing speeds. The kids and seniors should take advantage of any advantages out there and this ball is definitely there for them. They will get the most distance and loft with this ball compared to other golf balls that I have seen. It is great that the golf ball companies are catering to each and every golfer on a more individual skill level basis. The days of one Balata ball on the market are long behind us and you really need to do your homework when buying golf balls. This one is easy, if you have a slow swing speed and want more distance and loft, this is your ball.
-------------------- Price and Availability:--------------------
I have seen these sold at just about every big box golf store including Edwin Watts, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Martins, Sports Authority, and even in some pro shops. They are selling for about $20 per dozen.
© smallmouth 2008
Check out my other Golf Reviews:
DRIVERS
Ping G-10 Driver • Callaway FT-i • Callaway FT-5 • TaylorMade r7 Superquad • King Cobra Speed LD/F Driver • Callaway Big Bertha Fairway Wood
IRONS
Ping G-10 Irons • Callaway X 20 Irons • Callaway X-20 Tour Irons • Vokey Spin Milled Wedge
GOLF BALLS
Titliest Pro-V1 • Callaway HX Tour Ball • Maxfli Tour Fire Ball • US Kids Golf Ball • Top Flite Freak
Recommended:
Yes
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