Which ball is best for your game? A ball fitting will tell you

The golf ball is the only piece of equipment you use on every shot. At Titleist, we know you want a golf ball with consistency on every hole, during every round. But how do you find the right ball for your game to improve performance?

Being fit for your golf ball is a great place to start. And when it comes to fitting, there might not be any better authorities on the topic than our golf ball fitting teams who tour across the country helping golfers get dialed in every day.

Now you might be thinking: What does a golf ball fitting look like? Well, we caught up with one of our experts, Patrick Dewar (pictured above) from our east coast golf ball fitting team, to give us the scoop.

Here are some key points from our discussion and you can check out the rest of the interview below.
Quick hits:
• Bring a lofted wedge (54⁰-60⁰), a 6 or 7-iron, and your driver to the fitting.
• A full fitting will take 15-20 minutes to complete.
• Titleist uses a “green-to-tee approach” for golf ball fittings.
• You should go through a golf ball fitting when a new generation of your favorite Titleist golf ball is launched or if you have new equipment.
• Titleist has three mobile golf ball fitting teams that conduct fitting events across the U.S. year- round.
• Playing the right golf ball will make a difference in your game.

Q: What do I need to bring to my fitting?

Patrick Dewar (PD): If you are signed up to go through our full golf ball fitting using our TrackMan launch monitors, you will need to bring a lofted wedge (54⁰-60⁰), a 6 or 7-iron, and your driver. To help us make a recommendation as to which golf ball is best for your game, we will have you hit a series of shots using the three different clubs, starting with a 50 yard wedge shot. Arrive a few minutes early to allow yourself enough time to warm up before your appointment.

If you have not signed up for a full fitting but still want to find out what is the best ball for your game, we also offer a fitting service where we conduct an in-depth game assessment and make a golf ball recommendation.

So, if you haven’t signed up in advance or don’t feel like hitting shots on our launch monitor, please still come by one of our fitting events and we’ll help you determine the best ball for your game.

Q: How long will the fitting last, and how will the fitter determine which golf ball is best for my game?

PD: A full fitting will take 15-20 minutes to complete, and it begins with an assessment of your game and your performance objectives. This provides your fitter with information about your game, your current golf ball, and what you are looking for in terms of golf ball performance. You will then hit a series of shots on our TrackMan launch monitor: a 50 yard wedge shot, a 6 or 7- iron, and your driver.

During the TrackMan assessment, your fitter will look at your launch conditions – launch angle, spin rate, land angle, etc. – and will use that information and the feedback you provide to make a golf ball recommendation. You will then be provided with samples of a recommended and alternative golf ball to test during your own green-to-tee on-course assessment in order to make a final determination as to which golf ball is best for your game.

Q: Why choose a golf ball using a green-to-tee approach?

PD: At Titleist, we use our “Green-to-Tee” approach to golf ball fitting to fit all players, from the players you see playing Titleist golf balls on the PGA and LPGA Tours, to golfers who shoot over 100, and everyone in between. All Titleist golf balls are designed and manufactured to be exceptionally long off the tee, and golfers typically only hit 14 drives per round, so to find the best golf ball for your game we start at the green and work back to the tee.

We take this approach because we know it is the “scoring shots” - approach shots, pitches, and chips - that have the most significant impact on your score. Professionals and amateurs alike shoot lower scores when they save shots into and around the green, which is why we start at the green and prioritize fitting golfers into golf balls that will maximize their performance on the scoring shots.

Q: How often should I go through a golf ball fitting?

PD: We love talking golf balls with golfers, so anytime our mobile fitting team is in your area we’d love to have you come to one of our events. However, there are a couple situations in which you should always try to go through a golf ball fitting:

When a new generation of your favorite Titleist golf ball is launched, you should reassess your golf ball selection to make sure you are still playing the best Titleist golf ball model for your game.

If you make any equipment changes, such as purchasing a new set of wedges and/or irons, or significant swing changes then your launch conditions may change and it can be important to re-evaluate your golf ball selection at that time.
Q: What time of year is best to go through a golf ball fitting?

PD: Anytime. Titleist has three mobile golf ball fitting teams that conduct fitting events across the U.S. year round.

Q: Will the golf ball make a difference in my game?

PD: Absolutely, yes! At Titleist we have found the most overlooked piece of equipment in an amateur golfer’s bag is the one they use on every shot: The golf ball. Has a well-struck approach shot ever run out more than you thought it should? Do you consistently have longer putts than you’d like after you hit short game shots around the green? The fact of the matter is that there are game-changing performance and quality differences between golf ball brands and models, especially on shots into and around the green.

If you play a Titleist golf ball that is fit for your game and use that same model every shot of every round, you will absolutely see the difference in your game.