Nobody playing Sams Club balls?

[speedeuphoria]

14 hours ago, golf-RN said:

I don't throw my expensive exotic clubs into the woods or the water

Still like this ball over the red stripe?

[pdxhak]

On 6/7/2025 at 1:44 AM, elwhippy said:

These threads baffle me. You will spend thousands on exotic clubs, custom fittings, and launch monitors, then buy cheap, badly made balls. Like owning a Ferrari and putting 40 year old tyres on and expecting grip like 2025 P-Zeros. 

IMO this is not the best example. Even exotic car manufactures use less expensive or rebranded parts from other sources.

[golf-RN]

1 hour ago, speedeuphoria said:

Still like this ball over the red stripe?

After spending a good amount of time with both, I like them equally the same. The Sam's ball feels softer to me off the irons which I do like. But the red stripe is a really great ball. I have played them equally over the summer so far and I really love them both. Been playing the red stripe more lately because I can get them in yellow, easier to see in the air against the overcast, cloudy weather we've had in Central Kentucky over the last little while. It is nice to have great choices in the budget category that perform great.

[jjfcpa]

I've played a round of golf with the MM ball and it's a very good ball.  I gave a sleeve to 3 of my friends and 2 of them really like them and would continue to use them except they don't have a Sam's club membership.  I don't either.  I got a dozen from a friend who went out of town and had his mom buy them (she had the membership) and my friend brought them back for me.  I shared with my friends.

 

I could easily use that bal or several others because I don't think the ball I choose will make any difference in my score.  

 

Having said that, I decided to use the Maxfli Tour S ball which feels and performs very good.  The 2025 version seems to be a step up from the 2023 version.  Slightly firmer which adds some spin on short pitches/chips and the durability is excellent.  I only play a ball for one round and I could easily play these for more than a round if I chose to.  The MM did not seem to exhibit the same durability in my opinion.  And the spin qualities were definitely not as good with the MM.  

 

The short game and putting is extremely important to my scoring ability and I do feel that the Maxfli helps in this regard.  Love the feel off the putter and distance control seems to be better.  

 

I should add that I don't just get a ball and go play a round with it.  I spend a couple of practice sessions with the ball before I will ever play a round with it.  If it doesn't meet my expectations that it will never get used by me.  My basement is filled with balls that have never seen a round of golf because they felt terrible off the putter or got no spin when hitting into a green.  

[new2g0lf]

I don't care what ball people play, I've seen plenty of Pro V1 balls drowned by golfers who would be better suited to playing $.50 Pinnacle rocks than Pro V1's but they bought into the Pro V1 hype.  It's pretty clear today with the success Srixon, Callaway and even Maxfli have had this year in tournaments that no one ball is superior to the others.  If MM plays well for you, why pay more for a Pro V1?  

[Nessism]

14 hours ago, new2g0lf said:

I don't care what ball people play, I've seen plenty of Pro V1 balls drowned by golfers who would be better suited to playing $.50 Pinnacle rocks than Pro V1's but they bought into the Pro V1 hype. 

 

 

A good friend of mine plays maybe a dozen times a year.  A good day for him is breaking 100.  The subject of golf balls came up in conversation, and I told him that both Sam's and Costco have cracked the code of ball development, and that reviews show excellent performance for most people.  He scratched his head and said that he plays TP5.  Another good friend that I play with weekly, more of a 90 shooter, also plays TP5.  I think guys like these don't flinch at paying $50/dozen of balls, and just consider it part of the game.  Mass (golf) insanity.  Like 5+ hour rounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 18 by Nessism

[new2g0lf]

On 6/18/2025 at 9:28 AM, Nessism said:

 

A good friend of mine plays maybe a dozen times a year.  A good day for him is breaking 100.  The subject of golf balls came up in conversation, and I told him that both Sam's and Costco have cracked the code of ball development, and that reviews show excellent performance for most people.  He scratched his head and said that he plays TP5.  Another good friend that I play with weekly, more of a 90 shooter, also plays TP5.  I think guys like these don't flinch at paying $50/dozen of balls, and just consider it part of the game.  Mass (golf) insanity.  Like 5+ hour rounds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There's a large group of golfers that believe if you play the best clubs, best golf balls, wear the best shoes and clothes you'll play better or you'll eliminate all of the variables for why you're not playing better so that you can focus on your mechanics.  We see it all the time here, money spent by high handicappers on new clubs or premium golf balls would be better spent on lessons but that's not as fun.  I also acknowledge some guys play in groups that are pretty rough and no one wants to be the guy that pulls out a Kirkland or MM when everyone else is playing Pro V1 or TP5's  

[IndyArcher]

1 hour ago, new2g0lf said:

I also acknowledge some guys play in groups that are pretty rough and no one wants to be the guy that pulls out a Kirkland or MM when everyone else is playing Pro V1 or TP5's  

 

Undoubtedly that's very true, but I'm the odd man out, I suppose. I don't at ALL mind being 'that' guy. It's not just in groups, but here. Just look at some of the demeaning comments from people on things like golf ball choice, iron covers (yeah, I do THAT, too!), etc.

 

IMO, if someone sees me as something lesser because I choose to save $$ on a quality golf ball, then that speak FAR more of them than it ever could me. I grew up with a family income that most would consider poor. My wife and I are healthy middle-class. We save, we invest, we give. Every penny I save in one area is something I have left for another. I'm not a miser by any stretch, but neither do I find benefit in spending for spending's sake. I have nothing to hide, nothing to lose, nothing to fear and nothing to prove. I am absolutely okay with the person I was created to be.

Edited June 20 by IndyArcher
spelling

[bcjim]

M gs say Kirkland wins! Suckers!!!

 

But they tested nearly identical .

[betarhoalphadelta]

On 6/18/2025 at 6:28 AM, Nessism said:

 

A good friend of mine plays maybe a dozen times a year.  A good day for him is breaking 100.  The subject of golf balls came up in conversation, and I told him that both Sam's and Costco have cracked the code of ball development, and that reviews show excellent performance for most people.  He scratched his head and said that he plays TP5.  Another good friend that I play with weekly, more of a 90 shooter, also plays TP5.  I think guys like these don't flinch at paying $50/dozen of balls, and just consider it part of the game.  Mass (golf) insanity.  Like 5+ hour rounds.

 

 

Personally I think a lot of players just don't really think about their golf ball NEARLY as much as people on WRX. Some will buy ProV1 because it's pretty much the "default" premium ball. Others perhaps started playing TP5 or Chrome Soft at some point [maybe they caught it on sale] and the just keep playing it just because they're used to it. Most of them probably are barely cognizant that the balls go through redesigns every 2 years or so and have changed... It's just habit. 

 

I think it's those of us who obsess over golf balls who are the weirdos. (And yes, I'm one of those weirdo 21.8 caps who obsesses over golf ball decisions and plays the Kirkland.)

 

Ultimately for that 100-shooter who plays a dozen rounds a year, and maybe loses on average 2.5 balls a round. Yeah, that's maybe $150 a year in lost golf balls when Kirkland or MM would be $30 per year in lost golf balls. 

 

Is that $120 annual delta worth it for that 100-shooter to care about? Especially when greens fees, drinks from the beverage cart, and the cost of the lunch after each round completely dwarf the lost ball cost? 

[IndyArcher]

On 6/20/2025 at 10:58 PM, bcjim said:

M gs say Kirkland wins! Suckers!!!

 

But they tested nearly identical .

 

I've played both and will be again after I finish healing. I personally found the feel of the Sam's ball much more to my liking. Feels much softer than 1% less compression. Both play very well for me. The slight advantage of spin on the Kirkland could be an advantage for me once I start hitting my 3DP Tours given their penchant for a little less spin. I'll fill up the bag with 6 of each and see how it goes in August (hopefully!)

[doubleeagle]

Had a chance to play the MM ball today and have to say, it is a great ball. I played the entire 18 with it to see how durable it is and it passed with flying colors. Had a couple of branch balls along with a bunker shot and it had one small spot on it with keeping it's color.

 

For me, it was a powerful trajectory off the driver and fairway woods. Super soft (which I prefer) off the irons, wedges and putter. The yardages were consistent with what I'm used to throughout the bag.

 

I did play the back 9 with the MM and Kirkland to see how they were against each other. Both were close but the Kirkland spins and balloons a tiny bit more with the driver and woods for me, so I'll keep giving the MM a go. You cannot go wrong with either for the performance versus the price.

 

FWIW, I'm an 8 cap.

[lefthack]

Dammit, I wish there was one near me so I could score some of these, the reviews have been great. 

[MrFlipper]

Maybe a seasonal thing, but my Sam’s club yesterday had balls marked down to 25.98 for 24 pack, gloves marked down to 19.98 for 4 pack. I like the gloves a lot. Loaded up some more of each…

[speedeuphoria]

7 minutes ago, MrFlipper said:

Maybe a seasonal thing, but my Sam’s club yesterday had balls marked down to 25.98 for 24 pack, gloves marked down to 19.98 for 4 pack. I like the gloves a lot. Loaded up some more of each…

Haven't heard about the gloves......Anyone compare to Kirkland?

[MrFlipper]

Just now, speedeuphoria said:

Haven't heard about the gloves......Anyone compare to Kirkland?

Yeah I’ve used them too. Use same size but Sam’s club are thicker leather and last longer. Grip just as well. Kirklands are now backups for me. Both are excellent gloves, can’t go wrong with either one for price or quality. Head and shoulders above everything else.

[Choclab]

@MrFlipper Good to hear, I'm a Sam's fan and have had my eye on those as I realized I ran out of gloves.  Oftentimes I don't even use a glove while playing, but If nothing else I might have to get some just to hang on to the club hitting balls into my net in 100* weather.