Practice Golf Balls

By Darin McGilvra

Practice Golf Balls
Practice golf balls are golf balls that are designed to be hit in smaller areas so you can practice swinging your clubs when you are away from the course and don't have much space. Most practice golf balls are designed to go no farther than 40 yards. They often can be used indoors.

Feel

Most practice golf balls today are different from the whiffle balls that were used in the past. Today's practice golf balls are designed to act much like a normal golf ball, except that they are designed to fly no more than 40 feet. This gives them the feel of a normal golf ball, and it allows you to have a more effective practice time when away from the golf course.

Material

Many practice golf balls are made out of a dense foam rubber, such as the Point 3 Almost Golf practice balls. This limits the amount of energy transferred to the ball, which helps restrict the flight of the ball. It also makes the ball lighter than a normal golf ball, which is one of the drawbacks. Some practice golf balls aren't even shaped like a golf ball, such as the BirdieBall.

BirdieBall

The BirdieBall is shaped like a napkin ring, which gives it an odd look and a strange sound when it is in flight. It can be bought with a mat to tee it up with. Consumer Reports did a small study and found that golfers either really liked it or didn't like it at all (www.consumerreports.org/cro/home-garden/sports-exercise-equipment/practice-golf-balls-8-07/overview/0708_golf_ov_1.htm?Extkey=SY95PI0&CMP=KNC-CROVMYSSP&HBX_OU=51&PK=yssp). The BirdieBall also doesn't travel as far as other practice balls.

Qolfball

The Qolfball is designed to be more realistic than most practice balls and you can fade, draw or spin it. It is made from Surlyn and is designed to be very durable. The Consumer Reports study found that golfers felt it was realistic off the club face.

Point 3 Almost Golf

The Point 3 Almost Golf practice balls are designed to look like real golf balls. They are made from dense foam rubber and are very light. They are designed so they won't damage furniture or dent cars. The Consumer Reports study found that the P3 responded well despite its light weight and that the feel and sound were muted when compared to the real thing.

Resources

About The Author

Darin McGilvra is a writer in Southern California. He has been a writer since 1997. He worked as a sports writer and copy editor for newspapers for more than 12 years before becoming a freelance writer. His articles have appeared recently in "The Californian" newspaper in Temecula, Calif. McGilvra holds a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics education from Northwest Nazarene College.
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