Best time to buy golf balls

Consistently playing the same, high-quality ball is a must for golfers of all abilities to score their best, but what if the retail price is just too high?

MyGolfSpy testing has proven the importance of the golf ball. There is a significant, measurable difference in playing a high-quality one. Additionally, playing the same ball every round, instead of just playing whatever you find in the woods is a simple way to eliminate a variable that could impact scoring. That said, not everyone can justify paying $40-$50 or even higher per box of balls, especially if you are losing several per round. For these golfers, it’s important to know that there are options to get tour-level balls at significantly lower prices.

This is your guide to golf ball deals.

Deal #1: Buy Three-Get One Free Campaigns

Many golfers want the latest, name-brand golf balls new out of the box. The most direct path to the best price is stocking up during promotional sales. This time of year, most major ball brands offer deals. When you purchase three dozen balls, you can get a fourth dozen for free. This includes top-performing balls such as the Titleist Pro V1/Pro V1x and Callaway Chrome Soft/Chrome Soft X.

Current Buy 3 Get 1 Free Deals (These all include personalization):

Titleist: Pro V1, Pro V1x, AVX

$49.99 / $37.49/dozen (25% OFF)

BUY NOW

Callaway: Chrome Soft, Chrome Soft X

$47.99 / $35.99/dozen (25% OFF)

BUY NOW

Bridgestone: Tour B RX, Tour B RXS

$44.99 / $33.75/dozen (25% OFF)

BUY NOW

These deals are typically active during March and April as the new season is just getting underway. Deals are available through manufacturer websites as well as major retailers such as Dicks/Golf Galaxy. Keep in mind that you may have to select the personalized ball option to activate the deal which sometimes costs a few dollars more per dozen, but this is more than made up for with the free dozen savings. Plus, you get the bonus of having a personalized ball.

Also keep your eye on Srixon. In the past, the company has offered an even better deal with Buy Two-Get One dozen. There’s no question that these promotions are the best time to get the balls you’ll need to last the season.

Deal #2: Price Drops on Prior-Gen Models

Just like with golf clubs, the release of a new golf ball model is also a time to celebrate for budget shoppers as it means last years’ models will get a significant price discount. Most major manufacturers follow two-year lifecycles for their golf balls. If you’re willing to play the 2018/2019 ball model, you can expect to save $8-$10 on a brand new box off the list price.

Ball companies tend to make incremental changes between model years, so it’s unlikely most golfers will notice a significant difference. If you are happy with the ball you are playing, there might be little to gain from jumping to the latest release and instead, you can save a few bucks by sticking to the older model.

Keep in mind that these deals only last as long as manufacturers and retailers have the old balls in stock, so they won’t last forever. It also can be important when dealing with unfamiliar sellers to verify which model year you are getting and not paying full price for an older release.

Deal #3: Practice Balls and Logo Overruns

With millions of golf balls being produced, it’s understandable that manufacturers make mistakes. These mistakes could include minor cosmetic imperfections on the ball or simply producing too many with a particular logo stamped on the side. In most cases, these balls will perform exactly the same as any new ball, but can’t be included in a full-price new box.

Golfers looking to get the lowest price on new balls can save significantly if they are willing to accept logos and/or cosmetic blemishes. For example, my daily gamer is the 2019 TaylorMade TP5 Pix. While this model is now down to $39.99 MSRP, you can pay half that for the “practice” balls available from several online retailers. Practice stamped balls tend to signify a small cosmetic issue, but still guarantee new ball performance.

It will take some time after release before sellers have a significant stock of practice or logo overrun balls. This means you’ll have to be patient or play an older model. Additionally, stock on these balls are limited. It can take a bit of hunting to find which online retailers have them available. Also, you won’t get the shiny new ball unboxing experience with these balls as they are typically sold in clear plastic wraps or unmarked cardboard.

Keep in mind that while X-out and practice balls should perform the same as the regular ones, they are not included of the official list of conforming balls and therefore shouldn’t be used in tournament play.

Deal #4: Direct-to-Consumer in Bulk

Over the past few years, direct-to-consumer ball brands have made significant strides in producing high-quality tour-level balls. These balls are already sold at a significantly lower price than their major OEM counterparts, but even greater savings can be found by ordering in bulk.

Snell, Vice, and others all offer some form of bulk discounting. Often this will require four to five dozen or more balls at once, so you’ll want to be sure you enjoy playing that particular ball before pulling the trigger. For example, if you purchase four dozen or more of Snell’s highly-reviewed MTB-x, it will bring the per dozen price under $30.

Deal #5: Used Golf Balls

The deals listed above are all relatively risk-free ways to get high-performance balls at a discount. For the absolute lowest price, however, used/recycled golf balls may be an option. If you are exploring the used ball market, be sure to go with a reputable dealer to ensure the best experience. Additionally, here are some common questions around used balls.

FAQ

Do used balls perform worse than new ones?

The short answer is no. Testing has shown that an undamaged, used golf ball performs identically to a new ball. The key word here is undamaged. Unfortunately, it is difficult to guarantee the used ball you purchased is undamaged and not all damage is readily visible.

Are there different levels of used balls?

Large used ball sellers always list a grade for the product. For example, LostGolfBalls.com grades balls as Mint, Near Mint, and Good. Mint balls will appear new outside of possible pen markings. Near Mint might have slight scuffs or discolorations that won’t impact performance.  It is what a new ball looks like after playing a few holes. Good has scuffs and marks but no cuts. Other retailers follow similar scales, and very few will attempt to sell balls with visible cuts.

Is there a difference between refinished balls and used?

Refinished balls are used balls that have been repainted and markings restamped. There is reason to be cautious with refinished balls, however. The painting and stamping process could be covering up significant damage or even a completely different ball than expected. Additionally, the repainting process will change the dimple dimensions of the ball, affecting aerodynamic performance. Used balls are likely a better choice even if refinished look better cosmetically.

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