What Are The Differences Between Men’s And Women’s Golf Balls?
Golf balls marketed to women mostly tend to differ from golf balls marketed at men in their compression rate. In general women have slower swings than men. Golf ball manufacturers have tended to target slower-swinging players with lower compression balls because, in theory, they should be a better fit for them.
Compression
This is really a measure of how much force is required to deform the ball. The higher the compression rating the more force (swing speed) will be required to get the best from the ball.
Most of the balls played on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour are likely to be quite high-compression models given that the players are all swinging the club at pretty high-speed.
Even on the LPGA Tour, many players use high-compression balls like the Titleist Pro V1x because their swings are fast enough to make the most of the ball.
Slower swinging amateurs might find they prefer the feel of a lower compression ball. However, testing by mygolfspy suggests even players with slow swing speeds will be losing out on some distance if they switch to a low-compression golf ball. Although at slower swing speeds the differences might be small enough for them to be not too important.
Dimples
Given that female golfers tend to have slower swings compared with their male counterparts means they will find it more difficult to launch the ball and keep it airborne. In order to help, manufacturers may change the aerodynamic properties of the ball by altering the number, size and shape of the dimples to improve the amount of lift that the ball will generate.
This enhanced lift should help slower swingers keep the ball in the air for longer whether they are men, women, seniors or juniors.
Cosmetics
The most obvious difference between golf balls targeted at men or women is the cosmetics and packaging. Products targeting lady golfers tend to use more “feminine” color schemes and possibly different names. The packaging might also put some men off.
Can Women Play With Men’s Golf Balls?
Of course, it comes down to a combination of swing speed, spin and feel. A player needs to play a ball that they are comfortable with and that performs how they want it to in different parts of the game.
Do they like the feel when putting and chipping? Do they get sufficient spin on their irons? Are they happy with their driving distance?
Can Men Play With Women’s Golf Balls?
Yes, men can use women’s golf balls. It comes down to whether the performance characteristics of the ball suit the player. Not everyone wants to play a tour ball or can afford to. A ladies’ ball might be right for your game. You need to try it to find out.
How Do I Choose A Golf Ball?
The best advice is usually to start on the green and work up to your long game. Try different types of balls when putting and chipping and make a short list of ones that you like.
Try using these balls with your irons to see which gives the best tradeoff of distance and stopping power. Then take the leaders out and see which performs the best from the tee in terms of distance and dispersion.
Once you find a ball you like then stick to that ball going forward.
If you are a beginner then you might want to favor cheaper golf balls as you probably tend to lose a few and golf balls can be quite expensive.
What Are The Differences Between Men’s And Women’s Golf Balls: Conclusion
The reality is that a golf ball targeting female golfers would work equally well for any player with a slower swing. Obviously, some men might be put off by the packaging or color scheme used on the ball but that should not come into it when the performance of the ball might be superior to the “men’s” ball that they currently use.
