Ladies, Which Balls Should You Play With?

This comes after a female client of mine asked me to recommend a golf ball, this came after our previous lesson where I had mentioned that all golfers should play the same make and model of ball all of the time. Having spent the week looking around local shops she was none the wiser and wanted to know what the major differences between balls are, starting with the difference between balls designed for men and those designed for ladies.

Ladies balls are generally a softer ball, with a construction that is designed to aid the lady in compressing the golf ball better, therefore increasing the distance they can achieve. However, this may not be suitable for all female golfers, as some will be strong enough to “over compress” the golf ball resulting in a loss of distance rather than an increase.

So, with this said, should ladies be using a ball specifically designed for ladies? NO absolutely not, just as men shouldn´t discount the need to use a lady’s ball if the circumstances call for it. Is there really a difference? To be honest no, I believe it to be a marketing ploy to get ladies to buy specific balls (just as men). Instead the question should be which ball (in general) should I be using.

For this you need to consider your swing speed, the lower your swing speed the lower compression of golf ball you should be using. So, ladies if you have a relatively high swing speed, let’s say above 60pmh you should look to try balls from across the market, regardless of whether they be female or male directed. I believe that you should all be using a ball that performs the best for you, based upon your swing speed and personal preference.

Ladies, I do not want to sound rude, but I want you to take the following viewpoint onboard before making a decision as to which balls you should be playing with: most lady golfers will struggle to reach the green in regulation, meaning they rely on their short game to maintain their handicap and score. With this in mind, if using a lady’s ball, that you don´t like the feel of, would benefit your driving distance by a few metres, would you not be better off using a ball that you feel comfortable with? In my opinion, just as I tell male golfers, the golf ball you use should be the one that feels the best so that you can be confident on and around the greens. The likelihood that you will gain massive distance increases is low, so go and try what is out there and make the best choice for you and your game.