By Barry Lotz
An up and coming ball manufacturer who has years of experience and is delivering probably one of the best golf balls on the market.
Its founder, Dean Snell, holder of 38 golf patents, is a highly respected golf ball expert with over 25 years in research and development roles for companies such as Titleist and Taylormade and is the inventor or co-inventor of the Pro V1, Professional, Penta and Tour Preferred balls.
Snell golf has two models – My Tour Ball, which is a 3 piece ball and Get Sum which is a 2-piece ball.
My Tour Ball:
The Core has been developed with a very low compression, soft feel, with high velocity to help with ball speed, regardless of swing speed, and creates low driver spin rates for longer distances.
The Mantle layer works on longer shots to keep control of the spin, and works with the thin soft cast urethane cover on shorter irons and chip shots to create higher spin rates for better control into the green.
The Cover layer is made of a thermoset cast urethane. This technology allows very thin covers for better short game spin control and is very soft and durable.
The Get Sum ball:
Get Sum is a high performance 2-pc golf ball that offers excellent feel and control.
The large, soft low compression core again allows for the ball to have very low spin rates which increases distance and creates less hooks and slices.
The thin, soft Surlyn® cover contributes to the soft feel of the ball. This core cover combination has been designed to help golfers get the ball in the air easier, and get reduced spin rates for straighter shots from tee to green.
Both feature fast ball speeds for any swing speed and exceptional soft feel and control.
So how do you choose the correct ball for your game? Dean has the following advice: “Today, most golf balls go the same distance off the tee. But they are much different from 100 yards and in. I recommend playing 6 to 9 holes, from 100 yards and in. Take both balls out and hit shots from 100 yards, 70 yards, 30 yards, chips, putts. Choose the ball that you prefer for feel, spin, launch and control. Then take that ball back to the tee, and optimize your driver with today’s adjustable technology, and you have a complete tee to green ball fitting. Now enjoy the game.”
Dean’s site offers a great chart that allows you to compare each model to the ball you are currently playing and can be found at /www.snellgolf.com/which-ball-is-right-for-you/. Currently, the balls need to be ordered online.
Our testing group, specifically the lower handicapper, found the My Tour Ball model exceeded their expectations as to feel, distance and responsiveness. The higher handicappers gravitated to the Get Sum model.
Quite a few Tour players I work with loved the MyTour model, but due to contractual obligations, simply cannot use the ball on Tour.
My Tour Ball: $31.99 Available in a 6 dozen Value Pack and free shipping. $157.99
Get Sum Ball: $20.99 Available in a 6 dozen Value Pack and free shipping. $85.00 Optic Yellow now available.
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers”, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf” which is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His latest book,” The Right Mind for Golf”, released last year, is now in its 6th printing. He currently works with 14 Tour Players on mental coaching and scoring rechniques. He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or [email protected]