Golf Balls Cracking

[brad2385]

Hello all. I've been hitting TP5x pix balls and after about every 25-40 drivers I hit, they crack like clock work. Cracked tp5 and Kirkland balls as well. I hit fairly hard(ball speeds are typically 174-180) so maybe that's just the rub. Is this just something that happens with a premium ball and high ball speeds? Thanks for the help

[Dax]

This happens. Maybe for most not as often as you, but it does happen. Also, when you hit the ball in the same spot on the ball, then it would increase the chances of the ball cracking more frequently (this usually happens when you must marl the ball)

[brad2385]

I try to rotate and hit different parts of the ball, but kind of figured they aren't meant to play past a few rounds, even in sim golf. For a while I was teeing off solely with a hybrid and the balls would eventually crack, but took a much longer time. I guess force output just becomes too great with a driver. Thanks for the feedback

[Wizard of Coz]

They can only handle so many hits. I think the guys on TV only play a ball for 6 holes max.

[bubbtubbs]

Someone (maybe Kevin Na?) played an entire 18-hole tournament round without changing the ball a couple years ago.

[Wizard of Coz]

I'm sure that's not the norm but maybe Kevin can't crack a ball. I dunno. At that level a cracked ball could cost some serious $$ and since they don't have to buy em that doesn't
seem like a smart move.

I imagine many of them change balls every hole but I don't know for sure.

[bubbtubbs]

Oh, it's absolutely not the norm. They made a tremendous deal out of it when it happened. Fairly certain most replace the ball every hole or at least every few holes.

[Sixmudd]

Hello all. I've been hitting TP5x pix balls and after about every 25-40 drivers I hit, they crack like clock work. Cracked tp5 and Kirkland balls as well. I hit fairly hard(ball speeds are typically 174-180) so maybe that's just the rub. Is this just something that happens with a premium ball and high ball speeds? Thanks for the help

Those ball speeds are above the pga tour average, so if what you’re saying is true, I would guess that cracking is pretty normal after those many swings with the driver. Average tour player maybe hits 10–12 drivers per round (just a guess). So that’s like 2-4 rounds worth of driver shots.

[brad2385]

They're accurate speeds. Just caught me off guard that sometimes after 2.5 rounds of sim golf I'd find a crack. That said I've nev e used a gold ball on the course for 36 holes straight holes, so it's likely my ignorance

[ChrisNH]

Ya, I have the same problem with balls cracking every few shots cuz of my speed too.

Also have issues with XL rubbers breaking after only a few minutes of action, and I usually like to go an hour like the pros. Folks don't realize that for us real men the struggle is real.

[brad2385]

😂 I like that. I guess my days of powerlifting have paid off. Well technically cost me, but it is cool to know that you can crack some golf balls after a few hits. I suppose a less premium ball like a two piece might not crack as easily?

[fortner28]

I seem to crack one every 3 or 4 rounds and I don't use a driver. I thought golf balls would withstand more impact than that and thought the first time I cracked one was just a fluke. I soon discovered this is pretty normal.

[chiaj144]

The balls crack because they're still deformed from club impact when they hit the impact screen which puts a lot more stress on them then landing in a fairway or hitting something farther away.,

[Wizard of Coz]

It seems to me the screen is absorbing the energy from the ball. The club is giving energy to the ball.

[crgholland]

Hello all. I've been hitting TP5x pix balls and after about every 25-40 drivers I hit, they crack like clock work. Cracked tp5 and Kirkland balls as well. I hit fairly hard(ball speeds are typically 174-180) so maybe that's just the rub. Is this just something that happens with a premium ball and high ball speeds? Thanks for the help

I play the TP5x as well. Amazing on the course, not so much in the sim. I destroyed 3 balls before I decided this wasn't the sim ball for me. Fortunately, no damage was done to the impact screen. I don't generate ball speeds anywhere near what's posted above. 130-140 mph if I'm lucky with a 3 hybrid (I don't/can't hit driver in my sim). I'm using pro v1x in the sim. I'm getting maybe 300-400 or so shots before it gets it's first nick. I check after every shot.

[Taco]

I’ve got the same ball speed as you and I don’t crack balls nearly that frequently. I typically swap out after a couple rounds because the cover is scuffed and that’s hard on the screen, rarely do I actually crack a ball. I can literally hit a couple hundred drives with a ProV1 or ChromeSoft, I don’t do anything Taylor Made so can’t speak for them directly. However, we have Taylor made TP5X range balls at my club this year because of supply chain issues and they did not last at all, couldn’t handle the workload. Our pro thought at first they were getting hit by mowers, but it’s not that, in a bucket I’ll find 2 or 3 cracked ones every time.

[Macivic1]

Hitting a ball at an impact screen and the ball going from 0-180-0 that fast wears them out