How to Choose the Perfect Golf Ball for Cold Weather

Choosing the right golf ball requires consideration of a number of factors. One surprising consideration, that many neglect to think about, is the temperature of the air.

Golf balls are composed of different layers, including a core. A softer core will mean a lower compression. The more layers a golf ball has creates a firmer core and thus a higher compression. This is why two-piece golf balls consistently have lower compression ratings than three-piece golf balls.

Compression occurs at the moment of impact and the ball literally changes shape as it comes off the club face. When a golf ball with higher density or compression is hit with enough power to physically compress, the ball will naturally travel farther. This is why club head speed is major factor when choosing a ball because if swing doesn't have enough power to compress the higher density ball, then a two-piece ball could actually travel farther than a three-piece ball. Simply put, a slow swing is a good fit for a low compression ball and a fast swing is better suited to take advantage of a high compression ball.

While compression can be a benefit to a big hitter in the summer time, the cooler air of winter will harden the ball and make it almost impossible to compress. Since a higher compression ball is denser then a lower compression ball, it will harden in the cold even more and the result will be a resemblance to hitting a rock (especially with miss-hits). So when winter rears its ugly head, try switching to lower compression, two-piece golf balls. You'll pay less money for them and probably score better too.


Links:
Golf Ball Compression - A Rating of Density
How golf balls react to cold weather - Special Feature - Golf.com