Okay, so I saw this headline about Justin Thomas calling out Scottie Scheffler’s high-numbered golf balls, calling them “weird.” And I thought, “You know what, I’m gonna mess around with this myself and see what the fuss is all about.”
My Little Experiment
First, I grabbed my usual golf balls. You know, the standard ones everyone uses, mostly with the number 1, 2, or 3. I always just play whatever’s in my bag, never really paid attention to the numbers.
Then, I specifically looked for some high-numbered balls. I found some 7s and 8s. Felt kinda strange just holding them, to be honest.
Hitting the Range
I headed out to the driving range. The weather was fine, so it felt like the perfect condition.
I started with my regular, low-numbered balls. Hit a few drives, some irons, felt pretty normal, nothing out of the ordinary. My shots were, as usual, okay, so-so. Nothing too special.
Then, I switched to the high-numbered balls. Honestly, I didn’t feel a difference. Like, at all. I swung the same way, I tried to keep my form consistent, and… they went pretty much the same distance, same accuracy (or inaccuracy, let’s be real). It was difficult.
The Psychological Game
But here’s the thing: I knew they were high-numbered balls. It was in my head. So I started to overthink it. “Are they really different? Am I imagining things? Is Justin Thomas onto something?”
- I started questioning my grip.
- I second-guessed my stance.
- I even wondered if the dimples were somehow different. (They weren’t).
My Takeaway
After hitting a bunch of balls, both low and high-numbered, I came to a very scientific, very professional conclusion: It’s probably all in your head.
I mean, maybe at the pro level, with their incredibly precise swings, maybe there’s some tiny, minuscule difference. But for a regular golfer like me? Nope.
I think it is just more of a superstition thing, or a personal preference. I’ve tried it, maybe you should try too?
So, Justin, I love you, but I’m not sure I’m buying the high-number weirdness. Maybe it’s just Scottie’s thing. And that’s okay. I still can’t hit a ball as far as either of those guys, no matter what number is on it. I will keep practicing.
