Golf Balls

Ball Lab – Pinnacle Practice (Range) Review

BY Tony Covey
Feb 3rd 2021
Read all comments

Support our Mission. We independently test each product we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.

MyGolfSpy Ball Lab is where we quantify the quality and consistency of the golf balls on the market to help you find the best ball for your money. Today, we’re taking a look at the Pinnacle Practice, which is arguably the most popular range ball on the market right now. An overview of the equipment we use can be found here. To learn more about our test process, how we define “bad” balls and our True Price metric, check out our About MyGolfSpy Ball Lab page.

It’s perhaps a little odd that what may very well be the most frequently struck ball in all of golf is one that almost nobody plays. Folks, we’re talking about a range ball, specifically the Pinnacle Practice ball. And, yeah, while we’ve all come across the occasional guy who not only pilfers them from the range but actually plays them, the three-stripe special is not intended for use on the golf course.

That said, it’s a safe bet that more than a few golfers have been fitted using Pinnacle Practice balls. While we’d strongly advise against that, we were a bit curious to see how the other “No. 1 Ball in Golf” stacks up from a quality perspective. Given the emphasis on durability and the sub-Kirkland pricing, our expectations were low.

About the Pinnacle Practice Range Ball

The Pinnacle Practice ball is made in the USA. As an Acushnet company, Pinnacle (and Union Green) are Titleist sister brands. The ball has a 322-dimple cover. While durability is part and parcel of the design (it’s a range ball after all), it’s designed to be a mid-launch ball. The intent is to produce a trajectory window that’s similar to the golf ball you’d play on the course.

The Pinnacle Practice ball isn’t sold through retailers. Prices can vary depending on volume. We’ve gone with $8 a dozen which is in the ballpark.

Pinnacle Practice – Compression

I think most golfers would agree that range balls tend to feel a bit on the firm side. With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as any particular surprise that the Pinnacle Practice balls register 97 (on average) on our compression gauge. Coincidentally, that’s the same as the Pro V1x, though I don’t expect anyone will confuse the two. With a good bit of the firmness of the Pinnacle Practice tied up in the cover, it should feel appreciably firmer still.

Pinnacle Practice – Diameter and Weight

From a golf ball manufacturing perspective, a two-piece ionomer ball with a thick cover is reasonably easy to make. Given that some range balls intentionally limit distance, we were curious to find out if the Pinnacle Practice ball is lighter or larger than a “standard golf ball.”

With an average weight of 1.60 ounces, the Pinnacle Practice ball leaves a little bit of weight on the table. We classify it as “light” in our database (just a bit below average) but there are standard models in the database that weigh less.

The diameter of the Pinnacle Practice ball is solidly within the average range. Making it a bit bigger would likely reduce flight a bit but part of the design objective is to have it mirror the trajectory of a mid-launch ball.

As far as big red flags are concerned, we didn’t find any. All of the samples met our standards for roundness and none of the balls failed to meet the USGA’s minimum diameter requirement.

Pinnacle Practice – Inspection

Centeredness and Concentricity

Two-piece golf ball construction is relatively straightforward. The core is the core and if your cover is of a consistent thickness, you’re good. If it’s not, well, then it’s not so good.

Given where it fits in the market, I can’t say I had the highest expectations for the Pinnacle Practice. Within that narrow context, the ball exceeded expectations. Minor concentricity defects were observed in roughly one-third of the sample. Another 11 percent were flagged as bad. In every case, it was because of uneven thickness in the cover.

Core Consistency

The Pinnacle Practice ball has a significant amount of regrind in the core (ground-up bits of flash from other balls). It’s not uncommon and typically not cause for concern. Not that I expect most of you to cut up your golf balls but the bright speckles add a bit of color to an otherwise bland deep-purple core.

Cover

While the cover of the Pinnacle Practice ball is thick and firm (and particularly unpleasant to roll around in our diameter gauge) our sample was free of appreciable defect.

Pinnacle Practice Consistency

In this section, we detail the consistency of the Pinnacle Practice golf ball. Our consistency metrics provide a measure of how similar the balls in our sample were to one another, relative to all of the models we’ve tested to date.

Weight Consistency

Relative to the other balls in the Ball Lab database, weight consistency across our Pinnacle Range sample was in the middle of the average range.

Diameter Consistency

Diameter consistency was also in the middle of the average range.

Compression Consistency

For our standard compression metric, the Pinnacle Practice ball falls within the middle of the average range.
The compression consistency of the three points measured on each ball is also within the average range.
Not surprisingly, under our aggregate compression metric (using both of the values above), the Pinnacle Practice ball falls within the average range.

True Price

True Price is how we quantify the quality of a golf ball. It's a projection of what you'd have to spend to ensure you get 12 good balls.

The True Price will always be equal to or greater than the retail price. The greater the difference between the retail price and the True Price, the more you should be concerned about the quality of the ball.

Pinnacle Practice – Summary Report

To learn more about our test process, how we define “bad” balls and our True Price metric, check out our About MyGolfSpy Ball Lab page.

The Good

The ball that everybody uses and almost nobody pays for is average for every metric we look at.
That means the quality of the Pinnacle Practice ball is actually higher than several mainstream golf balls (though we still don’t recommend you play it).

The Bad

There are some concentricity issues but it’s not like you were going to play this ball.
The cover could cut a diamond and isn’t going to spin much around the green but, again, it’s not like you were going to play this ball.

True Price

Based on a ballpark price of $8 dozen, the True Price of the Pinnacle Practice ball is $9. Easy math says that $1 worth of value lost, or 13% above the base price. Not bad considering it exists primarily to take a beating.

Pinnacle Practice – Retail Price and Options

The Pinnacle Practice ball is available in white and yellow at a driving range near you.

Ball Lab Top Performers

Want to know which balls have performed best in Ball Lab testing so far?

Check out:

Support Unbiased Testing.

DID YOU KNOW: If only 1% of MyGolfSpy readers donated $25, we would be able to become completely independent in 12-months. With every donation, you create change.

Would you be willing to help by giving a donation? Every dollar will help. Make a donation to support our independent and expert golf equipment research. A PayPal account is not required in order to donate.

comments

Join The Discussion

Dennis Beach

2 years ago

Buy some Srixon Marathons, about as close to a range ball as you can get…

Ian Wallace

8 months ago

Please help.Our golf range recently bought this Pinnacle practice ball.They are as hard as rock.The sad result is my sons 3w has cracked in 2 places,its less than a tear old.Any thoughts you might have.
Thankyou

Andrew the Great

3 years ago

Now, test range balls taken from an actual range! Those are what we’re actually hitting, likely most of the time.

Doug

Enjoyed article .. always wondered the quality of these balls. on range I go to I was told distance was 90-95% of a ‘good’ ball. This was a fun and informative article for me in Ohio with about 10 inches of snow on the ground Keep up the good work.!!!!

D. Knerr

I would like to the list of balls it beat.

Matt A

Almost guaranteed that the covers of 50% of these balls de-laminate after multiple hits.. Then of course the obvious cover damage from the range cart, ball washer and ball dispenser.

Bobtrumpet

The number of people who have posted who do not understand the basis for the Ball Lab reports amazes me..

It would be interesting to add the range balls to the various Most Wanted club tests for those testers who would be interested in hitting the test ball along with the range ball.

Carolyny tv

If we all did not pay the $48 a dozen for tour level balls then maybe the pros would have to hit rocks on the range like we do.. A lot of those tournament worm up balls end up in those. Resale ball companies as mints. Nothing like working on the range for a PGA event handing out thousands of PROV1 etc. And watching pros pound them like we hit Rock hard range balls.

Jacques

Great Review! I had no idea that these were so well made. In the very distant past, pinnacle balls were the go-to ball for long drives.
I know you have a life, but just in case you find you don’t for a short time, make some comments on worn-out, beat-up balls! Those fly with the agility of a hungry hummingbird.

Dan

This was quite good. I don’t get people getting irate about this test. It’s just fun!

Scott D

Most of the ranges that I’ve hit balls at use either Srixon or Wilson range balls although I’ve been to one range that used balls very comparable in performance to balls used on the course. Knowing that dimple patterns & how many dimples are on the ball effects a balls characteristics, I generally use the worse balls for short irons progressively using the best ones in the bucket for longer shots. That being said I would’ve liked to have seen a test between range balls from different manufacturers & actual real time statistics on their performances.

UGOTAL

Unless I missed it, I was hoping to see distant comparisons against normal balls. So if I’m hitting my 8 iron 150 yards with the range ball, is it equivalent to my normal 3-4 piece ball on the course. Or is it throwing me off a little….Thanks Guys, enjoying your reviews.

Viking

Excellent point question!

Fred F

The comparison of distance with a standard ball such as Pro V1 was why I read this article. I’ll reread again, but did not see this addressed. Say you have a gadget to measure your swing and ball speeds. Wouldn’t it be good to be able to relate the carry distances at the range with the carry distance in play on the course?

Steve P

How about a limited flight ball that reduces range by 10% at 120mph swing speed but NO reduction at 95 mph swing speed? Is this what the USGA would go for?

Paulo

Literally hundreds of more meaningful tests you could have done. Hundreds.

Jim

Get over it.

Tony Covey

We should probably add a like button to the website. Since we don’t currently have one, consider this comment the equivalent of “Tony liked this.”

Pat

I agree with Tony’s “like” on your comment, Jim. And as for the test itself: While I agree with others that the distance comparison with different playable balls and swing speeds (say, Pro V1x and 92 driver speed, 82 5 iron) would be very informative, I still really liked the article. It’s never too late to learn things. Great job, Tony..

C

Feel free to delete your bookmark and clear your cache. There were unlimited better replies than yours, unlimited.

Thanks Tony. Pleased You liked my post and agree a like button would be great.

Mike

And I’m sure in time they’ll get to those “hundreds and hundreds” of tests that you are so anxiously awaiting. But in the meantime this was an out-of-left-field article that was unique & fun. Please don’t come off as another stuck up MGS snob, it gives the site a bad name.

You think testing range balls that nobody should be using to play on an actual golf course with is a useful test. Would you like to buy some magic beans off me ?

I bet you believe Trump won too :)

Right on Mike!

Always use found range balls (found on the course or in the power cart) on waterholes so i don’t lose my good ball.

chrisK

If you’re a range rat like myself, this test is potentially helpful. Of course being the range rat that I am, I doubt any test they run on range ball performance will surprise me. But i would add that a test showing comparative ball speeds, spin rates, etc. to a major brand (such as Titleist provi), would be a neat test .

Because they can’t do the other tests now? Not sure what the issue you have is?

Rya

Paulo, I don’t think you realise that Tony’s “Like” if for Jim’s comment.. not yours…
Many of us hit range balls more than our normal balls. It’s good to know that the ball quality is acceptable and consistent. It’s one less thing to blame for a sub-optimal ball flight on the range.

Scott

I work at a golf course, we use Srixon Distance Golf Ball. .Range balls they very a lot.depending on age, usage and weather. Your test was with new balls a true test is see how they hold up over time The Srixon are a very durable ball it’s rare to see cuts after year or more of play. ….The down side even cheap range balls, people steal them the tee them up for play. .

Ernest Armstrong

I went to a range near my son’s home last summer and re-discovered golf balls that have not been on the market for years.
By the time I finished hitting a bucket, I was expecting to see Penfolds and Spalding Dots. Maybe gutta percha…..
Pinnacle Practice balls sound heavenly by comparison.

Steve (the real one, pithy and insufferable)

Titleist Pro V marked Practice are fully legal for tournament play. Same ball but with a minor surface blemish or slight misprint. NO performance difference.

MGS should do a test on those . Surface scuffs won’t go down well

bob

I saw a range ball test on a launch monitor and there is not much difference between a range ball and any other ball. Probably only the slightest difference on the lower end of the ball spectrum with Pinnacle, Top Flite, Nitro whatever the $12-$20 balls are. The spin difference and roll out on short shorts was mild even compared to top tier balls. They may not feel as soft off the clubface but the spin, carry, total yardage was very similar to any ball you would buy in a store.

Brady

Don’t tell Rapsodo that range balls are only slightly different from other balls. They strongly suggest new premium balls when using their MLM launch monitor. Their tech support swears that distances, speeds, and flight are not accurate unless you are using a new sleeve of premium balls.

That’s not an unreasonable position. With Ball Lab, we look only at the quality, not the speed, launch, and spin characteristics. With range balls in particular, the dimple patterns aren’t going to be optimized for distance. It’s really about hitting a mid-trajectory window and maintaining durability. With a wedge, in particular, performance won’t be remotely similar.

If I’m having a fitting done I’m using the exact balls I play with, even if I have to bring them myself to the fitting!

PF

I too would like a quantified evaluation of the ‘limited’ flight characteristics of various range balls from Pinnacle, Top Flite, Srixon, etc. I think most people would want to know what percent of reduction of flight/distance each would equate to when new. A follow up could be comparing new range ball performance to year old range ball performance.

Harlan Horvath

Interesting information. Why didn’t you hit some with a launch monitor to see the actual difference between the range balls and premium balls? Spin, flight, distance? I think this is the information most golfers would like to see.

Steve Bienenfeld

I agree with Harlan Horvath—seeing how the range balls compare to playing balls (spin, flight, distance, etc.) would be a great help………….

J Thorpe

The study is insightful. I use a launch monitor to determine my distances. I also validate the report by using excel to compare swing speed, smash factor which validates to ball speed. The next step is adding in the launch degree for the club based on formulas from http://www.tutelman.com. All of this, of course, is available from the launch monitor but tracking by ball type is not a variable that the scope does well.. The result is that I have selected a ball to play based on the math. I know improvements are based on me not the tools in hand.

bigZ

I’ve played Pinnacle Gold Distance for a long time [not range balls]

I finally ran out of my supply and bought a 15 pack box of Pinnacle Rush

whatever changes Pinnacle/Acushnet made to the new Rush version, it’s not an improvement; the covers scuff and scratch much too easily among other things

terrible!

it’s caused me to start looking for a new ball

but I’d go back when/if they fix the covers

Bill

Interesting review/comparison Tony! Adam’s email said “results were surprising” and I agree…. would not have thought they would be that consistent. I was also unaware they used ground up/recycled material for the core. I think the question many of us have is to what extent are these and other range balls limited in distance. Most articles and studies have range balls at 10-20% shorter than top level balls.

Lastly, I have made a solemn vow to myself never to put one of these in play. Seriously, how cheap and low end can one get LOL.

Bill also

You should see the number of people at the “semi-private” (aka public) course I frequent that play range balls. I probably find at least 10 of these per round on the course. Srixon’s, not Pinnacle’s…could that be why?

Where I used to play, the range had limited flight Volvik balls. Used to find them on the course all the time. Wild.

CS

Depends on your course and driving range but my CC doesn’t have a long enough range for much more than a 7 iron so guys take a few range balls to the middle of the course early in the morning and tee up a few drivers, or do what I occasionally do and throw a couple in the cart for practice rounds and hit an extra drive or two during the round to straighten things out. When I find range balls on the course I’m assuming guys are doing this not gaming the balls.

Bradford

What a ridiculous article for many of the reasons posters have given. Nothing else new and exciting to write about? You seem to want to compare a brand new range ball against the millions of range balls that have been hacked to death and claim they fly the same as a regular ball? There is probably a good reason you don’t see people rushing to buy range balls to play on a golf course. Let us know when you figure that reason out.

TR1PTIK

You seem angry or annoyed. Perhaps a Snickers would help, but you’ll have to point out where the report claimed the range ball flies the same as a regular ball after you eat one.

Wes

Bradford does seem very bothered by the range ball review. I found it to be an interesting read. Hopefully Bradford cheers up.

Wow, someone’s uptight. No, let me guess you’re a plus index golfer anxiously waiting for that next ball review to come out on MGS.

I thought this was a fun article! Where else would you ever see a range ball being discussed? And by the way, if an article doesn’t interest you, why did you waste time reading & commenting on it?

Good question, Mike. I asked the exact same question myself when I read his rant.

A question. Can a “limited” balll be made such that the limiting is proportional to swing speed, e.g., a golfer with a swing speed less that 100 mph isnt limited whereas a golfer with a 125 mph swing speed is?

A lower compression ball would have this effect, but I’m not exactly sure how much.

Nick Coleman

Yes (at least according to Srixon). I contacted Srixon about their Limited Flight Range Balls, and that’s how they work (supposedly). It’s a progressive distance loss, relative to how much it’s compressed. The rep I spoke with said they estimate max loss of 15%. Getting to that number differs for every golfer, because it has to do with how much loft (and therefore compression) is applied to the ball and also speed. He said a good golfer will experience a 15% loss around a 6 iron through driver, and above the 6 iron it’s progressive depending on de-loft and swing speed. So I’m guessing what’s going on is that the core reacts strongly to compression, while the outer layers do not. But who really knows! If you think about it: a hard outer layer with low spin could actually mean distance GAINS for slow swing-speed golfers who deliver too much loft (high launch/low spin = more distance). I’ve hit that ball using Flightscope and seen it fly 170 on a well struck 6i (14 degree launch, 94mph swing) while the guy next to me was hitting his 6i the same distance, launching at 18 with a slower swing. So… I think it DOES effect higher swing speed/more skilled golfers more.

Definitely possible, if only because speed, distance, etc is about percentages. If one golfers has 180 ball speed, and another only 120, a 10% reduction is going to cost the faster guy more actual yards. Couple that with compression as TR1PTIK mention in a way that creates an overcompression situation for the faster player and you narrow the gap a bit more.

Russ

I’ve always assumed that range balls fly about 10% less than regular balls. The only data that I have to support it is the distance my shots go on the course. But then again, the distance on the range can be an estimate if it doesn’t end up near a yardage sign.

Mike B

Was hoping this article was about the Callaway range ball. My home course uses Callaway, and wonder how bad these have to be if their “tour level” balls tested so poorly a while back. I find these range balls all the time on the course, which is insane! How cheap do you have to be? I’m in east central Florida, on the Treasure Coast, so that could have answered my previous question. Range time is for swing work, not ball flight performance. Keep up the good work

JK

Biggest problem with some ranges & the balls they have is the fact that the balls are years old & have been hit thousands of times. Hard to dial in distance with old rotten range balls. I usually just try to warm up on range. Hit maybe a dozen & I’m ready to go.

Ryan

I think you’d be surprised at how long range balls last.
I know the owner of a local range and he indicated that they get around 6 months out of the balls. I must admit, by the look of the balls at the 6 month mark, I would have thought that they were years old, but I guess it makes sense given their life in the sun, constant scrubbing and abuse,
Most decent range’s will stagger the addition of new balls and removal of old balls so that people aren’t hitting an entire bucket of old balls at the end of the ball’s life span.

Cool review. These balls appear to have tested as good or better quality-wise as many of the OEM balls! When I’m on the course alone & can practice, I use these range balls. Easy to find in the rough & if I can’t find one, so what. The only difference I see in distance versus my regular balls is in the roll out so for <100 yds & in shots they don't tell me much. But when I use them off the tee & for my longer club shots, the distance they travel is a fairly good representation of what my normal balls will travel.

And no, I didn't steal him from the range. A course near my house closed & the owner gave me a few buckets of brand new range balls. I do occasionally play with people who use these balls, but they are usually beginners. And I tell them that we're not spending any more than 10 seconds looking for it if you hit it offline!

ken rentiers

Great stuff! Now how about Top Golf balls????

We don’t have a full three dozen, but we did manage to get our hands on three of them, which I ran through Ball Lab. Not sure what we’ll do with that info, but it’s interesting for sure.

Mike Reed

I once worked at a driving range and borrowed a brand new Pinnacle range ball to try when I played. It actually worked fine for long shots but I did not like it for short game or putting.

You guys need to review some of the cheaper balls like the Pinnalce, Srixon Soft Feel, Bridgestone e12, and other ones that us older, value conscious players use.

Andrew

I agree Mike! I would love to see some “cheaper” balls in the test. I cant afford $50 a dozen plus greens fees playing 2 or 3 times a month. I have been playing Noodle “Long and soft” original balls and for me, they have been solid. Lower compression feels good off the club and not much distance loss for my moderate swing speed.

Dave

Great review as always Tony. Are the Pinnacles you tested of the limited flight variety.? How much distance do range balls subtract? 10% 20%?

Brad

Ah ha! Picture confirms what I’ve always expected: range balls are filled with asphalt!

Seriously, thanks for adding this to the ball lab. We’ve all hit 100s if not 1,000s of shots with these things.

RT

I would like to see other brands such as Wilson .At the course I play they just bought new wilson range balls and it’s been difficult to keep them because the patrons are picking (stealing) them and playing them .They really are good ..

Karl

I find it hard to believe these two piece balls dont have off centered cores. What else would explain my slice?

James

I’d hit these range balls any day. The balls at my local range are dogshit.

Richard

So I take it that I can at least take the carry distances I’m getting with my 8-iron on the range over to the course with my Pro-V’s?

Very Interesting, but we need to compare their performance vs “real ball”. ie. If I’m hitting _iron 150yds on range, how would my regular ball do?

James T

“The cover could cut a diamond” gave me my best laugh of the day! A lot of the balls I encounter on the range barely have dimples. They end up having the flight of a pitcher’s knuckleball.

Patrick

I’ve used those range balls and they are better than other range balls for certain. Of course it helps when you’re not the 500th person hitting that ball too. Great study.

I’d really be interested in how far these things actually fly relative to tour balls so when I am practicing 100yd wedge shots with them, how will that compare to on course performance with a regular tour ball.

Greg P

It amazes me that people will steal these by the hand fulls and play them on the course.

Kevin Moore

Tony, this article drew me in right away. Outside of the weights and measures used to evaluate these balls I would have like to see two other things. New how did the fly then a comparison of used range balls for distance and such. We all talk about what we are losing at the range and a rule of thumb would be nice. Thanks for all your efforts

john young

THANK YOU… I’m always being asked about our range balls and it’s always assumed by the user that the balls do not fly like the ball they use… Nice to know that they in fact do fly just fine…

Mike T

My club range ball says Titleist Pro v. “Practice” I assume it’s essentially the same as the Pinnacle?

Titleist (and TaylorMade with their TP5/TP5X) sell ProV1 and ProV1X Practice balls at retail. I’m would think courses/clubs can get them in bulk for their ranges as well.

Cam

If I’m not mistaken the pro v practice balls are pro v’ overruns or that have minor blemishes. Kind of like their x outs

Rob

Now go back and test it after about 2 years and around 300 shots. Make sure the dimples are all worn down from the range picker and many seasons of use and THEN you’ll have an accurate representation of actual range balls.

Mark M

You left out a zero ????

Jonny B

Would be curious to see the results of you put this through a performance test. Distance, accuracy, spin etc.

Jason

Right, it’s hardly a ball review if it doesn’t measure the performance of the ball.

Tom

So the questions that’re not answered:
How far does it go off the Driver? Off the 7? Off the wedge?
How much does it spin off the Driver? Off the 7? Off the wedge?

Concentricity issues are nice to talk about, but results are what matter. And these are not theoretical questions. Meaning, if my range has a flag at 150, and I hit the range ball pin-hi, what does that equate to when I am hitting a Prov1x?

Peter J

The result does not surprise me as I have used Pinnacle balls on the course and they really quite good and I bet that they are made to Titleist ball quality control

I wonder how much difference their is in the Ball Lab specs between the Pinnacle balls sold at retail and the range balls. I’m pretty sure the retail balls don’t preform the same as the range balls (i.e., I’m sure they are better).

Would love to know if the distances i hit these are comparable to Zstars i play on the course, I don’t have a Track man to dial in my distances so its the range targets that give me my yardage.

jonwgee

Would be interested in what is different in the distance restricted balls that some ranges use…….

Vincent

2 pieces!! That’s a super luxurious range ball you have here. At all the ranges I visited here in continental Europe, the range balls are 1 piece, and they are absolute garbage. How do I know? I didn’t need to cut them open because you can find a few that are partially broken, missing a small piece. Some ranges are so tight they use some seriously limited flight balls, they feel like hitting ping pong balls, it’s just good enough to warm up.

El

Fun article.
I always separate the dimpled balls from the ‘eggs’ on the range.

Does make me scratch my head that someone with a $400 driver would play these., but golfers are a puzzling group.

When did Ping start making balls and how did they come up with the model name “pong”?

Golfape

Interesting. I would like to see a study of balls that have been in service for 3, 6, and 12 months…or more. Dimple diminishment, flat spotted by being trapped in the rollers of the range picker, etc all effect flight properties.

Golfinnut

Always wondered what these were like inside. Just meant to warm up so it’s a good thing I don’t rely on distances with these on the range.

Justin S.

Was distance compared from this ball to others to understand comparability when on the range vs on the course with your normal ball? That is the biggest I always wonder on the range is whether the distance is any different.

KyleN

Slow day at the office when we’re doing range ball reviews? Seriously, this is bordering on useless. Would be great to see a head to head on competitors products to help people on purchasing decisions in addition to the ball reviews. But range balls…

Brent

Range ball: As soft as a Pro V1x and more consistent than Chrome soft. Was not expecting that.

In fairness, with those hard covers, they’re not going to feel nearly as soft as a Pro V1x. From a complexity standpoint, short of a one-piece, there’s not an easier ball to make, so quality here really comes down to whether or not the manufacturer cares about making a quality product.

Chome Soft is a more complex ball to make. The new version (with the larger core) is a bit easier, but when you get into the low compression space, you’re fighting with the natural properties of the material to keep it centered.

JasonA

Nice one. Both amusing and an interesting “baseline”!

AZSTU324

WOW!!! Mind=Blown.. Not that Pinnacle practice balls are still cheap rocks. that we’ve all used to keep our swing groove in check prior to playing a round.. but that they apparently have the same production tolerances as the industry elephant in this room.. W-Tee-eph Callaway?!?!? Get it together!

I know, more materials, more steps in the process, more to go wrong.. but seriously? a ball that nobody really gives 2 Hershey Squirts about being within any kind of tolerance (they’re literally made to not give a crap about) just matched Callaway’s actual cost over retail. #maybecallawayjustdoesn’tgiveacrapafterall?

JohnF

After the ad blitz that Callaway seems to be on regarding their centered cores, it may be time for a re-test just to find out how much smoke they are blowing up our a**. Especially since I’m sure there are plenty of golfers who have a healthy supply of CS on hand. Oops. Did I just say what I’ve stocked up on?

Greg

To be fair to both Tony and Callaway, Tony did emphasize several times that a ball like this is easier to make relative to the balls you would actually play. Totally get what you’re saying viz-a-viz Callaway, but one should expect the tolerances to be better on a simple thick cover practice ball. It’s easier to make.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Driver Titleist TSi3	3-Wood Titleist TSi2 13.5°
5-Wood Titleist TSi2 18°	7-Wood Titleist TSi2 21°
Irons (5-9) PXG 0311 GEN5 T	Wedges Vokey SM9 (46° F, 50° F, 54° D, 60° T)
Putter PXG Blackbird	Ball Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash

Golf Balls

Ball Lab – Pinnacle Practice (Range) Review

About the Pinnacle Practice Range Ball

Pinnacle Practice – Compression

Pinnacle Practice – Diameter and Weight

Pinnacle Practice – Inspection

Centeredness and Concentricity

Core Consistency

Cover

Pinnacle Practice Consistency

Weight Consistency

Diameter Consistency

Compression Consistency

True Price

Pinnacle Practice – Summary Report

The Good

The Bad

True Price

Pinnacle Practice – Retail Price and Options

Ball Lab Top Performers

Support Unbiased Testing.

Donate to MGS

For You

For You

Buyer's Guides

Apr 12, 2024

Best Spikeless Golf Shoes of 2024

First Look

Apr 12, 2024

Under Armour’s Cheesy Take on the Masters

News

Apr 12, 2024

PING WebFit: Get Fit From your Phone

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

Tony Covey

comments

Andrew the Great

Doug

D. Knerr

Matt A

Bobtrumpet

Carolyny tv

Jacques

Dan

Scott D

UGOTAL

Viking

Fred F

Steve P

Paulo

Jim

Pat

C

Paulo

Mike

Paulo

Paulo

Viking

Viking

chrisK

Matt A

Rya

Scott

Ernest Armstrong

Steve (the real one, pithy and insufferable)

Paulo

bob

Brady

Mike

PF

Harlan Horvath

J Thorpe

bigZ

Bill