GOLF EQUIPMENT

Slazenger Players vs.
Pro V1: What Did
Iron Byron Discover?

By David R. Holland, TravelGolf.com Senior Writer

News flash -- did you know that in Slazenger’s latest golf-ball test with Iron Byron, it claims the Slazenger Players golf ball is as long as the Titleist Pro V1 and has more spin?

"We are extremely confident about the future of the Players ball,” said Slazenger Golf Sales and Marketing Manager, Dave Kinsey. “Our marketing launch is a significant development as it establishes a wound ball as one of the very best in the market. The current drift away from liquid-center balls is understandable as golfers look for distances that the liquid-center balls simply cannot deliver.

“Solid-center technology, now utilized widely throughout the industry, provides this distance but usually at the expense of feel and spin. The Players' unique construction brings it all together -- superior distance, tour feel and durability.”

PGA Tour player Scott McCarron agrees, he plays with the ball. And so does European Tour player Andrew Raitt, who said: "I am surprised with how long the Players ball is. It is great to have a ball which flies well into the wind that also has all the playability of a balata ball. I was able to retain incredible feel and spin. This is an exceptional ball for the serious golfer."

The testing done by the True Temper Iron Byron showed that the Slazenger Players ball went and average of 258.3 yards, while the Pro V1 went 260.3. But the 8-iron spin was 7,644 revolutions per minute for Slazenger and 6,574 for the Pro V1. The Slazenger ball also outdistanced the Strata Tour at 255.7 yards and the Nike Tour Accuracy at 256 yards. It also defeated those in the 8-iron test.

Here’s the marketing buzz from Slazenger: “The Slazenger Players is a multi-layer wound ball with a large solid core, a thin layer of responsive elastomer windings and a soft, urethane cover. The Players' solid center provides the superior distance that is essential to today's serious golfers. Its wound design enables Slazenger to combine this distance with the superior feel that tour pros and low-handicap players rely on.

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“In another head-to-head testing, Slazenger put its Players ball up against two of the leading liquid center wound balls -- Titleist Professional and Titleist Tour Prestige -- both of which are recognized for their high levels of spin and feel. Players proved not only to have a softer cover, but also outperformed both of its competitors on driver distance and 8-iron spin, leaving the Titleist Professional and Titleist Tour Prestige 10 yards and 16 yards behind Slazenger Players, respectively. In tests to compare the Players ball with leading solid center, non-wound balls, it was less than 0.01% shorter than the longest ball while delivering massively superior feel and spin to all of its competitors.”

How about an anonymous amateur’s opinion? “This is probably one of the best balls out there. It is underrated, mostly because of the type of marketing that Slazenger has done. It has always targeted the country-club type, but now they are putting their equipment into off-course shops and some sporting goods stores. The ball has a nice feel when putting, a durable cover, low spin when using the driver, but can be spun when hitting the wedge into the green. This ball is probably one of the best kept secrets around.”

Personally, I love the ball, too. I got excellent distance and great spin. It’s a ball I would feel confident using all the time. Here’s a closer look at the Slazenger line, with comments made by Slazenger:

402 Players -- 3-piece Urethane

Solid center, with wound core and a soft urethane cover. Produces a ball of exceptional feel without sacrificing distance. A truly remarkable ball. Urethane cover gives cut and abrasion resistance>

Summary: A ball for truly discerning "Players". 402 dimple pattern. Retail price: $52 a dozen.

Testing performed by DSGA using a True Temper "Iron Byron" with the following launch conditions setup using a Slazenger Players. Driver data gathered using a ball speed of 156 mph at a launch angle of 8.3 degrees with 3,036 rpm backspin. Average gathered from five tests with 24 balls per group. Feel index was based on construction, compression, rebound and 8-iron spin.

Slazenger 408 DC Tour Dual Core

Unique dual core technology. Solid energy-packed inner core generates superb distance off the tee. Responsive rubber mantle produces high spin and back-it-up "action". Soft ionomer cover for outstanding feel. Dual radius dimples for tight in-flight control. Retail price: $47.

Slazenger 408 Power Control Titanium Magnesium

A rapid-rebound core covered with 408 unique dual radius dimples of varying sizes, large for distance, small for control. Dual radius dimples maximize aerodynamic efficiency. Cover blends both titanium and magnesium for excellent length combined with feel and spin. $45.

Slazenger 408 Raw Distance -- Dual Radius Titanium

Dual radius dimples increase aerodynamic efficiency, reducing drag and sustaining speed deep into the ball's flight. $41.

Slazenger also distributes the Dunlop Total Performance golf ball. The company has several promotions this year including a Ryder Cup six-pack with logo balls and a Ryder Cup hat. At other pro shops you can buy a dozen Slazenger golf balls and get a free golf shirt. They also offer a trial six-pack of the Slazenger Players ball.

Slazenger Rain Suit