"Seaming" the ball might not be dead afterall

[Cwebb]

Remember several years ago when "seaming" the ProV1 became popular?  Many guys on tour were firm believers that it did make a difference.  Well, it looks like different performance on the seam, still exists with certain balls.

I've recently found that I'm getting lower driver spin rates with the Cally Tour ix and Taylor Red LDP, when I hit them on the seam. 

If you're looking to max out low spin off the driver, try it.  Most of the premium balls that have a visable one, such as Callaway, TM, and Titleist, have the thin print on the seam.  Face that print away from you horizontally, and that will set you up for seam contact.

I need to do some testing with the newest ProV1x to see if I notice anything.

[Chelanace]

I used to have a golf ball compression tester. You would put the ball in this hole and pull a lever and it would give you readings. I believe it worked, as you would get different readings putting the ball in different ways.  I can see with the better technology today, that seaming may have some merit!!!

[BigLeftyinAZ]

What do we do with the Bridgestone balls that have a very small seam?Even though they call it seamless,it still has one

[vsutp]

A caddie friend on the PGA tour tells me that they still seam the ProV's.  I know the older ones used to fly off the face if you did this, but I think the newer ones just come off hot all around.

[Cwebb]

I used to have a golf ball compression tester. You would put the ball in this hole and pull a lever and it would give you readings. I believe it worked, as you would get different readings putting the ball in different ways.  I can see with the better technology today, that seaming may have some merit!!!

Do you know if those compression testers are still available?

[prov1]

so you line the seam up parallel to the ground? i guess i just don't visually understand how to align the ball for this.

[Cwebb]

so you line the seam up parallel to the ground? i guess i just don't visually understand how to align the ball for this.

Yes, that's the direction that I'm aligning them.

[BigLeftyinAZ]

When I did this I had the seam running perpendicular to the ground.Wonder if there really is a difference on how the seam is placed

[Chelanace]

Do you know if those compression testers are still available?

I do not know if they are still out there.  It is just a hand held unit that I had, but it did show different compression in different spots around the ball.  I still have it somewhere.  I'll look for it over the weekend!!!

[bl8d]

You basically have 3 major options on aligning the seam- horizontal plane (parallel to the ground)- vertical plane ( in line with the target) - vertical plane ( at right angle to the target)

[LBlack14]

Point the seam down the target line as an alignment aid. That's how I do it.

[DaveT319]

Point the seam down the target line as an alignment aid. That's how I do it.

Me too. Don't know if it makes a difference, but I've been in the habit ever since I first heard the "rumor".

Dave

[xxio]

Srixon Zur series have a very pronounced seam

[idiotbox]

Why is it that everytime that I see the title of this thread, I think, "Screaming at the ball might not be dead after all." I really need to brush up on my reading comprehension.

Back to topic, I will be trying this out the next time that I play.

[ShaneNZ]

Why is it that everytime that I see the title of this thread, I think, "Screaming at the ball might not be dead after all." I really need to brush up on my reading comprehension.

Back to topic, I will be trying this out the next time that I play.

i can confirm that screaming does not work and may infact make matters worse 

[bl8d]

I first became aware of seaming from a magazine interview with Jack Nicklaus who years ago advocated a reduction in ball distance in order to stave off the obsolescence of the classic courses on the tour.  During the interview he described his experience with "seaming".  He said, after hearing of it from the other pros, he had experimented with seaming and that he is satisfied that the ball has a lower piercing trajectory when hit on the seam. To my knowledge he is the only pro to have said that publicly.

I'd like to address my question mainly to Cwebb as he is the only one who has LM data on "seaming".
Is a Seam like a "hard spot" on the otherwise soft urethane cover and would that reduce the distortion of the ball to a lesser degree than if it were hit at 90* to the seam?
If so what is the difference in spin? Is the extra roll primarily responsible for the supposed extra distance some claim?

Myself I use a Go-Check to seam my golf ball, and it does not coincide with the manufactured seam most of the time. However depending on what I want for a ball flight I hit it on that calibrated Go-Check seam for a lower flight and rotate it 90* if I want a higher ball into a par3.

[Cwebb]

I don't know what the seam actually is and whether or not it's a harder spot on the ball.  I'd sure like to find out though and is why I'm interested in a compression tester.

It produces lower spin, which CAN produce more roll and total distance.  It depends on where you happen to be with your normal launch and spin.  You could also potentially lose a lot of carry distance, if your spin drops below the bottom end of the optimal zone for your ballspeed.

From how I understand it, the Check-Go ball spinner finds the most balanced part of the ball.  This is different than a manufacturered seam.  I would guess that if anything, that could make a difference in side spin, more than back spin. 

The difference I'm seeing in my driver spin rates on seam contact for me, is in the zone of about 300-700rpm.  I was going back in forth between seam and no seam and my spin rate would consistently change from mid to upper 2000's unseamed, to 1900-low 2000's on the seam.  I've seen a lot of my spin rates make the full jump.

I tried seaming the higher spinning Cally Tour i and was getting some really nice spin rates.  I could actually use this ball off the driver.  Not off the irons though, too much spin for me.  Great ball for a lot players, who want lower driver spin than a ProV1, but just as much action on and around the greens.

I still need to do the seam test with the latest versions of the ProV1's.

[bl8d]

When you think about it, from a performance perspective, the seam on a ball acts like the spine on a shaft and the area 90* to either side of the seam are the NBP zones. Just a thought.

[DaveT319]

Hmmm, interesting comparison.

Dave

[daughterscameron]

Srixon Zur series have a very pronounced seam

I can varify that.  IT'S HUGE.  That's my ball of choice, most of the time.  I don't
think they make them anymore, but I still have dozens.

[matt mohi]

Remember several years ago when "seaming" the ProV1 became popular?  Many guys on tour were firm believers that it did make a difference.  Well, it looks like different performance on the seam, still exists with certain balls.

I've recently found that I'm getting lower driver spin rates with the Cally Tour ix and Taylor Red LDP, when I hit them on the seam. 

If you're looking to max out low spin off the driver, try it.  Most of the premium balls that have a visable one, such as Callaway, TM, and Titleist, have the thin print on the seam.  Face that print away from you horizontally, and that will set you up for seam contact.

I need to do some testing with the newest ProV1x to see if I notice anything.

I'll have to try this as I recently got my mitts on some IX Tours and lord knows I need to drop the spin rate....my only worry is that I'll start thinking of the seam when the ball is in the fairway and worrying about how much draw or fade is going to occur...there's already enough rattling around up there....

[noaceshere]

I experimented with "seaming" today on my tee shots using proV1x and HX tours with the seam parallel to the ground.  FWIW I had perhaps my best driving day of the year.

As an aside I use a ball spinner to find the preferred spin axis and can confirm the remark above that it rarely coincides with the seam.  I have found that locating the spin axis has the most pronounced effects for putting--it tracks beautifully and never inexplicably wobbles off line.

[LyleG]

This is one of the most interesting threads I have read in a long time.

[Cwebb]

I'll have to try this as I recently got my mitts on some IX Tours and lord knows I need to drop the spin rate....my only worry is that I'll start thinking of the seam when the ball is in the fairway and worrying about how much draw or fade is going to occur...there's already enough rattling around up there....

Matt, the ix is a good start to dropping your spin.  It's the lowest spin premium ball available, along with the Taylor Red LDP.  The difference is the Red has a softer compression feel.

I'm expecting full Trackman analysis from you. 

[matt mohi]

Matt, the ix is a good start to dropping your spin.  It's the lowest spin premium ball available, along with the Taylor Red LDP.  The difference is the Red has a softer compression feel.

I'm expecting full Trackman analysis from you. 

I didn't get to give the balls the full tryout before playing in a tourney last week....As an aside, I was totally humbled....I put up a good score on Saturday that put me in 4th and then proceeding to put up the biggest number since I was 13 on Sunday and play myself right out of the money....I must have done something to tick off the golf gods....

I'll try to get some of the T-Man data for you on how they compare...I did see a lower spin rate off the driver and a lower ball flight when I seemed the Cally, but I lost distance with my irons and I'm not sure why...I played the V1X in the tourney for better predictability as that's what I've been playing all year....

I've got some of the TM balls as well, so I'll get some analysis....I just might have to fire up the robot to do this as well....