Grade: A
Teacher’s Comments: I liked the Gamer Tour better the closer I got to the green.
On a recent round, my partner was helping me look for my ball, which had strayed into some US-Open-type rough just off the fairway.
“What are you playing?”, he asked.
“Top Flite”
“Junk ball, huh,” he said.
At that point, I had to explain that I’ve found the new Top Flite balls from DICK’S Sporting Goods have little in common with the Top Rocks we knew from a decade ago.
The Top Flite Gamer Tour from DICK’S Sporting Goods is a three piece ball with a soft core, a HPF mantle layer and a urethane cover. As with all of the Top Flite Gamer models, it has the Dimple-In-Dimple design.
Top Flite’s Gamer balls are unique for their dimple-in-dimple design, which DICK’S Sporting Goods says says helps to maintain spin, creating maximum distance and loft. Turbulence, created by the dimples, is what keeps a ball aloft. The Dimple-In-Dimple pattern, then, must be able to sustain that turbulence.
I will confess up front that I do not normally play a “tour” level ball such as the Pro V1. I have found that they just do not perform as well for me as a softer ball, most likely because I cannot compress them as well.
Off the tee, I thought that the Gamer Tour was nearly as long as my usual ball. The flight was reasonably high, and I got some pretty good roll. Still, I was typically a little further from the green than I’m used to.
The closer I got to the green, however, the better I liked the Gamer Tour. With the mid irons, the Gamer Tour matched the flight of my usual orb. With the short irons and wedges, distances were spot on, and it checked up very well. That, however, created a need for a change in my usual game. With the TOUR, rather than aiming at the flag and letting it release to the hole, I found I was able to go after the flag. I still am not spinning the ball back, but it does stop very quickly.
On a recent golf league night, my partner commented a couple of times on how well the ball stuck to the green. That’s a good change.
The feel of the ball is quite nice, especially on the shorter shots. The Top Rocks moniker just doesn’t apply to these balls.
For a three piece ball with a urethane cover, the Top Flite Gamer Tour is very reasonably priced. DICK’S Sporting Goods has them for $24.99, and a current special offers two for $35.
Players who insist on using a “tour” style ball should check out the Top Flite Gamer Tour and compare its performance to a Pro V1, a Bridgestone Tour, or whatever is currently in the bag. It may very well be a perfectly acceptable substitute at half the price.
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