Why Buy Used Golf Balls

How Do Recycled, Used & Refinished Golf Balls Perform? 

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Since the beginning of the used golf ball industry, golfers have questioned whether golf balls recovered from water perform differently from brand-new golf balls.

That concern may have been more relevant years ago when golf balls were manufactured differently. Today’s golf balls are built to be highly durable and resilient.

So we decided to test them.

We purchased 10 dozen new golf balls from a major retailer and compared them with 10 dozen golf balls from each grade we recover and recycle. The balls were taken directly from our inventory and sent to Advanced Golf Solutions, an independent golf ball testing facility that also tests new golf balls for leading manufacturers.

We tested every grade we sell. Golf balls that are structurally damaged or too old are never sold. Damage to the structure of a golf ball cannot be repaired through recycling or refinishing, so those balls are discarded.

Our goal was simple: move beyond the hearsay surrounding “water balls” and used golf balls and conduct controlled, independent testing rather than rely on anecdotal opinions.

Here’s what we found.

Aside from cosmetic differences—which are what our grading system is designed to identify—the recycled and refinished golf balls showed only a very small loss in carry distance compared with new golf balls.

With a driver and a carry distance of approximately 260 yards, the maximum difference was about 5 yards with a Grade B ball. Mint recycled and mint refinished golf balls showed a difference of approximately 1 yard or less. Similar proportional results were recorded with a wedge and 6-iron, as shown in the graphs below.

Is that difference significant?

For most golfers, a difference of approximately 1–5 yards is small compared with the many variables that affect every golf swing, including swing plane, follow-through, backswing, club path, weight shift, lie, and consistency of contact.

That raises a simple question: is it worth paying significantly more for new golf balls to gain a very small amount of distance under controlled conditions?

Important Disclaimer

The products we sell do not meet the exact specifications of new golf balls and may have performance differences compared with new golf balls. They are not covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty or guarantees. However, we believe strongly in the quality of our products and stand behind them with our satisfaction guarantee.

Refinished golf balls have also been permitted for play under USGA rules when they otherwise conform to the Rules of Golf.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you still prefer buying new golf balls, that’s okay too—because sooner or later, some of those balls may end up becoming part of our inventory.

Test Results Highlights:		Overall Evaluation:
	Insignificant Total Carry Difference	“Our test data proves new balls and Foundgolfballs.com pre-owned balls are basically interchangeable,” says Tony Nelson, President of AGS. “I don’t see how the average golfer would notice a difference – except for the price.” "As for the difference between recycled and refinished balls, there is certainly no statistically significant difference in performance that any golfer I know would be able to detect." Tony added, " This is a certainly a win for all golfers."
	Insignificant Spin Rate Difference
	Insignificant Launch Angle Difference
	Minimal Descent Angle Difference
	Insignificant Apex Height Difference
	Insignificant Float Time Difference

Test Parameters:
Tests were conducted by Advanced Golf Solutions LLC. an independent certified golf ball testing facility in Sarasota, Florida USA
Date of test: November 17		Temperature Range: 79F to 83F
Humidity Range: 49% to 54%		Wind Direction: ESE
Wind Speed: 3.2 MPH to 6.4 MPH		Wind Effect: Minimal Tail / Crossing
Tests were conducted by cannon for consistent RPM at an 18% launch angle with 0% side axis and at 57 PSI.