Review: Nicklaus Golf Balls

Great Golf Balls and a Better Cause
There are 3 main category that golf balls fall into: 1. The cheapest multipack available. 2. The top of the line $50/dozen ball.  3. Affordable but performance minded balls.  Jack Nicklaus is offering something slightly different than the typical golf ball buying experience.  He is offering top of the line golf balls at an affordable price and offering the ability to donate to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.  I played the Nicklaus Black and Blue golf balls for the last month and have found them to be great golf balls, but I think the cause is even better.
The basics behind the Nicklaus line of golf balls is this:

  • Nicklaus Black – For those who play from the back tees
  • Nicklaus Blue – For those who play from the middle tees
  • Nicklaus White – For those who play from the forward tees
Beyond that there is very little technical data out there on these golf balls.  Based on what I found, I would say that the Black is like a ProV1, the Blue Like an NXT Tour and the White like a DT Solo (guessing based on progression).
 

I played the Nicklaus Black and Blue golf balls head to head on the course and was really impressed by the performance of these golf balls.  The Black is as good as any top tier ball on the market.  The feel was excellent and the spin rates were on par with any premium urethane ball.  It has a mid launch off driver and plenty of spin off the wedges.  The feel was soft off all clubs, and really good off the putter.  I was also impressed by the covers durability.  The big black “Golden Bear” logo seemed to hold up really nicely for the entire round.

The Blue plays a little firmer for extra distance off the tee, but didn’t quite have the feel or spin coming into the greens.  The launch was a little lower too so there seemed to be more roll out on just about every shot.  This cover was even more durable than the Black.  It really held up for multiple rounds with very little scuffing or marks.

I did a little Flightscope testing and put these golf balls head to head with a ProV1x.  The results speak for themselves, these balls are really good, even at time exceeding the industry “standard” for performance.

The most interesting factor with these golf balls is their pricing structure and donation.  If you buy the golf balls online, you can get a top tier ball much cheaper than comparable golf balls, or you can add a donation and pay the same.  In-store sales will include the donation in the price.  I think it is a great idea to offer discounted balls to those who maybe can’t afford the premium price, but an option for those who can in order to support a great cause.  It is really a win-win for everyone.  If you are looking for a great good ball and an even better cause, check out Nicklaus Golf Balls.

For more information: www.nicklaus.com/golfballs

Quick Hits
+3 “tees” of performance
+Excellent feel
+Good durability
+Affordable pricing
+Option to support a good cause

–Little technical data about each ball