I Need The Ball Brand Golf Ball Review

Referred to simply as The Ball, this newly developed “premium golf ball” is touted by its developer as being “the only 3pc cast urethane ball with Tungsten core on the market today,” and we recently hit the links to see exactly what this little beauty is capable of. But before we get into the specifics, here’s a bit more about the ball’s producer (I Need the Ball) as can only be best described by the guy’s themselves:

brought to you by three high school buddies who wanted to bring something new to the world of golf. We created a three-piece ball with a tungsten core. It’s the only one on the market, so you’ll have to peg it up yourself to see how it performs. This thing really rips.

We made the Ball for people like you who, like us, are looking for a competitive advantage to blow past your buddies on the links. A day on the course is that much more enjoyable with the Ball, whether it’s spinning it back to within three feet or hitting your 5-iron 210.

These aren’t our dad’s balls, they’re ours.

The company has assured us that The Ball by I Need The Ball conforms to all USGA rules, so with that, let’s see what this baby can do…

Distance

The compression generated by the tungsten core really gives the I Need The Ball a serious pop. One swing off the tee and you’ll know exactly what we mean. The ball seemed to leap off the club face and the trajectory was excellent. Best of all, the spin coming off the driver was much less than would be expected. Simply put, if you’re looking for a distance ball that’s still controllable, the I Need The Ball guys have the answer for you.

Spin

The overall spin characteristics of the balls we tested were solid all around. Driver spin was lower than we expected and, as mentioned earlier, lead to greater control than what we’ve seen with most distance balls in the past. Although the company claims high spin levels with wedges and irons, were left wanting a bit more. From 100 yards and in, the I Need The Ball seemed to lack the soft, tacky, and controllable feel of the more niche “feel balls” like the 3F12. The Ball didn’t  (view exact spin specifications from the manufacturer here). Don’t let this deter you though, we’ve found that quite a bit comes down to personal preference and make no mistake, this is not a feel vs distance tradeoff, the I Need The Ball still outpaced 95% of the balls we’ve tested in both categories. In fact, one of our staff member’s shot his best round to date while testing the I Need The Ball, a testament to it’s all around performance.

Resiliency

Simply said, unless you loose one of these babies to the woods, lake, or who knows where else, chances are you’ll be playing the same ball for a long, long time. The I Need The Ball excelled in resiliency and its overall durability stood up to shot after shot for multiple rounds. The Ball even emerged from a direct cart path hit from the tee box with hardly a scuff (pictured right).

Feel

Similarly to the 3F12, The Ball by I Need the Ball employs a cast urethane cover, however, we found that the overall feel was not nearly has soft as the 3 Up Ball. The I Need the Ball seemed instead to jump off the club face with a lively spring, allowing us to not only see, but truly feel the distance it was generating. Ultimately, it comes down to a matter of preference. Some of our staff loved the “springy” feel of the ball off the tee, while others were left craving a softer feel with short irons and on the putting green.

Extras

Two aesthetic aspects we really enjoyed were 1.) the logo and overall design and 2.) the directional arrow. The I Need The Ball is a bit different than anything else on the market in that the balls themselves are not numbered. Instead, each dozen balls comes with four sleeves of three, each imprinted with a different color logo (maroon, blue, green, and black), thus keeping the overall design simple, neat, and quite visually appealing. Each ball is also emblazoned with a clear, and quite visible arrow – an excellent visual aid for lining up your putt.

Photo via the I Need The Ball Facebook page.

Price

The Ball by I Need The Ball is reasonably priced (for a premium ball) at only $34.99 per dozen (that’s about $20 cheaper than the Pro V1 or Pro V1x). Truthfully, you’re not going to find a quality three piece ball for much less and if you do, it’s probably junk.

Summary

Overall, we found the I Need The Ball to be a true contender that can easily go head to head in quality and performance with any of the other top golf balls on the market – the Titleist Pro V1 included. So who is this ball for? In our opinion, the I Need The Ball is perfect for low to mid handicap golfers who want to introduce a bit more distance into their game without having to worry about loosing control off the tee. The I Need The Ball is also excellent for Pro V1 fans who are looking for a less expensive (and far more unique) alternative but don’t want to forgo performance.

Where and How to Get Them

Currently, The Ball by I Need the Ball is only available for purchase through the company’s website at INeedTheBall.com where you can pick up a dozen for $34.99 plus shipping.

For more information, you can also contact the guys at I Need The Ball via Twitter, and Facebook, which by the way is another bonus of purchasing your equipment from small manufacturers…they actually listen and even respond! Shocking…we know.

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Have you tried The Ball by I Need The Ball? If so, let us know what you thought of the ball’s performance in your comments below.