What a week it has been at Mount Edgecombe Country Club with the Sunbet Challenge Sun Sibaya in full swing.
Our Range team have had early starts all week, with the first Professionals arriving at 05h30 to warm up. A huge thank you to everyone on our team and the team from Matko Turf – you have gone above and beyond and we could not be prouder of you all.
And what a moment for Ryan Welsh, our Assistant Golf Director, shooting 3 under par over the first two days to make the cut. Astin Arthur has also shown exactly what he is capable of after a tough year with injuries. We cannot wait to see what both of them do tomorrow.
Obsess about Speed
At 90 mph club head speed (an average speed) with the driver, launching the ball 2° too low with 1000 rpm too much spin, will rob you of more than 20 metres of distance.
Attack Angle
One of the most common challenges causing golfers to launch the ball too low with too much spin is their “attack angle”. Too often, at impact, the angle of attack is neutral or even slightly down.
Find your longest tee shot
Book a session with us and we’ll find the right launch window for your club head speed. Then we’ll find the best way to get you launching your tee shots through that window. Challenge us to add 20 metres at least.
Obsession Beyond the Driver
We almost always advise our golfers to look beyond the driver when choosing a golf ball. And independent tests support that argument. At the end of 2025, Today’s Golfer ran a test with the three Srixon Tour balls:
At near 95 mph swing speed (that’s a good swing speed) the difference in ball speed is less than 1 mph and only a metre in distance. Even the spin rates are as good as identical, which means no impact on shot shape or fairways found.
So how do you choose? Here are our obsessive thoughts:
For those who want the most control (spin) and feel greenside. The ball for the scoring zone. But this ball also comes with low spin off the driver to help good and faster swing speed golfers maximise carry distance off the tee.
Most stopping power on approach shots. Independent tests show great greenside spin for control around the green. A soft feel, but slightly firmer than the Z-STAR. The driver launch profile suits those with average to good swing speeds.
The launch profile of this ball means it will give faster swing speed golfers the most tee shot distance. It still offers a soft feel off the club face, has plenty of stopping power, and will give support in the scoring zone.
Summing Up
We’ve shown how, for all but the fastest swing speeds, ‘compression’ of the golf ball isn’t relevant to ball speed.
Most golfers searching for distance off the tee should find the launch window (spin and launch angle) that will give them the longest carry and distance.
That means the real fitting question is: do you want to pay for a multi-layer urethane golf ball? And then, which golf ball gives you the feel and short-game control that helps you get the most from your golf game?
Come and see us to talk about your choice of golf ball.
