There are 1,308 balls on the USGA's conforming list, but a Golf Datatech study suggests despite all the alternatives, most consumers aren't interested in switching what they play.
The firm's semi-annual study of serious golfers shows 97 percent use their favorite ball brand more than half the time. Moreover, three of four typical golfers play their favorite more than 80 percent of the time. That's an increase from 66 percent when the same question was asked in summer 2012.
Even so, that doesn't necessarily mean consumers believe there is one ball that would work for everyone.
Only 28 percent agreed with the statement: "Do you believe there is a single golf ball which can perform best for all levels of play?" Higher handicaps (21 and above) were the least likely to think that was true, about half as much (17 percent) as single-digit players (33 percent).
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