Absolutely. I have chopped and changed balls for a few months now before settling on one I like. I had been using the ubiquitous Pro-V1 for a while when a friend of mines gave me a Callaway HX Tour. Results were mixed and I found the ball a bit hard and not very distance enhancing. On the plus side it was a very good ball for short game work. After that I tried the newer Pro-V1x and was immediately impressed bu the amounts of spin I was able to generate with it despite it supposedly being a lower spin ball than the original V1. I setlled down to the V1x for a few months and had a good season with it. In August, however, I was in the Pro shop and he had a new ball in his little 1 pound a piece lake balls jar. The Hogan Apex Tour Black. I had heard good things about it and parted with the note. First drive: 300 yards all carry. Needless to say I was sold. I now play with the Apex tour and reckon I get around and extra 10 yards on average.

I tried one of the 'Distance' balls not long ago and was very disappointed, the surlyn covered balls just dont come off the club as well as the balata style ones. It's expensive so if you are a bit scatter gun its probably not a good idea to go for the premium balls but in my experience the surlyn covered balls have fallen too far behind in terms of distance. Your best bet is probably to get some of the reclaimed balls like Gord suggests, especially at first to see if you get anything more out of them. You can pick up a dozen Pro-V1 lake balls for 20 quid these days.

Good Luck,

D.