Balls!!!!

I've only been golfing for a little over a month now. Started with the cheapest possible balls I could find, but then read a consumer reports review of golf balls saying the Nike Power Distance Super Soft was a great beginners ball that wasn't very expensive ($15/dozen.)

For someone who's played as little as me, do balls matter at all?

I ended up getting the more expensive nike's and the only difference I can really notice is they definately feel a lot softer when putting, which is neither a good or bad thing, just different. I think I put equally with both kinds.

Should I keep buying the 15/dozen balls or just keep with the 8/per 15 pack that I started with while I learn to play?

stick with the cheap ones until you hit 12-15 handicap or so
until then you swing is the most important (damaging!) part of your game

I'm sure there are plenty of things MORE important than the ball, but personally I've found, that using the same ball for an extended period of time fascilitates a part of the game that just isn't available using whatever lakeball you can get your hands on.

Beginners need to be able to rely on their distances just as much as the better players do - even if the actual shot often doesn't end up where it was intended.

If you can't rely on your distances, you'll have to base your game on some kind of average, which will make you take the wrong club more often than not.

IF you have the same ball, then you can look back and say - "ok, I hit 120 last time I hit it well with my 9 iron" - and then pick the 9 when you're 120 yards out.

Based on averages, you might pick the 7 instead, and when you then - unexpectedly - hit it well - and hit a distance ball instead of the spin ball you hit the last time, then it's 25 yards long and out of bounds behind the green.

And that sucks.

Get the best golf ball you can afford to consistently replace with new balls of the same type. That will help your game in the long run!

__________________
//Mox
2008 bag:
Mizuno MX-500 460cc 10.5* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff. (about to be replaced by MP-600 10,5* UST Proforce V2 stiff)
Mizuno F-50 3w 15* Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 stiff.
Wilson Deep Red 5w 18* Graphalloy Fatshaft stiff
Cleveland HALO 3i hybrid 22* graphite regular
Mizuno MP-60e forged 5i-PW True Temper Dynamic gold R300 steel
Mizuno MP Black OX raw haze 50/6 GW, 54/9 SW, 58/10 LW
Heavy Putter B3-M
Titleist NXT Extreme

That Nike PD Super Soft is a perfectly fine ball. You don’t need more expensive balls, and the Nike PD SS balls are a pretty good compromise, IMO.