Martin Hopley
By

Snell Golf was founded by Dean Snell and as I found out when I interviewed him, he has a background in creating top selling premium balls for Titleist and TaylorMade.

Now working for his own company, Snell has created a premium tour calibre ball called, maybe unsurprisingly, My Tour Ball which aims to give the same level of performance but at a cheaper price as Snell Golf sell direct and don't have the costs of big sponsorships to cover.

Snell Golf My Tour Ball

In the golf ball world there is a minefield of patents and Snell has 40 to his own name, so it is quite impressive that he has been able to get a 3-piece ball out at all in this category.

The key to the whole thing is the cast urethane cover as that is what creates the feel and control, but it is also expensive and hard to use so that is why you only find it on premium tour balls like the Titleist Pro V1 and TaylorMade TP5.

The urethane cover is soft, durable and thin in order to give the control that you would expect from a tour ball. Around the green and on approaches is where you would notice this and the My Tour Ball was up there with the contenders already mentioned in this respect.

Snell Golf My Tour Ball

In terms of softness it is probably similar to a TP5x in that it feels softer than a Pro V1x, but firmer than a Pro V1 on putts and most chips. For some reason on mid-range pitches of 30-80 yards it seemed like you could feel a firmer core, but that could be me and some may like that.

Using GC2, you can see how the spin helps generate more distance at a 100mph driver swing speed when it is compared to the Snell Get Sum ball, which is a softer 2-piece construction.

Snell Golf My Tour Ball

The firmer construction has a higher ball speed off the face as this speed and the extra spin gives it a 1 yard higher peak height from the same launch angle and therefore an extra few yards, but really it is the control around the green that separates the two balls.

Compared to the Pro V1x, the MTB was launching and peaking about the same with a driver for me, but with about 100rpm less spin it was carrying a couple of extra yards, which backs up the softness comparison I made earlier. As the Pro V1x is a firmer ball it will probably spin less, so as long as the launch is the same it may go further, so the decision here is on spin and feel.

With a 7-iron the difference in spin with the MTB is more noticeable as it spun much more than the Get Sum, but it stopped quicker as the higher level of spin worked with the lower flight for more control on landing.

Snell Golf My Tour Ball

Compared to the Pro V1x, the MTB also span about 500 rpm more for me, but the carry distance, launch, ball speed and every other number was almost identical so there is very little between them with irons.

Snell Golf My Tour Ball

However to reiterate, with premium balls it is about control on and around the greens and at about 30% cheaper than the market leader, the Snell MTB gives you similar levels of performance without a similar hit on your wallet.

Golfalot Rating: 4 stars
Share:

Videos

Picture

Snell My Tour Ball Golf Ball

Snell My Tour Ball Golf Ball - Product Details

UK LaunchJanuary 2015
UK Launch RRP£29.99
USA LaunchJanuary 2015
USA Launch RRP$31.99
Handicap Range
Low
High
GolferMens, Women
Ball Construction3-Piece
SpinMedium
Ball FeelMedium
Colour OptionsWhite
Quantities12
Manufacturer's WebsiteSnell Website

User Reviews

Jeff Guzzetta
January 2019

Just played my newly purchased Snell MTB Red for the first time. I’m a “mid to high handicapper” and found the following results: Ball flight/ carry was great! I found I had to adjust my club selection after flying over the green on two occasions! Drives were noticeably longer than my ProV1 drives (+5-15 yards) with the MTB Red. Putting- loved the feel and definitely felt I had better control and feel off the putter face. 18 holes and only one “3-putt”. For me that was a HUGE gain. Now for the bad... The cover durability seemed poor. After just three holes I noticed gray scuff marks all over my ball. No visible nicks or abrasions, just marks. Almost as if the “paint” wore off. Note that this was NOT after hitting any cart paths, trees or anything but the fairways, rough, and face of my clubs. So I wonder if a ball will last me more than a round at best. For the price and control and distance gains, I guess it’s worth it. But it’s also something I’ve never experienced with any other ball manufacturer.

terry sullivan
October 2018

Playing off a handicap of 8/9 I was originally interested in buying a reasonable quality winter ball for the off season period. I purchased the Snell MTB with the intention of using them for Winter only. The result of my experience is that I now play the Snell MTB all the time; winter and summer. The Snell Ball is as good as any golf ball I have played with. As a former user of the Titleist Prov1X I can honestly say that I am unable to justify paying the Prov1X price based on performance. The Snell ball is a little longer, and has the same amount of spin and feel at 25-30% cheaper. No mid-low handicapper should be worried about making a change to the MTB. Seriously this is a no-brainer.

Matthew Browning
May 2018

(Hcp-12) I have been using these for a year now and I am very happy. They are as good as any other ball on the market. I am also impressed with their durability. It is all personal and I would normally play with a Titleist ProV1/NXT Tour S or TaylorMade TP ball but find the price just too much these days. The Snell MTB beats it hands down when you save £15 on a box of 12.

Write a Review

Facebook Comments