Thursday, November 21, 2013

Product Review: 3 Up Golf's 3F12 Ball

For years, the premium golf ball category has been dominated by a handful of options. It’s a who’s who of the golf industry’s biggest brands. Time for the Big Boys to make room for a new kid in town - 3 Up Golf.

Introducing the 3F12 - a premium three-piece cast urethane ball at an attractive price point - $39.99. According to Rob Zimmerman, founder and president of 3 Up Golf, the 3F12 will benefit your game regardless of handicap. How? They’ve broken it down into three areas - feel, spin and distance.

Feel
By utilizing cast urethane for the cover, the 3F12 will feel softer than any other ball you've ever played before. Don't worry though, the durability is still off the charts.

“Trust me, I hit plenty of 'obstacles' while testing the prototypes,” Zimmerman said.

Spin
The 3F12 spins more than you're used to as compared to other balls off of your wedges and short irons. Worried about too much spin on your driver? Don't be. The three-piece design ensures that the massive spin characteristics are only employed when you hit the ball with lofted clubs. You can actually feel the spin technology with your hands. The 3F12 has a much more tacky feel on its cover than other golf balls.

Distance
The 3F12 core technology transfers the energy from your club into maximum C.O.R. (Coefficient of Restitution) and consistent ball flight.

“You'll even notice our core feels better off of the driver head than the leading brands,” Zimmerman said. “Simply put, the 3F12 offers the best feel and green-side control of any ball on the market today; all while not losing a single yard off the tee.”

American Golfer used a two-prong test of the 3F12. First, we beat them into the net at our indoor facility. While not a great indication of distance and spin, we certainly liked the feel off the club and putter. It’s not hard to differentiate a softer ball from their (rock hard) budget-friendly counterparts.

Second was the field test. How many people complain about not being able to take their game from the driving range to the course? We skipped the range and headed straight to the first tee. While human error comes into play, the opening drive was pure and the approach found the green. We were on in regulation and putting for birdie. Can’t ask for much more than that out of any ball.

On an individual note ... a few days before this test round, I felt as though I had lost 20 yards off my drives and could no longer control the ball off the tee. This was with a very popular premium ball. While conditions weren’t conducive to distance (cold and wet), my control and length returned with the 3F12.

I noticed the greatest benefit around the greens. As an 8-handicap will do, I missed my share of greens, but was able to get up and down more times than usual. Credit would go to my putter if I was sinking 5-footers for par, but several were tap-ins. Thank you, 3 Up!

Want another reason to try 3 Up Golf’s 3F12? Here you go - $3 of every dozen sold goes directly to a golf-related charity.

“You and I are lucky to be able to play such a great game and enjoy one of the finer pleasures in life,” Zimmerman said. “One of my biggest goals with 3 Up is to turn our company into a major charitable organization. By buying 3 Up products, you're helping give back to our communities and help grow the game of golf for future generations.

“Think of it this way: every time you lose a ball in that pesky pond on the 9th hole - you just donated 25 cents to charity,” he added.

I’m not suggesting you blindly follow the words of one golf blogger and abandon everything you know and love about the ball you play. I am recommending you give 3 Up a try. Don’t want to commit to a dozen? You don’t have to. They offer the option to buy a sleeve.

I don’t often get excited about golf balls. I’ve been disappointed by many I’ve tried over the years. The 3F12 is different. It’s a premium ball in every way, shape and form. Put one in play and you’ll thank me ... and help out a charity along the way. Golf gods love karma and you’ll love the 3F12.

Holiday Update: Put the seasonal packaging under the tree this year! Info HERE.

Visit www.3upgolf.com for more information and to place your order.

Contact: NEOhioGolf@yahoo.com

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