Accuracy or distance: Which anti-slice golf ball is right for you?

Golf is a game of trade offs. Swing with power to get nearer to the hole and risk accuracy. Or swing with restraint to increase accuracy at the expense of distance?

Why not, then, play the ball that’s best suited to your game?

That’s the thinking behind Polara Golf’s XD ball. It’s not a replacement to popular, pioneering, and controversial Ultimate Straight™ ball. Rather, it's an evolution. 

“We debated a long time whether to introduce a 75% correcting ball first, knowing some people would have distance issues if they had low swing speeds or low loft drivers,” says Dave Felker, president of Polara Golf, “Or start with the 50% correction model, knowing it would have extra distance but not be as helpful for people with a terrible slice.”

Ultimately, the company chose to release the 75% correcting Ultimate Straight first, “so that nobody would question our claims,” Felker says. “We envisioned people saying ‘Wow, I hit every fairway!’ and this is happening.”

It certainly is. In addition to glowing reviews by The New York Times, Fox News, CNBC and others, the Ultimate Straight averages “four out of five star” user ratings on Amazon, with many of the minority negative reviews taking issue with the nonconforming nature of the ball and the lower trajectory used to maximize straightness, while still noting its straightness.

“With 75% slice correction, the Ultimate Straight virtually ensures you will be in the fairway every shot,” Felker says. “Now we are making sure that golfers with improved mechanics or lower swing speeds can remain on the fairway while achieving maximum distance. That’s the justification for the two- and three-piece Extra Distance golf balls.”

So which model of Polara’s self-correcting golf balls is right for you?

The quick and dirty is this: the Ultimate Straight Series works best for players with a terrible slice or those with a high swing speed (i.e. men that like to hit hard which increases the chances of recklessness which often results in more slice).

Conversely, the Extra Distance Series works best for men with a slower swing speed, women in general — since they don’t try to kill the ball as often as their counterparts — or anyone prone to minor slice rather than major.

As Felker explains, “Women rarely hit the 160 foot slices because they don’t hit hard enough to generate enough spin to generate enough lift to cause a terrible slice. So the XD or XDS is best for them.”

It’s not just for the ladies, though. “Men with a slow swing speed should also use the XD or XDS,” Felker adds. “This is because the Ultimate Straight will have too little lift for them to get distance, unless they use a high lofted club or three wood at all times.”

To give a specific example, let’s say “terrible slice” is 100 feet or more off the centerline. Keep in mind fairways range from 90–135 wide. So when armed with an Ultimate Straight ball, said “terrible slicer” would reduce their slice to only 25 feet off the centerline, “in the fairway for sure,” Felker says.

On the other hand, the XD’s 50% correction of a 100 foot slice would still make a shot vulnerable to the rough on narrower fairways, since 50 feet off the centerline would put you in the tall stuff.

“So if you hit a big slice, and your aim is off just a little from the centerline, you are definitely going to be in the rough,” Felker says. “Even with 50% correction. Hence, the original Ultimate Straight works best in this scenario.”

Conversely, if your slice is less than 100 feet wide — light hitters and players with better mechanics — the Extra Distance is preferred since it mitigates the risk of missing the fairway while increasing loft and distance.

Given the range of fairway widths, “some people play both golf balls,” Felker says. “On tight fairways, they choose the Ultimate Straight and on broad par fives, the go with Extra Distance.”

Another thing to consider when selecting a Polara accuracy golf ball is that both models have an “Extra Spin” variant. How do you know which is right for you? In short, “Extra Spin” models are best for those who value a softer feel and greater stopping power.

“We developed the regular and extra spin versions from the start,” Felker explains. “Making the ball extra spin requires an extra cover layer, which means higher costs. Some golfers do not want to pay 40¢ more per ball for extra spin, which is why we offer both variants.”

Whether you choose the greater loft of Extra Distance, the proven straightness of the Ultimate Straight, or Extra Spin, you’ll more than double your chances of hitting the fairway in lieu of traditional balls, Felker says.

It’ll also help you play faster, lose fewer golf balls, and have more fun.