REVIEW: Snell Golf MTB Black and Red Golf Balls
Snell Golf has established themselves as a leader in the independent golf ball market, providing an extremely high quality product for a fraction of the cost when compared to competitors. Their new MTB Black and Red golf balls add extra flavor to their roster, each geared toward specific golfers in mind.
Snell MTB Feel
Snell's My Tour Ball (MTB) golf balls were originally released four years ago in a 3-piece premium construction to directly compete with the "Big Boys" in golf. This year, the MTB Black (3-piece) and MTB Red (4-piece) continue that trend, but with different construction profiles geared toward low-spin and high-spin players, respectively.
From a feel perspective, both golf balls registered similar to my current premium design gamers. Shots off the driver sounded solid like a premium ball should, and approach shots with my irons were similar in sound and feel. Both balls felt soft off my putter, which is a sensation that you can also feel when touching their cover.
If you were to blindfold me and tell me to differentiate between a Snell MTB and another premium brand, I doubt I'd be able to do so.
snell mtb black
Performance
I was able to take both golf balls on the course to get "real performance data" as opposed to the controlled simulator test you'll commonly see on other sites. The MTB Black is slated to offer lower spin rates than the Red, and while I didn't have my launch monitor with me on the course, I noticed drives with the Black to run out more than the Red.
The MTB Red, conversely, offers higher spin rates for players who prefer that profile. I noticed this difference the most around the greens, and especially with wedge shots from inside 100 yards. Both balls held the greens with no issues; however, the Red seemed to "grip" the turf a little better.
In terms of distance, I could not see a significant difference between the two. Both performed similar to my current gamers, with the slight edge to the MTB Black due to more roll.
snell mtb red
Durability and Value
Make no mistake about it: Snell Golf balls are designed to directly compete with the best golf balls on the market. They hold their own -- and sometimes surpass -- their competition in every way, including durability.
You'll just pay a lot less.
During my round I managed to hit a tree or two with the Snell balls. The covers on both balls did not scuff, split, or otherwise showcase any blemish after hitting a tree on the fly. In fact, had I not lost one in a creek on the back nine, I could have easily played the same golf ball for all 18 holes with no loss in performance.
Both the MTB Black and MTB Red retail for $31.99 per dozen, placing them in a category that is highly affordable for many golfers.
Overall Impression
Heading into this review I knew I would love the Snell MTB golf balls. I was not disappointed and could easily play either the MTB Black or MTB Red full-time.
My preference between the two is the MTB Red, especially with my low-spin driver. The MTB Black seemed to "drop" out of the sky more off the tee, which was something I didn't notice with the higher-spinning Red.
Nowadays it is almost silly to spend more than $35 - $40 per dozen for golf balls, unless you have a specific brand preference for no reason other than wanting to play that ball. Thanks to company like Snell Golf, you can easily find premium performance in a cheaper package.
