advice please

I'm losing distance with all of my clubs at the minute, now with my drive I have shortened my swing and don't mind the 20 yrds or so less I'm getting as I am fairly accurate and consistent with it. I have a feeling it is because I am using used balls, I got a couple of hundred balls given to me so haven't bought balls at all this season, I could be a million miles out but has anyone any experience of this ?

 Today I had 16 bogies 1 double bogie and 1 par, my lack of distance with clubs was at fault for a good lot of the bogies as I was landing short of greens I feel I should be hitting, I'm sure I hit the ball further before, but have adjusted my swing slightly and am much more consistent striking the ball, I'm not too disheartened but would just like to narrow down the problem.

Pat,

I don't know what the weather has been like in your neck of the woods but at this time of year a drop in distance can be put down to the weather.

Colder air, Courses leaving fairways uncut or taking the mower blades up a notch or two, all add to the ball not going as far as it did a few weeks ago. Most of us have bounced a 7iron onto a Green from 200yds out during the summer but need a 5iron or even more as Autumn arrives.

TheLyth

It's the cold weather Pat.  Holes that I go driver, 7 iron in the summer are now driver, 5 iron and in the depths of winter will be driver, 5 wood.  Wet fairways with more grass mean less roll and cold air is more dense which mean there is more resistance on a flying ball. 

On a positive note, the greens are becoming more receptive!

I've found with my swing and clubs that my 4 hybrid is similar to a 7 wood.  My 3 hybrid and 5 wood go about the same distance but with a different ball flight.  The 5 wood has a higher ball flight and greater carry but less roll out.  3 wood is longer still as long as I do get it in the air.

I don't know about getting extra distance out of new balls but I am a convert to finding a ball you like and sticking to it.  I haven't spent a fortune on clubs but I think it is worth spending a few extra quid on balls so you are getting the same feel everytime you hit a shot. 

It probably pays most dividends around the green but even on long shots you want to take as many variables out of distance as you can.  You can't affect the wind, air and ground conditions but you can choose your ball type.

Personally I buy Srixon AD333.  I give away to playing partners any balls I find while searching for mine even if they are top of the range and in good condition.

On Chris's point above I noticed on Wednesday that all my shots were shorter due to the colder air conditions and a bit of give in the ground due to the rain.

I played at the beginning of the week and noticed a big difference in the distance my golf ball was going, so maybe the weather getting colder does affect a golf ball.

Russ

Density of air reduces by approximately 3.64 grams/cubic metre per 1 deg C increase in temperature without taking moisture content.  Obvious really

Its not just weather that causes different flight length. altitude does too. I think that it is said the the ball flies 10% further at Crans-sur-Sierre GC than at any Sea-Level course.

TheLyth

Obviously the density changes by about 0.0586bar per 100m altitude as well...

Obviously....

Tim's excited now....................and obviously right ,I've been noticing the last few weeks the balls have been getting closer to me of the tee and short of the green,a bit like the nights drawing in too.

No different to aircraft take-off conditions.  Best place for long drives would be somewhere like Mexico City on a sunny day, hot and high.  Worst place would be somewhere like the Netherlands on a cold, overcast day with a fair chance of rain.     

Is Netherlands an anagram of Wales Tim

Pat, all of the above reasons plus your getting old

Not even an anagram David.  Some parts of Holland are below sea-level.....