BirdieBallPractice Golf Balls, Full Swing Limited Flight Golf Practice Balls, Perfect Training Aid for All Golfers (pack of 12)

These are great - they fly like a real golf ball and you can see/feel when you are off. They are super fun.As a warning - these will fly longer than most yards are. I hit corner to corner in my fairly large back yard and fly the fence regularly. However, they are awesome.

First off, I am a low handicapper golfer so I have a good understanding of the golf swing so my review may not apply to a beginner or a high handicap golfer. I bought these because they advertise they do not go very far which is true. They go 40 yards with my 7-iron which I hit 150-160 yards normally. What they also advertise is they react much like a golf ball when they are hit. I can slice them, hook them, hit them low, and high. They really do respond much like a real ball. It’s a 30 minute drive to the nearest driving range and I do not have enough land to put in my own range so these have really allowed me to practice in the back yard. I do plan to get a net and tracker setup, but these rings work well. You cannot tee them up, so I just hit them with my 7-iron.I don’t how if a high handicapper or a beginner would benefit from them. when they are hit perfect they fly straight with a high pitch whirl. Kinda of neat. If you miss hit them just a little bit, they go nowhere which may turn off someone trying to learn. A lot of the fun of going to the range is trying to hit the ball far! These are not that kinda fun. For me they give me feed back on my swing. and allows me to hit 20 a day which keeps my swing in shape when not at the range.

Update 10/22Since this purchase in 2011 I have probably purchased four dozen of these babies - I just love them. Still over time they do crack and eventually break or not fly well due to being de-shaped in one way or another so I needed to get more. The only thing these things cannot do easily, is let you know if you hit slightly on the heel or toe. But over time and with some experience, you can even detect those mishits.Also since this review I have found they work very well off a hitting mat. I have a Monster Mat and spend most of of my time practicing off the mat mainly because I do not want to tear up my lawn. Although I do have an area of lawn I use just for the purpose of verifying I am taking a good divot off the grass. Or I use it with my Divot Board - which is a great combination.Easily my favorite practice aid of all time with the Divot Board a close second. If you are a golfer like me who loves to practice daily and prefers not to take unnecessary trips to the driving range, the Birdie Ball is a must have. I cannot recommend these enough.Original ReviewI did not have high expectations for this product even though they have received pretty positive reviews, but for about the same price as a dozen golf balls, there was not much risk. When they arrived, which took far longer than it should have, I immediately took them outside for a few test hits in my yard. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. These babies work 100% as advertised. They're a little bigger than a golf ball but about what I expected. When you make solid contact they feel pretty much like hitting a golf ball and they make a very cool buzzing sound when they fly.I started with my 8 iron which I can normally hit pretty well, and they flew high and straight just like a real ball, but not as far of course. I have a decent size yard and can almost hit a full wedge, so taking a full swing using the Birdie Ball with my 8 iron was no problem. I purposely came over the top on a few swings which I tend to do when I don't lead well with my hips, and the ball sliced just like a golf ball would. I was able to draw a few shots as well.One of the main reasons I bought these is to hit off grass using a full club, so I could practice hitting down on the ball and taking a good divot. They babies work perfectly for this purpose. I do have a practice mat and net, but haven't tried hitting off the mat yet. I don't now if I will since they work so well on grass and I can use a full club and get solid feedback.I've purchased a few other golf aids and have to say this is one of the best. Being able to use a full club in my own yard, off real grass and get real feedback is about as good as it gets. I know I'll save money at the range and pretty confident I can build a good solid repeatable swing using the Birdie Balls.I think these are a must for any golfer who wants to practice more frequently and not spend the time and money at the range. You might spend a few bucks on grass seed, but it's well worth it to see that perfect divot!!

so far they seem durable. they accurately portray ball flight such as fade or draw. i think its a great and safe practice aid.

...BirdieBalls, that is.I admit to some doubt when I shelled out for these, but after just a few swings I'm a believer. They make a satisfying "tunk" when you hit them, a cool "whirring" sound as they fly through the air, and only go 40 to 50 yards even with a full swing.Plus they're easy to find if I flub one; you'd think they'd bounce around crazily when they land, but they don't. They tend to stay pretty close to where they hit the ground (as long as you don't bounce them off something like a rock or tree).And they truly do tell you if you're hitting straight, hooking or slicing; something plastic wiffle golf balls do not do very well.These things are ridiculously fun to hit; addictive, even.Perfect for practice with my hickory clubs, since I can't swing my hickories at the driving range (they can't take modern high compression balls). With Birdieballs I can swing away in my backyard and get actual, full swing practice; very helpful indeed.Highly recommended!

I have been using these for several years. This is probably my third purchase. The best period!