For years I thought LED glow in the dark golf balls were just some strange gimmick. Thankfully I took another look at them. I discovered how wonderful they truly are!
I’m sure you’re wondering do they really work, and how long do they last?
LED glow in the dark golf balls can last up to 40 hours of continuous use. This is more than enough time to play 16 full rounds of golf at night.
How Do LED Golf Balls Work?
LED golf balls work by motion sense technology. As soon as you hit the ball, the LED will be activated and light up. This means you can continue playing your game into the night, instead of having to end it prematurely.
Most balls available at the moment will light up for 8 minutes once stroked. But does this allow enough time for you to then go find your ball? Maybe.
How Many Players Can Play At Once?
The 8 minutes of time is sufficient in most cases. However having more players in any one match, will make things more difficult.
I’ve found these balls work well if you’re playing with a maximum of 4 players. With larger groups of people, you may find the LED switching off by the time the last player has teed off.
For example if you had a group of 6 people, it will take some time for all of you to tee off. As you would all have to walk across the green to take your second shot, the first players LED may turn off.
However once all players have made it past the fairway, things do improve. These balls do work well in large groups, once everyone is on the green.
LED balls are also great fun on a Par 3 course. If your friends are fair players, they will take their shots quicker to make it fair for everyone. This fast style of play adds a new dynamic to the game, and I’ve found it to be very enjoyable.
If you do want to play with a large group, you’ll need to choose balls where the LED lights up constantly.
Best Types:
From what I have seen, there are 2 different types of balls to choose from:
- Balls that light up for 8 minutes at a time
- Balls that light up continuously
Which Type Lasts Longer?
You’ll find that the majority of balls for sale will light up for a limited time (usually for 8 minutes). As these don’t stay continuously lit, you’ll get many more hours of use with this option.
LED balls that switch off are very economical and will last you a long time.
If you used them once per week, they could last for an impressive 6 months.
So what about the balls that stay lit constantly? Are they better? And do they last long enough? Yes!
Which Type Do I Prefer?
I’ve tried both types, and I much prefer the balls where the LED is turned on all the time. Sure, they don’t last as long, but I like not having to worry about seeing or finding my ball during a game. If I’m playing a serious game of golf, I want as many consistent elements of the game as possible.
However I recommend that you purchase both types mentioned.
#1 GlowV1 Night Golf Balls – Review Score 9/10
Let’s begin with the best choice for LED golf balls currently available. If there’s one ball that is a clear winner, it has to be the GlowV1 Night Golf ball by GlowGear.
What makes this ball my favorite is the sheer quality in design. It’s like GlowGear fixed all the inconsistency of past glow golf balls, and designed the ultimate LED ball.
There is a good reason that this is the highest rated ball on Amazon. I know you won’t be disappointed!
Why is GlowV1 the best?
- Superior to any other LED ball on the market
- Designed for tour play
- Ultra Bright Lighting
- 10 Minutes of Ultra Light, and then 6 hours of dimmed lighting
- Recharge your ball in less than 1 minute
- Compatible with UV flashlight. Easily charge your balls while you’re playing!
- 2 Sizes. Single Individual pack and 12 pack
- Light Up Golf Flag Sticks Also Available
The problem with most LED balls
When I first decided to try glow in the dark golf balls, I was quite hesitant. I searched online, and went with one of the cheaper options. Once the novelty of having my balls light up faded, I was left feeling disappointed.
Why was I disappointed?
- The light up feature was inconsistent. If I dropped my ball it would sometimes light up. And sometimes the ball would not light up at all, even after a really big swing.
- Another problem with the cheap products is how they are quite hard on your swing. Any golfer will notice that their drives end up much shorter when using some of the earlier LED balls.
This may not be a problem if you’re just playing for fun. However for me, the shorter distances really put a damper on things.
The reason for the decrease in driving distance is due to the cheap rubber materials being used inside the balls.
Thankfully GlowV1 Got It Right!
After testing many of the GlowV1 golf balls, I must say they move really well in the air. Each ball is designed with true 90 Compression core. These balls are just as good as what you’ll find at many professional tours.
These balls are quite soft thanks to their cleverly designed urethane skin. I do find this to be an advantage. I was surprised to notice that I could get away using higher irons with these balls. Many a time I would use a 3 iron, and watch my ball travel further than I thought.
Hit these balls like any regular golf ball, and you’ll be fine.
How Long Do GlowV1 Glow Balls Last?
The great thing about Glow V1 balls is that they glow very bright for 10 minutes. This provides plenty of time to see exactly where your balls lands, and where to find it.
After the 10 minutes of time, the ball will change to a more dim color. I still found it quite easy to see the ball during the dimmer stage. However the temptation to turn into luke skywalker and use the handy rechargeable torch was too much!
You can recharge the battery inside the ball anytime you wish to restore it to its full glowing capacity. All you need to do is point the UV torch over the ball for 60 seconds.
Are LED Golf Balls Worth Buying?
I must tell say, there’s something really enjoyable about watching a lit up golf ball fly through the night sky.
I would recommend you skip what I originally did. Don’t bother with trying out the cheaper products available. I would save your time and money, and go straight to the GlowV1 ball.
I’d opt for the 12 pack over the single ball. The amount of fun you’ll have with your friends compared to plating with regular balls, is night and day difference!