Equipment
Hopkins Golf adds distance balls to its lineup
Hopkins Golf announced the addition of VL Speed golf balls to its lineup. Known primarily for its direct to consumer custom wedges, Hopkins now has two lines of balls to offer. The VL Pro are Surlyn covered three-piece balls are designed to be “long off the tee and medium-soft around the greens.” They retail for $19 a dozen, but can be bought at further discount in 4, 8 or 12 dozen packs.
The new VL Speed is a two-piece ball designed to appeal to the distance market. They have a resilient core and a ionomer-blend cover for a reported softer feel than many distance balls. At $19 for two dozen (with free shipping), it’s hard to find a lesser priced value ball. Like the VL Pro, they are also available with a substantial volume discount.
Hopkins has also launched its “We’ve Got Balls” email, print and TV ads in support of their entry into the golf ball market. A TV ad is below.
For more information, visit HopkinsGolf.com.
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Neal Shipley was the first to admit that he enjoyed his food while in college. But since his days at Ohio State, he’s slimmed down and earned a PGA Tour Card.
That hasn’t stopped him from having fun with his wedge stampings, though it’s led to some misunderstandings.
On the 54 (degree), we have ‘Big Fudge,'” Shipley told GolfWRX. “It was supposed to be ‘Big Fridge,’ so this happened a little while ago. ‘Big Fridge’ was a nickname between my college teammates and I, with ‘fridge’ meaning stomach, a big stomach.
“We told the Ping guys to put … ‘Big Fridge’ on it, and I think maybe some bad cell service or something, and they thought I said ‘fudge,’ so they put fudge on it.”
On Shipley’s 50-degree he also continues the food theme, this time with his go-to order at the “Golden Arches,” and his stamping “DONS 7.”
“The number 7 meal, the two cheeseburger meal, that was my McDonald’s order, back when I would have McDonald’s frequently,” Shipley shared.
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @raw10628 has a L.A.B. DF3 putter and Masters putter cover up for grabs.
From the listing: “Some great items here today, time to thin out and make room for next set of gear. All prices include shipping.
LAB DF3 Purple 33.5” 68° lie with TPT – $725. LAB Masters release DF3 cover – $150.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4
3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
5-wood: Ping G440 Max (19 degrees @18)
Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4
Hybrid: Ping G440 (23 degrees)
Shaft: Oban Isawa Red Hybrid Shaft 04 Flex 70 Gms
Irons: Srixon ZXi7 (5-P)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i80
Wedges: Cleveland RTZ (50-MID, 54-FULL, 58-MID)
Shafts: Aerotech SteelFiber Private Reserve i105
Putter: L.A.B. Golf OZ.1i
Shaft: ACCRA Putter Shaft
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
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Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
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Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
David
May 19, 2014 at 5:11 pm
Clubupgolf.com has a full course review of them. They look alright.
ClubUpGolf
May 19, 2014 at 5:10 pm
I did a full review of them at clubupgolf, and comparing them to the Hex Chrome is inaccurate. They’re quite a bit firmer and they’re louder off the clubface. Distance-wise they’re very good, but we wanted to see more spin around the green. They just didn’t check enough. There’s a full review on our site.
L
Apr 5, 2014 at 12:15 am
Never heard of hopkins before. Pretty cheap though, might give them a shot!
Iain Clarke
Apr 3, 2014 at 3:32 am
I seriously doubt if he will associate with srixon ever again.
GO GREG……, STICK IT TO ‘ EM.
Jason
Apr 2, 2014 at 11:07 am
Sounds like a good deal. Will be trying them out, a hack golfer like me is always looking for a quality ball that won’t break the bank.
O
Mar 31, 2014 at 9:20 pm
Made by Bridgestone or Srixon?
J
Mar 31, 2014 at 9:08 pm
What can BROWN… Err…. Hopkins do for you?’