Zero Friction Spectra Golf Ball Review

Zero Friction, which was founded in 2001, made its name in the industry after creating golf tees that offered less resistance and more distance. The 3-prong and 4-prong patented design is said to significantly reduce the contact area between the tee and ball by 66%. This gives you a good idea of what Zero Friction is all about – it likes to innovate.

You get one of these tees when you purchase a dozen Zero Friction Spectra golf balls, another of the brand’s innovative products. This is a distance golf ball, available in six different colours – orange, white, yellow, lime (pictured), red and fuchsia – and a box of 12 is comprised of three sleeves of four. No clever science here, just a point of difference.

I was intrigued to see how the ball would fly off the face when I took my first drive, for this model features a large super-fast core for explosive distance. I’m sticking to my claim that the anticipation of playing with a lime green distance ball made me swing extra fast – which resulted in a very quick snap hook.

I’m not someone who would normally play an out and out distance ball. I currently play the TaylorMade TP5x, a premium ball that offers high performance in all departments. However, on a fairly dry links course, the longer roll out that the Zero Friction Spectra ball gave me was fairly evident, as was the higher launch – and there are plenty of golfers who will benefit from this. What wasn't such a great help, for me at least, was the extra roll out on mid to short irons. This ball is pretty hot. 

How about its short game performance? These days, manufacturers tend to find ways of cramming an element of feel into distance balls. This is certainly the case with the Zero Friction Spectra. Initially it felt heavy off the face of my wedge, but it was possible to get a little action. Whether there’s enough on offer for the more skilled golfer to switch from a premium ball, that’s a choice for the individual. For me, the Zero Friction Spectra just runs out that little bit further on a well-struck chip, and whilst you can adjust for that, there are certain shots where you'll demand that little bit more action.

What I would say, if you tend to lose a lot of ammunition on the course, there’s surely not a ball out there that is easier to find when you’re off the fairway. These balls are hard to lose! And if you're someone who uses a line to help line up your putts, the ball has its own useful graphic stamped on the side.