Pros: OnCore is hungry to achieve success with its hollow-center, steel-core golf balls. Two guys in their early 30s have no laurels on which to rest, so they’re out there every day, wherever “there” might be. Bret Blakely and Steve Coulton search the world for the best innovators, marketers and representatives. They even found an artist who shares their vision of creating something so fresh it could change the way golf balls are manufactured, from the inside out.
Cons: OnCore’s golf balls feel lighter than every other ball on the market. This initial feeling may put a question on the minds of golfers, but it shouldn’t.
Bottom Line: It’s straight, really straight. Improved dimple pattern and polybutadiene mantle composition elevate feel and distance over EVO model.
Overview
OnCore received USGA approval late in 2013 for its first model. Since then, it has released the EVO and now the MA-1.0. The “MA” stands for maximum accuracy, the hook on which the company hangs its hat. OnCore concentrates its energy not on the creation of the longest ball, but the straightest. More amateur golfers struggle from side to side, and the ever-expanding line of golf balls from this company seeks to eliminate those struggles and bring the golfer closer to center cut.
Performance
I haven’t done any laboratory tests nor Trackman sessions with OnCore’s golf balls, but I’ve played shots off tee decks, from fairways and bunkers, into and across putting greens. I’m like you in that my gut tells me that an OnCore can’t do battle with a Titleist, Bridgestone, Srixon, TaylorMade or Nike. After I’ve played a few holes with it, my gut concerns dissipate and I forget it’s not my father’s nor my friend’s golf ball.
On those most sensitive of shots, the ones around the green, OnCore reacts like a golf ball should. You can spin it or watch it release. Off the flat stick, it’s consistent in impact and roll.
Looks and Feel
As mentioned, a steel-centered golf ball has an lightness of being that initially distracts attention. This might be due to the movement of weight from the center of the ball to its perimeter, as claimed by the company. The most important thing to do is drop the ball on the green and hit a few putts, or tee it up and whack away. The click of the ball off the club face matches that of recognized-name golf balls, as does the feel on shots from drive to irons to chips and putts.
The Takeaway
If you’re wild off the tee, utilize every bit of today’s technology and put an OnCore golf ball in your bag. The MA-1.0 sells for $44.95 online with free shipping, if you can’t find it in your local shop. OnCore is a name to follow during the coming years. The hunger to make the best ball available will find the company in search of the best researchers and developers in the industry. Don’t be surprised if the next, bigger thing comes from a small company in Buffalo, New York.
