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Ball Lab – Snell MTB-X
MyGolfSpy Ball Lab is where we quantify the quality and consistency of the golf balls on the market to help you find the best ball for your money. Today, we’re taking a look at the Snell MTB-X. An overview of the equipment we use can be found here. To learn more about our test process, how we define “bad” balls and our True Price metric, check out our About MyGolfSpy Ball Lab page.
Among an ever-increasing number of direct-to-consumer brands, Snell Golf has the best pedigree. In his years at Titleist and TaylorMade, company founder Dean Snell had a role in some of the most popular designs of their time. Nobody else in the DTC space can match Dean’s resume. Still, without the size of those companies backing him, can Snell match the quality of the leading brands?
In this report, we share what we learned about the 2019 Snell MTB-X and let you know how it stacks up against other golf balls on the market. Finally, we’ll give you the True Price – how much it costs to get a dozen “good” golf balls.
About the Snell MTB-X
Snell classifies the MTB-X as a mid-launch ball. It’s the higher spinning of Snell’s urethane offerings. It’s a three-piece ball with a 360-dimple, cast-urethane cover.
The Snell MTB-X is manufactured by Nassau in South Korea. The factory is among the most reputable in Asia and is notable for having produced TaylorMade’s Tour offerings for a number of years (it does not produce the current TP5). It’s also the factory that manufactured the original Kirkland four-piece ball and continues to produce that ball for other direct-to-consumer brands.
Snell MTB-X – Compression
On our gauge, the average compression of the Snell MTB-X is 96. While launch and spin properties differ, it’s similar to the Srixon Z-Star XV. It’s slightly firmer than a 2020 Chrome Soft X and just a bit softer than the Pro V1x. Compared to the ball market as a whole, it’s not only firm; it’s on the edge of what we classify as extra firm.
Snell MTB-X – Weight and Diameter
While not TaylorMade-small, the Snell MTB-X runs a bit small. However, none of our samples was in danger of failing the USGA ball track/1.680 gauge test. In that respect, it’s reasonable to describe its size as ideal for the Tour Ball category.
Snell MTB-X – Inspection
Centeredness and Concentricity
The Snell MTB-X is a three-piece golf ball. What’s notable in the design is that the mantle is appreciably thicker than other three-piece designs which should help boost spin on shorter shots.
We flagged one ball with a concentricity/centeredness issue we felt was significant enough to be concerned about. Minor concentricity issues were found in roughly 50 percent of the balls.
Core Mixture
Core color consistency was excellent throughout the sample. We found no appreciable color variation. Of greater importance, we found no unexpected material (chunks), swirls or anything else to suggest inconsistent mixing.
Cover
Cover quality is generally excellent. The consistency of the thickness over the entire surface of the ball is among the best we’ve seen to date. We did note a single ball with a small blob of paint. It chipped off easily, leaving behind only a minor blemish.
General Observations
Like the other Tour balls we’ve tested to date, the MTB-X’s cast-urethane cover is thin, soft and consistent in thickness. Paired with the thicker mantle layer, it should meet greenside expectations for the category.
Consistency
In this section, we detail the consistency of the Snell MTB-X. It’s a measure of how similar the balls in our sample are to one another, relative to all of the models we’ve tested to date.
Weight Consistency
Consistency (of weight) across the sample set was in the middle of the average range. None of the balls tested exceeded the USGA weight limit.Diameter Consistency
Diameter consistency is again average relative to the other balls in our database. The Snell MTB-X runs slightly small – making it ideally sized for the Tour Ball category.Compression Consistency
Compression consistency for the Snell MTB-X is also in the middle of the average range. With a range of nine compression points across the sample, it’s not perfect but it’s within reasonable limits with no balls flagged as bad. When we look at the consistency across the three points measured on each ball, the Snell MTB-X is on the high end of the average range with only a single ball approaching an uncomfortable level of variance.True Price
True Price is how we quantify the quality of a golf ball. It's a projection of what you'd have to spend to ensure you get 12 good balls.
The True Price will always be equal to or greater than the retail price. The greater the difference between the two, the more you should be concerned about the quality of the ball.
Snell MTB-X Summary Report
To learn more about our test process, how we define “bad” balls and our True Price metric, check out our About MyGolfSpy Ball Lab page.
The consistency of compression, diameter and weight was generally within reasonable limits and present no serious cause for concern.
A single ball (three percent of the sample) was flagged as bad. That should be regarded as excellent but the Snell MTB-X isn’t perfect. We found minor defects in approximately 50 percent of the sample.
Overall, the quality and consistency across the samples tested suggests that the Snell MTB-X is deserving of its reputation as one of the best values in the golf ball market.
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