If the used balls are sold as “refurbished” you have to be careful. Some companies repaint that adds weight and hides flaws. Some have even been found to change the brand name after painting. Those issues will greatly impact performance.

I saw a video from one of the YouTube golf guys (Shiels I think?) where he tested the performance of refurbished vs. new Prov1s. He actually cut some in half to confirm the refurbished were the real thing (they were). On a lunch monitor the refurbished balls significantly underperformed the new Prov1s. His conclusion was the paint in the refurbished balls was the problem.

I agree with the concern over "refurbished" or repainted balls. However, I have had a good experience with 5A/mint "found" golf balls. Those are different from the refurbished or repainted balls. But I would not buy any lower level other than 5A/mint or equivalent.

Agree. I think refurbished balls are terrible.

I'm more curious about the 5A mint "found" balls (that aren't water logged!), that don't have scratches or nicks.

I would agree new is always better. You never know how long a ball sat in water or what condition it was In before being refurbished. If you care about your game enough to play a tour ball the small price difference is not worth the diminished performance

For whatever grading they use for “gently used” recycled balls, the vast majority of these recycled balls come from water hazards. The weight can vary beyond Titleist and even USGA limits. I buy new Titleist balls knowing that the lack of performance is on me.
Just know the recycled balls may not perform the same from ball to ball.

Interesting note Acushnet bought PG Golf ball recycling in 2018, they sell the Reload branded balls and sell direct through Lost golf balls.com So they might be a more reliable ball.

I’ve seen recycled Pro-V balls that are stamped with a red TOUR. If these are truly balls from tour event driving ranges, then they would a good alternative. I don’t know if the TOUR designation means they aren’t eligible for competition events, but should otherwise be good for day to day. At least they didn’t live with the gators for 6 months to a year.

I often get the mint 5A balls and dont notice any performance difference. The ones I prefer to buy are the TOUR stamped mint balls since they’ve basically just been hit once by a pro.

I’ve played the TOUR ones for many rounds, they perform great.

I just purchase my Prov1s during the spring loyalty program. Buy four dozen, pay for three. Also pick up a dozen at events during the year.
Best deals going for me. Do not worry about purchasing discounted lost/castaway balls. It is all about choices.

Always new forever new

I have been accused of being a golf ball snob. I replace my ball if it hits a cart path or tree. Simple physics proves the performance can be affected by blemishes. So many things can go wrong on the golf course that are beyond your control. However, choosing to use a new ball is not one of them.
I don't lose many golf balls, and lots of times often I stop playing with one because it has seen too many holes. Other days, not very often I will put 3 Pro V1s in the water on the front 9.
Short answer to your question, always go new.

Mint found balls are a good deal. If you are buying used it means you lose enough balls to be concerned about price and you aren't a scratch golfer. You won't notice the difference between used and a brand new out of the box ball. Go ahead and buy used if you want to save some cash.

Just walk at a brisk pace as to not hold up anyone behind u and keep your eyes peeled along the rough lines. Some people play the high end balls but don’t look very hard to find them… especially early on in the season! Christmas gifts get lost fast