Dunlop grand prix balls

vkartikv

Hall of Fame
I bought a whole case at the suggestion of tw members and the item description itself. To say that I was dissapointed with them is an understatement. The balls have very little bounce (on hard courts) and even after 5 hours of play the ball stays heavy and low-bouncing. They move through the air a lot lot slower than any other ball I have used. I understand these have good durability but at what expense??
 

DRtenniS1112

Semi-Pro
I also do not like the grand prix balls regardless of the feedback people give. I find that the felt comes loose early and the balls get very fuzzy. They do seem to stay at the same pressure longer than others but I just don't like em.
 

tennisphotog

Semi-Pro
Firstly, check to see if those balls were still pressurized. I ordered a case from TW shipped ground and 8 of the 24 cans had been "cracked" open, meaning the plastic can was soft, meaning the air had gone out. Having checked that and all is cool, many of us love a ball that is "meatier" than the cheapo $1.79 Penns and Wilsons out there. Yes, the Dunlops move through the air slower, meaning longer rallies!!!!! This is what I love about the Dunlop GP. Also, serves are slower and returns easier. Result - More balls in play, more exercise!!!! There is more fluff to grab on the strings, hence more control. These balls do not sail. I love them and add my name to the long list of admirers that consider this ball superior. The only better ball is the Slazenger.
 

Richie Rich

Legend
tennisphotog said:
FThese balls do not sail.

that's the key for me. i hate regular wilsons that go bald and sail through the air after 10 minutes.

my fav ball was the wilson aussie open ball from this years open. had the durability of the dunlop GP but at a lighter weight. didn't fluff up either - very consistent material. too bad they are hard to find.
 

armand

Banned
Richie Rich said:
that's the key for me. i hate regular wilsons that go bald and sail through the air after 10 minutes.

my fav ball was the wilson aussie open ball from this years open. had the durability of the dunlop GP but at a lighter weight. didn't fluff up either - very consistent material. too bad they are hard to find.
Nooooo!
I just opened a brand new can of the Wilson Australian Opens today, but after, when I joined another court where they were playing with day old Dunlop Grand Prixs and they were so much better! Much more consistent bounce off the court, and much more consistent with eachother. The Wilsons change so much throughout even just a set. They are all over the place!

Come on, would you take a Pontiac over an Audi?
 

waves2ya

Rookie
Dunlop well preferable to Wilson...

Maybe you got a bad case?

Best thing about 'em is they go into the hopper after play and do their 'stay fresh' thing for weeks...
 

jackson vile

G.O.A.T.
vkartikv said:
I bought a whole case at the suggestion of tw members and the item description itself. To say that I was dissapointed with them is an understatement. The balls have very little bounce (on hard courts) and even after 5 hours of play the ball stays heavy and low-bouncing. They move through the air a lot lot slower than any other ball I have used. I understand these have good durability but at what expense??


These are heavier balls for the big boys, if you use light frames you will want a lighter ball.

So the key is to pick what is right for you.

I wanted the longest lasting heaviest ball I could get my hands on.

This ball has great proper true bounce and flight, extra bright.

If you are a big hitter or spin no felt is going to last at all, but the felt does last on these balls. Do they fuzup? Yes at some point depending on you all balls do this, the question is what ball will have felt after wards. And the dunlops do

I bought a whole case and love it, when my wife uses these in a game it helps for extra heavy spin, freaks the people out, they are used to real tennis balls LOL

A side note is that a lighter ball will indeed move faster easier but more unpredictable.
 

alcap26

Semi-Pro
Find some Slazenger Ultra Vis. They are the best balls I have tried and they come 4 to a can. Tenniswarehouse does not carry them but you can find them on the net and I also saw some at a Dick's Sporting Goods.

edit: The Slaz at Dick's were not the Ultra Vis. Sorry if I misinformed anyone.
 

Faber

Rookie
After reading raves about the Dunlop Grand Prix's, I went out and purchased 5 cans of them. I normally use Wilson US Open Extra Duty and Penn Championship (many years ago).

The Dunlops offer:

- Excellent durability compared to other brands
- Excellent bounce and feel
- Bright
- Retain the fuzz (doesn't go too fuzzy and doesn't lose it either)

After a session of 2-3 hours the balls go in the trash anyways, but offer the best consistence.
 
adely said:
Nooooo!
I just opened a brand new can of the Wilson Australian Opens today, but after, when I joined another court where they were playing with day old Dunlop Grand Prixs and they were so much better! Much more consistent bounce off the court, and much more consistent with eachother. The Wilsons change so much throughout even just a set. They are all over the place!

Come on, would you take a Pontiac over an Audi?

Wow. We have similar tastes.
I've been buying Dunlop GP balls by the case for the past 15 years ...
AND I've driven AUDIs for the past seven years.

Slazengers are the greatest (like a Porsche to Dunlop's Audi). My next car a Porsche? No. I really shouldn't, it is just not responsible. I must admit, I'm tired of reading in Consumer Reports about how Toyota/Lexus, Subaru and Honda/Acura are the only ones making solid cars these days.

The newest Honda CRV (Fee helped point it out in another thread) and that Acura RDX have my attention. Same with the Toyota FJ Cruiser and the Prius. I know, I am all over the place, especially for a no SUV guy who loves to spin the ball and is a sucker for great handling.
 

vkartikv

Hall of Fame
I think it is incorrect to say that these are 'heavier balls for the big boys'. Not to boast but I use some 12.9-13 oz. prostaffs and it doesnt get bigger than that. I opened up another can just to see if it was just bad QC but they were just the same. Very poor bounce and long rallies. I don't mind the low bounce but long rallies I hate :)
 

armand

Banned
slice bh compliment said:
Wow. We have similar tastes.
I've been buying Dunlop GP balls by the case for the past 15 years ...
AND I've driven AUDIs for the past seven years.

Slazengers are the greatest (like a Porsche to Dunlop's Audi). My next car a Porsche? No. I really shouldn't, it is just not responsible. I must admit, I'm tired of reading in Consumer Reports about how Toyota/Lexus, Subaru and Honda/Acura are the only ones making solid cars these days.

The newest Honda CRV (Fee helped point it out in another thread) and that Acura RDX have my attention. Same with the Toyota FJ Cruiser and the Prius. I know, I am all over the place, especially for a no SUV guy who loves to spin the ball and is a sucker for great handling.
Wait, is that the Acura RDX500? If it is, get the mid:cool:
If PJ = Paint job, I don't even wanna know what FJ is.
And don't dis the red and black dot bible, or you may find yourself with a red dot...on yo' forehead!
 

Richie Rich

Legend
adely said:
Nooooo!
I just opened a brand new can of the Wilson Australian Opens today, but after, when I joined another court where they were playing with day old Dunlop Grand Prixs and they were so much better! Much more consistent bounce off the court, and much more consistent with eachother. The Wilsons change so much throughout even just a set. They are all over the place!

Come on, would you take a Pontiac over an Audi?

i play with dunlop GP's all the time, well most of the time with Dunlop Forts the rest. The Wilson Aussie Open balls were still better. even the guys i play with (who use dunlop GP too) commented on the balls. maybe you got an old can that was sitting around - i last used them about 8 months ago in February.
 

nalbandian_fan

Semi-Pro
the dunlop gps are great tennis balls, almost every usta tournament I've ever been to uses them. If you don't like them that much, I'm sure you can easily find someone in your area who'd be happy to buy them off you.
 

cys19

Semi-Pro
Do you recommend them to a beginner to get used to? Would it be like telling a beginner to use a mid/midplus size racquet so he won't be spoiled?

Another note: Are non-pressurized (Wilson training) balls hard, low-bouncing to you guys?
 

vkartikv

Hall of Fame
Ronaldo said:
vk, what is your opinion of the Pro Penn ball?

Good for about an hour, and then the felt comes off and the ball loses bounce. Wilson US Open has been the best of all the balls I have played with.
 

Swissv2

Hall of Fame
I guess I am somewhat spoiled as I have used so many different types of high quality tennis balls including Wilson US Open, Pro Penn ATP, Dunlop GP in massive amounts due to my association with a college team.

When brand new, all the balls bounce pretty much the same give or take variances in weight. When the balls get older, many of us consistently reach for the Dunlop GP because of 2 things:

1. The bounce (maintained the bounce better than all others)
2. The brightness of the ball (brighter than all others)

I have also tried Gamma balls, pressureless practice balls, Wilson Titanium, Dunlop John McEnroe, Penn Championship, Wilson Championship, Dunlop Championship, Pro Penn High Altitude, Wilson Pro Staff (high altitude), and a couple others I can't remember. If you get tennis balls, consider the altitude that you are playing at.
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
vkartikv said:
Good for about an hour, and then the felt comes off and the ball loses bounce. Wilson US Open has been the best of all the balls I have played with.
Just curious as IMHO, the Pro Penn, Dunlop GP, and Wilson US Open are the three best balls available in our area. Can practice a day later with these balls and the bounce is still OK. However, found most players with bad joints will not use any of these balls complaining that they are too hard, too heavy, or whatever.
 
my friend I hit w/ a couple times a week just bought a case of the grand prix's..they are definately heavier than your standard wilson/penn ball..he uses them for practice balls..we have hit them 7-8 times and they still have alot of fuzz and bounce..I am very impressed w/ their durability but as a serve and vollier I would never use them in a match...
 
billyboybeacon said:
my friend I hit w/ a couple times a week just bought a case of the grand prix's..they are definately heavier than your standard wilson/penn ball..he uses them for practice balls..we have hit them 7-8 times and they still have alot of fuzz and bounce..I am very impressed w/ their durability but as a serve and vollier I would never use them in a match...

I'm about to go hit with a friend and I thought I'd crack open a couple of cans and put them on my little amateur digital scale for you.

56 to 57 grams for the Dunlop Grand Prix.
57 to 58 grams for the Pro Penn.

I probably ought to compare Dunlop Championships balls to Penn Championships balls. I just cannot bring myself to actually buy a can of either.

Later,
slice.
 

jackson vile

G.O.A.T.
slice bh compliment said:
I'm about to go hit with a friend and I thought I'd crack open a couple of cans and put them on my little amateur digital scale for you.

56 to 57 grams for the Dunlop Grand Prix.
57 to 58 grams for the Pro Penn.

I probably ought to compare Dunlop Championships balls to Penn Championships balls. I just cannot bring myself to actually buy a can of either.

Later,
slice.

Wow that is very interesting, I wonder how the rest of the balls compare
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
slice bh compliment said:
I'm about to go hit with a friend and I thought I'd crack open a couple of cans and put them on my little amateur digital scale for you.

56 to 57 grams for the Dunlop Grand Prix.
57 to 58 grams for the Pro Penn.

I probably ought to compare Dunlop Championships balls to Penn Championships balls. I just cannot bring myself to actually buy a can of either.

Later,
slice.

Glad you weighed them. Know they feel heavier, covers feel thicker but it is in our head as to meet USTA specs, they must weigh 56-58 grams.
 

tennisnj

Professional
The last 4 weekends I've had various tournaments @ the same facility. This was the first time I'd used Pro Penn tennis balls in the 17 years I've been playing. They were terrible for my arm! They were much heavier & didn't have as much life as other balls I've used, regular duty or not. Their durability was below average @ best compared to the dozens of other balls I've tried. The only thing I liked about the balls were that they were a slightly different color, similar to the Slaz Pro-Vis balls.
I thought it was just me who inquired about the 'deadness of the balls', but it turned out that the team I played against in the men's doubles quarterfinals happened to play in leagues @ the facility & they too use Pro Penn balls & both of them complained to the tennis director about their arm problems, & now they bring their own balls for league matches rather than use the provided balls. I'm glad to know my father & I weren't the only ones complaining about the arm trouble the balls gave us, considering we'd never had sore, tired arms after playing for 45 minutes using other tennis balls.
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
We use Pro Penns for USTA Adult League matches and they feel heavier or maybe it is the regular duty Penns just feel so light. Heard the complaints that reg. duty Penns and Dunlops are helium balls, fast, light, and bouncy.
 

Faber

Rookie
Just got home from hitting around for 3 hours with the Grand Prix balls. Lots of fuzz left and bounce very high even at the end of the session. Usually Wilson US Opens are extremely dead after 3 hours..
 

muggy

Rookie
Ronaldo said:
Just curious as IMHO, the Pro Penn, Dunlop GP, and Wilson US Open are the three best balls available in our area. Can practice a day later with these balls and the bounce is still OK. However, found most players with bad joints will not use any of these balls complaining that they are too hard, too heavy, or whatever.

Anyone that is complaining about using the Wilson US open balls should not be playing tennis. Maybe it's just me, but I think those are some of the lightest, softest feeling balls around.
 

Ronaldo

Bionic Poster
muggy said:
Anyone that is complaining about using the Wilson US open balls should not be playing tennis. Maybe it's just me, but I think those are some of the lightest, softest feeling balls around.
You must really like Tretorns then. Had a guy quit playing after an hour of dubs cuz we opened a can of Wilson US Opens indoors. Like indoor courts are free, eh? And he was in his twenties.
 

TonyB

Hall of Fame
I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to add that I had a not-so-good experience with the Grand Prix balls last night.

They just played rather dead, very "hollow", if you will. And the outer felt really fuzzed up badly after a short time.

The printing on the balls was completely gone after an hour.

I doubt I'll ever buy another can of Dunlop Grand Prix again. It's just not worth it, since almost ANY other ball is superior.
 

vkartikv

Hall of Fame
I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to add that I had a not-so-good experience with the Grand Prix balls last night.

They just played rather dead, very "hollow", if you will. And the outer felt really fuzzed up badly after a short time.

The printing on the balls was completely gone after an hour.

I doubt I'll ever buy another can of Dunlop Grand Prix again. It's just not worth it, since almost ANY other ball is superior.

This is exactly what I mentioned but apparently we are the minority here. Nothing like my US open balls..
 

Richie Rich

Legend
I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to add that I had a not-so-good experience with the Grand Prix balls last night.

They just played rather dead, very "hollow", if you will. And the outer felt really fuzzed up badly after a short time.

The printing on the balls was completely gone after an hour.

I doubt I'll ever buy another can of Dunlop Grand Prix again. It's just not worth it, since almost ANY other ball is superior.

funny. on our courts we find dunlop GP's last forever (well, 4 hours of match play and serious hitting) before we retire them. US Open balls are fluffed up to the size of basketballs in 15 minutes. the GP's are heavier but no one seems to mind or notice too much.
 
since this thread was resurrected..we are still hitting w/ the same case! amazing durability..but don't bring out a sub 12 oz frame..i don't care what anyone says they are heavier than a standard ball
 

TonyB

Hall of Fame
I guess it's possible that there are just some "bad cans" of GP's out there. I don't know what the answer is, but the ones that I played with were just plain horrible.

As I said, the printing on the balls was completely gone after a short time. This isn't a subjective opinion of mine, it's a fact. The only other balls I've seen this happen with are some of the cheaper Wilsons, but even those didn't wear quite as badly as the GP's.

And if it is a matter of getting some "bad cans," then I'm surprised to see such poor quality control from Dunlop in these balls, since I've almost never had a problem with quality like this from any other balls right out of a new can.
 

kaztennis

Rookie
I hit the Dunlop Grand Prix with a 4.0 player.
As some people mentioned, they do get fluffy and the ink/label worns out quickly but they do seem to keep it's bounce longer than the Penn Championship.

So far my favorites are Wilson U.S. Open and Dunlop Grand Prix!
 

Swissv2

Hall of Fame
There are 3 brands out of almost 15 different brands that I have tested which were any good.

But before that, you have to keep the balls at room temp or they die on you, no matter how "good" they are! If you just dump a box into your garage or trunk, dont expect the balls to perform up to your standards.

With that said

1. Wilson US Open (great bounce, mid-low weight, medium visibility, mainly used for D1 matches. These balls die out in two weeks of hard hitting)

2. Pro Penn ATP (decent bounce, low weight, medium visibility, D1 matches and practices. The balls die out in a week and a half or less)

3. Dunlop GP (great bounce, high visibility, have not been used for local D1 matches but used for practices. Surprisingly enough, the DGP balls we have received last quite a while. After intensive practices, the GP does get more bald but the bounce stays for an average of 1-2 months)

Also, it depends on your tennis courts. If you have a fast tennis court, the fuzz comes off fast. If you have a slower court, the balls last longer.

SO for me, DGP are ideal for the budget minded who does not mind shelling out a bit more cash at the beginning.
 

dave333

Hall of Fame
there is no better ball than grand prix. My school is the only one in our league that buys cases of grand prixs and compared to other schools, our balls still bounce lol. Then they get owned by us because we hit the ball really fast at their courts and they don't hit the ball hard enough at our courts.
 

dman72

Hall of Fame
Dunlop balls (I like the Mac ones):

-last about 3 times as long
-stay brighter
-feel a bit heavier

I just bought a 6 pack of penns and after 2 cans, I'm ready to buy more Dunlops and let the Penns sit in the closet. Penns are good for 1 play session, period. They are dead and have no felt or color left. Dunlops are good for at least 2, and sometimes 3 if the court is clean.
 

volusiano

Hall of Fame
Dunlop balls (I like the Mac ones):

-last about 3 times as long
-stay brighter
-feel a bit heavier

I just bought a 6 pack of penns and after 2 cans, I'm ready to buy more Dunlops and let the Penns sit in the closet. Penns are good for 1 play session, period. They are dead and have no felt or color left. Dunlops are good for at least 2, and sometimes 3 if the court is clean.

You mean the Dunlop John McEnroe ones? Or something else? I've been meaning to ask what people think about those.
 

BodegaBay

Rookie
There are 3 brands out of almost 15 different brands that I have tested which were any good.

But before that, you have to keep the balls at room temp or they die on you, no matter how "good" they are! If you just dump a box into your garage or trunk, dont expect the balls to perform up to your standards.

With that said

1. Wilson US Open (great bounce, mid-low weight, medium visibility, mainly used for D1 matches. These balls die out in two weeks of hard hitting)

2. Pro Penn ATP (decent bounce, low weight, medium visibility, D1 matches and practices. The balls die out in a week and a half or less)

3. Dunlop GP (great bounce, high visibility, have not been used for local D1 matches but used for practices. Surprisingly enough, the DGP balls we have received last quite a while. After intensive practices, the GP does get more bald but the bounce stays for an average of 1-2 months)

Also, it depends on your tennis courts. If you have a fast tennis court, the fuzz comes off fast. If you have a slower court, the balls last longer.

SO for me, DGP are ideal for the budget minded who does not mind shelling out a bit more cash at the beginning.

Thanks for your recommendations and real world comparisons. With that said, I'm going to purchase a case of the GP. Good tip about leaving the balls at room temp as well.
 
Last edited:

Mike Danger

Banned
Dunlops totally SUCK, will never buy them again. I only use US open balls, Dunlops are dead after a set!
penns arent much better.
 
R

RAD... Me? No...

Guest
If someone who has a scale could weigh the balls it would be great. I use DGP and love them. I also use Wilson US Opens because the kids I coach love them. I "feel" or "think" that the US Opens are heavier. If some could weigh a few of the popular balls that would be fantastic. We would have a statistical basis for making some of the claims that some seem to like to make without any further backing.

I have tried the thin-walled Gamma ProTour balls and they were a pleasure to hit with, consistent bounce and lasted quiet some time but not as long as the DGP. The reason I wouldn't purchase them is due to cost. They are more expensive than the DGP.

There are 2 possible negatives as far as the DGP goes (in my opinion). One is very minor - the logo disappears very quickly. The 2nd is that the ball can "fluff" up quiet a bit. I like that the ball doesn't go bald like some other balls, because the bounce through out a session doesn't change. But at times I wonder if the ball actually slows down (occurs occasionally when the ball fluffs up too much initially - but after another hour of hitting it usually returns to normal or where I like it).


RAD - Racquet Acquisition Disorder
 
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