Dave--

IMO, the trade-off between spin and distance comes down to whether or not you can afford the loss of distance the average spin ball will cause.

When one gets older, as I am, the loss of even 10-15 yards on the tee makes a big difference in the second shot to the green.

To a younger golfer who hits the ball 270-280, a loss of 15 yards or so isn't going to make much difference. To an older golfer who will hit it maybe 230, this can become a problem. It may put you back where you will be hitting long irons and maybe even fairway woods into most greens instead of 6-7 irons.

I have been using the Precept Senior ball for some time, but recently changed to Calloway's CTU30-Red.

The Precept Senior is not a very good spin ball, in fact at our club we call it the 12 step Precept, meaning, where your ball lands on the green, walk 12 steps and you'll find the ball. (grin)

The Calloway spins much better and doesn't seem to sacrifice distance for me. In fact, I may be hitting it a little farther.

I think, in the end, it comes down to whether you can afford the loss of distance or not.

Hope this helps,

Sam

PS-- This is not an endorsement for any ball manufacturer, it is only a statement of what I use and my experience. This advice is probably worth exactly what it cost-- $0.00. Take for what it's worth.