I am a private batting instructor and have tried lots of different kinds of softballs. While these softball have a good compression and core the synthetic material does have a tendency to split near the seams with my harder hitters. About one-third of the softball that I have ordered have already begun tearing. This is with an exceptional amount of use and some high level athletes. When conducting fielding or throwing drills the synthetic leather is definitely off-putting when compared to the real thing. I have a harder time throwing pitches (e.g. screwball, curveball, etc.) to batters with the grip I get.