Acually not with this strain. I don't train and hardly defoliate at all. In this case it was pretty much all genetics. A pic of the actual canopy is attached. I will also add that these buds were litterally rock hard....like crazy hard.Bud density has a lot to do with light penetration down through the canopy in this case. I'll bet that the strain you mentioned has an open structure that allows good light to the lower area. I lollipop my plants lower area so I don't have any larfy buds. Indica dominant strains will also usually be denser that sativa's as a general rule.
Is the softball sized nugs genetics too like the rock hard nugs? My last grow all nugs were rock hard just were not the biggest when dried they looked the same just rock hard lol. Not actually but dense nugsindica-leaning buds are generally denser. if you want solid dense golf ball like buds.. grow indica dominant strains and have decent light to canopy penetration from a good strong light source and trim, train, & prune your plants to keep the light from getting below the top canopy.