Best Golf Balls 2024: Which model will improve your game and lower your scores?
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One of the quickest and easiest changes you can make to help you play better golf is finding the correct golf ball for your game – so allow me to assist you in that search and watch your scores drop
Jump to:
- Best premium golf balls
- Best golf balls for mid-handicappers
- Best value golf balls
- Best golf balls for beginners and high-handicappers
- Best distance golf balls
- Buying Guide
- FAQs
One of the most asked questions in golf is “What are the best golf balls?” and it’s super difficult to answer because it’s so personal. The golf ball that works best for me might work horribly for you and vice versa. There are ways of figuring out what the best golf balls are for you and you can read more about this in our buying guide.
Depending on who you ask, it’s highly likely you’ll be met with different answers because not everyone is looking for the same properties within their golf balls. Some golfers enjoy playing with the best premium golf balls because they offer incredible performance from tee to green. However, there is a large proportion of golfers who happily tee it up with the best cheap golf balls because it’s not as gut-wrenching when one ultimately finds its way into the water or trees.
The best Black Friday golf ball deals 2024
I’m going to momentarily interject here to make you aware of fantastic savings you can make this Black Friday. Now is a great time for you to stock up on golf balls because they’re at their lowest prices of the year. I’ve put together a list of the best Black Friday golf ball deals for you to shop before the savings come to an end.
Retailers are offering huge discounts on some of the most played golf balls and the most popular golf balls on Tour. If you’re not interested in making huge savings this Black Friday feel free to scroll past these amazing deals:
Shop Black Friday golf ball deals on: Amazon | PGA Tour Superstore | Walmart | Worldwide Golf Shops | Golf Galaxy | Dicks Sporting Goods | Carl’s Golfland | Scheels
Save 16%: Srixon Z-Star Diamond Golf Balls – WAS $49.99, NOW $42.06
31% Off: TaylorMade Tour Response Golf Balls – WAS $42.99, NOW $29.50
Save 22%: Wilson Triad R Golf Balls – WAS $39.99, NOW $31.30
32% Off: Maxfli Tour X Golf Balls 48 Pack – WAS $160.00, NOW $109.98
Save 20%: PXG Xtreme Golf Balls – WAS $39.99, NOW $31.99
38% off: Wilson Duo Soft Golf Balls – WAS $27.99, NOW $17.47
Save 12%: Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls – WAS $24.99, NOW $21.99
The main difference between golf balls aimed at beginners and high-handicappers and golf balls used by Tour players is short-game performance. Many of the best golf balls perform amicably in the long game and you couldn’t tell them apart from the best distance golf balls. However, once you’re standing in the middle of the fairway with a wedge in your hand even the best golf balls aimed at mid-handicappers won’t stack up to the level of the golf balls played by the likes of Justin Thomas and Nelly Korda.
It’s worth noting that golf balls do behave differently for golfers based upon swing, delivery, speed, etc., and many other external factors including wind, temperature, altitude, etc. For instance, an 80-year-old recreational golfer playing in Denver and a 20-year-old D1 golfer playing in Orlando will need certain balls not just based on their ages and skill level, but also to navigate the conditions and accommodate their skill level.
The best golf balls 2024: one to note from each category
No matter what category of golf balls you’re looking to play with, it’s likely you’ll always benefit from playing with one of the premium golf balls offered by Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway, Srixon, Wilson, or any other premium golf balls. Not only because of the Tour validation you see with so many of them but because they deliver the best short-game performance and ultimately this is where your scoring comes from.
I understand not every golfer wants to spend $40 plus on a box of golf balls and there are some excellent cheaper alternatives. I also appreciate that not every golfer is playing the game to shoot the lights out every time they hit the course. In this instance playing with something cheaper makes sense, but could you find more enjoyment by switching to a better-value golf ball?
While female-specific golf balls do exist, we haven’t included a particular best ladies’ golf balls category within this page because, honestly, most ladies don’t need to be playing with female-specific golf balls, although some do rank in the best ladies’ golf balls. The majority of female golfers will benefit more from playing with a premium golf ball, just as most men would.
Before taking a look through the best golf balls of 2024, I’ll leave you one last nugget for your thoughts. If you feel as though your game isn’t quite at the heights you think it should be, changing balls could make a world of difference and it’s the quickest, easiest, and often cheapest, piece of equipment to change.
Best Golf Balls 2024
Best premium golf balls
Golf balls with the most Tour validation
Best overall golf balls
They feature a three-piece construction, with each golf ball enduring rigorous testing, being checked 90 times. The Pro V1 has a soft urethane cover, designed to deliver low spin off the driver for maximum distance while maintaining high spin and control on approach shots and around the greens.
The Pro V1 is known for its consistent ball flight, providing golfers with confidence and precision in their game. Golfers wanting a higher ball flight will appreciate playing with Titleist Pro V1x golf balls and anyone seeking a lower ball flight will achieve that with the Titleist AVX golf balls.
Read our full Titleist Pro V1 golf balls review.
Pros
- Fantastic Tour validation
- Amazing long game performance
- Super short game spin and control
Cons
- Well over $4 a ball - but it could be argued that it's warranted
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Cast urethane elastomer |
| Dimples | 388 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid |
| Long game spin | Very low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- High gradient core design
- Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer
- Cast thermoset urethane cover
- Spherically tiled tetrahedral dimple design
TaylorMade's most popular golf ball on Tour
Best premium golf balls for golfers with quick swing speeds
Rrp: $54.99
Rrp: $54.99
The TP5x balls offer a firmer feel compared to the TP5 model, appealing to players who prefer a slightly firmer sensation. Renowned for their consistent flight, durability, and versatility, TP5x golf balls are favored by Tour players, most notably Rory McIlroy and Charley Hull, and amateur golfers for their all-around performance on the course.
Read our full TaylorMade TP5x golf balls review.
Pros
- Firm feel is extremely responsive
- Delivers an amazing high ball flight
- The cover is more durable than the previous model
Cons
- Won't work as well as the TP5 for golfers who don't have super quick swing speeds
| Construction | 5-piece |
| Cover | Soft-tough cast urethane |
| Dimples | 322 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- New speed wrapped core
- Progressive 5-layer construction
- Seamless Tour flight dimple pattern
Callaway's rebranded Tour-level golf balls for elite golfers
Best-represented Callaway golf balls on Tour
The Chrome Tour X balls are the firmest-feeling golf balls compared to the Chrome Tour and Chrome Soft golf balls. This four-piece golf ball delivers brilliant distance despite producing the most spin of the three golf balls in Callaway's Chrome range. However, that materializes into outstanding short-game spin and control.
Read our full Callaway Chrome Tour X golf balls review.
Pros
- Produces brilliant ball speeds and distance
- Extremely high spin and control when approaching the greens
- Played by some of the best players in the world across numerous Tours
Cons
- The price has shot up which might be off-putting for some golfers
| Construction | 4-piece |
| Cover | Tour urethane |
| Dimples | 332 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Mid |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | Chrome Tour X Triple Track; 360° Triple Track; TruTrack |
- Exceptionally Fast Ball Speeds
- Maximum Workability Through The Bag
- Optimized Greenside Spin and Control
- More Consistent Performance
Srixon's super long three-piece premium golf ball
Best tee-to-green premium golf balls
Rrp: $49.99
Rrp: $49.99
Being intended for a golfer of Brooks' caliber, the Z-Star Diamond does work best for golfers with quicker swing speeds, but in our robot test, it was still highly competitive when being hit at a slower swing speed. The Z-Star Diamond produces outstanding greenside spin but it's on approach shots from further back where the spin really impresses.
Read our full Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf balls review.
Pros
- Amazing distance off the tee
- Fantastic spin and control with irons
- High greenside spin
Cons
- Could be too high-spinning off the tee for some golfers
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 338 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-High |
| Long game spin | Mid |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White |
- Speed dimple pattern
- Thin premium cover
- Spin skin+ coating
- Fastlayer DG core
A firm-feeling premium golf ball
Best firm-feeling premium golf balls
With its firm-feeling, it might not appeal to every golfer but this makes the ball super responsive and it provides brilliant feedback on all shots. I find putting with firmer golf balls to be much more satisfying. With high greenside spin and control, and low driver spin this ball performs optimally off the tee and around the greens.
This four-piece golf ball performs incredibly similarly to the Titleist Pro V1x, and being slightly cheaper it's well worth giving it a go. I've had my lowest round to date this year with the Staff Model X.
Read our full Wilson Staff Model X golf balls review.
Pros
- Extremely responsive thanks to the firm-feeling
- Long off the tee
- Amazing short-game spin and control
Cons
- Not all golfers want firm golf balls
| Construction | 4-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 362 |
| Feel | Firm |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- V-Cor advanced performance
- Firm compression core with velocity-boosting additive
- 3SIX2 seamless urethane cover
Best golf balls for mid-handicappers
TaylorMade's amazing option for golfers who enjoy premium golf balls but don't want to pay the premium price tag
Around the greens, they perform well, being a three-piece golf ball. However, they don't generate as much spin as three-piece premium golf balls but that's perhaps expected. Off the tee, they're long for a wide range of swing speeds making them extremely versatile and it opens up a different avenue for multiple golfers to venture down.
I'm a huge fan of the Tour Response Stripe golf balls because they help with visibility and alignment. Tour Response is a fantastic option if you currently play with premium golf balls but think they're too expensive. Likewise, if you play with golf balls of a lesser standard and want to make the jump up but not quite to premium golf balls, Tour Response is a brilliant model to consider.
Read our full TaylorMade Tour Response golf balls review.
Pros
- Brilliant alternative if you don't want to spend top dollar on premium golf balls
- Strong performer from tee to green
- Stripe model is easy to see and align
Cons
- Disappointing wedge spin in our robot test
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Soft tour cast urethane |
| Dimples | 322 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low-mid |
| Short game spin | High |
| Colour options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | Tour Response Stripe |
- New tour flight dimple pattern
- 100% urethane cover
- Speedmantle with high-flex material
Callaway's long, straight, and low-spinning golf ball
Best golf balls for mid-handicappers seeking distance
Not only are they long, but they're straight too which means you'll hit more fairways and be left with a wedge in hand as opposed to an iron. Speaking of, you're probably better off having a wedge in hand with the ERC Soft because they spin much more from a wedge than they do from an iron. Sporting the Triple Track design as standard and a Fade option available as an alternative, the ERC Soft golf balls are brilliant for alignment and helping with visibility.
Read our full Callaway ERC Soft golf balls review.
Pros
- Incredible distance off the tee
- Outstanding soft feel
- Fantastic alignment and visibility options
Cons
- Disappointed with spin from a 7-iron in our robot test
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Hybrid |
| Dimples | 332 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low-mid |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | ERC Soft 360° Fade |
- New GRIP urethane coating
- New HyperElastic SoftFast core
- Hybrid cover
- High speed mantle
- Triple Track dagger technology
A brilliant high-performance golf ball for those who don't swing it like Brooks Koepka
Best golf balls for mid-handicappers with slow swing speeds
The Q-Star Tour massively impressed in our 2023 robot test both off the tee and approaching the green for being a very average performer. This might not sound overly impressive, but one thing you can guarantee from the Q-Star Tour is that it will perform very consistently from tee to green- something that can't be said for every golf ball.
Read our full Srixon Q-Star Tour golf balls review.
Pros
- High-performing golf ball from tee to green for golfers who don't have the quickest swing speeds
- Very consistent
- Amazing feel and highly durable
Cons
- Wedge spin was on the low side in our robot test
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 338 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-high |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | Q-Star Tour Divide |
- Fastlayer core
- Spinskin with SeRM
- Speed dimple pattern
The most accurate golf ball according to our 2023 robot test
Best golf balls for mid-handicappers looking to break 80
Wilson manufactured the Triad intent on helping golfers break the illustrious 80 barrier. Wilson claims that the Triad will help golfers find three more fairways, hit five more greens, and hole three more putts, something that is quite possible based on how consistently it performs off the tee and how likely it is to hit and hold the green on approach.
Read our full Wilson Triad golf balls review.
Pros
- Extremely accurate
- Strong performer from tee to green
- Amazing value for money
Cons
- Not the softest feeling golf balls which won't please everyone
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 348 |
| Feel | Mid |
| Flight | Mid |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | Triad R |
- Triad balanced construction
- T3 technology
- High MOI design
- Ultra-thin urethane cover
Best value golf balls
A premium golf ball for quick swing speeds from the latest brand to receive Tour validation
Best value premium golf balls
Rrp: $44.95
Rrp: $44.95
The Maxfli Tour X was one of the more accurate golf balls in our test and also one of the longest for quick swing speeds (3rd at 100mph and 1st at 115mph). As well as being long, the Maxfli Tour X performed admirably with an iron and pitching wedge. The Maxfli Tour X delivers the highest ball flight in the Maxfli Tour range and it performs very similarly to the Titleist Pro V1x at a fraction of the price.
Read our full Maxfli Tour X golf balls review.
Pros
- Extremely long for golfers with quick swing speeds
- Impressive golf ball from tee to green
- Maxfli now has Tour validation
Cons
- Maxfli Tour is better for golfers with slower swing speeds
| Construction | 4-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 318 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-high |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
| Alternative models | Tour X Max Alignment |
- Center of gravity balanced
- Soft cast urethane
- Tetrahedron dimple pattern
- Fast core
- High-speed mantle
PXG Xtreme
Brilliant golf balls for short game performance and spin
Best value golf balls for attacking pins
Having a golf ball that hits and holds greens is massively important. Most golfers would probably take a ball that behaves on the green over a ball that travels far off the tee. The three-piece PXG Xtreme golf ball feels soft and travels fairly high which will please most golfers. At less than $40 a dozen it's well worth giving these a go if you normally play with premium golf balls north of 40 bucks.
Read our full PXG Xtreme golf balls review.
Pros
- Super spinny on approach shots
- Quality golf balls at a fraction of the price of other premium golf balls
- Effective at varying swing speeds
Cons
- Not the longest but it's certainly better to lose distance and gain spin than vice versa
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 338 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-high |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White |
- High C.O.R. polybutadiene core created for high-speed performance
- Firm ionomer mantle layer engineered to increase speed and distance off the tee
- Soft urethane bright white outer cover
- 338 dimple pattern engineered to deliver aerodynamic characteristics
Vice Pro
Direct To Consumer (DTC) golf balls offer outstanding value
Most affordable premium golf balls
The Pro is a three-piece golf ball that delivers impressive distance off the tee and just as impressive short-game spin and control. The Pro works for golfers with varying swing speeds and it produces quality performance to rival the best premium golf balls. Starting from just $31.99 a dozen they really are worth considering.
Pros
- Good long-game distance
- Impressive short-game spin and control
- Fantastic value when you buy multiple boxes
Cons
- Not the most durable golf balls
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Urethane |
| Dimples | 318 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid |
| Long game spin | Mid |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Red; Lime; Ice Blue |
| Alternative models | Vice Pro Shade; Drip |
- Extremely soft cast urethane cover with S2TG technology
- Keep in line putt-line
- Energy speed core
Best golf balls for beginners and high-handicappers
A seriously good golf ball at a very enticing price point
The reason this ball is such a good option for beginners and high-handicappers is because, as we discovered in our 2023 robot test, the Q-Star (AD333 in the robot test) performs at a similar standard to certain three-piece golf balls. If you regularly play with urethane cover golf balls you will feel the difference with an ionomer cover but that's what helps to keep this golf ball so well priced.
Read our full Srixon Q-Star (AD333) golf balls review.
Pros
- Good distance for ranging swing speeds
- Impressive spin for a two-piece golf ball
- Was keeping up with three-piece golf balls in our 2023 robot test
Cons
- Is slightly clicky off the clubface
| Construction | 2-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer |
| Dimples | 338 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-high |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | Mid-high |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- Fatslayer core
- Spin skin with SeRM
- Speed dimple pattern
Wilson's low-compression golf ball works wonders for golfers who don't have ridiculously quick swing speeds
Best low-compression golf balls
Rrp: $22.99
Rrp: $22.99
As well as being long, the Duo Soft is able to generate spin fairly easily because of its lower compression. Beginners and high-handicap golfers will be overjoyed to hear that this is a very accurate golf ball, one we found to be the most accurate amongst two-piece golf balls in our robot test.
Read our full Wilson Duo Soft golf balls review.
Pros
- Brilliant option for all golfers with slow to average swing speeds
- Incredible distance and accuracy for a two-piece golf ball
- Excellent value for people new to the game
Cons
- Not a good option for golfers with 100mph+ driver swing speeds
| Construction | 2-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer |
| Dimples | 302 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | Mid |
| Color options | White; Yellow; Green; Orange; Red |
- Velocity boosting core
- Low compression core
Callaway's long golf ball for golfers with slower swing speeds
Best golf balls for golfers with slower swing speeds
Rrp: $24.99
Rrp: $24.99
The Supersoft doesn't only offer distance, spin is fairly easy to generate because of its low-compression core. The Supersoft is a brilliant option for beginner and high-handicap golfers because it's easy to launch which materializes into good distance. Also at $25, they are brilliant value and they possess that soft feel so many yearn for.
Read our full Callaway Supersoft golf balls review.
Pros
- Really good distance for golfers with a slower swing speed
- Super soft feel
- Fantastic value
Cons
- Distance does drop off for golfers with driver swing speeds of 100mph+
| Construction | 2-piece |
| Cover | Hybrid |
| Dimples | 332 |
| Feel | Super soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | High |
| Color options | White; Yellow; Green; Red; Orange; Pink |
| Alternative models | Supersoft Lucky; Geo Collection |
- Hyperelastic softfast core
- Hybrid cover
- Hex aerodynamics
A three-piece golf ball for beginners and high-handicappers to enjoy
Best value three-piece golf balls
The Soft Response isn't only a brilliant golf ball because it's a three-piece option. The Soft Response travels well and behaves on the greens from approach shots and playing around the greens. This TaylorMade golf ball is best suited to golfers who don't swing the club stupidly quickly. TaylorMade fans with quicker swing speeds should opt for Tour Response or TP5/TP5x golf balls.
Read our full TaylorMade Soft Response golf balls review.
Pros
- Incredible value three-piece golf balls
- Really soft feel
- Easily compressible core allows the ball to travel well for golfers with slower swing speeds
Cons
- Tour Response is better suited for golfers with quicker swing speeds
| Construction | 3-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer |
| Dimples | 322 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid-high |
| Long game spin | Low-mid |
| Short game spin | Mid-high |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- 50 compression design
- Extended flight dimple pattern
Best distance golf balls
Super long Titleist golf ball
The issue with Velocity - as is the issue with all distance golf balls - is that they don't generate as much spin, but if this isn't a concern of yours then distance golf balls are well worth buying because they deliver great distance and they're much cheaper.
Titleist Velocity golf balls feel great considering they have an ionomer cover. These balls are very well-priced and despite producing low-spin I'm a massive fan of Velocity golf balls.
Read our full Titleist Velocity golf balls review.
Pros
- Extremely long off the tee
- Nice feel from every clubface
- Consistent ball flight
Cons
- Low greenside spin but this is expected for a distance golf ball
| Construction | 2-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer |
| Dimples | 350 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | Low |
| Color options | White; Orange; Green |
- High speed LSX core
- Fast NAZ+ cover
- Octahedral dimple pattern
Distance golf balls that cost less than twenty dollars
Best affordable distance golf balls
Where this ball really impressed us was with an iron and pitching wedge. It was the highest-spinning two-piece golf ball with the wedge by some margin. Despite being a distance golf ball, the Pinnacle Rush was spinning at similar rates to the three-piece golf balls in our robot test. Considering a Pinnacle Rush costs you just $1.33 per ball it's a brilliant performer.
Read our full Pinnacle Rush golf balls review.
Pros
- Surprisingly good spin for a distance golf ball
- Incredible value for money
- Brilliant distance for varying swing speeds
Cons
- Not the best feel
| Construction | 2-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer |
| Dimples | 332 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | High |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | Low |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- High-energy core
- Icosahedral dimple design
Distance golf balls that behave as well around the greens as they do off the tee
Best tee to green distance golf balls
Costing less than $20 the Distance+ golf balls are a brilliant option for all golfers who don't want to spend a bomb on golf balls. As well as offering great distance, they can sit and grab on the greens - whether you're approaching with a 7-iron or a wedge from just off the green. The alignment aid on the golf ball is amazing at helping you roll in more putts and you can also use it off the tee.
Read our full TaylorMade Distance+ golf balls review.
Pros
- Extremely versatile golf ball that works for a wide range of golfers
- Comes fitted with an enhanced alignment aid
- Soft golf ball that performs fairly well greenside
Cons
- No option without the alignment aid
| Construction | 2-piece |
| Cover | Ionomer |
| Dimples | 342 |
| Feel | Soft |
| Flight | Mid |
| Long game spin | Low |
| Short game spin | Mid-high |
| Color options | White; Yellow |
- Plus alignment aid
- Soft REACT core
- Aerodynamic dimple pattern
Best Golf Balls 2024: Buying Guide
Determining the best golf balls for each individual isn’t completely black and white. Almost every brand manufacturing golf balls offer a solid option for you to lay with. For instance, if you want a ball that travels far off the tee and zips back on the greens you can play with a whole host of golf balls from the Titleist Pro V1x to the Maxfli Tour X.
While you may develop a preference for one specific golf ball, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all model (for your game). Neither is there a wide range of golf balls that’ll work for you. You might think one of the best distance golf balls works just as well as one of the best premium golf balls but it’s incredibly rare that this is the case.
Certain golfers have particular needs and requirements of their golf balls, in that case, if you want distance above all else then you’ll know exactly what category of golf balls to look at. However, there are just as many golfers who don’t know exactly what they want. Read through our buying guide and hopefully, you’ll have some clarity as to which category of golf balls will work best for you.
Ability
Regardless of your ability, you will benefit from playing with one of the best premium golf balls because of the technology packed within. However, that’s not to say that if you’re brand new to the game you should be spending around $50 on a dozen golf balls – but you can if you want to.
Better and more seasoned golfers arguably should be playing with the best balls they can afford to be playing with because it will 100% improve your game from tee to green. Flip side to that is, if you’re new to the game or play infrequently with your buddies or work colleagues then you might not have the game to warrant playing with premium golf balls for whatever reason. At that point, playing with distance golf balls or cheap golf balls is perfectly understandable.
Budget
Tying in closely with ability is budget. Players who are new to the game or don’t get out often are more likely to budget when it comes to purchasing golf balls. Whereas more frequent and skilled golfers are less likely to budget and opt for more expensive golf balls. That’s not to say every golfer meeting one of those credentials behaves this way.
While I’ve probably been alive less number of years than some of you have played golf, I’ve had the pleasure of working in the golf industry for eight years. During that time I’ve seen golfers of all abilities splashing the cash on the latest golf clubs in the hope of improving their game and being thrifty when it comes to spending on golf balls – I’ve been a culprit of this myself in my early golfing days!
It’s worth considering whether your money is better spent on premium golf balls to improve your game – I would say it is. Also if you’re staring down the golf balls and locked in on a dozen Top-Flites at $20, before heading to the till, take a look around and see if stretching your budget even by $5 or $10 will enable you to pick a higher quality golf ball and assist you in scoring lower.
If there’s ever a piece of golf equipment you shouldn’t be frugal with it’s golf balls.
Feel
The vast majority of golfers look for soft-feeling golf balls which opens the floodgates to copious amounts of options. Even golf balls labelled as being firm such as the Wilson Staff Model X is still soft compared to the rocks that used to exist. Many golfers enjoy soft-feeling golf balls because they deliver a sweet sensation off of every club in the bag – except if you skull one.
I personally enjoy playing with firmer golf balls like the Wilson Staff Model X and Titleist Pro V1x because I feel as though they provide more feedback and a stronger response. However, feel is completely personal, and like I say it’s tough to find a super-firm golf ball because most are made to be soft in order to please the needs of more golfers.
Performance
Every golf ball comes fitted with specific technology in order to perform in a particular manner – this is often outlined on the box. For instance, it might inform you that a certain golf ball is designed to travel high and far off the tee with low spin but grab and spin on the greens. Another golf ball might say it produces low flight off the tee and mid spin in the short game.
You should always take this information with a pinch of salt. No manufacturer will ever put on the box that their ball doesn’t travel far off the tee and doesn’t spin on the greens so you need to decipher the jargon to figure out which balls will do what they say, and which balls won’t.
Premium golf balls, along with golf balls for mid-handicappers deliver long game distance with low spin and high short-game spin and control. Distance golf balls and many of the best golf balls for beginners and high-handicappers perform extremely well off the tee with good distance and low spin, however, iron spin and wedge spin lowers and it becomes more difficult to hit and hold greens.
Spin
Ideally, every golf ball would produce low-spin off the tee and high-spin in your approach game. However, not all golf balls are designed that way. The majority of golf balls are designed to produce low-driver spin and generate distance off the tee, but not all golf balls are manufactured to generate high spin from irons and wedges.
Price generally correlates to short-game spin. Budget golf balls will generate less short-game spin than expensive golf balls but there might not be much difference in your long-game spin. During a ball fitting at Titleist, I discovered that a Titleist Pro V1x and Titleist Velocity performed very similarly with my driver, but with a 7-iron the spin dropped slightly with the Velocity, then with a 60° wedge the spin fell massively with the Velocity.
Spin in the golf ball comes from the combination of layers within the golf ball reacting with one another, hence why more expensive golf balls spin more in approach play because they consist of more layers and the technology is more refined. Cheaper golf balls tend to consist of two layers, the cover and core. Therefore they don’t have the number of layers required to produce astronomical spin when attacking pins.
Another factor that helps to enhance spin is the cover material. Golf balls with a urethane cover naturally spin more because it’s a more flexible material compared to ionomer or surlyn which doesn’t create as much friction with the clubface as urethane does. Once again, it’s more expensive golf balls that feature urethane covers to generate higher spin on approach shots.
Spin is massively important because it can either make you hit and hold a green or hit and fly over the green. The best golf balls for spin are by far premium golf balls closely followed by golf balls for mid-handicappers because they feature much of the technology found in Tour standard golf balls. If you feel as though you need high levels of spin when attacking greens you could save some money by purchasing one of the best value golf balls.
Distance
I would honestly say that distance is the last factor to consider when purchasing golf balls. The best way to figure out which golf balls are best for you is by working your way back from the green to the tee box. The best way of doing this is with a launch monitor to see your numbers, but if you don’t have access to one you can do it with your eye very easily.
Start by hitting wedge shots into the green and see which balls are performing best with spin, then work your way back to 7-iron distance and look for the same numbers with slightly more of an eye on distance (carry). You should have whittled it down to one or two golf balls, hit them off the tee, and look at which performs the best.
If you do it this way, I guarantee a premium golf ball will always come out on top if you’re testing one. However, if you’re doing this with cheaper golf balls you’ll still see differences between the golf balls and you will find one that performs well for you or you might have the luxury of deciding between a handful.
By testing golf balls this way you’ll end up with the ball that performs best in the short game which is where you score. Distance is important but there are other ways of improving distance without sacrificing spin in a golf ball.
Color
The most common golf ball color is white, however, there are plenty of other colors and designs to choose from. More vibrant colors such as yellow, orange, or green are all easy to pick up and they help some people with visibility – hence why they make for the best winter golf balls.
Other ways of adding color to the golf ball can be by design whether it be a splash of color seen on Vice golf balls or an alignment design which also helps with visibility such as TaylorMade’s Pix golf balls or Callaway’s Triple Track golf balls.
If you’ve only ever played with white golf balls it might be worth trying a more colorful golf ball, especially if you’re always the one asking your playing partners “Where did that one go?”.
Alignment
More and more golf balls are being announced with enhanced alignment, even standard golf balls have a more prominent alignment stamp now than what they’ve ever had. Brands such as Maxfli, Callaway, and TaylorMade all offer golf balls with enhanced alignment aids. The enhanced alignment aids can be extremely useful for putting and even lining up shots on the tee. Another plus of alignment golf balls is the alignment serves as a tool for finding your golf ball either in the air or among the trees.
Best Golf Balls 2024: FAQs
What is the best golf ball?
As I’ve already alluded to, this is an incredibly difficult question to answer because every golfer has different wants and needs from their golf ball. You could line up 100 golfers and, theoretically speaking, you could get 100 different answers.
However, that being said, it’s probable that most of those 100 golfers would say Titleist Pro V1 because they are the No.1 ball in golf based on numerics alone. The Titleist Pro V1 is without a doubt one of the best balls in golf, and for countless golfers, it perhaps will be the best golf ball, but that doesn’t mean it is for everyone.
The best golf ball for you could be the worst for someone else! Finding the right golf ball is completely personal and while it’s good to seek advice, the best way to find the best golf ball for you is by attending a golf ball fitting.
What golf ball does Tiger Woods use?
Tiger Woods is known for playing with Bridgestone Tour B X golf balls. Tiger helped with the production of the Bridgestone Tour B XS golf balls (there’s even a special edition Tour B XS which has ‘Tiger’ stamped on the ball), but Tiger has switched to another of the best Bridgestone golf balls because it’s slightly firmer and has helped improve his game.
How should you choose a golf ball?
There are a couple of ways you can choose the best golf ball for you. The best way is by having a golf ball fitting. With a golf ball fitting you’ll find out which ball (or balls) best complement your game very quickly, and you’ll be able to see the data to back up the decision.
Another way is by trying as many balls as you like until you come across the ball that either helps you play your best golf or you feel most comfortable playing with. Whether you attend a ball fitting or look for the best golf ball alone for yourself, the most important consideration is how the ball performs from short distances.
Once you figure out which golf ball works best around the greens, only then do you work your way back to the fairway and tee box to see if it performs just as admirably as it did around the green.
What golf ball does Rory McIlroy use?
Being a TaylorMade staff player, Rory McIlroy elects to play with one of the best TaylorMade golf balls. The golf ball of choice for Rory is the TaylorMade TP5x which is TaylorMade’s golf ball intended for golfers with the quickest swing speeds.
How do I choose the right golf ball for my swing speed?
Depending on how quickly you wrap the club around your body you might be better off looking at certain golf balls designed either for quick swing speeds or slow swing speeds. Most golf balls are manufactured to suit varying swing speeds, so they cater to a wider audience. However, there are particular golf balls that suit golfers on opposing ends of the swing speed spectrum.
Take the TaylorMade TP5x, for example, this is purpose-built for golfers with quick swing speeds, as are the Titleist Pro V1x and Wilson Staff Model X. Golf balls labeled with an ‘X’ usually indicates that it’s firmer and requires more speed in order to make it perform as intended. Therefore models such as Callaway Chrome Tour, Titleist Pro V1, and Maxfli Tour don’t require as much speed for them to work as they’re supposed to. However, there are still Tour players with speed playing those golf balls.
With that in mind, firmer golf balls typically work for players with quick swing speeds. Whereas the softer golf balls typically work for a wider range of golfers. It’s worth having a play around to work out which works best for you and your swing speed. But, if you’ve got a slow swing speed looking at the softest golf balls could pay dividends.
How we test the best golf balls
Every golf ball we either receive from the brands or have to purchase ourselves is put through its paces in order for us to discover just how well (or poorly) it performs. Our quest to deliver as much information about every ball as we can has led us to conduct our second golf balls robot test, following the success of our first in 2019.
When testing golf balls we’re looking at feel, performance, durability, sound, distance, and spin – along with anything specific to individual balls. Ensuring every piece of equipment is tested thoroughly is vital, and so we test golf balls over a period of time both on and off the course. For more information about how we test golf equipment click here.
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About the author
James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer
James has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.
He spent seven years working for American Golf as part of the sales and fitting team alongside his studies and is a specialist in putters, golf balls, and apparel.
James took up golf as a teenager and, thanks largely to his length and consistency off the tee, he plays off a handicap of 4.7 at Cleveland Golf Club.
You can contact James via email for loads more golf equipment insight.
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Best Golf Balls
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The Wilson Staff Model X golf ball packaging
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Wilson Staff Model X golf balls
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Wilson Staff Model X golf balls
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Wilson Staff Model X golf balls
