Let’s Golf Better’s Ultimate Golf Ball Guide for Every Player
Why Pick the Right Golf Galls
Factors to Consider When Buying Golf Balls
Performance
Golf balls come in three main performance categories: distance, spin control, and Tour performance. Practice balls are also available for when you’re training or honing your skills. Let’s take a look at all four of them:Distance Balls
Distance golf balls are for players who want to hit the ball as far as they can. These usually come with larger cores and thinner covers, which helps increase distance especially if hit from the tee box. Thanks to the thinner cover, more energy is transferred from the club to the core, allowing you to launch the ball at improved speeds. Notable distance golf ball products include:- Srixon Distance
- Callaway Warbird
- Titleist Velocity
Spin Control Balls
Meanwhile, spin control golf balls best suit players who want to hit straighter as well as minimize big hooks, slices, or curves. These types of golf balls are generally classified as low spins, as they tend to reduce the side spins of your shots. And these are perfect for amateur players who struggle with spin and distance, since these can help improve their game. Great spin control golf ball products include:- TaylorMade TP5x
- Bridgestone Tour B X
- Titleist Pro V1x
Tour Performance Balls
Also called premium balls, Tour performance golf balls are for players who want the best of both distance and spin control balls. These balls come with multiple layers that work with each other to deliver optimal distance, spin, and feel. The performance of these layers depend on your swing speed and the cubs you’re using, so best make sure you have the right set. Fantastic Tour performance golf ball products include:- Callaway Chrome Soft
- Titleist Pro V1
- TaylorMade TP5x
Practice Balls
Practice golf balls are great for all players regardless of their current skill levels. These balls usually come at cheap prices, and they’re typically made of plastic or some soft material. This ensures that you don’t end up hurting someone while training. If you’re just starting out, best get a box or two of these practice balls before you buy the ones you’ll actually use in your games. Best practice golf ball products include:- PrideSports Practice Balls
- Callaway HX Practice Balls
- Almost Point3 Golf Balls
Construction
You also need to take a look at a golf ball’s construction before buying one. As many a golf ball guide will tell you, a ball’s construction affects the way it interacts with the club. And since newer clubs regularly get released, golf ball manufacturers constantly strive to push the limits of ball construction. Currently, there are five types of golf ball construction out there.
One-Piece (1-pc)
One-piece golf balls are perfect for beginners, as well as for golfers who frequent driving ranges and crazy-golf courses. With its basic construction, it’s relatively inexpensive to produce. These are usually made from a solid chunk of Surlyn (with the dimples molded in), and they make soft and durable golf balls. However, they make poor distance balls due to their lower compression. That’s why they’re seldom used in actual games.
Two-Piece (2-pc)
Popular for most everyday golfers, two-piece golf balls offer both durability and distance. As its name suggests, it comes with two parts: a single solid core and a tough cut-proof blended cover. The core is usually made from high-energy acrylate or resin, while the cover is made from either Surlyn or other similar material. Combined, these parts make two-piece balls virtually indestructible and allow you to swing it at greater distances. However, it’s harder to control than softer golf balls.
Three-Piece (3-pc)
To make up for the poor control offered by two-piece balls, certain golf ball brands manufactured the three-piece ball. This golf ball consists of three parts: a solid rubber or liquid core, a cover made from Surlyn, Urethane, or other similar materials, and a layer of enhanced rubber or liquid-produced layer that acts as a buffer between the core and cover. These parts basically make three-piece balls softer, allowing you better control of your ball flights and spins. Additionally, this ball construction lets you create more spin-separation, practically optimizing your driver swings.
Four-Piece (4-pc)
Four-piece balls are considerably softer than their three-piece predecessors, and they allow you to swing at even greater distances. Each of its four parts has a specific and different role. First, there is the inner core (usually made from solid rubber), which helps deliver explosive distances (especially with driver swings). Next, an inner cover envelops the inner core for better energy transfer. Then there’s the middle layer between the inner and outer cover to further increase driver distance as well as to improve mid iron spin and feel at the greens. Finally, the outer cover ensures tha balls offer an excellent feel.
Five-Piece (5-pc)
Lastly, golf ball manufacturers have recently released the five-piece ball. Compared to its three- and four-piece counterparts, these balls offer more spin separation and several Tour performance benefits to boot. Five-piece golf balls consist of five parts: a high-speed core, a soft outer cover (usually made from Urethane), and three mantle layers sandwiched in between them. The mantle layers react differently to your shots and swing speeds in an effort to optimize your performance during games.
Cover Material
As many a golf ball guide will tell you, golf balls usually come in one of two types of covers: Surlyn and Urethane. Both materials come with their own respective pros and cons. Let’s take a look at them below.
Surlyn
First introduced in the 1960s, Surlyn offers a tougher cover material for golf balls. Aside from being able to take on the impacts of your swings, it’s also resistant to scratches and scuffs from trees, cart paths, and rough terrains. They’re also notable for their efficient energy transfer, enabling you to cover greater distances. And since they don’t allow as much spin as Urethane, they make excellent cover materials for spin control golf balls. However, when used in other types of golf balls, any spin, slices, or hooks you produce will look exaggerated. To offset this, you must go for Surlyn-covered balls with low spins. Golf balls with Surlyn covers include:
- Maxfli Softfli
- Snell Get Sum
- Titleist Velocity
Urethane
While not as durable as Surlyn, Urethane offers more spin capabilities alongside better feel and feedback. Even in short games, it can create tremendous amounts of spins that can easily offset mid- to low-level handicaps. This is one of the reasons why professional golfers prefer Urethane covers. Plus, combined with its other features, it enables the balls to give you better control at the greens, especially when making approach shots. However, Urethane-covered balls produce slightly less distance than its Surlyn-covered counterpart. Golf balls with Urethane covers include:
- Bridgestone Tour B
- Callaway Chrome Soft
- TaylorMade Tour Response
Compression
Because choosing the right golf ball mostly involves personal preferences, you should also pick yours based on how it feels. That’s where compression comes in. This involves the amount a ball gets deformed when hit by a club. Determined by the quality of the golf ball’s core and your own swing speed, it can either make or break you during your games.
Back then, there was a number rating system to determine golf ball compression. But with so many advances made in golf ball technology, this system has been rendered obsolete. Nevertheless, a ball’s compression level is still categorized based on its intensity. These include:
Low Compression
Low compression golf balls come with softer cores, giving them a softer feel compared to balls with high compression levels. Since they compress more easily when hit, you’ll be able to activate the ball’s core more quickly. This allows you to launch the ball at greater distances even if you have a slow swing speed. Popular low compression golf balls include:
- 2021 Bridgestone e6
- Callaway 2021 Supersoft
- TaylorMade Kalea
Medium Compression
Medium compression golf balls include most standard golf ball products available on the market today. This ball’s core is pretty much average (neither soft nor hard), which makes it suitable for a large group of golfers. However, medium compression golf balls are better for players with average swing speeds who want to launch balls at greater distances. Great medium compression golf balls include:
- TaylorMade Project (a)
- Srixon Q-Star
- Titleist Velocity
High Compression
High compression golf balls get deformed slower thanks to their hard cores. To activate its core and launch it at maximum distances, you have to hit it really hard. This makes them great for players who have high swing speeds, but not for golfers with low or medium swings. Excellent high compression golf balls include:
- Titleist ProV1
- TaylorMade TP5x
- Bridgestone B330 RXS
Spin
As mentioned above, some golfers prefer golf balls that offer better spin control. That’s because a ball’s spin can affect a shot’s accuracy, as well as the ball’s flight trajectory and turf interaction when landing. The less side spins your ball has, the better your performance will be. Like its compression, a golf ball’s spin comes in three categories: low, medium, and high.
Low Spin Golf Balls
Golf balls with low spins tend to produce less side spins when hit, allowing you to shoot it straighter. This makes it ideal for golfers who find it challenging to launch the ball off the ground. Due to this lack of spin, low spin balls also enjoy increased rolls when landing. However, the distance it travels through the air is inferior compared to balls with higher spins. Prime examples of low spin golf balls include:
- Titleist AVX Golf Ball
- Callaway Chrome Soft X LS
- TaylorMade 2021 TP5X
Mid Spin Golf Balls
Mid spin golf balls act as a compromise between low spinning golf balls and high spinning balls. Featuring excellent distance and feel, it’s designed to accommodate a wide range of players. And depending on the brand that offers it, it can give you a soft ball that’s great for low-swing golfers. Prime examples of medium spin golf balls include:
- Callaway HEX Solaire
- Mizuno RB566
- Bridgestone e5
High Spin Golf Balls
Designed to produce more spins, high spin golf balls have a longer carry compared to its low and mid spin counterparts. It’s especially great for golfers who tend to swing the ball with a right-to-left draw. Additionally, high spin balls allow players to minimize out-of-control hooks. That means the balls won’t be all over the place when landing on the fairway, as well as grant you better control at the greens. Prime examples of high spin golf balls include:
- Bridgestone TOUR B RXS
- Callaway HEX Chrome+
- Nike RZN White
How to Pick the Best Golf Ball for You
Assess Yourself Thoroughly
First, you need to give yourself an intensive and extensive evaluation. From your current golfing skill level to your personal preferences, you need to thoroughly gauge yourself before buying any golf balls.
Most golf balls sold at stores these days put an emphasis on improving distance, control, and spin. So best evaluate your golfing chops based on those three factors (more on this later).
As for personal preferences, you need to consider your things like your go-to brand, the number of rounds you play per year, your desired trajectory, and others. Needless to say, the balls you pick must meet these preferences.
Test a Few Golf Balls
After you’ve evaluated your skills and listed your preferences upon reading this golf ball guide, time to go to your favorite golfing store. Then pick three different golf ball products to buy and test out.
Take note of your chosen balls’ features (based on the factors above), alongside other things (see factors below). But at least a box for each ball. Ask the clerk for assistance if you’re having trouble picking.
Anyway, once you’ve bought the balls, go to your favorite golf course and start testing them out. Whip out a scorecard you prepared beforehand, and start swinging the balls you bought.
Take note that you’ll have to use all your clubs (except your putter) while testing out the balls. That way, you can gauge if the balls really do suit your needs and preferences.
Pick the Best Ball
Then all that’s left is choosing the best ball among the three you bought. This step is entirely up to you, so be ready to make a judgment call. Again, take note of the ball’s specs, as well as the factors listed below.
How to Properly Assess Your Golfing Skills
Steps to Measure Distance
Gauging your distance is pretty simple and straightforward. Just follow the two steps in this golf ball guide and you’re good to go.
- Hit a practice ball as hard as you can using your entire golf club set (minus the putter). Measure how far the ball went. Refer to the tables below to gauge your skill level based on distance.
- Using the same clubs, hit the golf balls you bought and measure how far it went. Check if the distance obtained is better than the previous one.
Average Distances for Male Golfers Based on Skill Level
Club
Beginner
Average
Intermediate
Advanced
Driver
190 yds
220 yds
250 yds
280 yds
3 Wood
170 yds
210 yds
225 yds
235 yds
5 Wood
150 yds
195 yds
220 yds
235 yds
Hybrid
145 yds
180 yds
190 yds
210 yds
2 Iron
145 yds
180 yds
190 yds
210 yds
3 Iron
135 yds
170 yds
180 yds
205 yds
4 Iron
125 yds
160 yds
170 yds
195 yds
5 Iron
120 yds
155 yds
165 yds
185 yds
6 Iron
115 yds
145 yds
160 yds
175 yds
7 Iron
105 yds
140 yds
150 yds
165 yds
8 Iron
95 yds
130 yds
140 yds
155 yds
9 Iron
80 yds
115 yds
125 yds
145 yds
Pitching Wedge
70 yds
100 yds
110 yds
135 yds
Gap Wedge
60 yds
90 yds
100 yds
125 yds
Sand Wedge
55 yds
80 yds
95 yds
115 yds
Lob Wedge
40 yds
60 yds
80 yds
105 yds
Average Distances for Female Golfers Based on Skill Level
Club
Beginner
Average
Intermediate
Advanced
Driver
150 yds
175 yds
230 yds
280 yds
3 Wood
125 yds
150 yds
210 yds
280 yds
5 Wood
140 yds
150 yds
175 yds
200 yds
Hybrid
105 yds
135 yds
170 yds
195 yds
2 Iron
105 yds
135 yds
170 yds
190yds
3 Iron
100 yds
125 yds
160 yds
185 yds
4 Iron
90 yds
120 yds
150 yds
180 yds
5 Iron
80 yds
110 yds
140 yds
170 yds
6 Iron
70 yds
100 yds
130 yds
160 yds
7 Iron
65 yds
90 yds
120 yds
150 yds
8 Iron
60 yds
80 yds
110 yds
140 yds
9 Iron
55 yds
70 yds
95 yds
130 yds
Pitching Wedge
50 yds
60 yds
80 yds
115 yds
Gap Wedge
45 yds
55 yds
70 yds
95 yds
Sand Wedge
40 yds
50 yds
60 yds
85 yds
Lob Wedge
35 yds
45 yds
50 yds
70 yds
Steps to Measure Control and Spin
Golf ball control and spin are a bit tricky to measure. Aside from the ball’s construction and features, you also need to think about your club’s design, friction, and impact location. Additionally, you need to understand that a golf ball always has some amount of curve whenever swung.
To gauge your ball control and spin rates, you first need to learn about the two main factors affecting it. These are the clubface path and the clubface angle. The clubface path involves the direction your club is traveling when it makes contact with the ball (relative to your target line). Meanwhile, the clubface angle involves the slant of the clubface relative to the clubhead path.
Different combinations of these two elements lead to three types of shots. Straight shots (i.e. Push or Pull) seemingly don’t produce any curves. Fade (or Slice) shots result in little amounts of curves. And Draw (or Hook) shots produce extreme amounts of curves.
With these things in mind, you need to measure the ball’s curve and spin rates using your trusted rangefinder and launch monitor. You’ll have to test out different golf balls based on the numbers you obtained and the factors listed above.
At the same time, you might need to consider replacing your clubs until you find the ones that can help you minimize your curves and spins. And you might also need to refine your stance, swings, and what-not.
Top Golf Ball Brands to Check Out
Bridgestone
Designed for serious players and tour professionals, Bridgestone golf balls offer premium performance and distance that can dramatically improve your game. Their balls are also developed to produce less spins to ensure straighter flights. And as an added bonus, they come with features that enable them to match your swing speed and deliver outstanding feel.
Bridgestone offers a variety of golf ball products that are suitable for every golfer’s needs. Their products are mostly suitable for players with handicaps ranging from one to twenty-one.
Best Products
- Bridgestone Tour B
- Bridgestone E12
- Bridgestone E6
Callaway
Callaway balls can help you make long distance shots more easily, as well as grant you better ball control during short games. These balls are notable for featuring cutting edge technology. Take the Chrome Soft balls for example. This product comes with Callaway’s new Hyper Elastic SoftFast Core, delivering Tour level speed, spin, and control in one go. It also has Callaway’s Precision Technology to maintain consistent ball speed and performance.
Callaway golf balls are made for players of any skill level, and it’s the go-to brand of famous golfers like Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm.
Best Products
- Callaway Chrome Soft
- Callaway Supersoft
- Callaway ERC Soft Triple Track
Kirkland
Kirkland golf balls not only offer many great features; they also come at great prices. For example, their 4-piece Signature Golf Balls can go toe-to-toe with Titleist’s Pro V1 balls, but they come at a third of the price. That means you get to improve your game, enjoy golf more, and save money in one go!
Moreover, Kirkland golf balls are among the more eco-friendly products out there. Due to its durable nature, discarded Kirkland balls can easily be recycled and resold at even cheaper prices. This enables Kirkland to indirectly help manufacturers save tons of rubber, surlyn, urethan, and other synthetic materials.
Best Products
- Kirkland Signature Golf Balls
- Kirkland Performance + V2
Nike
Sporting low compression cores, Nike golf balls deliver reduced spin rates, optimized trajectories, and straighter, more accurate shots. Meanwhile, the urethane cover is extremely durable, capable of withstanding wind pressure (although its white color is a bit brighter than some other premium balls). Additionally, these balls are designed for better energy transfer, meaning it’s easier to launch compared to other golf ball products out there.
The only real downside about this brand is product availability, as Nike recently pulled out of the golf market. Even so, a lot of amateur and professional golfers still bring Nike golf balls to their games.
Best Products
- Nike Mojo Golf Balls
- Nike 20XI Golf Balls
- Nike Power DIstance Golf Balls
Noodle
Though their products can no longer be included in the premium category, Noodle golf balls are nevertheless among the top-performing and more affordable options you can try out. These balls are noteworthy for the extra distance they can generate, as well as the soft feel they can provide to many players. What’s more, its sheer durability and playability make it a great practice or game ball for many high handicap golfers.
Today, the Noodle brand has been absorbed by TaylorMade. This is a big win for everyone, however, as TaylorMade continues to build up the Noodle golf balls, adding new features to further help players improve their game.
Best Products
- Noodle Long and Soft Golf Balls
- Noodle Neon Matte Color Golf Balls
- Noodle Easy Distance Golf Balls
Pinnacle
Pinnacle golf balls are notable for two things: distance and feel. As far as these two factors are concerned, only a few other golf ball products can outplay Pinnacle balls. Both of the brand’s flagship products, namely the Pinnacle Rush and the Pinnacle Soft, come with larger cores and softer covers. These features enable the balls to effortlessly grant excellent feel, top-notch performance, and better ball control.
Furthermore, both products have Pinnacle’s advanced 332 icosahedral dimple design. This allows you to enjoy powerful, consistent ball flights and longer distances regardless of what clubs you use.
Best Products
- Pinnacle Rush Golf Balls
- Pinnacle Soft Golf Balls
- Pinnacle Gold Golf Balls
Snell
Seeking to bring affordable Tour-level equipment to the average golfer, Snell strives to bring consumers the best golf balls money can buy. This brand is founded by Dean Snell. And if that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s the man responsible for one of the most popular golf balls of our time. His notable creations include the Titleist’s ProV1, as well as TaylorMade’s TP Red LDP and Tour Preferred X.
Today, Snell has several golf ball products available for everyone. From their best-selling MTB Black golf balls to their optic yellow Get Sum balls, you won’t have a hard time picking the best one for your needs.
Best Products
- Snell MTB Black Golf Balls
- Snell Get Sum Golf Balls
- Snell Custom Print Golf Balls
Srixon
As the best golf ball brand from Asia, Srixon has a lot going for it. With their comprehensive range of golf balls, they can cater to players of all skill levels. Their products are especially engineered to offer all-out distance, negligible spin rates, and game improvement features. Some models are even made specifically for female players, as well as for beginners and seniors.
Srixon golf balls come in various models, grades, and colors. And like most of the other golf brands on this golf ball guide, their products can be recycled and reused.
Best Products
- Srixon Q-Star Golf Balls
- Srixon Z Star Golf Balls
- Srixon AD333 Tour Golf Balls
TaylorMade
Being one of the top Tour ball brands in the world, TaylorMade has products that pros would die for, as well as premium balls for the average golfer. Whether you want a ball that provides more spin and better control at greens or the best golf balls for female players, TaylorMade offers excellent options for everyone.
TaylorMade golf balls also come with state-of-the-art features unavailable in other golf balls. For example, their 2021 TP5 has Tour Flight Dimple Pattern to improve the balls’ aerodynamic capabilities. Meanwhile, their Kalea balls not only have low compression, but also the High-Energy REACT™ core for maximum distance.
Best Products
- TaylorMade TP5 Golf Balls
- TaylorMade Tour Response Golf Balls
- TaylorMade Distance Plus Golf Balls
Titleist
But if you really want to play with the best golf balls money can buy, you won’t be able to find any brand better than Titleist. Lined with cutting-edge patented technology and other fantastic features, it guarantees unparalleled performance.
Newer Titleist balls like the Pro V1 even come with an all-new design. This helps the balls deliver increased greenside spins, higher, more consistent flights, and a softer feel that every player will love. Many recent offerings also come with 2.0 ZG Process Cores (for maximum distances). To top it off, the balls come in yellow or white cover, complete with a 352- to 388-dimple pattern for optimal performance.
Best Products
- Titleist 2021 Pro V1 Golf Balls
- Titleist AVX Golf Balls
- Titleist Tour Speed Golf Balls
Top Flite
What they lack in fame and popularity, Top Flite makes up for with practicality, playability, and quality. Featuring several great golf ball technologies, Top Flite golf balls are aerodynamically efficient.
Top Flite has golf balls to help golfers improve their distance, spin, and control. For instance, the XL7000 golf balls are made to fly at longer distances. On the other hand, the Gamer V2 is designed to produce more spin and control, alongside a pleasant feel.
Best Products
- Top Flite XL7000 Golf Balls
- Top Flite Gamer Tour Golf Balls
- Top Flite D2+ Diva Golf Balls
Volvik
While Volvik is not as well-known as other golf brands and is not frequently mentioned in many a golf ball guide, their balls still have a lot of great features to offer golfers of all skill levels. Producing golf balls for over 40 years, Volvik’s unparalleled innovation has helped advance golf ball technology. For example, their balls are among the first to sport dual cores, which optimizes energy transfer for better distances. This core is also considerably made lighter, enabling it to provide better control and accuracy to golfers.
Despite not being as popular as other brands, it’s quite easy to spot Volvik golf balls. That’s because its acrylic and urethane resin surface cover is painted with vivid colors.
Best Products
- Volvik Crystal
- Volvik Magma
- Volvik New Vivid
Other Things to Know Before Buying Golf Balls
Game Length
Again, not all golf balls are created equal. While some can withstand being hit around for hours at a time, other balls can only handle the stress for short games. So better pick your golf balls based on game length.
Make it a point to buy different golf balls depending on game length. That means buying a box for longer matches, then another for quick swings. You might also want to consider buying cheaper balls for practice or training sessions.
Curve
As mentioned above, golf balls will always produce a curve no matter how hard you try (even with straight shots). However, through a combination of the right golf ball, the right clubs, and a proper stance, you can minimize it tremendously. So if your aim is to swing straighter, best find the combination that works for you.
On the other hand, that doesn’t mean producing curves is a bad thing. In fact, there are situations when you must rely on fades or hooks to outplay your opponent. Under such circumstances, you must also find the best balls that will help you win the mage.
Smash Factor
In case you don’t know what it is, the smash factor is the ratio between a golf ball’s speed and a golf club’s speed. A standard golf ball guide won’t be complete without mentioning it. Anyway, to put it more simply, it revolves around the energy transferred from the club to the ball.
The higher the smash factor, the better this energy transfer will be. That’s why golfers usually aim to produce a smash ratio of 1.5. For example, they’ll try to swing their clubs at 100 mph so the ball can fly at 150 mph. To pull off such a feat, you need to pick the right combination of ball and club. So best buy your balls with the smash factor in mind.
Price
Finally, you need to check the price tags that come with the golf balls you’re considering. Golf is not exactly a cheap hobby to maintain, with the clubs alone costing you a tiny fortune. So if you’ve found a set of golf balls that can completely meet your needs and preferences, best be ready to pay for it.
Thankfully, there are lots of golf ball products out there that have great features but come at more reasonable prices. If you’re low on budget but want to enjoy golf anyway, best go with these options.
