We would never suggest that equipment could outweigh the amount of work any golfer is willing to put into his or her game, but we will assert with confidence that the wrong equipment can undermine a lot of sweat on the driving range. In this article, we explore the best golf balls on the market and assess each. Any golfer who is struggling to achieve the right effect, or who simply wants to have more fun on their weekend game, must think carefully about which type of ball best compliments their game.
Comparison Table
Product FAQ
1. What Are the Best Golf Balls on the Market?
2. What Is the Difference Between a Soft Golf Ball and Firm Golf Ball?
3. Which Golf Balls Are Best for High-Handicap Amateur Players?
4. Which Golf Balls Are Best for Low-Handicap Amateur Players?
How We Reviewed
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We reviewed the best golf balls in the game by conducting a survey that approached the market from every conceivable angle. We assessed the performance of each ball on worldwide tours, on tournaments at the club level, and among casual amateurs who play recreationally. In addition to this cross-section of the market, we reviewed evaluations from numerous individual players and created an assessment of the best golf balls in the game while being sure to include balls that catered to the disparate needs of golfers at different levels of accomplishment.
Overall Price Range
The economical golfer can find a dozen golf balls for less than $20 provided he or she is willing to hunt around a bit, but for the best golf balls on the market a player can expect to pay between $40 and $50. On the lower end of the price spectrum, golfers can find a quality ball, but not one that incorporates the latest technology into its design.
The more expensive golf balls tend to feature more cutting-edge technology, which is constantly pursuing the ideal mixture of distance, spin, and feel that Tour pros have access to.
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls
- Extraordinary Distance with Consistent Flight
- Very Low Long Game Spin and Penetrating Trajectory
- Drop-and-Stop Short Game Control
Features
Titleist's Pro V1s have been widely considered the best golf balls on the market for years now, and we would be remiss to place the Pro V1 anywhere but at the very top of our list. The Pro V1 offers unrivaled distance and control of the flight path on longer shots without sacrificing control around the greens.
This effect is a product of the ball's tempered softness, which deters drive-halting backspin on shots with longer clubs while maximizing the "drop and stop" factor on shots around the green. Despite its reputation as a high-end product, not to mention the ball's ubiquity on the PGA Tour, the Pro V1 is a great ball for players of all skill levels.
Price
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Where to Buy
TaylorMade Project Golf Balls
- Dual-distance core is larger and softer
- 2-Layer core reduces driver spin and adds speed
- Less driver spin = less drag = more distance
Features
TaylorMade's Project golf balls are unique among the best golf balls due to the Dual-Distance core which minimizes the ball's compression, especially off the tee, while concurrently providing the feel of a soft ball. This technology allows golfers maximize distance without losing control of their flight path; however, it must be noted that our review found some concerns regarding the Project golf ball's inability to spin, which has a caustic effect on many players' short game.
The TaylorMade Project ball is best suited to golfers with lower clubhead speeds who need to add distance from the tee box by reducing the compression of their ball.
Price
$$
Where to Buy
Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls
- Improved core designed to promote faster ball speed and low spin for longer, straighter flight on full shots
- New Premium HEX Aerodynamics with more refined surface contours reduces drag and enhances lift for increased carry and...
- New Tri ionomer cover formulation increases softness for better feel and more shot stopping wedge spin
Features
Similar to the TaylorMade Project golf balls, the Callaway Supersoft golf balls are some of the best golf balls for players with lower clubhead speeds and chronic issues generating sufficient distance from off the tee. Callaway's Supersoft balls achieve this aim by offering more refined contours, which reduce drag and offer excellent extra distance of the bounce. Furthermore, like all softer golf balls, they provide the player with a great sense of feel and control over any shot's flight path.
Our review also found the low-drag technology used on the Callaway Supersoft ball made escaping bunkers much easier for golfers who struggle to get the ball up and out of the sand.
Price
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Where to Buy
Vice Pro Golf Balls
Features
Vice Pro Golf Balls are definitely the new kid on the block in the world of high-end golf balls. Vice essentially offers players a more cost effective Pro V1: a ball with a high speed core that helps drives sail beyond expectations and a soft feel that allows for precision around the greens.
The biggest difference between Vice's product and those of the company's competitors is the relatively low 318 dimple count on their golf balls; well below the industry average of nearly 360. The lower dimple count is intended to reduce drag on the ball and add distance to every shot.
Price
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Where to Buy
Titleist AVX Golf Balls
- Remarkable Distance and Penetrating Flight
- Very Low Long Game and Iron Spin
- Exceptionally Soft Feel
Features
The AVX in Titleist AVX is an acronym for Alternative to Pro V1x, so the products are of similar quality despite their slightly different features. The AVX was developed as a response to the growing market for soft golf balls. Like the other soft golf balls we have reviewed for this article, the AVX reduces spin on drives and longer shots, which adds distance at the cost of spin around the greens.
The ability to spin the AVX inside a hundred yards with a wedge was the most important facet of the research we reviewed. We found the AVX performs well around the greens, but not quite as well as its predecessor. Therefore, individual golfers who prioritize distance over control in their short game represent the ideal market for the AVX golf ball.
Price
$$$
Where to Buy
Wilson Sporting Goods Smart Core Golf Ball
- Smart Core technology that reacts to a player's swing speed
- Yields spin and control on short shots
- Minimizes spin for distance and accuracy on long shots
Features
In contrast to the majority of the golf balls on our list, Wilson's Smart Core golf balls are firm, through and through. This type of golf ball can provide a ton of spin around the greens and nearly unparalleled distance coupled with a straight flight path; provided the balls are well-struck. For a casual golfer who struggles to make clean, consistent contact, this would be a frustrating product to work with. For those who love to knock the ball around and stop a finesse chip shot in its tracks, this is a fun ball to play.
It is worth mentioning that Wilson's Smart Core golf balls are very affordable compared to most of the balls covered in this review. If any of our readers want to get out and hit some long balls, and maybe lose some long balls to the water or the woods, these are the best golf balls for that purpose.
Price
$
Where to Buy
Bridgestone Golf Tour B X Golf Balls
- Added distance and forgiveness comes from the Gradational Compression core
- Added feel and control come from the soft SlipRes cover formulation. The added spin control comes from increased...
- Extra distance and enhanced aerodynamics are a result of the Dual Dimple technology. The added distance comes from a...
Features
Similar to the Wilson Smart Core golf ball, the Bridgestone Golf Tour BX ball is a strong option for low handicap golfers with well-developed ball-striking abilities. The Tour BX balls are firm but offer a greater balance of distance, spin, and feel than most balls in the firm category. Particularly in reference to spin, the Tour BX golf ball is as close as you can get to throwing darts at the green.
As the best golf balls go, this is just about as close to a Tour-level golf ball as the amateur can reasonably expect to play with. That being said, casual golfers will have better luck with a softer ball, whereas single digit handicappers can use the Tour BX to take their game to the next level.
Price
$$
Where to Buy
Titleist Velocity Prior Generation Golf Balls
- Explosive initial Velocity for powerful distance
- Low long game spin
- Soaring flight for remarkable carry and roll
Features
The Titleist Velocity golf balls are by far the best golf balls for amateur players who want to impressive their friends on the tee box. As the name implies, the Velocity golf ball is designed with a core that is meant to take off like a bolt of lightning and keep going by reducing spin off the face of your driver and garnering minimal drag while airborne.
The cost of all this distance is, of course, the inability to put spin on the ball with short-irons and wedges. For casual players who cannot generate spin with a premium ball, this is of essentially no consequence as these golf balls will lead to no impact on the short-game while lending themselves to drives that cut deep into each hole.
Price
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Where to Buy
Srixon Z-Star Golf Balls
Features
Srixon recently became the first golf equipment manufacturer to use SeRM (Slide-Ring Material) macromolecule material on the outer coat of their golf balls. In theory, this material optimizes damage resistance, impact resistance, and vibration absorption. What all this means is that the Srixon Z-Star golf ball should be able to carry as far as a distance golf ball without giving up its capacity to spin.
Whether or not this new technology will live up to expectations is, as of yet, undecided; but if the claims even border on reality, these could easily be the best golf balls of the future.
Price
$$
Where to Buy
Nitro Maximum Distance Golf Ball
- SUPER REACTIVE 2 PIECE TITANIUM CORE tournament construction maximizes the energy transfer from club head to ball, spins...
- HIGH VELOCITY LONG DISTANCE The aerodynamic and symmetrical dimple design increases lift and decreases drag allowing for...
- VIRTUALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE cut-proof cover is constructed of Dupont Lithium Surlyn for long term durability, high...
Features
As our readers have undoubtedly inferred by this juncture, the Nitro Maximum Distance golf ball is designed to give golfers as much distance off the tee as possible. The titanium core of these golf balls is hyper-reactive to the club's impact, which generates as much ball speed as possible. Additionally, the dimple design on these golf balls maximizes lift to ensure drives carry more than they would with any other ball.
The Nitro Maximum Distance golf balls are the best golf balls for players with high clubhead speeds who want to see less spin on their drives.
Price
$
Where to Buy
The Verdict
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The equation is fairly simple. In terms of overall quality, there is no golf ball that can rival Titleist's Pro V1. None of the other golf balls on this list have managed to match Titleist's most popular ball. The most important qualifying factors in reference to the Pro V1 are expense and lack of specificity.
Many amateurs enjoy finding as much distance as possible from the tee and playing the occasional off-the-cuff round with a cheap box of balls. For golfers in this category with solid ball-striking ability, consider the Wilson Staff Smart Core balls or the Nitro Maximum Distance golf balls, which are strong options. For less confident amateurs, peruse the ever-growing selection of softer balls.
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