Golfing has become a popular sport to get into because of its outdoor appeal. It’s also easy on the joints and body and is known to be very good for the mind. To play golf though, you will have to buy golf balls, so which golf balls are best.
The best golf balls for beginners are the Bridgestone E6 Soft, Callaway 2021 Supersoft Golf Balls, and the TaylorMade Noodle Long and Soft Golf Balls. These golf balls may change as experience is gained, but the type of golf ball used can have a great influence on your game.
So, regardless of your experience in the game of golf, this article will have information on golf balls that will help change your game for the better.
The Game of Golf
Although golf became a huge hobby for many during the pandemic times, it is considered a dying sport. In order to keep people in the sport, it’s important to be educated on how to get the most out of it. This leads to greater performance in golf players and a higher likelihood to continue in the sport. Let’s start with the basics.
Many players find themselves asking, does it even matter which type of golf ball I use? The short answer is yes!
Depending on multiple factors of your game, interest, skill level, course, etc. the ball you pick can have extreme effects on how well you perform. As an advanced player, you’ll want to utilize premium balls to ensure you have the best chance of distance, accuracy, speed, and control.
A beginning player will still want to show some interest and awareness when it comes to choosing the right starting golf ball. Even if you are just starting out, if you have a high interest in pursuing the sport, quality matters in the performance of your game and how well you learn to wield nicer golf balls.
Should Beginners Use Hard or Soft Golf Balls?
Most beginners would be smart to choose a golf ball with a soft feel. Softer golf balls are less affected by the slower swings of beginners and inhibit sidespin which will allow beginners to be more accurate in hitting towards the fairway.
Because there is visibly less sidespin on softer golf balls, beginners will have the advantage of not hitting the trees, water, or sand as often.
Similar to what has been talked about, softer golf balls have more forgiveness. When dealing with more shots that are poorly centered, softer golf balls offer more control in these situations. This allows beginning golfers to get the most out of every shot in the game, regardless of how poorly it is executed.
Best Golf Balls for Beginners
1. Bridgestone E6 Soft
- This golf ball is Bridgestone’s best-selling ball yet.
- This is a perfect ball for players with a slower or moderate swing speed.
- The soft feel helps give it good access to accuracy and distance.
This ball is a great choice for beginners, but more advanced players with fast swings may struggle to be accurate due to its soft nature. This ball is best for straight and long-distance shots.
These balls are priced at around $25 per dozen.
2. Callaway 2021 Supersoft Golf Balls
This ball has been highly popular amongst golf players for years. They are said to have great control on the greenside and be particularly good ball speed with a high flight path. These are a low compression type ball which is perfect for swingers at a slower speed.
Low compression in golf ball terms simply means that the golf balls have a softer feel to the exterior and therefore they can compress more to cover more distance.
With a slower swing, it’s harder to get the ball to compress if it is considered a “hard” ball. This is why soft balls are so appealing to beginner golfers, they are able to achieve similar outcomes to better players using harder balls.
These balls are priced at around $25 per dozen.
3. TaylorMade Noodle Long and Soft Golf Balls
Compared to the two types of golf balls mentioned before, the TaylorMade Noodle Long and Soft golf balls have a bit more compression to their structure.
- These golf balls are typically a bit smaller compared to other golf balls from other manufacturers.
- This might help get a bit more distance for beginning golfers.
- Overall, these balls are pretty great if you’re looking for a beginning ball that is affordable.
The price of these golf balls runs at about $15 a dozen.
Golfing for Beginners
There are a few things every beginning golfer should know.
Understanding the fundamentals of golf will help you feel more confident with taking your first few hits. Having all the proper equipment and materials you need to succeed will allow you for full preparedness.
It is typical that you keep at least six to twelve golf balls with you, as you will probably lose some along the way. There isn’t necessarily a set amount of golf balls to carry, but most experienced golfers carry about 9 balls in their bag.
The only rule you must comply with is called the One Ball Rule, which states that you can have any number of golf balls with you as long as you use the same model and manufacturer for each ball.
Best Golf Balls for the Average Golfer
1. Titleist Pro V1
This golf ball here is considered the number one golf ball in the sport. This is the best individual selling ball, and rightfully so. This ball would be categorized as a “hard” ball. It is a very consistent ball when it comes to measurements of weight, evaluations of compression, and design.
This ball has a fantastic combination of speed, spin, and trajectory that make this ball so appealing for golfers of moderate to advanced levels. Because this ball is number one in the sport and is produced by a top manufacturer, the price is quite high.
These balls price at around $50 for a dozen.
2. Srixon Q-Star Tour
This ball has a mid-high launch with a relatively low spin. This ball is praised for having fantastic alignment abilities. Players love this ball because they can put a lot of confidence into it for a straight shot.
This ball is structured to have a mid-compression interior which gives it a softer, yet sturdy, contact when coming off of the tee. The Srixon Q-Star Tour has a great build that would serve effectively for a moderate swing player.
These golf balls are priced at around $35 per dozen.
3. Snell MTB Black
Dean Snell, the man behind these golf balls, helped work on the Pro V model golf balls and therefore added some expertise to manufacturing the Snell MTB Black balls.
With his being a part of the Titleist Pro V1 and V1X teams, it is a tribute to his credibility and many people have come to love his own manufactured golf balls. However, the difference between these and the Pro V1 balls is the price.
- Though these aren’t as praised as the Titleist brand, they are extremely good quality for the price.
- The Snell MTB Black is a softer feel ball with a short game spin.
- This ball isn’t as soft as a beginner ball, but it is great for players at those levels and those at an intermediate level.
The price of these balls run at around $35 a dozen.
Best Golf Balls for Advanced Golfers
1. Titleist Pro V1x
The Titleist Pro V1x is much like the Titleist Pro V1 in regards to the outstanding quality and performance of these golf balls.
- They are different in the sense that the V1x has a firmer structure and a higher trajectory and spin.
- Due to its firmer structure, it does require a higher swing speed for optimal performance.
- Accompanied with a high swing speed, it is also very pricey which makes it a ball that is used mostly by advanced players.
The price of the Titleist Pro V1x golf ball is around $50 a dozen.
2. TaylorMade Tour Preferred X
These balls are great for distance and on the green control.
- The TaylorMade Tour Preferred X is a 5 layer construction that creates a long ball off the tee.
- This is a great choice for those who have a bit more spin in their game.
- The 5 layer design will help to control it and utilize the spin to your advantage.
The TaylorMade Tour Preferred X is priced at around $45 a dozen.
3. Callaway Chrome Soft X
This ball is definitely one for golf players who are a bit more advanced and have a faster swing rate. This is Callaway’s most used ball when played on Tour. These golf balls are designed to have a faster speed when combined with the high swing rate of players. They are also said to have a slightly lower launch and a bit more spin.
- This ball has great control when hitting onto the green and at lower range shots, the spin is handled well.
- This ball is known as one of the best premium golf balls you can buy.
The price of the Callaway Chrome Soft X is about $50 per dozen.
The Best All-Around Golf Ball
The Titleist Pro V1, as was mentioned previously, is the number one golf ball in the sport. It is praised for its outstanding performance and high quality by many professionals and amateurs alike. Although this ball runs pretty high in price compared to some of the other balls out there, its bank is well worth its buck.
This ball would be for more avid and dedicated players of the sport as it is both pricey and accommodates a faster-paced swing. Nonetheless, this would be the ball recommended to anyone as it is the best ball in the sport.
The Titleist Pro V1 is the top-performing premium golf ball on the market.
Golf Balls to Avoid
While every brand and manufacturing company has its ups and downs, pros and cons, there are some you should avoid unless you just want some golf balls to mess around with.
Pinnacle golf balls have been around for quite some time and are known for being beginner-friendly and high handicap balls. Although these golf balls are for beginners, they are relatively hard balls and don’t have good spin control.
Top Flite has also been criticized for having overly hard golf balls that don’t have as much control. Of course, it is great to get any practice with golfing as a beginning.
However, if you are seriously considering the sport, getting practice with higher quality golf balls will help you to improve your game much faster.
What to Consider When Buying Golf Balls
When buying golf balls it’s important to understand just exactly which type of golf ball you’re getting. There are some designed specifically for distance, some for spin control, some for tour performance, and others for speed.
We’ve also gone over the importance of choosing a hard versus a softer ball when it comes to skill level and performance outcome.
- It’s also important to consider the price to quality ratio.
- Some golf balls are extremely overpriced for the quality and others are low prices and low quality.
- The key takeaway is….do your research!!
You can only get the bank for your buck if you actively learn which golf ball will be a perfect fit for you and why. Ultimately, buying golf balls is a personal investment. Depending on your own goals, accessibility, and skill level, your choice of a golf ball could vary drastically.
Hopefully, you have gained some good insight and a well-rounded idea of what to look for and which golf balls to purchase depending on your skill level. These tips should give you a general idea of how you should view the golf ball selection process.
The leads and specific golf balls you can purchase at your skill level can be used as a guide towards a purchase or an introduction to more research about the brands.