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The golf ball is the only piece of equipment you use on every single shot, and hence it’s crucial to your success as a golfer. It’s important to play a quality ball that suits your swing and your style of play.
Whether you’re a high handicapper with a slow swing speed, mid handicapper with a moderate swing speed, senior, beginner, or skilled player with a fast swing speed, there are balls out there that will be able to meet your needs.
Ultimately, you will either be choosing a soft ball with low compression, a firmer ball with high compression, or something in between. But whatever ball you go with should give you great performance from tee to green.
The sheer number of options on the market can make the process of choosing the best golf ball difficult and overwhelming. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll review and compare our picks for the best golf balls across a range of different brands and budgets.
Note: Golfstead has tested and/or conducted in-depth research into all of the products featured in this guide. Our editorial process for these rankings takes into account a mix of many factors which may include performance, reliability, usability, value for money, cost, and the general consensus from other users of the product. The list that follows may be reassessed or updated over time.
Our Top Golf Ball Picks
Based on our own testing, research, and experience, here are our top selections:
- Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Ball
- Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball
- TaylorMade TP5 Golf Ball
- Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball
- Srixon Z-STAR 8 Golf Ball
- Vice Pro Plus Golf Ball
- Bridgestone TOUR B RX Golf Ball
- TaylorMade Distance+ Golf Ball
- Titleist Velocity Golf Ball
- Wilson Zip Golf Ball
- Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball
- Volvik New VIVID Golf Ball
1. Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Ball
The Chrome Soft by Callaway earns the #1 spot on our list for several reasons:
- it’s an excellent all-around performer
- it’s very popular with high ratings
- it’s suitable for every type of golfer
In particular, the Chrome Soft has been an extremely popular golf ball for many years; it enjoys an excellent average rating on the Callaway store.
The Chrome Soft has a soft feel with a medium compression rating of around 70. It is designed to perform optimally from tee to green, meaning big distance off the tee, high launch with irons, and lots of spin control around the greens. The ball is also engineered for forgiveness and tight dispersions.
The latest iteration of the Chrome Soft has a three-piece construction consisting of a mantle layer and:
- a new hyper-elastic SoftFast Core for optimal compression and performance through the bag
- a soft urethane cover for feel and control
The standout technology of the new Chrome Soft is Callaway’s Precision Technology. This allows ultra-precise design manufacturing down to 1/1000 of an inch, resulting in faster ball speed, tighter dispersions, and better overall performance.
The Chrome soft also employs a HEX Tour Aero dimple design meant to maximize carry and minimize drag.
Golfers find the latest generation Chrome Soft to be a marked improvement over previous iterations, delivering even better greenside control, better feel, and better distance.
2. Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball
The Titleist Pro V1, along with the Pro V1x, has been regarded as “the #1 ball in golf” for decades. It has used by many of the world’s best players including Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Jessica Korda, Louis Oosthuizen, and Tony Finau.
This premium ball has received phenomenal ratings. Its rather high compression rating of around 90 is suitable for driver swing speeds of 90 mph and above.
The Pro V1 delivers proven performance that includes big distance, low long-game spin, a penetrating trajectory, and unmatched greenside spin control. It has a three-piece construction that consists of:
- a high-gradient core, soft in the center and firm on the outside, that is designed to produce even lower long-game spin for more distance
- a resilient, high-flex casing layer that increases ball speeds and lowers long game spin
- a cast thermoset urethane cover that enables maximum short game control and spin around the greens
The latest version of the Pro V1 has a spherically tiled 388 tetrahedral dimple design. This dimple pattern is meant to promote increased distance and a consistent, penetrating ball flight.
This ball is available in white, yellow, and with custom personalization.
The Pro V1 has excellent durability and a nice soft feel to it with the shorter irons. It helps players lower an excessively high ball flight off the tee and reduce spin with the mid and short irons.
However, you likely won’t be able to unlock its full potential unless you’re a skilled golfer, so we don’t recommend it if you’re a beginner or high handicapper.
3. TaylorMade TP5 Golf Ball
Along with the TP5x, the TP5 is a successful Tour ball from TaylorMade that is used by the likes of Matthew Wolff and Collin Morikawa.
The compression rating of the TP5 is on the high side at around 85, making it ideal for mid to high swing speeds. It’s the softer ball in the TP5 line, with a focus on feel, control, and greenside spin.
At the same time, the TP5 provides excellent tee-to-green performance that includes fast ball speeds off the driver, a mid-high launch, medium iron spin, and high spin with wedges. It has a five-piece construction that consists of:
- a larger and more reactive Tri-Fast Core, consisting of four increasingly stiff layers, that increases carry, reduces drag, and increases greenside spin; these layers are known as the Speed-Layer System
- a dual-spin, ultra-soft cast urethane cover that enhances durability and delivers optimal feel through the entire bag
The TP5 is a complex ball that is packed with performance technologies. Other features include:
- High-Flex Material (HFM): this acts like a tightly wound spring, producing a greater rebound effect which leads to more distance
- a new Tour Flight 322 Dimple Pattern with a shallow overall dimple; the effect is reduced drag during ascent and maintained lift during descent
This ball is available in white, yellow, and with USA and sports logos. The TP5 MySymbol can also be personalized with numbers, text and custom graphics.
If you have the swing speed to accommodate the TP5, it will give you terrific Tour-level performance, but with slightly less speed and distance off the tee compared to the TP5x.
4. Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball
Callaway’s Supersoft ball is a terrific option for golfers with slower swing speeds due to its low compression rating of 38, which allows golfers to compress the ball easily and generate a lot of distance.
Despite the name, the Supersoft isn’t just soft; it’s also fast, durable, and generates high launch and low long-game spin, all while maintaining excellent spin control around the greens.
Many golfers struggle with slices and hooks, and the relatively low spin of the Supersoft will help take the edge off those bad shots.
The Supersoft has a two-piece construction consisting of:
- a HyperElastic SoftFast Core designed to enhance ball speeds while avoiding a firmer feel
- a refined Hybrid Cover that maximizes contact with the clubhead for improved wedge control
In addition, HEX Aerodynamics reduce drag and increase lift for more carry, distance, and stopping power into greens.
The Supersoft golf ball has stellar ratings on the Callaway store and has been an extremely popular best-seller for many years. Golfers love its length off the tee, performance around the greens, and affordability compared to other balls.
Also available is the Supersoft MAX golf ball which has a slightly larger diameter that is intended to be a little easier to hit. This could be an even better option for some.
5. Srixon Z-STAR 8 Golf Ball
Srixon has been well-known as a maker of quality golf balls for decades. Their Z-STAR model enjoys great popularity and very high ratings from golfers, and it also made the 2021 Golf Digest Hot List.
The Z-STAR is designed for maximum distance off the tee with a penetrating flight and mid launch, progressively softer feel as you move to the short irons, and a great deal of spin, control and accuracy around the greens.
The compression rating of this ball is 90, which is on the high side, and a swing speed of at least 90 mph is recommended to use it.
The 2023 Z-STAR 8 ball has a three-piece construction consisting of:
- a reformulated FastLayer DG Core that is firm around the edges and soft in the center, optimizing performance for every club
- a thin, thermoplastic urethane cover for stopping power around the greens
- a new Spin Skin+ coating which digs into grooves to increase friction and further increase spin with wedges
In addition, a 338 Speed Dimple pattern promotes a penetrating launch and increases lift for maximum carry distance.
The Z-STAR is a premium golf ball that in many ways is comparable to the famous Titleist Pro V1. The distance and short game precision are top notch, and the durability is top.
6. Vice Pro Plus Golf Ball
Vice Golf is a fairly new company to come onto the scene. It was founded in Germany in 2012 as a maker of high-quality golf balls, and it entered the U.S. market in 2015.
The Pro Plus is one of their most successful golf balls. The ball earned a gold medal on the Golf Digest Hot List and was featured in the golf.com performance golf ball recommendation list.
Designed for golfers with the highest swing speeds in the game (110+ mph, ~95 compression), the Pro Plus delivers a lower launch with lower spin for the industry’s longest, most penetrating ball flight. It also provides a premium, soft feel around the greens with a high level of short game spin.
The Pro Plus has a four-piece construction consisting of:
- a new, larger High Energy Speed Core (HESC) that rewards high swing speeds with big distance
- a thin, flexible Surlyn inner mantle that reduces long game spin
- a thicker, versatile HPF outer mantle for increased carry and mid-iron control
- a thin cast urethane cover designed for enhanced feel and short-game spin
Other features of the Pro Soft are:
- a durable 336 dimple design
- stick-to-the-green (S2TG) technology that provides a sticky, controlling feel off wedges
- a KIL alignment aid for better putting performance
According to swing robot tests at an independent laboratory, the Vice Pro Plus surpasses the more expensive Titleist Pro V1x (a competitor) in ball speed, carry, and total distance, and it produces less driver spin.
In general, we find that the Vice Pro Plus is very durable, and as long as you have a fast swing speed, it will give you tremendous distance and Tour-level spin around the greens.
7. Bridgestone TOUR B RX Golf Ball
It’s impossible to write up a feature list of the best golf balls without including Bridgestone, a world-renowned golf ball manufacturer. They are represented by some of the best golfers in the world including Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau, Fred Couples, and Matt Kuchar.
The TOUR B RX, which is praised by critics, is ideal for the golfer who doesn’t have the fastest swing speed but wants Tour-level performance and plenty of stopping power into greens.
The latest iteration of this ball has a medium compression rating of around 75; this is quite low for a Tour ball, but the lower-compression core results in added distance for slower swing speeds. It’s also designed to provide excellent accuracy with irons and soft feel with plenty of greenside spin.
The standout feature of the TOUR B RX is a proprietary REACTIV iQ SMART cover. This technology reacts to the force of impact to produce optimal performance through the bag; this means rebounding quickly off tee shots and staying on the face longer for approach shots.
In addition, the three-piece TOUR B RX contains a gradational compression core that helps generate higher initial ball speed and reduce side spin for more forgiveness. Patented Seamless Cover Technology allows for maximum dimple coverage, while a Dual Dimple pattern is engineered to minimize drag and promote an efficient ball flight.
The TOUR B RX is played in competition by LPGA pro Lexi Thompson. Golfers are generally impressed by how far and straight it flies, as well as the amount of touch and control it provides around the greens.
8. TaylorMade Distance+ Golf Ball
If you’re looking for a good distance ball, the TaylorMade Distance+ is undoubtedly among the most popular and successful on the market.
This ball all about speed. It’s suitable for a wide range of golfers, and its soft REACT Speed Core is engineered for easy compression by those with slower swing speeds — this is despite a moderate compression rating of 77.
The two-piece construction consists of the REACT core and a soft ionomer cover. This cover keeps spin down and has enhanced durability with resistance to scuffing and shearing.
Other features of the Distance+ are:
- a 342 aerodynamic dimple pattern that reduces drag
- a built-in alignment aid that helps you line up putts and gives you feedback on your roll
This ball delivers tons of distance on all shots, yet it still provides a good amount of spin and control around the greens. We love how it provides a similar level of performance to high-end balls at a much lower cost.
9. Titleist Velocity Golf Ball
As the name implies, the Titleist Velocity is all about speed. It’s an extremely popular distance ball engineered for maximum ball speed, high launch and low spin, which is a recipe for monstrous total distance.
The Velocity ball has a mid-range compression rating of 65. Its two-piece construction consists of:
- a new high-speed LSX core that produces faster speed with the longer clubs
- a proprietary NaX+ cover that reduces spin but also enables greenside playability
The Velocity has a 350 octahedral dimple design that is spherically tiled. This design helps promote a high and consistent trajectory.
The Velocity ball is available in white, matte blue, green and orange colours.
Golfers can vouch for the huge distance of the Velocity, and the firm feel and control of the ball are also praised. However, the distance, low spin and firmness also cause it to suffer a little around the greens.
10. Wilson Zip Golf Ball
The Wilson Zip is an outstanding value ball. It’s fast and low-spinning off the tee, it performs very nicely around the greens, it has a soft feel with low compression, it’s very affordable, and it has plenty of social proof to back it up.
This ball has a compression rating of 50 and a two-piece construction that consists of:
a patented Zero Compression Core that is rubber-blended for soft feel
a relatively soft Surlyn (ionomer) cover that improves feel and increases spin with irons and wedges
The Zip ball has a unique dimple pattern called 302 PhD aerodynamics. This pattern consists of flat-bottomed, shallow, pan-head dimples that reduce drag and create a powerful, stable flight.
The Zip is only available in white, but it really packs a lot of value for the price. We love it not only because of its solid tee-to-green performance, but also because it retains its soft feel in colder temperatures.
11. Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball
The Srixon Soft Feel, a very successful ball that has earned high marks from critics, provides incredible softness, excellent distance off the tee, and solid spin control around the greens. It has a fair 60 compression rating that is ideal for low to moderate swing speeds.
The 13th generation of the Soft Feel introduces the latest iteration of Srixon’s FastLayer Core, which is the same core used in their premium balls. This technology reduces long-game sidespin, but at the same time, provides perfectly soft feel from tee to green.
This ball has a two-piece construction consisting of:
- a reformulated FastLayer Core that transitions from a soft inner core to a firmer outer edge. This core snaps back to shape after impact more quickly than ever, producing more ball speed.
- a thin ionomer cover that increases spin with wedges and provides a softer feel on short game shots.
The Soft Feel features Srixon’s proprietary 338 Speed Dimple pattern. This pattern works to reduce drag, increase launch, and help the ball go farther and straighter with a more penetrating flight.
The ball is also available in the Soft Feel Lady variant and in colours Tour Yellow and Pink.
As Srixon’s least expensive offering, the Soft Feel is one of the most popular golf balls among budget-minded golfers. Overall performance is really great, and although spin around the greens isn’t on the level of a Tour ball, most people who play the Soft Feel wouldn’t need it anyway.
12. Volvik New VIVID Golf Ball
The New VIVID is undoubtedly one of Volvik’s best golf ball offerings. It’s marked by its availability in an array of vibrant colours (not including white) with a patented matte finish, making it easier to see than any other ball on the market.
This ball isn’t just designed for visibility, though. It also provides solid tee-to-green performance, delivering a mid-high launch, lower driver spin, and higher wedge spin.
This ball has earned high average ratings on the Volvik website and is a hot seller.
The New VIVID’s compression rating of 75 is suitable for swing speeds of 70-100 mph. The two-piece construction consists of:
- a resilient, high-energy Nano Bi Core that maximizes distance off the tee
- a matte ionomer cover with a 322 dimple pattern for a more consistent, stable flight
The stock colours that the New VIVID ball is available in include white, red, orange, blue, green, pink, yellow, and purple. They tend to be especially popular among seniors and those with vision problems.
Another thing you can do is order a custom New VIVID golf ball, with over 30 colour options, two finishes, and the ability to add your own personalization message or logo. This is a good opportunity for those who want to showcase their personality on the course.
Buying Guide
There are many golf balls on the market, and knowing which one to choose isn’t necessarily easy, especially if you’re not sure what to look for. This guide will provide you with the education you need in that regard.
Generally, you want a golf ball that facilitates distance off the tee, is controllable and can spin around the greens, and has good feel.
If you want to find the right golf ball, here are the most important factors to consider:
1. Compression
The ability of a golf ball to compress is very important. This is quantified in something called the compression rating, and it usually ranges from around 30 to 120.
The lower the compression rating, the less club head speed is required to sufficiently compress the ball to produce a “rebound” affect that leads to optimal distance. Conversely, a high compression rating demands a higher club head speed to achieve sufficient compression of the ball.
A general rule of thumb is that a golfer should have a swing speed as close as possible to X mph to hit a ball with a compression rating of X. But this is often not accurate; for example, a ball might have a fairly low compression rating of 60 but be suitable for higher swing speeds of around 100 mph.
Factors such as temperature can also affect the compressibility of a ball. Heat will tend to make a ball more compressible, while cold will make a ball less compressible.
It’s typically much better to have a higher swing speed than a compression rating calls for, rather than a lower swing speed. However, if a ball has too low of a compression for your swing speed, you can actually lose distance and experience an erratic ball flight.
Seniors, high handicappers and women tend to have slower swing speeds and will thus do better with low-compression golf balls. On the other hand, more skilled golfers tend to have higher swing speeds and will do better with high-compression balls.
2. Cover
The cover material of a golf ball can have a significant impact on its performance. There are two main types of covers: ionomer and urethane. A common ionomer material used in golf ball covers is Surlyn, which was developed by chemicals company DuPont.
Generally, golf balls with ionomer covers are more durable, spin less, and fly a little farther. They also tend to be cheaper.
Golf balls with urethane covers generally spin more, provide a softer, more premium feel, and offer greater control and spin with the shorter irons.
Although this is the generalization, recent advancements in technology have helped urethane covers gain nearly all of the benefits of ionomer covers. Today, the main drawback of urethane is a higher price and possibly less distance off the tee for slower swingers.
Generally, ionomer balls tend to be played by golfers who are less skilled and/or have slower swing speeds. Conversely, urethane balls tend to be played by skilled golfers that have the higher swing speed necessary to unlock their full potential.
3. Colours
Something many people might not think about is the colour (and finish) of the golf ball. A lot of golfers will automatically reach for the white ball, but as it turns out, that’s not necessarily the only option.
High-visibility golf balls have exactly the same makeup as the standard white ball but come in a variety of colours including green, yellow, red and orange. They may also have a matte instead of a glossy finish to reduce glare from sunlight.
Beyond providing an aesthetic flare that might suit your personality, the main purpose of coloured golf balls is to make it easier to not only keep track of the ball while it’s in the air, but also to spot the ball wherever it rests on the course.
TIP: In our experience, orange balls work very well for sunny, cloudless conditions during daytime, yellow balls work well in lower-light conditions, and green balls work well in overcast conditions.
It’s definitely worth checking if whichever model of golf ball you’re interested in is also available in high-visibility colours.
It’s certainly fine to just play a white ball if you want, but coloured balls can make your life a little easier, particularly if you have vision problems or you tend to hit it all over the place. Coloured balls can also hold your attention more at address and help you swing at the ball with more confidence, potentially resulting in more distance.
4. Dimples
We definitely don’t recommend choosing a golf ball based on its dimples alone, but it’s worth knowing what their purpose is.
Almost all modern golf balls have between 300 and 400 dimples. Although golf ball manufacturers have their own ways of dimpling their balls, the goal is the same: to reduce drag and increase lift resulting in more distance.
Dimples are essential in order to get the aerodynamic performance expected from golf balls today, as opposed to smooth balls.
Beyond the number, dimples can also have difference shapes (such as spherical or hexagonal) and be arranged in different patterns. Some brands like Bridgestone often employ aggressive “dimple-in-dimple” designs. There is a real science to it.
It’s difficult if not impossible for the average golfer to predict the ultimate effect of a specific dimple configuration, so your best bet is to look at what the manufacturer says about the dimples of a particular golf ball and ensure that it doesn’t conflict with the needs and goals of your game.
5. Price
Price is, of course, very important when shopping for a golf ball.
Many people dislike spending $50 or more for a dozen balls, and that’s completely understandable. Fortunately, there are many balls out there that are affordable yet have performance that is very similar to the top dogs like the Titleist Pro V1.
Having said that, cheaper golf balls may have a simpler construction, have less feel, have sub-optimal energy transfer, or have generally inferior performance, but this is far from set in stone. In this guide, we’ve tried to include quality golf balls over a range of budgets that golfers might have.
Don’t forget that instead of buying new, you could save even more money by buying recycled balls on places like eBay. We recommend only looking at balls with condition ratings of AAA or above.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for more distance, good all-around performance, accuracy, workability, greenside spin, or soft feel, a quality golf ball that suits your game is a huge asset. Whatever your skill level as a golfer, there are many quality options for you to consider.
If you have a slower swing speed of less than 90 mph, look at softer, low-compression balls like the Callaway Supersoft, Srixon Soft Feel, or even the TaylorMade Distance+ which is designed to produce maximum distance off the tee.
If your swing speed is 90 mph or greater, look at medium or high-compression balls such as the Srixon Z-STAR, Callaway Chrome Soft, Titleist Pro V1, or Bridgestone TOUR B RX.
In any case, finding a golf ball that you like is actually pretty easy with a bit of knowledge and experimentation. We suggest trying several of the balls featured on this page and seeing which one performs best for you.
Each of the golf ball models listed above deliver exceptional performance for the cost. We’ve given you the information you need; now it’s up to you to go the rest of the way.
It’s also very beneficial to read customer reviews to acquire some useful insights as to how golf balls actually perform. This will help you a great deal in the decision-making process.
Thanks for reading our guide on the best golf balls. Which balls have you tried and what are your thoughts on them? Do you have any questions? Go ahead and drop a comment down below.
