8 Best Golf Balls For Seniors – 2024 Reviews & Buying Guide

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As golfers age into their senior years, their game starts to decline in more ways in one. This might consist of a declining swing speed, a lower launch, or worsening vision.

Of course, some senior golfers will be able to maintain their speed, but they are the exception, not the norm.

Most senior golfers will eventually benefit by transitioning to softer golf balls or distance balls that will allow them to achieve more compression and minimize the distance loss compared to their prime years. Some will appreciate high-visibility coloured balls that are easier to see, especially in low-light conditions.

Having said that, the sheer number of options on the market can make the process of choosing the best golf ball for you difficult and overwhelming. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.

In this guide, we’ll review and compare our picks for the best golf balls for seniors across a range of different brands.

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 Picks For Golf Balls For Seniors

Based on our own testing, research, and experience, here are our top selections:

  1. Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball
  2. Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball
  3. Maxfli Softfli Golf Ball
  4. Titleist TruFeel Golf Ball
  5. Bridgestone e12 CONTACT Golf Ball
  6. Snell MTB PRIME Golf Ball
  7. Wilson Duo Optix Golf Ball
  8. TaylorMade Soft Response Golf Ball

1. Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball

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’s perfectly suited for seniors who have lost clubhead speed.

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 60 compression rating and 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 soft, 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.

We find that the Soft Feel is one of the most popular golf balls among seniors. Overall performance is really great, and although spin around the greens isn’t quite on the level of a Tour ball, the alignment marking and affordability make up for it.


2. Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball

Callaway Supersoft 2023 Golf Ball

The Callaway Supersoft has been an extremely popular golf ball for many years, and for good reason. It has soft feel with a low compression rating of 38, allowing seniors with slower swing speeds to compress the ball and generate a lot of distance.

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.

Senior golfers often struggle with hooks and slices, 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. We 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 seniors.


3. Maxfli Softfli Golf Ball

Maxfli Softfli Golf Ball

Maxfli is a sports equipment brand that was once owned by TaylorMade Golf. They are most recognized for their excellent golf balls, the Softfli being one of them.

The Softfli is Maxfli’s softest golf ball at a low 35 compression rating, providing buttery feel and feedback from tee to green. It’s the perfect choice for a senior who wants to play a quality soft ball, and more than that, it comes in an array of high-visibility colours including green, pink, red, blue and orange.

This ball is engineered for fast speed, low spin, high launch, and a consistent flight. Its two-piece construction consists of:

  • a reformulated, next-generation core for longer and straighter shots
  • an ionomer cover with optional vivid matte colouration

The Softfli has a 332 dimple pattern with high surface coverage, resulting in optimal flight characteristics through the bag.

The ball enjoys high ratings from critics and comes in packs of 12 and 24.

We suggest getting one of the coloured balls. They are more popular than the white variant and are easier to see on the ground and in the air.


4. Titleist TruFeel Golf Ball

Titleist TruFeel Golf Ball

The Titleist TruFeel, backed by arguably the world’s top golf ball brand, is played by many seniors because it offers soft feel, excellent long-game distance, and good control around the greens.

This ball sits at a nice affordable price point and enjoys high consumer ratings.

The TruFeel is claimed by Titleist to be their “softest ball”, with the latest iteration being re-designed with a faster core and thinner cover for improved greenside feel. The two-piece construction consists of:

  • a larger, faster, low-compression TruTouch core for more distance
  • a reformulated, thinner TruFlex cover for super soft feel and control around the greens

The ball has a spherically-tiled 376 tetrahedral dimple design that reduces drag and maximizes lift for added distance.

The TruFeel ball is available in white and high-optic yellow, with a matte red variant arriving in the second half of 2022. It’s particularly effective for low and mid swing speeds, and what’s great is that it really doesn’t do anything poorly.


5. Bridgestone e12 CONTACT Golf Ball

Bridgestone e12 CONTACT Golf Ball

Bridgestone is a world-renowned golf ball manufacturer that is represented by some of the best golfers in the world including Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau, Fred Couples and Lexi Thompson.

Their e12 CONTACT golf ball is extremely popular and has wide appeal. What makes it particularly appealing for seniors are:

  • its sidespin-reducing properties which significantly diminish slices and hooks
  • a lower compression rating listed at 46 that is ideal for swing speeds of less than 105 mph

The 2023 version of the e12 CONTACT has a three-piece construction consisting of:

  • a FLEXATIV Surlyn cover, designed using impact modifiers, which optimizes performance from tee to green
  • an Active Acceleration Mantle that helps maximize energy transfer and ball speed
  • a gradational core with a firm outer region and soft inner region

The other standout feature of the e12 CONTACT is the Contact Force Dimple. Combined with the new FLEXATIV cover, it enables 46% more surface contact at impact, leading to improved core activation, better energy transfer, and better spin and control around the greens.

Off the tee, the e12 CONTACT is long and straight, yet soft. Approach shot controllability is good, and spin and feel around the greens is great. It might not be the best choice for a Tour player, but many senior golfers have great success with it.


6. Snell MTB PRIME Golf Ball

Snell MTB PRIME Golf Ball

Snell is a golf ball brand many people may not have heard of. It was founded by Dean Snell, a plastics engineer who was actually a part of the development of the famous Titleist Pro V1.

Snell’s MTB PRIME is the successor to the very popular MTB Black ball which had an award-winning three-piece design and numerous gold medals on the Golf Digest Hot List. The ball has a very high average rating on the Snell website.

The MTB PRIME is designed for all golfers. With a compression rating of 80-85, it has a softer feel than its sister model, the MTB PRIME X, making it a good choice for many seniors.

The ball’s three-piece construction consists of:

  • a fast core for low long-game spin and maximum ball speed
  • a new FLEX+ mantle layer that gives amateurs more iron spin and further enhances the soft feel
  • a cast urethane cover for top-notch feel and control

The dimple pattern is designed to keep the ball flight down to balance out the increased spin in the short irons. The end result is a ball that fits a sizeable portion of amateur golfers.

The MTB PRIME conforms to USGA standards and is legal for tournament play. It’s currently available in white, with optic yellow scheduled to launch some time in 2023.

In our experience, this ball performs similarly to the Maxfli Softfli with an advantage around the greens. Many golfers find it to be just as good as the more expensive Pro V1, and we think the feel might just be even better than the MTB Black.


7. Wilson Duo Optix Golf Ball

Wilson Duo Optix Golf Ball

The Wilson Duo Optix ball packs great distance and soft feel into a high-visibility matte cover that you can’t miss on the golf course.

This ball is ideal for seniors because it’s very compressible (low 40 rating), easily trackable in the air, and easily locatable in all kinds of ground cover. The matte finish also minimizes glare at address.

The Duo Optix has a two-piece construction consisting of:

  • a soft, highly resilient polybutadiene core that contributes to a straighter flight off the tee
  • a Surlyn cover that helps with durability and with reducing spin

In addition, it uses a 302 dimple pattern that helps improve launch.

What’s awesome about the Wilson Duo Optix ball is that it’s not only available in five colours (yellow, orange, pink, green and red) but also with optional printed logos of NFL teams. The themed balls are a little more expensive than the plain variant.

This ball isn’t going to give you a Tour-level spin around the greens, but nonetheless, golfers love the good distance, affordability, durability, and great feel from tee to green.


8. TaylorMade Soft Response Golf Ball

TaylorMade Soft Response Golf Ball

The Soft Response is a low-compression ball from TaylorMade with a soft feel. In fact, TaylorMade says it’s the softest ball they’ve ever developed.

With a compression rating of 35, the Soft Response is ideal for seniors with slow or moderate swing speeds. It’s an excellent all-around performer, delivering great distance and greenside spin control.

The ball has a three-piece construction consisting of:

  • a Hi-Spring Zn0 Flex Core that enables soft feel and easy compression
  • a Speedmantle that optimizes energy transfer at impact
  • a soft ionomer cover that improves greenside feel yet is highly durable and resistant to scuffs and shears

The Soft Response also features a special Extended Flight Dimple Pattern which increases lift and carry, even at low spin rates.

This ball is available in white and UV-resistant matte yellow. It has high user ratings, but it’s probably not a good choice for fast swingers.


Buying Guide

There are many golf balls on the market, and knowing which one to choose as a senior 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 and that also has good feel and control around the greens.

If you want to find the right golf ball, here are the most important factors to consider:

1. Compression

Wood making contact with golf ball

The ability of a golf ball to compress 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 more distance. Conversely, a high compression rating will require 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 designed 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.

As mentioned previously, senior golfers tend to lose club head speed as they get older, and will thus need to use golf balls with lower compression in order to minimize distance loss. Generally speaking, the average senior at age 55 will have a swing speed of around 90 mph, and this will drop by about 10 mph every decade thereafter.

2. Colours

Red golf balls

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 best option.

High-visibility golf balls are exactly the same as the standard white ball but come in a variety of colours including green, yellow, orange and red. 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.

Playing a high-visibility ball may be especially important for seniors because of declining eyesight. An example of this is cataracts which are commonly due to aging.

This is why 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 easier.

3. Cover

Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball Deconstruction

The cover material of a golf ball can have a major impact on its performance. There are two main types of covers: Surlyn and urethane. Some people might consider ionomer, which includes Surlyn, as another type.

Generally, golf balls with ionomer or Surlyn 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 Surlyn covers. Today, the main drawback of urethane is a higher price and possibly less distance off the tee for slower swingers.

Seniors can do well with both urethane and ionomer covers. However, they will often find themselves playing ionomer (or Surlyn) balls because they tend to be manufactured with lower compression which is needed for slower swing speeds. On the other hand, urethane balls tend to have higher compression because they are geared towards skilled players with fast swing speeds.

4. Dimples

Golf ball on a red tee

We definitely don’t recommend choosing a golf ball based on its dimples alone, but it’s worth knowing what their purpose is.

Most 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.

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 brand says about the dimples of a particular golf ball and consider if it matches your goals as a senior.

5. Price

Price tag graphic

Of course, price is important when shopping for a golf ball.

Many people dislike spending $50 or more for a dozen balls, and that’s completely understandable. Fortunately, seniors may play just as good if not better with cheaper balls that cost under $30 a dozen.

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

Swing speed naturally declines with age. A senior golfer at age 65 will likely have significantly less speed than they did at age 35, and the decline will continue as they get older yet.

Because of this, seniors tend to benefit most from golf balls that are softer, have lower compression and provide higher launch. These balls will be able to compress sufficiently for optimal energy transfer even at slower swing speeds, helping you play better for longer.

Seniors who have declining vision can also often benefit from using balls with high-visibility colours and matte finishes, which are easier to see in the air and on the ground.

In any case, a golf ball that suits your game is a huge asset. And finding one 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 this guide. Which golf ball are you interested in as a senior? Do you have any questions? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

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