Golf Ball Buying Guide

Choosing the right golf ball for your game can make a big difference in performance and how effective your equipment is on the course. A big myth among golfers is that you’re not good enough to see a difference in the ball you play and you should just buy the cheapest one available.

The cheapest ball might fit your game, but you should spend time on getting into the right equipment, the same way you do with golf clubs.

That being said, there are so many golf ball options that it can be confusing and difficult to decipher which one is right for you. To help make the buying process easier, here is a golf ball guide to aid you in finding the right ball for your swing.

A lot of golfers tend to focus on the ball from tee to green, but we like to look in the opposite direction and start from the green, working back to the tee. Start by asking yourself what kind of performance do you want to see around the greens, in your irons, in feel, distance, launch and spin?

The golf ball isn’t going to change how you hit the ball, but if you’re looking to get a little more performance or hit certain numbers that you’re not getting with your clubs, the ball can help. For instance, if you’re looking to get a touch more spin, or launch the ball higher, the ball you choose can help with that.

Once you figure out what you need, you can start to look at different options. Here’s a look at a variety of brands and the options they have within their lines.

Titleist

Titleist has a storied tradition of making an incredible golf ball with over 25 years of the Pro V1. The Pro V1, Pro V1x and Pro V1x left dash are the main options as a tour ball.

Pro V1 is a tour-validated golf ball for players looking for mid-trajectory, long long game spin and maximum short game spin with a softer feel. Pro V1x will have a higher flight trajectory than Pro V1, a firmer feel, mid long game spin and maximum short game spin. The Pro V1x is for players looking for higher flight and spin.

The Pro V1x left dash ball is for players looking for higher flight, but lower spin. It feels firmer than Pro V1, but has very low driver spin, very low long game spin with high short game spin.

Titleist has other options outside of those three top performing balls, including AVX, which is for players looking for low flight, low spin and a very soft golf ball. Tour Soft is for players looking for distance off the tee with a soft ball with mid-trajectory and mid short game spin.

Velocity is for players looking for distance with high trajectory, soft feel and low spin, while TruFeel is for golfers looking for low flight, very soft feel and low spin.

TaylorMade

TaylorMade is another company that manufacturers excellent golf balls and has a variety of options, as well.

TP5 and TP5x are the two Tour options offered from TaylorMade and provide similar feedback as Titleist’s options. TP5 is for faster driver speed, low driver spin, higher flight trajectory with driver, low iron spin and mid to high iron flight.

The TP5x is the longer of the two balls for the fastest driver speeds, lower driver spin, mid driver trajectory, lower irons spin and mid iron flight. The Tour Response ball is also an option for players looking for the lowest driver and iron spin, high iron trajectory and the softest feel of the three.

SpeedSoft is created to deliver the softest possible feel while maintaining consistent speeds. It is a mid-launch, two-layer ball for fast ball speeds. The Distance+ balls are for max driver distance with a soft feel with mid launch and mid to high wedge spin.

TaylorMade also offers personalized and custom options from colors to alignment aids and Mysymbol.

Callaway

Callaway’s Tour options start with Chrome Tour and Chrome TourX, and the brand also has Chrome Soft mixed in.

With Chrome Tour, you’ll get a medium feel ball with low long game spin, high short game spin and high workability. Chrome TourX is firmer than Chrome Tour with mid long game spin, maximum short game spin and high workability.

Callaway also offers other options, including Supersoft, ERC Soft, Superfast and War Bird with a model for every golfer.

Srixon

Srixon has a unique lineup with models for everyone, including distance balls that deliver incredible speed.

Starting with the Z-Star line, Z-Star offers a softer feel, mid-flight, low driver spin, high iron spin and high greenside spin. Z-Star Diamond is a little firmer than Z-Star, mid to high-trajectory, mid to low driver spin, high iron spin and high greenside spin. Z-Star XV is a soft feel with mid to high-trajectory, long distance, low driver spin, lower iron spin than the Z-Star Diamond and lower greenside spin than the other two.

Z-Star XV has a soft feel, mid to high-trajectory, long distance, low driver spin, high iron spin and mid to high-greenside spin.

The Q-Star line features the Q-Star Ultispeed with a soft feel, high trajectory, incredibly long distance, low driver spin, mid-iron spin and mid-greenside spin. The Q-Star Tour is softer than Ultispeed, mid to high-trajectory, low driver spin, mid to high-iron spin and mid to high-greenside spin.

Srixon also has a Soft Feel line with its softest balls and offers a variety of colors and options to personalize the ball.

Mizuno

Mizuno’s ball offering starts with the Pro line, which includes Pro S and Pro X models.

The Pro S is for golfers looking for a softer feel with medium compression, medium trajectory, low driver spin and high short game spin. The Pro X is firmer than the Pro S, has high compression, medium trajectory, medium driver spin and high short game spin.

The RB line from Mizuno features RB Max, which is a soft ball with mid-compression, high trajectory, low driver spin and mid short game spin that has an Ionomer cover in a three-piece construction. The RB 566 is also a softer ball, but with low compression, high trajectory, mid short game spin and low driver spin with an Ionomer cover in a two-piece construction with 566 micro-dimples.

Wilson

Looking at Wilson’s Staff Model and Staff Model X first, the Staff Model is a four-piece construction, low driver spin, high iron spin ball with mid-launch. It’s going to have a mid to firm feel with a thin urethane cover.

The Staff Model X will be firmer than the Staff Model, also has high grrenside spin, but has higher iron spin than Staff Model and higher trajectory, as well. The Staff Model is for players looking for a more penetrating ball flight with consistent feel, while Staff Model X is for players who want maximum ball speed and high launch.

Wilson also has Triad, which is for golfers who want a perfect center of gravity, high MOI within the golf ball and delivers accuracy across the board. Triad will be a mid to firm feel with mid-trajectory and high short game spin.

The Duo Soft ball will be the softest of the four models with high trajectory and mid short game spin.

Bridgestone

The Tour line from Bridgestone has been famously known as the ball that Tiger Woods plays and has plenty of variety within the line.

Woods uses the Tour B X ball from Bridgestone, which is designed for golfers with swing speeds over 105 miles per hour. The REACTIV X system combines REACTIV IQ smart cover with XCLRNT mid-layer for more distance, improved feel and outstanding short-game control.

The Tour B XS is for golfers with swing speeds over 105 miles per hour, but are looking for more spin. It has maximum distance off the tee, soft feel and increased spin control on approach shots.

The Tour B RX ball is for golfers with swing speeds under 105 miles per hour and still comes with the REACTIV X system for distance, feel and control. Finally, the Tour B RXS ball is for golfers with swing speeds under 105 miles per hour that are looking for more spin.

Bridgestone also offers balls within the eSeries and also offers its Mindset alignment aid that has been researched to help you make more putts.

No matter the type of golfer you are, there is a ball for you to help your game. If you’re a high handicapper or a low handicap, the type of ball that you play has an impact on performance, so make sure you choose the right golf ball for you.