Everyone knows how hot and forgiving modern drivers, fairways and distance irons have become. The progress made in golf ball design often gets less attention, but rest assured that every new ball on the market is durable, long and impressively consistent. Options abound, which can often make picking the right ball difficult.
Our advice? Sort your selections using three important criteria: 1) the kind of launch you want off the tee; 2) the type of performance you want around the greens; and 3) how much you’re ready to spend. To make your job easier, we’ve organized 33 models into three categories: Tour (most expensive), Multilayer Performance (medium price) and Premium Distance (least expensive).
The most expensive balls will typically offer the highest spin rates for sharpening your short game (and the least expensive will typically offer the least). But enough of our spin. Dig in.
BRIDGESTONE
Bridgestone Tour B XS
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You want all-around Tour-caliber performance with a softer feel and more spin (see Tiger Woods).
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: SlipRes cover for more friction at impact. Gradational compression core for enhanced driver ball speed. Dual dimple design for enhanced distance and control. Seamless cover technology for consistency.
Bridgestone Tour B X
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You want the performance of the Tour B XS, but prefer a firmer feel and less spin.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: SlipRes cover for more friction at impact. Gradational compression core for enhanced driver ball speed. Dual dimple design for enhanced distance and control. Seamless cover technology for consistency.
Bridgestone Tour B RXS
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You want Tour performance in a lower compression ball, and prefer a softer feel, more spin and more forgiveness.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: SlipRes cover for more friction at impact. Gradational compression core for enhanced driver ball speed. Dual dimple design for distance and control. Seamless cover technology for consistency.
Bridgestone Tour B RX
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You like the lower compression, soft feel and forgiveness of the Tour B RXS, but prefer less spin.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: SlipRes cover for more friction at impact. Gradational compression core for enhanced driver ball speed. Dual dimple design for distance and control. Seamless cover technology for consistency.
Bridgestone E6 Soft
Category: Multilayer Performance
$30/dozen
BUY IT: You’re looking for multilayer performance, very soft feel and straight distance with solid short-game spin.
Tech highlights: Three-piece construction with a low compression. Fast core for enhanced speed and distance with very soft feel at impact. Delta dimple design for a smoother flight, less air resistance, and longer, straighter shots.
Bridgestone E6 Speed
Category: Multilayer Performance
$30/dozen
BUY IT: You like the multilayer performance of the E6 Soft, but prefer a ball
with a slightly firmer feel.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Three-piece construction with a low compression. Fast core for enhanced speed and distance with very soft feel at impact. Delta dimple design for a smoother flight, less air resistance, and longer, straighter shots.
CALLAWAY
Callaway Chrome Soft
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You desire Tour-proven performance with a soft feel, lower compression and more forgiveness.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Graphene-infused Dual Soft Fast Core and larger inner core for optimized energy transfer. Dual Core for distance on long shots and control on short ones. Lower-compression core for softer feel, low driver spin and max forgiveness.
Callaway Chrome Soft X
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You like the Chrome Soft but prefer a slightly firmer feel.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Graphene-infused Dual Soft Fast Core and larger inner core for optimized energy transfer. Dual Core for distance on long shots and control on short ones. Lower-compression core for softer feel, low driver spin and max forgiveness.
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Callaway Supersoft
Category: Multilayer Performance
$22/dozen
BUY IT: You like a very soft feel (it’s Callaway’s softest compression model) on full shots, a soft cover on short shots, and longer, straighter overall flight at an excellent value.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Ultra-low compression core for more ball speed and distance with less spin. Low-drag HEX aerodynamics for longer carry. New Tri-onomer cover for softer feel and better short-game performance.
Callaway Superhot
Category: Premium Distance
$30/dozen
BUY IT: You’re a value-minded player in the market for a ball that provides maximum distance with some short-game control.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Advanced aerodynamic design for less drag, more lift and more distance. Three-piece construction and soft cover for more spin and short-game control.
SNELL GOLF
Snell MTB Black
Category: Tour
$32/dozen ($164/6 dozen)
BUY IT: You desire Tour-caliber performance with a slightly softer feel and enhanced durability.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Multilayer construction and 330 dimple pattern for distance on long shots and control on short ones. Tour-proven urethane cover for feel, spin and durability. Seven percent softer compression core for less spin off the driver and more distance.
Snell MTB Red
Category: Tour
$32/dozen ($164/6 dozen)
BUY IT: You desire Tour-caliber performance with a slightly firmer feel and enhanced durability.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Four-piece construction and 338 dimple pattern for distance on long shots and control on short ones. Urethane cover. Inner mantle layer for more spin on scoring shots. Dual-Feel design provides a firmer feel on full shots and a softer feel on short ones.
Snell Get Sum
Category: Premium Distance
$21/dozen ($85/6 dozen)
BUY IT: You’re looking for an affordable, high-performance distance ball.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Large and soft low-compression core for very low spin rates, straighter shots and more speed and distance. Thin and soft Surlyn cover for softer feel. Combined with the core, it contributes to more lift and overall carry distance.
SRIXON
Srixon Z-Star
Category: Tour
$40/dozen
BUY IT: You want a ball with a Tour-proven track record that also provides a slightly softer feel on all shots.
Tech highlights: Energetic Gradient Growth design for a softer feel and improved launch off the driver. 338 Speed Dimple pattern for enhanced stability and more distance. Third-generation Thin Skin coating for improved short-game spin, even from rough.
Srixon Z-Star XV
Category: Tour
$40/dozen
BUY IT: You want the performance of the Z-Star but with a slightly firmer feel.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Energetic Gradient Growth design for a softer feel and improved launch off the driver. 338 Speed Dimple pattern for enhanced stability and more distance. Third-generation Thin Skin coating for improved short-game spin, even from rough.
Srixon Q-Star Tour
Category: Multilayer Performance
$30/dozen
BUY IT: You’re a moderate-speed swinger, or someone who wants Tour-like performance with exceptionally soft compression and feel.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: A lower-compression Energetic Gradient Growth core than Z-Star models for a very soft feel and more forgiveness. Spinskin coating creates more friction at impact for enhanced spin and short-game performance. Speed Dimples for reduced in-flight drag.
Srixon Q-Star
Category: Multilayer Performance
$30/dozen
BUY IT: You want it all: distance, short-game performance, a soft feel and added durability.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Third-generation Spinskin for improved short-game spin and control. 338 Speed Dimple Pattern for less drag, a piercing flight and added distance and control in variable wind conditions. Energetic Gradient Growth core for consistent distance and softer overall feel throughout the bag.
Srixon Soft Feel
Category: Premium Distance
$20/dozen
BUY IT: You’re looking for a combination of soft feel, a lot of distance and enhanced scoring-shot control.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Low-compression, soft core for low spin and more distance on full shots. Thinner, softer cover further enhances short-game spin. Energetic Gradient Growth core yields improved energy transfer at impact.
TAYLORMADE
TaylorMade TP5
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You want a Tour-proven winner with a softer feel and moderate spin on long shots.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Three-layer core system with progressive compression for max energy transfer at impact. Dual-spin cover for enhanced spin on scoring shots and five-layer overall construction for premium performance throughout the bag. Cast urethane cover for feel and durability.
TaylorMade TP5x
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You need Tour-caliber performance with a firmer feel and lower spin on short shots.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Three-layer core system with progressive compression for max energy transfer at impact. Dual-spin cover for enhanced spin on scoring shots and five-layer overall construction for premium performance throughout the bag. Cast urethane cover for feel and durability.
TaylorMade Project (a)
Category: Multilayer Performance
$35/dozen
BUY IT: You’re looking for a high-performance, multilayer urethane-covered ball with a very soft feel and plenty of short-game spin.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Dual-distance core: a larger and softer inner core for less spin and longer shots; a firmer outer core to rev up ball speed. 322 LDP dimple design and seamless cover for less drag. Improved short-game spin due to firm mantle and cast urethane cover.
TaylorMade Project (s)
Category: Multilayer Performance
$25/dozen
BUY IT: You like a very soft feel but need less spin off the driver to max out your distance.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Dual-distance core with larger and softer inner core for less spin and longer shots; firmer outer core revs up ball speed. 342 LDP dimple design for less drag and enhanced overall distance. Improved short-game spin due to extremely soft ionomer and mantle layer.
TITLEIST
Titleist Pro V1
Category: Tour
$48/dozen
BUY IT: You want Tour-caliber performance with a softer feel and a more piercing trajectory off the tee.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Spherically-tiled dimple design for enhanced stability. Next gen 2.0 ZG Process Core for lower spin and faster ball speed. Thin casing layer for more spin control on full shots. Soft urethane elastomer cover for a soft feel and extra durability.
Titleist Pro V1x
Category: Tour
$48/dozen
BUY IT: You want what the Pro V1 player wants, but with a firmer feel and higher launch off the driver.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Spherically-tiled dimple design for enhanced stability. ZG Process Dual Core for lower spin and big distance. Thin casing layer for more spin control on full shots. Soft urethane elastomer cover for soft feel and durability.
Titleist AVX
Category: Tour
$48/dozen
BUY IT: The AVX is the lowest-spinning, softest, and lowest-trajectory high-performance model in the Titleist lineup.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: New low-compression, high-speed core for big distance and very soft feel. GRN41 thermoset urethane cover for scoring performance and durability. Flexible casing layer for less spin and longer shots. Spherically-tiled dimple design for consistency.
Titleist Tour Soft
Category: Multilayer Performance
$35/dozen
BUY IT: You crave Titleist consistency, a very soft feel, high speed and distance, and solid short-game performance.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Largest core of any Titleist model for faster speeds and more distance. Extremely thin proprietary cover for enhanced short- game performance and exceptionally soft feel. Spherically-tiled dimple design for a boring trajectory and stable flight.
Titleist Velocity
Category: Premium Distance
$22/dozen
BUY IT: You desire very low spin on long shots, high flight on all shots and big distance in a Titleist package.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Softer high-speed core for faster speeds off the clubface and solid short-game feel. New NaZ+ cover that further enhances distance and lowers spin on longer shots. Spherically-tiled dimple design for higher trajectory and increased carry.
Titleist DT TruSoft
Category: Premium Distance
$22/dozen
BUY IT: You want a very soft low-compression feel, but aren’t willing to give up a single yard of distance.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Larger low-compression TruTouch core for low spin and distance on longer shots, and a very soft feel throughout the bag. Advanced aerodynamics for a boring trajectory and optimum distance. TrueFlex proprietary cover for improved short-game performance and extra-soft greenside feel.
Pinnacle Soft
Category: Premium Distance
$20/15-ball pack
BUY IT: You place a premium on value, a very soft feel, and low spin for long distance.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Lowest-compression core in any Pinnacle ball ever manufactured, for low spin, a very soft feel and big distance. 332 dimples for consistent flight and stability in varying conditions.Soft ionomer cover for added durability and extra soft feel.
WILSON
Wilson Duo Urethane
Category: Tour
$38/dozen
BUY IT: You want Tour-caliber performance with an exceptionally low compression and very soft feel.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Three-piece design with 55-compression for all-around performance and a soft feel at impact. DuPont HPF inner mantle for faster ball speeds and distance. Cast urethane cover for feel and durability. 362 seamless dimple pattern for more distance.
Wilson FG Tour
Category: Tour
$45/dozen
BUY IT: You want Tour-caliber performance with a soft feel, from driver through sand wedge.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Four-piece construction with soft, rubber-rich tech for enhanced feel. DuPont HPF mantle layer for more spin and overall shot control. High-resilience outer mantle for faster ball speeds and more distance on long shots. Cast urethane cover with new 362 dimple pattern.
Wilson Duo Soft Spin
Category: Multilayer Performance
$27/dozen
BUY IT: You appreciate value in a ball, especially when it delivers a very soft feel and the all-around benefits of multilayer construction.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Extremely low 40 compression for very soft feel at impact. Three-piece multilayer construction for low driver spin and high short-iron and wedge spin (approximately 15 to 20 rpm more spin than the standard Duo Soft).
Wilson Duo Soft
Category: Premium Distance
$20/dozen
BUY IT: You play better with a low-compression ball and place a premium on a soft feel, to say nothing about adding distance and reducing spin.
TECH HIGHLIGHTS: Large, extremely low, 29-compression core for exceptionally soft feel, less spin and more distance. Shallower dimple pattern for more ball speed and carry distance.
