A golf ball is one of the most important pieces of equipment you will choose for your next round of golf.
When playing with a golf ball that is not a good fit for your game, you are likely missing out on distance and spin performance.
There are hundreds of different golf ball choices on the market to choose from.
If you are not smart about the golf ball you choose or how golf balls differ in performance, it will impact your game.
Let’s take a look at which golf ball you should use and how to choose which one is going to be the best for your game.
What Golf Ball Should I Use?
The best golf ball for your game is the one that matches your swing speed, feel preference, and handicap.
Golf balls can be made with several different materials, using varying technology, and at various price points.
There are several factors that you should consider when choosing a golf ball to use, and narrowing down these ways can help you make a more informed decision about which golf ball to play.
Here are the things to look for when deciding which golf ball to use.
1. Swing Speed
One of the most important parts of deciding which golf ball to use is to know your swing speed.
If your swing speed is fast, you can choose a different golf ball than if your swing speed is slow.
Years ago, it would be difficult to get a measurement of your swing speed to understand how it impacts the golf ball you play with.
Today, many golfers have personal portable launch monitors that give you quick and easy readings of your swing speed.
The higher the swing speed, the higher the compression golf ball you can use.
The lower the swing speed, the lower the compression the golf ball needs to be.
Essentially, a golfer compresses a ball when they hit it, and this compression will help with the overall performance of a golf ball.
Suppose a golf ball’s compression rating is too high.
In that case, you won’t be able to get the maximum distance and spin characteristics out of your shot.
Golfers who have fast swing speeds will miss out on distance performance if they are not using a golf ball with higher compression.
Of course, you would think it’s easier for a golfer to compress a ball when they swing faster.
It is, but the lower compression golf ball also doesn’t have as much resistance, and therefore, the results are not nearly as good.
Swing speed is the first way to narrow down which golf ball is best for you.
However, you should not choose a ball based on swing speed alone.
Within each of these different golf ball categories, there are options for players who like a soft feel, harder feel, low spin, high flight, etc.
This swing speed method helps to eliminate some of the golf balls that won’t make sense for your game.
2. Player Strengths And Weaknesses
Many times, golfers will narrow down which golf balls are best based on the player’s handicap.
Therefore, if you are a higher handicap golfer, you should just choose the cheapest golf balls on the shelf.
However, this is not a smart or effective way to help you choose the best golf ball.
We know plenty of higher handicap golfers who play with the most premium golf balls on the market because the technology is a fit for their game.
The player handicap is a very important factor in that it can help you determine the strengths and weaknesses in your game and how a golf ball can help.
Let’s take, for instance, a higher handicapper who struggles mostly on the chipping and putting.
This player will benefit from a slightly softer golf ball with a responsive feel and solid greenside spin.
Some of these golf balls may be four-piece premium golf balls, but they can help this player establish the performance they need around the greens.
Another high handicapper may struggle with a slice off of every tee.
This slice can sometimes be controlled by using a low spin golf ball.
This is different from the requirements of the other high handicapper.
As you can see, the player’s handicap is not nearly as good of an indicator of the golf ball selection as the player’s specific strengths and weaknesses.
Instead of focusing on your handicap number on your GHIN card, look at what makes you a great player and what makes your score add up.
Find a golf ball that properly complements your game.
3. Golf Ball Material
Golf balls are made with a wide range of materials.
The cover of the ball is typically a Suryln or Urethane material.
It’s essential to start to understand which of these golf balls feels better to you and seems more reactive coming off the clubface.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the material of the golf ball. It is more about finding a fit for your game.
The golf ball material affects the feel, but it will also affect the ball’s durability.
If your swing speed is fast and you tend to be inconsistent and cut shots, the material of the golf ball should be a bit more durable.
4. Brand
There are several top brands out there for golf balls.
As you likely have had experience looking for golf balls already, you know that Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Mizuno, Vice, Top Flite, Wilson, and more each offer an entire line of golf balls to choose from.
In addition, we are seeing some of these smaller brands start to make an impact in the market and bring up some additional options for golfers.
These small brands can be an excellent choice for players as they are often a bit lower in price, but we suggest you read some reviews before purchasing dozens of golf balls.
When doing head-to-head testing with some smaller brands versus the major manufacturers, you will notice small differences in things like feel and spin performance.
This is not to say that the lesser known brands are not good. It’s simply that some of their technology may not be as developed as the premium golf brands.
Titleist is still considered the number one golf ball in the game, and that is because of its strong history and presence on the PGA Tour.
If you are unsure of what a premium golf ball feels like, the Pro V1 is a great place to start.
The Titleist Pro V1 is a premium golf ball with impressive feel and spin characteristics and the ability to help a golfer take their game to the next level.
Of course, this is also a very high-priced golf ball.
There are some companies like Volvik that focus more on visibility and distance than any of the other premium features that players may look for.
These are important features to have and can be good for the slower swing speed player or new golfer.
Many golfers become brand loyal.
They will choose a golf ball brand and type that works for them and very rarely change or vary from it.
Other players will pick a golf ball one week and change it up the next.
5. Durability
The durability of a golf ball is an important thing to consider.
Some golfers have very pure swings, and they hit the ball on the center of the clubface almost all of the time.
These players can often get six or seven rounds of golf out of one golf ball.
However, other players are bouncing shots off of the cart path, hitting trees, and making it difficult to get through a round without marking up the golf ball.
If you need a durable golf ball, some of the best options are the lower priced two-piece golf balls.
These will hold up well even when they hit things other than the center of your clubface, and they are often a bit cheaper than other balls on the market.
Overall durability is a factor worth considering when choosing which golf balls to use.
6. Spin Characteristics
Spin characteristics are so important when choosing the best golf ball for your game.
The spin technology for golf balls has come a long way in the last few years.
In fact, many golfers are surprised by how much playing with the proper golf ball can impact the way it spins and the overall performance you see on the course.
Spin characteristics can make a ball either high or low spin.
Here are some essential things to think about when it comes to low and high-spinning golf balls.
A. Low Spin
Low spin golf balls are great for tee shots.
When you hit a shot off the tee with a low spin golf ball, the chance of it flying straight and having quite a bit of roll is considerably higher.
Many golfers put too much side spin on their shots from the tee, and the low spinning golf ball can help.
From the fairway, the fairway wood shots and hybrids often perform well with low spin.
They will travel a bit further and likely roll up on the green.
The problem with a low spin golf ball is that around the greens, it is really difficult to stop the ball.
B. Mid Spin
Mid spin golf balls can be a good choice for average golfers.
With a relatively low spin off the tee and then around the greens, they are good at helping players stop the ball.
Mid spin golf balls are also typically three-piece golf balls that can have good performance from the tee and around the greens.
C. High Spin
High spin golf balls are those that are typically considered a premium golf ball selection and will work quite well around the green.
The Pro V1 would be considered a high spin golf ball because it can stop quickly on the green and the golfer can get the ball to land close to the hole.
If you play with a high spin golf ball, you will often notice that it makes you more accurate around the greens.
The only time the high spin golf ball can create a problem is when you are hitting tee shots, and the ethos is a bit inaccurate.
Many players who struggle with accuracy have to take the high spin ball out of their bag and start using something that improves control.
7. Price Point
2021 Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls , White
The price for a dozen golf balls typically ranges from around $15 a dozen to more than $50 a dozen.
Sometimes, even though you would like to play with the higher price point golf balls, you will have a hard time coming up with the money to do so.
Think about all the expenses involved with being a golfer and how this is going to impact the amount of money that you must provide out of pocket.
A high price point is frustrating when it comes to paying for golf balls, and you will often be disappointed to find out that the mid range balls are all that you can afford.
It’s important to realize that, when you play with a cheaper golf ball, you won’t always e doing a disservice to your game.
You just have to expect that you will have trouble with spin around the greens, and there may be some issues with overall distance.
This may mean having to hit an extra half a club off the tee or simply letting your chip land a little short of the pin and let it roll up.
The price point for your golf balls does not have to cause issues in your game.
Simply find something that you are comfortable with, but be aware that the more money you can pay, the more performance you typically get.
Do Golf Balls Matter?
The big question that all players want to know is whether or not the golf balls you play with actually matter.
We can tell you that the golf ball selection does matter.
You must be playing with a golf ball that is a good fit for your game, or you will likely see the impacts in your scoring and your stats on the course.
It’s wise to try out several different types of golf balls, and some companies like Bridgestone will even offer a golf ball fitting.
Once you do this, you can see the impact that golf ball technology has on the game.
Conclusion
We hope you now feel a bit more confident in your ability to choose the best golf ball for your game.
It may seem like there are a lot of golf ball options out there for you to choose from.
However, if you are smart about the technology, you can narrow down the options very quickly.
Some companies are starting to offer golf ball test packs. With these, you can try out four or five golf balls in one dozen.
This is a great way to determine what you need, and if you should be making changes to the golf ball you currently play.
Don’t be afraid to change things up from time to time to find something that is a perfect fit for your golf game.
