Golf is an objective game played subjectively, and nothing exemplifies this like the golf balls players choose to buy.
Technically, one ball can be objectively better than the other. The best golf ball for you, though, won’t necessarily be the best that money can buy.
We’ve spent weeks testing balls out on the course and on the simulator to pinpoint the best ones different players will enjoy using when they head out for their next round.
What to consider when buying a set of golf balls
There are all sorts of considerations players make when it comes to buying balls. The biggest could be the price. Unless you’ve got money to burn, the average weekend player won’t be dropping upwards of £45 every single time they buy a set of 12.
In fact, according to research into the subject, keen golfers lose around 1.3 balls per round on average. Over the course of a year, that’s an awful lot.
There’s also the feel of the golf ball, something often hard to pinpoint, or even the look of the ball which affects the way people experience the game out on the course.
To reflect this, we’ve tested a large selection of balls and gathered together a list of our favourites, picking out great options at different price points.
How we tested golf balls
We tested them out on an indoor simulator to compare spin levels, distance and ball speed to find strong performers at different price points, but the biggest part of the testing involved getting out on the short game area and using them during rounds of golf. Stats will always play a big part in ball testing, but we’ve tried to focus just as much on feel and personal experience after using all the balls recommended extensively over the course of a season.
Here are our picks for the best golf balls on the market right now across a number of price points.
Best golf balls to buy in 2023 at a glance:
- Best all-round ball: Titleist Pro V1 - £47.99, American Golf
- Best new(ish) ball on the market: TaylorMade TP5 Pix - £44.99, American Golf
- Best value performance ball: Srixon Z-Star - £46.95, Amazon
- Best direct-to-consumer ball: Seed SD-01 - £34.03, Amazon
- Best all-round mid-range ball: Srixon AD333 - £22.99, American Golf
- Best value distance ball: Taylormade Distance+ - £16.99, American Golf
- Best mid-rage low spin ball: Titleist Velocity - £26.99, American Golf
- Best value soft feel ball: Wilson Duo Soft+ - £14.99, American Golf
Titleist Pro V1
Best: all-round ball
This one, of course, will come as no surprise.
We put the Titleist Pro V1 through its paces on the simulator and out on the course and found it to be the best-performing and most consistent golf ball we tested.
We played two rounds of golf in testing links conditions on our annual trip to Scotland’s east coast using the same Pro V1. Performance was exceptional as you’d expect from such a popular ball, offering excellent feedback and response around the greens and powerful feeling off the tee. Perhaps the most impressive thing was the durability: there really wasn’t a scratch on it and it could have passed for a new ball after two full rounds. Deeply impressive.
It gave us a very well-balanced performance on the simulator too, with excellent, reliable numbers across distance, ball speed and spin rating. It’s been the number one ball on tour for decades now - since first being launched in 2000. The simplicity of the design, too, is timeless and will appeal to purists. Players preferring a harder feel off the face and better players looking for a lower spin will likely prefer the Pro V1x, though.
In short, it deserves its reputation as the number one ball in golf. The premium price won’t be for everyone, but you have to pay for the best and the Pro V1 is a benchmark in performance that looks like it won’t be beaten any time soon.
Buy now £47.99, American Golf
TaylorMade TP5 Pix
Best for: a new(ish) ball on the market
First introduced in 2019 and quickly becoming something of a force in the market, the TP5 and the TP5 Pix has already cemented its reputation as one of the best balls out there.
This high-visibility TP5 Pix with a 5-piece construction and quirky graphic design is the most interesting new prospect on the market in recent years, and a big contender for the best money can buy right now.
The TP5 manages to blend both excellent distances with a really pleasing feel off the face, but it will certainly work better for people who swing the club a little quicker when it comes to getting the ball airborne. As well as the distinctive design, the Tour Flight Dimple Pattern makes for a unique ball design. It’s different to anything we’ve seen on other balls, and the reduced drag through the air was noticeable on approach shots into greens, coming down nice and steep to help target tucked pins.
The look of the TP5 Pix is likely to prove divisive, but we found them to be the most appealing to hit visually of all the ones we tested – seeing it spin and grab as it runs across the greens is great fun, and offers something genuinely different when it comes to aesthetics.
We’re also big fans of the hidden line among the graphics which can be used for alignment. Called the ClearPath Alignment system by TaylorMade, the space between the graphic markings forms a pathway along the ball, helping to get better feedback on the quality of the roll on the greens.
If you don’t like the Pix, the standard TP5 in a more standard white or yellow finish is a super performer that will suit plenty of players.
Buy now £44.99, American Golf
Srixon Z-Star
Best for: value performance ball
Srixon made its name in the UK and US first by establishing its reputation on the ball market, and even after its iron set offerings, in particular, have ensured it’s one of the most highly-rated brands in the game, it’s the balls which still remain some of the most widely used among amateurs.
Srixon has a wide range of balls to suit a variety of preferences, and the 3-piece Z-Stars are the most premium option of the lot. First off, it’s worth pointing out that they’re designed for players with higher swing speeds, so won’t suit everyone as it’s a low spinning ball offering more of a luxury experience – combining that with a more wallet-friendly price point.
The first thing we noticed about the Z-Stars was that they have a nice and soft feel, but still feel powerful off the face on longer shots. They feel like a step above in quality than you might expect for the price, which is a fair bit cheaper than your Pro V1s and TP5s, and that could be largely thanks to the new Spin Skin+ coating, which added a reassuring, grippy feel during short game testing.
We experienced consistent spin rates and a mid-ball flight during testing, and they performed well over the course of a few rounds when it came to durability and short-game touch. Overall, we believe the Z-stars punched above their price point and represent a great option for faster swingers looking to add quality to their set-up without having to pay top dollar.
Buy now £46.95, Amazon
Seed SD-01
Best for: direct-to-consumer ball
Hipsters, take note – if you’re looking for something a little different, while still offering top performance and excellent durability, Seed is one of the most exciting new brands in the direct-to-consumer golf sector.
First launched in 2015 and based out of Ireland, Seed is focused on bringing top-end products without the hefty price tags. The brand operates without the usual retailer margins and doesn’t spend the same kinds of sums on R&D, meaning it can pass savings onto its customers.
We tried out the SD-01, dubbed “the Pro One”, and we were very, very impressed with the performance. Straight from the packet, the three-piece construction ball with a quality-feeling urethane cover felt like it could hold its own with the big brands, and the numbers on the simulator backed that up. The soft urethane cover offers excellent speed and good durability with excellent levels of performance even compared to the big players.
The Superb premium feeling coating, cool design, knock-down price and a very solid performance in terms of spin and ball speed - what’s not to like?
Buy now £34.03, Amazon
Srixon AD333
Best for: all-round mid-range ball
Again, Srixon delivers when it comes to strong-performing balls at an affordable price.
Many weekend warriors choose to go with the brand’s Distance balls which perform very adequately for the entry-level price, but those looking for a step up in performance and quality should check out the AD333. The two-piece ball is designed to work for a wide range of players and as an all-round ball in the mid-range price bracket, this might be the best option out there.
There was a strong showing when it came to distance off the tee when tested on the simulator, and that translated to the course. The ball offers lower compression rates than most balls thanks to the recently added FastLayer core. We’re also a fan of the simple, but pleasing design, with the bright blue alignment line sitting nicely in front of the club on the greens
It’s soft enough to suit most tastes, but better players might notice a slight reduction in spin rate and response around the green when compared to other more premium options. At £20 per dozen cheaper than top-end balls, though, the AD333 offers excellent value.
Buy now £22.99, American Golf
TaylorMade Distance+
Best for: value distance ball
If you place the most emphasis on short game feel and generating spin, keep scrolling. But, if like most players out there, you like hitting the ball long and you don’t want to pay close to £5 per ball, the impressive Distance+ is a very reliable option.
Given the price and the harder feel of these balls, the Distance+ suffers a little from the usual distance ball issues – i.e. a lack of feel in the short game which will be a problem for some, and a hardness which really takes getting used to when putting. You may find yourself racing a few putts past the hole when first trying them, but it’s a very good option for players looking for affordable balls. They’ll also suit beginners as they’re lower-spinning balls designed to be easier to hit further off the tee, offering a mid-to-high ball flight. The ball is made of two pieces and offers plenty of compression too, which helps with distance off the tee.
The hardness of the cover also helps with durability, which means it’ll take all kinds of punishment over the course of multiple rounds and still be usable. It’s a pretty good-looking ball, too, with a nice cross-shaped alignment marking that allows players to line up both the line of the putt and the straight club face behind it.
Yes, they are a little ‘clicky’ feeling and won’t appeal to everyone, but the length off the tee is impressive for the price and for most club players these balls will do a really solid job for the money.
Buy now £16.99, American Golf
Titleist Velocity
Best for: mid-range low spin ball
The Titleist Pro V1x will suit players who prefer a harder-feeling ball, but not everyone wants to pay top dollar for a box of balls. For the mid-range choice, Velocity is one of the strongest performers. Certainly, if you prioritise distance above all else, and also want affordability and durability, this is a great option.
The performance took us a little by surprise, given the fact that the Velocity is around £20 cheaper than the Pro V1. Distance isn’t everything, of course, but we experienced the most yardage out of all the Titleist balls we tried on the simulator with the Velocity.
Titleist states that the distance is down to the higher-speed LSX core, which offers higher speed, as well as lower spin on tee shots and a higher launch. The latter is certainly true: we noticed straight away on the course that our trajectory was much higher than usual. That, in part, helps combat the reduction in spin normally required to hold greens.
If you feel like mixing it up, the two-piece ball also comes in a number of different colours - white, matt orange, matt green and matt blue. The matt finish might put people off if they’re used to a glossier ball, though.
There’s a tinnier, louder sound off the club face when compared to the Pro V1, as well as more rollout on the greens, as you’d expect from a harder ball. Of course, the reduced control will also be a deal breaker for some players. But what you do get with the Velocity is a very durable ball offering low spin and very impressive distance, plus the assurance of playing a Titleist ball for a reasonable price. This will suit a lot of players down to the ground, and so will the price.
Buy now £26.99, American Golf
Wilson Duo Soft+
Best for: value soft feel ball
Everyone has different priorities when it comes to buying a box of balls and if you’re a slower swinger of the ball looking for one of the most affordable balls around, then the Wilson Duo Soft is a very attractive prospect.
At £14.99 it’s one of the cheapest balls you can buy, and if getting the ball airborne is the number one priority then this is a strong option. The ball offers a pretty high ball flight and low spin, which makes it perfect for players with slower swing speeds.
It’s a two-piece construction rather than a three-piece, which is to be expected at this price, but the Ionomer cover feels a step above others in a similar price bracket, and offered us a nice feel around the greens during testing. It still offered a pleasing feeling off the club face when we tested it, and for the right player who prefers softer golf balls, it’ll be an ideal option.
The Duo Soft is definitely a higher-launching ball, so we’d also recommend this to players who naturally drive the ball with a lower ball flight. We also found ourselves having to hit the ball a little harder than usual to get to the hole when putting, so if you struggle with overhitting the ball with the putter the Duo Soft could work for you. For £14.99, why not give it a try?
Buy now £14.99, American Golf
