While all the talk around golf ball releases is normally centered around the best premium golf balls and in TaylorMade’s case, the new TP5 and TP5x golf balls, the brand has also added a less expensive ball to its line up in the form of the TaylorMade SpeedSoft Ink.
The TaylorMade SpeedSoft Ink is completely new for 2024 and is a low compression golf ball engineered to produce speed off the face while feeling extremely soft. This blend of feel and performance is what leads me to think this will become one of the best golf balls for slow swing speeds for those who are searching for a few extra yards without losing the buttery feel that the best soft feel golf balls provide.
The SpeedSoft Ink golf balls possess a really distinct visual design, with splashes of color splattered on the golf ball the undoubtedly enhances the visibility when searching for your golf ball in the rough. I’m not someone who is a fan of a ‘busy’ looking golf balls like these or the TP5 Pix golf balls but in testing, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t easier to find my ball in the long grass. You could argue this added 'findability' means they will be some of the best balls for beginners and higher handicappers. For those who prefer a classic looking ball, the SpeedSoft range will also be available in all white and yellow, so you can still play the SpeedSoft for its soft feel and distance, without the vibrant colors that feature on the SpeedSoft Ink balls.
After reading the characteristics of this ball on the rear of the box, I gained a good understanding of what I was likely to see when testing them out on the course and needless to say, they performed just as intended. The SpeedSoft Ink golf balls have a compression delta below 50, which is why they feel extremely soft off the face at impact. As someone who typically prefers a more ‘clicky’ feel from the clubface, like you would get from the Titleist Pro V1x, the impact experience of the SpeedSoft Ink wasn't for me but I completely understand why people prefer this over a firmer feeling golf ball. Some of the best distance golf balls have a firmer feel and while the SpeedSoft Ink wasn't the longest ball I have tested, it was no slouch and the soft feeling nature of this ball made it feel slightly spring-like when it came to the driver and irons, which is something those searching for distance and height will love.
While this ball is labelled as a mid-launching golf ball, I would say I saw this ball spin and climb a little higher than I was initially expecting and so this is something to be aware of if you know you typically produce a lot of height naturally. The higher launch and spin did mean I could be more aggressive on the course and attack pins I may not otherwise have gone at, meaning I did actually produce a few more birdies than normal during my testing, despite not being as far down the holes off the tee as I was used to with my gamer.
I would say the TaylorMade SpeedSoft Ink golf balls are comparable to the likes of the Callaway Supersoft and Srixon Soft Feel in terms of both feel and performance, so if you already like these balls but want to add a little color to your game, then these SpeedSoft Ink balls are a great option.
The TaylorMade SpeedSoft Ink Golf ball is now available to buy with an RRP of £26 while the regular white and yellow model SpeedSoft balls will retail at £24.
