If you’ve spent any time on a golf course, sometimes it can feel as if the ball is your greatest enemy. You have a perfect swing and it still manages to hook, or the ideal putt circles the hole and somehow doesn’t go in- and kills your chance for par… Yes, we’re familiar with those feelings. Having a good relationship with your golf ball is crucial, and having the best golf balls for you is the only way that can happen.
There are quite a few different kinds of golf balls out there, with new technology being developed all the time to help improve various attributes like distance, or accuracy. Looking at the pricier golf balls can be intimidating (especially if your accuracy is the thing that worries you most). Why spend the money, if it’s not clear what makes them so great? Aside from the shiny box, there is a science behind the best golf balls, and a high price isn’t always a necessary factor.
Comparison Chart: 20 Best Golf Balls
| Image | Ball | Material | Purpose | Cost | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Nitro Used | Varied | Practice |  |  |
 | Nike Mix AAAA | Varied | Practice | | |
 | Wilson Titanium | Surlyn | Beginners | | |
 | Nike Golf PD | Ionomer | Beginners | | |
 | TaylorMade Burner | Iothane | Amateurs | | |
 | Precept Laddie X | Ionomer | Amateurs | | |
 | Titleist Pro V1 | Urethane | Advanced Play | | |
 | Titleist Velocity High | Ionomer | Slow Swing Speeds | | |
 | Srixon Z-Star XV 2016 | Spinkskin | Slow Swing Speeds | | |
 | Callaway Supersoft | Surlyn | Soft Golf Balls | | |
 | Callaway 2015 Warbird | Surlyn | Speed | | |
 | Bridgestone 2017 E6 | Surlyn | Speed | | |
 | Nike 20XI X | Hard Shell | Speed & Distance | | |
 | Volvik Crystal | Surlyn Crystalline | Distance | | |
 | Callaway CXR Power | Ionomer | Distance | | |
 | Titleist NXT Tour | Fusablend | Distance | | |
 | Callaway HexBite | Ionomer | Distance | | |
 | Srixon Soft Feel Women’s 2016 Golf Ball | Ionomer | Women’s Control | | |
 | Bridgestone 2017 Lady Precept Golf Balls | Ionomer | Women’s Distance | | |
 | Callaway Solaire Womens Golf Balls | Soft Ionomer | Women’s Distance | | |
 | Nike Golf PD9 Women’s Golf Balls | Surlyn | Women’s Speed | | |
20 Best Golf Balls
Enough with the coaching. We only choose the best of the best at Shelf. You can’t go wrong with anything from our golf ball comparison list. Take a gander of our top rated golf balls and hopefully some of them will be making their way to you soon.
1. Nitro Golf Ball Practice Bag
Best Practice Golf Balls
- Recycled Golf Balls
- No Guilt in Losing Them
- Occasional diamonds in the rough
If you’re looking to take some balls to a private range (or rage hit some off into a deserted field somewhere) this is the best deal for you. You get 96 balls for under $30. Some of these balls used to be Grade AA, but have seen better days and are now here for your use to improve your driving abilities. No need to be worried about hitting a $5 ball into a water hazard with this bag of goodies.
2. Nike Mix AAAA Golf Balls
Best Recycled Golf Balls
- Variety of Nike Golf Balls
- Show Little or No Wear
- Try Them Out Used Before You Buy Them Full Price
Imagine getting all of the best Nike golf balls in one set at a fraction of the cost. For under $25 you can acquire a variety of Nike golf ball models that have been used and repackaged for your experience. Purchasing these practice golf balls will help you try out different styles at a great price. Make note of which ones you like for future buying decisions. You’ll probably find one of the best golf ball for the money in this bag!
3. Wilson Titanium Ball
Best Golf Balls for Beginners
- Titanium Core
- Surlyn Exterior
- Energy Transfer Provides Distance
- Long Lasting
- Affordable
Wilson Titanium Golf Balls easily have the best golf ball ratings for beginners among the competition. Constructed with a titanium core and Surlyn shell, these balls are ready to go far for you. They are also some of the best golf balls for the money because of how affordable they are. As a beginner, that’s always something to keep in mind. An expensive ball does you no good when it’s lost in the wood somewhere. If you’re looking for what kind of golf ball is durable and less expensive, this is the one for you.
4. Nike Golf PD Long Power Distance Golf Balls
- Incomer Cover
- 2-Piece Ball
Out of all of the Nike golf ball reviews we completed, this one is the simplest. The PD Long are made with a high-velocity core that helps launch it down the fairway. There are 314 dimples that attribute to the aerodynamics that make it a great golf ball for beginners.
5. Volvik Crystal Golf Balls
Best Golf Balls for Distance
- Patented Dual Core
- Surlyn Crystalline Cover
- Soft Outer, Hard Inner
- Bright Colors for Easy Identification
The Volvik Crystal Golf Balls are the first golf ball to have a patented dual core. With a soft outer layer, they have the compression control of a performance ball. Partnered with a hard outer layer and a Surlyn coating, these balls also have the ability to absorb your inertia and gain quite a lot of distance. They are extremely durable, and available in many different colors so that no matter where you hit them they will be easy to spot.
6. Callaway CXR Power Golf Balls
- Ionomer Cover
- Achieve Distance off the Tee
- Eliminate Slicing and Hooks
Another Callaway ball makes our best golf balls list because everyone needs a good ball for long drives. If you don’t have this yet, look no further than the Callaway CXR Power golf ball. A durable Ionomer cover with an aerodynamic dimple pattern brings not only distance, but also consistent trajectory. It contains a 73 compression core formulated to lower the spin off on the tee. What does this do? Well it helps reduce the number of hooks and slices you experience on your drives. Any golfer knows that reducing your hook/slice is the same thing as lowering your score and blood pressure at the same time.
7. TaylorMade Burner Golf Balls
Best Golf Balls for Amateurs
- Low Drag Aerodynamics
- Iothane shell
- Improves Distance and control
What if we told you that golf balls can be made to defy your mis-hits? TaylorMade Burner Golf balls are made to go farther even when you hit the ball with the top most part of your golf club. With how soft the ball is, it allows a lot of control for the casual golfer that plays with a slight handicap. It’s definitely one of the best golf balls for the money as well.
8. Precept Laddie X Golf Balls
- Ionomer Cover
- High Launch, Low Spin
- Simple Two Piece Design
Surprisingly, this is a top rated golf ball and is still made with a simplistic 2-piece design. Overall these are a great middle of the line ball for amateur golfers. The Value Pack is a great way to stock up at an affordable cost and avoid the stress of losing a few balls here and there. We also would recommend this as the best golf ball for seniors because they go far with less power.
9. Titleist Velocity High Golf Balls
Best Golf Ball for Slow Swing Speed
- LSX Core
- Trajectory Control
- Consistent Ball Flight
These Titleist Velocity golf balls are made for deep, downrange trajectory will help you get the best spot backed by the best distance. These are all high ball numbers, and while made for high velocity they are still comfortable enough for your short game. Overall these are great balls that you’ll definitely want to invest in and keep track of.
10. Srixon Z-Star XV 2016 Golf Balls
- Second Generation Spinskin
- 324 Speed Dimple Pattern
- Dual Core for Spin and Trajectory
This another one of the best golf ball for slow swing speeds. Spin golf balls are made with a special exterior that enhances the spin on balls to increase distance on your drives. It leads to better roll distance as well as trajectory. If you are a target player, this is the best golf ball for you.
11. Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls
Best Soft Golf Balls
- Surlyn Coated
- Low Compression Reduces Spin
- Straight Ball Flight
This is the lowest compression ball that Callaway makes, and it’s also the softest ball on the market. The Low spin is a result of the compression, and helps straight ball flight. The only downside is that these balls are slightly harder to control, but the price makes them worth it.
12. Callaway 2015 Warbird Golf Balls
Best Golf Ball for Speed
- Large Core
- Thin Surface
- HEX Aerodynamics
The Warbird Golf Ball by Callaway is made with a larger, softer core and a thin outer surface that helps increase speed and feel simultaneously. The HEX Aerodynamics is the trademark dimple surface of many of Callaways golf balls that help lift and distance. All of this is why we consider this the best golf ball for speed.
13. Bridgestone Golf e6 Golf Balls
- Surlyn
- 326 web dimple pattern
- 3-piece cover plus core
- Professional Balls
Can there be balls that are credited with straight and long shots? If there can be, it would be these Bridgestone Golf e6 editions golf balls. It’s a 12 pack for a decent price, and Bridgestone has made a dimple surface without flaws that help to create a seamless hit.
14. Nike 20XI X Golf Balls
- Tour level performance
- New Resin Core
- Distance and Control
These tour level performance Nike golf balls deliver some of the best control off of the tee. They allow some of the highest speed too. Nike consistently makes some of the best golf equipment, and we would say this is the best Nike golf ball so far.
15. Titleist NXT Tour Golf Balls
Best Golf Balls for Control
- Fusablend Cover
- 66% Larger Dual Core to Lower Spin
- Control you Long and Short Game
This is the combination of distance and control for both your long and short games. The durability of this Titleiest ball brings a low spin to your long game, and deep trajectory off the tee. The soft feel also will help your short game by adding control, and less roll to your short shots and chips.
16. Callaway Hex Bite Golf Balls
- Ionomer Cover
- Tri-Layered Construction
- Soft Grabbing Green Cover
The Callaway Hex Bite golf ball is another great ball that delivers straight shots and drives. Callaway has updated the cover of this ball to allow control on the greens as well, which is a huge improvement to this distance ball. This is a multi-layered ball with an inner and outer mantle that increase speed.
Best Golf Balls For Women
While most of the golf balls featured in our golf ball reviews section will work for women, there are a few that rise above the competition as the best golf balls for women. We’ve picked out just a few of them- and yes, they do come in other colors besides pink. What matters the most for ladies golf balls is how soft the cover and core are. Check them out and see which of the best golf balls for ladies, is best for you.
17. Srixon Soft Feel Women’s 2016 Golf Ball
- Ionomer
- Gradient Core at 60 Compression
- Low Spin and High Launch
These women’s golf balls from Srixon contain a core at 60 Compression, that’s quite a significant drop from the typical soft ball, which is usually rated at around 70. This softer feel doesn’t sacrifice the ability to launch this ball off the tee. A lot of thought went into making this one of the softest balls available. It has one of the thinnest covers we’ve come across and combined with superior dimple coverage makes this a highly aerodynamic option.
18. Bridgestone Lady Precept Golf Balls
- 2 Piece Ionomer Cover
- Soft Core
- Improved Distance and Launch Height
Bridgestone boasts this particular ball as the “softest ladies specific ball on the market” due to it’s multilayered soft ionomer cover and gradational core. This is easily one of the best golf balls for women because of that, and also due to the seamless dimple design, which increases distance. It’s optimized to give you great performance off the tee with any driver, giving you improved distance and launch.
19. Callaway Solaire Womens Golf Balls
- Low Compression Core
- Accuracy and Distance
- Best Golf Balls for Seniors
The Solaire model golf ball by Callaway is easily one of the best golf balls for women die to it’s extra soft and resilient nature. It’s going to give even the newest golfer better accuracy and control. While it’s only a two piece ball, the technology put into the cover is more than enough to make get this top notch ball onto our list. We could also label this as one of the best golf balls for seniors because of the kind of control it offers. Even those with less power will achieve good distance with this golf ball.
20. Nike Golf PD9 Women’s Golf Balls
- 2-Piece Ball
- High Launch and Lift
- Soft Ionomer Cover
This is another 2-piece ball that makes our list of best womens golf balls, this time from Nike Golf. It’s has a soft feel off of all clubs, giving you control at the tee, and on the green. With a low compression core and softened ionomer cover it will deliver for you on any course. Get it while you st
What Is the Best Golf Ball?
Here at Shelf we want to make sure everyone can come here to make a great purchase decision. In order to do that, you need information about what makes the best golf balls, well, the best. We have all of that and more information for you. The best golf balls for beginners, amateurs, golf ball comparisons, golf ball ratings, and much more is all here in one place for you. So what are the best golf balls for you? Navigate through the construction of top rated golf balls, how they help your game, and which best fit your individual needs here in our golf ball reviews section.
Golf Ball Materials
Golf balls are coated with a variety of materials- each with a different purpose, and formed with a dimpled surface. Surlyn is the first, and is a synthetic resin that is extremely durable and harder shell. It helps to boost distance on shots, and spin of the ball. However, it doesn’t provide as much control as is preferred in the modern game.
The second common material used is urethane, which has a much softer feel and helps with control and feel. It is a more expensive material so is commonly used on higher end golf balls. The downside to urethane is that it is not quite as durable.
You might be familiar with the word ‘balata‘ it is the original soft material that was used on the exterior of golf balls. It is a natural rubber but was abandoned when Surlyn was discovered, especially after softer synthetics were added to make it more flexible.
The dimples on the exterior ball also a serve a purpose, as they help reduce drag on the ball as it soars through the air. The size and shallowness of the dimples also impact the flight.
Golf Ball Design
Cheap balls, such as the ones found at your local driving range, are likely filled with the same material (surlyn) inside as they are outside. Cheaper construction makes them more disposable, but also gives them about 80% power. However, the best golf balls will be multi-layered, meaning they have a core that is often made from a kind of synthetic rubber or resin. Liquid cores were also used for a long time but are no longer a key material. This core is then wrapped in two or more layers before the coating is put on.
Picture the Earth for example. It is comprised of the Core, the Mantle and the Crust. The center of the golf ball is the core, and in the old days, there was no mantle. Now there can be up to three mantles before the crust on the nicest balls to allow for more control. The thickness and the material that the mantle is made out of determines the playability of the golf ball.
There are still two-layer golf balls out there, and they are intended to allow for more distance and less curve. The best golf balls for beginners will depend on what you’re struggling with. Choose based on what your still need to work on- often that is going to be control.
Golf Balls: Why the Variations?
All of this information might seem overwhelming, or even that it isn’t necessary to know before you make your purchase. However, it’s important to remember that not all golf balls are created equally. If you’re looking to improve the consistency of your game, then using the same golf balls for the same purposes can be key.
Because of the variation in how the best rated golf balls are made and constructed, there is quite the range in pricing, lifetime, and quality. Understanding that the difference in quality is more than just the shiny packaging we aforementioned is crucial. The ball does matter. The quality does matter. And we can’t emphasize enough, that having the right ball for you is what matters most.
Types of Golf Balls
Getting a certain kind of ball can help you to improve one or more parts of your game. Read through our list of the different types of golf balls, and see which category of ball best fits what you’re looking for. After that you’ll get to our reviews.
- Practice and Recycled Golf Balls
Practice Golf Balls and Recycled Golf Balls are a great way to keep your game sustainable. They are a cheap option for practice drives on a tough course, or for putting and chipping practice.
- Golf Balls for Beginners
Golf balls for beginners are typically a bit softer, and offer more control on drives, since that’s usually the place that beginners struggle with accuracy.
- Golf Balls for Amateurs
If you spend more time on the game, it’s time to spend a bit more on a ball that gives you a combination of distance, accuracy, and most importantly- control. A multi-layered cover on a golf ball would be a feature to look for. Golf balls for amateurs will be what you want for tournament play.
- Longest Distance Golf Ball
Look for a ball that has a slightly soft outer cover, and lower compression core as well. Typically a good distance golf ball is going to have a multi-layered design, and hex technology that allows for peak aerodynamics.
- Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speeds
If you have a slower swing speed, you’ll need more distance, and better trajectory.
- Soft Golf Balls
Soft golf balls are easier to hit and control, and they will help lower power golfers get some distance. Soft golf balls are some of the best golf balls for seniors because of the distance and control they offer.
- Golf Balls for Speed
A golf ball with a larger core and a thinner cover is going to help you achieve speed. This can help you stay straight on longer hits.
- Golf Balls for Control
The cover material make a big impact on control. Balls that offer control off the tee and on the greens are the best option if this is what you’re needing to improve.
- Women’s Golf Balls
The best golf ball for women is a softer ball that will get distance with less power. Softer balls are also easier for golfers to control. If you’re looking to improve a different part of your game, any other of our mentioned types of balls are made for men and women golfers.