Best Golf Balls For Beginners

If you’re still relatively new to golf you may be wondering why there’s such a wide disparity in prices between golf balls. Surely they are all the same? While they may look pretty similar different models of golf balls can perform quite differently and it’s important that you find a ball that suits your own golf game.

It’s also important to think about how much you’re spending on balls. As a beginner player, you are probably losing quite a few every round. Are expensive balls worth the extra money?

Let’s try and answer your questions and help you find the right sort of golf ball to help your game in 2022.

Here is a quick summary of the best models:

Best budget ball: Srixon Soft Feel golf ball

Best direct-to-consumer ball: Vice Drive (5 Dozen)

Best logo ball: Srixon Z-Star

Best for female golfers: Srixon Soft Feel Lady

What Kind of Ball Should You Be Using as a Beginner?

There is no definitive answer as to what kind of golf ball a beginner should be using. Ultimately, it depends on the individual golfer and their swing speed and the type of shots that they hit. It’s also going to depend a lot on what you can afford and how important golf is to you.

Many new golfers opt for a softer golf ball because they have a slower swing speed and they’ve heard that a low compression ball will suit them best. Soft balls will generally spin a little less and that can be good for beginners as they tend to hit shots with lots of hook or slice. Using a softer ball that spins less should straighten out their ball flight somewhat.

Other players opt for the cheapest option they can find. This is understandable as they’re not sure how much money they want to invest in the game until they see whether they enjoy it. It can also be quite painful placing a brand-new Titleist Pro V1 on the tee only to see it go sailing out of bounds along with your four dollars! Do that several times per round and you could be spending almost as much on golf balls as you do on green fees.

Should You Use A Low Or High Compression Ball?

A low compression ball can be a friend to beginners and high handicappers. Firstly many of them will have slower swing speeds and therefore a low compression ball will feel a little softer off the clubface. It is also likely to be a lower spinning ball and therefore should help reduce side spin and therefore any slice or hook.

If you have a high clubhead speed then you might want to look at the higher compression golf balls on the market such as those aimed at tour players. If you are already able to keep the ball in play then you might want to take advantage of the extra spin and distance that these sorts of balls will provide.

How Much Effect Does A Golf Ball Have On Your Game?

Your choice of golf ball can have a significant effect on your game:

a low compression ball will probably rob you of distance if you have high clubhead speed.
a ball with high launch characteristics would be a poor choice if you already hit a high ball.
a low spin golf ball is not going to help you if you don’t generate a lot of spin already.

Should Beginners Use Hard or Soft Golf Balls?

Golf balls are manufactured to have different hardness levels known as compression ratings. Harder golf balls are designed for more experienced golfers with faster swings. Softer golf balls are usually better for beginners because they usually lack clubhead speed. Low compression golf balls will also tend to spin less so will tend to curve in the air less as well!

If you are just starting out, it is probably best to use a soft golf ball unless you have a fast swing. If you have already learned how to keep the ball in play when you are on the golf course then you can start to look at other factors when choosing your golf ball such as spin, launch and feel.

If you don’t hit the ball very far then you might want to look at two-piece golf balls to help you get the maximum distance through the bag.

Do Golf Balls Matter For Beginners

The golf ball is arguably your most important piece of golf equipment since you use it on every shot. While some argue that the choice of ball doesn’t matter that much for a beginner I think that anyone who takes their golf even remotely seriously should be paying some attention to the type of ball they play.

Some golf balls are designed for beginners, while others are designed for more experienced players.

Beginner golf balls are likely to be two-piece balls designed to achieve maximum distance. They may also be designed to launch higher to help novices get the ball into the air more easily. In the past distance balls tended to be very hard and were often known as “rocks”. These days it’s possible to find lots of two-piece models that still feel soft off the face.

You can ask your local PGA golf pro for advice on which is the best option for beginners.

Are Premium Golf Balls Worth It?

Are premium golf balls worth it? This is a question asked by many golfers. There is no simple answer. It depends on a number of factors, including your skill level, how often you play, what you can afford and what you are looking for in a ball.

If you’ve recently started playing golf or you don’t play too often, then a cheaper ball might be a better option for you. However, a more experienced golfer who plays often would probably prefer a more expensive ball. Ultimately, it is up to each individual golfer to decide what is best for them based on their game and budget.

If you are losing 6 balls per round then you may not want to splash out Titleist Pro V1 golf balls at $45 per dozen!

Are Used Golf Balls Worth It?

Tour-quality golf balls can be quite expensive so it might be tempting to buy refinished or lake balls instead even if you prefer premium models.

Refinished balls are probably best avoided as their quality can be a bit variable.

Used or lake balls on the other hand are a more tempting proposition. The performance of the ball may have degraded slightly compared with when it was new but for the majority of golfers it may not be noticeable.

The bigger problem with lake balls is that they may not be that much cheaper especially if you are buying the premium grade balls.

Ideally you want to stick to using the same model of ball all the time so you can get used to the way it performs with your golf swing. Lake balls could be a way to do that when playing casual golf and allow you to save your new balls for competitive rounds.

Should Beginners Use Logo Balls?

If you prefer using new balls but want to save some money then logo overrun golf balls might be the best option for you. It can be more difficult to find the exact model of ball that you want but you will be getting brand new balls for around 25% less than the new price. If you like a popular ball then chances are you’ll be able to find someone selling logo overrun versions of it.

You’ll also have the added advantage of not needing to add any identifying marks to the ball as the logo printed on it will do that.

Top Picks For Beginners Golf Balls

There are a few things to consider when purchasing golf balls for beginners.

Price is likely to be uppermost in the mind of beginners as they don’t know how long they will commit to the game.

Getting as much distance as possible is another thing that most beginners are looking for so a distance golf ball is a good candidate.

Around the green performance is also important along with feel.

Some players may also need a ball that flies higher or lower depending on their swing. Others may want a ball that is available in high visibility colors to make it easier to spot.

Lets start with some budget balls:

Callaway Supersoft

A beginner golfer will likely have a slower swing speed and need a softer golf ball to get the same feel as a more experienced golfer. The Callaway Supersoft golf ball is a great choice for a soft feel golf ball that will still perform well around the greens.

It is designed for high launch and low spin which should help creating distance even for slower swingers. The low spin should also help keep your errant shots a little straighter.

A great choice for golfers on a budget you can also pick up an oversize version called the Supersoft Magna which should give beginners a little more confidence.

Srixon Soft Feel

This ball has stood the test of time as it is now in it’s 12th iteration. As the name suggests its quite a soft feeling ball but in testing by Srixon beat several of its competitors in a driving test.

It is a two-piece ball with an ionomer cover so you won’t be able to get the reaction on the green that you would with a premium ball but then you aren’t going to be paying premium prices.

Available in a number of colors even those whose eyesight is on the wane should be able to follow the flight of these. I particular like the orange variant.

Ladies that have taken up the game might want to experiment with the Soft Feel Lady ball which has been engineered to produce a higher flight to help them keep the ball airborne longer.

Titleist Velocity

The Titleist Velocity golf ball is among the cheapest in the Titleist range. It is a 2-layer construction ball engineered for longer distance due to its high speed LSX Core that should give you higher ball speed. Reduced long game spin and a high flight should help to maximize distance.

You can pick this ball up in a range of matte finishes as well as the more traditional white.

Vice Drive

If you like this ball from one of the new direct-to-consumer ball manufacturers, Vice Golf, then you can get them for just over $1 a ball if you buy 5 dozen! You can’t say fairer than that.

This is a 2-piece ball with a Surlyn cover that should suit players with lower swing speeds so should be ideal for beginners. Low-compression for soft feel and has a tough, cut-resistant cover for durability.

Most beginners are going to be better off sticking with two-piece golf balls but for those of you who would prefer a premium ball then you can still save some money with the following two options:

Srixon Z-Star logo overruns

The Z-Star is a tour-quality ball so is probably not best suited to the majority of beginners. However, if you have a reasonable clubhead speed and want to use a ball that you can stick with as you improve then the Z-Star could be the right choice particular if you keep your costs down by choosing some logo overruns.

This is a three-piece urethane ball that will spin more than balls typically aimed at beginners. If you already generate a lot of spin (say more than 3500 with your driver) then this is probably not the ball for you.

If you are already fairly good at controlling your ball then this is great choice that won’t break the bank. I’m usually able to source these for a similar price to the likes of premium direct-to-consumer balls.

Snell MTB Black

Dean Snell was involved with ball development at both Titleist and TaylorMade before branching out on his own. His MTB Black ball is going to perform similar to the Pro V1 but at a reduced price.

It is constructed along similar lines with 3 layers and a cast urethane cover to give you excellent control around the greens. Tends to fly a little lower so ideal to control your trajectory if you tend to have a ballooning flight. The compression has been lowered compared to the previous generation.

If you want to play a premium ball but are losing a few per round then switching to this ball could save you a fortune.