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If you’re like me, you probably simply play whatever golf ball you found in the bushes the last time you played. I did that for a while because I thought all balls were the same, but that’s actually not the case at all and could be hurting your game.
If you need to run or don’t care about the details and simply want to know what ball is best for your skill level, check out these:
- Best Golf Balls For Average Golfers(shoot above 90).
- Best Golf Balls For Mid Handicappers(shoot in the 80s).
If you actually like knowing what goes into a golf ball and how things like layers, compression, and spin affect the ball, continue reading. Because each kind of golf ball is created for a certain sort of golfer, we’ll go through what to look for at each level.
What Are The Different Types Of Golf Balls?
The first thing to think about is what kind of ball you should be using. The easiest way to look at this is whether you should be using a 1, 2, 3, 4, or5 piece golf ball.
Golf balls are made with different layers and each has its pros and cons. In general, a ball with amore layers is designed for better players.
The amount of layers on a ball may affect its shot height, distance, spin rates, and how it feels upon contact.
Better golfers will probably want a ball that has a lower ball flight and more spin. Beginners will want a ball that launches high, spins little, and travels as far as possible.
There is quite a bit more that goes into it, but let’s just quickly run through the characteristics of each type of ball and what they’re designed for.
1 piece golf balls:These balls are often manufactured from a single piece of material and are very firm. You’ll pretty much never see these balls on the course or range because they’re primarily used as mini golf balls.
2 piece golf balls:These balls have a huge core and are subsequently coated with a second covering. These balls may be soft or hard, but they are designed for novices and low handicappers. These balls will provide maximum distance, greater forgiving, and higher ball flights. Example:Callaway Supersoft.
RELATED:The Difference Between 2 And 3 Piece Golf Balls
3 piece golf balls:These balls are designed for golfers who want a bit more out of their ball, typically mid to low handicappers. They might be firm or soft, but the key advantage is that they will spin more than two-piece balls. Consider the Titleist Pro V1.
RELATED:The Difference Between 3 And 4 Piece Golf Balls
4 piece golf balls:These balls often have a greater compression rating and are designed for more advanced players.faster swing speeds. Compared to 3 piece balls, these will normally be firmer and will spin more. Consider the Titleist Pro V1x.
5 piece golf balls:These balls are not as popular as the others, but they are also designed for superior players. They’re pretty similar to 4 piece balls, but the additional layer tends to make the ball a bit more “soft” at impact. Taylormade TP5 is an example.
Learn More: Want to know more about each layer and how they can differ? Click here to learn more about thedifferent types of golf ballsare.
What Is Golf Ball Spin?
Ever wonder why your golf ball curves three fairways over? Because the ball is spinning so fast. How about why your ball lands on the front of the green and rolls off? Because the ball did not spin.
The amount of spin your golf ball has is really important, no matter what skill level you are. In general, you’ll want tomore spin as you get betterand less as a beginner.
Your ball can spin from side to side, it can have backspin, and it can also have topspin. Seehow backspin and sidespin affect a golf ball. You can also seewhy your golf ball goes righthere.
SidespinIt may help you pull or fade the ball, but it may also aggravate your slice.Topspincan add fairway roll whilebackspincan help you stop your ball quickly on the green.
When shopping for a golf ball, you should look for two things:
- The amount of driver spin
- The amount of wedge spin
The amount ofdriverspinis critical for both beginners and high handicappers. These golfers often slice and hook the ball around the course. That might be one of the reasons why so many individuals lack distance.
That is why you would desire a golf ball with less driver spin. We did a test to see how they compared, so click here to seedo low spin golf balls go further?
The amount ofwedgespinis critical for advanced players who can spin the ball with their wedges. Average players can’t do this and it’s why they don’t need a ball with high wedge spin (plus, it’s cheaper).
Learn More: Want to know more about golf ball spin and how it impacts your game? Click here to learn more aboutgolf ball spinand how it impacts your game.
What Compression Golf Ball Should You Use?
In the past, one of the most significant factors to consider was the ball’s compression rating. It’s still something you’ll want to look at, but it’s not as important as it used to be.
This simply refers to how much your ball compresses when you strike it. A ball may compress either too little or too much. Having the incorrect ball may be disastrous.hurt your distanceand it can cause the ball tospin off the planet.
A golf ball that compresses excessively will most likely result in less distance. The reason for this is that the ball will be launched too high and will not roll out as much. As you can seedo high or low compression golf balls go further?
A golf ball that doesn’t compress enough will also result in low shots that get no distance. The main disadvantage is that you’ll receive a lot of spin off the tee. The banana slice has arrived.
As a general rule,The more compression you desire, the quicker you swing the club.. That being said, if you swing the club 110 MPH but don’t make solid contact, it doesn’t exactly matter then.
If you’re someone who has aslow swing speed(less than 85 MPH), you should choose a low compression golf ball. Anything with a compression rating of less than 70 should be OK. As you can see,best low compression golf ballshere.
If you’re someone who has ahigh swing speed(above 100 MPH), you’ll want a high compression golf ball. Anything with a compression rating of 90 or above should be good.
If you have more of amoderateswingspeed(between 85 and 100 MPH), you’ll be in the center. If you’re at the bottom of the scale, use low to medium compression. If you’re close to the top limit, choose mid compression.
Learn More: Still curious about what compression is right for you or how it fully impacts your game? Find out more by clicking here.what compression golf ball to use?
Should You Use Soft Or Hard Golf Balls?
When it comes to soft and hard golf balls, a lot of people are kind of confused about what they should be using or what the benefits of each are. I’ve heard some folks say one thing and then say something entirely different.
Some individuals believe that soft golf balls spin more on the green than hard golf balls. Some people think that softer balls are better for beginners and firm balls are for better golfers.
This could be true, but it’s not always the case.
Scratch golfers might use a softer ball while some beginners use a firm ball. When you think of a soft golf ball, the “soft” part could mean two different things:
- A soft compression rating
- A soft feel at impact
A ball with asoft compression ratingis intended for those with slower swing speeds. Low compression refers to any ball having a compression level of less than 70. Normally, these balls are designed for beginners, high handicappers, and seniors (it’s not always the case though).
A ball with asoft feel at impactAll skill levels might utilize it. The way the ball feels when you hit it is entirely subjective. There are high compression golf balls with soft covers and low compression golf balls with hard covers.
Distinct cover materials will have different textures and characteristics. If you’re curious, click here to seeurethane vs ionomer vs Surlyngolf ball covers.
Learn More: Still unsure about which option is best for you? Click here to find out should you usesoft or hard golf balls?
What Is The Easiest Golf Ball Color To See?
If you’re not always landing the ball on the fairway, or if you’re having difficulties seeing the ball in the air, you might think about altering the color of your ball.
I’ve always used white balls, although they may be difficult to see at times. I wanted to do a little test to see if colored balls actually made a difference.
I was curious to see which color stood out the most in three distinct scenarios:
- When the ball was in the air
- When the ball was in the fairway at a distance
- When the ball was in the rough
Long story short, ared or orange ball was the easiest to seeMost of the time. If you have trouble seeing a white ball, maybe you should give it a try.
How Much You Should Spend On A Golf Ball?
As a general rule, if you have a low handicap, you should only purchase quality golf balls. Beginners and high handicaps lose a lot of balls, and that’s why cheaper golf balls are the best choice.
Golf balls are priced differently since they are all constructed differently. The more features a ball has the more expensive it’ll be.
As a beginner and high handicapper, you won’t be good enough to benefit from all the features (plus, you’ll lose a lot). That is why you should get a low-cost golf ball. A few of dollars or less each ball.
As you start getting better (mid handicap) and want a ball that spins a bit more, you’ll then want to upgrade to a higher-end ball. This is not a high-end ball (Pro V1). A ball costs between $2 and $4.
The only time I’d recommend spending $5+ per ball is when you’re shooting in the 70s. If you aren’t, there isn’t much use in doing so.
RELATED:Cheap vs Expensive Golf Ball Test
Best Golf Ball For You
Now that you know what to look for in a golf ball, the next step is to choose one to play with. It’s pretty simple to find the specs of each ball, all you have to do is check the company website or you can read ourgolf ball information chart.
I’ve tried pretty much every ball on the market and have picked a few that I think would be the best options for each type of golfer. Everyone will vary significantly, but it will provide you with a solid starting point.
Beginner golferThese golfers consistently lose a large number of balls. As a result, the most significant factor to consider is the pricing. Losing numerous $5 balls every round is probably not going to sit well with most people.
Picking a cheap ball that’s built for distance is another big factor, as well as a ball that flies as straight and as high as possible. Below is a list of golf balls for typical players.
High handicap golfer: These golfers are considered “average” and will still lose a few balls per round (at least) and that’s why the price is still a big thing to consider. At this time, purchasing a more expensive ball will not help you.
Finding additional fairways is one of the simplest methods to decrease your scores as a high handicapper. That’s why I’d choose for a ball that’s incredibly forgiving and produces little spin off the driver. Take a look at our list ofbest golf balls for average golfers.
Mid handicap golferWhen you start becoming better, you’ll undoubtedly desire more from your golf ball. At this point, you’ll probably be able to control the height of your shots and maybe even the shape and amount of wedge spin.
As a result, you should start hunting for a ball with greater spin. You still want a ball that’s low spinning with your driver, but a ball that has decent (not max) short game spin is the way to go. Take a look at our list ofbest golf balls for mid handicappers.
Senior golferThis is where things start to become a little complicated. As a senior player, you may be a scratch golfer or you could score close to 100. One issue that is rather prevalent is a reduction in swing speed.
As a result, you should begin using a ball with a lower compression rating. If you have a large handicap, use a ball with low compression and low spinning. If you have a mid handicap, use a low compression, high spinning ball.
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