Home / Guides
Best golf ball: how to actually pick one
The best golf ball for you depends on your swing speed and how much short-game spin you want, not on weight — every conforming ball sits close to the same regulated weight. The real choice is cover material: a soft hybrid or ionomer 2-piece ball favours distance and forgiveness, a urethane-covered ball favours spin and control.
Golf balls are a rare product where the spec sheet everyone assumes matters — weight — barely varies between models, because the rules of golf cap it. What actually separates one ball from another is construction: a 2-piece ball with an ionomer or hybrid cover is built to fly far and survive mishits, at the cost of feel and greenside spin. A urethane-covered ball spins more and feels softer on and around the green, at the cost of price and durability.
Compression matters more than most players think: a low-compression ball like the Callaway Supersoft compresses even at slower swing speeds, which means a player who doesn't generate much clubhead speed still gets the ball to spring off the face properly — a harder ball at the same swing speed just feels dead and goes shorter.
The TaylorMade Distance+ is the budget-distance case: an ionomer cover and a speed-focused core built for one job — maximum carry with minimal spin, which also means minimal control on approach shots and around the green. It's the right call if you lose balls often or you're new to the game and control isn't your limiting factor yet.
The Titleist Pro V1 sits at the other end: a polyurethane cover and a soft gradient core built for players who already generate enough swing speed that pure distance isn't the problem — the extra spin and softer feel translate into more stopping power on approach shots and more feel on chips and putts, at a materially higher price per ball.
Our picks
01
Callaway Supersoft 2025
- weight
- 0.135 kg (pack)
- material
- Hybrid cover
ballbudget
02
TaylorMade Distance+
- weight
- 0.135 kg (pack)
- material
- Ionomer
ballbudget
03
Titleist Pro V1
- weight
- 0.454 kg (pack)
- material
- Urethane
ballpremium
Price links coming soon — we're setting up Amazon Associates for this store.
FAQ
Does a more expensive golf ball actually go further?
Not necessarily. Distance is driven more by matching compression to your swing speed than by price — a budget 2-piece ball can out-carry a premium tour ball for a slower swing speed. Premium balls win on spin, control and feel, not raw distance for every player.
Should a beginner buy premium golf balls?
No — beginners lose balls at a much higher rate and don't yet have the swing speed or short game to benefit from a urethane ball's extra spin. A budget distance or soft-compression ball gets the same job done for a fraction of the cost while you're still losing several a round.
Why do golf ball weights all look about the same?
The rules of golf (R&A/USGA) cap a conforming ball's weight, so manufacturers build right up to that limit regardless of construction — weight isn't a meaningful way to compare golf balls the way it is for bags or clubs.
Head-to-head
Callaway Supersoft vs Titleist Pro V1
Try the bag finder →Try the ball finder →Bag & gear glossary →How we choose →