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Today we are kicking off a two-part series on helping you find the best golf ball for your game. This week, we will be diving into the best golf ball for beginners or high handicap golfers, and then next week, we’ll take a look at the best golf balls for you lower handicap golfers.
Nearly every piece of golf equipment can be tested and optimized for your game, but the golf ball tends to be a forgotten piece of equipment. Almost 40 percent of the balls purchased today are the cheapest options, or only focus on tee-shot performance. This list is meant to guide your search to the most beneficial golf ball for your personal game. The right golf ball for you is the one that helps ALL of your shots, not just one.
Golf balls are way more complex than you might think. The Dimples help the golf ball fly by helping to create lift, the core drives compression, and the cover can offer durability or greater control.
The main factors to think about when choosing your ball:
- Feel / Sound off the clubface
- Spin
- Distance
If you have the opportunity, you should identify 3 or 4 balls that you think are best suited for your game, take them out on the course with you. Ideally, you will be playing alone and you can hit each golf ball and start to take notes on your phone, or notepad on how the ball feels/sounds off the clubface of the driver, your long irons, short irons, and putter. Keep notes on how these shots are spinning throughout the round: Do they have little spin, or are your fades turning to slices, or draws turning into snap hooks? Finally, you should also start to understand which ball is traveling the furthest of the options you are playing with.
As a newer golfer or someone who doesn’t play a lot, what you should look for is the following:
-2 or 3 piece golf ball construction
-Low Spin
-Low Compression
Let’s dive into our favorite golf balls for beginners or high handicap golfers for 2020.
The new Callaway Supersoft golf balls are long while providing a straight ball that’s incredibly soft, with an ultra-low compression core for fast ball speeds, and super low spin and low drag. The advanced core promotes low spin for a longer, straighter flight on full shots. The new HEX Aerodynamics are optimized for a lower spin rate to reduce drag and enhance lift for increased carry, higher flight, and longer distance. The softer Trionomer cover formulation with a low compression for better feel and greater shot-stopping spin. The Callaway Supersoft comes in at a $23.00 prize point per dozen.
Whether off the tee or around the greens, the new SOFT FEEL lives up to its namesake. You’ll experience a solid yet comfortable impact on every swing, giving you more confidence as you address each shot. With a soft center that gradually transitions to a firm outer edge, the FastLayer Core gives SOFT FEEL incredible softness and great distance off the tee. To get more distance overall and better performance in the wind, The 338 Speed Dimples reduce drag at launch and increase lift during descent. The soft & thin cover provides more greenside spin and softer feel on all pitches, chips, and putts. The Srixon Soft Feel comes in at a $22.00 Price Point per dozen
The Titleist TruFeel is the softest Titleist golf ball with low spin for long distance along with excellent control into and around the green. If you prioritize soft feel above all, and still want the unmatched quality and performance of a Titleist golf ball, you will love the all new TruFeel. As everyone wants more confidence around the green, the proprietary TruFlex cover is designed for excellent control on your short shots. The ball has enhanced the aerodynamics to maximize flight, so you can experience more distance where your game needs it most. The Titleist TruFeel comes in at a $24 price point.
The new Project (a) features a three-layer design that incorporates a new Dual-Distance core and a new 322 seamless dimple pattern, which combines to increase driver and long iron distance while maintaining excellent greenside control and feel. The new Project (a)’s dual-core design consists of a larger, softer inner core, which scrubs off unwanted spin while providing a great feel. The stiffer outer core allows for increased rebound and velocity. In addition to reducing driver and long iron spin, the stiffer outer core also aids in pinching the soft cast urethane cover between the clubface, creating more greenside spin. At $30.00 price point per dozen, this is the most expensive ball on our list, yet still very affordable.
The Golf Digest Hot List GOLD MEDAL Award Winner! Get Sum is a high-performance 2-pc golf ball that offers excellent feel and control. The core is a large, soft low compression core that allows for the ball to have very low spin rates which increase distance and creates fewer hooks and slices. The cover is a thin, soft Surlyn® that contributes to the soft feel of the ball. This core cover combination has been designed to help golfers get the ball in the air easier, and reduced spin rates for straighter shots from tee to green. All with fast ball speeds for any swing speed, and exceptional soft feel and control. The Snell ball comes in at $21.00 prize point per dozen.
The vice tour is a 3-Piece ball Construction with Soft Energy Speed Core (ESC) for extra distance and smooth feel at impact. The ball features Enhanced DuPont™ Surlyn© grade composition for minimized driver spin off the tee. With 392 aerodynamic dimples designed for high ball flight and stability.
The ball offers great distance off the tee and low spin to keep your ball straight. The Vice tour also provides amazing feel off the clubface and control around the green. Finally, the cover is extremely durable and cut resistant. The Vice Tour comes in at $16.00 prize point per dozen
What’s your favorite golf ball brand and why? We would love to hear from you in the comments below. If you are a lower handicap, check out Part 2 of this series which will go into depth on the best golf balls for your game.