What Golf Ball Should You Play? | Choosing The Right Golf Ball

One of the most important discussions 2nd Swing club fitters have in fittings is about the golf ball. Too often, our fitters discover that golfers are playing a different golf ball every time they play golf. Dialing in the correct golf ball for your game is very important to create consistency and shoot lower scores.

In this video, 2nd Swing master fitters Larry Bobka and Danny Ferrell discuss the process of choosing the right golf ball and the importance of playing the same golf ball every time. If you've ever wondered about what golf ball you should play, this video is a good starting point.

[jaywalk]

I played with a really terrible golfer a couple of years back. He shot about 110, but he used prov1 balls. He said he wanted the spin and feel they gave him! I thought to myself, why do you say that? You clearly lack the skill to gain any benefit from that ball over any other ball! But that's when it struck me that as a consistent 10 handicaper i was exactly the same as him! I paid for premium balls but a scratch player would look at me and think "why does he bother paying for them when he plays off 10?".

So i swapped to the cheapest balls i could get, and for the past 2 years my golf has remained much the same, i've dropped a shot down to 9, but in all honesty it has made virtually no difference! Play the ball you want, but understand that the ball is a tiny fraction of 1% of what makes up your game. IMHO no one should pay for a premium ball unless they are at least a 5 handicap or lower AND is playing genuinelly competative golf and trying to be all you can be. Otherwise it is a total waste of money. But hey, thats just my opinion.

[jcstreck]

Would love to have had you guys explain the difference in a soft core, hard exterior ball verses a hard core, softer exterior ball. It’s amazing how different those designs are. Plus it can help people narrow down their search by eliminating one group or another.

[raymondbillups]

I’m a rookie! I have been playing with the reused 24 pack at Academy. It definitely makes sense to pick a ball and stick with it.

[royahoy]

I've been playing whatever I find in the woods for 20 years and I hate to say it but they all perform the same for this 6 handicapper.

[motavice]

My ball of choice is kirkland signature golf balls. It's $22 for 24 balls. 91.6 cents per ball. I get a ton of the same ball and have tons of mixes of number 1-3 if i play with others that need a ball. I like that it takes out the inconsistencies.

[stephendibari]

Excellent video. I drove nearly 2 hours to your DE location this past spring to get custom fit for irons and a driver shaft. Best experience ever. Tom H. Was awesome. Went back a month later to check on everything.

After playing Snell MTB-X for a few years, i Went with 2021 ProV1 during my fitting and it was the best fit for me. Driver SS is about 96-99 mph, lost a little SS after my shoulder surgery in December 2019

[ryandavidtrapasso]

What a great entertaining and informative duo of master fitters! I’ve been ProV1X for three years but am trying out Chrome Soft and AVX for a little more distance — I’ll add Tour Speed to the list

[golfhound]

I've been playing golf ever since 1968. I've played at the pro level. So I'm going to add my opinion. I'm going to refer to normal golfers, not those with medical handicaps, etc. If you are playing over a 15 handicap, then you don't have the playing skills, control or feel to make good use of the high end ball such as a Pro-V1 or TP5. Save your money and stick with the likes of Bridgestone Precept Laddies and Callaway Supersoft. They are cheap and provide some feel. If you play between 14 and 9, you can afford to be more picky. Use a ball that has a compression compatible with you swing speed. You can also be picky about the softness of the outer layer, 2 piece, 3 piece ball etc. If you play in single digits, I recommend you buy the highest quality balls on the market that will best suit your game. The only way to determine that is by trial and error. Also, take geography into consideration. Are you playing hardpan courses like in Texas? Or are you playing up north on soft bent greens. Are you playing in windy conditions all the time or hardly any. ie. a high trajectory ball or a low screamer. Are the greens on your home course soft or rock hard? ie. rock hard greens might require a soft cover ball in order to have good spin control. Soft greens where you are repairing deep pitch marks might allow you to get away with a harder skinned ball - Srixon Q Star vs Q Star tour or Pro-V1x vs Pro-V1. cold winter conditions require a softer lower compression ball. So have a winter ball and a summer ball. It's best to consult a PGA Pro on your game. Basically, it'll come down to trial and error with what works best for you on your course. Keep a notebook and write notes on which ball you used on which course, pluses and minuses.

[chadode]

Very informative! Would be really cool to see someone get fit on one of you vids. Wish there was a 2nd swing golf near me.

[TrumpKentucky]

Not only one brand but one model within that brand. 👍🏼🇺🇸
I currently have narrowed it down to 6 different balls that I am currently working through to decide which I will choose. Once my on course testing is done, I will choose one of them to be my ball of choice. I can play any of them however as they are all similar.

[donb]

A golf ball to reduce my score from 82 to 78? I want one to reduce my score from 120 to 105!

[stevenhaynes]

I’ve used Maxfli since the old Blue Dot days. At that time I tried different balls, some were like hitting rocks, while others were like hitting marshmallows. Maxfli felt just right. Feel was the deciding factor.

[nwsausuke]

When golf ball providers talk about ideal swing speeds for golf balls, are they talking specifically driver swing speed or general swing speed for the entire bag?

I tend to swing 88-92 mph for my irons, but my driver swing speeds are around 108-116 consistently.

Which type of golf ball should I be leaning towards if say my preference is a Bridgestone?

[josephwirtz]

Ha! I was watching your Titleist ball video from this March when this posted!

[rader]

By chance, might you have a video comparing the top five balls in the different categories?

I was hitting the Callaway Supersoft, TaylorMade Soft Response, or Srixon Soft Feel as I thought I had a slow swing speed (70mph 7i). I just got fitted and learned I was over-compressing the Supersoft with my driver and likely not holding greens with my irons due to the low spin of those balls. The “doctor” prescribed the Bridgestone Tour B RSX. After a couple hours of searching for similar balls, I now know (quite by chance) the Titleist Tour Speed is in the same category. What would be the comparable Callaway, TaylorMade, and Srixon models?

Lesson learned: Unless you get on a launch monitor, you really don’t know your swing speed or the right ball for your game. If your 7i carry distance is 140 yards, but total distance is 160, it very well might be the ball!

[davidrosenfeld]

I understand the importance of spin in the short game. But to me, the main reason to get fitted for/find the right ball is the driver. It is only with the right ball that you will be able to max out your driver and give yourself the shorter shots into greens that can lead to lower scores.

[kimmorrison]

and what does a ball fitting cost exactly and how long does it take? I keep the high end balls I find and donate the cheaper ones to the next guy on the tee box.

[freddywong]

I am in between TP5 and Tour Response. I choose TR because of price differences.

[ChrisEckes]

Nice video guys. What do you think about different vintages of the same ball? For example, is it good enough to play Pro V1's, or should I make sure I'm playing just the 2019 version of the Pro V1 (or whatever version is newest / I have available)?

[APP]

What’s a good ball for a high handicap with a swing speed over 105mph?