Titleist proV1

Best Golf Balls 2021: How to Choose the Best Golf Ball for Your Game

Trying to find the best golf balls for your game can be a nightmare. There are hundreds of golf ball reviews out there that all say different things, and let’s face it, for most golfers you can barely tell the difference between a ProV1 and a Top Flite.

Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s true that choosing a golf ball can be a bit of a shot in the dark for most people.

The goal of this post is to help take some of the mystery out of finding the right golf ball, and to help you find the best ball for your skill level, swing style, and budget.

Best Golf Balls: What to Look For?

We’ll start out by saying that there’s no such thing as a “best golf ball”. Because everyone is going to have different needs and preferences.

The best ball for a 70 year old senior is obviously going to be different than the best golf ball for a scratch golfer, or a beginner.

And do you really need to spend $50 or more on a box of golf balls??

Probably not.

When choosing the best golf ball, we recommend you look at two different things:

  • Skill Level/Swing Speed
  • Budget

Why are these important?

Because if you don’t take those into consideration when choosing the best golf ball for your game, you could be leaving a lot on the table.

Golf is hard enough, your golf ball shouldn’t make it more difficult on you.

#1) How to Choose a Golf Ball for Your Swing Speed and Skill Level

Generally higher handicap and beginning golfers are going to want a two-piece golf ball. This is going to have a larger core which will help maximize distance and reduce spin.

Reducing spin is key, because let’s say you’re like most high handicappers and tend to have a big slice or hook – well the more spin the ball has, the more movement it’s going to have laterally, making it more likely to send the ball out of bounds.

Better golfers are going to want a multi-layer ball which will help give you better feel, and the thinner exterior will help give you more spin – but also reduce durability in the process.

Low compression balls will add distance for slower swing speeds, while high compression balls will enhance feel and control for better golfers.

#2) What’s Your Budget?

Let’s face it, golf is an expensive sport – and it can be even more expensive if you’re losing two sleeves of balls every time you play. And it’s not like we’re all rolling in money – so finding a ball that fits your wallet, is just as important as finding one that fits your game.

And if you’re a scratch golfer, but also broke? Just head down to the OB at your local country club and stock up on all those ProV1s lost in the woods 🙂

So with all of that said, what are the best golf balls on the market in 2021?

We’ve broken them down by category to try and help you decide once and for all what the best golf ball is for your game.

The Very Best Golf Ball for Most People: Vice Pro Plus

Vice Pro Plus Golf Balls

In our reviews, we’ve found the Vice Pro Plus to be the best combination of performance and price on the market today. They only sell their balls online and don’t spend a ton of money on marketing, so they’re able to keep the price of their balls lower than all of their major competitors.

In our review we found the ball to perform almost as good as the ProV1, but doing so at up to 50% of the price.

The Vice Golf Ball is perfect for low handicappers on a budget, or for mid handicappers that are looking to move up to a Tour Level ball, without the Tour Level Prices.

The Best Golf Ball if Budget Isn’t a Concern: Titleist ProV1x

Titleist proV1 dozen

Let’s face it, the Titelist ProV1 is the world’s most well-known golf ball for a reason: it’s really, really good. It’s been perfected for years, and there are more tour pros playing ProV1s than any other ball – by a long shot.

But at upwards of $60 a dozen retail? They aren’t cheap.

So if budget isn’t an issue, and you want the ball that 95% of the golfing public truly recognizes as the best? Then buy your Titelist ProV1s or ProV1x’s and never look back – if it’s good enough for the pros, it’s good enough for you.

Best Golf Balls for Beginners: Noodle Golf Balls

Noodle Long and Soft Golf Ball

I’ve gotten a lot of flack from golfing friends for ever playing a Noodle golf ball as a single digit handicap. 

But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Like when you head down to TPC Sawgrass and your too cheap to pay the ridiculous prices on golf balls they charge – so you buy a box of Noodles.

And then surprisingly, actually enjoy them!

After multiple rounds I’m convinced that the Noodle is the best cheap golf ball for beginners. You won’t find a better beginners golf ball for a better value.

Best Cheap Golf Balls: Noodle Golf Balls

Yep not only do we think the Noodle is the best for beginners, but it’s also the best cheap golf ball we’ve tested. As I mentioned above, the Wilson Smart Core also does a decent job for those on a budget, but we’ve found the Noodle to be the way to go.

Best Golf Balls for Average Golfer: Bridgestone E6

Bridgestone e6 golf balls

The Bridgestone e6 has been one of my go to balls for years. It hits that sweet spot of being affordable, playable for the better golfer, and not being lumped into the “cheap golf balls” category like the Noodle above.

A dozen costs about $22, so it’s a really good option if you want to stock up on a good ball that won’t break the bank.

Like many balls in this mid-range it promotes long distance and soft feel. In practice, it’s not quite as soft as it might make you think with it’s marketing, but it’s still very good – and I’ve found it to help me keep my slice in check as well.

Best Tour Ball for Amateurs: Taylormade Project {A}

Taylormade Project A Golf Balls

Over the past few years there’s been an emerging category of golf balls that claim “tour ball performance for amateur swing speeds.”

The most notable are the Titleist AVX and the Taylormade Project {A} – and they can come with the premium prices along with it.

Between the two, I’ve found the Taylormade to be the better ball, and it’s also (way) cheaper as well.

The first time I ever broke 80 on a par 72 course was with the Project {A} and it’s continued to be one of my very favorite balls on the market.

But at $35 it’s starting to get pretty spendy, and the Vice balls for similar money are just as good if not better.

Best Golf Balls for Distance: Titleist Velocity

Titleist Velocity

If you’re a double digit handicap and you’re trying to get as much distance as possible, and you want a ball to help you do it?

Then check out the Titleist Velocity. In playing with numerous older golfers, this seems to be the consensus favorite. It’s hallmarks are very low spin, high ball flight, and huge distance – which makes it great for the older golfer who might have lost some of their distance over the years.

Best Tour Ball for Distance: Taylormade TP5

Taylormade TP5

In our comparison, the Taylormade TP5 consistently added 4-5 yards on drives versus the Titleist ProV1. It doesn’t have quite the same cache as the Titleist ball, but there’s a reason that the TP5 has been making waves this year among the better golfers I know.

It’s good. 

In fact it’s probably the best ball Taylormade has ever made, so it’s definitely worth checking out and making comparisons of your own versus the ProV1 and Vice Pro Plus.

Best Golf Balls for Spin: Wilson STAFF Model R

Wilson is trying something unique this year with the latest version of their STAFF ball, the Model R. R stands for “raw,” and the ball is just that: raw. There’s no paint on i

The idea behind it is to reduce imperfections that make the ball more balanced and cause straighter flight.

After playing a few rounds with it, I’ve gotta say: I liked the ball a lot. With wedges, the ball spun back on the green which always makes you feel like a better golfer than you are. 

I even got a little bit of it with higher irons like my 8 and 9, which ended up working to my advantage on more than one occasion.

The downside? Due to the lack of paint, this ball gets beat up. After a hole or two it will look worn. While it doesn’t affect performance, on my last round I got a comment or two from the guys in my group 🙂

Best Golf Balls 2021: A Recap

I could go on and add another two dozen golf balls to this review, as I’ve seen other golf blogs do. But generally, when that happens, they’re just trying to get affiliate sales 🙂

I honestly believe that the balls mentioned above will cover the vast majority of golfers. Regardless of what you’re looking for one of the following will be a great fit:

I’m still working on a best ball for women, and will update the post as I have a good recommendation to make, and if I come across other balls that are worth checking out.

Looking for Other Golf Product Reviews?

Update April 2021

I went back and reviewed this recently, and feel strongly that we’ve selected the best golf balls moving into the peak season for 2021. We recently added the Wilson STAFF Model R, as our spin recommendation. 

I review a lot of balls here on the site and I often get asked what do you choose to play with?

The short answer? Usually it’s Vice Pro Plus. If I plan ahead and I buy them online, this is my go to. Performance vs price I think it’s one of the best values in golf. If I’m at a Pro Shop and low on balls before a round I’ll pick up Pro V1s. They’re the most famous ball out there for a reason, and every time I use them I think “yep, still fantastic.”

So hopefully that helps when you’re choosing the best ball for your needs!

This page contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy one of the products on this page, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you!) This doesn’t effect or opinions or our reviews. Everything we do is to benefit you as the reader, so all of our reviews are as honest and unbiased as possible.

Categories
Product Reviews

There are no comments

Add yours

Quest: Play Top Courses

Currently:
  • Top 100 in America: 50/100
  • Top 100 Public: 36/100
  • Top 100 in World: 42/100
    • Next Up: Good question!
    Email me! [email protected]

    Latest Reviews

    Back to Top