Updated October 2023 to reflect updated pricing and an updated on-course review.
I originally wrote this Noodle golf balls review in July of 2018, about 5 years ago.
After 5 years, I found myself curious: are Noodle golf balls still worth buying? They’re among the cheapest golf balls on the market, so obviously they’re not going to compare to say, Pro V1s. But for the a beginner to high handicap, do they still represent a good value and a ball worth picking up?
Good news, yes, years later, I’m still impressed with the trust ol’ Noodle.
Obviously, a ball at this level is going to have its drawbacks, and you can’t compare it to a tour level ball. But if you’re looking for a solid golf ball at a really solid price, you could do much worse than the Noodle.
Overall my original review still proves entirely true. I’ve made a few updates, but I think it’s one of the more interesting Noodle golf reviews out there, so I mostly left it in tact save for new pricing and new ball details.
Enjoy!
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I’ve got a little bit of an embarrassing story to share with you.
Awhile back, I was gearing up to play three rounds down in Florida before the PGA Show.
I’d be playing both the Ocean and Conservatory courses at Hammock Beach, as well as the famed Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
We arrived at Hammock Beach and upon opening up my bag, I realized I was nearly out of golf balls.
Pro tip: Never wait until you’re at the resort to buy golf balls. It’s a surefire way to go broke.
But in this instance, I had no choice.
They were charging $40ish for Bridgestone e6 balls, which are one of my go-tos when I don’t want to shell out for Pro V1s and Vice balls aren’t available.
But $40 for them felt really painful when it should be a $25 box. Especially considering I hadn’t been playing and there was a good chance they’d be gone in one round anyway.
So I did something no self-respecting single-digit handicap would ever do: I bought cheap golf balls.
Specifically, I bought a 15-pack of Noodle Long and Soft balls for about $20. It was the only golf ball they had that actually felt like a reasonable deal. 
And you know what was even more surprising than the fact I bought them?
The fact they were actually really good!
Noodle Golf Balls Review: Long and Soft Performance
Let’s focus on the crux of this story:
I played a $400 round of golf (now over $600 in 2023!) at TPC Sawgrass with cheap Noodle Long and Soft golf balls.
And I don’t regret it for a second.
Are these balls going to give you the feel and performance of a Pro V1 if you’re a scratch golfer? No, they’re not.
But the reality is, my game is far from consistent. When I’m playing really well, I benefit from the added feel, spin, and control from tour-level balls.
But a lot of the time, the ball has very little to do with my score and how I’m playing.
What surprised me about the Noodle though, was just how good it felt off the tee.
I ended up shooting an 86 at Sawgrass, which I felt great about. The back 9 in particular was quite stellar.
But I felt like the ball compressed well, and I didn’t feel like I lost any distance using it. In fact, I felt like the ball really lived up to its name: long and soft.
Check out this overview from Arccos Golf of my round on the 18th at TPC Sawgrass:
275, straight down the middle. 8 iron to 5 feet.
I missed the putt, but that’s beside the point.
I truly felt like I had a lot of control over my shots, and it was nothing like what you typically associate with cheap balls.
If you hit range balls, or say, cheap Top Flites, it can feel like you’re hitting nothing more than a big dimpled rock.
That isn’t the case with the Noodle golf balls. Drives and irons felt good, and while they certainly don’t give you quite the feel of say pure-ing a tour ball, it was much better than expected, and on par with some mid-range balls in the $30-35 a dozen range.
I was surprised by how good these balls were. Now, it's all relative, they're no Tour-level ball. But at this price, for the average golfer who isn't a single-digit handicap, these will serve you just fine.
Where the Noodle Long and Soft Fails
For as much as I love the Noodle, where it generally fails is around the greens – chip shots and short pitches in particular. This is where you lose some feel, and you don’t get the spin and the control that you’d have with a more expensive ball.
It’s not to say it’s terrible, it’s certainly better than many of the cheaper balls I’ve played with, but if you’re a better player, this is where you’ll see a better ball have the most positive impact on your game.
Should You Buy the Noodle Long and Soft?
Frankly, I think this is a fantastic ball for anyone who doesn’t carry a single-digit handicap.
In fact, we rated as the best golf ball for beginners in our best golf balls recap.
Sure you can blow your budget and feel all fancy buying ProV1s or something similar, but honestly? For 12+ handicaps, these are going to get you 90% of the way there.
So my answer is a resounding yes, I think you should absolutely pick up the Noodle Long and Soft golf ball and see if it works for you.
In fact, it’s become my go to “backup” ball.
Right now I’m hovering around an 8, and like I said, I do notice an increase in performance of a tour ball when I’m playing well.
But what about those rounds where you can’t hit it to save your life, you’ve lost three balls through 2 holes, and there are no signs of getting better?
Out come the Noodles. No need to waste two more sleeves of ProV1s when I can practically get an entire box of these for the cost of one sleeve.
And if you’re a casual golfer who is stoked just to break 90? These golf balls are the best value out there.
The price has gone up a little bit since my initial review (what hasn’t gotten more expensive?), but it still 15 balls for around $27 is still a stellar deal.
If you can get over your ego and the fact you’re playing with a Noodle (there were multiple jabs at my expense during that Florida trip), you’ll be the one getting the last laugh as you’ll play well, and still have enough money to pick up the bar tab after the round.
I was surprised by how good these balls were. Now, it's all relative, they're no Tour-level ball. But at this price, for the average golfer who isn't a single-digit handicap, these will serve you just fine.
4 Comments
I recently tried Noodle Neons to improve the visibility of my balls in flight and on the ground. Rasberry, orange, and yellow. My rainbow sherbert cone look pretty cool in my rack on the bag as I walked nine holes at Patty Jewett, a very nice historic course in Colorado Springs.
I hit every fairway including 2 of the longest drives of my life! 2 pars and 16 putts. Needless to say, I was impressed. AND, I didnt lose a ball in the rough or mixed with the fall leaves on the fairway either. Good tracking airborne too. Im a fan!
My best golf buddy and I bought a package of 15 and played with them today. For some reason we generally hit them straight and they sound good off the tee. Distance was about the same as Callaway Chrome Soft. If I keep hitting them straight, they will last longer that I expected. Very happy with them.
I found noodle log and soft by accident and liked them a lot. I decided i would use the noodle long and soft as my ball and try to break a hundred. Not a hundred on my score, but a one hundred consecutive holes with the same ball. I finally did it after a couple seasons. I finally lost it on the tee shot of the one hundred fifty first hole. I blame it on the cart girl who was a distraction sitting on the cart path and pull hooked it into the pond. One hundred fifty consecutive holes and consecutive strokes ,and on par 70 or greater courses. Duane Black Diamond, WA 98010
Played Noodle L&S for the 1st time last week. A buddy gave me a sleeve and said try these. They are great. I told him I would so I did. I was really impressed. They perform really well. I highly recommend them. Here is what I believe to be the real intangible. Since you’re not afraid of losing an expensive ball, you swing free. You will see an immediate improvement in your score because your mind is thinking swing away who cares if i lose this ball. I will be playing Noodles L&S as long as they exist.