What is the perfect golf ball for your game? We spent a week using the R&D robot at the Sports Technology Institute at Loughborough University to find out.
Testing 24 different golf balls at three driver speeds (85 MPH, 100 MPH, 115 MPH), with a 7-iron, and a wedge, we identify which golf balls are the best fit for you.
Based on the data created we choose our top-performing Tour, Direct to Consumer, Club Golfer and Budget golf balls and explain what you need to know to select the best ball for your own game.
See all of the data and read more on our website here https://shorturl.at/jvyoW
Timestamps:
0:50 How we did it – The robot
1:53 How we did it – The experts
2:36 Which clubs did we use for testing? Which speeds did we test at?
3:16 Our methodology and why we use a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor.
5:03 How we choose the balls in this test.
8:13 The 2-piece golf balls.
9:05 The 3-piece golf balls.
10:06 The 4-piece golf balls.
10:53 The 5-piece golf balls.
11:30 Carry distance and shot area averaged over all three driver speeds.
12:47 Which balls are most and least expensive? Cost per yard analysis.
13:46 The lowest and highest driver spin golf balls (averaged over 100 & 115 MPH).
15:20 How all 24 golf balls performed for 7-iron backspin.
17:12 How all 24 golf balls performed for wedge backspin.
18:40 How 2, 3, 4 and 5-piece ball constructions compare.
20:07 The most accurate golf ball.
22:29 The most consistent golf ball.
23:47 How all 24 golf balls performed at 85 MPH with the driver.
25:19 How all 24 golf balls performed at 100 MPH with the driver.
26:17 How all 24 golf balls performed at 115 MPH with the driver.
27:35 How all 24 golf balls performed with a 7-iron.
29:41 How all 24 golf balls performed with a wedge.
31:15 My recommendation for the best-performing Premium Tour balls.
34:39 My recommendation for the best-performing Direct to Consumer Tour balls.
37:42 My recommendation for the best Club Golfer balls.
40:00 My recommendation for the best Budget balls.
42:23 Why you should not compare this data to last years.
43:35 Why the Snell Prime 2.0 is different to other 2-piece golf balls.
44:22 Why in the club golfer arena the choice is low spin and long or high spin and short.
45:20 Why firmer X style golf balls are a better across the board choice.
46:02 Why no Direct to Consumer ball out performs the Titleist Pro V1.
46:45 Wilson makes consistent and accurate golf balls.
47:40 Why you must buy Direct to Consumer golf balls in bulk.
For more equipment tests and reviews, Top 100 golf courses rankings, tour news, insight, interviews and loads more, visit the Today’s Golfer website: http://www.todays-golfer.com
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33 Comments
I've been waiting for this video all year 😂
I knew the Taylormade speedsoft was unbelievable for the money, game changer if you swing fast and need to reduce spin, shot some unbelievable rounds with this.
Wouldn’t a launch monitor apply the same aerodynamic assumptions to every ball In the test? This test cannot distinguish distance between balls based on dimple patterns and aerodynamic properties. Still Interesting.
Great vid
Wilson’s are 3for2. Got to be the best value for a premium ball. I play the X
very good video
What's going on with the driver height, 58 yards? Who hits it that high, that's literally a moon ball 😂 174 feet.
If you had access to Maxfli balls, this would be a different outcome.
Why? You didn't include Wilson Triad in this year's test… This was the most accurate ball in last year's test overall. Again, why?
7:55 2nd row bottom ball core is off balance. what brand is that?
DTC balls are a good option and at a much lower price. Price is important to most golfers. And whilst a robot might show a slight difference in spin, will your average golfer? No.
Every time this test is run, my heart dies a little.
The methodology is excellent, the data analysis is below amateur standard. You need a professional statistician to look at all the data, especially the standard deviation and statistical significance – a professional would be able to confirm what the most appropriate statistical method would be for calculating whether the results actually have real meaning or are more by chance, I am not and never will be a fan of p value tests but there are several alternatives.
The reality is that no matter how good the methodology of the test there will always be small variations. It is vital that analysis is done to ascertain whether any particular balls results are actually statistically meaningful or just random chance. My gut feel is that for a lot of the balls the differences are not statistically significant.
I do commend the most consistent golf ball chart, it might not be the best way of showing how good manufacturer quality control is, but it is probably good enough – Vice and Wilson should be proud of themselves
The great thing is that there are no bad balls in the test, apart from the Speedsoft – but it is cheap
Since I have a wild swing , left dash all day …
Thank you for all the time you spent compiling this useful information. Bob
IF you have a Callaway driver – AI Smoke Max or Triple D. The Chrome Tour X goes even further. I didn’t believe it after hearing Johnny Wunder say it during his testing. So I tested at my clubs performance center with Trackman. I used Chrome Tour X, ProVx, TP5X, Maxfli Tour. Callaway did some distance voodoo with that Chrome Tour X and AI Smoke driver its longer.
Why were the srixon tour balls not tested? Zstar diamond and zstar xv
Disappointed you didn't have the Maxfli balls…also Saintnine has had a 2 piece urethane ball out for a while
Always avoided X models because I have struggled to minimize spin with driver. But Pro V1x with Ping 10K was very long my last outing. I'm guessing it's the firmer compression. And with higher launch and more spin into greens, I can certainly understand why it's the most popular with pros.
Gutted you didn't include Bridgestone
So if you know the average swing speed is 92-93mph, why not select that (or 95mph) as the mid speed test, and then adjust the slow and fast swing speeds accordingly?
Great info. Would it be possible to include the compression of each ball? That weighs into my decision as a senior golfer. Thanks
Comparing the data from this year’s test and last year, the dispersal area at an 85 mph swing speed is worlds apart. We are talking 50, 60 yards more dispersal last year than this year. In fact, the Kirkland signature + had the second tightest dispersal at that speed. I would need the charts side by side to be sure but the descent rate for all balls appears to be slightly different too. I imagine that is from using a more sophisticated robot this year. That being said, every player has his own unique swing that will obviously affect the ball flight differently. Even if a ball comes out on top when hit by a machine, it may not be the best choice for a given player. The proof of that is that tour players don’t all play exactly the same brand. I believe you need to try different balls and see what works best for you and not rely too much on machine stats. Just my humble opinion.😅
I’m right in between med and high swing speed. 108-110 depending on the machine and day. The prov1 yellow has been my go to ball recently because my eyes aren’t what they once were. This the best all around ball IMO but it’s not cheap
Love the scientific approach to ball testing!
I'm totally baffled. High handicap don't give a damn about spin – they aren't trying to 'score' by landing softly on the green – they're happy just to reach the damn green – they want distance, distance, distance. So why anyone is recommending that high handicap play a high spin ball (like Kirkland) is boggling.
Basically, if you are not playing on fast greens 11+ stimpmeter that are firm, premium balls are really not worth it. Vice Pro Plus are excellent balls, but the 2024 model are much fimer then last year's. (I've been playing them for four years now). Another excellent ball is Maxfli Tour X also very firm balls.
This proves what I found – Srixon distance balls are unbelievable for being a distance ball with a decent feel and spin on iron shots. Much better durability than AD333
Those 4 top balls I love to hit and have boxes of each one. I do not have a high swing speed. At least I don’t think so. But the tour X balls I hit good
Xxio rebound, srixon z-star dividend, TaylorMade speed soft and distance+, TaylorMade tour response stripe.
I am surprised that Vice pro plus is longer than pro even for 85 MPH driver.
What would be your suggestion for a ball with driver speed at 85 but need distance and spin around the greens and height on your iron shots? Callaway tour X? Or do I need to swing faster for that ball?
Starting the vid now with my coffee, and just wanted to thank you in advance! I really appreciate this kind of content☺
Great info again, but there is one massive category that has been excluded and needs to be included and that is PUTTING.
And it's not just about feel, it's also about consistent accuracy when in the roll and how they come off the putter face.
Also looking at whether the balls balance is consistent, which will have a bearing on roll accuracy.
I have noticed balls that have a shallower divot pattern seem to come off the face more consistently.
It's not a complete picture unless you include putting, the ultimate scoring shot.