The 9 Best Golf Balls for Beginners in 2023

We’ve pulled together our top recommendations for golf balls for the year 2023. Our partner over at Golf Laboratories has tested these golf balls, one of the top and first-of-its-kind golf equipment testers, through robotic simulation. Check out how we test all of our clubs and balls.

Curious about clubs? Check out our Best Drivers for Beginners

The best golf balls for beginniners in 2023!

There is a common misperception that golfers have regarding golf balls. In particular high-end premium golf balls. Most players believe that they shouldn’t be playing high-end premium balls since they are not that good.

The analogy for golf balls is sports cars. Even though a driver is not a professional race car driver, they can still get benefits in a corner or accelerating out of a race car compared to a daily driver.

The premium golf ball is a high-end sports car. Even though beginning players may not get all of the benefits out of the ball due to their inconsistent swing mechanics, they will get the same performance that a Tour Player does out of the ball when they hit it well. This is true specifically in the short game and chipping aspects of playing.

Leading the field in performance and technology is the Titleist Pro V1. This ball has been the leader in premium urethane golf balls for many years. The ball is made of soft cast urethane and has a three-piece construction.

Testing with Golf Laboratories showed that the Pro V1 was one of the longest golf balls compared to other urethane and entry-level golf balls. Testing was conducted under beginner launch conditions, and the balls performed better than any other balls on the market. In short game testing, the balls had some of the highest spin rates, ensuring a soft landing and minimal rollout on the greens.

Summary

The Titleist Pro V1 golf ball is designed for maximum performance and tested with many Tour Players to ensure that it is one of the top-performing golf balls in the market. What makes golf unique is that even a beginning golfer will occasionally hit a shot like a Tour Player, especially in the short game. When they do, they will experience the same performance out of their ball. The only downside to the Pro V1 is the price, which is expensive.

For most beginning players, the golf ball is the least important equipment. This is because they usually do not hit the ball consistently enough to see differences between golf balls. This is a fair point, and combine it with the fact that beginning golfers lose a lot of golf balls, and you can understand why they do not want to pay too much.

There are, however, many different types of entry-level golf balls. Through testing, we determined that the best ball for a beginning golfer in the value category is the Callaway Warbird. The Warbird is a two-piece golf ball designed with their HEX aerodynamic dimple pattern that provides both distance and greenside control.

Testing with Golf Laboratories showed that the Warbird was one of the longest balls in the two-piece surlyn category off of the driver and had one of the highest spin rates off of a wedge. A limitation of 2 piece golf balls is that they do not spin very much with short game shots. The Warbird had great spin characteristics off of the wedge. This means that when a beginning player hits a good wedge shot, the ball will hold on the green better than other two-piece balls.

Summary

The Callaway Warbird is a great performing golf ball with exceptional driver distance and good greenside spin. It also is affordable for the beginning player.

The Polara golf ball is designed for the beginning player who simply cannot hit the ball straight. Their shots travel both right and left without consistency. For this player, the game can be incredibly frustrating, which is one reason that many golfers quit the game in their early stages of playing.

Polara designed ball technology that, when the arrow of the ball is pointed at the target, minimizes slices and hooks. The technology reorients the side spin into a backspin to provide straight shots.

The Polara ball is the equivalent of training wheels for a golf ball. It provides stability and allows the player to get the sensation of hitting a straight shot without the penalty that normally is associated with mishits. It also provides confidence, allowing the player to develop into a standard golf ball.

Testing with Golf Laboratories showed that the XD 50% Self-Correcting ball provided the best combination of directional correction with the launch and spin characteristics for distance.

It is important to note that this golf ball is not approved by the USGA for competitive play. Most beginning golfers do not have a handicap or play according to all of the USGA rules, so this will not affect beginning recreational golfers.

Summary

The Polara XD 50% Self-Correcting golf ball is a great way to get started with the game and experience the ball’s flight down the fairway without being penalized for being a beginner. It helps to build confidence in a player, which can lead to the development of their game.

For those players who want to keep their ball lower, make it playable with a softer feel on greenside, and can withstand various elements (even if you’ve hit it off the tree), this ball might be the right fit for you.

The Titleist Velocity golf ball has been one of Titleist’s standards over the years and for good eason. Maximize distance with new higher speed LSX core was designed for faster speed on full swing shots and delivers maximum distance.

The spherically-tiled dimple design promotes a consistent and high flight trajectory.

Another great comparison to the Titelist Velocity, the Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball helps you get more distance overall and better performance in the wind, speed dimples reduce drag at launch and increase lift during descent.

We really like that this has a firm outer edge with their FastLayer Core, providing optimal softness with an greater weight to help improve distance off the tee.

Callaway cotintues to be a leader in this market again. The Hybrid Cover of the Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball

features an innovative PARALOID Impact Modifier made by DOW Chemical. This multi-material construction p[rovides an incredible combination of fast ball speeds from high launch and low spin, soft feel, and excellent greenside control.

We also really like that the soft compression, high energy core of the golf ball makes energy transfer easier, so that you can immediately feel the increased ball speed.

This will ball will promote high launch and low spin, so for those of you looking to keep the ball lower, you may want to consider exploring some of our other options mentioned above.

Another golf ball made in the USA. Wilton has provided an incredibly versatile golf ball that will help get your ball in the air faster based on the shallow dimple design, but also provides a patented zero compression core that will help with greenside control.

Playing golf with this ball is quite fun for those who may be a little worried about keeping their ball in play. Because of it’s patented golf ball core, the grooves of your club should catch easily and help to reduce a hook or slice.

This ball can be a great budget friendly alternative that contains many attributes of some of the premium and leading golf balls in the industry.

Taylormade has taken many elements of their premium golf ball (TP5) and leveraged the same high-quality materials for this golf ball. You really start to see a reason why this golf ball can perform just as well at a discounted price. You’ll still get those longer distances even with a lower compression rating.

This ball is a great one for beginner golfers who are just getting familiar with different golf courses. We see more high handicappers having success keeping the ball in place based on thai adjusted dimple design. Many good shots can still have a slice or hook to them and this ball can easily fall into the grooves of the club catch so that their is greater spin and control.

Vice has come out with a golf ball that is incredibly budget friendly while also giving senior (and high handcapper) golfers the ability to gain some extra distance based on this design.

While we see many golf ball manufacturers claiming they can provide the right balance between spin and distance, this ball falls more into the greater distance category than high spin.

So if you’re looking to keep your ball a little lower (and get more roll), this ball is for you. Also, we think this is one of the best golf balls for beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Why does spin rate matter in a golf ball?

Golf ball spin influences the lift and direction of the golf ball. There are three types of spin: backspin, sidespin, and top spin. Backspin causes the ball to lift in the air and creates the flight trajectory. Typically for a driver you want to spin between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. This creates a parabolic arc (launch and descent angles are the same) to maximize distance. For a pitching wedge you can spin up to 10,000 rpm. This causes a high flight and a soft landing. Sidespin is the spin axis in which the ball rotates either to the right or to the left. Too much right side spin and the ball will slice. Too much left side spin and the ball will hook. A perfectly straight shot has almost no sidespin. Top spin is the last type and it is the most dreaded. This is when you hit the ball above the equator (middle of the golf ball) and cause the ball to rise for about 20 yards and then plummet back to the ground. Once you see this shot, and we all have, you will know that you impacted the ball to high on its cover and can adjust to hit it lower and get the ball back to flying properly.

How many dimples are on a golf ball?

Most golf balls range between 300 and 500 dimples, which have an average depth of about 0.010 inch. Any slight adjustment to the depth or dimples of a golf ball can produce a radical change to the ball’s trajectory and the overall distance. We are talking as small as a .001 inch change for the depth.

Who makes Kirkland golf balls?

The Kirkland golf balls are manufactured by Qingdao SM Parker in China. Costco does not make the golf balls themselves.

What is a four-ball in golf?

In this fun event, the USGA’s Rules of Golf, four-ball stroke play is: a competition in which two competitors play as partners, each playing his own ball. The lower score of the partners is the score for the hole. If one partner fails to complete the play of the hole, there is no penalty.

Four-ball match play is defined as a match in which two players play their better ball against the better ball of two other players. Sometimes you may hear this format being called better ball.

What are golf balls made of?

Golf balls have a core that is generally made of rubber and then they have between three and five layers. Each layer provides a performance characteristic for a specific type of shot. Example: one layer may activate for a driver while another may activate for a wedge. The most important part of a golf ball for players to understand is the cover. It is usually made of either urethane or surlyn. Urethane is a higher quality softer material made for premium golf balls, such as the Titleist Pro V1. Surlyn is a harder material made for less expensive golf balls. The main difference between the materials is that the softer urethane provides higher spin off of the shorter clubs whereas the harder surlyn provides more distance off of the drivers but not as much spin. For beginning players surlyn is a good starting point to use until their swings become consistent.

How big is a golf ball?

The USGA has allowed a limited range of size for golf balls, but we see that most produce golf balls with a minimal diameter of 1.680 inches or 42.67 mm.

How much does a golf ball weigh?

Another ruling from the USGA - golf balls must weigh no more than 1.62 ounces or 45.93 grams.

Why do golf balls have dimples?

Golf balls have dimples to create a turbulent air flow around the ball which allows the ball to fly on its trajectory based upon the spin created by the golf club. Without dimples a golf ball would fly about 50 yards on a trajectory similar to a dimpled golf ball and then fall out of the sky. The number of dimples and depth of the dimples affects the spin of the golf ball and how high it flies in the air. Dimple design and the number of dimples allow golf ball designers to create different types of golf balls with different flight trajectories.

What’s the difference between a 3 piece golf ball vs 2 piece?

The main difference between a 3 piece and a 2 piece golf ball is in the short game. The extra layer of the 3 piece golf ball allows the ball to compress and create spin characteristics that are not possible with a two piece ball. 2 piece balls are almost always made of surlyn which is a harder material then urethane which is common in the multi-layer golf balls. The urethane ball will provide more spin and also a softer feel then the surlyn ball.

What are 3 piece surlyn golf balls?

3 piece surlyn balls bridge the gap between a standard two piece surlyn ball which maximizes distance but does not have very good short game control, and a multi-layer urethane ball which provides both distance and superior spin control. The 3 piece surlyn will increase the spin characteristics of a 2 piece surlyn and also provide good distance. <p>The main reason usually for choosing a 3 piece surlyn ball is price. It is usually in between the price of a 2 piece surlyn and a multi-layer urethane ball.</p>

What is the best golf ball to help with slice?

There are two options when it comes to minimizing a slice for beginners. One is conforming to the rules of golf and the other is not. When thinking about conforming versus non conforming products the most important thing to know is that this only applies if you are entering a USGA sanctioned event or have a USGA handicap. If you are just beginning or have not yet established a handicap but want to have fun with the game and get as much assistance as possible the non-conforming products may be a good option.

Polara Golf XD Self-Correcting Ball is non-conforming but provides the greatest slice reduction, according to robot tests, up to 25 yards in reduced slice. The key to this ball is to use a club with loft, such as a 3 wood to help get the ball in the air, as the slice reduction qualities also cause the ball to fly lower.

If you are looking for a conforming golf ball the Wilson Triad is a good choice. Spin is the main component of a slice and the Triad is a low spinning golf ball that will reduce the side spin which contributes to a slice. This reduction in robot testing is usually about 3-5 yards better than a typical golf ball.

What is the lowest spinning golf ball?

The lowest spinning golf ball is a 2 piece choice. The Pinnacle Rush is one of the lowest spinning golf balls which not only gives you maximum distance but also minimizes side spin which adds to a slice. This ball is not for those looking for a short game control golf ball. It is however a good golf ball for a beginner as it helps the golfer hit the ball as far as possible. It also is a durable ball that will last a long time.

How to tell if a golf ball is still good?

Find a hard surface (concrete, tile, etc.) that the ball can bounce. Drop two balls from waist height and see how they compare. Ideally, you want to drop two of the same golf balls for the most optimal comparison. If you see a considerable difference, you should be able to tell which golf is still good or not.

Why don’t pro golfers use colored balls?

Pro golfers can use colored golf balls, but many prefer white balls to this day because it’s easier to see. Which, you may say that seems odd. But, a white ball in the air against a typical sunny or cloudy backdrop is often easier to see than a colored golf ball. Yet, we’ve seen a considerable increase in all golfers trying out colored golf balls such as the Callaway Chrome Soft Soccer Golf Ball .