5 Best Golf Balls For Beginners

Most amateur golfers struggle to find balls that give them the confidence they need to succeed on the fairway.

Titleist DT TruSoft Balls – Editor’s Choice

Titleist TruSoft golf balls are a favorite amongst seniors and beginners. These balls provide players with consistently powerful distance shots. Most players claim to gain yardage while minimizing spin. The balls boast extra-large compression cores. As such, they also offer ample stopping power and an exceptionally soft feel.

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They come in packs of 12. The balls are available in white and high-optic yellow.

Titleist is one of the most trusted golf ball manufacturers. As such, you can expect these balls to be incredibly long-lasting and durable. You’ll pay a premium for the TruSofts. However, you should see automatic improvements in your distance and short games.

Callaway Warbird Golf Balls – Best Distance Balls for Beginners – Top Runner-Up

The Callaway Warbirds provide newbie players with lots of launching power and distance. These balls feature super-sensitive ionomer covers and extra-large compression cores. As a result, they truly soar when they are hit with the right iron. If you’re an inexperienced golfer who’s looking to score some extra yardage, the Warbirds have a lot to offer.

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We enjoyed watching the Warbird’s dimpled HEX covers in action. The balls have very little surface space. As such, they do not have a lot of backspin or drag. The core/cover combo responds well to almost every iron. These balls are priced to sell. Their quality is very consistent, and their durability is undeniable.

Callaway’s balls come in one-dozen packs in your choice of white or yellow. Each box weighs just over 9 pounds. The Warbirds didn’t offer a lot of stopping power, but they were still strong contenders on the fairway. In fact, the Warbirds are your quintessential two-piece beginner golf balls. Most consumers are eager to invest in a second box.

TaylorMade Distance+ Golf Balls – Best Budget Option

TaylorMade’S 2018 Distance+ 12-pack of golf balls is an excellent option for first-time golfers who are shopping on a tight budget. These balls have super responsive one-piece REACT Speed Cores. They are aerodynamic, with low drag and very little backspin. They also have a very soft compression rating.

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The balls are made from just two pieces, including an extra-large rubber core and a 342-dimple cover. The dimples are wide and shallow. As such, the balls have very little drag. They are available in packs of 12. Customers can choose between pearly white and high-optic yellow. The TaylorMade balls will improve your distance and short games without breaking the bank.

Who else offers 12 game-improving balls for less than $15?

Nike Power Distance Long Golf Balls – Best Distance Aerodynamics

Players say they gained lots of unexpected yardages when using the Nike Power Distance Long Golf Balls. These balls are made with premium ionomer covers and extra-large high-velocity cores. Like most beginner golf balls, the Power Distance balls make the most of two-piece ball construction.

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If you are a player that struggles with swing speed or hitting accuracy, you’ll love what these balls do for your game. Not to mention, the balls’ pearly white color sticks out all backdrops.

The balls are capable of some pretty impressive aerodynamics. Shots tend to be long and accurate with lots of rolling power. You’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper performance golf ball. The Power Distance balls have a snappy sound and excellent feel. We recommend stocking up on the 2018 models before Nike changes its formula.

Pride Sports Foam Practice Golf Balls – Best Practice Golf Balls

The only way to master your strike is to practice. These dimpled yellow foam golf balls are ideal for home-based practice sessions. Their bright color makes it easy to keep track of them. What’s more, their soft foam material is suitable for indoors and outdoors.

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These balls are perfect for inexperienced players who are looking for something a bit more dynamic than the holey plastic alternatives. Keep in mind that foam practice balls don’t travel as far as real golf balls. You can swing and retrieve your ball without sending your pedometer into overdrive.

If you want to improve your golf swing but don’t have a lot of room to practice, a dozen of Pride Sports’ squishy practice balls should do the trick. You won’t get the same sound or distance that you do with plastic practice balls. However, you will probably get more run time out of Pride Sports practice balls.

How to Choose the Best Golf Balls for Beginners

Amateur golfers tend to have slower swing speeds and less accuracy. Therefore, they need balls that will improve their performances on the fairway. We looked at every element of golf balls to determine what makes the best beginner golf balls.

Core

Most beginner golf balls feature extra-large high-velocity cores with pliant covers. Most golf balls contain solid rubber cores. Single-piece cores provide players with enhanced yardage and reduced spin. The composition of a ball’s core has a large impact on a ball’s compression rating. Beginners with low swing speeds usually prefer soft balls. These balls have the lowest possible compression ratings.

Shell

Most beginner golf balls feature two-piece configurations with flexible ionomer covers. These covers tend to be bright white or neon yellow. They also tend to have lots of dimples. The number of dimples on a golf ball determines its launching power and aerodynamic capabilities. Dimples reduce the amount of surface space on a golf ball. Check out this informative video to learn more about why golf balls have dimples.

Visibility

Amateur golfers often struggle to keep track of their golf balls. When you lose track of your ball, you hold up the players on the holes behind you. Choose golf balls that are easy to track both in the air and on the ground. Most players opt for pearly white balls. However, neon yellow balls are also excellent options. You should be able to track your ball against all backdrops.

Final Thoughts

So have you decided to become a golfer and already bought a good golf club set? But you also need a few golf balls. It may seem a simple task, but there are several nuances to consider when you choose balls for the golfers making their first steps.

It doesn’t sound so complicated to find the best golf ball. However, if you take a closer look at the subject, it quickly becomes clear that there is a lot to consider. First of all, you should ask yourself whether a full or a multi-layer golf ball is more suitable for you and only then should you consider the right ball for your handicap and price range.

Two best sets of golf balls for beginners, according to numerous tests

For example, I can highly recommend the set made by Titleist, because the low spin balls are convincing due to their excellent workmanship combined with a soft feel and a very long flight path. Alternatively, I can also highly recommend the set made by Callaway, because the balls allow a soft tee shot, have a softer core and allow a very good playing feel.

If you want to buy golf balls, you should take a closer look at the pitch of the balls before comparing prices and also consider whether a cheap golf ball is sufficient for you or whether it should rather be a premium model.

Two-piece balls are made of a harder plastic and have a coating. They are much stronger than one-piece balls so the higher ranges are possible. The feel and control of the ball are also improved. For an average golfer, such balls are usually sufficient.

Three-piece balls have a similar structure, but the coating is much softer than with two-piece balls. In addition, such balls also have a layer of liquid rubber, which allows advanced golfers to give the ball more spin and correspondingly better control.

Premium golf balls only really make sense for golfers with a low handicap, because only when you have refined your hitting technique can you noticeably benefit from maximum control and a very good feel. Apart from a significantly higher price, beginners have hardly any advantages over simpler balls.

The price range of golf balls is huge. However, beginners and players with a high handicap hardly understand any advantages of a high-quality ball. Opt for cheap balls because you will lose many of them during your first practices. More expensive golf balls are good only for professional players at official championships.

If you are a novice golfer, I recommend buying these best golf balls for beginners:

1. Titleist offers one dozen of standard balls, with advanced aerodynamics;
2. Callaway produces the sets with one dozen of balls having sensory ionomer covers;
3. TaylorMade is another set of dozen balls, they are good for practicing low spin;

Nike and PrideSports of dimpled ball sets are awesome as well, make sure to check them before making a final decision.

Golf Balls for Beginners FAQ: 

Should beginners use soft golf balls?

When you are a novice player, it is extremely important to invest in the best but forgiving golf gear – from the clubs to the balls that are suitable for novices. Many beginners believe that using golf balls with a soft feel is more beneficial. 

Compression a.k.a. the hardness of a golf ball is actually an important factor. It measures the deflection of a golf ball after being struck. The compression is measured from zero to 200. But 200 means no compression, while 0 means that a ball can deflect from 5 mm or more. 

Most premium sets have the compression range from 50 to 100. The lower the compression rate, the more the ball is inclined to cracks and scuffs. But such soft, low compression balls cost less than other sets. And they are also good for seniors. 

Professional athletes usually recommend picking the balls with a low compression rate for novices. Such balls are much softer and more suitable for the slower swing speeds of beginners. High-handicappers should choose the balls with the maximum compression. 

Here is the list a few golf balls with the lowest compression: 

• Wilson’s Staff Duo Soft – the level of compression is 29. It is cheap and good for long-distance swings;
• Wilson’s Staff Duo Spin – the level of compression is 35. These durable 3-layer balls are one of the softest in the U.S. market;
• Callaway’s SuperSoft – the level of compression is 38. These budget-friendly balls have tri-ionomer covers for better spin and feel. You may pick between 4 various colors;

Soft or hard golf ball – what to choose?

Back in the 1960s, the manufacturers offered two types of golf balls – hard and soft. The soft balls were made with the cover soft to the touch for promoting more spin (especially great for pitch shots and short irons). On the other hand, the hard balls were made specifically for long-distance shots on the green, with minimum spin. 

But right now most manufacturers refuse from making classic hard-cover balls. Instead, they offer cheap and expensive balls. The major difference is the cost of materials used for the core and mantle. A mantle is a layer between the cover and core. 

Cheap 2-piece balls with a larger core are softer to the touch. They are mostly good for beginners who want to achieve a longer distance. But they lack spin and control drastically. That is why you should choose soft balls if you seek accurate shots. 

While more expensive golf balls have from 3 to 5 layers. Typically, their compression (hardness) range is higher. The most popular balls are made of 3 layers. They are quite soft to the touch as well. But they have harder covers and the additional mantle layer to deliver more control. Usually, such golf balls could be great for mid-handicappers who search for a short game benefit. 

Which golf balls are the most forgiving ones?

If you are searching for the most forgiving golf balls, then you should consider such criteria:

• The forgiving balls typically fly straighter and farthest than standard balls;
• Improve the game better than any standard balls;
• Such balls par more holes or get rid of a few extra strikes along the way;

In short, the most forgiving golf balls have the best performance rates despite the golf technique. 

There are a few sets of the balls with the greatest performance rates: 

• TaylorMade Project A; 
• Bridgestone Golf e7; 
• Callaway’s Chrome Soft;
• Srixon Men’s Soft Feel; 

What are the best golf balls for an average player?

As has been already mentioned, it is important to pick golf balls, according to your technique and style. A few great ball sets for beginners have been already covered earlier. But mid-handicappers (average golf players) should look for more stable performance, higher compression level and faster ball speed. 

You may check these golf balls designed for the average players with a mid-handicap level: 

• Callaway’s Supersoft can deliver the high swing speed;
• TaylorMade’s Noodle Long & Soft sets are usually recommended farthest and straightest distances;
• Wilson’s Staff Fifty Elite sets include affordable and long-distance golf balls;
• Titleist DT TruSoft features the low spin of the tee;

What color of a golf ball is the easiest to see?

Such a simple question caused so many disputes and discussions among professional and novice golf players. Scientifically speaking, each golf ball has the so-called high visibility factor. Based on this factor, the scientists test and pick the balls of various colors. 

Arguably, different colors of golf balls should be used in different situations. In fact, it is hard to say who is right or wrong because every person has individual color perception and eyesight. 

The most reasonable recommendation – you should try and decide for yourself what color of a ball will be the easiest for you to see while you are playing. Also, you may check the expert recommendations (based on many various tests) about the proper use of the golf balls of different colors:

• Classic white balls are the easiest to see if you play in the green turf (not grass);
• Bright yellow is typically recommended for those players who seek a better distance of visibility in the green grass. For example, it is easier to notice bright yellow balls at a distance of 250 yards;
• Bright orange is usually picked if you like playing at nighttime. These balls are highly visible at night;
• Red-colored balls are mostly picked for the shows because they look awesome under artificial lights;

Bi-colored balls are quite popular these days but they can’t improve the tracking or visibility. They are just good for showing off and fun. Also, you may want to skip vibrant pink or LED colored balls because they are too flashy and can distract you. 

Do golf balls spoil with age?

Nothing lasts forever, including the most durable golf balls. After a few heavy-duty weeks, any golf balls may fall apart or get many scuffs. But do they spoil with age, even if you don’t use them all? Yes, they do. The most premium ball sets boast to have the shelf life of over 5 years. 

For example, most manufacturers of 2-layer golf balls recommend storing them no more than 7 years in a row. 3-layer balls typically last from 1 to 2 years because they are more inclined to the temperature changes. Also, they are less wind-resistant than most 2-layer balls. 

You may reduce the shelf life of the balls if you store them improperly. For instance, reconsider keeping new golf ball sets in your basement or the trunk of a car during summer. Most balls won’t survive the extreme temperature over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Many golfers believe that keeping new cheap (and soft) balls in a freezer will make them harder and more durable. No, in such a way, you may just destroy the cover of the balls and make them prone to scratches and scuffs even more. Instead, keep the new balls in a dry, not too cold or too hot room with good air circulation. 

Also, bear in mind that the manufacturers constantly improve the technologies to achieve the better performance of their golf balls. That is why you risk missing these improvements if you keep using the balls made a few years ago. 

Golf Tip of the Week: How to Hit a Golf Ball for Beginners

Amateur golfers are far more likely to enjoy and succeed at the game when they have the best supplies in their arsenal. We hope that you test out some of our recommendations for this golf season. If you’re still unsure of what golf balls to use, opt for the Titleist DT TruSoft Balls . These balls are great for both distance and short games. Have you had the opportunity to test any of the balls we mentioned? Let us know about your experience in the comment section below.

I hope these balls will help to make the first perfect swings and hits. Do not forget other reviews on Golf-Hook for beginners. And, please, leave your feedback, so I could make this website’s content even more interesting for novice and experienced golfers.