Why even bother investing in new golf balls as a beginner? Chances are you’ll put it in the drink before the 3rd hole.
So why not save some money and buy range balls instead?
The truth is golf balls can drastically affect your game as a beginner. How far you’ll hit it, whether or not you can hold greens on your approach shot, or how well you’ll chip with it.
Ok, most of that is a question of technique, but why not choose a golf ball that can actually help improve your game as a beginner?
We have reviewed the best golf balls for beginners and have a recommendation for every kind of player!
Some are best for slower swing speeds, others for seniors, and are just overall good beginner golf balls!
Keep reading to learn more.
No Time? Here our Rundown!
How to choose the best golf balls for beginners
There are a couple of things to keep in mind when picking the best golf balls for beginners. Rather than buying the one that gives you the most distance, pick a ball that suits your game.
If overall distance is your problem, pick a harder low-spinning ball. If it’s your ability to launch the ball high, pick a ball with a softer cover and more spin.
Golf Balls are a crucial part of your golf equipment, and it’s worth trying out a couple of different ones before choosing the best golf ball for your game.
What to look for in a beginner golf ball?
As a beginner, your ball striking isn’t always pure. Sometimes off the toe, the heel, a bit thin, or even off the hosel at times.
Now, golf balls can’t improve how your ball reacts with the hosel on your clubs, but they can certainly make up for an imperfect strike.
Basically, you’re looking for a golf ball offering you forgiveness!
That means you’ll launch the ball high and far, even if you don’t hit it from the center of the clubface.
The Dimple Design
Originally, golf balls didn’t have any dimples and were smooth. They were also tough to hit and impossible to launch far, especially compared to modern balls.
The dimple pattern affects how the ball travels through the air. Dimples create a layer of air around your ball that improves the aerodynamics.
The smaller the area without dimples on your ball, the less your ball flight is affected by wind and air.
Most balls have between 300-500 dimples, and each manufacturer has to submit their new ball design to the USGA for approval! Just if you were wondering if dimples have an impact on your ball flight!
Spin rate
You need spin to launch the ball into the air or shape your ball flight to draw or fade.
Beginner golfers can hugely benefit from a ball that spins more and hence flies higher. The drawback to more spin is that your ball might get caught by the wind, which can decrease your total distance.
Less spin on a golf ball means it flies straighter and further. This means you’ll have a shorter iron into the green. Shorter irons generate more spin than your long irons!
You need enough spin so that the ball stops quickly after impact when you approach a green.
Otherwise, it keeps rolling, and chances are you’re not putting, even if you hit the green with your approach shot.
Ball Compression
That might be any internet golf hero’s favorite topic. Do you need a high swing speed to compress a golf ball?
No, not really.
But many people are convinced that higher compression golf balls require a faster swing speed.
As a rule of thumb, the softer the golf ball, the more it compresses. High compression makes the ball launch quicker from the clubface and normally results in a more ball speed and a higher ball flight.
Soft Golf Balls Vs. Hardcover
Surlyn covered golf balls feel harder and travel further. On the opposite, the Polyurethane covered golf balls create more spin and feel softer.
Most players prefer a softer golf ball but don’t just follow the crowd. If you need more distance off the tee, we recommend a harder golf ball since they increase distance.
Best Golf Balls For Beginners
When looking for the best golf balls for beginners, you need to consider which are of your game needs the most improvements.
Many golf balls are designed to increase your distance off the tee box, but that isn’t always the best fit for YOU!
A great ball will help your game in whatever area you need help with. Maybe that spin for your short game or distance on your approach shot.
After all, only YOU can choose what is the best golf ball for your game!
Titleist TruFeel Golf Balls
The TruFeel Golf Ball is said to be the softest golf ball Titleist ever released. Yes, even softer than the Pro V1!
Even more impressive than the soft feel is the value you’ll get from this ball! It’s hard to find a better quality ball for this price.
Hitting a ball into the woods or lake is never fun, but at least you won’t do mental math to figure out what this shot just did to your wallet!
The Tru Touch core comes with a new formula for less spin and more compression. More compression means that the ball will propel faster from your clubface and makes for longer golf shots!
Especially as a beginner, it’s great to have a golf ball that flies longer. Most beginners miss their target short, and with this golf ball, you increase your chances of hitting the right number, even if you don’t strike it perfectly.
What impressed us the most with this ball is how it performs around the green!
The TruFlex cover feels soft and increases your spin on pitch-shots and chipping. The short game is where you can really shave off strokes from your scorecard, and the TruFeel does a great job helping you get the ball closer to the hole!
Unlike its big brother, the Pro V1, the TruFell doesn’t have a urethane cover. You’ll feel the difference, but you really can’t complain at this price!
Compared with the ProV1, it looks whiter and shinier! I love looking down at it on address, and it has this premium, brand new look.
This ball looks like a new car smells!
Pros
- Great value for money
- Reliable Titleist quality and reliability
- Good performance around the green, high spin rate on pitch-shots
Cons
- It feels soft, but it’s not the softest
Srixon Soft Feel Golf Balls
This two-piece golf ball comes in a matt and white finish. Great for when you’re playing in a group and have trouble keeping your ball apart from others.
The speed dimple design cuts through the wind for a low spinning, penetrating, stable ball flight! Perfect if you’re playing in windy conditions as your ball won’t get caught up in the wind.
The core is softer on the inside and gradually gets harder on the outside. This ball feels insanely soft – probably the softest of all golf balls we’ve tested.
The low spin attributes increase your distance off the tee even with slower swing speeds. The downside of this is that the ball is harder to stop on the green.
For many beginners, that isn’t actually a big deal because most golfers miss the target short, not long.
Srixon has been around for a long time, and with the Soft Feel golf ball, they’ve introduced their take on how beginner golf balls should perform!
We were impressed and recommend the Srixon Soft Feel to anyone looking for a soft golf ball that spins less and travels further!
Pros
- Great value for money
- Low spin – high launch! Great for slower swing speeds
Cons
- Because of the lower spin, advanced players will find it harder to hold greens with this golf ball
Callaway SuperSoft Golf Balls
This two-piece golf ball by Callaway comes with a Zero-Compression core wrapped in a soft ionomer cover for a soft feel. One of the most popular golf balls from Callaway!
Lower compression makes for great distance, especially for beginners with slower swing speeds.
Getting that extra bit of distance off the tee can change your game completely!
Instead of the 4 iron approach, you might hit a 7 iron instead.
Now, which club do you hit more reliably?
The SuperSoft in the name actually translates well to how this ball feels off the clubface. Super Soft (Duh…)
Many players prefer soft feeling golf balls around the green, as it gives them more control, especially as a beginner; that’s where you can easily shave off some strokes from your scorecard.
The Callaway SuperSoft golf balls feel soft but are actually low in golf ball compression! This increases your distance even if you don’t swing fast.
Low compression golf balls often fail to produce enough spin around the green to make your chips and pitches checked up and stop.
The Callaway SuperSoft uses the same cover material as the ERC Soft and grips well with your golf club.
We all love to pitch aggressively and have the ball do a hop-hop-and-stop.
This shot is hard!
The cover material of the SuperSoft grabs on with your clubface, making this shot easier to perform!
Pros
- Ultra-low compression core for extra distance
- Enough spin for shots around the green
- Tour ball performance for half the price
Cons
- If you already swing fast (100 mph and more), high compression golf balls might be better suited for you.
Callaway ERC Triple Track Golf Bals
The Callaway ERC is very similar to the Callaway Chrome Soft but comes at a discount price! The differences in performance are marginal, and especially as a beginner, why pay more?
The triple track design helps you align the ball on the green or tee box. Golfers have been drawing lines on golf balls for decades! Why did it take so long for golf brands to pick up on that?
You’ll either love them, or you’ll hate them. The fact is that the lines are convenient if you’re already a golfer who likes to line up his puts.
As the Chromesoft, this is a low compression ball and has a high-energy core for more distance.
It even shares the same dimple pattern, which is designed to create the least amount of drag. Less drag means more distance and makes it easier to hit a draw or fade!
The high-speed mantle is designed for softness and control around the green. Beginner golf balls should increase your distance but have enough spin to help with your short game.
That’s exactly how Callaway has designed the ERC Soft!
Low compression core, with a sticky cover to create spin around the green.
Exactly what we’re looking for in the best golf balls for beginners!
Pros
- Similar performance as the Callaway Chrome Soft for a lower price
- Build for distance – longer drives, less spin
- Soft feel, great for your short-game
Cons
- The Tripple track design can put people off. Putting with alignment lines on your golf ball might is confusing
TaylorMade Noodle Long & Soft Golf Balls
The Noodle! Probably my favorite branded golf ball of all time. I mean, look at it! Even the packaging is hilarious!
But the ball isn’t all fun jokes on the golf course! It’s a serious beginner golf ball that is easy to compress, increases your distance, and even straightens your ball flight!
The 342 dimple pattern is designed to decrease sidespin (no, it’s not an illegal golf ball) and helps you hit straight shots.
Especially if you have been struggling with the occasional hook or slice (to be fair, who doesn’t? ), this ball can help you find more fairways and spend less time in the jungle and rough.
The value for money is great, and even though you might lose less of these balls to the golf gods, it won’t break the bank to stock up on the noodles!
The Surlyn cover feels a bit harder than the urethane one. But many golf balls for beginners are designed to add distance to your shots, and that exactly what the Noodle does!
It’s hard to find a better beginner golf ball for the money! The value for money is just off the chart.
And the forgiving features for this golf ball make for one of the best golf balls for beginners at a discount price!
After all, almost 3,000 people on Amazon agree that this is one of the best golf balls you can buy as a beginner!
Pros
- Bargain Price
- Forgiving features, great for beginner golfers
- It goes far even if you swing slower
Cons
- If you have a fast swing, you’ll get more distance from premium balls
- Harder to shape your shots because of the low spin attributes
Pinnacle Soft Golf Balls
Pinnacle Golf Balls are hidden champions with a bad reputation.
The old model was known in the industry as the rock, but the Pinnacle Soft impressed us with its low golf ball compression and unbelievably soft feel!
For this price, a true gem, and without a doubt one of the best golf balls for beginner golfer.
The ionomer cover feels soft and helps you create backspin for your short game.
This makes it easier to make the ball stop quickly after landing and might mean you’ll be close to the hole instead of having golf balls run out over the entire length of the green.
It is not as tacky as some of the more expensive competition but tacky enough to improve the golf game of beginners.
Here the thing; in our test, this ball went FURTHER than a certain market leader!
Yes, that one. The one you pay 40 bucks for and spend an extra 10 minutes looking for in bushes if you lose it.
As a beginner, that’s great news because you can get premium-quality for a lower price.
The Pinnacle is a low compression golf ball, which might explain why it adds distance to your shots.
It’s the longest and softest ball Pinnacle has ever made!
Thousands of people already discovered the Pinnacle Soft for their game and didn’t look back.
You can also go with the #1 Golf Ball In Golf, but don’t complain to us for spending a fortune on golf balls that end up at the bottom of a lake anyway 🙃
Pros
- Distance!
- Premium quality for a lower price
- Soft golf ball that feels great off the face
Cons
- Not as much spin around the green as more expensive options
Srixon AD333 Golf Ball
The Srixon AD 333 is probably the best golf ball for beginner seniors! It’s a mid-compression ball that increases your distance but still produces enough spin for an excellent short game.
It has a urethane cover, which you normally only find on premium golf balls. This cover grabs onto your clubhead during short chips and pitches, producing great spin rates around the green.
The urethane cover is also more durable, which means you can use the same golf ball for a longer time without having to replace it.
The 3 piece construction features a mid-compression core that launches higher and spins more. This means that you’ll be able to launch this ball further, even with lower swing speeds.
Being close to the green after your drive will allow you to play a shorter iron into the green.
You might notice slightly less spin with your full wedge and short iron shots. In our experience, this is marginal, and most beginner golfers miss short rather than long.
The Spin Skin technology, together with the urethane cover, makes for a great golf ball to use around the green and if you tend to miss the hole short.
This is a distance golf ball well suited for beginner and senior golfers that want more distance off the tee without compromising their short game.
Pros
- Tour Quality for a lower price
- Urethane cover for more stopping power around the green
- On-par short-game performance compared to premium brands
Cons
- A little less spin on full wedge and short iron shots
Titleist Velocity Golf Balls
This beginner’s golf ball is designed to offer maximum distance off the tee and performs similar to the Pro V1 with your driver and mid-long irons.
The LSX Core offers mid-compression, which accounts for the performance on long and medium approach shots.
Around the green, you might find that the Titleist Velocity feels a little harder than the Pro V1, but for this price point, it’s hard to find better golf balls for beginners.
The 328 Tethahedrat dimple pattern (Phu, what a mouthful) improves aerodynamics and decreases drag.
This is great if you’re playing in windy conditions as your ball will be less affected by the wind, producing a penetrating ball flight that goes far and straight.
Titleist is known to produce some of the best golf balls in the game. The Titleist Velocity is a great alternative if you don’t want to spend the money on a Pro V1 but still want premium quality.
Beginner golfers don’t need to care about the marginal difference in spin around the green.
You’ll be able to make up for it by playing golf balls that go further and won’t drive you crazy if you hit it in the lake!
Clearly a pick in our quest to find the best golf balls for beginners and a good alternative to expensive Pro V1’s.
Pros
- Same performance with your Driver and long to mid irons as the Pro Vs
- Premium Titleist Quality for a lower price
- Best golf ball for beginners from Titleist
Cons
- Not the most spin around the green
Frequently Asked Questions
Choosing beginner-friendly golf balls raises a lot of questions! Here the answer to the most frequently asked question about the best golf balls for beginners.
What’s the difference between a beginner and a high-handicapper?
Beginner golfers usually just started playing golf, whereas a high-handicapper might already play for a long time.
You can be a high-handicapper even if you’re not a beginner anymore. You see, one measures your skill, the other measures how long you have been playing golf.
There is no hard cap to how long you have to play not to be considered a beginner golfer.
Golf Equipment and golf balls can work for any skill level, despite their branding. Try it out and choose for yourself what are the best golf balls for beginners.
Are golf balls for beginners different from golf balls for high handicappers?
That’s hard to answer. High-handicappers are high handicappers for completely different reasons.
Finding the right golf ball for your game won’t depend on your handicap. It also won’t depend on how long your play golf.
Distance balls reduce spin; other golf balls make it easier to create high ball flights. Some are slightly softer than others, and the dimple design affects the ball flight and trajectory.
Identify where you need help in your game, and choose a golf ball that fits your needs.
Should I just pick the longest golf ball?
Distance might is what most people struggle with, but it’s only half the equation. Faster ball speeds help you launch the ball further down the fairway, but some beginners already swing fast!
Choose a ball that helps you in the areas you need help with. If it’s distance control, maybe a ball with a soft feel, and core that spins more is a better choice!
What to do next
Get out on the golf course and use one of these balls to improve your game!
After all, we are recreational golfers, and I believe you deserve the best ball for your game. If you’re still not sure, try out a couple of them and choose which one is best for you.
A great golf ball is a fantastic addition to your bag, and I hope you enjoyed our review of the best golf balls for beginners.
