Gear category
Golf balls
Golf ball reviews scored on feel, spin, flight and value, so you can match the right ball to your game and your budget.
Top rated golf balls
Our highest mark in this category
Titleist Pro V1
The softer, lower-flighting of the two Pro V1 balls, and the right pick for most golfers.
Read the review →All golf balls, ranked
Scored on one fixed standard
Titleist Pro V1
The softer, lower-flighting of the two Pro V1 balls, and the right pick for most golfers.
Read review →Titleist Pro V1x
The firmer, higher-flying Pro V1 with more iron and wedge spin.
Read review →TaylorMade TP5
The softer, higher-spinning of the two TaylorMade five-layer tour balls.
Read review →TaylorMade TP5x
The firmer, higher-flying five-layer ball with lower long-game spin.
Read review →Callaway Chrome Tour
The softer, lower-spinning of the two Callaway Chrome Tour balls.
Read review →Callaway Chrome Tour X
The firmer Chrome Tour with more iron spin and shot-shaping control.
Read review →Buying golf balls
What to look for
Golf balls look identical from the outside, but the construction underneath, how many layers they have and what the core and cover are made of, changes how far they fly, how much they spin and how they feel. This is our golf ball reviews hub: every ball below is scored on one fixed standard, and this guide explains the types of golf balls and how they are built so you can match one to your game. For our ranked shortlist, see the best golf balls guide.
The types of golf balls by construction
Golf balls are classified by the number of layers, or pieces, in their construction, from a simple one-piece ball up to a five-piece tour ball. More layers let engineers fine-tune performance, so the ball can do different things at different swing speeds.
| Construction | Layers | Cover | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-piece | Single synthetic rubber | None | Range and practice balls |
| Two-piece | Core plus cover | Ionomer / Surlyn | Beginners, distance, value |
| Three-piece | Core, mantle, cover | Urethane | All-round tour performance |
| Four-piece | Core, inner cover, mantle, cover | Urethane | Better players wanting control |
| Five-piece | Core, multiple mantles, cover | Urethane | Tour pros and low handicappers |
As a rule, two-piece golf balls are ideal for beginners and high-handicap golfers who want distance and durability, while three, four and five-piece balls add mantle layers that give better players more spin and control.
The core
The core is the engine of a golf ball. It is typically made from rubber or a synthetic material and is designed to set the ball's basic properties, its hardness, compression and speed. A larger, softer core helps slower swing speeds compress the ball for distance, while firmer cores suit faster swings. Many modern tour balls use a graduated or dual core that is soft in the centre and firmer towards the edge, which lets one ball be low spinning off the driver and high spinning around the greens.
The mantle layers
The mantle is the layer, or layers, between the core and the cover in a multi-piece ball. It helps the core transfer energy for ball speed and distance, and it is where engineers fine-tune iron and wedge spin. Adding mantle layers is how a golf ball is designed to spin low on full shots yet high on short ones, which is the whole point of a tour ball's more complex construction.
The cover: Surlyn or urethane
The cover controls feel and spin, and golf balls come with one of two types. A Surlyn or ionomer cover, an ionomer resin, is extremely durable and resistant to scratching, and it is low spinning, which gives a straighter flight; it is the most common cover and appears on most distance and value balls. A urethane cover is softer, with a higher spin rate and a better feel, which is why every premium tour ball uses one for greenside control. This single choice of materials separates most cheap golf balls from most premium ones.
Compression and feel
Compression measures how much the ball squashes at impact, from around 30 for the softest to nearly 100 for the firmest, and it is set mainly by the core. Lower compression feels softer, higher compression feels firmer. It is mostly a feel measure, and modern golf balls perform across a wide range of swing speeds, so treat it as a tie-breaker. Our golf ball compression chart lists the numbers for popular models.
How to read a golf ball review
Every golf ball review on this page scores the same five things, feel, greenside spin, flight, distance and consistency, combined into one mark out of ten on a fixed standard. Start with the construction and cover to know the type, then read the spin and feel notes to see whether it fits your game, and finish with the score to see how it stacks up. Because the standard never changes, an 8.6 for one ball means the same as an 8.6 for another.
Which golf ball should you play
Two questions settle most of the decision: how fast do you swing, and where do you gain and lose shots. If you spin your wedges and keep the ball in play, a urethane, multi-layer tour ball rewards you. If you lose several golf balls a round or want distance for less, a two-piece ionomer ball is the smarter buy while your short game develops. Whatever you choose, buy a sleeve first and test it around the greens. For our ranked picks across every category, see the best golf balls guide.
How we test and score golf balls
Our marks are built from manufacturer specifications, independent robot and launch-monitor testing, and the consensus of trusted hands-on reviews, combined on one fixed rubric. We synthesise the evidence rather than relying on a single round of testing, and we score the ball before we add any affiliate link, so these golf ball reviews stay comparable and independent.
FAQ
What are the different types of golf balls?
Golf balls are classified by construction, from one-piece practice balls to two-piece distance balls and three, four and five-piece tour balls. More layers let engineers fine-tune spin and feel, so two-piece balls suit beginners and multi-layer urethane balls suit better players.
What is a golf ball made of?
A golf ball has a rubber or synthetic core, one or more mantle layers in multi-piece balls, and a cover made of either ionomer (Surlyn) or urethane. The core sets compression and speed, the mantle tunes spin, and the cover controls feel and greenside spin.
What is the difference between a two-piece and a tour golf ball?
A two-piece ball has a core and a firm ionomer cover, making it durable, low spinning and long, ideal for distance and value. A tour ball adds mantle layers and a soft urethane cover for high greenside spin and control, at a higher price.
What does the core of a golf ball do?
The core is the engine of the ball, usually rubber or synthetic, and it sets the ball's hardness, compression and speed. A softer core helps slower swings compress the ball for distance, while many tour balls use a graduated core to be low spinning off the driver and high spinning around the green.
What is the mantle in a golf ball?
The mantle is the layer or layers between the core and cover in a multi-piece ball. It helps transfer energy for ball speed and lets engineers fine-tune iron and wedge spin, which is how a tour ball spins low on full shots yet high on short ones.
What is the difference between Surlyn and urethane covers?
A Surlyn or ionomer cover is durable, scratch-resistant and low spinning for a straighter flight, common on distance and value balls. A urethane cover is softer with a higher spin rate and better feel, which is why every premium tour ball uses one for greenside control.
Do more layers make a golf ball better?
More layers let a ball behave differently at different swing speeds, spinning low off the driver and high off a wedge, which gives more control. That is valuable for better players but adds cost, and a simpler two-piece ball is often the smarter choice for higher handicaps.
What golf ball should a beginner use?
Beginners usually do best with a soft two or three-piece ball rather than a premium tour ball, at least until the short game can use the extra spin. It gives solid distance and a pleasant feel, and losing one costs far less.
How do you score a golf ball review?
Every review scores the same five things, feel, greenside spin, flight, distance and consistency, combined into one mark out of ten on a fixed standard. Because the rubric never changes, scores are directly comparable between any two balls.
Does the golf ball really make a difference?
Yes, more than most golfers expect, especially around the greens and in feel. The difference between a urethane tour ball and a cheap ionomer distance ball shows up most on wedge and greenside shots, where a urethane cover grips and a firm ionomer cover does not.
How do I choose the right golf ball?
Start with your swing speed and where you gain and lose shots, then pick a feel you like. If you spin your wedges and keep the ball in play, choose a urethane tour ball; if you lose balls or want distance for less, choose a two-piece ionomer ball. Then test a sleeve around the greens.
Where can I find your best golf ball picks?
Our ranked shortlist across every category, tour, distance, soft feel and value, is in the best golf balls guide, which scores the leading balls on one standard and helps you match a ball to your handicap, swing speed and budget.
How we score gear
Why these marks mean something
One fixed standard, no paid placements
Every product is judged the same way: manufacturer specs, independent launch-monitor testing and hands-on consensus, combined into one comparable verdict. We rate the gear first and add buying links afterwards.
Not sure which to pick?
Start with the top-rated above, or read a head-to-head comparison to break the tie.