Equipment experts reveal the golf balls they use – and why

Last updated: 01 November 2024

Switching golf ball can make a big difference.

Choosing the best golf ball for your game can be tough. I started playing golf around the turn of the millennium; if you wanted the best performance possible back then, you bought the Titleist Pro V1. It was that simple. Admittedly, I wasn’t in a position to do that, so I made do with the Top Flite XL 2000 or whatever junk I found among the trees, but at least you knew where you stood. Nowadays, things are much more complicated.

All the top brands have multiple premium models, and there are more brands than ever before. The likes of Titleist, Callaway, Srixon, and TaylorMade have been joined by countless other ‘direct-to-consumer’ brands like Vice, Snell, Seed, and more. Then you’ve got supermarket balls like the Kirkland Signature V3 promising Pro V1 levels of performance for a third of the cost.

To cut through the confusion, Today’s Golfer undertakes a robot golf ball test each year. All the balls are hit at three different driver swing speeds and with a 7-iron and pitching wedge, so you can see all the data and how each ball performs in the areas you deem most important. You can see all the results of the most recent test here and I’d strongly recommend giving it a read – and watching the video – before buying your next box of golf balls.

But not all decisions are entirely data-driven. You might choose the golf ball you play based on its price, how it looks, the feel, because your favorite tour pro uses it, or any other reason.

The Today’s Golfer team are constantly testing golf balls out on the course for ‘real world’ performance and intangibles that a robot can’t measure. Here, they reveal which golf ball they choose above all else and why it’s their go-to model.

Currently an orange Nike Distance ball. Why? Because I’m cheap, I’ve had a stash for 10+ years and because I’m not entirely confident which way my ball is going, I don’t mind losing them. The orange also makes it easier to find them in the rough.

I’ve been playing the Bridgestone Tour B X and Tour B XS for the last couple of years. I care enough about performance to want to play a premium golf ball, but I hate spending £45+ on a box and then losing a couple in the first few holes. The idea of paying close to £4 per ball just isn’t fun. By shopping around, I can usually find the Bridgestones for close to £30 a box, which feels more reasonable.

It was the Tour B XS for most of the time, which is the one aimed at delivering more spin, but I’ve recently switched to the Tour B X, which promises a bit more distance. I don’t really know why I’ve made that switch, but the fact Tiger Woods did it probably played a part.

Rrp: $49.99

Rrp: $49.99

TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe. I know it’s not the fastest or longest ball out there, but I love lining it up at the flag on par 3s and knowing my clubface is aimed square at the target.

The Stripe helps with alignment and focuses your attention on the green, while the roll feedback is also invaluable.

I only ever use the lime, blue/pink, or USA colorways as I’m not a huge fan of the blue or orange.

Rrp: $41.99

Rrp: $41.99

I’ve played with well over 50 different golf balls as part of testing and reviewing during the past 12 months and the one I most enjoy playing with is the Wilson Staff Model X.

For my game, the Staff Model X isn’t missing anything. I don’t ever look for a golf ball that adds distance – I prefer playing with a model that drives spin.

I need launch, and that’s exactly what this X-model golf ball gives. The firmer feeling might not be to everyone’s liking, but I like how much feedback you receive on good and bad shots.

I use the Chrome Soft X LS Triple Track. As I generate higher spin throughout the bag, anywhere I can lose a little bit of that RPM really helps. The feel and performance of the ball tee-to-green is great and, given the number of trees I hit, the cover is very durable. I love the look of the hexagon dimples and Triple Track is a must for me. Having been notoriously careless with my putting over the years it has allowed me to get a bit more consistency in with alignment and hole more putts.

Expert rating:

I’ve fluctuated between the TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe and the Wilson Staff Triad this year, finding very little difference in performance between the two. The alignment benefits of the Stripe mean it just pips the Triad when I reach into the bag at the start of most rounds.

I used to play TaylorMade TP5 but with Tour Response using the same dimple pattern and cover, I’ve noticed very little difference, barring the price, where there’s a welcome saving.

It’s also surprisingly durable for a urethane cover and I’ll happily play the same ball for an entire round if a wayward shot doesn’t take the choice out of my hands. I no longer swing out of my boots, but still get great distance through the bag, and it offers a great combo of distance and stopping power with irons. Spin definitely isn’t as good as some similar-priced balls on full wedges shots, but the urethane cover does give decent bite when chipping, and it feels great off the putter face.

I don’t dislike any of the color options but I navigate towards the orange. The large alignment stripe is so beneficial for setting up correctly on the tee or giving yourself the best chance of hitting your line on the greens and it makes spotting the ball easier when I’ve inevitably missed the fairway.

Rrp: $41.99

Rrp: $41.99

One ball for summer and another for winter – yes, I am that guy.

I use the Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash in the summer because I’m a high-spin golfer and it’s the most consistent ball on the market for reducing spin on full swings while maintaining it on partials. The exit window sits slightly higher, where I want it to, without becoming floaty. The firmer feel reminds me of what I grew up playing (Nike RZN Black) and it’s stable in the wind.

I only change to the Titleist Pro V1 in the winter because softer ground typically means I strike it higher on the clubface, so I need to bring the flight back down a little and add some spin back in.

I will caveat that if Nike ever come back with the RZN, I will immediately switch back. Greatest golf ball ever made.

Expert rating:

Much like my irons (Callaway Apex Pro), I play with a ball that I aspire to be good enough to use. Granted, my age profile and ability suggest I’m unlikely to get there, but God loves a trier.

When there is no water in sight, I game the Callaway Chrome Tour X. I’m driven by numbers and the results from our Golf Ball Robot Test undoubtedly confirm to me that this is the new No.1 ball in golf. It’s on the podium for almost every metric you want it to be. Fast, long, and, most importantly for most club golfers, spins the highest with 7-iron and wedge for maximum stopping power.

I opt for the Triple Track model as it not only makes lining up tee shots and putts easy but also reminds me of Aquafresh toothpaste and the importance of smiling when I invariably three-putt.

Expert rating:

My go-to ball is the TaylorMade TP5 Pix. If offers plenty of distance, seems to fly high with my irons, and can stop on a sixpence. To me, it feels a little softer than an X-ball and less ‘clicky’ off the face. The Pix graphics make it easy to line up on the green and usually help my ball stand out from playing partners’. I have really enjoyed using TaylorMade’s Tour Response Stripe in the past, too – and the addition of the Stripe model to the TP5 family in the last month has definitely caught my interest.

Rob McGarr – Contributing Editor

Rob has been a writer and editor for over 15 years, covering all manner of subjects for leading magazines and websites.

He has previously been Features Editor of Today’s Golfer magazine and Digital Editor of todays-golfer.com, and held roles at FHM, Men’s Running, Golf World, and MAN Magazine.

You can follow him on YouTube where – depending on what day of the week it is – he’ll either be trying his best to get his handicap down to scratch or shoving his clubs in a cupboard, never to be seen again.

Rob is a member at Royal North Devon, England’s oldest golf course, where he plays off a three-handicap.

Contributing Editor