Here's the best way to find the right golf ball for you

When comes to a player’s equipment, the golf ball is so often the most overlooked piece in the bag.

Most golfers will shell out hundreds and even thousand of dollars to get a custom fitting to make sure each one of their 14 clubs is tuned and optimized for their swing and game (as they should), but rarely do they spend the same resources on fitting or even testing for the right golf ball.

“I think most people out there use whatever is free,” said GOLF’s Fully Equipped co-host Wadeh Maroun on this week’s episode. “Like they go play a golf tournament or something and they get a free dozen of Pro V1s or Pro V1x or Callaway balls or TaylorMade balls, whatever it may be. And they’ll play those until they get something else for free.”

Maroun stressed the importance of going through a golf ball fitting in addition to club fittings, but he also suggested golfers try the online Ballnamic tool, created by Ping.

Co-host Kris McCormack offered the idea that when golfers identify some serious options of what golf balls they might use, start testing around the green before moving your way back to the tee.

“I always tell people; start from the green and work your way back,” he said. “Everything performs off the tee, within a couple yards of each other.”

McCormack explained that there simply isn’t that much of a difference of how far they will go off the tee between golf balls, but the difference in spin and control around the greens can be massive.

“All of the independent golf ball tests that come out, it’s always 10, 11 yards between the longest ball and the shortest ball,” he said. “Then it always begs the question like, okay, if you’ve got somebody that’s down and across versus inside and up, what’s going to be the longest golf ball for those different types of release patterns and impact positions? So golf ball for me is always something that I tell people, start at the green and work back.”

Once you identify which golf balls you like around the green, move back to hitting iron shots and see which preform in that category. Finally, you should have only a few options once you get to the tee and can easily decide which ball flies the best off the driver.

Want to overhaul your bag for 2024? Find a fitting location near you at True Spec Golf.

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is the associate equipment editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at [email protected].