Best Golf Balls For Beginners
When you are starting out as a beginner golfer the amount of purchases you have to make can be overwhelming. I know when I was first starting out and went to my local golf store I would stand in the golf ball aisle for 15 minutes having no clue what I was looking for. The sheer amount of options is overwhelming and let’s face it, it’s a golf ball, how different can they all possibly be from each other? Well surprisingly each brand and type do have many differences that can help aid your golf game out on the course. That being said as a new golfer a lot of the differences are very subtle and they won’t affect your game to you get to a higher level of play.
So let us try and simplify at least one purchase for you as you start out and it is the one you don’t need to spend a crazy amount of time on researching, the golf ball. Here are our top picks for best golf balls for beginner golfers.
Our Top Golf Ball For New Golfers
1. Noodle Golf Balls
The Ideal Golf Ball For Newbies
Noodle golf balls by Taylormade are one of the best performing golf balls at a budget friendly price.
Noodle golf balls are one of the best value packs you will find when first starting out in the golfing world. For the average golfer they perform remarkably well and are just a reliable name you can count on year after year. The slogan for the Noodle golf ball is “long and soft” and they meet these expectations as every shot at impact feels incredibly smooth. When compared to more expensive balls I found they gave me just as much yardage and in some cases a little more with my irons. A pack of 24 on average usually goes for around $20 to $24 dollars which is amazing value. As a new golfer, it is hard to justify paying exorbitant amounts for golf balls because of the amount of times you will be losing them out on the golf course. When they go on sale pick up a bunch you won’t regret it because there is no other better value than the Noodles for beginners.
Pro Tip – Get the neon colors when you are starting out on tougher links style courses and you will have an easier time finding your wayward shots on the course. The noodles come in bright green or red and it will be easier to spot on courses with more brown or yellow vegetation to them.
Runner Up Pick
2. Callaway Supersoft
Great For Slicers
Callaway created it’s softest ball ever with the “Supersoft” brand without affecting your distance.
These Callaway Supersoft golf balls might be their most popular line ever created by the company. That is because they are tailor made for beginner golfers with the amount of design and research that went into their creation. Callaway not only created their softest ball yet but also managed to give you greater spin control thus creating longer, straighter drives. Their new low drag HEX aerodynamics give your tee shots higher lift and more carry which equals longer drives for you. Every new golfer tends to struggle with distance out of the gate so these balls will add some instant relief to that problem. These are also great for older golfers as well who may have lost some distance over the years.
High-End Pick
3. Titleist Velocity
Best For Higher Budgets
If you are willing to spend a little more for performance then the Velocity golf ball will give you the best bang for the buck.
I know there are some golfers who start out wanting the best of the best or who can afford to spend a little more to gain better performance. If that is the case then look no further than the Velocity golf ball by Titleist. A brand name you can trust Titleist has long been considered the top golf ball maker in golf for decades. Their Velocity golf ball line will give you longer distance and high flight shots right out of the gate. They have a large core which gives you great control around the greens for difficult chip shots and excellent roll for putting. They are a bit more expensive then our top 2 picks coming in on average at $27 for 12 but you do get the extra game performance in distance and carry. You can test them out on more open courses where you are less likely to lose them in hazards. They also come in neon matte colors like green, pink and orange if you are worried about losing these balls over the cheaper options.
All Our Golf Ball Picks
Noodle Long and Soft
The best value pick for new golfers. You get price and performance all in one.
Callaway Supersoft
Callaway promises their softest ball ever and they come through as each shot feels great.
Titleist
Velocity
The high-end pick that will give your golf game the most on course improvements.
What To Consider When Buying Golf Balls
While I don’t think you should be spending hours researching golf balls when you first start playing golf, there are some important considerations you should take into account. Mostly, you should know what makes up a golf ball and how each component effects the ball when struck.
The Dimples
Dimples are the most identifiable part of the golf ball and are the small indentations all around the outside of the ball. The amount of dimples on a golf ball differ from brand to brand but typically you will find that most have around 300 to 500 on them. Most professionals consider dimples the most important factor of the golf ball as they have a direct impact on trajectory and flight. The second the golf ball leaves the surface of the club the dimples start to take control of the flight and spin rate off the ball. The more dimples you have the less drag on the ball through the wind and the smoother the flight of the shot will be. The smaller and deeper the dimple the lower the trajectory you will have and more backspin you will be able to achieve.
Firmness and Softness
Golf balls can vary greatly in their feel and firmness. They can be very rigid/hard or softer in feel depending on the brand. Rigid or hard golf balls provide you more control and give you better roll but they can be very difficult for new golfers to learn to hit properly. It is recommended that beginner golfers start off with soft golf balls as per all of our picks on the list. Soft golf balls compress more when hit by the club so that means it will cover more surface of the club. This allows the ball to travel further and you will get more distance from your shots.
Golf Ball Construction
Golf balls can come in many different construction types – One Piece, Two Piece, Three Piece and Multi Layered.
One Piece
A one piece golf ball is typically the most cheapest on the market. It is made of the same material on the inside and out. These golf balls are typically found at driving ranges and mini-putt courses. They are not recommended for on course play as their performance is extremely lacking. If you truly can’t afford anything else then by all means use them but expect your game to suffer significantly.
Two Piece
A two piece golf ball is the safest bet for most beginner golfers and are the ones most widely used in action. They consist of a rubber inside core and a firm outer layer. The covers are very durable and should last you many rounds of action. They are the most affordable golf balls on the market and you don’t suffer at all with distance. In fact, these balls tend to give you the most distance out of all the options on the market. The one negative is you don’t get as much spin as you could but as a new golfer that is something you won’t learn how to do for a long time.
Three Piece
These balls are considered the middle ground for golfers and are generally used by mid to high handicappers. They provide higher spin rates and more control then the two piece golf ball.
Multi-Layered
Multi layered golf balls have a thin outer layer which gives you the ultimate spin rate as they allow the club or iron to really “grab” the ball. These are excellent balls for around the green when you are trying to get the most control and spin on your chip shots.
