Best Golf Balls For Beginners In 2023 (Our Top Picks)

Best Golf Balls For Beginners
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No two golfers are alike. 

Some players have high swing speeds and can shoot in the 70s with ease. While others might just be learning the game and struggling to break 100. 

Regardless of your skill level, it’s essential to play a golf ball that matches your current swing and game. If you play a golf ball that is made for a low handicapper but can’t shoot in the 90s, it’s going to make the game even more challenging. 

Not only that but if you’re just starting out in your golf journey, you’re bound to lose more balls too. That’s why you also want to find a golf ball that isn’t super expensive, otherwise you will spend a fortune buying dozen after dozen. 

Don’t think that each piece of equipment and every golf ball is the same… because they’re not. To help you better understand the top choices, let’s review the best golf balls for beginners. 

Best Golf Balls for Beginners: 2023 Edition

ImageProductFeaturesPrice
Titleist Velocity Golf Balls

Titleist Velocity Golf Balls

  • Longer distance
  • Extremely low long game spin
  • Greater iron stoppability
  • High flight on all shots
9.8
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Callaway Warbird Golf Ball

Callaway Warbird Golf Ball

  • The Warbird Golf Ball is engineered for maximum ball speed
  • HEX Aerodynamics reduces drag and promotes increased launch for more speed, hang time and distance 
  • Great feel and greenside control in a 2-piece design 
9.6
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Taylor Made Tour Response

Taylor Made Tour Response

  • 3 piece cast urethane tour calibre ball 
  • Ultra low 40 compression core 
  • Speedmantle with HFMq 
9.6
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Vice Golf Drive Balls

Vice Golf Drive Balls

  • For players with low to medium club head speed
  • Extremely tough and cut-resistant soft-core
  • 368 dimple design
  • Longer roll and softer feel
  • 2 piece ball
9.4
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Bridgestone e12 Contact

Bridgestone e12 Contact

  • Longer and straighter flight with driver and every other club in your bag 
  • Softer core contributes to significantly enhanced feel on all shots 
  • Increased friction for better spin around the green 
9.4
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The goal is to find a golf ball that is geared toward your skill level and is affordable above all else. Here are our top five picks so you can find a ball that matches your game and doesn’t break the bank either.  

1. Titleist Velocity Golf Balls

Alignment Arrows
Titleist Velocity

Titleist Velocity

  • Longer distance
  • Extremely low long game spin
  • Greater iron stoppability
  • High flight on all shots

Titleist makes a huge selection of golf balls and boldly claims to be, “The number one ball in golf.” Their top design, the Pro V1 series, has been a favorite among players for 20+ years. But if you’re just starting out, this ball is too expensive and doesn’t have the right characteristics for your game.

Instead, you want to play a ball that is made for slower swing speeds. The best option from Titleist is the Velocity series. It’s great for beginners because it provides plenty of distance but still has a great design from Titleist. 

The Titleist Velocity has a 346 dimple design pattern to help you hit it long and keep your misses in play with tighter shot dispersion. It has low long game spin, so your tee balls should roll out plenty but it doesn’t negatively impact feel either. The Velocity has plenty of greenside feel and provides a high launch for every shot from tee to green.

As you keep improving, then you can look into the Pro V1 or the Titleist AVX as well.

2. Callaway Warbird Golf Balls

High Launch
Callaway Warbird

Callaway Warbird

  • The warbird golf ball is engineered for maximum ball speed through the bag
  • Hex aerodynamics reduces drag and promotes increased launch for more speed, hang time and distance
  • The optimized ionomer cover and large core combine to create great feel and greenside control

Another top choice for beginner players is the Callaway Warbird golf ball. This low-cost option is great for golfers who are just starting out and they’re one of the best deals in the game (under $20 a dozen).

The Callaway Warbird places an emphasis on speed above all else. Since speed equals distance and beginners don’t naturally have as much speed, this ball can help offset that for longer distances

The 2-piece construction also promotes a high launch, so your approach shots stay on the green. Choose this distance golf ball in white or yellow. 

3. TaylorMade Tour Response Golf Balls

Low Compression
Taylor Made Tour Response

Taylor Made Tour Response

  • Alignment aid printed half way around the ball
  • Durable print won't rub off
  • Achieve the perfect roll to the cup
  • Alignment aid printed half way around the ball
  • Durable print won't rub off

TaylorMade also produces a series of high-quality golf balls including the TP5 which is preferred by elite players. While that’s something you want to work up too, don’t start with the TP5 as it’s designed for players with high swing speeds too.

Instead, start with the TaylorMade Tour Response golf balls. These are slightly cheaper but still a great all-around golf ball. 

As TaylorMade said on their website, “Every golf ball used on Tour has a urethane cover, made for a premium feel and increased spin around the greens. Now we’re making those same performance standards available at a price that appeals to all golfers.”

Think about it like this, you get tour performance without the high price tag of the TP5. Like the Warbird golf ball, you can choose from a yellow or white design. 

4. Vice Golf Balls

Very Durable
Vice Golf

Vice Golf

  • For players with low to medium club head speed
  • Extremely tough and cut-resistant soft-core
  • 368 dimple design
  • Longer roll and softer feel
  • 2 piece ball

Another brand that is great for golf balls is Vice Golf. What makes them so unique is that they only sell online, meaning you will never find these in a pro shop at your local golf club.

By not being in retail shops, this means they can keep costs down by selling directly to players. This correlates to lower costs for you without sacrificing any quality of your golf ball. 

Whether you’re a scratch golfer or someone who has yet to break 100, Vice Golf has a ball for you. If you’re just getting started, I recommend one of these options:

  • Vice Drive – Low compression for soft feel and plenty of distance
  • Vice Pro Zero – Distance but an emphasis on greenside spin 

If you aren’t sure which is the right one for your game, make sure to use their ball recommendation tool as well. Plus, they have a massive color selection on all their golf balls too. 

5. Bridgestone e12 Contact Golf Ball 

Straight Flight
Bridgestone e12 Contact

Bridgestone e12 Contact

  • Alignment aid printed half way around the ball
  • Durable print won't rub off
  • Achieve the perfect roll to the cup
  • Designed for straight flight and long distance
  • Contact force dimples deliver 38% more contact at impact for increased ball speed and distance

Rounding out our list of best golf balls for beginners is the newest ball from Bridgestone. The e12 Contact series is all about distance and is still much more affordable than their Tour Series golf balls. 

What makes it unique is the new “CONTACT” force dimple who allows more contact on the face than traditional golf balls. That means better energy transfer which means more distance with every club. Choose from white, red, yellow, and green. 

6. Wilson Staff Duo Soft+

Multiple Color Options
WILSON Staff Duo Soft + Golf Ball

WILSON Staff Duo Soft + Golf Ball

  • New core technology uses advanced materials to extract and amplify every ounce of power from your swing, making the new Duo Soft + the world’s softest and the longest premium 2-piece golf ball
  • The Duo family of golf balls has been engineered to deliver the distance you need, the feel you love and the consistency you demand

Wilson has a long reputation in the golf world and offers tons of great products, especially for beginner players. In fact, they’ve been making golf balls since 1954, so they know a thing or two!  

The Wilson Staff Duo Soft+ is a great option for new golfers thanks to the two-piece design. It has a lower compression (35) and Velocitcor technology. This helps maximize the distance while still maintaining a soft core. 

These balls also have arrows on the side that make it easy to line up putts. The only downside is that these Wilson golf balls are only available in white, but offered at a great price. 

7. Pinnacle Rush

Soft Ball
Pinnacle Rush Golf Balls

Pinnacle Rush Golf Balls

  • Dialed-up distance for peak performance
  • The core is the engine. Pinnacle rush contains a proprietary, high-energy core for fast ball speed helping all golfers hit the ball farther with every club 

Pinnacle has been another popular name in the golf ball industry with an emphasis on ones for beginners. They offer tons of great choices but we think the new Pinnacle Rush is great for novice golfers.

These balls prioritize distance above all else thanks to the soft cover and high energy core. Additionally, the 332 dimples helped create a durable ionomer cover for excellent feel and penetrating ball flight. 

The Rush golf balls are available in a 15-pack for a great low-rate. Plus, they’re available in white and yellow. 

Top Questions About Choosing the Best Golf Ball 

If you have other questions about playing the right golf ball, we’re here to help. 

Do golf balls matter for beginners?

Yes, even if you’re a beginner playing the right ball matters. Playing a ball that doesn’t match your swing speed makes a hard sport even more difficult. Just like playing forgiving clubs, you need to play an easier to hit ball as well. 

Not only in terms of performance but cost too. The last thing you want to do is buy a dozen golf balls that not only aren’t right for your game but also cost a fortune too.

The best golf balls for beginners are soft and cheap, since you’re more likely to lose them vs. a more experienced player. But as you continue to hone your skills, make sure to keep testing out different balls for performance off the tee and around the green. 

As your swing speed increases, you will need a better suited ball for off the tee and likely around the green too. 

What is golf ball compression?

If you’ve been doing some extra research when comparing the above golf balls, chances are you keep reading about compression. So, what is compression?

According to GolfTips, “Compression creates density in the golf ball, which may affect distance and loft. The golf ball is compressed and flattened by the force of the impact. The lower compression of the ball results in the ball; traveling farther as the club’s energy creates energy, transferring it to the ball.”

Compression ranges from 30-120, depending on the brand/type of golf ball. The lower the compression of the ball, the more suited for players with slower swing speeds like new golfers, seniors, and juniors. 

While more advanced players will benefit from golf balls with additional compression. To maximize distance with harder golf balls, it’s crucial for the player to create natural swing speed.

Additionally, compression might play a role in your ball flight and distance if you play in cold weather. Higher compression golf balls might feel more like a rock than a golf ball, so if it’s chilly outside, opting for a softer ball might help your game. 

Learn more about Golf Ball compression here

Do softer golf balls go straighter?

Softer golf balls have a lower compression rating, which requires less clubhead speed to properly compress and hit the ball. Ultimately, yes, this means that softer golf balls tend to go straighter than firmer golf balls. 

But there are tons of other factors including swing speed, angle of attack, and the face at impact. 

Do hard or soft golf balls go further?

In today’s world, most golfers care about distance above all else. Because let’s face it, hitting it longer off the tee makes it easier to score lower since you have shorter clubs into the green. 

So if you’re looking for distance above all else, a firmer golf ball will help you out. But it will only work if you have enough swing speed to properly compress the golf ball. Which is why it’s so important to work your way up to a firmer design as your swing speed increases over time. 

To learn more about increasing your swing speed, check out our best five tips here

What else should I consider when buying golf balls?

You want to think about several things including:

  • Performance: First and foremost, you should always think about performance above all else. As I’ve mentioned several times, your ball needs to match your skill level and swing speed to make golf an “easier” challenge.
  • Budget: Golf isn’t the most affordable sport so make sure your balls don’t break the bank, especially as a beginner. The more advanced you are, the more you should look at investing in new, higher end balls for optimal performance (trust me, it’s worth the money to have a ball that helps you shoot lower scores). 
  • Color: Now, there are more colors than ever to choose from instead of just white. While white golf balls are still the most popular, you can find ones in neon, yellow, red, pink, orange, and more to match your style.   
  • Quantity: Finally, don’t forget to look at the total number of balls per box. While the majority of brands sell them by the dozen, more companies are offering them in 15, 18 or 24 instead, reducing the cost of price per ball.  

Wrapping Up

These five options should help your game and not break the bank. Until you’re breaking 90, avoid expensive golf balls like a Titleist Pro V1 or TaylorMade TP5. 

But if you’re a golf junkie and find yourself lowering your handicap, make sure to switch in the future. Just like your golf clubs, it’s important to upgrade as you start shooting lower scores and understanding your game better.

What ball do you think is the best for beginners?

Let us know in the comments below! 

Michael Leonard

Michael Leonard

Michael Leonard is a full-time writer, author, creator of Wicked Smart Golf and +1 handicap amateur golfer. He left his corporate career in 2017 to pursue entrepreneurship and professional golf; since then, he’s competed in 160+ tournament days and went to Q-school in 2019.

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