Best value golf ball?

[Docdent]

I know vice has a mix dozen of their balls. You could try that and find one you like. I like the balls from oncore. They are currently having a father's day sale 2+1. 

[Markjr100]

ok so here is a bit of an unconventional path.. head over to your local Walmart and grab the three cheapest brands of golf balls and give them a shot. As goofy as this may sound, when I was changing my swing and lost alot of my speed and distance I bought a dozen nitro's for like 6 dollars and you know what.. they weren't so bad. I mean I was already down in my distance and couldn't seem to keep my "scrub" balls from getting lost so why spend even 20 dollars? But really here is the thing. I buy balls for how they feel and then figure out if they will work for my game. And really if you are hitting 260 with w cheap ball and 270 or 80 with a good ball you have to ask yourself... Self at my stage of skill are the 20 yards really making a difference? if your second shot into the green is 110 or 130 to the green you probably have a club for both right?? top flight golf balls range from $20 - %30 dollars. find a ball that feels good. It will give you some confidence and improve your game. When you lose less balls.. move up to the next tier that feels good and performs a little better and once you get there then 40 dollars for a dozen doesn't feel so bad because you aren't losing as many.  I know the purists will poo poo this but high handicappers and new golfers don't need the frustration of losing expensive balls (whatever you perspective is on expensive) AND developing skill. Its downright discouraging.  There is my 2 cents for the day

[M3S2]

Adding my experience onto other feedback.
 

I just bought 4 dozen 2021 Maxfli Tour yellow from Golfworks @ $24.99+ tax & shipping, came to $29 per dozen. 
 

I did a trial run of the Maxfli Straightfli to replace the Maxfli Tour this spring. At 100+ driver SS, I found it short off of the driver, wash with the irons, long (springy) off of the wedges and putter. No go for me. 
 

Limited play with the Srixon Softfeel this spring, but played side by side with the Maxfli Tour and it compared favorably, but not enough to get me to change. Would recommend over the Straightfli. 

[ChuckZ]

Titleist Trufeel - $25.00.  For those who want to play the Titleist ball but not want to pay the bigger prices.  Plays well but not the high performing ball of the premium balls.  Great for the every day player with high handicap.  Good bang for buck at $2.08 per ball.  

  

Kirkland Signature - 2 for $34.99.  A lot of guys play them and like them.  Some say they perform as well as premium balls from major brands, but no true.  Their spin rates to high.  Distance also not as far.  But for every day player with high handicap good bang for buck.  Better bang for buck at $1.48 per ball.  

Taylormade Noodle Long and Soft - 15 balls for $16.99.  For those who do not care what ball they play as long as they as cheap.  Play in senior men's league, where distance is short and swing speeds and not the fastest.  See a lot of these and the guys are very happy.  Taylormade makes some good balls.  Best bang for buck at  $1.13 per ball.  

Three prices, three options to take a look at.

 

 

 

[dabigkahuna]

For me, the Titleist Tru Feel ball performs exceptionally well given it's price & performance.  I don't have all the stats but know it sells for around $24 a dozen, and comes in different colors.  Right now, I'm trading used Prov V 1's for them with my playing buddies, and could not be happier with the distance and spin I get with them.  YMMV. 

[Tea Time]

Wilson Duo and Srixon Q Star standard are both great. When I'm on the struggle bus the Duo comes out and seems to right the ship, most of the time. I lose a few yards because of the low compression but it's a strait ball. The Q Star is a ball I'll play if it's wet or really soft greens and it's a great ball too. 

[Ruger]

I would say this ball, I would play the Top Flite D2 Fee when was getting back into golf and this appears to be the replacement.  Sure dont get the spin on the green like your higher end balls, but the spin of the tee is low and if you lose a ball that is $1 its not as much of worry.  

Top Flite 2022 Hammer Control Yellow Golf Balls - 15 Pack

Other Good Options:

TaylorMade Distance+ Yellow Golf Ball, Maxfli 2023 Straightfli Matte Yellow Golf Balls, Srixon 2023 Soft Feel Yellow Golf Balls

 

Edited June 5, 2023 by Ruger

[warbirdlover]

Noodles are good but no colors.

[DriverBreaker]

I always liked the Q-Star Tour, but noticed some horrible ball flights at times due to poor centeredness of cores.  Not sure if they’ve fixed that, or if I got a bad batch, but for a softer ball they went far off the tee.  I did see a noticiable decrease in green side spin from the Z-Star and XV. 

[Jlike]

On 6/3/2023 at 8:47 PM, elight said:

Costco ball is a no brainer if it suits you (i.e., you don't need help keeping it straight off the tee). And if your eyes are good enough to track a white balls (again, being able to hit it straight is helpful here). 

So far I've played the MaxFli Trifli and the Snell Get Sum. Unfortunately I brought 6 Get Sums this morning and lost them all before the end of the (9-hole) round, after not losing a single ball yesterday. Ugh. I am keeping notes and will post my cumulative reviews at the end. 

Not to be a D#&k, but have you given any thought to working on your swing or playing a more open course so that you do not lose as many balls? 

[chisag]

1 hour ago, ChuckZ said:

 

Kirkland Signature - 2 for $34.99.  A lot of guys play them and like them.  Some say they perform as well as premium balls from major brands, but no true.  Their spin rates to high.  Distance also not as far.  But for every day player with high handicap good bang for buck.  Better bang for buck at $1.48 per ball. 

 

... Good post Chuck. other than being wrong about everything.   The new V3 is $27.99 when bought at Costco, the $34.99 price is online with shipping built in. The V3 is vastly improved compared to the V2 and the spin rate is now very similar to any other Tour ball like ProV1 or Maxfli Tour. I have found performance to be similar to both and really can't tell any difference between the V3 and ProV1's/MT's when I compared them. Looking forward to MGS review see if the quality is consistent, and if so will become my ball of choice.  Finally the cover is more durable and a ridiculous bang for your buck at $1.16 a ball. I think when/if they release a yellow version they will have a hard time keeping them in stock because this ball will work for a 25 index or a scratch golfer. 

[archship]

My Best Value Golf Balls are the ones I find, clean, and sort to either use (Pro V1) or give away (other 3 and 4 piece balls) or send out to the range (everything else). I literally find hundreds of balls per year because I walk courses, glance in the woods, weeds, and water as I go by, and only lose one or two every few rounds, so I have not bought balls in 20+ years!  

Edited June 5, 2023 by archship

[WiTerp50]

2 hours ago, Krls032022 said:

In my opinion if I were losing 2 - 3 balls/ round I’d get with an instructor who could get me swinging more consistently & keep the ball in front of me. COSTCO sells their balls in a 2 dozen pack for about $25

2-3 balls is not out of range for purely recreational golfers. 3-6 would be. Coaching would improve that but only with more practice and playing time. Otherwise a good suggestion. 
Kirkland got gloves right. But only white balls, 52-56-60 wedges, and blade putters miss the target audience that would shop a box store for golf equipment.  I like the price of Maxfli last year. 

[cnosil]

1 minute ago, chisag said:

 

The V3 is vastly improved compared to the V2 and the spin rate is now very similar to any other Tour ball like ProV1 or Maxfli Tour. I have found performance to be similar to both and really can't tell any difference between the V3 and ProV1's/MT's when I compared them.

Great point.  Some players need lower spin balls and some need higher spin and both can be Tour quality balls.   This is the great thing about the MGS ball test, if you are playing a ball that has isn’t right, you can look at the results and find a ball that fits better.  IF we look at the TItlest line we can pick from their tour lineup  and adjust the launch and spin characteristics to match what we need.   I typically need more spin so the Kirkland v2 wasn’t a terrible fit for me. 

[GregGarner]

Idk, I think 'value' is pretty hard to quantify in the through-line of the posts so far. Seemingly it's about satisficing and paying as little as possible and distance of the tee is the primary metric of comparison, followed closely by 'feel.' (I'd love to see/create an algorithm based on price-per-yard at different 'feel' thresholds, but I'll leave that to the super-nerds.)

My idea of 'value' still includes some satisficing, but my metrics and thresholds would be, in order:

1. Greenside playability - not purely a spin metric, but more of a spin-plus-consistency measure. Does the ball do what I want it to do when I need it to?
2. Full wedge playability - mid/low flight, mid-spin. Don't want something that rips off the green nor do I want something that can only stop by virtue of a 50+ degree landing angle.
3. Price - not a performance characteristic, obviously, but items 1 and 2 are basically pre-reqs before I am really concerned about price. As such, items 1 and 2 are how/where/why I eliminate basically all non-urethane balls from consideration and now I'm looking at what's the best pricing options for what's left. Everything that follows is meant to serve more as a tie-breaker if price isn't a compelling distinction.
4. Wind performance
5. Driver spin and flight window (tied) - not distance directly, but I want something that's pretty low-spin off the driver and the lower it flies the better
6. Iron flight and spin (tied)
7. Miscellaneous (whatever other random intangibles I need for a tie-breaker like, "does this company have supply-chain issues?" and "does this company kick puppies?")
8. Colors, patterns, and other aesthetic considerations
9. Feel - the firmer the better, but basically no implications on whether or not I'll play the ball

Using this list, my value pick would be the Maxfli Tour CG. 

[chisag]

1 minute ago, cnosil said:

I typically need more spin so the Kirkland v2 wasn’t a terrible fit for me. 

 

... Amen to that. I have recommended the V2 to quite a few ladies and older golfers that both needed the extra spin. Increased their driver carry and added much needed yards to their game. And like you, there are better players producing low spin so a great fit for them too. I hope those it worked for stocked up on the V2's before they were all gone. 

[ChuckZ]

10 minutes ago, chisag said:

 

... Good post Chuck. other than being wrong about everything.   The new V3 is $27.99 when bought at Costco, the $34.99 price is online with shipping built in. The V3 is vastly improved compared to the V2 and the spin rate is now very similar to any other Tour ball like ProV1 or Maxfli Tour. I have found performance to be similar to both and really can't tell any difference between the V3 and ProV1's/MT's when I compared them. Looking forward to MGS review see if the quality is consistent, and if so will become my ball of choice.  Finally the cover is more durable and a ridiculous bang for your buck at $1.16 a ball. I think when/if they release a yellow version they will have a hard time keeping them in stock because this ball will work for a 25 index or a scratch golfer. 

There are a lot of reviews out there regarding golf balls.  Yes I did get the price on line.  Just offering some options.  Sorry one of my options did not meet your expectations in being wrong. After all we humans do make mistakes on occasions. I just pass them by when I shop at COSTCO and do not check their price.  Not something I would purchase.  My choice.  There  seems to always be a large stock at our COSTCO.  Kirkland is still recovering from the law suits from their previous four piece  ball which was a winner, but was way to similar to other manufacturers patents.       

[mellowe4]

I played my best golf when I was playing wilson, something or other, (can't remember) at $7.99 per dozen. Point is, if it feels good, play it. (This was 15 years ago when I was a 7hcp, the closer you get to "0" hcp, the more it matters.)

 

[alanbass]

I used to play the ProV1x but bought them used to reduce the cost. But then I found a Titleist TruFeel and was happily stunned when I played it to find a ball that costs less than half of the ProVs but performs almost as well, with minimal loss of distance and spin on greens. In fact, it costs less new than the ProVs do used. I've switched to TruFeel and am very satisfied. I highly recommend the TruFeel - and yes, it comes in yellow.

[Randy29]

Long time Srixon soft feel user. Excellent roll for the older, shorter distance golfer.

[elight]

1 hour ago, Jlike said:

Not to be a D#&k, but have you given any thought to working on your swing or playing a more open course so that you do not lose as many balls? 

I work on my swing constantly - multiple in person and online instructors and services over the past year or so since I started playing. Fixing a slice isn't easy despite the many advertisements I see every day. Many others may not have the resources to dedicate to expensive lessons, or may not have the time to spend at the range. Others are simply occasional players or weekend warriors and are not interested in game improvement and just want a better experience by keeping the ball in play more, or at least defraying the cost of what is already a very expensive sport. Two-piece golf balls make up a sizable percentage of all golf ball sales, so I think it makes sense to evaluate the differences between them. (And certainly many folks playing 3- and 4-piece balls would not drop strokes by moving to a 2-piece ball.)

[elight]

2 hours ago, Jlike said:

Not to be a D#&k, but have you given any thought to working on your swing or playing a more open course so that you do not lose as many balls? 

I work on my swing constantly - multiple in person and online instructors and services over the past year or so since I started playing. Fixing a slice isn't easy despite the many advertisements I see every day. Many others may not have the resources to dedicate to expensive lessons, or may not have the time to spend at the range. Others are simply occasional players or weekend warriors and are not interested in game improvement and just want a better experience by keeping the ball in play more, or at least defraying the cost of what is already a very expensive sport.

I hope to one day play tour-quality balls exclusively, but I'm not there yet. Maybe I'll never get there. Certainly there are many others who never will or don't even have an interest in getting there. (There = the point at which the benefits of tour-quality ball outweigh the costs).

[Jlike]

As we all know, there are several things that could be happening that is causing you do slice.  

my last piece of advice would be 3 different "band-aids."  1 -  keep the driver in the bag ad tee off with a 3 or 5 wood (or a hybrid) as they shouldn't slice as much.  2) drop your right foot bag to close your stance.  Play with how much to drop it back at the range.   3) play the slice - aim far enough left so your ball hopefully finds the fairway or, at worst, the right rough.

Best of luck!!

[Fred Mitchell]

2 hours ago, cnosil said:

Great point.  Some players need lower spin balls and some need higher spin and both can be Tour quality balls.   This is the great thing about the MGS ball test, if you are playing a ball that has isn’t right, you can look at the results and find a ball that fits better.  IF we look at the TItlest line we can pick from their tour lineup  and adjust the launch and spin characteristics to match what we need.   I typically need more spin so the Kirkland v2 wasn’t a terrible fit for me. 

The 2021 buyers guide best ball test where they hit a bazillion [ technical term dont ask] balls with driver/8 iron and half wedge with a robot at 3 different swing speeds and it was literally the most eye opening thing that I read about golf on the internet and thats not an exaggeration like bazillion was. 99.99% of the time ball conversations revolve around the club that gets hit maybe 13-14 times a round [ driver ] and not the dozens of times you hit irons and wedges. I tried a LOT of different premium balls looking for the holy grail and never would have tried any Bridgestone ball until I studied that chart for low swing speed and realized I was giving up 5-6 yard dozens of times a round with iron shots for 2-3 yards 14 times a round with a driver, thats crazy stupid and driven by ego. 

[elight]

Love all of the conversation. Too much to respond to. I agree that the TruFeel would be a good addition as it just barely makes the $25/dozen cut. I actually picked one up on the course this weekend (lost way too many balls on a tight course with tons of water).

I'm interested to see the reviews of the Kirkland V3. I can't find any in-depth testing yet, but I'm sure there will be soon as they appear to have now shown up on store shelves. If they end up being a lower-spin version of the previous version well, that might be the end of this thread (and leaving me wondering what to do with the 18 dozen balls I've ordered in the past two weeks).

[Richard Fahrney]

Srixon Softfeel. You can get 3 dozen for the price of two. 

[Shinnman]

Oncore Elixir -$30 a dozen and then discounted when bought in bulk 

[rjacobs4]

I've played the TaylorMade Tour Response with great success in the past.   I'm currently buying/using used mint ProV1's but I would go back to the Tour Response without much prompting.

 

Also I've not played but intrigued by Snell's new balls.  Anyone played them yet?

Edited June 5, 2023 by rjacobs4

[davem1944]

Best golf ball for me was just recently. Brand new X out Yellow Titliests on sale for $8 doz. at Lost Golf Balls. Im 78 and retired so my serious golf days are way behind me. They look and play just like regular new ones.  The paint color looks just a tad off on some but who shives a git about that in my golf circle!!

[Outa Brooklyn]

OnCore has a great ball Aventix.  Their other balls are excellent values, too.  Right now, they have a buy 2 get one free deal on all their balls.  Time to stock up.