The best golf balls

A box of good balls is the present no golfer turns down. Here's which to choose for a gentle swing, a keen club player and a medal-round treat.

Top 5 · Updated 28 September 2026

A golf ball on the green with the flag behind

The right ball depends on the swing. Soft, low-compression balls help a gentle swing get the ball up and away, while tour balls with a urethane cover add spin and control for players who strike it well. Yellow and brightly coloured balls are easier to follow and to find.

Every box here holds 12 balls. If you're buying for someone else, look at what's in their bag now: a golfer who loses a few balls a round gets more from two boxes of a soft value ball than from one box of a tour ball.

What matters

  • Compression: softer balls suit slower swings.
  • Cover: urethane for spin, ionomer or Surlyn for distance and durability.
  • Colour: yellow and bright balls are easier to spot.
  • Price per box, because golf balls go missing.

#1 of 5

Best overall

White golf balls scattered on a dark green background
Illustrative photo

Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls 2025 (box of 12)

£28.99 RRP

9.4/10Picked Rating

A soft two-piece ball for everyday club golf: the HyperElastic SoftFast core adds ball speed, and the hybrid cover keeps a little bite round the greens. It costs little enough that losing one in the pond doesn't hurt.

What owners say: Owners say it feels lovely off the club, has good pace and is easy to see on the course, and they find it great value, especially for beginners and mid-handicappers.

A closer look: Soft enough to feel good on the putter without the price of a tour ball, it's a safe box to give when you don't know what someone plays. The yellow version is easier to follow against a grey winter sky.

  • Box of 12
  • Two-piece build
  • HyperElastic SoftFast core
  • Hybrid cover
  • Also in yellow and matte colours

Best for: Everyday golf at a fair price

Construction
2-piece
Cover
Hybrid
Colours
White, yellow, matte colours
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#2 of 5

Best premium

White golf ball on a tee against a black background
Illustrative photo

Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls 2025, Enhanced Alignment (box of 12)

£52.00 RRP

9.3/10Picked Rating

Built for control: a three-piece ball with a soft cast urethane cover that grips the grooves, so approach shots stop on the green. When Titleist launched it in Las Vegas in October 2000, 47 tour players switched to it in the first week.

What owners say: Owners say the quality is excellent, they're pleased with the performance and distance, and a box makes a great present for a keen golfer.

A closer look: It pays off for golfers who hit greens regularly and want the ball to stop quickly; someone who loses several a round will get more from the Supersoft or Duo Soft. For a keen player, it's the box they rarely buy for themselves, which makes it a proper treat.

  • Box of 12
  • Three-piece build
  • Soft cast urethane cover
  • 388-dimple tetrahedral pattern
  • Extended alignment sidestamp

Best for: Keen golfers and a treat

Construction
3-piece
Cover
Cast urethane
Colours
White, yellow
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#3 of 5

Easiest to spot

White and coloured golf balls in the grass
Illustrative photo

TaylorMade SpeedSoft Golf Balls, Ink colours (box of 12)

£20–£30 Price range

9.2/10Picked Rating

TaylorMade's softest ball, with a PWRCORE centre and a compression under 50, so a gentle swing still gets good speed off the tee. The Ink finish splashes colour over the white, which makes it easy to pick out in the rough.

What owners say: Owners love the soft feel, especially on the putting green, find the colours easy to spot and say they play as well as dearer balls.

A closer look: The bright splashes make it easy to tell your ball from a playing partner's in the middle of the fairway. TaylorMade aims it at everyday golfers, and moderate swing speeds get the most from the soft core.

  • Box of 12
  • Two-piece build
  • PWRCORE, compression under 50
  • Ionomer cover
  • High-visibility Ink colours

Best for: Finding it in the rough

Construction
2-piece
Cover
Ionomer
Colours
White, yellow, Ink colour splashes
View on Amazon

#4 of 5

Best all-rounder

White golf balls on red tees against a blue background
Illustrative photo

Srixon AD333 Golf Balls 2026 (box of 12)

£28.00 RRP

9.1/10Picked Rating

Now in its twelfth generation, the AD333 balances distance and control: the FastLayer core runs from soft in the middle to firmer at the edge, and a Spin Skin coating helps wedges grip for shots that check round the greens.

What owners say: It's early days for the 2026 version, but owners so far rate it very highly.

A closer look: Reviewers pitch it at mid and high handicappers who want a little more short-game control than a pure distance ball gives. It comes in Pure White or Tour Yellow, boxed in paper with no plastic or foil.

  • Box of 12
  • Two-piece build, 68 compression
  • FastLayer core
  • Spin Skin coating
  • Plastic-free packaging

Best for: Mid-handicappers

Construction
2-piece
Cover
Ionomer, Spin Skin coating
Colours
White, yellow
View on Amazon

#5 of 5

Best for slower swings

White golf ball on a short green turf
Illustrative photo

Wilson Duo Soft Golf Balls 2025, TRK360 (box of 12)

£20–£30 Price range

9.0/10Picked Rating

Wilson calls it the world's softest golf ball, and at 37 compression it's made for gentler swings, launching high with a soft feel on every shot. This TRK360 version has a red and black stripe all the way round.

What owners say: Owners find them soft with plenty of distance, like the stripe for lining up putts and tee shots, and say they're easy to see and good value.

Heads up: It's made for slower swings; a big hitter will get more from the AD333 or the Pro V1.

A closer look: A thoughtful box for a grandparent or a newer golfer, as the soft core helps a gentle swing get the ball airborne. On the green, point the stripe down the line of the putt before you set up.

  • Box of 12
  • Two-piece build, 37 compression
  • Surlyn cover
  • TRK360 stripe for lining up
  • Also in bright colours

Best for: Slower swings and seniors

Construction
2-piece
Cover
Surlyn
Colours
White, yellow, red, orange, green, pink
View on Amazon

How they compare

Feature#1Callaway Supersoft#2Titleist Pro V1#3TaylorMade SpeedSoft Ink#4Srixon AD333#5Wilson Duo Soft
Best overallBest premiumEasiest to spotBest all-rounderBest for slower swings
Picked Rating9.49.39.29.19.0
Price£28.99 RRP£52.00 RRP£20–£30 Price range£28.00 RRP£20–£30 Price range
Construction2-piece3-piece2-piece2-piece2-piece
CoverHybridCast urethaneIonomerIonomer, Spin Skin coatingSurlyn
ColoursWhite, yellow, matte coloursWhite, yellowWhite, yellow, Ink colour splashesWhite, yellowWhite, yellow, red, orange, green, pink
Best forEveryday golf at a fair priceKeen golfers and a treatFinding it in the roughMid-handicappersSlower swings and seniors
Check priceView on AmazonView on AmazonView on AmazonView on AmazonView on Amazon

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