Best Premium Golf Balls 2024: Tour level golf balls you should game

Click below to find out more about Today's Golfer's golf ball testing process.

How We Test Golf Balls

At Today’s Golfer, we take it upon ourselves to carry out golf ball robot tests to ensure you’re well enough informed to make a sound decision as to which golf ball you should play.

We have always been about the club golfer here at TG, so it’s vital to us to test each golf ball at different swing speeds to show how each model will perform for you. So, no matter what your speed, you’ll find plenty of useful information within this test tailored to your own game.

Our driver shots were hit at speeds of 85, 100, and 115 mph (moderate, mid, and fast). For 7-iron we used a mid-80 mph speed. The pitching wedge was hit at 74 mph. To ensure our results reflect real-world golfers we also used the Ping clubs most suited to these speeds.

A 9° Ping G430 LST driver (with X flex Tour 2.0 Chrome shaft) at 115 mph. A 10.5° Ping G430 Max driver (with S flex Tour 2.0 Chrome shaft) at 100 mph. And a 12° Ping G430 Max (with R flex Alta CB Black) at 85 mph. We took the same approach for irons and wedges using the Ping Blueprint S 7-iron and pitching wedge (with S flex Dynamic Gold 120 shafts).

James Hogg, one of our Equipment Writers, is responsible for much of the on-course testing of golf balls where he applies his skills and knowledge from working in the golf industry since 16-years-old.

Click here to find out more about how we test golf balls.

If you want to play with the same golf ball as your favourite Tour player then look no further than the best premium golf balls

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Deciding the best golf balls for your game can be pretty overwhelming, especially with the extensive choice available. If you appreciate the finer things in life, then you may want to play with the best premium golf balls, which not only offer incredible feel and performance but also many of them come with the approval of Tour players.

It’s probably a given that most premium golf balls do come with a hefty price tag not everyone will want to pay (understandably). If you don’t want to sacrifice too much performance but do want to save some money check out the best golf balls for mid-handicappers.

The best Black Friday golf ball deals 2024

I’m going to momentarily interject here to make you aware of fantastic savings you can make this Black Friday. Now is a great time for you to stock up on golf balls because they’re at their lowest prices of the year. I’ve put together a list of the best Black Friday golf ball deals for you to shop before the savings come to an end.

Retailers are offering huge discounts on some of the most played golf balls and the most popular golf balls on Tour. If you’re not interested in making huge savings this Black Friday feel free to scroll past these amazing deals:

Shop Black Friday golf ball deals at: Amazon | Clubhouse Golf | Scottsdale Golf | American Golf
28% Off: Callaway Chrome Tour X TruTrack Golf Balls – WAS £55.00, NOW £39.49
Save 15%: Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls – WAS £47.99, NOW £40.65
31% Off: Srixon Z-Star Diamond Golf Balls – WAS £47.99, NOW £32.97
Save 30%: Bridgestone Tour B X Golf Balls – WAS £44.99, NOW £31.49

The advantage of premium golf balls is that every sensation is enhanced. Although, nothing will ever prepare you for that gut-retching feeling when you bomb one out of town.

The best premium golf balls 2024 at a glance

Best overall premium golf balls
Callaway Chrome Tour X
Best firm-feeling premium golf balls
Wilson Staff Model X
Best low-spin premium golf balls
TaylorMade TP5x
Most popular premium golf balls
Titleist Pro V1

Not every golfer needs to play with a premium golf ball, there will be golfers out there who’ll benefit from playing the best golf balls for beginners and high handicappers until they reach the level to play with a more premium ball or feel more comfortable spending the extra cash.

Within the premium category of golf balls, there is an option for every golfer. Whether you normally reach for TaylorMade golf balls or Wilson golf balls you’ll find a fantastic premium golf ball in their line-up.

One thing we want every golfer to find is the best value golf balls for their game. If it is that you want to play with a premium golf ball hopefully there’s an option in this list that offers good value for money for your golf game. Finding value in premium golf balls could prove to be more difficult in the coming years following the news of the golf ball rollback being approved, so in order to find good value now is the time to buy!

Best Premium Golf Balls 2024

Callaway's firmer Tour ball is the real deal

Best overall premium golf balls
Price: $54.99
Alternative Retailers
Golf Galaxy
$49.99
DICK'S Sporting Goods
$49.99
Walmart
$10.00
Scheels
$49.99
Callaway have absolutely smashed it out of the park this year with their Chrome range of golf balls which includes the Chrome Tour X, Chrome Tour, and Chrome Soft.

The Chrome Tour X majorly impressed us in our 2024 golf ball robot test. From that data alone it could be considered the best golf ball in 2024... huge claim I know.

Other than having a massive shelf appeal, the Chrome Tour X is premium for multiple reasons. One of which being that it's widely used by Tour players and another is that it's a really solid performer from tee to green.

Off the tee, the Chrome Tour X spins more than the Chrome Tour which won’t be to everyone’s liking but for those who struggle to generate height and potentially lose the ball left then the Chrome Tour X is well worth considering.

The results from our 2024 robot test clearly show this being the best high-spinning golf ball Callaway has to offer. The Chrome Tour X spins most when required, being the highest-spinning golf ball of the 24 we tested from a 7-iron and a pitching wedge. With a driver, it averaged out across the three driver swing speeds as the second highest-spinning model.

Distance is guaranteed with the Chrome Tour X at every swing speed, it's even one of the best golf balls for slow swing speeds. At driver swing speeds of 100mph and 115mph, it was the second-longest and longest golf ball (respectively) in our 2024 robot test.

The Chrome Tour is just as worthy of your consideration if you're in the market for a premium Callaway golf ball. The Chrome Tour was a standout performer in our 2024 robot test and I've seen many positives when I've played this ball on the course.

Read our full Callaway Chrome Tour X golf balls review.

Pros

  • Extremely high spin and control when approaching the greens
  • Produces brilliant ball speeds and distance
  • Played by some of the best players in the world across numerous Tours

Cons

  • The price has shot up which might be off-putting for some golfers
Construction 4-piece
Cover Tour urethane
Dimples 332
Feel Soft
Flight High
Long game spin Mid
Short game spin High
Colour options White; Yellow
Alternative models Chrome Tour X Triple Track; 360° Triple Track; TruTrack
  • Exceptionally Fast Ball Speeds
  • Maximum Workability Through The Bag
  • Optimized Greenside Spin and Control
  • More Consistent Performance

Wilson's premium firm-feeling golf ball delivers outstanding spin

Best firm-feeling premium golf balls
Alternative Retailers
Golf Galaxy
$49.99
PGA TOUR Superstore
$49.99
DICK'S Sporting Goods
$49.99
Walmart
$49.99
I’m a massive fan of Wilson golf balls and the Wilson Staff Model X thoroughly deserves its place among the best premium golf balls. Both premium Wilson golf balls – the Staff Model and Staff Model X are high-spinning when playing around the greens, but as you move away from the green the Staff Model X’s superiority with spin becomes much more noticeable - earning it a spot among the best high-spin golf balls.

The Wilson Staff Model X doesn't only have high-spin to offer, but it's incredibly long throughout the bag, especially off the tee. In our 2024 golf ball robot test this golf ball was the longest we tested at 100mph driver swing speed, third-longest at 115mph, and fourth-longest at 85mph.

The fact that the Staff Model X delivered strong distance at all three swing speeds in our robot test shows how versatile this ball is whether you have a fast or slow swing.

The Staff Model X isn't as widely played on Tour as the Titleist Pro V1 or TaylorMade TP5x but that doesn't make them any less premium than those golf balls. I guarantee that if you pick up a dozen Staff Model X or Staff Model golf balls you'll be seriously impressed.

Read our full Wilson Staff Model X golf balls review.

Pros

  • Very high-spinning golf ball when playing into greens
  • Competitive distance off the tee despite producing high spin rates
  • Incredibly responsive off every club face

Cons

  • A firm-feeling golf ball isn’t to everyone’s liking
Construction 4-piece
Cover Urethane
Dimples 362
Feel Firm
Flight High
Long game spin Low
Short game spin High
Colour options White; Yellow
  • V-Cor advanced performance
  • Firm compression core with velocity-boosting additive
  • 3SIX2 seamless urethane cover

TaylorMade's most popular golf ball on Tour

Best low-spin premium golf balls
TP5x golf balls are one of the best golf balls for golfers seeking superior distance, control, and consistency on the course. These premium golf balls feature a five-piece construction, incorporating a soft urethane cover designed to optimise ball speed, increase distance, and promote a higher ball flight.

Specifically engineered for players who demand the best, the TP5x balls offer a firmer feel compared to their TP5 counterparts, appealing to those who prefer a more solid sensation off the clubface.

One of the key attributes of the TP5x is its ability to deliver impressive distance off the tee with low spin, while still providing high levels of spin and control for precision shots around the green. This versatility makes them a favourite choice among both professional Tour players, including Rory McIlroy and Charley Hull, as well as amateur golfers looking to elevate their game.

The TP5x features among the best low-spin golf balls, despite its impressive short-game performance, because of its ability to maintain low-spin off the tee, it almost seems impossible to drive back spin up too high no matter the strike.

Read our full TaylorMade TP5x golf balls review.

Pros

  • Firm feel is extremely responsive
  • Delivers an amazing high ball flight
  • The cover is more durable than the previous model

Cons

  • Won't work as well as the TP5 for golfers who don't have super quick swing speeds
Construction 5-piece
Cover Soft-tough cast urethane
Dimples 322
Feel Soft
Flight High
Long game spin Low
Short game spin High
Colour options White; Yellow
  • New speed wrapped core
  • Progressive 5-layer construction
  • Seamless Tour flight dimple pattern

The No.1 ball in golf is the Rolls Royce of golf balls

Most popular premium golf balls
Price: $54.97
Alternative Retailers
Golf Galaxy
$24.99
PGA TOUR Superstore
$24.99
DICK'S Sporting Goods
$24.99
Walmart
$24.99
The Titleist Pro V1 is the No.1 ball in golf, thanks to its popularity among Tour players and amateur golfers. We decided to test the Pro V1 in both our 2023 golf ball robot test and 2024 robot test because of its position within the golf ball market.

I say that this ball is the Rolls Royce of golf balls because it seems to be the model that every golfer wants regardless of their game. Based on the fact that more Tour players game the Pro V1 than any other golf ball it's hard not to brand this as the ultimate premium golf ball.

In both the 2023 and 2024 robot tests I can't say that the Pro V1 blew us away, but it's a very consistent performer from tee to green. It doesn't take long to see why this golf ball has earned its merit when you play it on the golf course.

The Pro V1's firmer and higher-flying brother, the Titleist Pro V1x is also a very popular golf ball on Tour and in the amateur game. It's a great alternative to the Pro V1 if you want one of the best high-spin golf balls that's a premium model.

Read our full Titleist Pro V1 golf balls review.

Pros

  • Tighter dispersion than the previous model
  • Brilliant distance
  • Exceptional spin on approach shots
  • Fantastic feel off the club face
  • Played by a whole host of the world's best golfers

Cons

  • Urethane cover marks quite easily, considering the price
Construction 3-piece
Cover Urethane
Dimples 388
Feel Soft
Flight Mid
Long game spin Low
Short game spin High
Colour options White; Yellow
  • High gradient core design
  • Speed amplifying high-flex casing layer
  • Cast thermoset urethane cover
  • Spherically tiled tetrahedral dimple design

A cost-effective premium golf ball that rivals the big brands

Best DTC premium golf balls
Seed is one of many Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) golf ball brands making huge waves in the golf ball market and having not tested any of their golf balls in our 2023 golf ball robot test we couldn't wait to see how they faired in our 2024 robot test.

The SD-01 earns its place among the best premium golf balls because its main goal is to rival the Titleist Pro V1, and from our findings, it easily does that (and beats it in some instances).

If you're thinking of heading to your nearest golf shop to pick up a dozen SD-01 golf balls you'll unfortunately be leaving empty-handed because they are only sold online directly from Seed (hence them being DTC).

However, don't let this put you off. If you're in the market for a premium golf ball but you don't want to splash out the SD-01 is a brilliant model to consider. It has all the performance of the game's best golf balls played on Tour at half the price!

Read our full Seed SD-01 The Pro One golf ball review.

Pros

  • Fantastic tee to green performance
  • Highly durable (easily gets through a full round)
  • Solid response and pleasant feel
  • Outstanding value for money
  • Works well for a wide range of golfers

Cons

  • Not sold in as many places as the game's best-sellers
Construction 3-Piece
Cover Urethane
Dimples 336
Feel Soft
Flight Mid-high
Long game spin Low
Short game spin Mid-high
Colour Options White; Yellow; Orange
  • SpeedSpeed core
  • Ultra-thin urethane cover
  • Responsive mantle layer

A premium DTC golf ball for all golfers

Best value premium golf balls
Price: $39.99
If you enjoy playing with premium golf balls but you'd like to save some cash, opting for a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model is a great alternative. One of the best brands offering DTC golf balls is Vice, and one of the best golf balls they offer is the Pro Plus.

I was very surprised to see how well this golf ball performed in our 2024 robot test at the slowest driver swing speed (85mph) coming in as the second-longest golf ball.

The beauty of the Vice Pro Plus is that it's a competitive golf ball, regarding distance, at varying swing speeds. Whenever I've played with the Pro Plus out on the golf course I have noticed that distance definitely isn't lacking and neither is spin.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the feel of the Pro Plus and I can't quite put my finger on what it is but I feel the feedback and response is almost muted. Feel free to give them a go yourself and you might think otherwise.

If you're looking for an even better bargain then you should consider the Vice Tour which is one of the best golf balls for mid-handicappers and also performed very well in our 2024 robot test at slower swing speeds.

See how the Vice Pro Plus golf balls performed in our 2024 golf ball robot test.

Pros

  • The best DTC 4-piece golf ball in our 2024 robot test
  • Good distance
  • So long as you buy in bulk they are good value for money

Cons

  • Less iron and wedge spin than the brilliant Callaway Chrome Tour X
Construction 4-Piece
Cover Urethane
Dimples 336
Feel Firm
Flight Mid-high
Long game spin Mid-Low
Short game spin High
Colour options White; Lime
Alternative models Pro Plus Drip; Pro Plus Shade
  • Ultra thin cast urethane cover
  • Versatile magnesium ionomer outer mantle
  • Surlyn grade inner mantle
  • Lightweight speed core

A premium golf ball fit for a five-time Major champion

Best premium golf balls for golfers with quick swing speeds
Price: $49.85
Alternative Retailers
Golf Galaxy
$49.99
PGA TOUR Superstore
$49.99
DICK'S Sporting Goods
$49.99
Walmart
$37.01
The Srixon Z-Star Diamond is the brand’s golf ball that was built with the input of five-time Major Champion Brooks Koepka. Given the technology and performance incorporated into the Z-Star Diamond, they’ve become incredibly popular among amateur golfers and other Tour stars – including Hannah Green and Keegan Bradley.

The most noticeable trait of the Z-Star Diamond is how high-spinning this ball is compared to the other golf balls within the Z-Star range. The Z-Star is definitely best-suited to golfers with quicker swing speeds because we found in our 2023 robot test that despite delivering considerable spin off the driver face, with a swing speed of 115mph the Z-Star Diamond traveled extremely far.

Most golfers wanting more spin are probably chasing spin to help improve spin and control when hitting into greens. With a pitching wedge and 7-iron the Z-Star Diamond was the second-highest and third-highest spinning golf ball respectively.

There isn't much to grumble about with the Z-Star Diamond, it's a really solid golf ball from tee to green and it's highly durable compared to other premium golf balls. Srixon is a name that every golfer is accustomed to so whether you want to play with this model, the Z-Star, or the Z-Star XV you won't be let down.

Read our full Srixon Z-Star Diamond golf balls review.

Pros

  • Fantastic at generating spin when firing at pins
  • Extremely long off the tee
  • Ball of choice for a five-time Major Champion

Cons

  • Not the ideal option for golfers with swing speeds south of 100mph
Construction 3-piece
Cover Urethane
Dimples 338
Feel Soft
Flight Mid-High
Long game spin Mid
Short game spin High
Colour options White
  • Speed dimple pattern
  • Thin premium cover
  • Spin skin+ coating
  • Fastlayer DG core

One for the best golfers with serious swing speed seeking distance

Best premium Bridgestone golf ball

Rrp: $49.99

Price: $44.95
Alternative Retailers
Golf Galaxy
$39.99
PGA TOUR Superstore
$39.99
DICK'S Sporting Goods
$39.99
Walmart
$39.99
Bridgestone have quite the line-up when it comes to premium golf balls. All four models within their Tour B family are represented at the professional level. However, none more so than the Tour B X.

Bridgestone's Tour B X golf balls are used most notably by nine-time PGA Tour winner Matt Kuchar, former World No.1 Jason Day, and the GOAT - Tiger Woods.

The results from our 2023 golf ball robot test revealed that this is definitely a golf ball for golfers with quick swing speeds to consider. The Tour B X has been designed to reduce spin in the long game which makes it play almost like a premium distance golf ball. However, unlike distance golf balls you will still get high-spin in on approach shots and around the greens.

If you enjoy playing with Bridgestone golf balls and you're looking for a premium model, the Tour B X is the best, but it might not be for you. If you want to enhance short-game spin and control and you have a quick swing speed then you should look at the Tour B XS.

If your driver swing speed is south of 105mph and you want a ball that grabs on the green then consider the Tour B RXS. However, if you like the sound of increasing distance and your swing speed is slower than 105mph you might want to try the Tour B RX.

Read our full Bridgestone Tour B X golf balls review

Pros

  • Profound distance from a premium golf ball
  • Impressive greenside performance for a high compression distance-orientated golf ball
  • Solid feeling off the putter face

Cons

  • Low spin may harm slower swing speeds
Construction 3-piece
Cover Urethane
Dimples 338
Feel Soft
Flight Low
Long game spin Low
Short game spin High
Colour options White; Yellow
Alternative models Tour B X Mindset
  • REACTIV iQ urethane cover
  • Gradational compression core
  • Dual dimple technology
  • Seamless cover technology

Best Premium Golf Balls 2024: Data Comparison

Callaway Chrome Tour XWilson Staff Model XTaylorMade TP5xTitleist Pro V1Seed SD-01Vice Pro PlusSrixon Z-Star DiamondBridgestone Tour B X
85mph Driver
Ball Speed
124.2mph124.5mph124.1mph123.8mph123.9mph124.2mph123.4mph123.3mph
85mph Driver Backspin2838rpm2722rpm2565rpm2513rpm2583rpm2670rpm2869rpm2895rpm
85mph Driver Carry Distance192.1yds191.8yds190.9yds191.2yds191.7yds192.4yds192.2yds191.1yds
85mph Driver
Shot Area
15.4yds17.9yds17.8yds13.6yds9.2yds15.9ydsN/AN/A
100mph Driver
Ball Speed
145.4mph145.7mph145.1mph144.8mph143.8mph144.3mph145.5mph145.1mph
100mph Driver Backspin2832rpm2652rpm2506rpm2519rpm2597rpm2608rpm2827rpm2686rpm
100mph Driver Carry Distance245.1yds245.4yds244yds239.8yds241.9yds242.8yds240.4yds240.8yds
100mph Driver
Shot Area
31.3yds33.3yds27.4yds26.7yds24.4yds30.7ydsN/AN/A
115mph Driver
Ball Speed
166.6mph167.2mph167mph165.9mph165.4mph166.3mph167.2mph166.8mph
115mph Driver Backspin2155rpm2084rpm2073rpm2066rpm2125rpm2064rpm2171rpm2108rpm
115mph Driver Carry Distance283.2yds281.7yds280.2yds278.1yds279.5yds280.3yds293.9yds293.8yds
115mph Driver
Shot Area
31.2yds38.6yds33.1yds29.5yds30yds35.4ydsN/AN/A
7-iron
Ball Speed
107.6mph108.1mph108mph107.5mph108.5mph108.2mph106.2mph106mph
7-iron Backspin6193rpm6084rpm5468rpm5594rpm5314rpm5379rpm6059rpm5702rpm
7-iron Carry Distance150.5yds151.8yds154.2yds152yds155.8yds154.9yds145.9yds146.7yds
7-iron
Shot Area
16.2yds7.8yds13.4yds8.2yds9.5yds9.9ydsN/AN/A
Pitching Wedge
Ball Speed
84.8mph85.1mph84mph84.9mph85mph84.7mph85.1mph85.1mph
Pitching Wedge Backspin8080rpm7982rpm7691rpm7606rpm7275rpm7258rpm8077rpm7679rpm
Pitching Wedge Carry Distance104.9yds105.4yds104yds105.7yds106.3yds105.8yds104.9yds105.3yds
Pitching Wedge
Shot Area
2yds3yds10.1yds8.1yds4.2yds5ydsN/AN/A

Best Premium Golf Balls 2024: Buying guide

How to choose the best premium golf balls

Ensuring you’re playing with the best golf balls for your game cannot be overstated. Playing with the right ball can help you play your best golf, lowering your scores and making you have more fun on the course. When choosing which balls are best for you there are many components to factor in. The following considerations may help you to find the ultimate golf ball for your game.

Budget

You may be a little bit skeptical as to how budget can be a factor when purchasing premium golf balls – but it can. Not all premium golf balls have to be expensive, you can save some money by choosing direct-to-consumer (DTC) golf balls. Alternatively, if you know you want a specific ball but it’s more than you want to spend, you could budget elsewhere in order to get the balls you desperately want.

Performance

As you can probably guess, every single one of these golf balls performs extremely well – in the correct hands. Golf balls perform differently based on the person using them. Therefore, it is massively important to ensure you are playing with the best golf balls for you in order to get the optimum performance from your golf balls. In turn, this should help you play more consistent golf to a better standard.

Feel

The majority of golfers will know what feel they prefer, but for those who don’t the best way to find out is by trying different golf balls to find out if you favor a softer or firmer feeling golf ball. There is no right or wrong with feel – unless it impacts your performance.

Alignment

Every ball comes with an alignment aid (often in the way of branding) but there are certain brands releasing models of their premium golf balls with enhanced alignment aids. These are brilliant if (like me) you struggle to line putts up, or even if you are an amazing putter they may help you too. I would suggest trying a ball with enhanced alignment just to discover if it has any benefit on your game.

Visibility

More often than not golf balls are available in multiple colours, even if it is just white and yellow. Although there are numerous golf balls on the market that come in all sorts of quirky and vibrant colourways. Playing with a vibrant golf ball may help you and your playing partners locate the ball during flight and in the tall grass – which could help you not to lose as many balls, and lower your scores.

How We Test Golf Balls

At Today’s Golfer, we make it our mission to test golf equipment to the best of our ability in order to provide you with as much information as possible so that you can make a sound decision to help improve your game.

That’s no different when it comes to golf balls. In what is an extremely crowded marketplace, we do all we can to deliver as much clear information as we can so that you can find the perfect golf ball for your game.

There are hundreds of golf balls on the market all claiming to do the same job and that’s why we feel the need to take on the mammoth task of scrutinising these golf balls in any way we can to see which models are genuine and which are duds.

In our quest to ensure you’re well-informed it has led us to perform three golf ball robot tests, the first in 2019, our second test was carried out in 2023, and we followed that up with our third in 2024. Potentially, we could have a fourth golf ball robot test on the cards for 2025.

It’s all well and good hitting golf balls on the course, at the short game area, or on the practice grounds, but without access to an accurate launch monitor it’s very difficult to know exactly how a golf ball performs.

The same goes for human testing, in the sense that it’s very hard for a person to perfectly hit a golf ball every time, hence why we carry out robot testing with golf balls.

The Loughborough University robot used for this test

Leading our golf ball robot testing is our Equipment Editor, Simon Daddow, who spent a large part of his career as a golf club maker and product development manager, and has worked in the golf industry for more than 30 years.

We decide to perform golf ball robot tests because it’s the only true way to see the difference between each golf ball’s performance with a repeatable swing and consistently accurate impact location – which no human tester can reproduce.

Certainly not across different swing speeds and various club categories, especially when 20+ different golf ball models need testing.

Our robot testing takes longer than a week to complete, we spend months behind the scenes planning how to make it happen, and Simon spends a week crunching the numbers to determine our top-performing golf balls from each robot test.

With the costs of buying an R&D golf robot out of our reach, there aren’t too many options around. The brands that have them also make golf balls, which obviously presents a conflict of interest should we use one to perform a golf ball test against competitor models.

Loughborough University, though, is often referred to as the best sports science university in the world, and thanks to Ping’s introduction (who have invested in an R&D lab on campus) a couple of years ago it made perfect sense to explore the opportunity to collaborate in 2023 and again in 2024.

It takes months of setting up, but with Senior Lecturer Jonathan Roberts being a golfer and understanding our cause, and with Loughborough and Ping having no vested interest in golf balls, our partnership makes perfect sense.   

We have always been about the club golfer here at TG, so it’s vital to us to test each golf ball at different swing speeds to show how each model will perform for you. So, no matter what your speed, you’ll find plenty of useful information within this test tailored to your own game.

Our driver shots were hit at speeds of 85, 100, and 115 mph (moderate, mid, and fast). For 7-iron we used a mid-80 mph speed. The pitching wedge was hit at 74 mph. To ensure our results reflect real-world golfers we also used the Ping clubs most suited to these speeds.

A 9° Ping G430 LST driver (with X flex Tour 2.0 Chrome shaft) at 115 mph. A 10.5° Ping G430 Max driver (with S flex Tour 2.0 Chrome shaft) at 100 mph. And a 12° Ping G430 Max (with R flex Alta CB Black) at 85 mph. We took the same approach for irons and wedges using the Ping Blueprint S 7-iron and pitching wedge (with S flex Dynamic Gold 120 shafts).

All 24 test golf balls cut in half to show what is inside

James Hogg, one of our Equipment Writers, is responsible for much of the on-course testing of golf balls where he applies his skills and knowledge from working in the golf industry since 16-years-old.

Thankfully, at Today’s Golfer, we are blessed to have a full team capable of testing all pieces of golf equipment – including golf balls. No matter whether a ball features or not in one of our robot tests, we ensure it’s put through its paces out on the golf course by one of our talented team members.

When we’re testing golf balls, both out on the course and on the robot, we’re always looking for certain aspects. With all golf balls, one of the most obvious aspects you’re able to judge with the naked eye is durability. For me, this is one of the most important aspects because if a ball isn’t durable then its value plummets through the floor – as does its performance.

Every other feature of a golf ball we’re scrutinising when testing golf balls is more ambiguous because they are more dependent on the wants and needs of the individual. For instance, feel is something that’s always discussed with golf balls, therefore, we make it one of our priorities to provide as much information as we can about feel, even if it contradicts what the brand says we’ll always stand by what we feel.

Flight and ball trajectory is much easier to draw conclusions from our robot test than any on-course testing because on course it can depend on what club we’re using, weather conditions, and how the ball sits either in the fairway or rough. Hence why it works much better getting this information from a robot because it delivers the same swing and strike with the same club. However, we will still mention how the ball travelled for us on the course compared to what we normally play or want to see.

Obviously, important factors to investigate are distance and spin, after all, these are ultimately what most golfers are interested in depending on whether they need to improve how far they’re hitting the ball or if they want to hit and hold more greens.

All of the 120 dozen golf balls used within this robot test

There are certain golf balls designed to do both for certain golfers, mainly the best premium golf balls that are built with Tour Pros in mind. However, if we’re testing a distance golf ball, we expect it to produce impressive and competitive distance, but we don’t expect it to grab really well on the greens so we account for this when we’re testing.

Most golfers will be interested in a golf ball that spins in the short game to give them all the control they need around the greens. When we’re out testing on course this is one of the most important aspects we’re looking at. I personally spend a large amount of time at the short game area playing chip shots and pitch shots to see how well each ball grabs.

For a golf ball to feature among the best premium golf balls, they obviously need to deliver impressive performance considering they are premium. Another factor that comes into question with premium golf balls is their use on Tour which is a good indication of their high quality.

Best Premium Golf Balls 2024: FAQs

Why are premium golf balls more expensive?

Premium golf balls tend to be more expensive than any other golf balls because of the technology and materials used to make the balls. Also, because many of the brands’ premium golf balls are those used by Tour players extensive R&D goes into producing quality golf balls that demand a higher price.

How do I choose the right premium golf balls?

Most players playing with a premium golf ball, or looking to, will be playing golf to a good standard and may know what features they favor in a golf ball. If this is the case find a premium golf ball that you like and as long as it suits your game continue to play with it. If you don’t know what to look for, seek expert advice or book a ball fitting.

Are Titleist Pro V1’s the best golf balls?

Titleist’s Pro V1’s and Pro V1x’s are arguably the best produced golf balls because of their representation on Tour and the accolades they have achieved. They are potentially the most popular balls in golf too. Although they are so popular among pros and amateurs it doesn’t mean they are the best golf balls for everyone.

What golf ball does Rory McIlroy use?

Rory McIlroy plays with the TaylorMade TP5x.

About the author

James Hogg is a Golf Equipment Writer for Today's Golfer, with expert knowledge in putters, golf balls, and apparel.

James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer

James Hogg is a golf equipment writer for todays-golfer.com. He has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.

James previously worked for American Golf alongside his studies as part of the sales and fitting team. Having worked in golf retail for seven years he has all the skills and knowledge necessary to review and recommend the perfect equipment for golfers of all abilities and has a strong knowledge of putters, golf balls, and golf apparel, including trousers.

Away from golf, James enjoys a multitude of sports, specifically watching Formula 1, American Football and Horse Racing. He’s also a proud supporter of Middlesbrough FC, likes cooking and reading travel literature.

You can contact James via email for loads more golf equipment insight.

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