Golf is probably the only sport in existence where the kind of ball you select can affect the entire outlook of not only your game, but the games of other golfers around you.
Knowing about different golf balls, what they do, and more importantly, when you need each one is tantamount to succeeding in the sport.
Fail to develop this kind of knowledge, and you will hit a ceiling that is made of titanium in your game.
Of the kinds of golf balls in existence, soft golf balls are one of the most common.
They are known as the most forgiving and are generally fitted to beginners with high handicaps.
However, if you think that all soft golf balls are the same, think again.
The following soft golf balls are all unique, different and have a lot to offer if you know when to play them.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Soft Golf Balls
2 dozen “Hex” soft golf balls by Callaway
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Because they are mostly designed for beginners, most soft golf balls do not travel very far. This is because they are designed with only two pieces, which makes them a lot more heavy than you want them to be when hitting them. This makes them more forgiving when you make an errant shot, but you will also lose distance on a good shot.
Callaway has found a way to retain the 2 piece design as well as improve distance with its Hex soft golf ball. Because they have a low compression core, they travel a lot faster than other soft golf balls when hit. This allows you to pick up a little more distance with them than you normally would with other soft golf balls.
You’ll need to look for a different soft golf ball pack or a different pack of golf balls in general if you are the type of player who plays to the spin, however. The low compression design of the hex reduces spin drastically, which does not make it a good choice when approaching greens. Use the Hex during long tees only.
15 pack “Superhot” bold matte golf balls by Callaway
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Nearly all soft golf balls contain a 2 piece core. While this makes them more forgiving, it also makes them one dimensional in that you can only really hit them with a driver or a wood club and nothing else. Hitting the common soft golf ball with an iron or even something like a wedge will result in next to zero spin control, making a perfect hit appear like a slice.
Callaway has solved this with its Superhot soft golf ball. It contains not 2 pieces in its core, but 3. This is very rare to see in any soft golf ball and in most cases, it reduces their forgiveness. This is not true with the Superhot. Not only is it still forgiving, the Superhot has low drag and optimal lift, making it possible to hit even with irons. You can even approach greens with them, since they have a bit of spin control.
The unusually high lift factor of the Superhot will take some getting used to. This can be especially problematic if there is a significant wind factor at the course, since the 3 piece core makes it a little lighter than most soft golf balls.
20 pack “Chrome soft” golf balls by Callaway
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There is no way you will be able to hit the common soft golf ball with anything lighter than a 6 or 7 iron. Do this, and you’ll either overshoot what you are looking at every time or you will encounter no spin, which is at a premium when it comes to approaching the green. Playing a ball with next to no forgiveness is usually the only option when approaching the green and this is very frustrating.
You can say goodbye to these frustrations with Callaway’s Chrome soft golf ball. It contains everything you have come to expect from any soft golf ball but it adds one particular feature that changes the game: A thinner and more resilient cover that can maintain a spin while approaching the green. This means you can finally hit a soft golf ball with your wedge and you approach a green with one without penalty.
Like most other soft golf balls, you need to expect the Chrome to have a higher launch than other golf balls in your possession. It won’t end well for you if you do not know how to finesse close shots while playing the Chrome.
“Duo soft” NFL themed soft golf balls by Wilson
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Most golf balls that claim to be soft in their core design do not really live up to that name. They tend to spin out of control and don’t go nearly as straight as you would like them to go when you make contact. This makes things extremely frustrating for any beginning or even average golfer who is in desperate need of a ball that can give them extra distance.
The Duo Soft is the ball for you if you are looking for such a ball. It easily has the lowest compression of any regulation golf ball, matched only by golf balls that you would use on a driving range but never during competition. It will go in only one direction when you hit it: Straight.
Most golfers who are of average experience levels understand the importance of back spin. You will get no such backspin with the Duo Soft. once it lands, it goes forwards for a much longer time than you might want. This is the only thing about it that you should watch for.
2 dozen pack “Noodle” long and soft golf balls by TaylorMade
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Most soft golf balls contain very low compression, but next to zero spin control. You’ll be left reaching for a ball that has much higher compression as a result, leaving you to change a few things about your game as you approach the green. Dealing with this is frustrating. Nobody wants to use a different ball for every stroke.
TaylorMade has married the low compression qualities of most soft golf balls with the spin control of higher compression golf balls with 4 piece cores with the Noodle. It will give you straighter flight with much needed backspin when you need it most. Use these if you are tired of switching balls during the later strokes of the hole when you are approaching the green.
Different from most other soft golf balls, the Noodle is not forgiving and is not typically designed for beginners. You will need a considerable amount of skill in order to hit it properly to get the length and backspin that it yields. This is the only thing you’ll need to watch for.
1 dozen “Tour Soft” golf balls by Titleist
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If there is one thing that most soft golf balls have in common is that they all seem to be specifically designed for the long game. Most golfers complain about needing to use a completely different ball after the drive since most soft golf balls do not hold greens well at all.
You’ll be able to finally use the same ball for the entire hole if you wish with the Tour Soft, by Titleist. It contains all the qualities you expect any soft golf ball to possess, but the only difference is that the Tour Soft has a cover that is thinner than most other soft golf balls. This allows it to come to a complete stop when it hits the green.
You’ll need to look for a different golf ball if you are looking for one with backspin properties, however. The Tour Soft has solved the spin control issue of most soft golf balls by completely eliminating all spin properties. This might take some distance away from you when approaching greens with it.
1 dozen “Distance+” golf balls by TaylorMade
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Even though most of them do a good job of keeping their compression low and their spin resistance high, soft golf balls tend to leave a little bit to be desired when it comes to overall distance. Even though they are able travel better distances than other golf balls, most soft golf balls have the potential to travel even further.
You will want TaylorMade’s Distance+ golf ball if you need a ball that is not only soft enough to resist spin and maintain a low compression, but can also travel really far. It has a 2 piece design like other soft golf balls, but the only difference is that the core of the Distance+ will store and release energy in a quick interval, greatly improving distance. It is the only ball you will ever need on long drives.
The Distance+ suffers from everything else that takes away from soft golf balls. They do not spin very well and it is almost impossible for them to hold greens. Additionally, the Distance+ isn’t nearly as forgiving as most other soft golf balls.
1 dozen foam practice golf balls by PrideSports
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Hitting golf balls indoors is almost never a good idea. Even if you possess a decent hitting mat and hitting screen, there is a good chance that you might hit something. This is especially true if you are a complete beginner or if you are coaching a complete beginner.
PrideSports’ foam practice golf balls are perfect for indoor use. Although you can also use them outdoors, they seem to be designed specifically for indoor use. You’ll finally be able to practice any part of your golf game indoors without worrying about the ball crashing into anything and breaking anything.
As you may have guessed, there is no way you can use PrideSports’ foam golf balls for any situation other than when you are practicing. They are completely useless in competitions and you can’t really use them on a driving range, either.
1 dozen “Soft Feel” golf balls by Srixon
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Most soft golf balls sacrifice all of their spin qualities for distance and feel. This is one of the reasons why they are not as popular as they should be. Although they are forgiving and easy to hit, they are almost completely one-dimensional in what they can do. Most of the time, you’ll be left to switch to a different ball as soon as you get close to the green.
The Soft Feel, by Srixon, changes this. While it still has a low spin factor after the drive, you’ll be able to create a little bit of spin with it when you approach the green, allowing you to play it as you approach the green if you are experienced enough to produce a backspin. This will give you an advantage over others as you’ll be able to mostly stick with one ball throughout most holes.
Something about the Soft Feel that you might need to watch out for is the overwhelming amount of dimples that it possesses. It contains 338 dimples, which is a little more than the average soft golf ball’s dimple count of 300. Don’t be surprised if it goes too far when you hit it.
1 dozen “E-12” matte soft golf balls by Bridgestone
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A lot of soft golf balls contain a polyester exterior core. This means that they run the risk of losing acceleration after being hit. While they still travel very far, they can usually travel further still. Soft golf balls with a polyester exterior also tend to drag more than you might want, resulting in a lot of overshooting.
Bridgestone has addressed this with its E-12 golf ball. It has a soft core like other soft golf balls, but it has a matte exterior instead of a polyester one. This polymer material not only increases its velocity but it also combines with its dimple pattern to create much less drag than other soft golf balls.
There are two things that you’ll need to watch for with the E-12. First, it contains no spin qualities. This is common in most soft golf balls but even more pronounced here. Also, they tend to not be as forgiving as other soft golf balls.
Soft golf balls – A Buying Guide
Soft golf balls are like any other kind of golf ball.
You will have a slightly easier time when you play the right one.
It makes no sense to just run out and get whatever the most popular soft golf balls are.
In order to have the right one in your hand at the right time, you’ll need to consider a few things.
How experienced are you in the sport of golf?
This is the very first thing that you need to consider and it is far and away the most important.
Soft golf balls are known for being almost designed for beginners, but there are a few that contain qualities that help those who are more experienced.
You definitely want to see what other properties soft golf balls contain if you are not experienced.
Do you need a soft golf ball with spin properties?
Most soft golf balls sacrifice their spin properties for speed and length.
This is especially true when it comes to spin off the drive. You will not have an easy time finding a soft golf ball that provides a bit of spin after hitting it on the tee.
However, there do exist soft golf balls that provide spin when approaching greens.
You should know if you need such a ball or not.
Are you comfortable playing different balls throughout the hole?
Something you should know about soft golf balls is that they are almost one-dimensional.
While most experienced and competitive golfers are comfortable with playing different balls on each stroke, certain soft golf balls have eliminated this necessity.
You should determine if you would be comfortable only playing one or two different golf balls during a hole. If you are, you might want to do some extra research in soft golf balls.
Will you be playing a soft golf ball for only driving or for other strokes?
Soft golf balls are notorious for only really being suitable to play during the drive.
However, there do exist soft golf balls that you can play after the drive.
Knowing this is especially useful for anybody who struggles with producing distance out of the drive, since holding onto a soft golf ball until the approach can often lead to better scores.
Conclusion
Knowing when to play soft golf balls and how to play them can mean the difference in not only dozens of yards in your approach to the green, but it can also mean whole differences in total strokes per hole.
You should certainly consider what they have to offer if you are struggling on your drive or even on your approach to the green.
Don’t forget that some soft golf balls contain properties that their 3 and 4 piece core counterparts contain, and this can make an even bigger difference in your game.
Just like you should have a diverse amount of clubs in your bag, you should also have diverse golf balls in your bag.
When you take some time to familiarize yourself with soft golf balls, you’ll be able to take your golf game to the next level.