How to Choose the Best Golf Balls for Your Game

Make no mistake; playing golf with the wrong type of golf balls will negatively affect your game. You should play the best golf balls for your particular game otherwise you may be sacrificing accuracy and consistency for a few extra yards.

How do you know which are the best golf balls for your ability and your strength? To make an informed decision, you need to understand what the different characteristics of the golf balls mean.

In this article I will not bore you with technical details about the the number of dimples on a golf ball, the materials that make up each layer of the ball, the diameter of a golf ball, or the weight. These details won't make any difference to you choosing the right golf ball, so I will stick to the most important specifications.

1-Piece Golf Balls

The 1-piece golf ball is made from one piece of a solid material and is usually only used on the driving range, as a practice ball, or sometimes by beginners. For this purpose, they are adequate as they are very durable and cheap - the downside is that they aren't good for distance.

The Two Piece Golf Ball

Two-piece golf balls have just a solid core and a tough outer covering which makes them very resilient. They are very popular with the casual golfer because of their maximum distance. They get the distance from the fact that they are a firm feel ball with a low spin rate - this causes them to roll along the fairway when they land. The downside is their lack of control because of the firmness of the ball.

Three-Piece Balls

The 3-piece golf ball consists of a solid or liquid core encircled by a lining and enclosed by the outer cover. These are the preferred ball of many low handicappers that have the ability to take advantage of the higher spin rate and softer feel. These specifications make these balls more accurate for driving and they have more spin and control for the short game.

Four-Piece Balls

The latest advancement in golf ball technology is the 4-piece golf ball which is a good combination of a distance ball with spin and feel. These balls are more suited to the mid to low handicapper all the way to the professional golfer. They are designed for maximum distance of the tee, give you good spin off your mid-irons, and good control and feel around and on the greens; their biggest disadvantage being their high price.

Low Spin Rated Golf Balls

Low spin golf balls spin less and therefore they don't carry as far but they will roll further on the fairway. The low spin doesn't just apply to back spin but also to side spin, which makes them less likely to hook or slice and so are suited to higher handicap players looking for straighter shots.

Mid Spin Balls

The mid spin golf ball is the one suited for the majority of golfers. They offer a combination of distance and feel giving most golfers good distance and control. Sometimes the softness differs from brand to brand so you have to get used to the level of control.

High Spin Golf Balls

As these balls spin the most they create more backspin which keeps the ball in the air the longest and so has the biggest carry. Although they won't run far on the fairway, you get the benefit of great control around and on the greens as they have more feel.

Firm-Feel Golf Balls

Firm-feel balls will feel hard when you strike the ball with the club-face. The majority of distance golf balls are firm which is fine for distance but not good for feel around or on the greens. You will find that most high or mid handicap golfers will choose these balls because of the extra distance which they are willing to trade for the loss of control onto the green. Apart from the distance, these balls are the longest lasting and are difficult to scuff up or mark.

Mid-Feel Golf Balls

The most popular golf ball for the mid handicapper is the mid feel golf ball, as they combine the ability to produce good distance and control.

Soft-Feel Golf Balls

Professional golfers and low handicappers normally go for soft feel balls. These golfers have the ability to make these golf balls do what they like with them. They are particularly suited to the short-game where great feel and spin come into play. High handicappers normally stay away from soft feel balls as they will loose some distance and they also mark easily.

Golf Ball Compression Ratings

A golf balls compression is related to the feel factor. Golf balls are rated by how much they compress, with Compression 0 deforming at 0.2 inches or above and compression 200 not deforming at all. Low compression golf balls are soft feel golf balls that are around compression 50 to 70; medium compression are 80 to 90; and high compression golf balls are hard feel golf balls that are around 100 and above. These rates are not that exact as different manufacturers use different rates.

To take advantage of the right compression for your golf swing to attain maximum distance a golfer with a slow swing speed should use compression 80; a golfer with a medium swing speed should use compression 100; and a golfer with a fast swing speed should use compression 110.

Finally with regards to compression, did you know that the weather can play a part in choosing the compression of your golf balls? Low compression balls are best for colder weather because the ball doesn't compress as much when it is cold; therefore high compression balls are better for hotter weather.

When the golf course is very wet you will need to choose a golf ball that has more carry and less spin to achieve maximum distance. On the other hand, when the course is baked hard by a prolonged dry spell, choose a golf ball that has a soft feel and higher spin rate for more control.

There is more on choosing a golf ball to suit your game at Mick Euan Tait's website. You will also find information on the best golf balls.