Circle of Trust
THE countless balls on sale at Drummond Golf represent various constructions, feels and, of course, prices. But how do you decide what’s best for you? A good place to start are the 38 balls on the 2017 Hot List. Then consider adopting the three-part Hot List testing process we used at Marriott’s Grande Vista Resort in Orlando. (Blacking out the logos, like we did, is up to you.)
- The middle-iron test: This shot offers clues to how the ball launches, how far it travels and at what angle it lands.
- The 30-to-50-metre test: If the shot you typically play from this distance is a chip-and-run, spin might be less important to you than feel. But if you want to hit a shot that checks and stops quickly, then a multilayer ball with a urethane cover is must.
- Around-the-green test: Good chips and pitches are crucial to scoring. The ball that helps you execute these shots the best should top your list. What about the driver? Think of it this way: at least 80 percent of your shots aren’t tee shots. Solve short-game shots first. Then, if two balls are close, by all means opt for the longer and straighter one.
On the following pages, we break down the market into three price categories: Budget, Mid-range and Premium. Now, go get your search started. (Balls listed alphabetically in price categories.)
Premium
Bridgestone
B330/330-S/RX/RXS
The B330 and B330-S are made for faster swingers (105 miles per hour or more). The B330-S is for those wanting more spin. At a few dollars less per dozen, the B330-RX and B330-RXS are for sub-105-mph swings. The RXS is softer and spins more on short shots.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 5 stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 2 ½ stars
Callaway
Chrome Soft/X
Chrome Soft was a success, but some didn’t like its pillowy feel. Solving that issue is Chrome Soft X. Both models have a dual-core, four-piece construction with a urethane cover. However, the X provides a firmer feel with a more penetrating trajectory.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 1 star
Demand 3 stars
Srixon
Z-Star/XV
A new dimple pattern and redesigned cores (the Z-Star’s is softer; the XV’s is larger and softer) help the ball carry farther. A new cover coating (13-percent softer than the previous version) helps friction on short shots. Fast swingers will like the XV.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 2 stars
TaylorMade
TP5/X
Making golf balls is like baking cakes: more layers add complexity – and greater rewards. That’s the idea behind these five-piece balls. We’ll spare you the chemical-engineering talk. The TP5 is softer with a mid-launch. The TP5x is firmer with a higher launch.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 2 stars
Titleist
Pro V1/V1x
Titleist shows it’s in command of its technology with subtle but significant improvements. A new dimple design on the four-piece V1x promotes a higher trajectory, and the revamped three-piece V1 comes with a reformulated core for less spin.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 5 stars
Demand 5 stars
Wilson
Duo Urethane
Wilson has claimed to have the softest ball in golf. As others pursued that title, Wilson took the next step by adding a urethane cover. The result here is a ball that feels soft (the core compression is only 25) and provides a little tour sauce on short shots.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 5 stars
Demand 1 ½ stars
Honma
TW-G6
The saying “less is more” doesn’t apply here. This six-layer ball features a core, four inner layers (becoming firmer towards the outside) and a urethane cover. They combine to produce a high initial velocity and a higher ball flight off the long clubs.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 3 ½ stars
Demand 1 star
Oncore
Elixr
The company moved away from its hollow-metal core and now seeks a more stable flight through increased perimeter weighting by infusing high-density particles in the ball’s mantle layer. This is an appealing upgrade from the company’s previous models.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 1 star
Volvik
Vibe
Forget the funky name. This ball is sneaky good for golfers with swing speeds slower than 100 miles per hour. It has a compression of just 65, which means it has a soft feel with less spin off tee shots. The price for this category ain’t bad, either.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 1 star
Wilson
FG Tour
With Duo Urethane covering the “soft” crowd, Wilson bumped up the compression on its FG Tour and added a highly resilient outer mantle to help you pick up metres off the tee. The urethane cover provides plenty of grab on shots from in close, too.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 1 ½ stars
Mid-Range
Bridgestone
E6 Soft
The e6 has made a name for itself over the past decade by keeping average golfers’ tee shots in play and their iron shots launching higher. The updated version’s softer core aims to improve feel throughout the bag. The core is also larger for faster ball speed.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 4 ½ stars
Maxfli
U/Fli Soft
The challenge with using a super-soft, low-compression core (rated at 35) is generating enough speed. In this case, Maxfli finds distance through a resilient outer core and low-spin mantle. A urethane cover helps you get more spin on short shots.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 5 stars
Feel 5 stars
Demand 3 ½ stars
Srixon
Q-Star Tour
This new low-compression model features less spin on tee shots and a higher ball flight with the irons. The tour-quality urethane cover with a high-friction coating produces extra grab on short shots normally reserved for elite balls.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 5 stars
Feel 5 stars
Demand 3 ½ stars
TaylorMade
Project (A)
The urethane cover of the Project (a) produces the kind of greenside-checking spin that can help average golfers – who miss far more greens than they hit. But the lower-compression core is formulated so it’s soft (for feel) and resilient (for faster ball speed).
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 5 stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 3 ½ stars
Titleist
NXT Tour
The ionomer-blend cover helps the ball feel soft, but the large dual core and its soft inner core are the real technological story behind this ball. The result is a higher ball flight with less spin and more distance for the longer clubs. Who couldn’t use a little of that?
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 4 ½ stars
Vice
Pro Soft
Designed for average swing speeds, this three-piece ball’s low-compression core produces less spin off the driver. The urethane cover’s matte finish is a tacky coating of microscopic silicone particles that’s designed to improve feel.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 1 star
Callaway
Superhot 70
This three-piece ball with an ionomer cover features a slightly higher compression than its predecessor for more ball velocity. The middle layer helps control spin so longer shots fly straighter. Bonus: it comes in a 15-ball pack for the same price.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 3 ½ stars
Demand 2 ½ stars
Maxfli
U/Fli Speed
This urethane-cover design makes distance a priority. Its firmer overall compression (95) and dual core provide energy to the ball while maintaining low spin on your tee shots. The mantle layer increases spin on middle-iron shots for better control.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 3 stars
Demand 1 star
Snell
My Tour Ball
This direct-to-consumer favourite offers tour-level technology. That includes a thin urethane cover for the high spin required for those testy short shots. The low-compression, highly resilient core powers tee shots, and the middle layer minimises spin.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 5 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 1 ½ stars
Titleist
NXT Tour S
This two-piece companion to the NXT Tour features a softer version of Titleist’s ionomer-blend cover for those who want a little extra spin on short-game shots. The lower-compression core means shots throughout the bag will feel slightly softer.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 4 ½ stars
Titleist
Velocity
Its reputation as Titleist’s distance ball long established, the current version offers a new focus on feel, thanks to a thinner cover. Still, the larger, more resilient core powers distance, and a high launch helps iron shots land at a steeper, green-holding angle.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 3 ½ stars
Demand 5 stars
Wilson
Duo Spin
This three-piece ball features an extremely low-compression core (it actually measures below zero, at -55) to help reduce spin on the longer clubs. The soft, flexible mantle provides extra short-iron spin, and the resilient ionomer cover adds velocity.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 3 ½ stars
Demand 2 stars
Budget
Callaway
Supersoft
This top-seller’s revise includes more speed, better spin.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 5 stars
Kirkland
Signature Tour Performance
The cult hit packs the tech punch of balls played on tour.
Performance 5 stars
Innovation 5 stars
Feel 5 stars
Demand 3 stars
Snell
Get Sum
The soft core and thin, soft cover combat hooks and slices.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 2 stars
Srixon
Q-Star
A cover coating increases friction for short-shot spin.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 3 stars
Srixon
Soft Feel
Updates include a softer inside and a thinner, softer cover.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 5 stars
Demand 3 stars
Titleist
DT Trusoft
It’s soft with low spin but still has approach-shot control.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 4 stars
Wilson
Duo
This soft ball gets needed speed from a resilient cover.
Performance 4 ½ stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 ½ stars
Demand 3 stars
Pinnacle
Soft
Pinnacle’s softest ball ever produces low spin for distance.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 stars
Feel 4 stars
Demand 3 stars
Top Flite
Gamer Tour
This three-piece’s urethane cover is now more durable.
Performance 4 stars
Innovation 4 ½ stars
Feel 3 ½ stars
Demand 2 ½ stars
All Things Considered
Looking beyond the hype of Costco’s ball
We heard the talk, too. Last year brought a buzz reminiscent of the early days of the Titleist Pro V1. Except this ball was sold by a shopping club at a fraction of the price of tour-calibre balls – and was touted as performing just as well.
In the Budget category, Costco’s Kirkland Signature Tour Performance ball out-performed the others in several aspects of our evaluation process. That makes sense. A four-piece ball with a urethane cover should beat mostly two-piece balls with ionomer covers. So why doesn’t it stand alone in the category?
First, we believed other balls met the demands of players shopping at this price. But Costco’s ability to continue to stock and sell the ball is unclear. We also considered quality control and whether an outsourced ball can match the production capabilities and consistencies of mainstream companies. (We think there’s a difference.) Did our process show that the Costco ball deserved Gold? Yes. But is its future uncertain? Yes.
– E. Michael Johnson
