Best Mid Price Golf Balls: Quick Menu
1. The list in brief
2. Top pick
3. Best soft feel
4. Best ball flight
5. Best matte model
6. Best value
7. Best for alignment
8. Best budget model
9. Best unique model
10. Best four-piece
11. How we test
12. How to choose
It's no secret that golf balls can be expensive, with some models costing upwards of $50 for a dozen. These are obviously some of the best premium golf balls that money can buy but, in the current climate, many golfers don't want to pay high-end prices for their golf balls, some will much prefer spending a little bit less whilst also getting a performance that will still benefit their game.
That is why we have taken a look at the best mid-price golf balls that are currently available, with there being loads of choice in this sector because every brand makes one or two golf balls at this price point. Also, rather importantly, we have found these golf balls to offer performance that is as close to the top premium models as ever before.
Now, we all know how important it is for you to get the best golf balls for your game, and you may feel that you’re at a stage where you want more all-round performance than even the best value golf balls can offer. However, if you aren’t quite ready for the more significant investment required to stock up with premium balls then it is good news as that is where the mid-price range comes in.
We have tested a lot of mid-price golf balls and we think our selections below symbolize everything that is good in this sector. What's more, we have also created guides on specific aspects of the game, with our other articles focusing on the best distance golf balls and best soft feel golf balls on the market.
The Quick List
A superb all round performer at a very appealing price. This particularly impressed in the long game where it offered consistently impressive distance.
With a low compression and a reasonably responsive cover, the Soft Feel is an ideal ball for those who like a good quality softer ball at a competitive price.
Impressive all rounder that offers good distance for the faster swinger. With impressive greenside spin and a soft feel, this is a fine alternative to the urethane-covered alternatives.
The e12 Contact is solid but it comes with a lot of game-enhancement promises that make it sound cheap and all-encompassing - which may turn off more serious golfers.
An impressive all-rounder, the Wilson Triad delivers good distance in the long game and a great feel on and around the greens.
The Callaway ERC Soft ball offered excellent distance and easier alignment. All in all, the value for money is competitive here, especially given how durable we found it to be.
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If you are looking for an all-out budget urethane golf ball, this one offers excellent performance in the short game, although for us.
A solid performer at a fair price, the Carver delivers impressive spin control around the greens and good consistency throughout the bag. Faster swingers may find it spins a little too much off the tee.
For those looking for a non-Tour, urethane-covered ball, the Piper Gold is worthy of consideration - especially if short game spin control is at the top of your list of priorities.
Best Mid Price Golf Balls
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Top pick
Titleist’s second-generation Tour Speed golf ball is an impressive update to an already high-performing mid-priced golf ball. The Tour Speed delivers in all areas of the bag but, in the long game department, it can really help improve performance for those looking to gain more distance. Price wise, it costs around $10 to $15 less per dozen than Titleist’s Pro V1 golf ball and provides very similar levels of performance and feel to the Tour models.
Featuring a high flex casing layer and reformulated core that gives high speed and low spin on longer shots, we found that, in testing, we gained an extra 2 mph of ball speed over the previous Tour Speed model, with the ball also launching a lot higher than its previous model. The difference was even more noticeable when we tested it with our 7-iron, as the ball speed increased by 7 mph while spinning around 1000 rpm more than the 2020 model. Well-struck shots were rewarded with strong ball flights that hung in the air and the ball didn’t feel too soft off the clubface in comparison to other mid-priced urethane golf balls.
The only drawback this ball has compared to some of the best premium golf balls is the amount of spin on offer. Short pitch shots will grab, but don’t check quite as much compared to Titleist’s Pro V1 or Pro V1x offerings. However, it did offer greater levels of spin compared to the slightly less expensive Tour Soft model and, overall, it is a high-performing golf ball that is a great option for all-year performance.
- Read our full Titleist Tour Speed 2022 Golf Ball Review
Best soft feel
Featuring a two-layer construction, the Soft Feel golf ball has a soft centre core that gradually gets firmer as you move towards the cover. This construction enables it to snap back into shape more quickly and it is this process that has been improved over previous models.
Thanks to the 338 dimple cover, the Soft Feel is designed to maximise flight performance by reducing drag and creating the launch conditions to get the ball flying high with enough spin and height to land and stop within a reasonable distance. In testing, it did this very well, with it particularly suiting those with slower swing speeds.
Along with the long game performance, there is also a decent amount of grip around the greens, with the Soft Feel doing exactly what is says on the tin by being one of the best soft golf balls on the market. Certainly, there is a fair amount of control, which comes from a 1.6mm ionomer cover, but it's worth noting that it doesn't stop as quick as the urethane covered, more premium Srixon Z-Star.
- Read our full Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball 2023 Review
Best ball flight
TaylorMade updated the Tour Response golf ball in 2022 and we noticed several improvements when comparing it to the previous model. For example, the new ball was faster off the face by 3 mph versus the previous generation, with a fraction less spin being. In total, this created six extra yards of carry and, what's more, we noticed it spun a little less with the irons and wedges as well but yet there was no loss of control or feel.
Another new aspect to talk about is the unique Stripe option, which features a lime green and grey coloured band that wraps around the ball. Now, this look won't be for everyone, but we felt it created a very clear alignment aid off the tee and on the green. When you putt, the stripe clearly shows how effectively the ball is rolling end-over-end.
Overall, the long game performance, in particular, has been taken up a notch. For a relatively low-compression ball, we were impressed by the strength of the flight and the overall distance and, when you couple that with the spin control offered by the cast urethane-cover, you have a solid all rounder that provides regular golfers with a good value for money alternative.
- Read our full TaylorMade Tour Response 2022 Golf Ball Review
Best matte model
Bridgestone have crammed a lot of technology into the e12 Contact golf ball, with the main adaptation being the FLEXATIV Surlyn cover, which is the fourth generation of "contact science" technology. This cover helps create 46% more surface contact with a clubface at impact, with it also containing modifiers that allow it to react to the amount of force applied at impact.
In testing, we felt it was aimed at those seeking maximum distance with a straighter ball flight and, in our testing, we certainly it felt it was one of the best distance golf balls on the market, with the dimple design featuring an outer portion that slowed sidespin during flight. There is also a raised center area, which creates more surface contact with the clubface at impact than traditional dimples, giving you a more efficient energy transfer and better core activation.
Along with the distance, the extra short game spin was also apparent and, one nice surprise, was that the ball felt notably softer using a putter than other balls in this guide.
- Read our full Bridgestone e12 Contact 2023 Golf Ball Review
Best value
Wilson released the Triad golf ball at the beginning of 2022, with the design of it aimed at those golfers who want the feel and control of a urethane model without having to pay the premium price of a Tour golf ball.
In testing, it certainly produced good distance results when reviewed alongside a competitor's model, and the consistency of the ball flight was another huge plus point. From a spin and control perspective, it definitely was a notch down from the best premium golf balls, but the performance was still solid and we were really impressed by the touch on and around the greens with the putter.
With plenty of distance and consistency in the long game, and a good feel on the green, the Wilson Triad is a worthy contender in the mid-priced portion of the market.
- Read our full Wilson Triad Golf Ball Review
Best for alignment
The ERC Soft ball is billed as Callaway’s longest golf ball with soft feel. It does this via the use of a High Energy core and a High Speed mantle, which are both engineered to deliver more distance throughout the bag.
So, are these claims true? Well, in our testing, it definitely increased carry when the ball was struck from the middle of the club and it also produced a higher launch. These extra distances achieved highlights that less spin was being created than you would expect from a soft-feeling ball.
It has a host of new technology also, with a ‘hybrid’ cover made with a durable Paraloid Impact Modifier from Dow. This helped the distance and control, with the durability also a stand-out. It's worth noting that the ERC also has Triple Track technology to aid alignment, something which will prove useful when on the green and on the tee box.
- Read our full Callaway ERC Soft Golf Ball Review
Best budget model
The Kirkland Signature golf ball has garnered plenty of attention since being released, but it's the performance we are most focused on here, most notably the performance and soft feel it offered around the greens.
In our testing, it also proved to deliver more ball speed and less spin off the driver than the original version but, overall, it still didn’t quite measure up in terms of overall distance compared to some of the top three-piece, urethane golf balls.
However, the Kirkland is also far less expensive than most of the premium models on the market, so players who are looking for greenside control at a budget price, a combination that’s not always easy to find, might want to explore the Kirkland 2.0.
Best unique model
Our penultimate pick is from Carver, a brand that offers golfers the chance to buy its 3-piece, urethane-covered balls either as a one-off online purchase or through a monthly subscription.
Starting with the short-game, we thought that the Carver ball on the course provided good spin control. Certainly, the ball was checking up promptly even in firm, fast summer conditions and we also enjoyed the feel because it was soft enough to feel responsive without being too hot off the face and lacking control.
If you are a high swing-speed player though, there was a drop off in distance, although it should be acknowledged that this might not be the case for slower swingers. The durability was also lacking a bit as the ball did start to show wear marks, especially with wedge shots. However, to end on a more positive note, the black line on the side of the ball is an excellent alignment aid, so we really think this is a solid all-rounder in the mid-price ball market.
- Read our full Carver Golf Ball Review
Best four-piece
Our final pick on this list is the Gold ball from Piper. Founded in February of 2021 and headquartered in Atlanta, Piper Golf is the one of the newest companies to throw its hat into the ever-expanding golf ball ring and the Gold is the top of the range model.
In the short-game sector, this was one of the models that offered the most spin on test, giving what felt like a lot of control and feel around the greens. It also offered a rather firm feel so, if this is something you like, then this is definitely a ball to consider.
Designed for the faster swingers, we did notice it was one of the shortest models for distance in our testing when compared to the other offerings in this guide. That being said, if you already hit it far, and want more control in the short game, then this is definitely a ball to consider, and we think it looks great too with the gold alignment line.
- Read our full Piper Gold Golf Ball Review
How we test golf balls
The quality of Golf Monthly's reviews and buyers guides is built upon a rigorous testing procedure as well as the knowledge and experience of the test team that has a sterling reputation in the industry, known for delivering the key points you want to know in a concise, easy-to-digest manner.
With golf balls, our procedure revolves around indoor and outdoor testing conducted by our team of reviewers. Indoor testing always involves a launch monitor of some kind to gain an understanding of spin and other facets of performance. Outdoor testing would again involve a launch monitor but we would also put the balls to the test out on the course to get some real data and feedback as well. This way we can see how the ball performs playing a variety of different shots and in different conditions.
The final point worth mentioning is that no manufacturer can buy a good review because our testing team tells it how it is.
How to choose golf balls
Soft or firm? - The best premium golf balls, and some of the models above, come in alternative versions that spin slightly less for players who prefer a firmer feel or more control off the tee. Try both from various distances to find your preference.
Cover material - Urethane-covered balls offer the best spin control and feel but do cost more. Experiment to see if you notice enough of a difference to justify the extra cost.
Long game or short game? - Which aspect of the game is most important to you? Do you want to get as much distance as possible out of your golf ball or would you prefer a model that allows your short game to flourish thanks to improved feel?
Well we have created guides for both. If you value the former then check out our guide on the best distance golf balls. Or, if you put a real premium on feel, perhaps our best soft feel golf balls guide might be a good next step.
Some of the mid-price models above also try to give the best of both of those worlds' so it is an important factor to be aware of.
Price - No buying guide would be complete without at least mentioning the price factor. Even in the mid-price sector there are models which are cheaper than others. So we would recommend trying out some models first, and then seeing how much you are willing to spend on a dozen golf balls.
If you enjoyed this guide on the best mid price golf balls, browse the Golf Monthly website.
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