Updated on November 8, 2026
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What is the best golf ball in 2026? The Titleist Pro V1 and the Callaway Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X are the balls that received the most accolades in this year's major tests. For those on a tight budget, the Maxfli Tour and the Kirkland Signature Performance+ are the most highly recommended. Here is our roundup of the 23 best golf balls of 2026, which you can filter by type and price.
Top photo: a golf ball on a tee. PattayaPatrol, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The 23 Best Golf Balls of 2026, Ranked
23 balls shown.
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| Rank | Ball | Type | Price (per dozen) | Cited by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Titleist Pro V1 Golf Monthly: best overall Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 58 $ | ✓ 4 out of 5MyGolfSpy: Tour, low flight and high spinGolf Digest: Gold medal Golf Monthly: best overall GOLF.com: selected |
| 2 | Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Monthly: best soft feel Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 58 $ | ✓ 5 out of 5MyGolfSpy: Tour, mid flight and mid spinGolf Digest: Gold medal Golf Monthly: best soft feel Today's Golfer: longest ball GOLF.com: selected |
| 3 | Callaway Chrome Tour X Today's Golfer: best Callaway ball Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 58 $ | ✓ 5 out of 5MyGolfSpy: Tour X, mid flight and mid spinGolf Digest: Gold medal Golf Monthly: Editor's Choice Today's Golfer: best Callaway ball GOLF.com: selected |
| 4 | Bridgestone Tour B X MyGolfSpy: Tour X, low flight and high spin Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 55 $ | ✓ 4 out of 5MyGolfSpy: Tour X, low flight and high spinGolf Digest: Gold medal Golf Monthly: Editor's Choice GOLF.com: selected |
| 5 | Wilson Staff Model X Today's Golfer: best overall Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 55 $ | ✓ 3 out of 5Golf Digest: Gold medalGolf Monthly: tested and recommended Today's Golfer: best overall |
| 6 | Titleist Pro V1x MyGolfSpy: Tour X, high flight Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 58 $ | ✓ 4 out of 5MyGolfSpy: Tour X, high flightGolf Digest: Gold medal Golf Monthly: tour favorite GOLF.com: selected |
| 7 | TaylorMade TP5 Golf Monthly: best in the wind Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 58 $ | ✓ 4 out of 5MyGolfSpy: Tour, high flightGolf Digest: Gold medal Golf Monthly: best in the wind GOLF.com: selected |
| 8 | Bridgestone Tour B XS Today's Golfer: best premium Bridgestone ball Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 55 $ | ✓ 3 out of 5Golf Digest: Gold medalToday's Golfer: best premium Bridgestone ball GOLF.com: selected |
| 9 | Bridgestone Tour B RX Today's Golfer: best 3-piece Bridgestone ball Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 55 $ | ✓ 3 out of 5Golf Digest: Gold medalToday's Golfer: best 3-piece Bridgestone ball GOLF.com: selected |
| 10 | Srixon Z-Star Diamond Today's Golfer: best 3-piece tour ball Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 55 $ | ✓ 3 out of 5Golf Digest: Gold medalToday's Golfer: best 3-piece tour ball GOLF.com: selected |
| 11 | Srixon Z-Star XV Today's Golfer: best-feeling Srixon ball Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 55 $ | ✓ 3 out of 5Golf Digest: Gold medalToday's Golfer: best-feeling Srixon ball GOLF.com: selected |
| 12 | TaylorMade TP5x Golf Monthly: best ball speed Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 58 $ | ✓ 3 out of 5Golf Digest: Gold medalGolf Monthly: best ball speed GOLF.com: selected |
| 13 | Titleist AVX Check price on Amazon ↗ | Soft urethane | 50 $ | 3 out of 5 MyGolfSpy: soft urethane, low flight Golf Digest: Silver medal GOLF.com: selected |
| 14 | Maxfli Tour MyGolfSpy: best value (mid-range) Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 40 $ | ✓ 2 out of 5MyGolfSpy: best value (mid-range)Golf Digest: Gold medal |
| 15 | Maxfli Tour X LS MyGolfSpy: distance urethane, high flight Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 40 $ | ✓ 2 out of 5MyGolfSpy: distance urethane, high flightGolf Digest: Gold medal |
| 16 | Titleist Tour Soft Today's Golfer: best 2-piece ball for greenside spin Check price on Amazon ↗ | Ionomer (distance, soft feel) | — | ✓ 2 out of 5MyGolfSpy: ionomer, high flightToday's Golfer: best 2-piece ball for greenside spin |
| 17 | TaylorMade Tour Response Check price on Amazon ↗ | Soft urethane | 40 $ | 2 out of 5 MyGolfSpy: soft urethane, high flight and low spin Golf Digest: Silver medal |
| 18 | Wilson Triad Check price on Amazon ↗ | Soft urethane | 40 $ | 2 out of 5 MyGolfSpy: soft urethane, mid flight and mid spin Golf Digest: Silver medal |
| 19 | Srixon Q-Star Tour Check price on Amazon ↗ | Soft urethane | 45 $ | 2 out of 5 Golf Digest: Silver medal Today's Golfer: best 3-piece ball for club golfers |
| 20 | Mizuno Pro X Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | 50 $ | 2 out of 5 Golf Digest: Silver medal Golf Monthly: best value |
| 21 | Kirkland Signature Performance+ MyGolfSpy: best budget pick Check price on Amazon ↗ | Tour ball (urethane) | — | ✓ 1 out of 5MyGolfSpy: best budget pick |
| 22 | Srixon Q-Star Ultispeed MyGolfSpy: ionomer, mid flight and mid spin Check price on Amazon ↗ | Ionomer (distance, soft feel) | — | ✓ 1 out of 5MyGolfSpy: ionomer, mid flight and mid spin |
| 23 | TaylorMade SpeedSoft MyGolfSpy: ionomer, low flight and more spin Check price on Amazon ↗ | Ionomer (distance, soft feel) | — | ✓ 1 out of 5MyGolfSpy: ionomer, low flight and more spin |
Rank: Our summary of five 2026 guides (see methodology). Price: Retail price of a dozen in the United States, as published by Golf Digest on April 22, 2026; “—” if not published. Awards: Golf Digest’s 2026 Hot List.
The Best Golf Ball for Every Player
Best Golf Ball for Distance: Callaway Chrome Tour
The Callaway Chrome Tour is the longest ball in Today's Golfer's test. Golf Monthly also names it the best soft-feel ball, and MyGolfSpy describes it as the most balanced tour ball, with mid flight and mid spin. A long ball that does not give up control around the greens.
Best Golf Ball for Spin: Callaway Chrome Tour X
The Callaway Chrome Tour X produced the most spin of MyGolfSpy's whole test on 35-yard wedge shots (5,992 rpm) while being one of the faster balls off the driver. It also won gold on Golf Digest's Hot List. The pick for players who want to stop the ball on the green.
Best Golf Ball for Slow Swing Speeds: Titleist Pro V1
MyGolfSpy singles out the Titleist Pro V1 for slower swing speeds: at the slowest driver speed in its test, it went the farthest in total distance. It also kept almost all of its full-wedge spin. A tour ball that does not penalize moderate swings.
Best Budget Golf Ball: Kirkland Signature Performance+
The Kirkland Signature Performance+ is MyGolfSpy's budget pick. One step up, the Maxfli Tour is its mid-price pick and won gold on Golf Digest's Hot List at about $40 a dozen. A way to play a urethane ball without paying Pro V1 prices.
Best Golf Ball for Beginners and High Handicappers: Titleist Tour Soft
Among ionomer balls, which are firmer and cheaper, MyGolfSpy rates the Titleist Tour Soft closest to tour-level full-swing performance: second in total distance at slow driver speed, with a high flight. Today's Golfer names it the best 2-piece ball for greenside spin. Its weak point, according to MyGolfSpy: less greenside spin than a urethane ball.
The Top 5 in Detail
1. Titleist Pro V1
- Strength: Golf Monthly's best ball overall
- Strength: First in total distance at slow swing speed in MyGolfSpy's test
- Strength: Gold on Golf Digest's Hot List
- Weakness: Low flight: MyGolfSpy points golfers who need height to the TaylorMade TP5
Verdict: The benchmark, as comfortable with moderate swings as with good players.
2. Callaway Chrome Tour
- Strength: The longest ball in Today's Golfer's test
- Strength: Golf Monthly's best soft feel
- Strength: Gold on Golf Digest's Hot List
- Weakness: A very neutral profile according to MyGolfSpy: neither the highest nor the spinniest
Verdict: The year's best compromise between distance and feel.
3. Callaway Chrome Tour X
- Strength: The most spin in MyGolfSpy's 35-yard wedge test (5,992 rpm)
- Strength: One of the faster balls off the driver according to MyGolfSpy
- Strength: Today's Golfer's best Callaway ball
- Weakness: Tour-ball price: about $58 a dozen
Verdict: For good players who want bite on the greens without losing ball speed.
4. Titleist Pro V1x
- Strength: High flight and one of the most complete balls in MyGolfSpy's test
- Strength: The tour favorite according to Golf Monthly
- Strength: Gold on Golf Digest's Hot List
- Weakness: Tour-ball price: about $58 a dozen
Verdict: The Pro V1 for golfers who want a higher flight.
5. TaylorMade TP5
- Strength: A higher window than the Chrome Tour and Pro V1, with plenty of wedge spin (MyGolfSpy)
- Strength: Golf Monthly's best ball in the wind
- Strength: Gold on Golf Digest's Hot List
- Weakness: Tour-ball price: about $58 a dozen
Verdict: The tour ball to choose if you lack height.
How We Ranked the Golf Balls
We came across five 2026 guides: MyGolfSpy, Golf Digest, Golf Monthly, Today's Golfer and GOLF.com. Each ball receives one point for each guide who recommends it (half a point for a silver medal on Golf Digest’s Hot List), plus one point if it is named the overall best on the list. In the event of a tie, the less expensive ball takes precedence. We do not publish fictitious prices. This ranking is revised every year in the spring, after new balls are released.
How to Choose a Golf Ball
Urethane tour balls
A urethane cover gives you more control on approach shots and chips: this is the ball of choice for pros and skilled players. Pro V1, Chrome Tour, TP5, or Tour B X: the main differences lie in flight height and spin with the driver, which is why it’s worth trying them out—or even getting a fitting.
Soft urethane
Less firm, for moderate swing speeds, while still offering control around the greens: Titleist AVX, TaylorMade Tour Response, Wilson Triad, Srixon Q-Star Tour.
Ionomer
A harder, less expensive cover that travels farther and lasts longer, but doesn't grip as well on short shots: a good choice for beginners or if you lose a lot of balls.
Paying less for golf balls
Sorted used balls and discontinued items cut the price in half: see Our Guide to Used Golf Equipment.
Fred's Take on Golf Balls
I recommend always using the same model to get the same feel, and choosing it first for the short game. A spin ball won't give you extra distance, but it will help you stay on the greens.
Golf Balls: Frequently Asked Questions
What is actually the best golf ball?
The Titleist Pro V1, Callaway Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X are the most awarded balls in the major 2026 tests (MyGolfSpy, Golf Digest, Golf Monthly, Today's Golfer, GOLF.com).
What are the top golf ball brands?
Titleist, Callaway and TaylorMade share the top 5 of our 2026 ranking; Bridgestone, Srixon and Wilson follow with several gold medals on Golf Digest's Hot List.
Which golf balls go the farthest?
In Today's Golfer's test, the longest is the Callaway Chrome Tour. At slow swing speed, MyGolfSpy puts the Titleist Pro V1 first for total distance.
What golf ball should a beginner use?
An ionomer or soft-urethane ball, which costs less: Titleist Tour Soft, Srixon Q-Star Ultispeed, TaylorMade Tour Response or Wilson Triad.
What is the best cheap golf ball?
The Kirkland Signature Performance+ and the Maxfli Tour, MyGolfSpy's value picks; the Maxfli Tour also won gold on Golf Digest's 2026 Hot List.