You want the best—the most spin around the greens, and more distance with your driver. You want a golf ball that performs reliably with your short game, but doesn’t spin too much with your driver—and one that readily cuts its way through the wind. That means you want a ball from the premium category.
With a wide assortment available at Golf Town worth considering, including some standbys that have improved, and some newcomers trying to crack the category, we’ve broken down our top golf ball picks for 2019.
Titleist Pro V1 & Pro V1x
The most noted premium ball for almost 20 years, Titleist’s top ball now has a 17% thinner urethane cover, meaning more speed. Oh, and it will be available in yellow version next month—which is a first for the company.
TaylorMade TP5 & TP5x
TaylorMade is sticking with its TP5, a five-layer ball. Utilizing five layers is key, the company says, because it allows for a large core, which reduces spin on drives and shots with a long iron, while the additional layers add speed.
Srixon Z-Star & Z-Star XV
The sixth generation of this popular ball, Srixon’s new Z-Star is promoting its increased spin on shots with shorter irons. The company says its latest uses Slide Ring Material (SeRM) to create a urethane cover with a moveable polymer for enhanced spin.
Callaway ERC Soft
Using Callaway’s new Triple Track technology for alignment, and Callaway’s largest SoftFast core, the ERC Soft is engineered for distance and precision. The multi-material hybrid cover is great for a consistent feel.
Mizuno RB Tour and Tour X
With a unique dimple pattern (C-Dimple), Mizuno is trying to crack the North American market with a four-piece ball. Mizuno’s new ball uses a urethane cover, making it soft on chips and shorter shots, while its Butadiene Dual Core gives the ball its distance. Available March 1.
Wilson DUO Professional
Redesigned for 2019, the Duo is another low-compression ball from Wilson designed for a soft feel. This version is reworked with a thinner urethane cover to increase spin, and its 60-compression core makes this softer than other three-layer balls in the category.