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TaylorMade TP5 2024

Best Golf Balls 2024

With so many different brands producing premium golf balls it’s hard to know which is best for you. We’ve narrowed down the best balls on the market to help you decide.

 

With the 2024 season around the corner and brands releasing new equipment, it’s an exciting time for golfers.

Whilst new clubs provide a great buzz, one thing that shouldn’t be forgotten about is golf balls. Just like drivers, fairwood woods, irons are the rest of your set, each golf ball is set up to help players whether that be with distance, more spin, less spin or even height. These are all factors to consider when choosing which ball to game this season.

Brands such as TaylorMade and Callaway have revamped some of their much loved golf balls for this year and amongst many other favourites from 2023, we’ve created a guide to the best golf balls 2024.

Best Golf Balls of 2024


Callaway Chrome Tour golf ball

4.5 star review
Callaway Chrome Tour Golf Ball Review

Reviewed by Hannah Holden

We’ve got a new white paint colour that looks more premium. We also have redesigned numbers that are a different shape and have a new red paint shade. All this has made a massive difference.

With 7-iron, the key theme was consistency. My data here is almost robot-like, which I could certainly get used to. Spin at an average of 6478rpm with a land angle of 44.9° is certainly going to help me control the ball on the greens. I could perhaps do with some more height, but that is something I am seeing across the board with my mid-long irons at the moment. The average carry at 141 is about right for the temperature at this time of year and my swing speed with a few jumpers on!!

  • Expensive
  • It feels extremely soft off the putter

Following my data testing, I have taken this out on the course for numerous rounds to see how it performs out in the elements. My overarching theme would be that it just feels really comfortable and consistent to use. It does exactly what I want it to without having to adapt by flight or shot shape.

Pros:

  • Looks more premium than the previous Chrome Soft model
  • Great data across the board
  • Feels good on short shots around the green

Cons:

  • None


RRP: £55

Colours: White / Yellow / Tru Trak / Triple Track / 360 Triple Track

More information: Callaway Website

TaylorMade TP5 golf ball

5 star review
2024 TaylorMade TP5 golf ball review

Reviewed by Jack Backhouse

My TP5 test starts with 50-yard short game shots. I love how spinny the ball feels from the face, and I can actually see the ball reacting as it lands down range. This premium golf ball is designed for increased greenside spin, so this is great to see. The soft cast urethane cover has incredible stopping power from short shots into the greens.

Moving onto the 6 iron long iron portion of the test, I couldn’t believe I was getting up to 124mph ball speed and a huge 184-yard carry distance on a cool 10-degree February day. I was absolutely delighted with that increased ball speed, but it was the trajectory of the shots that was most impressive.

The Speed Wrapped Core has allowed TaylorMade to build a golf ball that feels softer yet goes faster, the perfect combination that has seemed elusive for all major brands. Generally, a softer feel means less speed and a firmer feel means more speed, but tour players are looking for something in the middle, and that’s what they have been able to create.

This is a fabulous all-round tour ball that I’m sure will go straight in the bag of many tour players, as well as my bag. I love the flight, I love the feel and the sound. A certain upgrade from the 2021 TaylorMade TP5 golf ball, and it has also come DOWN in price! Get out and give this a test!

Pros:

  • More Distance
  • Amazing soft feel
  • More height

Cons:

  • Faster clubhead speed players might prefer the firmer feel of TP5x

Read our full 2024 TaylorMade TP5 golf ball review


RRP: £44.99 (white/yellow) £47.99 (Pix)

More information: TaylorMade Website


Titleist Pro V1 golf ball

bifurication in golf

Reviewed by Hannah Holden

I wanted to put the 2023 and 2021 Pro V1’s head-to-head and see the differences.

I think the big difference for me between the two was that the ball flight went more stable. You can see many of my data variables were similar across the two models, but the 2023 Pro V1 was much improved in terms of dispersion. This wasn’t what I expected when I set out to do the testing. I think some of this came down to the ball being more stable in wind as it was a windy day during my initial testing.

I also felt the 2023 ball stayed in the air longer while watching the ball flight during testing. This is reflected in the carry distances, with the new ball being about 2 yards longer. It also flew slightly higher, which will have affected the visual of the flight too.

It also had excellent grip and control on short chips around the green. When chipping and putting I really liked the soft feel.

Overall, this is clearly a great performing all-round golf ball. It performs exceptionally well across all categories. You get a great balance of feel, distance and control. If you are after a tour-level golf ball, it is impossible to go wrong with this.

Pros:

  • Extremely consistent
  • Tighter dispersion
  • Soft feel
  • Great short-game spin control

Cons:

  • Expensive
  • Spins less than Pro V1x

For more info on the Pro V1:


RRP: £50

Colours: White, Yellow

More information: Titleist website


Titleist Pro V1x golf ball

5 star review

Reviewed by Hannah Holden

The big draw to this golf ball is the high levels of short-game spin. I love how much you can get this to grip and spin around the greens when chipping, especially from bunkers.

Surprisingly during pitching, my spin was very similar to what I saw with the Pro V1 averaging just 31 rpm more but I think this may have been affected by slightly damp conditions.

This golf ball performed exceptionally well with mid-irons. All my data was super consistent, but I was particularly impressed with the distance control.

Compared to the Pro V1, the ball flight was slightly higher getting to 93.8 feet on average compared to 90.6 feet but interestingly, with identical launch angles.

Overall, as expected, the Pro V1x delivered a very solid performance. It you like the Pro V1 performance but want something that flights slightly higher and spins slightly more around the greens this is a perfect option.

Pros:

  • Launches higher for players who want more height
  • High spinning
  • Exceptional feel

Cons:

  • Expensive

RRP: £47.99

Colours: White, Yellow

More information: Titleist website


Srixon Z-Star

4.5 star review
best golf balls 2024

Reviewed by Jack Backhouse

I’ve always been a fan of the Z Star balls, and when I heard that they were getting a major upgrade, I was excited to get my hands on some. I love and need higher spin pretty much with all my shots, so Srixon’s new spin skin coating, which is supposed to dig into your grooves more, definitely has me interested.

This is not the only upgrade the Z-Star has had, however, it also features a new fastlayer core which is soft in the middle and gradually firmer towards the edges, and new 338 speed dimple pattern is supposed to make it less affected by the wind, which would be amazing if true!

Out of the box and onto the green, I love how these balls feel from the putter face and wedge on short chips. They have a similar softer feel to the tour ball I usually play, and I’m able to generate quite a lot of greenside spin and get the ball checking from reasonable lies.

Driver testing went well for the Srixon Z-Star. The ball speed numbers are pretty solid, the launch angle is right in my optimal window and distances not too bad either. I did see a dramatic jump up in spin with a particularly bottomy strike, but a 294 yard average total distance is not to be sniffed at.

Premium golf ball users should absolutely consider putting this in play as it’s a great all-round performer, especially if you like a soft-feeling ball. Srixon’s new technology is the real deal.

Pros:

  • Feels fantastic
  • Really consistent distance and flight with irons
  • Low spin from the driver

Cons:

  • Spin rates could be higher with a wedge

Read our full Srixon Z-Star golf ball review


RRP: £39.99 per dozen

Colours: White, Yellow, Divide

More info: Srixon website

Callaway Chrome Tour X golf ball

5 star review
Callaway Chrome Tour X Golf Ball Review

Reviewed by Jack Backhouse

Callaway’s new ball features a new Hyper Fast Soft Core, which is an entirely new rubber system that more accurately achieves the target compression for more consistent performance. I was pleased that despite hitting my shots consistently to the right, how consistent the shots were carry and spin wise, which is going to help me massively on my approach shots.

I was really pleased with the spin on the 7-iron. 6600 rpm of backspin on a 7 iron is pretty much perfect and is going to help me keep the ball on the greens. I naturally launch the ball quite low, so making sure that I use a ball that spins enough is vital for my game.

A final comment to add is how spinny and soft this ball feels around the green. Callaway’s new Chrome Tour X has a new urethane cover, which is spinnier than the previous model’s, which is only going to give you more control and more up and downs.

Pros:

  • Great spin from the wedge
  • Love the visual technology available.
  • Ideal iron spin for control into the greens

Cons:

  • Expensive


RRP: £55

Colours: White / Yellow / Tru Trak / Triple Track / 360 Triple Track

More information: Callaway Website

Wilson Staff Model Golf Ball

4.5 star review
Wilson Staff Model Golf Ball Review

Reviewed by Jack Backhouse

Right out of the gate, the new Wilson Staff Model golf ball is an improvement from last year with the logo changing to the old style text, the Wilson logo instead off the Staff logo. I liked the Staff Model ball a lot last year and thought its high performance went largely unnoticed in a world where people either stick with the same ball out of habit or just play whatever random balls they find.

The new Staff Model ball has a lot of similar characteristics to last year’s ball but has an adapted inner mantle layer and advanced V-COR™ performance technology, which optimises iron spin from the fairways.

Moving onto the 7-iron portion of the test, I love how consistent the spin rate is on the shots I hit. Spin is control, and although yes, you want perfect numbers, consistent numbers are probably more useful to a player and will lead to better approach shots into the green. The ball was launching high enough with a great decent angle, which would give me adequate stopping power on the greens.

I believe this is a good ball, and because of its value, it could absolutely attract some players who want that tour ball feel and spin but don’t want to pay the TP5 or Pro V1 prices. I am more likely to lean towards the Staff Model X ball as it gives me more of what I want out of a ball, but the Wilson Staff Model will make a lot of golfers happy in 2024.

Pros:

  • Love the old-school logo and text
  • Great ball speed from driver
  • Feels good on short shots around the green

Cons:

  • Not as much ball spin with irons and wedges as The Wilson Staff Model X ball

Read our full Wilson Staff Model Golf Ball 2024 Review


RRP: £52

Colours: White/Yellow

More information: Wilson Website


Best Golf Ball 2024

Each of these top golf balls 2024 brings something special to the table, promising to improve your performance, whether through longer distance, improved control, or superior feel. Your final choice will depend on your specific play style and preferences, but you can’t go wrong with any of these high-quality options.

As you prepare to tee off in the new year, remember that the right golf ball can make all the difference. So, choose wisely and play well!

The golf ball test 2024

At National Club Golfer, we are passionate about producing accurate and thorough reviews and make sure our testing process is rigorous so we get a good understanding of how each club performs.

We headed to Woodhall Spa Golf Club to allow us to collect launch monitor data with our in-house TrackMan and Flightscope. We tested each golf ball on the putting surface and around the greens before collecting data on 50-yard pitch shots, with a 7-iron and with a driver.

What is important when buying a new golf ball?

Feel

Golf ball feel is a personal preference. Different balls on the market will feel softer or firmer depending on their compression and structure. It is crucial to test balls when putting, chipping and hitting long game shots to check you like the performance across all areas.

Distance

How far you want to hit the golf ball is a crucial consideration when picking a brand and model. Getting the right compression relative to your swing speed and strike will help you get the maximum distance out of a golf ball. You also need to consider if getting maximum distance is important to you or if you would rather give up some yardage to gain in other areas.

Spin

Generally, lower handicappers are looking for a ball that spins more so they can get more control around the greens. In this case, getting a ball with a urethane cover is really important as it will give you the most spin and control.

Price

Not everyone wants to spend £50 a dozen on golf balls. When picking the right golf ball for you, you should consider how much you want to spend relative to what performance you want.

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