Wilson Duo Soft golf ball review

Wilson call their Duo Soft the ‘world’s softest golf ball’ and claim it’s had a “powerful engine upgrade”. So how does it perform for a mid-handicapper?

Wilson Duo Soft golf ball review: NCG Summary

NCG SUMMARY

Take the Wilson Duo Soft ball out on the range and course before you look at how much you paid. For what’s one of the cheapest of its type on the market, you get great value for money.

PROS

• Very good performance at the price point.
• Flies off the face of the driver but still drops relatively softly with an iron.
• Consistent roll on the putting surface.

CONS

• Very little to criticise given they’re under £25 a dozen.

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First Impressions

With a compression of under 40, Wilson aren’t joking when they say their two-piece ball is soft. With an Ionomer cover construction, and 302 dimples, they say the core has been formulated so shots will fly far further and launch easier, while its “optimised aerodynamics means reduced driver spin for long carry, straighter shots and more fairways”.

All for under £25 a dozen. Well, where do I sign up? Looks wise, it’s pleasing out of the box with that signature bright red Wilson logo dominating.

NCG Review

Firstly, you need to understand the variables of testing balls as an 11 handicapper. The way I swing the club, and the impact I create, varies with every shot and can skew the data. I worked hard to try and put together a consistent set of numbers that would accurately reflect what I might produce out on the course. But I’m human and sometimes I hit it badly.

Let’s get to it then. Even though I was promised length, just how did I manage to the hit the ‘world’s softest golf ball’ further than any other when testing at the performance centre at Woodhall Spa?

I averaged nearly 208 in carry and more than 222 yards with the driver – numbers that would be mightily acceptable out on the course – and if you take out an obvious mis-hit with my second strike the figures would have been even better.

The Wilson Duo Soft just seemed to keep going, all the more surprising given I struck it pretty low and which roll out numbers of nigh on 15 yards reflect.

I wouldn’t normally have expected to see this in a really low compression ball given I get into the mid 90s with my swing speed but Wilson say the core is designed for maximum energy return, resulting in shots that go further and launch easier.

It’s true that I did spray it about a bit more than the Wilson Triad but a couple of those were down to bad swings. Once I’d learn to get it more under control then the distance it provides off the tee would be an eye-opener.

And while the Duo Soft is also cited for its fast ball speeds and low driver spin, the numbers looked nothing out of the ordinary to me. What I would say, though, is that I’m replicating performance with a ball that’s half the price of some others I would play.

I’ve always had a carry distance with a 7-iron of around 137 yards but if I put the Wilson Duo Soft into play, I’d have to start re-evaluating.

An average increase of nearly seven yards, or half a club, is a hefty return just for changing ball and when I really got hold of it I saw some numbers I’ve only really experienced when combining with a set of irons that had lower lofts.

Though I did struggle to keep two or three of these shots on line, the contact felt good off the face and the spin numbers were as I’d expect so I’m going to put those down to poor shots as much as anything else.

With good height and average roll of just under four yards, and those numbers significantly skewed by a thinned last shot that I almost missed, I’d be confident of being able to hit these into a green and get it to stop. Given my tendency to sweep rather than attack the ball, that’s another significant plus.

I’m plagued by low spin with a wedge in hand, which is a consequence of a very sweeping swing that wouldn’t even take a divot even at this loft.

So you’ll need to take these numbers with a pinch of salt – save to say that I was asked to try and hit it 50 yards and the numbers show that I was in and around the ball park more often than not.

In and around the putting surface, the Wilson Duo Soft felt slightly harder to me than it’s sibling in the Triad. That was a bit of a surprise. I’d expected it to be a veritable marshallow after reading all the marketing, but you can’t fault its nice roll, consistent distance over longer putts, and pleasing sound off the putter face.

I like the big Wilson logo and I’d be more inclined to use this as an alignment tool rather than the arrowed stripe down the side of the ball. As with the Triad, I’d rather that be a bolder, solid, line but that’s purely a personal preference.

It’s hard to believe, overall, that you can buy a dozen of the Wilson Duo Soft ball for less than £25. It’s up there with the longest balls I’ve hit but it is definitely not a distance ball. There is lots of playability in and around the green too.

Yes, I might have to pay a bit more attention with my swing and contact but are you really expecting the complete package at this price point?

What you are getting is a ball that plays far better than what you’re being asked to shell out and that’s epitome of value, isn’t it?

Wilson Duo Soft golf ball review: The Details

Available: Now.

RRP: £22.99

How do we test golf balls?

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 to consider 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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