Well, well, well. Check out what came up in my Amazon recommendations between USB-C cables and the 64-pack of AA batteries I apparently need.
Amazon has entered the golf ball business with Amazon Basics Core Soft, and honestly, we probably should have seen this coming. There’s a Basics version of damn near everything, and since I’m pretty sure Alexa is always listening, the simple act of many of you wondering out loud why Amazon doesn’t have its own golf balls was enough to make it happen.
What exactly is Amazon Basics Core Soft?
According to Amazon’s product description, the Core Soft is designed for “ALL USE” (their caps, not mine). You can put almost any ambiguity you want in the product description, but even for that low standard, it’s pretty uninformative.
The same goes for the USGA spin rating, where the Core Soft is listed as offering medium driver spin and short high iron spin. If you expect that rating to hold true for green performance, prepare for disappointment. Soft does not rotate. The ionomer does not rotate. And given that one is definitely true and the other could be, the Amazon Core Soft isn’t a viable option for players looking for stopping power.
What we do know is that Amazon is billing this as a low compression balland the name “Core Soft” certainly more than hints at a soft core. But that’s about as specific as it gets. We’re going to order some and run them through our compression gauge to see where the Core Soft fits on the spectrum between Supersoft and Tour Soft.
The Amazon Basics Difference
Here’s the thing about Amazon Basics: it’s a brand reserved for largely commoditized items like HDMI cables, AA batteries, and phone chargers—disposable stuff where even if it’s not everything you want it to be, the barrier to entry is so low that it barely matters if it achieves anything beyond the minimum performance standard.
Cheap AF is the barrier to entry for the Basics line, and I’d argue that the Core Soft fits that description perfectly.
Look, I will tell you that there are measurable, significant performance differences between golf balls. I’m also not lost on the fact that there is a reasonably sized segment of recreational gamers who don’t give a damn about any of this.
Price point to play
With that said, I suppose the most interesting thing about Core Soft is the price. At just over $24 for a two-dozen pack ($14.49 for a dozen), it can be had for roughly half the price of Callaway’s Supersoft—the most popular budget option in the category.
Here’s the hard truth: with the exception of Titleist, there aren’t many on the ionomer market that are particularly good quality to begin with, so you won’t find me recommending much in this category. But if you’re only going to spend $12 for a dozen, you should reasonably expect the ceiling and floor to be one and the same. Given that you won’t do much better at this price point, and you’re also unlikely to do worse.
Production history
Core Soft is manufactured by SM Global—the same factory that makes balls for Costco, PXG and, for what it’s worth, Malbon. Neither of those guys currently offer a two-piece ionomer ball, so it’s at least interesting that Amazon went this route.
Is this the end of Amazon’s ballpark story or just the beginning?
It’s possible that the factory may be contract-restricted, but it’s just as likely that the goal of this ball is to be cheap AF, and that anything but requires ionomer construction—especially if part of the goal is to undercut Kirkland in the market it created.
Is Amazon Core Soft for you?
One of the suggested questions for Amazon’s RUFUS AI assistant is “How do these compare to Titleist?” AI’s answer? Core Soft is “a great practice option to complement your premium Titleist golf balls.”
Even Amazon’s artificial intelligence is casting a shadow over its product. Gotta love honesty, I guess. But hey, if you’re looking for a beater ball—the kind of thing suitable for an afternoon round with your kids or for beginners in general—it’s hard to argue with the value proposition.
conclusion
Amazon Basics Core Soft probably won’t change your game. It won’t help you reach your 80s, and it certainly won’t make your playing partners think you’ve suddenly taken golf seriously.
What it will do is give you something to hit without breaking the bank. And for a certain segment of golfers—those who miss three balls a round and couldn’t care less about spin splits or tee conditions—this may be just what they need.
Is it the best ball on the market? We can be sure that this is not the case. Is it the worst? Maybe not. It’s Amazon Basics, which means it’s exactly what you’d expect: functional, forgettable, and cheap enough that you won’t feel bad about donating a sleeve to the water hazard on the 16th.
We’ll have some on hand Core Soft balls soon and take a closer look. Until then, if you’re looking for a golf ball that costs less than your morning coffee and has about the same lifespan, Amazon has you covered.
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