Beginners lose golf balls – a lot of them. This is how the game begins; we’ve all been there. But once you face the reality of “I’m going to miss some,” beginners are also at the most formative point in their golfing lives.
The wrong ball can push habits in the wrong direction: too little spin to hold the greens, too much spin coming off the tip, or a feel that masks poor contact.
So I looked into 2025 ball test data with four things in mind: value (you’ll lose some), performance (speed/flight/spin that actually helps) and feel (so feedback isn’t confusing).
Here are some golf balls I would suggest if you are just starting out and want to make sure your golf ball isn’t working against you.
Tour in Maxfli – The best first urethane ball
In the 2025 test, Tour in Maxfli again stood out as the mid-price sweet spot. It offered balanced performance, consistent ball speed, playable trajectory and reliable wedge spin at a price that beginners could justify. It’s not the longest or softest, but it does everything well and gives you a sense of what real urethane performance is supposed to be.
TaylorMade’s tour answer – Smooth feel without losing speed
Among the soft urethane balls, The tournament answer was one of the few that maintained good ball speed while reducing driver spin. This means a straighter flight off the tip and better distance control through the bag. If you like a softer feel but don’t want to give up too much performance, this is one of the best ways to get it.
Kirkland Signature Performance+ v3.5 — Real urethane for less
Version 2025 of Kirkland+ performance fixed the high spin problem from previous models and now flies higher with useful carry. It’s not a high-spin wedge ball, but it delivers true urethane performance for less than $20 a dozen. For new players who lose a few balls each round, this is the best value on the market.
Titleist Tour Soft — Ionomer speed with surprising distance
of Tour Soft it was one of the few ionomer balls that impressed us in our testing of the 2025. It produced solid drive and iron speed and carried farther than most in its class. While the greenside spin is still behind the urethane, it’s an easy and affordable way to get distance and consistency while you’re learning the game.
Alternatives worth trying
Every starter game is a little different. If you are starting to see more stability or want to prioritize a specific performance feature such as more greenside spin, lower driver spin, or a firmer feel, these are some strong options from the 2025 data that are worth testing side-by-side.
- Bridgestone Tour B RXS – Lower driver spin can help smooth out putts while still providing urethane-level greenside control.
- Srixon Q-STAR ULTISPEED – A fast and affordable ionomer ball that surprised testers with its driver and iron distance.
- Callaway Chrome Tour X – High wedge spin and lower launch combine for excellent short game stopping power once your consistency improves.
Post If I were a beginner, these are the golf balls I would buy appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
