We’ve tested each of the golf balls from Vice to see what the pros and cons of them are. Our goal with this test is to figure out which ball is best suited for each type of golfer, whether that’s beginners, average players, or scratch golfers.
An Overview: The Best Vice Golf Balls
Click one of the links below to be taken to the section where we give an in-depth summary and list the pros and cons of each ball. You can also jump to the section on how we tested HERE.
- Vice Pro: Best Overall
- Vice Tour: Best For Distance
- Vice Drive: Best For Swing Speeds Under 90 MPH
- Vice Pro Plus: Best For 110+ MPH Swing Speeds
- Vice Pro Soft: Softer Version Of Pro
- Vice Pro Zero: Firmer Version Of Pro
Vice Pro
Best Overall
- Compression: 85
- Feel: Mid
- Swing Speed: 95-110 MPH
- Driver Spin: Low
- Wedge Spin: High
- Full Info: Read Our Review
This ball will likely provide the best overall performance for the widest range of golfers. It’s designed to be similar to the Pro V1, with lower spin off the tee and high spin around the green.
Feel: This ball is between the Pro Zero and Pro Soft. It’s pretty balanced and won’t feel too firm or soft. If you prefer a softer ball, you could try the Pro Soft. If you prefer a firm ball, you could try the Pro Zero.
Performance: The reason I like this ball is that it ranked #2 in both spin and distance. It wasn’t quite as long as the Tour off the tee, but it was still respectable. That said, it had better wedge spin compared to the Tour.
Summary: If you’re a low to mid handicap golfer with an average swing speed, this ball should perform well for you.
Would I Use: Yes.
Vice Tour
Best For Distance
- Compression: ~80
- Feel: Firm
- Swing Speed: 90-110 MPH
- Driver Spin: Low
- Wedge Spin: Mid
- Full Info: Read Our Review
If you want a ball that’s long off the tee, has decent spin around the green, and isn’t going to break the bank, this is one worth checking out. Out of all the balls, the Tour was the longest off the tee, by a decent amount.
Feel: Since this ball has a compression rating of around 80 and a surlyn cover, it’s going to have a firm feel. I’d say it’s pretty close to the Pro Plus and Pro Zero.
Performance: The reason I like this ball for the average player is that it’s long off the tee and flies straight. Not only was it the longest off the tee, but it also hit the most fairways (along with the Pro Zero).
Summary: If you’re an average golfer and don’t need max greenside spin, this ball provides a great balance of distance and forgiveness, all for a good price.
Would I Use: Yes.
Vice Drive
Best For Swing Speeds Under 90 MPH
- Compression: 50
- Feel: Mid
- Swing Speed: Under 95 MPH
- Driver Spin: Low
- Wedge Spin: Low
- Full Info: Read Our Review
If you’re looking for a ball that flies long and straight (with slower swing speeds), this will be the one for you. It’s a solid choice for beginners and high handicaps who don’t have the fastest swing speeds.
Feel: This is a low compression ball with a surlyn cover, which will give it a neutral feel. If you’re someone with a high swing speed (110+ MPH), it might not feel the best, but for the average person, it’ll be fine.
Performance: Since this is the entry-level ball from Vice, it won’t be the longest or spin the most. My swing speed was too fast for this ball so I lacked distance and the ball spun too much. That said, it’ll perform better for slow swing speeds.
Summary: If you have a slow swing speed and don’t want to spend a fortune on balls, this is one worth checking out.
Would I Use: No. At my swing speed, I prefer the Pro or Tour.
Vice Pro Plus
Best For High Swing Speeds
- Compression: 93
- Feel: Firm
- Swing Speed: Over 110 MPH
- Driver Spin: Low
- Wedge Spin: High
- Full Info: Read Our Review
This is a ball for fast swing speeds, so if you’re a low handicapper and swing the driver over 110 MPH, this will probably perform the best for you. It’s the highest launching and highest spinning ball in Vice’s lineup.
Feel: Since the compression rating is high, the overall feel will be firm. It’s pretty similar to the Pro V1x, and for me, it felt a bit too firm. That said, my swing speed isn’t fast enough for it.
Performance: This ball wasn’t the longest (for me), but it could be if your swing is fast enough. It did have the best spin around the green and it seemed to fly a bit higher than the other balls.
Summary: If you’re someone who has a fast swing speed and wants max spin around the greens, this is probably the ball for you.
Would I Use: No. My swing speed isn’t fast enough to reap the benefits.
Vice Pro Soft
Softer Version Of The Pro
- Compression: 70
- Feel: Soft
- Swing Speed: Under 95 MPH
- Driver Spin: Low
- Wedge Spin: High
- Full Info: Read Our Review
If you want a ball that performs like the Pro but has a softer feel, this will be for you. It’s supposed to be a ball for slower swing speeds, under 95 MPH, but that’s more of a general recommendation.
Since my speeds are a bit faster than that, I got a little extra distance out of the Pro. In terms of short-game spin, the results were fairly close to the Pro and Pro Plus.
What I noticed was that my shots didn’t go as straight as with the Pro and Tour. I think the main reason is that those two balls are designed for my swing speed while this one isn’t.
Would I Use: Probably not. I like the feel of the Pro better.
Vice Pro Zero
Firmer Version Of The Pro
- Compression: 95
- Feel: Firm
- Swing Speed: 95-110 MPH
- Driver Spin: Low
- Wedge Spin: High
- Full Info: Read Our Review
If you want a ball that performs somewhat similar to the Pro but has a firmer feel, this one will be for you. I don’t know exactly why this ball was created, but it is another option to consider.
What I noticed was that this ball flew a little straighter than the Pro and Pro Plus, but had a little less distance. The short game spin was also a bit less because of the hybrid cover it has.
This ball and the Pro Plus have similar compression ratings and both have urethane covers. The Pro Plus has an extra layer, which helps optimize spin rates when you have an extremely fast swing speed.
Compared to the Pro, this ball felt firmer and didn’t seem to hold up as well. The cover would get scratched up after a few holes, which could be because this ball is manufactured at a different factory than the rest.
Would I Use: No. The Pro feels better and is more durable.
How We Tested
To find the best option, we’re going to look at three things: feel, short-game, and long-game performance. Making sure the ball feels right is important to your confidence. Having a ball that performs to your needs is important for your scores.
Feel
The way the ball feels when you hit it will depend on two things: the compression and the type of cover. High-compression balls will feel firmer than low-compression balls. Balls with a urethane cover will feel softer than ionomer or surlyn (see how they compare HERE).
With the Vice lineup, the “Pro” balls have a urethane cover while the Tour and Drive have a surlyn cover (yeah, I don’t know why it’s called “Tour” either). This means that the Drive and Tour will feel a little firm, especially on the green.
When it comes to ball compression, here is how the balls stack up:
- Pro Zero: 95
- Pro Plus: 93
- Pro: 85
- Tour: ~80
- Pro Soft: 70
- Drive: 50
The Drive and Pro Soft will be the softest. The Pro Zero and Pro Plus are the firmest. Since the Tour has a surlyn cover, it feels a bit firmer than the Pro, even though it has a higher compression rating.
Short Game
The main difference between a “cheap” ball and a “tour” ball is how much it spins off the wedge. A ball that spins more will land on the green and stop quicker, which should help with distance control. It also costs more money.
To figure out which ball had the best spin rates, I took 10 shots with each and recorded how much the ball rolled out or spun back. I used a sand wedge and hit 3/4 length swings. Here are the results:
| Pro Plus | Pro | Pro Soft | Pro Zero | Tour | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4 | -1 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| 2 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| -1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 |
| 3 | -2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| -1 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 2.1 Yards | 2.7 Yards | 3 Yards | 4.1 Yards | 4.7 Yards | 5.3 Yards |
As you can see, the Pro Plus, Pro, and Pro Soft were all fairly close in terms of spin. The Pro Zero was a bit worse because of the hybrid cover it has. The Tour and Drive were the lowest spinning because of the surlyn cover.
The ground was a bit damp, which helped the ball stop quicker. I don’t spin my wedges as much as some, but it’s usually decent enough. You may get better results than me, but the main thing to note is the order.
Long Game
When it comes to performance off the tee, I wanted to look at two things: distance and accuracy. If a ball goes 10-15 yards less than something else, you probably don’t want to use it. If you can’t hit the fairway with the ball, you probably don’t want to use it.
To test these, we’ll take 10 shots with each and record the distances. We’ll also look at how many shots hit the fairway. Note, my swing speed is just under 100 MPH. Here are the results:
| Pro Plus | Pro | Pro Soft | Pro Zero | Tour | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240 | 247 | 238 | 245 | 251 | 248 |
| 247 | 244 | 245 | 246 | 256 | 244 |
| 255 | 257 | 244 | 239 | 249 | 251 |
| 239 | 256 | 256 | 247 | 264 | 239 |
| 248 | 249 | 253 | 253 | 261 | 238 |
| 261 | 251 | 247 | 255 | 258 | 244 |
| 257 | 238 | 243 | 259 | 265 | 247 |
| 242 | 255 | 248 | 249 | 271 | 246 |
| 253 | 262 | 252 | 248 | 268 | 251 |
| 256 | 259 | 249 | 246 | 259 | 249 |
| 250 Yards 4/10 Fairways | 252 Yards 5/10 Fairways | 248 Yards 5/10 Fairways | 249 Yards 6/10 Fairways | 260 Yards 6/10 Fairways | 245 Yards 5/10 Fairways |
After testing each ball, the Tour was the longest and the Drive was the shortest (for me). The straightest balls were the Tour and Pro Zero while the Pro Plus was the most unforgiving.
If your swing speed is below 90 MPH, you might get the most distance from the Drive or Pro Soft. If your swing speed is above 110 MPH, you might get the most distance from the Pro Plus.
You can see how far the average golfer hits their driver HERE.
Final Thoughts
Vice makes some solid balls that fit a wide range of golfers. The choice really comes down to your skill level and what you need your ball to do.
I wouldn’t get these balls with the expectation of perfection. They aren’t going to hold up as well as a premium Titleist ball, but considering the price, they’re a really good deal.
If you have any questions or want to share your experience with a particular Vice ball, make sure to leave a comment below. If you want some alternative options, check out one of the articles below:
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