Soft vs Hard Golf Balls: The Choice For Average Golfers

I was always under the impression that softer balls were better for spin while harder balls were for distance. I really had no idea, and it seems most websites are the same since they say opposite things. The only way to figure things out was to test it myself.

Looking at how firm or soft a golf ball is isn’t really the right way to go about it. You need to know how fast you swing the club and the type of performance you’re looking for. Once you know that, you’ll then have to decide whether you want a firm or soft golf ball.

You can see our favorite balls for average golfers HERE.

✔ KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The key difference between soft and hard golf balls is how much they compress at impact. This affects spin rates, distance, and how the ball feels.
• Softer balls are generally better for high handicappers who need forgiveness. They’ll also generate the same (or better) distance for people with low to average swing speeds.
• Harder balls are generally better for low handicappers who have faster swing speeds and want maximum spin.

Should You Use Soft Or Hard Golf Balls?

In almost all cases, an average golfer will prefer a softer golf ball over a firmer ball. Softer balls normally have a lower compression rating which means it will take less club speed to properly compress the ball. This will result in straighter shots and a better feeling golf ball.

Just in case you were wondering, the average golfer swings the club a little over 90 MPH and will shoot somewhere close to 100. For the longest time, I thought most people shot in the high 80s to low 90s, but that’s just not true at all.

As I said before, the overall feel of a golf ball is more so a personal preference. There are a number of different types of golf balls, but long story short, you can get soft or firm beginner balls and you can get soft or firm tour balls.

That being said, I generally see people with low to average swing speeds using softer golf balls and people with faster swing speeds using something a little firmer. There are two main reasons for this.

The first reason is how the ball feels & sounds. If you have a swing speed well above 105 MPH, a low compression ball will feel like a sponge. If you swing the club under 90 MPH, a high compression ball will feel like you’re hitting a rock.

Along with how they feel, firmer balls will have a “clicky” sound, especially on and around the green. Softer balls will feel much more muted.

The second reason is how much the ball spins. Firmer balls tend to spin more, which is why softer balls are more forgiving. This is especially true if you were to compare a low compression ball to a high compression ball (Callaway Supersoft vs Chrome Tour).

That being said, compression doesn’t matter as much when you compare two firmer balls. For example, the Pro V1, TP5, and Z-Star will have more short game spin compared to their firmer models. The long game spin will depend on other factors.

To figure all this out, I tested out each type of ball. I used a softer Chrome Soft and compared it to a firmer Chrome Soft X. I took them to the course and looked at how they performed with the driver, irons, and wedges.

Driver Comparison

Key takeaways:

• The softer ball hit more fairways
• The firmer ball was longer

The first thing I wanted to look at was how the two balls performed with the driver. It depends what you’re looking for here, but for me, I want a ball that hits more fairways.

The first factor I looked at was how high each of them launched. If you have a faster swing speed, you might be looking for a lower flying ball. For those with a slower swing speed, a higher launching ball could give straighter and longer golf shots.

If you weren’t really paying attention I really doubt you’d be able to tell the height distance. It wasn’t easy to tell but I noticed the softer Chrome Soft flew a little bit higher.

The biggest performance difference was how much side-to-side spin the firmer ball had. The Chrome Soft went noticeably straighter for me, which is a big deal for the average player.

The extra spin is what’ll help you draw/fade the ball or control the trajectory more. Save that for better players and stick to the ball that gets you in the fairway.

The final thing I looked at was the distance between them. Long story short, the firmer Chrome Soft X was 5-8 yards longer.

That being said, I do have a slightly faster than average swing speed. We’ve tested it the other way too (see HERE), which showed that the softer ball would give the same (or better) distance for average swing speeds (below 95 MPH).

Iron Comparison

Key takeaways:

• The firmer ball launched higher
• The firmer ball spun more
• The distances were similar

With my irons, the height between the two balls was close, but the firmer Chrome Soft X was a touch higher. I didn’t have a launch monitor to check the exact numbers, but I took a number of shots and it was consistent.

Just like with my driver, the forgiveness was better with the softer Chrome Soft. It wasn’t by much, but the Chrome Soft seemed to fly a bit straighter (mishits were more noticeable using the X).

What I found pretty interesting is that I really didn’t find a difference in distance. If I hit the X perfectly, it was longer, but on average, they were very close.

Wedge Comparison

Key takeaways:

• The firmer ball felt very hard
• The softer ball had more spin

With my wedges, I could really tell the difference in compression. It wasn’t as noticeable with the longer clubs, but the firmer X felt way too firm for me. The softer ball was way better.

The biggest difference between them was the spin rates. With my driver and irons, the firmer ball had more spin. The opposite was true with my wedge.

With shorter chips, I can’t spin the ball a whole lot, but the softer ball seemed to have more bite. This is generally the case when you compare two similar balls.

However, if you were to compare an expensive ball to a budget ball (regardless of compression), the expensive ball will spin more around the green. The reason is the urethane cover. You can learn more HERE.

What Golf Ball Is Best For Average Golfers?

The best type of golf ball for the average golfer is a 2 or 3 piece ball with a compression rating under 85. Having a ball that spins less off the tee but can still land softly on the green is the best way to hit more fairways and improve short game consistency.

The reason I’d recommend a 2 or 3 piece ball is that they’re cheaper. You probably won’t see much benefit to using an expensive ball, plus, you’ll probably lose a number of them per round.

RELATED: Cheap vs Expensive Golf Ball Test

A ball that doesn’t spin much off the tee will help you hit more fairways. If you can hit more fairways, you can probably cut a few strokes off your game. You still want a ball that has some stopping power on the greens though.

Most recreational golfers have a swing speed under 95 MPH, which is why a low to mid compression ball is ideal. Speeds over 105 MPH will probably be better off with a high compression ball.

To figure out your swing speed, the best thing to do is actually get it tested somewhere. I know you probably don’t want to spend money, but good news, there is another way. Here’s a little chart:

This isn’t a perfect solution but it should give you a pretty good idea. If you figure your swing speed is around 95 MPH, you’ll want to look for a ball that fits that category. Then, decide on the overall feel.

If you want to see a list of golf balls that are made for different swing speeds, you can check out our golf ball info chart here. It’ll show you what golf balls are soft/firm, and their compression ratings.

Balls like the Titleist Pro V1 or Callaway Chrome Soft are both on the softer side. These are some of the more popular balls on the market. You also have the Pro V1x and Chrome Soft X, which are firmer and suited for faster swing speeds.

The majority of people will get more distance, hit more fairways, and have more wedge spin with the softer options. The important thing to note is that it’s not because of how soft/firm the ball is. It’s the overall construction of the ball.

If you’re curious about what type of ball you should be playing, check out our list of favorite golf balls HERE.

Do Softer Golf Balls Go Further?

As a general rule, softer compression golf balls will travel farther (or the same) for swing speeds under 95 MPH. The opposite is true for swing speeds above 100 MPH.

I have a slightly above average swing speed. If you’re the same (or faster), you’ll likely get the same results as me. If your swing speed is slower, you could get the opposite results.

With my driver, the Chrome Soft X (firmer ball) was around 5-8 yards longer. That said, the softer Chrome Soft went straighter, which could be more helpful.

With my irons, the Chrome Soft and Chrome Soft X went a similar distance. If you flush almost all of your shots you might get better results from one of them, but for an average golfer, they’re very close.

With my wedges, they went the same distance. The only difference between them was how they felt and the spin rates.

If you have an ultra-fast swing speed, you’ll likely get more distance out of a firmer ball. Lower compression balls might balloon up in the air and not roll out as much.

If you have a much slower swing speed, you might get a bit more distance out of a softer ball. These balls don’t take as much speed to compress them properly and could give you a bit more distance.

In saying all of that, I’ve come to the conclusion that you probably won’t notice much of a difference. I could only get a few extra yards out of some balls, so it’s not as important as you’d think.

Do Pros Use Soft Golf Balls?

On average, 60% of professional golfers use a firmer feeling golf ball. Bryson Dechambeau, Justin Thomas, and Hideki Matsuyama use firmer balls and some of the more popular choices are the Srixon Z Star XV and the Titleist Pro V1x.

The Taylormade TP5 (5-piece golf ball) and Titleist Pro V1 (3 piece ball) are both mid compression balls, but they do have a softer feel to them. The TP5x and Pro V1x are the firmer versions.

The two most popular balls on tour are the Pro V1 and Pro V1x. It’s pretty much split 50/50 between them, but somewhere around 70% of golfers use one of them. One is softer. One is firmer. This pretty much shows that it’s mostly a personal preference.

If you want to know which ball is used the most on tour or what ball your favorite player is using then be sure to check out our article on which golf balls the pros use.

Note. This article is part of our series on which golf ball is best for you. If you’re still not sure which ball will be right for you or want to know more about a specific topic, go check that out.