The Drive is an entry-level ball from Vice and is built for high handicappers with mid to low swing speed. It has a 2 piece design and a very reasonable price tag, which makes it a solid choice for people who lose a lot of balls.
We’ve tested and reviewed many budget balls, and even though the price point is reasonable, a lot of them didn’t perform. After testing the Drive over 6 rounds, I’m going to be giving some pros and cons as well as who might want to use it.
Note: In previous years, the Drive had a much lower compression rating. The recent editions have a higher compression rating, which fits much better in the “distance” ball category.
You can see our favorite balls for average golfers HERE.
In This Review
Product Details | Intro | Feel | Quality | Short Game | Long Game | Bottom Line | Alternatives
Vice Drive Product Details
| MSRP | $19.99 |
| Handicap | High |
| Layers | 2 |
| Feel | Firm |
| Swing Speed | Under 95 MPH |
| Compression | 95 |
| Spin | Driver: Low Wedge: Low |
| Cover | Surlyn |
| Colors | White, Yellow, Pink, Blue |
| Company Website | Vice Golf |
The Intro
Vice has a range of balls for different types of golfers. The Drive is their entry-level model, designed for people with low to mid swing speeds (under 95 MPH).
It’s the only 2 piece design that Vice offers. The main benefit of this type of ball is that it’s long and straight off the tee. It’s not going to spin much, and the cover won’t be as high quality as a premium ball (it’s more durable though).
With all that said, average hackers don’t really need to worry about that.
Average players struggle to hit the fairway, so a straighter ball could help scores. Focus on the basics first, then worry about spin and shot shaping later on.
A lot of balls are lost throughout the round, so cheaper balls are better for the wallet. You can get these balls for $15 bucks per dozen if you buy 5+ boxes.
You can see how the Pro Soft compares to the other Vice balls HERE.
The Feel
The Drive has a compression rating of around 95, which is considered to be high (it used to have a rating of 50). It also has a Surlyn cover, which isn’t going to be as soft as urethane (see the differences between them HERE).
When you put those together, you’ll get a ball that has a very firm feel.
On and around the green, you’ll notice the firmness. It doesn’t feel bad, but it’ll be a bit “clicky” if you’re not used to a firm ball. Compared to other balls, it’ll feel very similar to the Vice Tour and a bit softer than the Vice Pro (since it has a urethane cover).
Off the tee, I didn’t notice much of a difference compared to my normal ball. If you’re used to a softer feeling ball (Supersoft or Soft Feel), you’ll notice a difference. If you already use a mid to high compression ball, the change isn’t that noticeable.
You can see the difference between soft and firm balls HERE.
The Quality
The main knock with Vice in the past has been the quality of the cover. Compared to the well-known brands, they’ve lacked when it came to durability, but it’s something they’ve been working on.
The last few boxes of balls that I’ve purchased have been much better. Not as good as they could be, but good enough for the price.
After testing the Drive (details below) and finishing the round, my ball had a few minor cuts and scratches. It wouldn’t be enough to impact the performance, but I think I could get 9 more holes with it.
The Short Game
One of the main things to look for when it comes to balls is how much they spin around the green. If you’re able to land the ball on the green and have it stop right away, you’ll improve your distance control.
Cheaper balls usually spin less than premium balls. That said, premium balls aren’t the best choice for a lot of golfers. The best choice for high handicappers is a ball that flies long and straight, for a good price.
To test the Drive, I took 10 shots with my sand wedge and recorded how much the ball rolled out or rolled back. A negative number means the ball landed and rolled back. A positive number means it landed and rolled away. Here are the results:
| Shot # | Distance |
|---|---|
| 1 | 2 |
| 2 | 4 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 7 | 7 |
| 8 | 7 |
| 9 | 5 |
| 10 | 8 |
| Average | 5.3 Yards |
On average, the ball landed on the green and rolled out 5.3 yards. Out of all the balls we’ve tested, the Drive was lower on the spin chart. Pretty much all 2 piece balls are at the lower end.
Compared to the other Vice models, the Drive had the least amount of short-game spin. Just a note, I shot my best round with a cheaper 2 piece ball. You’d be surprised how much easier the game gets when you hit more fairways and greens.
The Long Game
The other thing to look for is how the ball performs off the tee. For me, I look at how far the ball goes and how many fairways I hit. Anything else, I don’t really care about.
To test the Drive, I took 10 shots and recorded the distances and number of fairways hit. Here are the results:
| Shot # | Distance |
|---|---|
| 1 | 248 |
| 2 | 244 |
| 3 | 251 |
| 4 | 239 |
| 5 | 238 |
| 6 | 244 |
| 7 | 247 |
| 8 | 246 |
| 9 | 251 |
| 10 | 249 |
| Average | 245 Yards 6/10 Fairways |
On average, I hit the Drive 245 yards and hit 60% of the fairways. Compared to the other Vice balls, the Drive wasn’t the longest, but it was one of the straightest.
The reason it was shorter was that it’s not designed for my swing speed. My speed is a bit faster than recommended, so I lost a bit of distance. If my speed were slower, I think the average distance would be closer to the other balls.
The main thing I noticed was that the ball flew straight. If you struggle with hooks/slices, using a 2 piece ball is a smart thing to do. Sure, it’s not going to spin around the green, but if you focus on hitting greens and fairways, your scores will improve dramatically.
The Bottom Line
Overall, if you’re an average weekend golfer who doesn’t want to spend a fortune on balls, you have a slower swing speed, and you don’t need much short game spin, these could be perfect for you.
Are they the best golf balls out there? No, definitely not, but they’re a really solid entry-level ball that still offers a good balance of distance and forgiveness.
Most people use the wrong ball. Their ego gets in the way, and they think they need to use the same balls as the pros. They spin the ball off the planet, their game suffers, and they never get better.
My best round ever was with a cheap 2 piece ball (Taylormade Distance+). I’ve hit the most fairways and greens with a Noodle Long & Soft. If you’re a beginner or high handicapper, focus on hitting fairways and greens.
If you want a bit more greenside spin, you could check out the Vice Tour (review HERE). It’s pretty much the same ball, but you’ll get a bit more spin off the tee and around the green.
Best Place To Buy: Check Price On Amazon
Other Balls To Consider
If you’re wondering how the Drive compares to other balls on the market or want to make sure it’s the right option for you, read one of our articles below.
Let’s hear from you – If you have any questions or want to share your experience with the Drive, make sure to leave a comment below.
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