11 Best Golf Balls For High Handicappers To Improve Score

High handicappers, listen up! If you’ve often found yourself wrestling with slower swing speeds or missing the mark on your shots, the choice of your golf ball could be the culprit. While many experts might tout the benefits of low-compression, 2-piece balls for your group, the truth is golf is not one-size-fits-all. Perhaps you’ve got the speed but falter at short-distance shots. In that case, a 3-piece ball might just be your secret weapon.

Diving into the Best Golf Balls For High Handicappers, we spotlight the Callaway ERC Soft. Why? It’s the golf ball that checks nearly every box: distance, greenside spin, alignment, and those oh-so-desired straight shots. This ball flies farther and straighter thanks to its lower compression, unique hex aerodynamics, and triple-track dagger tech. That’s your ticket to fewer missed putts. And while it might not boast the spin of urethane-covered balls, it certainly delivers a gentle feel around the green.

Stay tuned as we unpack more on the Callaway ERC Soft and explore other options tailored for high handicappers. Here’s to ensuring every swing you take is one step closer to perfection!

Comparison of Best Golf Balls for High Handicappers

Product Name	Best For	Compression	Cover	Construction	Price
Callaway ERC Soft	Overall for high handicappers (<80 mph)	60	Hybrid	3-Piece	Check Latest Price
Wilson Duo Soft	High handicappers (<60 mph)	40	Urethane	2-Piece	Check Latest Price
Titleist AVX	High handicappers (>80 mph)	77	Urethane	3-Piece	Check Latest Price
Bridgestone Lady Precept	Female high handicappers (65-70 mph)	50	Urethane	2-Piece	Check Latest Price
TaylorMade Distance+	Male high handicappers (85-95 mph)	77	Ionomer	2-Piece	Check Latest Price
Callaway Supersoft Max	Slow swing speeds (<60 mph)	30	Ionomer	2-Piece	Check Latest Price
TaylorMade Kalea	Golfers (<90 mph)	60	Ionomer	2-Piece	Check Latest Price
Bridgestone e12 Contact	Longer drives & better short game control	60	Urethane	3-Piece	Check Latest Price
Volvik XT Soft	Tour-like feel (<95 mph)	72	Urethane	3-Piece	Check Latest Price
Srixon Q-Star	Swing speeds (75-100 mph)	72	Urethane	2-Piece	Check Latest Price
Titleist Velocity	Distance advantage (<100 mph)	65	Surlyn	2-Piece	Check Latest Price

11 Best Golf Balls For High Handicappers

1. Callaway ERC Soft (Best overall)

What makes a golf ball best for high handicappers? It’s the golf ball that can go extra yards with slower swing speed, provide a good amount of greenside spin, help to align, and hit straight shots are the most common requirements. Callaway ERC Soft provides them all.

It is one of the best choices for increased distance. The lower compression and spin of the golf ball help it to go farther and straighter. The combination of high-speed mantle and hex aerodynamics aids in maintaining a good ball flight.

While new triple track dagger technology decreases the number of missed putts. The hybrid cover with GRIP urethane coating system, 3-piece construction is designed to increase spin on short-distance shots. However, it works best for swing speeds under 80 mph. Golfers with higher swing speeds are most likely to not get enough greenside spin from this ball.

Final verdict

We chose Callaway ERC Soft as the best overall because of the easier alignment, added distance, straighter shot with slower swing speed, good greenside spin, etc. The urethane coating of the ball might not provide as much control as urethane-covered balls. But it does give off a softer feel and increased spin around the green.

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2. Wilson Duo Soft (Best for high handicappers under 60 mph swing speed)

It’s typically recommended to go for a compression rating around the driver swing speed to have enough greenside spin for short game. But it’s also natural for slow-swinging golfers to want to hit longer drives to stay ahead. However, it is pretty hard for even golfers with a 60 mph swing speed to hit longer shots with a 60 compression ball. Wilson Duo Soft is a great solution for it.

With velocity boosting core and lower spin off the golf driver, it aids in hitting longer drives with under 60 mph swing speeds. Though both Callaway ERC Soft and Wilson Duo Soft are distance golf balls, Wilson Duo Soft provides more distance than ERC Soft balls with slow swing speeds. Duo Soft’s lower spin helps to fix a slice, draw, etc. The color options make them easier to see, making them a great option for senior golfers as well.

Keep in mind that it will act like a 30-compression golf ball in higher temperatures. That might feel too soft even with a 60 mph swing speed. It will get harder to control too.

Final verdict

It’s a great choice as a senior and beginners’ golf ball for under 60 mph swing speeds as it has higher visibility, lower spin that assists in fixing slice, and offers longer shots with slower swing speeds.

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3. Titleist AVX (Best for high handicappers with above 80 mph swing speed)

Majority of beginners and high handicappers are slow swinging golfers. While the urethane covered 3-piece golf balls are mostly higher compression rated, making it harder to gain distance. That stops high handicappers from getting a tour ball even if they like the feel. Titleist AVX ball is designed to solve this. It is a tour-like golf ball that also helps make the drives longer.

The urethane-covered and 3-piece construction of this ball helps to increase the greenside spin and provide a tour ball-like feel. While the under-80 compression, reformulated core, and high flex casing layer aid in making it easier to hit longer drives.

When we compare this ball with its manufacturer’s famous Titleist Pro V1, Titleist AVX offers lower spin off the driver, leading to gain extra yards with slower swing speeds. The appearance of both balls is quite similar too.

Final verdict

Titleist AVX golf balls are for golfers who have a swing speed of above 80 mph, want to focus more on short-distance shots and enjoy a tour-like golf ball feel.

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4. Bridgestone Lady Precept (Best for female high handicapper golfer)

This golf ball is ideal for the swing speed of around 65-70 mph to enhance both long and short game. Since average women golfers typically have a driver swing speed around that, we chose this as the best golf ball for women with a high handicap. However, anyone with a swing speed around this range gets the same benefits. 

The soft core gives off a softer feel when you hit the golf ball. The 330-seamless dimple design makes the launch easier and maintains the ball’s flight. While the lower compression, ionomer cover, and 2-piece construction make the ball go extra yards even without much force.

Just like most “women” labeled golf balls, it is designed for slower swing speed. It’s because women naturally have a slower driver speed. It won’t necessarily fit all women high handicappers. The Bridgestone Lady Precept works for most female golfers. However, if your swing speed is above 80 mph and you want to focus on short game, Titleist AVX might be a better choice.

Final verdict

Bridgestone Lady Precept is likely to fit most high handicap women golfers because of the balance of distance and control with 65-70 mph swing speed. It helps fix slices too, making it easier to get a good score.

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5.TaylorMade Distance+ (Best for male high handicapper golfers)

Missing putts is one of the most common problems for a higher handicapper. The TaylorMade Distance+ golf ball has The Plus Alignment Aid that helps to hit putts with improved accuracy. It also lets you know whether the ball is on the target line.

As the name says, it’s a distance golf ball. This isn’t for a higher level spin in the short game. It also means that Distance+ balls go farther with less force. The under 80 compression, soft react core, and 342 aerodynamic dimple pattern assists in making that happen.

This golf ball works best for golfers with a swing speed of 85-95 mph. It helps to provide them with a combination of distance and a bit of control over the shot. Since the average driver swing speed for average male golfers tends to be around 80-95 mph, this one works for many.

Final verdict

With the comparatively lower price, alignment aid, and being suitable for swing speed around 85-95 mph, this golf ball is a great choice for most high handicap golfers. However, if you enjoy the feel of 3-piece urethane-covered golf balls, Titleist AVX or Volvik XT Soft might be a better choice.

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6. Callaway Supersoft Max Golf Ball

Struggling to make solid contact with the golf ball is quite common among the high handicappers. That results in the golf balls covering less distance or not going toward the intended direction. Callaway Supersoft Max, with its comparatively larger size, is easier to hit. This ball offers more forgiveness and conforms to the USGA golf ball’s rules as well. Which means, you are allowed to use it in any tournaments. 

This ball has the lowest compression rating on our best golf balls for high handicappers list. Needless to say, it’s one of the best distance golf balls. But keep in mind that it will feel softer in the summer. The spin around the green will be lesser too. That will make it harder to control the short-distance like chip, pitch, putt etc.

Final verdict

Callaway Supersoft Max balls are designed to provide better distance with slow swing speed. And it does that quite well. When we compare, Callaway Reva performs quite the same. They are two of the best golf balls for slow swing speeds, especially for swing speed under 60 mph. Just the logo and color options are a bit different.

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7. TaylorMade Kalea Golf Ball

Women golfers are comparatively have slower swings and struggle to make a higher launch. Keeping that in mind, TaylorMade designed the Kalea golf balls. 

The lower spin and high-energy REACT core of these balls help to gain extra yards with slower swing speeds. These balls give off a great feel and also aid in getting a higher ball flight. They easily go a whole round of golf without much damage. Another attraction is the unique color options of peach and purple, along with white.

When compared with other golf balls on this list, it comes at the similar price range as TaylorMade Distance+ balls. If you are missing putts more often, TaylorMade Distance+ balls are a better choice because of the Plus Alignment Aid. However, those balls have higher compression ratings than TaylorMade Kalea balls. So, it might be harder to hit farther with Distance+ balls than Kalea.

Final verdict

TaylorMade Kalea balls are one of the most affordable golf balls on our list. That makes them a great alternative for practice golf balls. Kalea balls work best for both men and women, with a swing speed under 90 mph struggling to make a higher launch or longer drive.

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8. Bridgestone e12 Contact Golf Ball

The main attraction of this golf ball is the increased surface contact because of the combination of Flexativ cover technology and contact force dimple. It makes the golf ball go farther with less force. The comparatively lower compression aids in lessening the sidespin. That results in straighter shots.

These balls offer a good amount of greenside spin as well to keep your short game in check. In addition, there is a simple alignment design for an easier line-up for straight shots.

When we compare, Callaway Supersoft Max balls on our list help to make better contact too. But the difference is Supersoft Max balls have a bigger size leading to easier contact. In comparison, the e12 Contact balls bring the results of good contact with its efficient energy transfer. However, because of the overall design, Callaway Supersoft Max balls tend to get more distance than Bridgestone e12 Contact with slower swing speeds.

Final verdict

Bridgestone e12 Contact is designed to help hit longer drives and generate more friction off the golf wedges for better control in the short game.

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9. Volvik XT Soft Golf Ball

3 piece urethane-covered golf balls typically come with a higher compression rating, making it harder for comparatively slow-swinger high handicappers to lose distance with them. Volvik XT Soft solves that problem. 

It allows you to experience the tour-like golf ball feel with a slower swing speed. It works best for swing speeds of 75-95 mph. The core is designed to aid in hitting longer shots. While the overall dimple design helps maintain ball flight.

When we compare it with the other golf balls on our list, it offers more greenside spin than Callaway Supersoft Max and Wilson Duo Soft. These balls can also be a cheaper alternative for Titleist AVX balls when you want to play with a urethane-covered 3-piece golf ball.

Final verdict

These golf balls let golfers enjoy a tour-like feel and great control with under 95 mph swing speed without making it too hard to gain distance with.

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10. Srixon Q-Star Golf Ball

Fastlayer core combined with lower-compression makes the Srixon Q-Star golf ball go faster and farther with slower swing speed. The specially designed dimples aid in making that happen even on a windy day. While the yellow balls are easier to spot. That makes it a great golf ball for senior golfers too. In addition, there is an alignment on this ball, which results in fewer missed putts. 

When we compare, it doesn’t provide as much distance as Wilson Duo Soft. Nor does it provide as much spin as Pro V1. However, Srixon Q-Star balls offer a balance of extra yardage and greenside spin for golfers with under 100 mph swing speed.

Final verdict

It is most suited for swing speeds around 75 mph to 100 mph. For a lower compression labeled golf ball, it provides a good amount of spin around the green.

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11. Titleist Velocity Golf Ball

Titleist designed the Velocity golf balls focusing on gaining distance. The high speed LSX core and fast NaZ+ cover combined offer increased speed on each shot. These balls also make the launch easier and higher. 

While the overall dimple design helps to maintain a stable ball flight to make the drives longer. Since it’s a low-spinning golf ball, the shots go straighter too, leading to fix swing problems like slices, draws, hooks, etc.

When compared with Titleist Pro V1, Titleist Velocity offers more distance, higher launch, and enhanced forgiveness than them. Both Pro V1 and Velocity come with an alignment line. But the Velocity balls’ alignment line is more visible.

Final verdict

Titleist Velocity golf balls are most suited for swing speeds under 100 mph. It offers a great advantage in long games and  helps to take fewer shots to hole and get a better score.

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Things to Consider Before Buying Golf Ball for High Handicappers

Going for a professional golf ball fitting is the best way to find your fit. As every individual has different needs, you require different balls depending on your playing style and preferences to perform better. It might not be possible to go for a golf fitting right away. So, this buying guide is to help you understand how to choose the best ball for high handicappers, depending on your needs. Let’s dive in.

Compression: lower for slower swing speed

The general rule for choosing balls’ compression rating is to keep the number close to the golf driver’s swing speed number in mph. That means for ‘X’ swing speed the ball’s compression is good to be around ‘X’ too. For example, if your swing speed is 80 mph, 50-70 compression-rated golf balls are a better choice for increased distance and straighter shots. In comparison, 80-90 compression-rated golf balls are expected to give better greenside control with the same swing speed.

As high handicappers typically have a slower swing speed, under 80 compression rated golf balls are recommended. There are super soft golf balls under 40 compression rating available in the market to get the most distance with slower swing. But the lower isn’t always the better. If you hit a 35-40 compression with a higher swing speed, the ball might over-compress. It can decrease the ball’s speed and distance. It won’t give good greenside control either.

Keep in mind that balls’ core compression and the overall compression aren’t the same. Match the golf balls’ overall compression with your driver swing speed. In addition, weather affects the compression. A 50 compression golf ball performs more like a 60 compression ball in cold weather. It’s vice versa for summer. 

But don’t get too stuck up with numbers. Same compression rated balls might perform differently as companies use different compression standards, and the overall design affects the performance most. Compression ratings are just to give you a better understanding of the balls’ performance. 

Construction: 2-piece vs 3-piece

Except for 1-piece golf balls, the lesser the layer in construction, the better distance you get from a golf ball. You get better control with increasing layers. But distance isn’t the only thing to focus on in golf. The control and accuracy are important factors too. So, which one to choose? Let’s find out.

2 piece for straighter shots 

2-piece golf balls travel more with slower swing speed. It provides less backspin or side spin, helping the golf ball go straighter. This makes it a great choice for those who want to reduce slice, hook, draw, fade, etc.

3 piece for better greenside spin

3-piece golf balls in comparison is to provide a balance of distance and greenside control. It is for those who have a slower swing speed and are also struggling with short-distance shots like pitch, chip shot or 3-6 foot putts.

4-piece or above: Not usually recommended

For high handicappers, the choice is mainly between 2-piece or 3 piece construction. Even if you have a higher swing speed, it will be difficult to get a straighter shot with 4-piece or above layered golf balls. It is because they add more spin to the shots. Besides, 4 piece or more layered balls are usually premium balls with higher compression rating, that makes things harder for high handicappers.

Cover: Surlyn or Ionomer for firmer feel

Surlyn or ionomer-covered golf balls give out a firmer feel and spin less. They provide better distance and straighter shots with slower swing speeds. In addition, they are more cut-resistant and affordable than urethane-covered golf balls. That makes surlyn or ionomer a better choice for high handicappers who need to practice regularly. In comparison, urethane provides a better and softer feel with enhanced control.

Dimple: focus on overall design

There are usually 300-500 dimples on a golf ball. Here shallower dimples typically help to get the golf balls higher and deeper dimples cause lower flight path. But don’t choose a golf ball depending on that only. The dimple number, depth, size, shape, and pattern all together make a ball perform better. Compression, construction, and cover play key roles too. So, it’s better to match your needs with the dimples performance stated by the manufacturers or brand.

Budget

It depends on the brand, model, durability, design, etc. But 2 piece golf balls with lower compression and ionomer or surlyn cover are usually cheaper. They are often labeled as soft or distance golf balls. They typically range from around $18 – $30 for 12 golf balls from famous golf ball brands like Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway, Bridgestone. 

In compression, 3 piece golf balls are quite versatile. They come with different compression, covers, and prices. The ones with urethane cover and higher compression are comparatively more expensive. And for 4 or 5-piece golf balls, they are typically premium golf balls with urethane cover and higher compression.

Related Questions

Conclusion

Rather than relying on what worked for other high handicappers, try to find the causes of your losing scores. Then, choose a ball that helps fix that to an extent and

keep practicing to improve. Experiment with different golf balls to know what suits you the best. Callaway ERC soft, the overall best on our golf ball for high handicappers list, can be a good one to start with.