Your choice of golf is SO IMPORTANT! If you’re an average golfer, you could be losing shots simply by playing the wrong golf ball! In this video, I help you decide which golf ball you should PLAY, and which golf ball you should AVOID at all costs! I also have a list of golf balls that I will DUMP and never play again!
This video is the final episode of the 6 part mini-series called THE ULTIMATE GOLF BALL TEST where I test the Best 18 premium golf balls of 2025 from the biggest manufacturers to find out which is the best golf ball in the world!
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Timecodes;
0:00 – Intro
0:41 – Golf Ball Durability Test
2:16 – WOSRT Golf Balls!
4:18 – Golf Balls to Play & Avoid
7:46 – My Golf Ball of Choice
10:07 – Outro
welcome back to the channel and welcome back to the ultimate golf ball test over the last five weeks I’ve been testing the best 18 golf balls on the market with the sole goal of finding out which is the best golf ball in the world we have had some shocking results some of the most popular golf balls in the world have really struggled with this test while other lesser known brands have really made a name for themselves but today isn’t about performance it’s about durability I have put these golf balls through the most brutal durability test and I’m gonna show you the five golf balls that survive this ordeal and the five golf balls you need to avoid and on top of that I finally reveal which golf ball I’m gonna put in my bag let’s get into it across this test series I have hit over 15 shots with four different golf clubs and after collecting all of this data I ranked all of these golf balls based on their distance their spin and their build quality if you haven’t seen all of the episodes in this series on screen now are the full and final rankings for the performance testing as you can see the Taylormade TP five x tops this ranking but if you want to see how it managed to top this leaderboard head over to the channel after this video and watch the series in full there were some eye opening results throughout this series but for this final video in this series I have added a brutal durability test because what’s the point of a golf ball that performs if it’s not gonna last a round of golf for this test I hit each golf ball 10 times with a sandwich that had sharpened grooves I was hitting these shots as full as I can and I was trying to rip the cover off each and every one of these golf balls on top of that I headed over to the golf course and I hit 10 bunker shots with each golf ball now if this testing process sounds familiar it’s because it probably is I stole this durability test off of Rick Shields but I did something a little bit different to make sure that this test was as brutal as it could be I marked each and every one of these golf balls with a red dot and a red line to make sure that I was hitting the golf ball in the same place every single time so each and every one of these 20 shots was hit from the exact same place this was a focused and extreme durability test now be honest with you some of these golf balls didn’t even get close to passing now if you’re a subscriber of the channel you will know that I don’t drip feed or tease you guys with these results so on screen now are the full rankings for the durability test and I’ve got a few standout performances to go through first off the Mizuno golf balls were terrible when it comes to durability even the logos were starting to show some wear and tear and the area of the golf ball that I was trying to hit was nowhere near the logos so this wear and tear was purely coming from the golf ball hitting the screen in the simulator and landing on the green for the bunker shots Strickton’s new Z Star range has improved from previous models over the years the Z Star range has been known for developing a bit of a seam on its cover but the Z star X V was the only one to develop that seam this year Strickton have clearly worked on the durability of their golf balls for 2025 and the Z Star Diamond really impressed it made it into the top five both Taylormade golf balls ranked highly in this durability test and when you factor in that the Taylormade TP five was the best performing golf ball overall I’d argue that this is probably the best golf ball in the world right now but the biggest shock for me is the Callaway Chrome Soft despite its softer cover it was the most durable golf ball I tested over the years I would never have described a Callaway golf ball as durable but the 2025 Callaway Chrome Soft pass this durability with flying colours now that’s a soft golf ball and on the flip side you’d expect harder golf balls to perform better in durability tests but some golf balls like the Mizuno Pro s really failed this test and it just goes to show how important the golf ball cover really is now durability is only part of the story as average golfers who pay for golf balls we want our balls to be as durable as possible but at the same time we’re looking for a golf ball that performs let’s take all of the data and all of the testing into consideration and figure out which golf balls you should put in the bag and which golf balls you should avoid at all costs when it comes to choosing a golf ball most golfers fit into two categories those who want more distance and those who want more spin so I’ve broken down my play and avoid picks into these two categories and the first one we’re gonna look at is distance if you want more distance from your golf ball these are the five golf balls I would pick for you we’ve got the Taylormade TP five x which is arguably the best all round golf ball and it was the second longest from all 18 golf balls I tested we’ve got the Wilson Staff model which was actually the longest golf ball that I tested interestingly we’ve got the Taylormade TP five which has a little bit of extra spin but that spin didn’t hurt his distance as much as I expected and the same goes for the Wilson Staff Model X this was a really long golf ball considering how much spin it actually had and finally we’ve got the Callaway Chrome Soft now this ball was only 10th in distance but its elite durability and consistency earns its spot in my top five so if you’re looking for a golf ball that goes a long way those five golf balls are a great choice but which ones do you need to avoid the Titleist Pro V1X tops the avoid list for distance tour players love this golf ball for its spin but average golfers chasing extra yards this ain’t the ball for you I’ve also included the Taylormade Pro V1 in this list this golf ball was consistently middle of the pack across all of the data points that I tested and for the price it just doesn’t seem worth it a bit of a Jack of all trades master of none sort of scenario here for the Pro V1 the Strix and Z Star Diamonds was also a little bit too spinny for those looking for some distance the Mizuno Pro s lacked in both in distance and durability and finally the Bridgestone Tour Bxs this is the spinier version of the Tour B golf balls but it’s designed for golfers with higher swing speeds than 105 miles an hour so if you want to get some performance out of that golf ball you do need to be swinging it faster than that let’s move on to my play and avoid list for those golfers looking for some extra spin we’ll start off with the five golf balls that I would recommend top of the list is the Stricson Z Star Diamond excellent spin with the wedge and great control the Titleist Pro V1X lives up to its reputation around the greens great spin around the greens the Taylormade TP five had a softer feel but still delivers a ton of spin The Callaway Chrome Soft is also on this list surprising amount of control with its durability and distance but it does have a very soft feel and finally the Wilson Staff Model X very good spin considering how long this golf ball is as well it may have lacked a little bit in durability but the price of this golf ball more than makes up for its downfalls and who doesn’t love a long and spinny golf ball now if you do desire a bit more spin then these are the five golf balls I would avoid top of this list is the Taylormade TP five x don’t be fooled by the X in the name this is a low spinning golf ball the Mizuno Pro X was the lowest spinning golf ball from the whole test and its durability is very poor the Bridgestone Tour B X again built for higher swing speeds and this is the lowest spinning golf ball of the two I tested the Wilson Staff model this was an incredibly long golf ball but it was long because it was low spin and finally the Callaway Chrome Tour much like the Titleist Provi 1 this was a bit of a Jack of all trades but not great for spin my goal for this series was to provide you guys with all of the information you need to make an informed decision about your golf game make sure you watch the full series to get a full understanding of all of the data on these golf balls and now that I’ve collected all of this data analyzed all this data it’s time for me to pick which golf ball is going in my bag so after six weeks and 15 shots it’s time for me to make my decision the golf ball that I’ve decided to go into my bag is the Wilson Staff Model X this golf ball ranks third in distance fifth in spin and second overall only to the Taylormade TP 5 x the TP 5 x was technically the better golf ball but at my handicap I probably lose it before I actually saw anywhere in tear and on top of that the Wilson golf ball is £7 a dozen cheaper than the Taylormade ones and over the course of a season that is seriously gonna rack up I’ve actually already played a round of golf with this golf ball I carded a 77 with three birdies which is the best round I have ever played I’m not saying it’s all down to the golf ball but it is a bit of a coincidence so I already feel like I’ve made a very good choice now that’s the good news from this test series but I also have some bad news I have a list of golf balls that I will never buy again and here they are we’ve got both the Mizuno Pro X and the Pro s on this list both of these golf balls had really poor durability and really poor performance compared to the other golf balls in this test I’m not necessarily saying they are bad golf balls but compared to the other 16 premium golf balls I tested these were probably the worst also on this list are both of the Bridgestone golf balls as it’s been pointed out to me the Bridgestone Tour BX and the Tour BX s are both designed for swing speeds higher than I’m playing at so these are probably great golf balls but only for faster swing speeds than mine and finally the most shocking golf ball on this list is the Titleist Pro V1 for me it just doesn’t justify the price anymore like I said earlier on in this video it feels like the Titus Pro V1 is trying to do everything it’s trying to be a long golf ball and it’s trying to be a spinny golf ball but as we’ve found throughout this test series there are better golf balls at doing both of those things the Wilson Staff Model X was both longer and spinier than the Provi one so you’re getting the best of both worlds from a cheaper golf ball but that’s my choice I wanna know which golf ball you guys would pick if you’ve watched this whole series you’ve watched six videos on 18 different golf balls you’ve seen all of the data and you’ve seen the durability test which golf ball would you pick let me know in the comments do you think I’m making a good choice with the Wilson Staff Model X personally I’m very happy this test series has been an absolute journey from start to finish so thank you so much for everyone who’s watched this whole series if you have missed any of the earlier episodes I have set up a playlist specifically for this test series so if you wanna go and check out some more in depth data about all of these golf balls head over to that playlist and start watching from the beginning all of the videos about 10 to 12 minutes long so it shouldn’t take too long to get through the whole series so make sure you check it out but for now guys thank you so much for watching this whole video if you’re still here and you’re not subscribed make sure you hit that subscribe button and I will see you next week for another video
40 Comments
Need to do this for mid swing. 90 to 95
Seems like a waste of time testing durability? I lose my balls within 30 shots anyway.
I wish there was a separate test done for the slower swinger (85-90mph) so that group could see which ball is best.
I’ve been using both the newest Mizuno Pro and ProX all season…I have a full 2 boxes of them in my short game bag and they have been extremely durable…I’ve used past versions of the Mizunos and they were terrible. This year’s model has really impressed me. Agree with you completely on the TP5x and distance as well as the Wilsons, but I don’t care for the feel of the Wilsons. Love the Chrome Soft too…Disagree with the ProV1x…I swing around 102mph with my driver and the ProV1x (which I’m currently using) is excellent…what I’ve found is everyone delivers the club differently so not everyone will have the same results just because you have the same swing speed…
What about the Vice Pro PLus
Been gaming the Wilson Triad for the last few months, I have an 85mph driver swing speed. My handicap has come down 2 shots to 6.1.
I've recently come back to the game after a long break. I'm averaging around the 107 as a go to swing speed. When i played before got down to 2 and used the TP5x. I've tried the PXG but found durability not very good and now have tried the Bridgestone Bxs, I found them to be very consistent and durability fairly good, got them at a great price on Amazon, I'm now going to try the Bx to see the difference for myself due to the amount of spin i can put on the ball, sometimes too much. I value anyones opinions towards balls, so i never agree or disagree about opinions. For me its trial and error
Callaway Chrome Soft is my choice.
After doing some on course testing of my own this year, my choice is the Srixon Z-star 💎. For me this is very controllable off the tee, and holds the green with all mi irons – also the durability was well above what I expected. I tested ProV1, ProV1x, Chrome Tour, Chrome Tour X, Callaway 💎💎💎, TP5 and TP5x. I currently play off a 4.3HC, my swingspeed with a 7 iron is around 90mph and I get a descent angle of about 51 with the 7.
Great test. Enjoyed the videos.
I use the tp5x (pix)
Hi TK great comprehensive Golf Ball test👍, I’m surprised by your recommendations 🤔, can only think because of your high swing speeds there is such a big difference in test results between us! I’m a senior golfer with a swing speed of 77mph with Driver, I look forward every year to new Golf Ball releases, hopefully finding a new ball I can hit further with excellent green side control 😃,(that is also durable), after numerous tests over 25 years+, I keep coming back to the ProV1x, the only ball recently that comes close is the Callaway chrome tour x, Thanks for such a great test using premium golf balls👍, Dickey 8hcp 78year senior golfer
I'm about to do my own testing of the Pro V1, Pro V1x, Vice Pro, Vice Pro Plus, TP5, TP5x, PXG xtreme, PXG xtreme x, Srixon Z Star, and Srixon Z Star Diamond; not for content, just a personal fitting to find out what my own ball should be. I do feel like I would like the Wilson tour balls in my test too, but the durability issues make me glad I didn't get the Mizuno balls, even though I considered them. Any advice on going through hitting them? I plan on hitting a 50 yard pitch, a PW, 7i, 4h, and a driver with each of them, 20 shots each and drop the data from the worst 5 mishits.
Would you hit all your shots with all your clubs with each ball in order (so you hit your first ball's 50 yard pitch shots, then your PW shots, 7iron shots, hybrid shots, and driver shots before starting over again with the next ball,) or would you hit the 50 yard pitch with every ball, before hitting the pitching wedge with every ball, and so on? If you have a preference do you have a reason for it? Thanks and great content with this series, made me a new subscriber of yours.
Just recruit some older low handycap players with slower swing speeds you mingt need to entice them with some denny's afterwards but you will get the senior discount so it shouldn't be too bad
Great stuff in this video and for the entire series. Keep up the great content. I’ve enjoyed it!
Srixon q star tour is a great ball for me
I am mid handicapper and tried the Wilson because everyone was saying how great it is. Absolute rubbish, couldn’t hit one long or straight. Lost a dozen in 2 outings which normally I might lose 1 a round. A ball only needs to be as durable as you keep it. Lol
I play a prov1 x left dash and love it.
Strange, I’ve had great luck with my Mizuno balls. I hit the X 357 yards last week! The S has given me multiple looks at eagle by driving onto the green with a tiny draw.
I've found that the best for me have been Callaway Chrome Soft. Perfect fit for my 92-95 swing and my 15 handicap. Great work and please do one for the slower swing speeds
I don’t have to worry about durability. I get max two holes out of my balls. Some of them only get one hit
Srixon Z star diamond is an amazing golf ball great durability and awesome green side spin
As a low marker I won't go past pro/v for consistent ball flight, wind resistance, spin, and durability, and the feel. But did enjoy your comparison
You need to hit the balls into trees and off cart paths if you’re testing for average players 😂
Your saying the no 1 ball on tour is shite 😂..
Total bs.
I actually stopped using Tp5 because of its durability. Switched to pro v1 as they are much more durable. So this test doesn’t actually prove much.
Wilson Triad???????
My favorites right now are the Vice pro and pro plus. Both great balls and a reasonable price.
I didn't think that I'd be saying this when I first started watching, but I totally agree with you. I've found the same results as you by trial and error.
I've settled on a DTC golf ball called the Seed, SD-01. It checks all the boxes and costs $32.00 a dozen in bulk.
I'm 60 years old and I carry (in my leagues) about a 12 handicap.Even outside of leauge play at other courses I generally shoot 48-51 I'm a hack but I 2 weeks ago I switched to Wilson Triad balls and my last 72 holes have been 91-90 with low score of 41 and 42 just missing a putt in 2 of the rounds at the lip to shoot a 40 and break 90. I have never hit the ball so straight off the tee and stuck the green like I have the last 2 weeks. The last 2 weeks I haven't came close to hitting 50 except once due to a huge blowup on a hole where I took 2 penalty strokes.
I've seen lots of reviews discuss durability but the assessment has always been based on visual impact. I haven't seen any assessment of how a few scratches or a worn out paint job affects performance. If a scratched up ball flies the same and spins the same as a new ball, do a few scratches really matter?
And what about the guts of the ball? If the inner core is affected by a few holes of bashing and loses performance, isn't that a durability issue?
You have definitely done so much work in putting this series together. Your final statement about the Titleist may cause a few scratched heads😊. I do like the way you put this together in a fair but precise way, especially as it must take you hours to actually do this. Well done.
wooohoo!
Only expensive balls :O
That TP5X is a great ball. It’s the only one I’ve been able to play an entire round with the same ball.
Durability. Very rarely get through 18 holes with a ball.
Great vid. People won't pick the Wilson purely because of it's name . Your right us mid h/ cappers definitely better off not using the Pro v1 . As the clues in the name . And we're no pros are we 👍👍
Callaway chrome soft triple track for me
I have been hitting the longest drives of my life with the pv1x and I have been playing the same 3 of them for a month without damage to them. It helps if you know what you are doing.
I love the TP5, but had to downgrade for a little bit due to costs.