Best budget-friendly golf balls – Syndication Server

PXG Xtreme Tour, Xtreme Tour X golf balls

PXG’s newest golf balls were also made to be more durable and provide a better feel.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/i8MRvpEBBUt7G_ED6YbU/1725471109131_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

Gear: PXG Xtreme Tour, Xtreme Tour X golf balls
Price: $49.99 per dozen
Specs: Three-piece, urethane-covered golf balls. Both balls are available in white, Xtreme Tour also in yellow.

Who it’s for: Golfers who want a soft feel, low spin off the tee and high spin around the green (Xtreme Tour); Faster-swinging players who want a firmer feel, maximum ball speed and higher spin with irons.

What you should know: Both the Xtreme Tour and the Xtreme Tour X are designed to deliver maximum spin around the green, but PXG’s newest golf balls were also made to be more durable and provide a better feel.

The deep dive: Parsons Xtreme Golf released its first golf ball, the Xtreme, in February 2023. At a price of $39.99 per dozen, they were made for golfers who wanted loads of greenside spin with solid distance off the tee. Two years and thousands of test shots later, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based equipment maker has two new balls that it is touting as more durable, softer-feeling and still long off the tee.

The new Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X balls are both three-piece balls that have a large rubber, firm mantle layer and a soft urethane cover. However, the cover of the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X balls is thinner than the cover on the original Xtreme because, counterintuitively, it boosts durability. Balls that have a soft, thick cover can have the cover material compress against the grooves of wedges very easily, which can be great for spin but lead to ripping and sheering.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop PXG golf balls” link=”https://www.tkqlhce.com/click-100287807-15629782?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pxg.com%2Fen-us%2Fgolf-gear%2Fgolf-balls%2F%3Fsrsltid%3DAfmBOooUmpztnUVD9ZluZYQKbWcGxQJdCJhhJhyKfIBh233o9FaHyYXf”]

PXG Extreme Tour X golf ball. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

According to PXG, the original Xtreme ball had a compression of 110, making it a very hard ball. By PXG’s measurement, the new Xtreme Tour is at 97, and the Xtreme Tour X is at 107, so both balls can still be thought of as firm, which is good for speed, but they are softer than PXG’s first ball.

Interestingly, the yellow version of the Xtreme Tour has a compression of 101, which puts it between the firmness levels of the white Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X. The difference in compression is due to the additive that gives the yellow version its color.

To test the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X balls, PXG tested them using a robot at three different speeds using a driver and a 7-iron, then full-swing wedges shots and partial-swing wedge shots. In those tests, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X both created slightly more ball speed off the tee with lower spin rates. They also produced a slightly higher launch angle but a lower peak height.

PXG Extreme Tour golf ball. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

The same relationship held with 7-iron shots as well, while on 60-yard pitch shots with a 56-degree wedge, the Xtreme Tour and Xtreme Tour X both produced nearly the same spin as the original Xtreme ball.

Compared to each other, the Xtreme Tour should feel softer than the Xtreme Tour X, fly slightly lower and spin marginally less. In PXG’s tests, the Xtreme Tour X created 0.5 mph more ball speed off the tee and about 2.5 yards more total distance, with nearly identical launch angles. The Xtreme Tour X also generated about 200 rpm more spin on wedge shots than the standard Xtreme Tour.

TaylorMade SpeedSoft golf balls

A option for budget-minded golfers who want more distance off the tee.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/Q47GzY0B4tYbd-8Kniqr/1708554611599_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

Gear: TaylorMade SpeedSoft golf balls
Price: $24.99 per dozen
Specs: Two-piece, ionomer-covered ball available in white, yellow and Ink pattern (green, blue, orange, pink and red)

Who It’s For: Budget-minded golfers who want more distance off the tee.

The Skinny: TaylorMade designed a new, ultra-soft core for the SpeedSoft for more distance, then developed a new visual pattern to make it stand out.

The Deep Dive: TaylorMade is trying to make significant inroads in the golf ball category in 2024, and the balls that you will hear the most about are the TP5 and TP5x, along with their TP5 and TP5x Pix counterparts. Those are the balls that Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Nelly Korda and Rickie Fowler are playing, and those are the balls that will put the most considerable dent in your wallet. For many players, $54.99 for a dozen balls is just not going to happen, and the $42.99 per dozen Tour Response may be out of reach, too.

For budget-minded golfers who still want a ball that delivers solid performance and doesn’t feel like a rock when you hit it, TaylorMade is releasing the SpeedSoft. This two-piece, ionomer-covered ball was designed to provide soft feel, more distance and possibly add some pizazz to your game.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM SpeedSoft golf balls” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/5gErRL”]

TaylorMade SpeedSoft golf balls — The Ink version of the SpeedSoft ball is eye-catching. (TaylorMade)

At the heart of the SpeedSoft is the newly developed PWRCore. It is an exceptionally soft core, so every golfer should be able to activate it off the tee for more distance. However, because the SpeedSoft has a 50 compression, it holds the distinction of being the softest-feeling ball in the TaylorMade lineup.

The SpeedSoft does not create the same level of greenside spin that the urethane-covered TP5 and TP5x can. Still, its ionomer cover is designed to generate a mid- to high-launch trajectory with wedges, so golfers should be able to create stopping power by bringing shots in more vertically.

In addition to traditional white and yellow color options, TaylorMade is offering the SpeedSoft in a new Ink pattern that features splashes of green, blue, red or pink, along with a complimenting black. The pattern, which looks like splattered paint, is eye-catching, but there is still an arrowed side stamp for golfers who like to use a line on their ball when they putt.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop TM SpeedSoft golf balls” link=”https://worldwidegolfshops.pxf.io/5gErRL”]

Titleist TruFeel golf balls (2024)

Titleist updated the core and made the cover softer on its TruFeel balls for 2024.

[anyclip-media thumbnail=”https://cdn5.anyclip.com/oBT84okBgtypiCvAsPnW/1691730491971_248x140_thumbnail.jpg” playlistId=”undefined” content=”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”][/anyclip-media]

Gear: Titleist TruFeel golf balls (2024)
Price: $24.99 per dozen
Specs: Two-piece, ionomer-covered golf balls. Available in white, yellow (March) and matte red (May).
Available: Jan. 24

Who They’re For: Golfers who want more distance from a budget-friendly ball.

The Skinny: Titleist updated the core and made the cover softer and thicker on the latest version of the TruFeel to give players more distance off the tee and spin around the green from a ball that won’t break the bank.

The Deep Dive: Around the offices in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, Titleist golf ball engineers and designers have a saying: “A ball has to earn the script.” That script refers to the flowing Titleist logo.

Balls such as the Pro V1 and Pro V1x, which typically cost about $50 per dozen, do that by delivering elite levels of distance off the tee and spin around the green. However, Titleist balls sold at half that price still need to provide performance and be the best ball Titleist can offer in that lower price range.

The Titleist TruFeel made its debut in September 2019 and took the place of the DT TruSoft. It was updated in 2022 and now has been updated for 2024.

Titleist TruFeel golf balls — The Titleist TruFeel golf ball has a massive core. (Titleist)

The latest version of TruFeel has a newly formulated core that Titleist calls TruTouch. While it is slightly smaller than the core in the previous TruFeel ball, it still helps golfers generate more ball speed for good distance off the tee.

The benefit of going with a smaller core is it allowed Titleist to make the TruFlex cover, which is made from a blend of ionomer and softening polymers, slightly thicker. The softer cover can be grabbed by the grooves of wedges and short irons more easily, so the 2024 TruFeel should give players more greenside spin and control.

Finally, Titleist gave TruFeel an aerodynamic dimple pattern and cover design that helps it create a low, penetrating ball flight for people with moderate swing speeds. The cover design should also help golfers who typically generate excessive spin hit straighter, longer shots.