Best golf balls for beginners
Quick answer: The best golf balls for beginners are cheap used two-piece balls that are visible and durable, avoiding cut, cracked, or waterlogged ones. Choose a bright color to help find it quickly in the grass, and stick to one kind of ball for the whole round to keep your feel consistent.
The best golf balls for beginners are the ones you can see and do not mind losing. For a first season, a cheap used two-piece ball does the job better than a premium one.
2 First round
The situation
You expect to lose a few balls, so used ones make sense. Many used balls play fine. The ones to avoid are cut, cracked or waterlogged, and the ones you cannot see against the grass.
A check you can do
Hold each ball in good light and turn it all the way around. If you see a cut, a crack, a deep scuff, or paint that is badly faded or peeling, set it aside. Small marks from normal play are fine.
The fix
- 01Turn each ball in the light Look for cuts, cracks and deep scuffs all the way around. Small marks from normal play do not matter.
- 02Set aside balls that look waterlogged Balls that sat in water a long time often look dull or discolored. They may fly shorter. Leave them out.
- 03Pick a color you can see A ball you can find quickly keeps the group moving. White or a bright color, whichever shows up for you against the grass.
- 04Play the same kind all round Different balls feel different off the putter and on a chip. One kind for the whole round takes one guess away.
- 05Bring more than you think A first round loses balls. Enough in the bag means you will not hold up the group searching. The search time is on first-round manners.
Ball types at a glance
| Type | Feel and spin | Good for a beginner? |
|---|---|---|
| Two-piece distance ball | Firm, low spin, durable | Yes: cheap, lower spin, hard to scuff |
| Soft two- or three-piece ball | Softer feel, a little more spin around the green | Yes, if you like a softer feel on putts and chips |
| Premium urethane tour ball | High spin, soft cover | Not yet: you pay for spin you cannot use, and lose it in the trees |
| Recycled or "lake" balls | Depends on the original ball and grade | Yes, from a seller that grades them; avoid deep scuffs and cuts |
How to buy used golf balls
Used balls are sold in grades, usually something like "mint", "near mint" and "practice". For a beginner, the middle grades are fine: they play almost like new and cost much less. Avoid balls with cuts, deep scuffs or discoloured covers. A brightly coloured ball is easier to find in the rough and to follow in the air. Buy enough that losing three in a round does not hurt; a dozen or two is a good start.
FAQ
Does the ball make a difference to a beginner's score?
Very little. Contact and decisions matter far more than the ball until you can control spin around the green.
Should I use the same ball every round?
It helps, because putting and chipping feel a little different from ball to ball, but any consistent two-piece model is fine.
Free tip sheet: First Round Checklist, 10 checks
A one-page printable PDF with the 10 checks for common first-round trouble. Free by email.
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