The best golf balls of 2018 and how often you should be buying new ones

Like a good golf club or a well-designed course, a quality golf ball will give you a better experience on the green. No golf ball is alike, and different models will give you a different experience based on your skill level and price range.

Plenty of golfers like to play with the same ball as their golfing heroes, but we’d recommend choosing a lower-range – but still great quality – golf ball that suits your experience level. No matter what ball you choose, it’s still not going to perform as well as it would under a world-class player like Tiger Woods.

Before we delve into the best golf balls you can buy this year, it’s a good time to look at how often you should be replacing them. Some people have set routines – replacing every six months, or simply whenever they lose them – but the simplest answer is that there is no answer. As long as you take good care of your golf balls, they should be built to last. Take some time at the end of every game to inspect the balls you used. If they have scuff marks or dents, they might need replacing – but as long as they look good to the eye, they should be fine.

Which golf ball should I buy?
When you’re shopping for golf balls, there’s a few things you need to consider. Are you buying balls for a long game or a short one? Are you a beginner or a seasoned player? Do you want a high-visibility ball, or one with a designer matt finish? Would you be happy with a ‘second chance’ ball? Once you’ve decided what it is you’re looking for, take a look at our pick of the top golf balls of 2018…

1. Titleist, from £29
You’ll find Titleist at the top of almost every list of golf balls, and the brand has definitely earned the title. Perfect for the average golfer with a low to medium handicap, the NXT model is designed to help you improve your game and reach that next level. A soft compression core combined with a thin Fusablend cover creates a light, intuitive ball that is impressively accurate on the green.

The Pro models – Pro V1 and pro V1x – have the same durability and control as the brand’s other models, but they’ve been specially designed for a lower driver spin and faster ball speeds to help you improve at longer games.

2.    TaylorMade, from £34.99
Like Titleist, TaylorMade has made a name for itself on the golf scene, and the TP5x model has been used by giants like Rory McIlroy and Dustin Johnson on the green. The TP5s are made up of layers of material, optimised to improve driver and iron distance, control, spin and greenside performance.

For more amateur players, consider the Project (a) ball, which has been recently upgraded to give a higher level of spin and improve control amongst those players at the start of their golfing journey.

3.    Bridgestone, from £24.50
There’s one Bridgestone model in particular you should consider, and that’s the E6 Speed golf ball – a model optimised for your long game. The brand’s ‘Delta dimple’ is in full use here, designed for smoother air resistance and velocity – helping you keep the ball in the air for longer and improving the distance you hit.