The Best Golf Balls for Distance of 2023

By
, Lead Editor of GolfLink
Updated August 4, 2023
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Best golf balls for Distance

Bridgestone Golf, Titleist, PGA Tour Superstore

  • DESCRIPTION
    The best golf balls for distance of 2023
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy, Walmart
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Golf Galaxy, Walmart

The one constant in golf is that every player wants more distance, even if it’s only a few yards. Your golf ball is a huge factor in how far your tee shots fly. If you want to hit bombs and don’t mind sacrificing a little performance in other areas, check out these nine balls that boast serious distance.

Top Golf Balls for Distance

We’ve studied almost every golf ball, and tested a bunch of them first-hand, which made picking our list of the best golf balls for distance much easier. 

Not every long-distance ball is a great fit for every distance-seeking player. We considered all aspects of a ball and all types of golfers, from low-handicap players all the way to beginners.

If you’re not sure how the construction, cover, and other variables impact your golf ball’s performance – and which traits likely benefit your game the most – don’t worry, we cover all of that later on.

For now, here are the nine best golf balls for distance of 2023.

Ball Construction Price
Titleist Velocity 2-Piece Ionomer $29.99/Dozen | CHECK AMAZON
Bridgestone e9 Long Drive 2-Piece Surlyn $29.99/Dozen | CHECK AMAZON
Maxfli TriFli 3-Piece Ionomer $40/24 balls | CHECK GOLF GALAXY
Srixon Z Star XV 3-piece Urethane $47.99/8 balls | CHECK GOLF GALAXY
Wilson Triad 3-Piece Urethane $39.99/Dozen | CHECK WILSON
Vice Tour 3-Piece Surlyn $27.99/Dozen | CHECK VICE
Bridgestone e12 Contact 3-Piece Ionomer $34.99/Dozen | CHECK GOLF GALAXY
Noodle Long & Soft 2-Piece Ionomer $24.99/24 balls | CHECK AMAZON
Callaway ERC Soft 3-Piece Hybrid $39.99/Dozen | CHECK GOLF GALAXY
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Titleist Velocity

Titleist Velocity golf ball

Titleist Velocity golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Titleist Velocity golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Golf Galaxy

Price

$29.99/Dozen | CHECK AMAZON | CHECK GOLF GALAXY

Construction

2-Piece

Cover

Ionomer

The Titleist Velocity is incredibly versatile and appeals to a wide range of players. We’re awarding Velocity the number one spot for distance because it churns out all the distance you need and delivers the quality you’d expect from Titleist.

The Velocity’s 65 compression rating caters to both moderate and fast swing speed players. The Velocity's high launch allows you to hit tee shots that run, and approach shots that stick to the green. Players with faster swing speeds will be pleasantly surprised by how low the Velocity can be flighted.

The Velocity doesn't perform like a Pro V1, but that’s not why you’re looking at this genre of golf ball. However, you can expect the same durability and quality that Titleist is known for. As a true distance ball, keep your expectations for backspin low. The Velocity is a high-end distance ball that helps you keep up, or get past, the other golfers in your foursome.

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Bridgestone e9 Long Drive

Bridgestone e9 Long Drive golf ball

Bridgestone e9 Long Drive golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Bridgestone e9 Long Drive golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Golf Galaxy

Price

$29.99/Dozen | CHECK AMAZON | CHECK GOLF GALAXY

Construction

2-Piece

Cover

Surlyn

We couldn’t wait any longer to tell you about the new Bridgestone e9 Long Drive ball. If you’re looking for sheer distance, how can you beat the first ball specifically designed for World Long Drive competition?

The outer portion of the core is made for maximum ball speed, while the softer inner part of the core drives ideal spin, keeping you on the grid. All that, however, is just one core, a unit Bridgestone has equipped with Extreme Gradational core technology.

You can even expect a nice soft feel around the greens, just don’t expect top-tier stopping power.

At the very least, the e9 Long Drive is a fun ball to test out and see just how much more distance you can squeeze out, and if there’s enough greenside performance to outweigh those gains.

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Maxfli TriFli

Maxfli TriFli golf ball

Maxfli TriFli golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Maxfli Trifli golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Golf Galaxy

Price

$40/24 Balls | CHECK GOLF GALAXY

Construction

3-Piece

Cover

Ionomer

The Maxfli TriFli stands out from most other distance balls for a few reasons. Yes, it passes the distance test with flying colors, otherwise, it wouldn’t be on this list. It also flies straight and has a 3-piece construction that gives it a boost around the greens compared to many of its competitors.

Maxfli’s Find-the-Fairway dimple pattern that helped its Straightfli live up to its name has made its way to the TriFli, and after thorough testing, we can confirm that it does, in fact, help you find the fairway more often.

While nobody will confuse the TriFli with a Pro V1 from 15 yards out, the 3-piece construction delivers noticeably more control around the greens than its sibling, the Straightfli.

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2023 Maxfli Trifli golf ball
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Srixon Z Star XV

Srixon Z Star XV golf ball

Srixon Z Star XV golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Srixon Z Star XV golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Golf Galaxy

Price

$47.99/Dozen | CHECK GOLF GALAXY

Construction

3-Piece

Cover

Urethane

If you have a faster swing speed, 100 mph or more with driver, and you want maximum distance with some performance, try the Srixon Z Star XV.

The Z Star XV is a 3-piece ball with a urethane cover. With a compression rating of 102, it’s on the firmer side, which is part of the reason it’s such a good fit for those faster swing speed players. Srixon’s Spin Skin+ coating gives the Z Star XV even more spin and control in wedge and iron shots.

Wilson Triad

Wilson Triad golf ball

Wilson Triad golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Wilson Triad golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Dick's Sporting Goods
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Dick's Sporting Goods

Price

$39.99/Dozen | CHECK WILSON | CHECK AMAZON

Construction

3-Piece

Cover

Urethane

If you haven’t checked out Wilson’s line of golf balls, you’re missing out. You’re probably familiar with MOI as it relates to golf clubs, but Wilson has given its Triad golf ball a high-MOI design by redistributing weight from the core to the outer layers of the ball. That delivers more ball speed and lower spin with your driver, which of course means more distance. Isn’t that why we’re here?

Considering all that comes in a 3-piece, urethane-covered package for just $39, it would almost be foolish not to see if the Triad can deliver more distance, while maintaining short-game performance, in your game.

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Vice Tour

Vice Tour golf ball

Vice Tour golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Vice Tour golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Walmart
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Walmart

Price

$27.99/Dozen or 5 Dozen for $20.99 Each | CHECK VICE

Construction

3-Piece

Cover

Surlyn

After a quick stop in the performance-distance category, we’re back to sheer distance-land with the Vice Tour.

The Tour is distance-focused and its latest edition out-performed the Titleist Tour Speed in driver spin, and ball speed, helping it eek out 8.9 more yards than the Tour Speed when robot-tested at a moderate (95.2 mph) swing speed. 

For mid- and high-handicappers who want top-tier distance and also rely short-game performance to shoot their target scores, the Vice Tour is another good option to consider. It’s 3-piece construction adds performance to the iron and wedge game, and the KIL alignment line is subtle and effective.

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Bridgestone e12 Contact

Bridgestone e12 Contact

Bridgestone e12 Contact golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Bridgestone 2023 e12 Contact golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy
  • PERMISSION
    Permission give by Golf Galaxy

Price

$34.99/Dozen | CHECK GOLF GALAXY

Construction

3-Piece

Cover

FLEXATIV ionomer

Are you looking for straight distance? Of course you are! That’s exactly what Bridgestone is selling with the e12 Contact golf ball, and the 2023 edition is even better than its predecessor.

Bridgestone’s Contact Force Dimples make the e12 Contatce unique. That’s essentially a dimple within a dimple that, combined with the FLEXATIV cover,  gives you more (46% more, according to Bridgestone) surface contact, which, by way of more energy transfer, leading to more ball speed, results in more distance.

The added benefit of this unique cover is that it also flies straighter than a ball with a traditional dimple pattern.

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Noodle Long & Soft

Noodle Long & Soft golf ball

Noodle Long & Soft golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Noodle Long and Soft golf ball
  • SOURCE
    PGA Tour Superstore
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by PGA Tour Superstore

Price

$24.99/24 Balls | CHECK AMAZON | CHECK PGATSS 

Construction

2-Piece

Cover

Ionomer

The Noodle Long and Soft hit golf retail shelves in 2001 and was an instant success. The name rang true on the course, after all. Most players saw distance gains without feeling like they were hitting a rock. The Noodle quickly became a must-have ball for average players. Today, after several ownership changes, TaylorMade makes the Noodle Long and Soft.

Today’s Noodle golf ball is still long, with significant distance gains for any player who swings 95 mph or below. It’s also still soft, with a 34 compression rating. For both of those reasons, this ball isn’t intended for players who have fast swing speeds. However, the vast majority of amateur players can tee up a Noodle and appreciate the outcome. 

Another big draw to the Noodle is its value, which has not changed through the decades. The current model is sold as a 24-pack for only $25.

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Callaway ERC Soft

Callaway ERC Soft

Callaway ERC Soft golf ball

  • DESCRIPTION
    Callaway ERC Soft golf ball
  • SOURCE
    Golf Galaxy
  • PERMISSION
    Permission given by Golf Galaxy

Price

$39.99/Dozen | CHECK GOLF GALAXY

Construction

3-Piece

Cover

Hybrid PARALOID

Callaway makes it quite clear what the ERC Soft is on its website, stating “This is our longest golf ball with soft feel.”

The ERC Soft offers the best of all worlds because it’s long, soft, has good greenside control, and is durable.

The hybrid cover features what Callaway calls a PARALOID Impact Modifier from Dow. This gives the ERC Soft exceptional distance with low spin and high ball flight. This makes the ERC soft a great ball for high- and mid-handicap players, leading you into Callaway's Chrome Soft lineup as your game improves.

Choosing a Distance Golf Ball

The USGA seems to think that the golf ball travels too far for professionals, but we’re willing to bet you want a ball that goes even farther, not one that’s shorter.

Here are some of the main aspects that impact the distance a golf ball travels, and how they impact its performance in other areas, like spin, stopping power, short-game control, and durability). When deciding which ball suits you best, consider the whole picture, tee to green.

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Construction

Most of the golf balls that you’ll find on this list, and distance golf balls in general, are 2-piece balls. This means that they have a thin cover and a solid core. Two-piece balls offer the least greenside spin, but produce more roll once the ball lands.

Three- and 4-piece golf balls have additional layers between the cover and core which produce more spin on approach and touch shots. While this is very important, if you’re simply looking for a ball that goes the furthest, a 2-piece ball will get the job done. If you want a blend of top-tier distance and greenside control, consider a 3-piece ball.

Urethane vs. Ionomer Cover

When it comes to a golf ball’s cover, there’s urethane, and everything else. Urethane balls spin more, which is not what you want if for you’re looking for maximum distance. But don’t panic, urethane-covered balls still churn out crazy distance, especially for higher swing speed players. Just ask any tour player.

That extra spin is actually the biggest benefit of urethane balls, because it gives players puppeteer-like green-side control.

Ionomer and surlyn-covered balls spin less, which helps them travel farther. That reduced spin, however, could become problematic if you struggle to hold greens with your irons or lack precision in your short game.

While our list mostly includes ionomer and surlyn covered balls, we did include a couple urethane balls. Players with faster swing speeds who demand short-game performance should absolutely play a urethane ball, even if they’re searching for maximum distance.

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Dimples and Flight

The dimples on a distance golf ball are designed more to fight drag and rotation than grabbing greens. If you’re shopping distance, stopping-power has to take a backseat.

Distance golf balls typically launch mid to high with all clubs. This allows you to get the ball in the air and maximize carry.

Compression

Compression is a measure of how firm or soft a golf ball is. The lower the compression rating, the softer the ball is.

A compression rating of around 50 or below accommodates slower swing speeds. For fast swing speeds, a compression rating of 90 or above can be the ticket to big distance.

golf ball hit by driver in slow motion
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Distance or Performance?

Chasing distance is fun, and there’s no doubt distance balls can benefit most golfers, but it’s important to consider the tradeoffs of a distance ball. 

If you land the ball on a lot of greens, only to watch it roll off, then can’t get up and down because your ball is hard to control around the greens, you could probably benefit more from a performance ball.

Experiment with a few of these distance balls and compare how they perform tee to green against a ball that emphasizes other benefits. Whichever the best option is for you, it will be clear pretty quickly.