The Best Golf Balls for Distance of 2023
Bridgestone Golf, Titleist, PGA Tour Superstore
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 |
Titleist Velocity
Titleist Velocity golf ball
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.
Bridgestone e9 Long Drive
Bridgestone e9 Long Drive golf ball
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.
Maxfli TriFli
Maxfli TriFli golf ball
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.
2023 Maxfli Trifli Golf Ball Review
Srixon Z Star XV
Srixon Z Star XV golf ball
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
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.
Vice Tour
Vice Tour golf ball
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.
Bridgestone e12 Contact
Bridgestone e12 Contact golf ball
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.
The 10 Straightest Golf Balls of 2023 to Fight Slices and Hooks
Noodle Long & Soft
Noodle Long & Soft golf ball
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.
Callaway ERC Soft
Callaway ERC Soft golf ball
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.
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.
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.
What Is Golf Ball Compression and Does It Actually Matter?
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.