8 Best Golf Balls For Mid Handicapper’s Practice and Improvement

From this article, you will learn about the best golf balls for mid handicapper - what differs them from the rest and how to choose the best for your game style
By
Phillip Ortiz
Phillip Ortiz
Expert Consultant
Phillip is a professional golf player who knows exactly what features to look for if you need perfect gear. Apart from golf, Phillip is fond of fishing and hunting.
reviewed
Reviewed By
Suzanne Holley
Suzanne Holley
Research Writer
Suzanne is a talented news reporter. She's also a freelance writer with our site being her major and most loved project. In her free time, Suzanne loves reading utopian nove read more
Last updated: August 14, 2023
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Mid handicappers aren’t the best golfers out there but they can hold their own on the golf course. But to maintain their scoring or even get better at their game, they need the proper equipment, including the right ball for the job.

The best golf balls for a mid handicapper need some specific features to ensure that they don’t hinder the golfer’s playing skills. They need some spin but not too much to avoid turning those mild slices into major ones. The balls also need to be made well to ensure they’ll last and a good price that won’t hurt too much if you lose a few balls. If you’re a mid handicapper but aren’t sure which balls are right for you, check out our detailed reviews and buying guide for more information.

Quick Summary

  • Editor’s Choice: Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls
    "Golf balls for mid handicapper that will up your game – they are made of high-quality materials and allow for short game control."
  • Best for Upgrade: Snell MTB
    "Golf balls with 3-piece construction and extra tough coating that allow for longer use."
  • "If you feel like you’re ready to become a mid-handicapper and need a good transition set of golf balls – these will help you advance."
  • Best for Spin Practice: TaylorMade Project (a)
    "These golf balls for mid handicapper have reduced spin due to inner core construction giving the opportunity for more practice."
  • "Rather cheap golf balls for mid handicapper that can withstand harsh weather conditions."
  • Best for High Swing Speed: Volvik Vivid
    "The golf balls have eye-catching design and are capable of high launch and increased speed."
  • Best for Range Practice: Bridgestone e6
    "These golf balls for mid handicapper are capable of increased speeds and can cover greater distance."
  • Best for 15-20 Handicap: TaylorMade Noodle Long & Soft Golf Balls
    "Iothane covered golf ball for mid handicappers who feel comfortable with speeds of 80-90 mph."

Top 8 Golf Balls for Mid Handicappers Review 2024

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Editor’s Choice

Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls

Features
  • Construction: 3-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: thermoplastic urethane

More features: dozen, white and yellow colors, short game control

The Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls are designed to improve your game in every way. They feature the largest core of any Titleist golf ball so far, which helps increase the speed and distance the ball travels. These balls also include a thin 4CE grafted cover for better spin on the green and an upgraded dimple design to enhance aerodynamics.

These golf balls are perfect for those looking for high-end golf balls for a reasonable price. These balls can increase your distance from the tee, thanks to the consistent flight, plus provide you with more control on the green at the same time, so they are great for anyone trying to improve their game.

    Why are we impressed?
  • Though we found that these Titleist balls are a bit more expensive than some other brands, they are still quite reasonable when you consider exactly what they have to offer. This includes amazing distance and control with every swing, no matter how much power you put behind it. They are also extremely durable, so they offer the same performance on the last hole that they did on the first.
    What negatives must you be aware of?
  • Despite the claim that these golf balls have a responsive soft feel, we found that they were harder than we anticipated. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls aren’t usable. This just means that you may notice more of an impact when taking your swing than you expect. It still offers amazing distance and great performance on the green for mid handicappers.
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Best for Upgrade

Snell MTB

Features
  • Construction: 3-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: cast urethane

More features: 1.6 lbs pack weight, dozen

Snell may not be one of the biggest names in golf just yet but they are growing due to their high-quality golf balls that help improve your game in a variety of ways. The MTB Black golf balls feature a low compression core for longer distance and a more controlled spin. They also have a soft feel, thanks to the cast urethane cover, which also increases durability.

The MTB Black golf balls are the Next Generation version of the original Snell MTB models. The lower compression, higher control, and refined aerodynamics are just a few of the upgrades these balls have received to improve your long and short games.

    What are its best features?
  • We loved that the MTB Black balls have been upgraded in so many ways, including the refined aerodynamics that increases your performance, even on the windiest days on the golf course. This reduces the lift and drag, reducing what Snell calls “ballooning”, giving your ball a more controlled flight with every swing. These golf balls also have an amazingly low price when you consider the high-quality build and performance they have to offer.
    What could be improved?
  • The Snell MTB Black golf balls have 7% lower compression than the previous version, which helps give it a softer feel, though we found that this feature may also reduce the distance by a small amount. Of course, it also gives you more control and less spin on those longer shots, so you may still end up with similar or better scores at the end of the round.
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Features
  • Construction: 2-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: urethane

More features: low spin and drag, 5 color options

The Callaway Golf Supersoft balls are designed for long, straight shots with every swing. They featur an ultra-low compression core that increases the ball’s speed and accuracy, so it always goes exactly where you aim it. The Trigonometry cover has an incredibly soft feel and offers more control on the green. Hex Aerodynamics also reduces drag while giving more lift for higher, longer shots.

These balls are great for beginners since they are designed to improve your game significantly every time you play a round of golf. The amazing performance and enhanced features give you more control for a better experience with every shot.

    Why is it special?
  • The Callaway Golf Supersoft golf balls come in 5 different color options, including white, yellow, green, red, and pink. Not many companies offer this color variety, which makes this brand unique. We also found that the balls are well-made, with amazing features that can improve your game in several ways, including giving you higher speeds and accuracy every time you step up to the tee.
    What are the flaws?
  • One issue we had with the Callaway Golf Supersoft balls was the somewhat shallow dimples. This gives the ball a smoother look that many golfers may take issue with, assuming it affects performance before even testing the ball. These golf balls also aren’t as durable as some others on the market. Though they do last through an entire round of golf, you may notice some marks on them after a few stray shots.
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Best for Spin Practice

TaylorMade Project (a)

Features
  • Construction: 2-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: urethane

More features: low drag, 322 dimples

The Project (a) golf balls by Taylormade feature a 3-layer design that gives you longer distances off the tee while ensuring the proper control and feel on the green. There is a dual-distance core that includes a larger, yet softer, inner core to reduce spin and give a great feel when you hit the ball. The outer core is stiffer for more rebound and higher speeds. There is also a 322 dimple seamless cast urethane cover, which reduces drag for faster, longer shots.

These golf balls have that inner core that reduces spin, making them a great choice for those who haven’t learned to use the spin of a higher-end golf ball to their advantage.

    What makes it stand out?
  • The Taylormade Project (a) balls are designed to give amateur golfers a tour-like experience, thanks to the amazing features that they have to offer. In particular, we loved the compression of these golf balls, which give even the slowest swings more distance than they would get otherwise. There also isn’t much spin off the tee for more accurate shots while still giving you the greenside spin you need to reduce your score.
    Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?
  • Despite the fact that this ball was a favorite among golfers, we were disappointed to find out that Taylormade no longer produces these. Instead, they have replaced Project (a) with the Tour Response golf balls, so you won’t be able to get your hands on these older balls forever. There are still many online stores that have some available, though, so if you love these balls, you may want to stock up.
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Features
  • Construction: 2-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: urethane

More features: 338 dimples, soft center

The Srixon Soft Feel golf balls have some great features that can improve your game. The FastLayer core combines a soft center with a firm outer edge. These work together to increase the soft feel and give you more distance off the tee. The cover is also soft and thin to add to the softer feel while providing you with higher greenside spin. There is also a 338-speed dimple pattern to reduce drag and increase lift, even on windy days.

These golf balls are a great option for those looking for a great golf ball to improve their gameplay without spending a fortune on the more expensive tournament balls.

    What do we love it for?
  • It usually costs quite a bit to get decent-quality golf balls, so we were happy to see that the Srixon Soft Feel golf balls had a budget-friendly price. They don’t sacrifice quality either, so you still get great balls that have a nice feel and go far, even when you’re don’t put too much power behind your swing. It is also less of an issue if you lose one on the course.
    What were we disappointed with?
  • Though these Srixon golf balls are worth trying out, there are some flaws that we noticed. First, they aren’t as durable as other higher-quality golf balls, so you may see scuff marks after only a few holes. They also don’t have as much spin on the green as some of the other golf balls on the market, though they still perform well in this area.
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Best for High Swing Speed

Volvik Vivid

Features
  • Construction: 3-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: urethane

More features: high launch, matte finish

The Volvik Vivid golf balls come in 11 fantastic colors, all of which have a matte finish that reduces glare for incredible visibility. There are 322 dimples on the cover, though the matte finish makes these tricky to see. These balls feature a Dual Power Core, which improves the speed and distance. It has low spin on your drives but excellent spin on the green.

For those looking for the best golf ball for mid handicap with a high swing speed, the Volvik Vivid balls are a great option. They are designed for golfers with swing speeds of 100 MPH or more, giving you accuracy as well as distance.

    What are our favorite features?
  • The Vivid name refers to the colors of the golf balls. There are more options in this area than with most of the other balls on the market that we’ve found, all of which are designed to stand out. The matte finish on these balls also reduces glare, which improves their visibility and makes it easier to focus on the ball on the tee, in the air, or on the green.
    What could be better?
  • Though Volvik claims that the Vivid golf balls have an 80 compression core, it doesn’t have the same soft feel as other balls in this category. This also creates a louder sound when you hit it, especially during the initial drive off the tee. Some of the colors are also difficult to see at times. For instance, the blue balls are hard to spot against the sky while the red ones get lost in the rough.
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Best for Range Practice

Bridgestone e6

Features
  • Construction: 2-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: urethane

More features: long distance, dozen

The Bridgestone e6 golf balls are made up of 3 layers, each of which is designed to improve your game. The inner core offers high compressions for increased distance. The mantle is next, giving the ball a softer feel and reducing the spin off the tee. A Surlyn cover is last, adding more distance while maintaining a straight flight for increased accuracy with every shot. The Dual Dimple Technology increases the speed and promotes a shallow descent angle.

The e6 has been part of Bridgestone’s golf ball line for over 15 years. The current upgrades include a thinner cover, a larger core for a softer feel and greater distance, and reduced spin for straighter drives.

    What makes it stand out?
  • We loved that these balls were customizable, so you can add a stamp of your favorite NCAA school logo on your balls if you like. This helps show your support while still giving you a great ball to play with. The Bridgestone e6 golf balls also have a decent price, so you don’t need to spend a fortune on quality balls to improve your gameplay.
    Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?
  • Though the Bridgestone e6 are quality golf balls, they aren’t for everyone. For instance, seasoned golfers who like to shape their shots may have trouble getting the results they want with these balls due to the straight flight technology. We also found that the Surlyn cover used for these balls has a tendency to lower the spin and the reaction on shorter shots, which could affect how well you putt.
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Features
  • Construction: 2-piece
  • Compression: low
  • Feel: soft
  • Cover: iothane

More features: 2 dozens, 324 dimples, increased spin

The Taylormade Noodle Long and Soft golf balls are designed for distance and to improve your short game at the same time. They feature an ultra-soft 34 compression core, which has a nice feel and helps increase the distance of your shots off the tee. The 342 aerodynamic dimples reduce resistance in the air for less drag and longer shots.

For those looking for the best golf ball for a 15-20 handicap, these may be the right ones to help improve your game. They are designed for those with a swing of 80-90 MPH, so you don’t need to be a hard hitter to get the distance you need to improve your handicap.

    What are its best features?
  • The Noodle Long and Soft golf balls may not be the high-end pieces that the pros use but they do have some excellent features. They live up to their name, thanks to the long distances that they can fly as well as the soft feel they have on impact. We also liked that these golf balls are budget-friendly, making it less painful for those who tend to lose a lot of balls.
    What could be improved?
  • Though these may be one of the top golf ball options for those who swing slow, we didn’t find them to be too great for those who have a high-speed golf swing. This could be due to the fact that the balls are designed to go longer distances. If you already hit hard, you may overshoot your shots, which won’t do you any favors with your final score.
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Things to Consider

There are a wide variety of golf balls on the market from several different brands. Of course, not every ball is designed for every golfer. That’s why you need the right features to match your mid handicapper skills and maybe even improve your game for a better score in the future. If you’re unsure what to look for in a mid handicapper golf ball, the following features should be considered before you buy a new set of balls.

Who is Qualified as a Mid Handicapper?

A golfer who qualifies as a mid handicapper Trusted Source What Is Considered a Mid-Handicap for a Golfer? What Is Considered a Mid-Handicap for a Golfer?. If your handicap is between roughly 11 and 20 — there is no official definition of handicap levels – you are generally considered to be a mid-handicap golfer. livehealthy.chron.com has a handicap that is in the 11 to 20 range. This means that you would normally shoot about 85 to 95 during a round. This number is determined by taking the best 10 scores out of 20 games and using those numbers to determine your handicap. Mid handicappers usually shoot a nice mix of good and bad shots, which is why having the right equipment is a must. This can help improve your game and lower your handicap.

How to Pick the Best Golf Balls for Mid Handicapper

If you’re a mid handicapper looking for some new golf balls to improve your game and keep the balls out of the rough and water hazards, there are a few features you may want to consider. We’ll discuss the most important ones below.

Prices

The price is one of the most important features to consider when choosing golf balls since mid handicappers tend to lose more of them than they may care to admit. Those balls can end up in the woods or a water hazard and you may not find them again. This means that you’ve just lost whatever the cost of that ball is. The more expensive the golf balls are, the more you’re going to have to spend to replace those missing balls. Luckily, mid handicapper golf balls don’t cost a fortune. In fact, there are several that are quite cheap, like the TaylorMade Noodle Long & Soft golf balls. These cost only about $30 for 24 balls, depending on where you buy them.

Spin

There are two types of spin to consider since you only want one of them when it comes to mid handicapper balls. There is the spin you get off the drive, which isn’t a great thing for anyone other than a pro golfer. If you slice or hook your ball, more spin will cause a larger slice or hook, sending your ball way off course.

The other spin is the greenside spin, which is the one you do want on a golf ball. This helps the ball stay on the green instead of bouncing off and into the rough. Be sure to check both of these factors when choosing a golf ball.

Construction

8 Best Golf Balls For Mid Handicapper's Practice and Improvement
Most golf balls feature rubber core that has a thin bumpy cover on top

When it comes to construction Trusted Source Golf Ball Construction and Flight Dynamics After a long history in which the golf ball has changed drastically in materials and style, its current construction is directly related to the dynamics of its flight path (trajectory). The lift and drag properties of the golf ball and its speed and spin rate have been—and continue to be—critical components in how golf balls are constructed. www.encyclopedia.com , mid handicapper balls are usually 2-piece or 3-piece models. The 2-piece golf balls, like the Callaway Golf Supersoft, feature a rubber core covered with a thin cover and are designed for distance and straight shots. The 3-piece options add a middle layer between the cover and the core that is made of rubber thread, which is there to increase spin and control. This is referred to as compression, which we’ll discuss below.

Compression

As we said above, the Snell MTB and other 3-piece golf balls feature that middle layer of rubber thread. These are stretched several times longer than their original length and wound tightly around the core of the ball. The results are a more compressed core, which increases the spin and the distance that the ball travels on those long drives. The compression has this effect since it reduces the deformation of the ball during impact. Mid handicappers should stick to low to medium compression balls for the best performance.

Dimple patterns

8 Best Golf Balls For Mid Handicapper's Practice and Improvement
Dimples on the golf ball help with spin and speed control

The dimple patterns on the golf ball aren’t just for looks. It is there to create the aerodynamic lift needed to keep the ball in the air for longer. The pattern used can also reduce drag, which helps increase the distance the ball can travel. The number of dimples can vary from 300 to 500, though most golf balls stay within the 350 to 450 range.

Durability

Durability is another important feature, especially when you consider how many balls you’re going to be using throughout the season. The best ball will last through an entire 18 holes without a mark, though a few scuffs aren’t a dealbreaker when buying balls. If you find that you’re going through a couple of balls each game, though, it may be time to try a new brand.

Control and feel

The control you have over your ball when you take your shots will ensure it goes where you want it to, which can help improve your score. A firmer ball will usually offer better control but they often have higher spin, which isn’t great for those who slice or hook regularly. A soft ball is a better option, reducing the spin for more control overall.

FAQ

When do you make transition to mid handicapper?

The best time to make the transition to a mid handicapper golf ball is when you start to consistently shoot lower scores in the 80 range. Using a better quality ball with more distance and wedge spin can help improve your game. Of course, you should be careful if you are still losing a lot of balls since the mid handicappers are a bit more expensive than the low-end beginner balls.

Can I improve my spin with mid handicapper rate golf balls?

Yes, you can improve your spin with a mid handicapper golf balls. These are designed to reduce the spin on the ball, even when you hook or slice it. This reduces how far off course the ball will go, keeping it more on a straight path for more distance with your shots.

Our verdict

There are several golf ball options for mid handicappers, though the following three are our top choices.

Our favorite is the Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls, which are 3-piece low compression balls with a soft feel and high durability. They feature a thermoplastic urethane cover, a large core, and an upgraded dimple design.

The Snell MTB golf balls also have a 3-piece design, with a low compression core and a cast urethane cover. The Black golf balls are an upgraded version of the originals, with upgraded features and refined aerodynamics.

The Srixon Soft Feel Golf Balls are the best golf balls for mid handicappers on a budget. They feature a 2-piece design, with 338 dimples and a Fastlayer core with a soft center and firm outer edge.

References

1.
What Is Considered a Mid-Handicap for a Golfer?
What Is Considered a Mid-Handicap for a Golfer?. If your handicap is between roughly 11 and 20 — there is no official definition of handicap levels – you are generally considered to be a mid-handicap golfer.
2.
Golf Ball Construction and Flight Dynamics
After a long history in which the golf ball has changed drastically in materials and style, its current construction is directly related to the dynamics of its flight path (trajectory). The lift and drag properties of the golf ball and its speed and spin rate have been—and continue to be—critical components in how golf balls are constructed.
9,9
Total Score
Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls - Editor’s Choice
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