Nine soft golf balls compared on compression, feel and how much distance each one keeps at slower swing speeds.
All nine balls below are sold as low compression or soft models, all are in stock on Amazon right now, and every claim comes from the maker. Prices run from about 16 dollars to about 39 dollars a pack, and one of the nine has a cast urethane cover while the rest use Surlyn or an ionomer blend.
The best soft golf balls: what compression actually changes
Compression describes how much the ball deforms at impact. A low compression ball needs less clubhead speed to compress fully, which is why the whole category is aimed at players with slower or medium swing speeds. Srixon states that outright for the Soft Feel, and Wilson builds the Duo Soft around the same idea.
What you give up is spin off the driver, which is mostly a good thing for an amateur, and what you gain is a softer feel on chips and putts. The cover decides the rest. Surlyn and ionomer covers are tough and cheap and spin less around the green; a cast urethane cover spins much more and costs more. Only one ball here has one.
- The softest claim on the marketWilson Duo Soft
- Soft with the most published detailSrixon Soft Feel 14
- The only urethane cover hereVice Pro Soft
- Cheapest ball in the listAmazon Basics Core Soft
| Golf ball | Construction | Cover | Pack | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson 2025 Duo Softsoftest | Two layer, high energy core | not published | 12 | The softest feel available |
| Srixon Soft Feel 14best all around | Low compression, high energy core | soft thin cover | 12 | Slow to medium swing speeds |
| Vice Pro Softbest greenside spin | Three piece | cast urethane, extra thin | 12 | Spin on wedges and chips |
| Titleist TruFeelsoftest cover from a major | TruTouch core | 3.0 TruFlex | 12 | A low, penetrating flight |
| Callaway Supersoft 2023best visibility | HyperElastic SoftFast core | hybrid cover | 12 | Finding your ball in the rough |
| Bridgestone e6 Softlargest core | Softer and larger core | soft seamless cover | 12 | Soft feel without losing carry |
| TaylorMade SpeedSoftbest ball speed | Low compression PWRCORE | enriched Surlyn | 12 | Keeping speed with a soft core |
| TaylorMade Noodle Long and Softbest pack size | Impact propulsion core | iothane | 15 | Three extra balls per box |
| Amazon Basics Core Softcheapest | Low compression | durable white cover | 12 | Spending as little as possible |
The nine soft golf balls in detail
- Constructiontwo layer
- Corehigh energy core for distance off the tee
- Feel claimstated by Wilson as the world's softest golf ball
- Flightreduced spin on longer shots for a straighter flight
- Pack12 balls
- Colorsalso sold in green and yellow
Best for: A player who wants the softest available feel on chips and putts and is prepared to give up driver spin for it
The Duo Soft is the ball that made the soft category mainstream, and the 2025 version keeps the same argument. Two layers, a high energy core, and the softest feel Wilson can build.
Two things follow from that construction. Spin on long shots goes down, which makes the flight straighter, and spin around the green goes down too, which is the price of a two layer ball. If greenside bite matters more to you than feel off the putter, the Vice further down this list is the other direction entirely. Wilson does not publish a compression number, so the softest claim is a claim, not a measurement you can check.
Pros
- Wilson makes softness the headline property, not a side effect, and builds the whole two layer construction around it
- A high energy core is the standard way to get distance back out of a soft ball, so the trade is at least partly compensated
- Two layer construction reduces spin on long shots, which straightens the flight for a player who slices
- Also available in green, yellow and a striped version if visibility matters
Cons
- Wilson publishes no compression number, only the claim
- Two layer means less greenside spin than the urethane ball in this list
- A soft ball gives up some distance at high swing speeds
- Corehigh energy, low compression
- Dimples338 speed dimple pattern
- Coversoft, thin
- Driver spinless spin off the driver
- Greenside spinmore spin on pitches, chips and putts
- Colorsalso sold in yellow and brite orange
Best for: A golfer with a slow or medium swing speed who wants one ball that does everything reasonably well
The Soft Feel is the most completely described ball on this page. Srixon gives you the core type, the dimple count, the cover thickness and what each of them does, and the description is internally consistent: low compression core, thin cover, less spin off the driver, more spin around the green.
That combination is exactly what a slower swing needs. Driver spin is the main cause of ballooning shots that lose distance, and greenside spin is what stops a pitch on the green. It is also available in yellow and brite orange, and a Soft Feel Lady version in nine ball packs is a separate listing.
Pros
- Srixon states the target group plainly, slower and medium swing speeds, rather than claiming the ball suits everyone
- The 338 speed dimple pattern is designed to cut drag at launch and add lift on the way down, which is where slower swings lose carry
- A thin cover is what gives a two piece ball more greenside spin, and Srixon says so directly
- Three colors available including brite orange, and a nine ball Soft Feel Lady version exists separately
Cons
- Srixon does not publish an actual compression number
- Less driver spin means less workability if you like to shape shots
- Around 25 dollars a dozen, above the value balls at the bottom of this list
- Constructionthree piece
- Covercast urethane, extra thin
- Target groupmedium and low swing speeds
- Alignmentclosed alignment line
- DesignDrip pattern, three styles across two models
- Colorred
Best for: A player who already scores well and loses shots because chips run past the flag
This is the outlier in the field. Every other ball here uses a Surlyn or ionomer cover, which is tough, cheap and spins relatively little. The Vice Pro Soft uses a cast urethane cover over a three piece construction, which is the build used in tour balls.
The practical consequence is greenside spin. A wedge shot bites and stops instead of releasing, which is the shot a two piece ball simply cannot produce. What you pay for it is money, at around 39 dollars, and durability, because urethane scuffs. Vice designs it for medium and low swing speeds, so the soft feel is real and not just a label.
Pros
- The only cast urethane cover in this list, and urethane is the single biggest factor in short game spin
- Three piece construction separates the job of the core from the job of the cover, which a two piece ball cannot do
- Vice states the target group as medium and low swing speeds, so the soft claim is not marketing over a firm ball
- The closed alignment line is a genuine putting aid, not just decoration
Cons
- Around 39 dollars, the most expensive ball here
- Urethane is softer than Surlyn and scuffs faster, so balls do not last as many rounds
- The Drip pattern is a matter of taste and the red version is not to everyone's eye
- CoreTruTouch core
- Cover3.0 TruFlex, softer than the previous version
- Dimples376 tetrahedral pattern
- Flightlow, penetrating
- Greensideincreased spin and control
- Feeldescribed by Titleist as ultra soft
Best for: A golfer who plays in wind and wants a soft ball that does not balloon
Titleist positions the TruFeel for players who want soft feel and trust the brand, and the specification supports that rather than contradicting it. A TruTouch core for distance, a 3.0 TruFlex cover for greenside control, and a 376 tetrahedral dimple pattern.
The flight is the part worth noting. Titleist describes it as low and penetrating, where most soft balls launch high. A low flight holds its line in wind and rolls out more on landing, which is a genuinely different ball to the Wilson and the Srixon above.
Pros
- A low penetrating flight is unusual in this category, where most soft balls launch high, and it is the better flight in wind
- The 376 tetrahedral dimple design is a higher dimple count than any other ball here
- The 3.0 TruFlex cover is the softest cover version Titleist has used on this model, aimed at greenside control
- Titleist quality control is the most consistent in golf, which matters if you play the same ball every round
Cons
- Titleist publishes no compression number
- The soft cover is still an ionomer, not urethane, so it will not match the Vice for wedge spin
- A low flight means less carry over a bunker or a tree
- CoreHyperElastic SoftFast
- Coverhybrid cover
- Feelvery soft, optimized for feel around the green
- Wedge playhybrid cover built for more wedge control
- Colorred
- Rangealso sold in white, green and other colors
Best for: A golfer who loses balls in rough and leaves and wants a soft ball that is easy to find
Callaway's Supersoft has been the volume seller in this category for years, and the 2023 version is built around a HyperElastic SoftFast core paired with a hybrid cover.
The hybrid cover is the interesting part. Callaway's stated aim is more wedge control than a standard two piece cover allows while keeping distance and durability. In red it is also the easiest ball here to spot in rough and in leaves, which for most amateurs saves more strokes than any spin figure.
Pros
- A colored cover is the cheapest possible fix for the most common problem in amateur golf, which is not finding your ball
- The hybrid cover is Callaway's answer to the urethane question: more wedge control than plain Surlyn without the urethane price
- The HyperElastic SoftFast core is aimed at ball speed rather than accepting a slow soft ball
- The same model exists in white and several other colors if red is not to your taste
Cons
- Callaway publishes no compression number and no dimple count
- A hybrid cover sits between Surlyn and urethane, so it does neither job completely
- Colored covers scuff more visibly than white
- Coresofter and larger core for faster compression
- Coversoft seamless cover
- Feelsoft feel with long distance as the stated aim
- Controlincreased spin and feel from the cover
- Colorwhite, also sold in yellow
- Pack12, with a double dozen listing available
Best for: A player who wants soft feel but is not willing to lose carry off the tee to get it
Bridgestone's approach with the e6 Soft is core size. A larger, softer core compresses faster at a given swing speed, which is the mechanism that gets distance back out of a soft ball rather than simply accepting less.
The cover is described as soft and seamless. Seamless matters more than it sounds: a molded seam is a line where the dimple pattern is interrupted, and removing it makes the aerodynamics the same in every orientation. What Bridgestone does not give you is any number to compare, so this one is bought on the description.
Pros
- A larger core compresses faster, which is exactly what a slower swing speed needs to get full distance
- A seamless cover means no molding line, so there is no consistent weak spot in the aerodynamics
- Bridgestone sells the same ball in yellow and in a double dozen pack, which cuts the per ball price
- Around 24 dollars, in line with the name brands here
Cons
- Bridgestone publishes very little: no compression figure, no dimple count
- The e6 line has changed several times, so reviews of older versions do not apply
- Two piece construction limits greenside spin
- CorePWRCORE, low compression
- Feelstated as the softest possible feel while keeping ball speed
- Coverenriched Surlyn
- Targetthe everyday golfer
- Visibilityhigh visibility yellow version available
- Pack12
Best for: A player who has tried a soft ball, disliked how short it went, and wants to try again
SpeedSoft is TaylorMade's answer to the main complaint about soft balls: that they feel good and go nowhere. The PWRCORE is a low compression core designed to deliver speed despite the low compression, which is the trick the whole category depends on.
The cover is an enriched Surlyn, which is the durable choice rather than the spinny one. That makes this a good ball for a player who loses balls or plays a rough course, and a poor choice for someone chasing wedge spin. A yellow version with a brighter cover is listed separately.
Pros
- The PWRCORE is a low compression core specifically designed to keep ball speed, which is the usual weak point of soft balls
- Enriched Surlyn is a tougher cover than urethane, so the balls survive cart paths and bunker rakes
- TaylorMade states the aim as soft feel on iron shots and around the green, not just off the putter
- A high visibility yellow version and an Ink multi pack exist as separate listings
Cons
- No compression number, dimple count or construction layer count is published
- Surlyn spins less around the green than the urethane ball in this list
- The listing text repeats itself and includes a price claim that may not match what you pay
- Pack15 balls rather than 12
- Coreimpact propulsion core for longer carry
- Coveriothane, described as durable and soft
- Greensideincreased spin around the greens
- Flightpatented dimple design for a straighter flight
- Colorwhite
Best for: A golfer who goes through balls quickly and wants three extra in every box
The Noodle has been the value ball in American golf for two decades, and the reason is the pack. 15 balls instead of 12 at a price below most dozens is a straightforward saving, and for a player who loses two or three balls a round it is the practical choice.
The specification is honest about what it is: an impact propulsion core for carry, an iothane cover chosen for durability as much as feel, and a dimple pattern aimed at straighter flight. Nothing here is tour technology, and nothing pretends to be.
Pros
- 15 balls per pack instead of 12, which is a quarter more ball for less money than most dozens here
- The iothane cover is aimed at both durability and softness, which is the right compromise if you lose balls
- The dimple design is aimed at straighter flight, the single most useful property for a player who slices
- Around 19 dollars, the second cheapest here
Cons
- TaylorMade publishes no compression figure
- An iothane cover will not match urethane for wedge spin
- The Noodle is an entry level line, so consistency between balls is not at Titleist level
- Compressionstated as low compression
- Coverdurable white cover
- Alignmentside stamp alignment feature
- Controlcore and cover aimed at short game control and putting accuracy
- ConformityUSGA conforming
- Pack12
Best for: A beginner, or anyone who wants a cheap ball for a round on a course full of water
This is the floor of the category. Low compression, a durable white cover, a side stamp for lining up putts, and USGA conforming status, for around 16 dollars a dozen.
What you do not get is any technical detail. Amazon Basics publishes no core type, no cover material, no dimple count and no layer count, so there is nothing to compare against the balls above. As a ball to learn with, or to play a course where half the holes have water, that is not much of a loss.
Pros
- Around 16 dollars a dozen, the cheapest ball in this list by a clear margin
- USGA conforming, so it is legal in competition, which not every budget ball is
- A side stamp alignment aid is included, a feature the name brands often charge for
- A durable cover is the right priority for a ball that will spend time in bushes
Cons
- No core type, cover material, dimple count or layer count is published
- Nothing here is aimed at greenside spin
- Amazon Basics has no track record in golf to fall back on
Checklist: What makes great soft golf balls
- Compression Rate: A lower compression rate indicates a softer feel upon impact which is ideal for golfers seeking to improve control and reduce hand fatigue. Low compression balls are usually rated between about 30 and 70, while 90 and above counts as a firm ball.
- Dimple Pattern: The dimple design contributes significantly to aerodynamic efficiency, promoting a stable and consistent flight path. Seek out patterns that reduce drag and increase lift for longer shots.
- Durability: A soft golf ball should have a durable cover, like urethane or Surlyn, to resist cuts and abrasion while maintaining a soft feel. This ensures your ball lasts longer even with frequent play.
- Visibility: Brightly colored or distinctive designs enhance the golf ball's visibility against the fairway and in flight, which helps in quick location and potentially speeds up the play.
- Spin Control: A noteworthy feature is the golf ball's ability to provide greenside spin control. A thin, responsive cover can significantly enhance short-game tactics without compromising the soft feel.
FAQ
What are the benefits of soft golf balls?
Soft golf balls can improve control, reduce hand fatigue, and offer a plush feel, favoring golfers seeking enhanced playability and finesse around the greens.
How does a golf ball's dimple pattern affect its performance?
A golf ball's dimple pattern influences aerodynamics, promoting stable flight and distance by reducing drag and increasing lift during shots.
What should I consider when looking for durable soft golf balls?
When seeking durable soft golf balls, look for those with tough covers like urethane or Surlyn that resist cuts and abrasions to prolong the ball's lifespan amidst frequent play.
