Beginners lose golf balls—lots of them. That’s just how the game starts; we’ve all been there. But once you look past the “I’m going to lose a few” reality, beginners are also at the most formative point in their golf life.

The wrong ball can nudge habits in the wrong direction: too little spin to hold greens, too much spin that balloons off the tee or a feel that masks poor contact.

So I looked at the 2025 ball test data with four things in mind: value (you’ll lose some), performance (speed/flight/spin that actually helps) and feel (so feedback isn’t confusing).

Here are a few golf balls I’d suggest if you’re starting out and want to make sure your golf ball isn’t working against you.

Maxfli Tour — Best first urethane ball

In 2025 testing, the Maxfli Tour again stood out as the mid-price sweet spot. It offered balanced performance, solid ball speed, playable trajectory and reliable wedge spin at a price beginners can justify. It’s not the longest or softest but it does everything well and gives you a feel for what real urethane performance is supposed to be.

TaylorMade Tour Response — Soft feel without losing speed

Among soft urethane balls, the Tour Response was one of the few that kept good ball speed while lowering driver spin. That means a straighter flight off the tee and better distance control through the bag. If you like a softer feel but don’t want to give up too much performance, this is one of the best ways to get it.

Kirkland Signature Performance+ v3.5 — Real urethane for less

The 2025 version of Kirkland’s Performance+ fixed the high-spin issue from earlier models and now flies higher with useful carry. It’s not a high-spin wedge ball but it delivers true urethane performance for less than $20 a dozen. For new golfers losing a few balls every round, this is the best value on the market.

Titleist Tour Soft — Ionomer speed with surprising distance

The Tour Soft was one of the few ionomer balls that impressed us in our 2025 testing. It produced strong driver and iron speed and carried farther than most in its category. While greenside spin still trails urethane, it’s an easy, affordable way to get distance and durability while you’re learning the game.

Alternatives worth trying

Every beginner’s game is a little different. If you’re starting to see more consistency or want to prioritize a specific performance trait like more greenside spin, lower driver spin or a firmer feel, these are a few strong options from the 2025 data worth testing side by side.

Bridgestone Tour B RXS – Lower driver spin can help tame slices while still offering urethane-level greenside control. Srixon Q-STAR ULTISPEED – A fast, affordable ionomer ball that surprised testers with driver and iron distance. Callaway Chrome Tour X – High wedge spin and lower launch combine for excellent short-game stopping power once your consistency improves.

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