Did you know, the average distance on the Champions Tour (Seniors) is 275.5 yards whereas the average distance on the PGA Tour is 294.9 yards.
As golfers grow older and wiser, the distances can reduce. This can be through wear and tear on the body but there could be easy ways to get some yards back.
One of the first things to do is, choose the right ball for your needs. The best golf balls for seniors can help you maintain as much distance as possible and keep launching it down the fairway for many years to come!
Here is a fact check – Try not to relate a ball to a handicap, as one 18 handicap golfer may hit it 300 yards, yet another hits it 150 with the same club but shoots the same score on average.
Here are our top choices for senior golf balls,
- Callaway SuperSoft– Best Ball Overall
- Titleist TruSoft– Runner Up
- Taylormade TP5– Best Ball for Greenside Control
Every ball has a purpose and a place, but before we explain how they all stack up, there are a few things that you must know about the golf balls. The information below will help you with the above choices as well as new releases from other brands in the future.
Why special golf balls for seniors?
Naturally a reduction in golf ball distance for Seniors can come from slower swing speeds, there’s no secret there. Most manufacturers have golf balls aimed at different swing speeds and they use different materials and designs to match up to different golfers to get the best performance.
There’s no one ball fits all, so we will discuss the essential elements for the best golf balls for seniors with medium swing speed.
Softer Compression
For seniors a golf ball that compresses or squashes more can be very helpful in creating a ‘squash and release’ type launch from the clubface. The extra squash relates to the golf ball staying on the clubface longer too, which reduces the deviation a ball could have when being propelled by your clubface, making it straighter compared to a ball that doesn’t have as many dimples touching the face during impact.
Lower spin
This will reduce curvature so any unwanted shapes of shot can be softened through lower spin. This will also help the ball run more once it lands to add to the overall distance from the tee.
What to look for in your golf ball
Below are some terms that you may see written on golf ball boxes, let’s have a look at what they are and how they relate to your golf ball choices and performance.
Compression rate
The compression of a golf ball is a measurement of how much that ball can squash when under a specific load. General rule of thumb is as follows;
A compression rating of 40 means the ball can compress to 40% of its original size and a compression of 70 means it’s harder and can only compress to 70% of its size under the same load.
Compression ratings over 90 are considered as a hard golf ball. You may see numbers above 100 as the test itself does vary. Sometimes these harder balls will be described as soft because of the outer layer material or they are soft compared to a harder version but that will be explained further.
A faster swing speed applies more force to a golf ball, this means that the extra force squashes the ball so it can release from the face. A slower swing speed will not get that same ball to compress as much and may launch slower due to that reduced speed. This is where a softer ball is good, to make that squashing easier to achieve.
Some golfer’s choose a compression that does not necessarily suit them on paper but they play very good golf with it. They could be missing out on some potential yardage but they might have other characteristics they desire in the golf ball choices.
Spin
With a driver, the golf ball needs to spin in order to stay in the air. Dimples on the ball are there to produce more consistent flight and give much better control than without. Try and find an old range ball with no dimples and watch it dip, dive, duck and dodge its way from the hitting area as it flies through the air.
The design of the surface on a golf ball is a very important factor with spin. The aerodynamics and the drag through the air can differ from ball to ball to encourage higher and lower spin rates with different sized dimples on the surface.
This was about the lower spin helping from the tee which is achieved by the dimple size and pattern. For the spin on the wedges, the material on the outer cover can help. Let’s talk about it in the ‘Durability’ point below.
Accuracy
Accuracy can be closely linked to both the compression and the spin. We touched on the compression allowing more dimples to touch the face at impact. That can be more accurate as the ball is being pushed in the direction of your clubface for longer. Of course, you need to work on your aim. 🙂
The more a golf ball spins, the more it curves. Hence, new models of golf balls get introduced with a larger core than the year before. This allows more weight to the outside of the ball.
Imagine yourself as a child in the park on anything that spins on the spot, it spun faster with bodyweight towards the centre and slower with it on the outside.
This is how bigger cores reduce spin, this in addition to the lower spinning dimple designs, is a recipe for extra yards indeed.
Construction
The many layers of the golf ball can be confusing. Generally speaking there are 2 piece and 3 piece golf balls but some get up to 5 piece construction.
To get the inner core compressing on a 5 piece golf ball, it requires a fair amount of speed to get those layers to compress. However for a fast swing player, these layers are good as they will give the golf ball a bigger range of speed throughout a round of golf with all 14 clubs.
Golfers with a little less speed will have a smaller range of speed available through the bag to get that ball to react to its full potential. This is where a 2 piece construction can be a good match.
Most multi-layer golf balls have softer materials on the outer cover like Urethane.
Durability
Most 2 piece golf balls will have a Surlyn cover. The Surlyn cover has less elasticity and so is more durable over time.
On a 3 piece construction or more golf ball you’ll normally find a Urethane cover. Urethane is softer and will potentially scuff much easier.
The benefit of Urethane is that the extra elasticity allows the cover to grip the face of your wedges much more easily which helps with spin and control when you are closer to the green.
Visibility
More and more brands are offering golf balls with extra colours and more recently a matte finish has been a popular choice for some.
You may find these new colours contrast well while they fly in the air and run on the ground so you get more feedback and can find the ball more easily.
Pricing
The features that can add cost to a golf ball are things like the Urethane vs Surlyn golf ball covers, Urethane is a more expensive material. 2 piece vs 3 piece, more layers require more engineering and tooling to put together.
Research and development, Callaway famously employed NASA scientists to develop the Hexagonal dimple pattern around 2002 which doesn’t sound cheap.
That’s not to say a lower cost golf ball isn’t as suitable as a more premium price point. The 2 piece golf balls tend to be more aimed towards distance when the compression is suited to each golfer, the cores are bigger and dimple design reduces spin with the driver.
These are admirable characteristics for the senior golfer. Generally speaking, you will find the below characteristics relating to the pricing of golf balls. Extra layers inside and more expensive cover materials increase the price.
2 piece balls – Surlyn Cover – Lower Price
3 piece balls (or more) – Urethane Cover – Premium Price
What are some of the Best Golf Balls for seniors?
Any golfer can pick up a random ball and use it. It’s a great idea to use the same ball as often as possible so you don’t get any surprises one day of more or less distance or the feel, spin and response around the greens changes.
If your game is inconsistent, keep one thing constant, your golf ball choice!
Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls
What’s in the name? – Everything!
This super soft ball is one of the best low compression golf balls for seniors. With a compression around 40 it is a great option to get that ball to squash and release nicely on the clubface to get the most out of distance and accuracy as discussed previously.
The Surlyn cover is a softer version than previous models to get more wedge spin but it’s not quite the Urethane found on the priciest balls. That being said it’s a very reasonably priced 2 piece construction golf ball with a lot of boxes ticked for what we want to achieve for the Senior golfer.
I’ve a friend at the golf club who can’t see the red golf balls as he is slightly colour blind to red and green, luckily there is a great range of choice here if you have similar eyes.
PROS
- Great compression for slower swing speeds
- Hex Aerodynamic cover for reduced driver curve and more roll
- Softer Surlyn cover than before for more wedge face grip
- Lots of colour choice
- Very reasonable price point
CONS
- Not a Urethane cover
- Too much choice in colour, could be hard to buy just one box
Taylormade TP5
Taylormade TP5 has put together here a 5 piece golf ball with more technology than you can shake a stick at. 🙂
The compression of the ball is around 90 and aimed at the faster speeds to be able to get down to those inner layers, however, this is one of the best engineered golf balls for around the green performance.
If you particularly rely on getting your wedges close and want maximum performance there, then look no further.
You may have to look at your own game and consider what’s more important to you between absolute driver distance and wedge control.
The aerodynamics on this ball with a driver are fantastic and the ball won’t exactly be short.
PROS
- 5 layer technology
- Premium greenside performance from a soft Urethane cover
- Large dimple design to maximize flight
- Yellow available
CONS
- Might not use all 5 layers at 90 compression
- Premium ball has a premium price point
Srixon Z Star 6 XV Golf Balls
The story here with the Srixon Z Star 6 XV is very similar to that of the TP5. Although the ball is actually slightly harder at 102 compression and an impressive 4 piece construction.
If you like the harder feel found many years ago, this ball may feel familiar but remember the softer compression balls are what will help with yards as swing speed decreases with age.
SpinSkin is a part of the Srixon ball line up that I’ve always loved the sound of. It’s a Urethane cover aimed at more spin with the wedges to help you with greenside control.
The interesting part of this ball is the SeRMA Coating which responds better with the wedges and provides fantastic durability compared to alternative Urethane covers.
PROS
- 338 Dimple design for longer driver flight
- SpinSkin for wedge control
- Durability is off the charts
CONS
- Might not use all 4 layers at a hard 102 compression
- Premium ball has a premium price point
Titleist DT TruSoft Golf Balls
A great offering from a great brand. The softest compression golf ball that Titleist offers.
This ball will be a great performer from the tee for distance and soft feel around the greens. Just try to pay attention to the wording on the box for approach shots and short game performance.
They feel soft around the green but the Surlyn cover will have limitations in generating spin with the wedge.
Titleist is the market leading brand for golf balls and certainly knows what they are doing with this 2 piece and Surlyn covered piece of golfing ammunition.
PROS
- Softest ball form the market leading ball manufacturer
- Excellent aerodynamics for less drag in the air
- Emphasis on soft feel around the greens
CONS
- No specific mention of spin around the greens on the box
Nike Mix AAAA Golf Balls, 50 Balls
Quantity quantity quantity, you get a lot of bang for your buck here with 50 balls at around 70 cents per ball!
The best of us have been there and we all had to start somewhere, losing golf balls is a natural part of developing your game and this assortment of Nike balls could be a great way of at least reloading with the same brand of golf ball in generally the same category.
This Nike mix is a great choice because it offers a box of 50 hard-to-find, quality Nike recycled golf balls. You get a mixture of four graded levels with your order, ranging from mint condition to slightly scuffed or discolored.
The overall consensus for most golfers is that there is not much difference between these used golf balls and new ones.
Not to mention the withdrawal of Nike from the golf industry not so long ago making these hard to find indeed.
PROS
- Quantity per box
- Price per lost ball
- Nike is hard to find but still reputable
CONS
- Differing compression and dimple design from one ball to another
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any difference between Senior and regular golf balls?
While there aren’t any golf balls specifically marketed towards Senior golfers, there have been golf balls aimed at ladies for many years. These golf balls were designed and made for the lady golfer and were found to perform well for the senior golfer too in terms of distance and accuracy.
This spurred brands to start looking at the importance of tailoring golf balls to different swing speeds and many years of testing has brought us to where we are now with a multitude of choices, colours and compressions.
What to look for in golf balls for Senior Beginners?
For beginners, the specific areas to pay attention to is the compression of the ball for the ‘compress and release’ type rebound for maximum distances with a driver.
The design and drag elements of the outer dimple pattern for reduced curve and more roll out after landing.
Another thing to consider here is the number of balls that will be lost by the individual and the cost that entails as everyone’s budget per game will differ. It’s good to use the same ball as much as possible as the technique will naturally be different day to day already.
Are Dimples on the golf ball essential?
We touched on this earlier but yes they are an integral part of maximising distance and holding the ball in the air for as long as possible and as consistently as possible.
The ‘Magnus Effect’ in physics is what lifts the balls from the front as the ball resists the air particles it hits on the way. It is also the reason the ball curves in the air when sidespin is introduced.
A smooth ball can travel only half the distance as a ball with dimples.
In fact, the depth of dimples directly relates to the lift and drag forces. It was scientifically measured that a 0.001 inch change in depth can drastically change the trajectory and distance of the golf ball.
Conclusion
While looking at the best golf balls for older players, we discussed the importance of low compression and low driver spin to help with distance and accuracy.
The Callaway Supersoft and the Titleist TruSoft tick more boxes overall in the qualities that the senior golfer may want from the golf ball. They are both fantastic on durability and feel around the greens too. Between the two I would lean more towards the Callaway Supersoft simply for the better pricing and the vast range of colours available. The extra spend may however give you more confidence from the biggest brand in the overall golf ball market.
For those that don’t like the idea of a softer ball you may think about sacrificing a few yards for the harder feel of the Srixon Z Star 6 XV at a much higher compression of 102. It does have some great attributes with the SpinSkin for example to add spin with the wedges and short game.
While we are on the subject of greenside spin and control, don’t forget the Taylormade TP5 for all round superior performance and a compression of 90, slightly closer to home for the senior golfer than the Srixon.
These choices may be for the more established senior golfer that appreciates the importance of the short game and its impact on your scoring, but it does entail a higher price point for the extra technology and specific materials involved.