Top 10 Best Golf Balls For Seniors (2023 Buying Guide)

So bright it glows

The Callaway SuperSoft comes in numerous color options, including Green, Yellow, Orange, Pink, and Matte Green. There’s even a plain old white version for traditionalists.

My favorite color option is the Matte Green finish, a distinctive cover that stands out against any background I could find. It was easy to spot in the rough and even in murky streams, making it nearly impossible to lose.

Aerodynamics

Callaway’s distinctive dimples are hexagonal, which they claim helps reduce drag and improve aerodynamics. Given how far this golf ball travels, I’d say they’re onto something. It’s noticeably longer than most other golf balls for seniors in its price range.

But it’s still soft enough to offer a good amount of feel and spin around the greens. Wedge shots hit and grabbed a bit before releasing to the hole. Since most seniors aren’t trying to “pull the string” and just want a modicum of control around the greens, the SuperSoft offers an attractive level of spin to go with its exceptional distance.

Durability

The proprietary “Trigonometry” cover is nearly as durable as a rock-hard Surlyn cover but offers more softness and compression than pure Surlyn golf balls. The result is a golf ball that won’t scuff up from regular use and may even survive a cart path impact or two.

At a price point under $25/dozen, the Callaway SuperSoft ticks all the boxes that senior golfers are looking for in a golf ball. As a result, it’s our top pick for the best golf balls for seniors this 2023.

Urethane doesn’t come cheap or last long

The strength of the Titleist Pro V1, its urethane elastomer cover, is also the source of two of its weaknesses. While the performance of the cover is unquestionable, the price you pay for the performance is higher than with other golf balls.

First off, it’s priced higher than any other golf ball on this list by a good margin. Second, it’s one of the least durable golf balls I tested. Any cart path impact resulted in a nasty scuff deep enough to impact playability. Even cleanly struck wedges occasionally scuffed the ball.

While the scuffs from wedges didn’t materially affect playability, I still found myself swapping out Pro V1s more often than most other golf balls for seniors tested.

With a high price and low durability, it’s hard to recommend the Pro V1 to seniors. If you’re willing to pay a premium for performance that’s just a little bit better than a golf ball half its price, you’ll love the performance.

But most golfers won’t notice the difference that the extra dollars provide. If anything, they’ll see a slight reduction in distance from the 2-piece Surlyn golf balls they’re used to and wonder why they paid extra for the Pro V1.

Quality Control

One other rarely considered aspect of Titleist golf balls is the fact that they have the most rigorous quality control in the industry. Golf fans in the New England area should visit Plant #3 in New Bedford, Massachusetts to see exactly how they’re made.

After I toured the facility, I was able to better understand why Titleist charges such a premium for their golf balls. Their manufacturing and quality control standards are head and shoulders above the others. While with most manufacturers, you’ll come across the occasional dud ball that just won’t fly right, you just don’t see that from Titleist.

Jack of all trades

This golf ball is a classic “jack of all trades, master of none”: it rates well but is not exceptional in pretty much every category. The Soft Feel lives up to its name with a good, soft feel that makes chipping and putting easy. Distance is very good, and the ball gets up in the air with an excellent trajectory, which can be difficult as swing speeds start to wane.

If you’re looking for a well-rounded golf ball that doesn’t excel and has no notable shortcomings, the Soft Feel from Srixon is a top choice. At the price of about $20/dozen, it’s truly one of the best golf balls for seniors.

It’s in the name: Tour Soft

The first thing you’ll notice about the Titleist Tour Soft is buttery soft and smooth. This is very apparent around the green, as crisp chips will have a noticeable check before release. It increases your options for playing shots around the green, but senior golfers should note that it still takes a reasonably high swing speed and crisp contact to generate that type of spin and take advantage of a ball like this.

This golf ball is meant for single-digit handicappers, so seniors who are experienced golfers will likely gravitate to it. Seniors who are desperate for length or who have just taken up the sport in their retirement will probably find a ball like this detracting from their performance instead of enhancing it, as the high spin will tend to send mis-hit shots offline.

The Tour Soft is also not the longest ball for slower swing speed. Other, firmer golf balls will travel further and provide more roll unless you have a medium-to-high swing speed.

Titleist reputation

Titleist is well-known in the golf world for its elite golf balls and rigorous quality control, and the Tour Soft carries that torch well. However, the golf balls with Tour in the name aren’t always the best for amateur or senior players. As ball fitting becomes more and more common, it’s a good idea to go and get fit instead of simply buying a ball based on the brand name’s reputation.

However, it’s hard to go wrong with Titleists. The Tour Soft is a top performer for good players looking for spin and control around the greens. If you want to play Titleists but are more interested in distance and straight shots, check out the Velocity or DT TruSoft.

3-piece and soft ionomer

The main feature of the SuperHot ball that differentiates it from the very similar-looking SuperSoft is the ionomer cover. Softer than traditional Surlyn but harder than the more expensive urethane, this ionomer is a super-thin polymer closely related to Surlyn but a bit softer than the Surlyn that other brands use.

This plus the 3-piece construction, delivers a ball that spins more on approach and greenside shots. It’s also one of the better-feeling golf balls when putting, as it seems to skid less and get to rolling more quickly.

The aerodynamic Hex dimple pattern is identical to the SuperSoft, so the distance gains you’ll see are very similar. However, due to the 3-piece construction, it’s a little softer and may even fly farther than the SuperSoft.

Soft means scuffs

The softer cover does scuff up more than the SuperSoft, which means if you do hit a rock or a cart path, you’re likely going to need to replace the ball. However, it’s more durable than a urethane ball like the Pro V1, so you won’t see damage from regular golf shots and should still be able to use it for a full round or more.

However, at a price point around $3/ball, it’s at the higher end of the spectrum for golf balls for seniors. Because of this, despite the excellent performance, it doesn’t represent the best bang for the buck.

Firm and fast

TaylorMade’s Distance Plus is a very low-spin ball, so there’s not a lot of workabilities here. Instead, it’s a firm, fastball that provides a low, penetrating ball flight.

This is right up your alley for straight hitters looking to get distance by hitting bullets with many rolls.

But be aware that there’s not a lot of feel to these best golf balls for seniors, especially around the green. That firm, fast feel extends to putting and chipping, so these will work best for bump-and-run chips. Flop shots, high trajectories, and spinning shots simply won’t work with the Distance Plus golf balls, as the cover and core are both too firm to generate a backspin.

Looks and value

The TaylorMade Distance Plus is a clean ball with two good alignment options.

For those who like a long line, you can use the TaylorMade logo above the number. There’s also a nice compact alignment line on the side that says “Distance +” with arrows flanking the words. It’s much better than their cluttered and unhelpful TP5 line, and a look I wish they’d return to with their other golf balls for seniors.

These durable little guys represent great value at a price point of just under a dollar a ball. In addition to offering great distance, the firm cover is very long-lasting.

It’ll stand up to cart path bounces, thin shots, and tree impacts and live to fight another round. In an age when some golf balls cost nearly $4 apiece and are rendered unusable after one thin shot, the TaylorMade Distance Plus is a refreshing change.

On top of that, the extra distance they provide may help you fly over more water hazards instead of landing in them. It’s a win-win.

Cut-Proof Cover

The Ultimate Distance also features a cut-proof cover that might cost the golfer some short game spin, making it a golf ball among the most durable on the market. Made from Lithium Surlyn, the golf ball is resistant to cuts and scuffs, offering high performance with a reassurance that it won’t become damaged if it finds trouble.

For a two-piece ball, at this price, to have a virtually indestructible cover is quite the benefit for frequent golfers that want to focus their money elsewhere in developing their game.

Titanium Core

The best feature of the Ultimate Distance is the reactive core that generates a ton of energy after impact resulting in high ball speed. Although the Ultimate Distance is a two-piece golf ball, the core establishes this Nitro golf ball as one to consider if you need more length from your drives and entry shots into the green.

The core helps the ball produce a low spin off the tee for a reliable ball flight that does not disappoint. Maintaining distance is incredibly important for senior golfers, and this Nitro model certainly helps push away age-related loss of yardage.

Boosting Distance

The Ultimate Distance is designed to correct that problem for seniors who struggle with maintaining their yardages. Although the golf ball does not offer the touch and softness you would find on a “soft” golf ball, the Ultimate Distance excels at getting these golfers closer to the pin with every swing.

Available in a 15-pack, the Nitro Ultimate Distance offers terrific value along with exceedingly long playability for the senior golfer that needs more velocity from their best golf balls for seniors.

Ubiquitous

The Titleist Velocity is the ball I frequently find on the golf course. Its middle-of-the-road price point and Titleist’s reputation seem to hit the sweet spot for many players who don’t want to spring for the Pro V1 but still are looking for good performance. However, the DT TruSoft is the Titleist golf ball I’d suggest for most seniors, as it provides a much softer, better feel with only minimal distance loss.

Short Game

Kudos to Titleist for their marketing on this ball, which advertises that the Velocity is “playable” around the green. Most companies would make bigger claims than that, but Titleist knows that the Velocity is a pretty hardball that is fairly tough to control greenside. So calling it “playable” is essentially conceding that it will not do you any favors in the short game department.

The Bottom Line

I’d hesitate to recommend Velocity for most players, as its performance doesn’t match other golf balls in its price range. However, a few situations might come in useful: If your home course has slow greens and taller-than-average fairway grass, the distance gains will help. And if you’re playing on winter greens, you may find that the lack of spin doesn’t hurt much.

Overall, though, there are better golf balls for seniors.

The good

Many golfers are investigating Bridgestone golf balls after Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters with one, and for a good reason: they’ve been making some of the best golf balls out there for a while now. Their best ball for senior golfers is the e6 Soft. It has a soft but durable cover and a low-compression core that offers a nice ball flight and a good ball speed.

The cover feel is very nice around the greens, comparable to the Callaway SuperSoft.

The ugly

But the e6 Soft comes up short in the visuals department. The large, blocky B logo is useless for alignment, and the odd placement of the ball number is, if anything, distracting. Even worse is the “alignment aid” on the side of the ball. Whereas the best golf balls offer something that approximates a straight line, the e6 Soft has a slightly off-kilter alignment aid that may have you leaving your putter face open.

If you decide to use the e6 Soft and tend to putt with a line, you’ll need to draw a thick Sharpie line over the alignment aid. This step shouldn’t be necessary, as manufacturers should know by now to provide a useful alignment aid.

Unfortunately, this thoughtless design takes a ball that could’ve been a frontrunner because of its excellent performance and relegates it to a “very good, but” category.

Now, if you don’t use any alignment line when putting or driving, you’ll find a lot to like here. But I find most players benefit from a good alignment system both on the tee and the putting green, and the e6 Soft comes up just a bit short.

What is Truvis and what does it do?

Callaway Truvis golf balls feature symmetrical pentagons that make it look somewhat like a soccer ball. These are designed to enhance your depth perception to make the ball look bigger, help with alignment, and increase golfers’ confidence. They’re also pretty cool around the green as you can see exactly how the ball is spinning on chips and putts.

They’ve been trendy since their introduction (Tom Watson even used it in his last Masters tournament), but they’re a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Adventurous golfers have probably tried them out by now, while less adventurous players may wait until they find a lost Truvis ball on the course to give it a try. But, of course, one of the advantages of the Truvis is that they stand out in the rough, so it’s unlikely that you’ll come across one!

So how’s the ball?

The Chrome Soft is the ball Callaway’s tour players use, so is it good for seniors? I recommend it only for seniors who still hit the ball fairly high and long and are looking for backspin and stopping power on the green. There’s not enough speed for slower swing speed to compress the ball nor generate enough spin to make it worth playing the expensive urethane golf balls.

It does feel excellent on chips and putts, spinning enough to grab the green and then release towards the hole on pitches. And putting with Truvis Chrome Soft golf balls is pretty fun, as you can really see the roll well.

But the Chrome Softs are one of the most expensive golf balls tested, and seniors will likely find both better performance and better prices elsewhere.