Updated January 16, 2023. This article was thoroughly audited by multiple golf experts and coaches for its accuracy. You can read more about our rigorous testing protocol here.
The Rundown:
Best Overall: Titleist Velocity
“The Titleist Velocity offers high levels of forgiveness with maximum distance. It is engineered to create length with low side spin for tight shot dispersion with accuracy.”
Best for Low Handicappers: TaylorMade TP5x
“Offering an exceptional tour-level distance with a soft, high-spin cover, the TP5x is the most forgiving option for low handicappers. It has a speed-layer system which increases carry, control, and forgiveness.”
Best for High Handicappers: Callaway SuperSoft
“For high handicappers, Callaway SuperSoft is your most forgiving soft feel option. It offers a soft feel, a high-spinning core, and exceptional distance!”
Most golfers believe that the way to inject forgiveness in their game is through their equipment. And while that is true, it remains only partially true because they forget how golf balls play a part in the final result.
The most forgiving golf balls offer advanced dimple design, a high-quality compression core, and multi-piece construction that aids in helping create straighter shots.
Let’s take a look at how these balls react to all levels of swing speeds, differing ball flight, and if a softer feel causes shots to go off their intended target line.
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Table of Contents
Things to Consider When Choosing the Most Forgiving Golf Ball
Compression
If you are a faster swinger, you can improve your game with the help of high compression golf balls. The golf ball must produce a low spin off the tee to maintain maximum distance coupled with high-speed golf swings.
High compression golf balls formulated to create a forgiving, low-spin flight remains the best option for a golfer with this skill set.
For slow swing speeds, a low compression core helps maintain length while boosting spring off the face of the golf club.
A lower compression ball from tee to green helps senior golfers, women, and beginning golfers maintain their distance while providing unmatched consistency that increases forgiveness.
To find the best golf balls for your game, take a hard look at your swing speed and how it correlates with the compression rating of your golf balls.
Dimple Design
A golf ball’s cover remains one of the essential factors in how forgiving your ball will be on the links. An advanced dimple design reduces drag by helping push the air that surrounds the ball away from the cover.
For long-distance drives, a golf ball needs a dimple design that increases speed while helping produce low spin. A tour-level ball, such as the Titleist Pro V1, offers a well-designed dimple pattern that offers reliable flight and accuracy, along with terrific shot-shaping ability.
The dimple pattern produces the high spin needed to stop golf balls on the putting surface on short iron shots. Soft feel golf balls offer an enhanced response that offers better forgiveness over distance golf balls.
Construction
From its cover to the core, every piece of the golf ball’s construction continues to bear responsibility for the ball’s overall performance.
A two-piece ball, like the Srixon Soft Feel and its Speed Dimple system, offers moderate forgiveness compared to a ball with multi-piece construction that can provide more sophistication.
When dealing with the short game, multi-piece golf balls can also generate the spin to help stop a ball closer to the cup for shorter par putts that save the scorecard from unsightly bogeys.
Spin
Golfers must evaluate two spin categories before deciding if the golf ball will help provide forgiveness.
The first part of the game with spin to consider is off the tee box. With the driver, golfers want a low spin off the golf ball to reduce the penalty of a slice or hook, plus to make sure to maximize carry.
Backspin on the golf ball when using a long club, such as a driver or fairway wood, causes it to fly higher and shorter, a combination that provides far less forgiveness to the golfer.
The opposite remains true when the golf ball sits in the fairway. At that point, the golfer wants spin to help stop the ball on the green. Whether the golfer is hitting a 150-yard 9-iron or a lob wedge from 50 yards, the ball’s spin dictates control of flight and distance.
Most Forgiving Golf Balls 2022
- Best Overall: Titleist Velocity
- Best for Low Handicappers: TaylorMade TP5x
- Most Forgiving Soft Feel Ball for High Handicappers: Callaway SuperSoft
- Best Extra Spin: Titleist Pro V1
- Best Soft Feel Ball for Mid Handicappers: Titleist TruFeel
- Best for High Handicappers: Bridgestone e12 Contact
- Best for Beginners: Bridgestone e6
Titleist Velocity Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Golf Ball Overall
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Pros
- Wonderful forgiveness with a soft and responsive feel
- High-quality cover that reduces drag and increases the length of drives
- Surprisingly soft ball around the green
Cons
- Doesn’t spin as much as Pro V1x and TP5x
- Built for speed, not workability
With the Titleist Velocity golf balls, a golfer will find high levels of forgiveness with maximum distance.
Off the tee box, the Titleist Velocity is engineered to create length with low side spin for tight shot dispersion with accuracy. Fueled by an energetic core, the Velocity provides outstanding feel with irons and wedges.
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Around the green, the Velocity provides a soft cover to generate more rotation over comparable soft feel golf balls. With the putter, the Velocity delivers accuracy from mid-range distances.
Another highlight of the Velocity remains the exciting and fun color options. The matte yellow, green, and orange matte finish options are easily the best golf balls for beginners.
TaylorMade TP5x Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Golf Ball for Low Handicappers
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Pros
- Speed-layer system increases carry, control, and forgiveness
- Dual-spin cover provides a soft feel on the green
- Exceptional tour-level distance with a soft, high-spin cover
Cons
- Expensive, ideal for low handicappers
- A bit firmer than Pro V1x
Best for high speed swings, the TaylorMade TP5x golf balls provide more distance with the tour-level core that increases accuracy and forgiveness. Advanced players, including tour pros, love the TP5x due to its soft cover that increases rotation from inside 150 yards.
Off the tee box, TaylorMade golf balls, such as the high-end TP5x, offer minimal rotation to keep the ball in the fairway, ready to attack the flag.
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The TP5x offers a smooth strike from the fairway, making it a great option from long distances with a hybrid or long iron.
Best golf balls like the TP5x earn their reputation as wonderfully forgiving with a soft outer layer that provides feel and response.
Callaway SuperSoft Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Soft Feel Golf Balls for High Handicappers
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Pros
- Two-piece construction with soft compression core inside the ball
- Hybrid cover increases ball speed, launch, and greenside control
- Six color options with a green matte finish
Cons
- Soft ball doesn’t offer much distance boost
- Better around green versus tee box
The Callaway SuperSoft, a well-made two-piece low compression ball, offers a soft feel, a high-spinning core, and exceptional distance. With a highly forgiving nature on off-center strikes, this Callaway golf ball provides a low-cost option golf ball with accuracy and shot-shaping ability.
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The SuperSoft offers low rotation with the driver with the high launch to shorten the golf course for high handicappers.
A softer ball, such as the SuperSoft, remains an excellent option for golfers looking to lower their scores while increasing their accuracy into the fairway and putting surface.
Golf players that have just started their journey will significantly benefit from using a softer ball like the SuperSoft.
Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Golf Ball for Extra Spin
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Pros
- Soft feel for responsive short gameplay
- Exceedingly long distance with advanced dimple design
- Tour-level option that provides exciting all-around performance
Cons
- High priced, made for serious golfers
- Not as long as other top-shelf balls
One of the most successful golf balls in history is our next choice as the Titleist Pro V1 remains a weapon for the golf course. Great for advanced golfers, the Pro V1 is a high-quality ball that shortens the course for shorter approach entries into the green.
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Off the tee box, a Pro V1 provides minimal rotation with the driver for tighter shot dispersion that keeps the golf ball in the fairway with more regularity.
With the Titleist Pro V1 ball, golf aficionados can enjoy a professional-grade ball that generates length while responding to soft golf balls.
Titleist TruFeel Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Golf Ball for Mid Handicappers
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Pros
- Low compression ball with a high-impact core
- High-quality cover with tour distance and minimal rotation
- Soft feel around the green with shot-stopping power
Cons
- Better for high handicappers, less so for low handicappers
- Firmer feel, not as soft as top-tier options
Soft golf balls, such as our next choice, the Titleist TruFeel, are great from the tee box to the green. This golf ball delivers distance with the driver, along with a high approach entry that lands softly on the putting surface.
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The outer layer generates high rotation through Titleist’s energetic interior core. TruFeel golf balls provide consistency with fairway woods and hybrids with forgiveness.
With outstanding greenside control, the Titleist TruFeel offers a soft ball that remains one of the best golf balls on the market.
The best golf balls with a soft response, such as the TruFeel ball, are excellent options for mid handicappers looking to increase their touch around the cup.
Bridgestone e12 Contact Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Golf Ball for High Handicappers
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Pros
- Great for slow swing speeds needing more distance
- High-grade cover offers the Contact Force Dimple system
- Low side rotation coupled with soft core provides a better feel off the tee box
Cons
- High-speed swings won’t see much boost
- Better for casual golfers, one-dimensional ball
The Bridgestone e12 Contact provides low compression that helps boost launch and increase carry for longer yardage. It offers tight shot dispersion with the driver due to the lower rotation that keeps the ball headed along the target line.
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The highlight of the e12 Contact is the Contact Force Dimple cover. Engineered by the Bridgestone designers to increase the surface contact between the golf ball and the club face, the dimpled cover reduces drag and provides a soft response that golfers enjoy.
Our choice for the most forgiving option for high handicappers, the e12 Contact offers a solid option at an affordable price.
Bridgestone e6 Golf Balls
Most Forgiving Golf Ball for Beginners
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Pros
- Two-piece ball delivers outstanding spin with soft response and feel
- Affordable price point makes it ideal for beginning golfers
- Low compression option with energetic core for explosive distance
Cons
- Not as versatile as a multi-piece ball
- Minimal distance boost for swing speeds over 90 MPH
Popular golf balls, like our next choice, the Bridgestone e6, comes from the high-performing core that reduces side spin with maximum forgiveness. A two-piece golf ball, the e6 provides length with exceptional accuracy.
Off the tee box, finding a golf ball that delivers low spin offers the best avenue for increasing forgiveness and the e6 is quite successful in this regard.
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The e6 utilizes its low compression to increase launch with the soft core that produces dynamic length with tour-level spin from the fairway.
A great long-distance option for beginning golfers, the low compression Bridgestone e6 golf ball provides a soft cover with a great feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most forgiving golf ball?
For golfers that want to get serious about their game, the Titleist Pro V1 offers the most complete experience, highlighted by its unbelievable forgiveness.
And if you are looking for tight shot dispersion, the Pro V1’s the best on the market. Featuring minimized side spin, the Pro V1 keeps tee shots in the fairway and shots closer to the green.
Regarding workability, Titleist’s top ball also provides the ability to shape shots with sophistication. Advanced golfers love the Pro V1’s feel and responsiveness alongside the forgiveness mentioned earlier.
Although several golf balls provide high-grade forgiveness, the Titleist Pro V1 stands atop the mountain as the best.
What is the easiest golf ball to hit straight?
For golfers looking to improve accuracy on a budget, the Callaway SuperSoft offers exceptional performance for a two-piece ball. Whether the ball is on the tee box or sitting pretty in the fairway, the SuperSoft stays along the target line.
From the tee box, the SuperSoft produces significant distance for a two-piece ball and impressive accuracy. Even though the ball doesn’t have a multi-layer core, the side spin remains low with the SuperSoft.
On shots inside 150 yards, the SuperSoft offers dynamic performance for a ball at this price point, making it a great value for high handicappers and beginners.
What golf ball should a high handicapper use?
The Bridgestone e12 Contact offers a nice upgrade for high handicappers looking to improve accuracy, distance, and shot dispersion. Made to increase a golfer’s feel at impact for an affordable price, the e12 Contact provides long-lasting durability.
Since most high handicappers deal with slices, the e12 Contact works to combat that side spin by utilizing a Contact Force Dimple cover. The cover significantly reduces side spin while also minimizing drag to maximize distance.
Available in multiple colors, including a bright neon yellow, the e12 Contact remains one of the best visual golf balls for finding errant shots that snuggle into the deep rough.
Are soft or hard golf balls more forgiving?
Soft golf balls typically have more internal layers and a softer outer layer when compared to hard or firm golf balls. As a result, a softer golf ball offers more feel and forgiveness due to its elevated sophisticated design.
Hard golf balls only have two layers, an outer layer and an inner core. With these golf balls, the golf ball intends to fly further, but that comes at the price of forgiveness and spin.
Since hard golf balls are built for high handicappers that need more distance, designers push the envelope with regard to squeezing out every yard possible.
What golf balls are best for accuracy?
TaylorMade’s TP5x offers premium accuracy keeping the golf ball along the target line with more frequency.
Featuring a multi-level Speed-Layer System, the TP5x provides reliable shot dispersion that you can depend on, and the distance boost helps reduce the length of entry shots into the green.
Most golfers want to minimize side spin to improve accuracy and the TP5x certainly drops spin rate off the tee with the driver in your hand.
Less spin translates into straighter shots that hit the fairway with far greater regularity and provide more greens in regulation for the consistent golfer.
Conclusion
Forgiving golf balls offer a soft feel, low compression core, high spin close to the pin, and provide straighter shots that stay on target.
The Titleist Velocity offers golfers superior forgiveness with high ball speed after impact. It also reduces side spin from the tee box, provides long-distance, and promotes accuracy with an advanced dimple pattern.
Finding the best golf balls without sacrificing length automatically improves the quality of shots from anywhere on the golf course.
Whether you are a low handicapper or one of the beginners just picking up the game, finding the best golf ball to improve accuracy is a must-have in your golf bag.