Best Golf Balls for High Handicappers: 13 Most Forgiving Golf Balls in 2023

In breaking down why the Pro V1 is the best golf balls for high handicappers, let’s play an imaginary hole starting at the tee box.

The Pro V1 has been constructed to get the most from your drives with forgiveness that reduces side spin and keeps the golf balls on target. 

A redesigned next generation 2.0 ZG Process Core keeps the backspin in check for improved drag and optimum ball flight.What the Process Core of the Pro V1 does for high handicappers is that it helps reduce the damage that most amateurs make with poor swings. By damage, we are referring to the sidespin that produces those score-killing slices that put the golf balls in trouble.

From the fairway, the Pro V1’s core is coupled with an incredibly soft cover that is made from an ultra-thin layer of urethane elastomer. The enhanced technology Titleist puts into revamping the Pro V1 each year gives the golf balls a consistent ball flight with unmatched control on entry into the green. 

There is a reason that the Pro V1 is the most used and the best golf balls on the PGA Tour. Watching the golf balls roll back to the hole on iron shots dozens of times every Sunday is proof enough that the Pro V1 are golf balls that generates incredible spin.

The cover of the Pro V1 is imprinted with a unique 352-dimple design. The dimples give the golf balls a chance to fight the impact that the surrounding air has on the golf balls as it travels from the fairway to the green.

With the soft urethane cover, the dimples impart a barrier shield to the golf balls that not only cuts through the wind but also generates exceptional backspin off irons and wedges.

When on the green, no other golf ball provides the feel and roll of the Pro V1. When most high handicappers take a putt, they are using substandard golf balls that place their putts at significant risk for slipping offline due to the inferior materials used to make the golf ball.

But the Pro V1’s urethane cover is a dream to use on the green because it reduces the skidding that occurs with most two-piece golf balls.

Instead, the Pro V1 gets rolling forward more quickly off the putter’s face than many of the tour-quality and best golf balls on the market today. By doing that the golf balls roll true and stay online for more birdies and lower scores.

For some golfers, the Pro V1 is too soft, has too much backspin and flies far too high for their taste. While that opinion has some validity, the benefits of playing with the Pro V1 outweigh or dispel many of those accusations. It is just a terrific ball for golfers of any skill level, especially the high handicapper.

It may be a pricier, but for the amateur looking to make significant strides in their scores quickly, they will not find better golf balls than the Titleist Pro V1. It deserves to be one of the best golf balls for high handicappers in the market today.

All of those listed components to the AVX can make a high handicapper’s head swim with confusion. But for those looking for the best golf balls for high handicappers that will lower their score, let’s break down why these AVX specifications will lead to improvement in all facets of the game.

First, let’s look at the core of the AVX.

The low compression core has been designed to help with cutting down shot height and boosting the distance of golf balls once it leaves the driver on the tee box. If there is a chief complaint about the Pro V1 for amateur golfers, it is that the golf balls fly far too high making it susceptible to wind and other weather elements.

The AVX is the antidote to those complaints. The core is crafted to keep the golf balls low with a piercing flight path that cuts through the wind for the longest distance possible from a three-piece golf ball. The low compression rating of the AVX core creates maximum flex at impact for a trampoline-like effect off the club face.

Once the golf balls are in the air, the multi-component thermoset cast urethane cover takes over.

So what does that all mean?

Well on the AVX, the cover is made from a soft urethane material that enhances the feel of the golf balls off the club face. Once the AVX leaves the club, the tetrahedral catenary dimple design imprinted in the urethane takes over to reduce drag and keep the golf balls low for your longest drive ever.

The urethane cover of the AVX also helps around the green with enhanced shot-stopping ability. Unlike two-piece balls, the AVX has improved the backspin of the ball when leaving the face of your favorite wedge.

As a result, the golf balls settle nicely on the green and in the intended area of the shot.

Let’s move onto the casing layer that covers the core but rests under the cover.

The casing layer on the AVX has been made by Titleist to help with the flex that occurs at impact. This extra layer boosts spin as well as assists with achieving long distance.

Most three-piece golf balls utilize this additional layer in a variety of ways, but few companies have taken advantage of the technology as Titleist with the AVX.

Perhaps the ATX isn’t the complete ball like its older brother, the Pro V1, but fans of the three-piece balls rave about its low ball flight as well as its reduced spin off the tee. 

Regardless, for high handicappers who’s looking to take the next step from the two-piece ball, the AVX is a terrific option that will produce length in ways you’ve never seen.

Low swing speeds typically equate to higher scores because the ball does not travel across the course as far as golfers who hit the ball with dramatically more swing speed.

The center of the TruSoft and its low compression core work much like when a person jumps on a trampoline. As the jumper goes down into the spring-loaded mat, the springs expand and then boost the jumper upward as the energy transfers from the springs to the jumper’s body when the springs contract. The same principles apply to when a golf club hits the DT TruSoft.

The softness of the ball compresses against the club face and then releases to send the ball forward. For the TruSoft that means maximum distance based upon swing speed. That compression improves driving  distances for most high handicappers but also comes with a price as well.

For beginning golfers looking for more complexity from their golf ball like with the Pro V1, then the DT TruSoft will disappoint. This golf ball is a sledgehammer off the tee with less feel than most multi-layered balls, but for the price, it is hard to expect more from this level of golf ball.

But with the name of the golf balls promising softness around the greens, let’s look at how the DT TruSoft does generate spin. First, we go back to the core and the low compression. The spring off the clubface does create backspin due to the friction between the dimpled cover of the TruSoft and the grooves of the club face.

In addition to the TruCore, what helps give the DT TruSoft exceptional spin for a two-piece ball is the TruCover technology. With proprietary materials used, the cover of the TruSoft helps the ball stick to the green from mid-range distances from the fairway. Around the green, the TruSoft struggles a bit with stopping like a multi-layered ball, but it still lands softer than most two-piece balls.

Where the TruSoft turns heads is with the affordable price. For a high-quality two-piece golf ball, the TruSoft is priced beyond reasonable for a box of a dozen. If you are looking for a more subtle and dynamic golf ball, you might be disappointed, but if you are one of the high handicappers looking to maximize your distance and save some change for those green fees, then the Titleist DT TruSoft is one of the best golf balls for high handicappers to take for a test drive.

What sets the SuperHot apart from other three-piece golf balls is the large, high-energy core.Callaway has coupled the SuperHot’s low compression core with a newly designed hexagonal dimpled cover to boost distance for the high handicapper. Perfect for swings that top out at 80-85 mph, the SuperHot responds positively when contact is made with the driver’s sweet spot.

Looking beyond the core, another fantastic feature of the SuperHot is the previously mentioned hexagonal dimple system that lays over the soft cover of the golf ball. The unique design of the SuperHot’s cover minimizes the drag on the golf ball as it travels through the air. A reduction of drag means less sidespin and longer ball flight.

Golfers who love the SuperHot highlight its consistency due to the technological advancements created by Callaway in making the best golf ball. Although the straighter and longer drives shine among the features of the SuperHot, the ball works wonders from the fairway as well.

The soft cover allows for easy shot-stopping control on the greens, so professionals and amateurs alike can take advantage of the SuperHot and shoot for the cup on shorter pitch and chip shots.

The three-piece construction of the SuperHot also shows its merits around the greens. Unlike a cheaper two-piece ball, the multi-layered SuperHot has an additional layer underneath the cover that aids with spin for deft touch when facing tough shots from the sand or through thicker rough.

On the green, the multi-layered ball does improve feel on mid-to-long range putts. That said, golfers looking to cut a corner with their wallet by expecting the SuperHot will play similarly to the exceptional Chrome Soft golf ball that Callaway produces might be disappointed. Rounding out the features on the SuperHot is an alignment guide that aids with putts from any distance.

One interesting wrinkle that Callaway has introduced recently with the SuperHot is a by offering a variety of colors other than white for the amateur to purchase. The SuperHot also comes in the colors of matte yellow, red, and bright orange. Many believe that golfers can locate the golf ball better in thicker vegetation with the loud skin color of the alternate SuperHot models.

The SuperHot golf ball isn’t as sophisticated as the elite tier multi-layered golf balls such as the Callaway Chrome Soft and the Titleist ProV1, but it does deliver a terrific experience from tee to green for an affordable price. For the high handicapper, this is one of the best golf balls to improve their game with little effort.

Also worth noting is the low compression core that keeps ball speed elevated while providing forgiveness.

The outer layer is one of the softest on the market, great if you need more stopping power around the green. When putting, the SuperSoft excels at keeping lag putts close to the cup. 

Another value priced golf ball that’s fun to play, the SuperSoft is also available in six colors.

Around the green, the Velocity also shines by providing more spin on chip and pitch shots. With the putter, the ball doesn’t suffer like most distance balls. The Velocity actually adds touch and feel for high handicappers.

Great for distance, but very solid inside 100 yards, the Titleist Velocity is our choice for the best distance golf ball.

The engine behind the TP5 is the Tri-Fast Core. This three-layer core offers progressive compression, maximum energy transfer, and full speed on max swing speed shots. 

The advanced outer layer offers high levels of generated spin with premium groove interaction, great for around the green. 

Well-built for golfers of all levels, the TaylorMade TP5 is a wonderful premium option for high handicappers.

With a wedge, the Tour Soft offers premium greenside control. The feel and spin work in unison to offer more precise pitch and chip shots to reduce length of putts.

Our choice for the best spin golf ball, the Titleist Tour Soft exceeds expectations with unbelievable length for a soft golf ball.

For junior golfers or those players who love to just have fun on the links, the TruFeel also comes in multiple colors including neon orange and green.

The TruFeel is an excellent choice for high handicappers because it also presents a tremendous value with its low price point. It’s a great alternative to the Bridgestone e6.