There is no shortage of golf balls available on the market these days. They have a variety of colors, hardness, and dimples. All in an effort to give you what you need to keep your scores low.
If you’re anything like me, I don’t have a high swing speed. And honestly, I don’t really try to swing out of my shoes. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the game vs how far I can crush the ball. For this reason, I’m comfortable with the speed of my swing.
To compliment my swing speed, I try to grab a ball that’s conducive and will give me the opportunity to put the ball into the hole in the fewest number of strokes.
First let’s talk about speed.
Golf Swing Speed
The pros average around 110 mph on their swing speed. Tiger Woods is around 130 mph. For the average amateur golfer, mid to lower 90’s is average. If you’re swinging below 90 mph, then you would be considered a golfer with slow swing speed.
Now before your ego gets crushed by having a slow swing speed (best driver for slow swing speed), keep in mind, rarely are tournaments won by driving distance. The short game, and the putter will be the key factors.
Additionally, swing speed and golf ball speed are not the same thing. Swing speed is the speed of the clubhead as it comes into contact with the ball. Golf ball speed is the speed of the ball immediately after impact. And ball speed is the main component in generating distance.
A rough approximation, every mph extra of ball speed, equates to two extra yards in carry.
Keep in mind, how cleanly you hit the ball will significantly impact the ball speed, even if your swing speed is high. Hitting the ball with the toe or heel of the club will reduce the ball speed.
Ball Speed of Amateur vs. PGA Tour Pros
- Amateur golfers (Driver ball speed)
- Male with a handicap of 5: 145-150mph
- Average male: 130-135mph
- Female with a handicap of 5: 125mph
- Average female: 110-115mph
- PGA Tour golfers
- Driver: 165-170mph
- 3 Iron: 140-145mph
- 6 Iron: 125-130mph
- Pitching Wedge: 100-105mph
While boasting about how fast your swing speed is, you can see that it’s a minor component to the end game. Therefore, a person with a slow swing speed will be able to outdrive a higher swing speed, by having better contact with the ball.
Golf Ball Features
For beginners or those with slow swing speed, I feel like there are two features you really need to pay attention to, and that is compression and spin. Distance, dimple number, and ball layer can also impact performance, but for a beginner, they won’t have the impact of compression and spin.
Compression
Compression refers how the club propels the ball forward by compressing it at impact and interacting with the core. The softer the ball, the less swing speed needed to get the ball to “jump” off the club. Golfers with a slow swing speed generally choose a ball with compression of about 70-80.
Spin
Golf balls are usually classified into three different spin profiles. The first is low spin. These are ideal for getting distance and little backspin. Low spin will also help the ball roll upon impact, giving you just a bit more distance on your drives.
Mid-level spin is a combination of spin and distance. Great for all levels of golfers, particularly if you tend to avoid hooks and slices.
High-spin balls are great for beginners with slow swing speed looking to get a bit more carry distance. A ball that doesn’t spin much will fall quicker than a spinning ball.
When possible I try to include a couple of different venders so you can get the best deal available!
Best Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speed
Callaway (Editor’s Choice)
1) Callaway Supersoft Golf Balls – with a name like Callaway you know they will have a golf ball that will appeal to beginners or to those with slow swing speed. Their supersoft balls have very low compression, making them ideal for slow swing speed. They come in a variety of colors, so you can track your balls in flight, and can easily spot them in the rough or second cut.
Srixon (Budget Friendly)
2) Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball – Srixon is another big name brand that puts out an affordable soft golf ball that works well with slow club speed. The soft feeling distance ball is designed to launch high with low spin to create exceptional distance and control. The low compression design of this golf ball delivers a high moment of inertia which leads to greater accuracy on off-center shots.
Bridgestone
3) Bridgestone Extra Soft Ball – The Bridgestone extra soft is the best option for the budget-minded golfer who still seeks a soft feel and long distance without sacrificing greenside control. Available in white, yellow & Pink. Customers are loving the high-quality balls at an affordable price.
Titleist (Runner-up)
4) Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls – Titleist has a range of golf balls, and their Tour Soft balls get a warm reception from golfers. Inspired by the most popular alignment aid design available on My Titleist, the new Tour Soft sidestamp provides easy alignment without having to mark a line on the ball. If the feel is important to you, then these might be the ball for you.
Callaway
5) Callaway Golf Chrome Soft Golf Balls – This ball is different. The Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Ball combines Tour-proven distance and performance with unparalleled feel and exceptional mis-hit forgiveness, led by the groundbreaking new Graphene Dual Soft Fast Core. This one is a favorite amongst the slow swingers on their approach shots.
As mentioned above, besides compression and spin, there are a couple other factors that may affect your distance when it comes to golf balls and swing speed.
Material of Golf Balls
Golf balls are made up of layers. Urethane golf ball covers give the ball a very soft feel and provide a lot of spin as they grip the grooves in your clubface. The balls with urethane covers are good for golfers looking for some extra spin and feel around the greens with some stopping power on approach shots to stick on the greens.
If you’re looking to add distance to your shot a ball with a surlyn cover may be your best bet. They perform well in reducing spin on tee shots and long approaches, giving you the added boost in the distance you’re looking for.
However, what you gain in yardage off the drive you might sacrifice some spin around the greens. It’s easy to adjust – all you need to do is hit more bump and run chips which are super easy to perfect.
Conclusion of Golf Balls for Slower Swing Speed
Golf is very much one of those sports where the equipment you use can have a significant impact on your performance. Golf balls that can keep your ball in the air longer, carry more distance, while minimizing any hook or slice action can easily shave your score down. For slower swing speed players looking for consistency, choosing a low compression, mid-spin option in the soft and feel category might be a great place to start.