Did you know that golf ball manufacturers now offer a specific kind of golf ball for each type of swing speed? Many golfers are shocked to learn that they’ve been hitting the wrong type of golf ball for many years.

There are tons of golf balls out there, but if you have a slower swing speed, which ones are best for you? We break down what type of ball is best for slow swing speed golfers and which brands to try.

For golfers that just need a quick recommendation, here are our top choices:

What Kind of Ball Should You Be Using if Your Swing Speed is Slow?

1. Find a Golf Ball That’s Easy on Your Wallet

This is one of the few advantages that golfers with slow swing speeds have over their faster-swinging counterparts. Premium golf balls like the Titleist Pro V1s are nice and all but folks with slower swing speeds won’t see any extra benefit from buying them. Why spend $5 on a golf ball if you don’t have to?

Golfers with slower swing speeds should leave the expensive golf balls alone and find something in the $1 to $3 range. Heck, choosing a cheaper golf ball instead of an expensive one will result in huge cost savings! Golfers with slower swing speeds can take that extra money and play golf more often!

2. Pick a Golf Ball with a Low Compression Rating

This one is a biggie! Nothing will cost a golfer with a slow swing speed more yardage than hitting a golf ball with a high compression rating. The aforementioned Titleist Pro V1 has a compression rating of around 90, which is way too high for folks with slower swing speeds. Don’t worry though, Titleist makes plenty of other options for golfers who have slow swings.

When searching for the perfect golf ball, slow swingers should try to look for a ball compression rating of 60 or less. For example, the Callaway Supersoft has a compression rating of 38. This makes it an ideal choice for golfers with slower swing speeds.

3. When in Doubt, Choose a 2-Piece Golf Ball

Did you know that golf balls come in layers of anywhere from 2 to 5 pieces? Golfers with slower swing speeds should stick to golf balls that are made up of only 2 pieces. 2-piece golf balls usually have a soft core in the center but a harder outer shell.

The covers on the 3 to 5 piece golf balls usually aren’t as hard, which costs slow swingers some valuable distance off the tee. The good news is that 2-piece golf balls are usually cheaper and they tend to have a fairly low compression rating.

5 Best Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speed

1. Best Overall Choice: Srixon Soft Feel Golf Balls

Our best overall golf ball for golfers with slow swing speeds is the Srixon Soft Feel. Srixon has been making incredible golf balls for over 50 years, so golfers can rest easy knowing they are getting a high-quality product. Here are a few of the main features we like about the Srixon Soft Feel.

• Low Compressing Rating – We’ve already discussed how golfers with slower swing speeds need a golf ball with a low compressing rating to help maximize their distance. The Srixon Soft Feel is a great choice in that regard because its compression rating is 60.
• FastLayer Core – Srixon’s engineering team did a fantastic job of designing this golf ball’s core. The center is very soft, but it gets more firm toward the outer edge. This is why the Soft Feel has a rare combination of softness and distance.
• Ball Speed – Slow swingers need more ball speed and that’s another area that the Soft Feel excels in. This golf ball has a special 338 Speed Dimple Pattern that helps keep your shots in the air longer, even during those annoyingly windy days on the course.
• Greenside Spin – Having the right amount of spin is crucial for golfers when it’s time for short game shots like chipping, pitching, or putting. The thin cover of the Srixon Soft Feel provides all the spin you need. This results in more confidence and hopefully more made birdie putts!
• 4.7 stars on Amazon with over 1,000 reviews
• Fantastic Price of only $1.92 per golf ball

2. Best Feel Around the Green: Titleist Tour Soft Golf Balls

You just know that we had to put Titleist on this list at some point! Titleist is the most popular brand of golf ball in the world and they’re beloved by both professionals with fast swings and beginners with slow swings. Here are some of our favorite attributes of the Titleist Tour Soft.

• Extreme Softness – Golfers who prefer a soft-feeling golf ball for all their short game shots will love the Titleist Tour Soft. There’s very little vibration when hitting putts, chips, or pitches.
• Control – Titleist engineers designed this golf ball to have just the right amount of greenside spin. This gives golfers an extra boost of confidence when they’re on or around the green. It also allows them to have more control over all their shots.
• Low Spin Rates on Long Shots – Here’s another incredible feature of the Titleist Tour Soft. Although it gives golfers plenty of spin for the short game, it’s specifically designed to not spin too much on long game shots. This will help you keep more of your drives in the fairway.
• Premium Distance off the Tee – The Tour Soft helps golfers with slower swing speeds get a little extra distance off the tee. A low compression rating of 65 ensures that each drive is hit with the maximum amount of ball speed.
• Sidestamp Line – Here’s a neat add-on that Titleist recently started doing with the Tour Soft. They’ve added a built-in alignment tool on the side of the golf ball to help golfers line up their putts on the green. This way folks no longer have to mark up their golf balls with a Sharpie.
• 4.8 stars on Amazon with nearly 2,000 Reviews

3. Best for Mid-Handicappers with a Slow Swing Speed: TaylorMade Soft Response Golf Ball

TaylorMade takes home the #4 spot on our list. Though the TaylorMade TP5 may be the company’s best-seller, the Soft Response is the best choice for mid-handicap golfers with slow swings. Here’s what we like about this golf ball:

• Affordable Price – The price on the Soft Response comes out to only $2.08 per ball. That’s an incredible deal for an established brand like TaylorMade.
• Higher Ball Flight – TaylorMade knows that some golfers with slower swings struggle to get the ball in the air. That’s why they made the Soft Response with a seamless 322 dimple pattern, which helps golfers launch their shots even higher.
• High Durability – Though this golf ball has a low compression rate of 35, it is still one of the most durable choices on the market. The soft ionomer cover holds up incredibly well and won’t scuff easily on the course.
• Respectable 4.6 stars on Amazon with over 900 reviews

4. Best for Low Handicappers with Slower Swings: 2020 Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Balls

Chrome Soft is a 4-piece ball, which means it’ll allow highly-skilled golfers to shape their shots. Here are a few features that make this a desirable choice.

• Increased Distance – Callaway designed this golf ball with a Graphene-infused Dual Soft Fast Core to help maximize distance. The soft core helps create more ball speed at impact
• Ideal Spin on Wedge Shots – Spin rate is always important in golf, especially on wedge shots that are close to the green. The spin rate of the Callaway Chrome Soft allows golfers to be aggressive and aim towards the pin.
• Higher Forgiveness – No one likes to mishit a shot! It can hurt both your scorecard and your hands! Luckily, the Chrome Soft is incredibly forgiving! This means your bad shots won’t be as painful!
• Consistency – The Chrome Soft performs consistently on the course, even in less than ideal weather conditions. Golfers can count on this golf ball’s performance in both the wind and the rain.
• Incredible 4.9 stars on Amazon with over 3,000 total reviews

5. Best Value Pick: Nitro Maximum Distance Golf Ball

The price on these babies is incredible, as each ball will only run you less than a dollar. Here are some of the other reasons why we highly recommend the Nitro Maximum Distance balls for golfers with slower swings.

• Low Spin – The super reactive 2 piece titanium core promises less spin and explosive distance off your metal woods
• Driving Distance – We all know that folks with less swing speed need all the help they can get off the tee. The Nitro Maximum Distance hits a home run in that aspect because of its aerodynamic and symmetrical dimple design
• High Durability –  The cut-proof cover on these balls is constructed of Dupont Lithium Surlyn for long term durability, outstanding resilience, and excellent resistance to cuts and abrasions
• 4.6 stars on Amazon with over 3,100 total reviews

Golf Ball FAQs

Does it really matter what golf ball you use depending on your swing speed?

Yes, it’s vitally important for golfers to match their swing speed with their choice of golf ball. If a person with a slow swing speed uses a golf ball with a high compression rating, he’ll be robbing himself of some precious distance off the tee.

The inverse is true for folks with faster swing speeds. If these folks choose a low compression golf ball, they’ll also cost themselves several yards. As a general rule, slow swingers perform better with low compression golf balls and fast swingers do better with a high compression ball.

What is the average swing speed?

This question depends on the golfer’s skill level. Professional golfers on the PGA Tour have an average swing speed of around 110 mph. Geez, no wonder the pros have no trouble blasting the ball so far down the fairway!

Very good amateur players swing at a little over 100 mph on average. Amateurs with average skills swing at just over 90mph.

Why all the fuss over swing speed? Because each mile per hour usually gives the golfer about 2.5 extra yards!

So what’s considered a slow swing speed?

For male golfers, a swing that is between 75 and 90 mph is considered slow. For female golfers, any swing that is less than 72mph is considered slow.

Golfers tend to lose a considerable amount of swing speed as they age. About every 10 years, golfers should expect to lose anywhere from 7-10 yards off the tee due to the decrease in their swing speed.

Don’t let that stat discourage you though, because precision means more than sheer distance in this game. Remember, a 250-yard drive in the fairway is better than a 300-yard drive in the deep rough!

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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