The Main Types of Golf Balls and How They Differ

We’ll take a look at the different types of golf balls on the market, and dive into exactly what those different layers can do for you on the golf course.

Titleist - Been at the top of the Golf Ball market for many years

With so much time being spent on the clubs that golfers use every day, an often overlooked aspect of game improvement could be to ensure you’re using the correct type of golf ball that matches your swing and ability.

One-piece Golf Ball

We won’t spend a ton of time on this ball construction, as it’s rarely ever found on an actual golf course. The one-piece ball is made entirely of the same material, Surlyn. The sole benefit of one-piece golf balls is their durability.

This is exactly why you will find them a popular choice at your local driving range. They’re also the same colourful balls used at putt-putt courses and crazy golf venues!

Two-piece Golf Balls

Sometimes you’ll see the phrase “Max Distance” or “Long and Straight” on the packaging of two-piece golf balls. For that reason, it’s typically the most popular ball among amateur golfers. Much like the one-piece ball, most have the same surlyn covering, with a rubber at the core of the golf ball. With this construction, you get a nice firm and durable ball and will allow those with slower swing speeds to maximise their distance.

One thing it lacks is the ability to add meaningful spin to the ball. Depending on your skill level, that can be both good and bad. Good if you tend to slice off the tee, but not ideal if you are looking for a bit more feel and spin around the green. The two-piece golf ball was introduced in 1972 with Spaldings “Executive” brand.

Common Models: TopFlite XL Distance, Titleist Velocity, Bridgestone e6

Three-piece Golf Ball

Three-piece balls were brought to market in 2000 right at the turn of the century by Titleist, who rolled out their ProV1 model. The ProV1 took the golf world by storm and is still considered the gold standard in golf balls to this day. With these golf balls, we start to enter a world where players can really start to hone in on what they want to accomplish with their golf balls.

In addition to the two layers mentioned above, there is a 3rd enhanced rubber layer to add more feel and spin to the ball. This construction has the widest range of products, varying in firmness and softness, as well as how much spin you’d like to see put on your ball.

When placed on the wrong player's tee, these could enhance the slice they may have from time to time. However, these balls will help elevate the ability of intermediate-level golfer’s games.

Common Models: Titleist ProV1, Srixon Z-Star, Bridgestone B XS, Callaway Diablo

Four-piece Golf Balls

For most golfers that aren’t on the Tour, the four-piece golf ball construction is a common case of diminishing returns. While the ball as a whole unlocks a next level combination of distance and feel, if you don’t have the right tools in your golf swing to take advantage of them, they sometimes do more harm than good.

It took Titleist all of 3 years before they followed up on their ProV1 performance, with the four-piece ProV1x in 2003. You’ll need an above-average swing speed to really capitalise on what the four-piece construction brings to the table.

Common Models: Titleist ProV1x, Callaway Chrome Soft, Maxfli Tour X

Five-piece Golf Ball

The first five-piece ball was made by Taylormade, in their Penta model which nowadays can be found under the sleek name of TP5. They have essentially cornered the market for this category. The ball was designed to react differently depending on which club it is hit with.

Coming off the face of the driver with a lower spin than it would a short iron or wedge. Behind the ProV1 and ProV1x, the TP5 is one of the most popular balls among players on the Tour.

Common Models: Taylormade TP5

The Six-Piece Golf Ball

There is a lone six-piece ball floating out there, the Maxfli U/6. It hasn’t caught on just yet, but that’s not to say it can’t in the future. It will be interesting to see how many layers can be added down the road to such a little, sometimes frustrating, object.