Free Tool — Interactive Chart

Golf Ball Compression Chart

55+ golf balls ranked by compression rating. Filter by swing speed, brand, or price to find the ball that actually fits your game.

Stop guessing. Stop buying Pro V1s because your buddy plays them. The right ball for your swing speed costs less and flies farther.

Find My Ball Quick Guide

Compression by Swing Speed — The 10-Second Version

Compression is how much the ball squishes when you hit it. Too firm for your speed? Feels like a rock. Too soft? You're leaving yards on the table. Match it right and you pick up 5-10 yards free.

Under 85 mph

Compression 35–65

Seniors, high handicaps, beginners, and anyone who hasn't touched a club since last summer. You need a soft ball that springs off the face.

🏆 Best pick: Callaway Supersoft

85–100 mph

Compression 65–90

The sweet spot. Average male golfer territory. You compress a mid-firm ball properly and get both distance AND greenside spin control.

🏆 Best pick: Titleist Pro V1

Over 100 mph

Compression 90+

Low handicaps, college players, bombers. You swing hard enough to compress a firm ball. Anything softer and you're over-spinning it.

🏆 Best pick: Titleist Pro V1x

Don't know your swing speed?Our free Swing Check tool estimates it from your phone camera. Or grab a cheap launch monitor like theGarmin R10 — it tells you swing speed on every shot. Best $500 you'll ever spend.

Full Compression Chart — 55+ Balls

Compression ratings from manufacturer specs and independent testing. Prices estimated per dozen.

Your Swing Speed

50 mphAll Speeds140 mph

Brand

Max Price

Feel / Firmness

Ball	Brand	Compression	Cover	Layers	Price	Best Speed	Spin
Noodle Long & Soft	TaylorMade	34	Surlyn	2-piece	$20	0–75 mph	Low
Wilson Duo Soft+	Wilson	37	Surlyn	2-piece	$22	0–80 mph	Low
Callaway Supersoft🏆	Callaway	38	Hybrid	2-piece	$25	0–80 mph	Low
Bridgestone e6 Soft	Bridgestone	40	Ionomer	2-piece	$27	0–85 mph	Low
TaylorMade Speedsoft	TaylorMade	45	Ionomer	2-piece	$24	0–85 mph	Low
Titleist TruFeel	Titleist	45	Ionomer	2-piece	$25	65–85 mph	Low
Bridgestone e12 Contact	Bridgestone	50	Ionomer	3-piece	$28	70–90 mph	Low
Pinnacle Soft	Pinnacle	50	Surlyn	2-piece	$20	0–90 mph	Low
TaylorMade Soft Response	TaylorMade	50	Ionomer	2-piece	$25	70–85 mph	Low
Callaway Supersoft MAX	Callaway	50	Hybrid	2-piece	$25	0–80 mph	Low
Bridgestone Lady Precept	Bridgestone	50	Surlyn	2-piece	$24	0–90 mph	Low
Vice Drive🏆	Vice	55	Surlyn	2-piece	$17	70–90 mph	Low
Srixon Soft Feel🏆	Srixon	60	Ionomer	2-piece	$27	75–95 mph	Low
Cut Red	Cut Golf	60	Ionomer	2-piece	$20	70–90 mph	Low
TaylorMade Kalea	TaylorMade	60	Ionomer	2-piece	$22	0–90 mph	Low
Srixon Q-Star Tour🏆	Srixon	65	Urethane	3-piece	$35	85–100 mph	High
Titleist Tour Soft	Titleist	65	Ionomer	2-piece	$35	80–95 mph	Mid
Titleist Velocity	Titleist	65	Ionomer	2-piece	$30	85–110 mph	Low
Vice Pro Air	Vice	65	Urethane	3-piece	$28	80–95 mph	High
Bridgestone Tour B RX	Bridgestone	68	Urethane	3-piece	$45	85–100 mph	High
Callaway Warbird	Callaway	68	Ionomer	2-piece	$22	80–100 mph	Low
Wilson Chaos	Wilson	70	Ionomer	2-piece	$28	85–100 mph	Low
Pinnacle Rush	Pinnacle	72	Surlyn	2-piece	$22	85–105 mph	Low
Callaway Superfast	Callaway	70	Ionomer	2-piece	$24	85–100 mph	Low
Callaway Chrome Soft	Callaway	75	Urethane	3-piece	$40	88–105 mph	High
Kirkland Signature 3-Piece🏆	Kirkland	75	Urethane	3-piece	$28	85–100 mph	High
TaylorMade Tour Response	TaylorMade	75	Urethane	3-piece	$35	88–105 mph	High
Vice Pro Air	Vice	75	Urethane	3-piece	$28	85–100 mph	High
Titleist AVX	Titleist	77	Urethane	3-piece	$50	90–110 mph	Low
TaylorMade Distance+	TaylorMade	77	Ionomer	2-piece	$20	80–95 mph	Low
Titleist Tour Speed	Titleist	78	Urethane	3-piece	$36	90–105 mph	High
Cut Grey	Cut Golf	80	Urethane	3-piece	$30	85–105 mph	High
Maxfli Tour S	Maxfli	80	Urethane	3-piece	$35	85–105 mph	High
Wilson Triad	Wilson	80	Urethane	3-piece	$40	90–105 mph	High
TaylorMade TP5	TaylorMade	85	Urethane	5-piece	$50	95–115 mph	High
Bridgestone Tour B XS	Bridgestone	85	Urethane	3-piece	$48	95–115 mph	High
Snell MTB Prime 3.0	Snell	85	Urethane	3-piece	$32	90–110 mph	High
Wilson Staff Model	Wilson	87	Urethane	4-piece	$35	95–115 mph	High
Titleist Pro V1🏆	Titleist	88	Urethane	3-piece	$55	90–115 mph	High
Srixon Z-Star	Srixon	88	Urethane	3-piece	$40	90–115 mph	High
Callaway Chrome Tour	Callaway	90	Urethane	4-piece	$58	95–120 mph	High
Vice Pro	Vice	90	Urethane	3-piece	$33	90–110 mph	High
Callaway Chrome Soft X	Callaway	95	Urethane	4-piece	$55	100–120 mph	Higher
TaylorMade TP5x	TaylorMade	95	Urethane	5-piece	$50	100–130 mph	High
Bridgestone Tour B X	Bridgestone	95	Urethane	3-piece	$48	100–130 mph	High
Mizuno Pro S	Mizuno	95	Urethane	3-piece	$45	95–110 mph	High
Maxfli Tour X	Maxfli	95	Urethane	4-piece	$35	105–130 mph	Higher
PXG Xtreme Tour	PXG	95	Urethane	3-piece	$40	95–120 mph	High
Titleist Pro V1x	Titleist	97	Urethane	4-piece	$55	100–130 mph	Higher
Wilson Staff Model X	Wilson	97	Urethane	4-piece	$45	100–130 mph	Higher
Vice Pro Plus	Vice	100	Urethane	4-piece	$35	100–120 mph	Higher
Mizuno Pro X	Mizuno	100	Urethane	3-piece	$45	100–130 mph	Higher
Maxfli Tour	Maxfli	95	Urethane	3-piece	$35	95–120 mph	High
Cut DC	Cut Golf	100	Urethane	4-piece	$40	100–130 mph	Higher
Srixon Z-Star Diamond	Srixon	100	Urethane	3-piece	$45	100–130 mph	Higher
Srixon Z-Star XV	Srixon	102	Urethane	3-piece	$40	105–130 mph	High
Titleist Pro V1x Left Dash	Titleist	102	Urethane	4-piece	$55	105–130 mph	Higher
Mizuno RB Tour X	Mizuno	110	Urethane	3-piece	$40	110–140 mph	Higher

Compression ratings normalized from manufacturer specs and independent testing. Prices are approximate per dozen (MSRP). Updated July 2026.

The Short List — Best Ball for YOUR Speed

🐢

Slow <85 mph

🏆 Best Pick

Callaway Supersoft

$25

Compression 38 — Softest feel in its class. Maximum distance at moderate speeds. The ball that made "low compression" a thing.

Cover: Hybrid | 2-piece | Low spin

Runner up:Wilson Duo Soft+

Budget pick:TaylorMade Noodle

Urethane upgrade:Srixon Q-Star Tour

⛳

Mid 85–100 mph

🏆 Best Pick

Titleist Pro V1

$55

Compression 88 — The most played ball on tour for a reason. Mid feel, high greenside spin, consistent flight. Worth every penny.

Cover: Urethane | 3-piece | High spin

Value king:Kirkland 3-Piece ($28)

Softer feel:Callaway Chrome Soft

Budget spin:Vice Pro ($33)

🚀

Fast >100 mph

🏆 Best Pick

Titleist Pro V1x

$55

Compression 97 — Firmer feel, higher launch, more spin on long shots. Built for the player who needs to bring the flight down.

Cover: Urethane | 4-piece | Higher spin

Lower flight:TaylorMade TP5x

Budget bomber:Vice Pro Plus ($35)

Max cover spin:Srixon Z-Star XV

What the Hell Is Compression, Anyway?

The Simple Version

Compression is how much a golf ball squishes when your clubface hits it. Low number = squishes a lot (soft feel). High number = barely squishes (firm feel).

The number comes from a machine that presses a 200-pound weight into the ball and measures how much it dents. That's literally it. A 100-compression ball dents less than a 40.

Why Your Swing Speed Matters Most

Think of it like a mattress. If you're a 90 mph swinger (average guy) and you buy a 102-compression ball (hard mattress), it won't compress enough. You lose distance because the ball doesn't spring off the face — it just sits there.

Same guy on a 38-compression ball (soft mattress)? The ball compresses too easily and energy gets lost in the squish. You hit the "mushy" feeling and lose 5-10 yards.

The sweet spot is where your swing speed matches the ball's compression perfectly. That's where you get maximum energy transfer = maximum distance.

The Numbers Don't Lie, But They Do Vary

Every manufacturer measures compression slightly differently. A Titleist 88 isn't exactly the same as a Vice 88. What matters is the range — and the feel. A ball that's "too firm" for your speed will feel like a rock. One that's "too soft" will feel like a marshmallow. Your hands know.

The golden rule: If you can't feel the ball compress on a well-struck drive, try a softer ball. If everything feels like hitting a marshmallow, go firmer. Your swing speed tells you the range; your hands tell you the exact ball.

Compression FAQ

What compression ball should I use?▾

Match your driver swing speed: under 85 mph = compression 35-65, 85-100 mph = 65-90, over 100 mph = 90+. Use the chart above to filter by your speed.

Does compression matter on a golf simulator?▾

Yes — and no. Launch monitors track ball speed and spin regardless of compression. But most simulators use balls that are designed for the LM technology. Camera-based systems (SkyTrak+, Bushnell LP) prefer premium urethane balls for spin readings. Radar systems (Garmin R10, Mevo+) work fine with any ball. OurSwing Check tool works with any ball.

Is a higher compression ball better for my launch monitor?▾

For photometric LMs (SkyTrak+, GC3, Eye Mini): higher compression balls with urethane covers give the best spin readings. For radar LMs (Garmin R10, Mevo+): any ball works — they read ball speed and launch angle from the first few feet of flight.Browse launch monitor reviews →

Does cover type matter (Urethane vs Ionomer)?▾

Urethane = premium feel, more greenside spin, better stopping power, $35-60/dozen. Ionomer/Surlyn = durable, less spin, harder feel, $17-30/dozen. If you're a 20-handicap trying to break 90, save your money on urethane. If you're trying to hold greens, urethane matters.

Do I need a different ball for indoor vs outdoor golf?▾

Most sim golfers use their normal gamer ball. But if you want to save money on sim practice, buy the same compression range in a cheaper 2-piece ionomer ball. Your data won't change much — the feel will.

How do I measure my swing speed?▾

Three ways: (1) Use our free Swing Check tool — point your phone, take a swing. (2) Buy a budget launch monitor like the Garmin R10 ($499). (3) Visit any golf store with a simulator bay — they'll tell you for free.

Know Your Swing, Know Your Ball

Your launch monitor tells you ball speed, club speed, and smash factor. Use our tools to find the right ball and dial in your sim.

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