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They say that practice makes perfect, and anyone wanting to improve their golf game will need to put in a lot of hours of practice. Practice balls are a great place to start and are usually made from either foam or plastic. They are light weight and not meant to go very far or high, making them easy to recover and ensuring that they don’t cause damage.
Practice balls can be great for indoor practice. They give you the opportunity to hit multiple balls in a short amount of time, and a good practice ball will hold up to repeat hits. Practice balls are also a less expensive alternative to regular golf balls.
Our Top Picks for Best Golf Balls:
- Best Overall – Callaway HX Practice Golf Balls
- Best Women’s – BirdieBall Practice Golf Balls
- Best Juniors –Wiffle Practice Golf Balls – 6 Pack
- Best Budget –Jef World of Golf Practice Balls
- Best Lightweight –Orlimar Golf Practice Foam Balls
At a Glance: Best Practice Golf Balls
We highly recommend looking at the comparison table we have below where we highlighted the features of each product.
In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
| PICTURE | NAME | RATING | SHOPS |
|---|---|---|---|
1
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Callaway HX Practice Golf Balls
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2
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BirdieBall Practice Golf Balls
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3
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Wiffle Practice Golf Balls – 6 Pack
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4
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Jef World of Golf Practice Balls
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5
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Orlimar Golf Practice Foam Balls
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Practicing at home or at an indoor facility means you will be limited for space, which is why practice golf balls are considered the best alternative to conventional golf balls.
There are lots of different brands and types of practice golf balls, and finding the best practice golf balls can be a challenge, but it is one you can manage if you read on to see our tips for shopping for this particular piece of golfing equipment.
With conventional golf balls, you might be more concerned with where the ball is going and if it will do any damage indoors as you practice, so using soft, light practice balls is often the best way to go.
Best Rated Practice Golf Balls Reviewed
We have shown you what you should be looking for when you buy the best practice golf balls, and now we want to give you a few examples of the best practice balls available today.
- Features Callaway's patented HEX dimple pattern
- Soft and won't cause damage
- Simulates actual ball flight at scaled-down, controlled distances
- Costs a bit more than most practice balls.
- light and spin so much that the balls climb uncontrollably
- Features Callaway's patented HEX dimple pattern
- Soft and won't cause damage
- Simulates actual ball flight at scaled-down, controlled distances
- Costs a bit more than most practice balls.
- light and spin so much that the balls climb uncontrollably
These are great approximations of traditional golf balls. They are lighter than your average golf ball, which makes them ideal for hitting in smaller, enclosed spaces. They are heavier than most practice balls, though, but soft enough that they should not cause much damage if they hit something. Callaway has made very durable golf balls that will cost you more than your average practice ball, but that will also last much longer.
- Feels and spins like real golf balls
- Made from a high quality, durable super polymer
- Flies with reverse spin around its horizontal axis
- Price on the high side
- Do not sit level on grass
- Go further than expected
- Feels and spins like real golf balls
- Made from a high quality, durable super polymer
- Flies with reverse spin around its horizontal axis
- Price on the high side
- Do not sit level on grass
- Go further than expected
The birdie golf ball is an innovation in the world of practice balls and have won many awards. They are made from a high quality, durable super polymer, the patented Birdie Ball won’t break like foam, wiffle, or plastic golf balls. These golf balls look a lot like a napkin ring, and give you the feel of a real golf ball. These balls will fly only 40 yards with a full swing and flies with reverse spin around its horizontal axis. You can hook, slice, draw and fade this birdie ball.
- The price is right
- Lots of balls in one package
- Golf ball sized
- Tend to break easily
- Does not mimic regular ball flight
- The price is right
- Lots of balls in one package
- Golf ball sized
- Tend to break easily
- Does not mimic regular ball flight
You could just go with these straight up whiffle balls. These are very light and airy and hollow on the inside. They aren’t going to fly very far or move very fast, but they do give you something to hit. Since they are not that solid, you won’t get the same contact experience as you would with a golf ball or even a tough, foam ball. However, the price is great, and you get a lot of value from them. They are reasonably durable for what they are, but don’t expect these whiffle balls to last more than a few months with regular play.
- Simulate the flight of a real golf ball
- Tons of value for the price you pay
- Do not cause damage
- Not as tough as the competition
- Doesn't feel like a real golf ball when hit
- Ball count maybe off
- Simulate the flight of a real golf ball
- Tons of value for the price you pay
- Do not cause damage
- Not as tough as the competition
- Doesn't feel like a real golf ball when hit
- Ball count maybe off
Here is another example of tons of value for your money. You don’t have to pay a lot to get some decent quality hard practice balls. You can buy these in packs of more than 40 for less than $15 at most retailers. These are brightly colored balls that travel similarly to a normal golf ball, but they are not quite as heavy. They are designed to be light and soft, yet heavy and tough enough to fly fairly far and last you for a while. They are not as tough and durable as the other choices on this list, but at that price, they don’t need to be. You are still getting some great value for your money.
- The price is great
- High density foam material
- Offers some good distance and height
- Lighter than other foam balls
- No dimples on the ball like real golf balls
- The price is great
- High density foam material
- Offers some good distance and height
- Lighter than other foam balls
- No dimples on the ball like real golf balls
With these practice balls, you get some decent distance and weight behind them, yet once again, they are designed to be soft enough that they don’t cause any serious damage to whatever they end up hitting. Orlimar has made these with high density foam and made them lightweight to prevent them from going too far or causing severe damage. For well under $20, you can get a pack of 18 of these practice balls.
What to Consider When Buying Practice Golf Balls
We have listed a few of the important factors to consider when choosing the best practice golf balls:
- Material– There are two main types of practice golf balls- foam and plastic. The plastic kind tend to deform more easily. Foam balls tend to be more expensive, but with both, there is the quality issue to consider as well, which can determine how tough the balls are and how much they cost.
- Quality– A good quality ball will be sound investment, and you need to consider how much you are spending on practice balls. The costs can quickly add up if you practice often and have to replace balls regularly or if you lose them because of where you are practicing. At times, the quality of the ball may be less important as you try to save money. There are instances where you will want a cheaper quality ball and instances where a better quality one will serve you well, and you need to figure out what your preferences are as far as the quality of the balls.
- Flight– Most people don’t buy practice balls for their ability to fly straight, but there will be times where you want to practice with a cheap ball and get a decent feel for how your swing would affect a real golf ball. The way a practice golf ball mimics a traditional golf ball can be important to some players, but it will usually only matter if you have a wide open area in which to practice. If you are playing indoors in a small, confined area, then you won’t need to worry about how well the practice ball manages to imitate a real golf ball.
- Hybrid Balls– You don’t have to go fully foam or hollow plastic with your practice balls. However, golfballs.com suggests that you try out hybrid balls that have soft foam on the outside and hard polyurethane underneath. These travel a lot like a normal golf ball, but the soft cushioning on the outside keeps them from damaging things as easily as your typical golf balls would. That makes them perfect for hitting indoors or in other confined spaces.
Final Word
Practice makes perfect and the equipment you use can also have an impact on your overall game. That’s why it’s always best to use the best quality practice equipment which includes golf balls, to improve your game.
