Have you ever heard the cliche “cheaper isn’t always better”? It applies to all facets of life, even the game of golf. Saving a few bucks is nice, but not if it comes at the expense of your performance on the course.
Some golf balls perform so terribly that they should be avoided at all costs. Here are the 10 worst golf balls of all time. Steer clear of these if you want to shoot a decent score during your next round of golf!
The 10 Worst Golf Balls You Can Buy
1. Top Flite XL Distance
Top Flite makes some decent golf clubs but their golf ball manufacturing skills are highly questionable, to put it mildly. Top Flite uses the cheapest materials they can find to make an outer cover that gives off an annoying sound at impact. The price of the Top Flite XL Distance golf balls is super low but it’s simply because they are offering a low-quality ball.
Why You Should Avoid:
- Hard as a rock and has an awful sound
- Doesn’t roll very well at all on the greens
- Easily manipulated by even moderate winds
- Can’t generate any spin with wedges
- Doesn’t provide the extra distance that it claims
2. Callaway Warbird
Callaway is one of the most respected brands in the golf ball manufacturing industry but the Warbird was a giant swing and a miss. A lot of folks are drawn to the Warbird because of their low cost of only $1.33 each. However, these balls perform so terribly that it’s hard to believe that they were made by Callaway.
Why You Should Avoid:
- No softness whatsoever; some folks say hitting these golf balls caused their hands to vibrate
- Ball flight has no consistency
- Hard to control on short game shots like chips, pitches, and bunker shots
- Too much spin for most players
- Low level of durability
3. Vice Pro
Vice Golf is one of our favorite up-and-coming manufacturers in the industry, but their Pro line of premium golf balls just isn’t worth the money. The urethane cover gives this ball a decent feel when you make contact but we expect more from a three-piece ball that costs nearly three bucks apiece.
Why You Should Avoid:
- Spins too much on tee shots and leads to more hooks and slices
- Not much ball speed for a premium ball
- Ball flight is decent but not enough to be considered a high-launch ball that most golfers desire
- Not a great choice for beginners or even average golfers
4. Pinnacle Gold
Pinnacle has a few playable lines out there but their Gold model is one of the worst golf balls on the market. Your wallet may be able to afford Pinnacle Golds but your scorecard sure can’t. Think twice before buying this one.
Why You Should Avoid:
- Too hard, which makes it impossible to create any type of spin
- Ionomer covers usually hold up okay but these get scuffed and nicked rather easily on the course
- Annoyingly heavy sound off the tee
- Doesn’t perform well at all on chips and pitches
- Too high of compression rating for beginners, ladies, and seniors
5.Wilson Staff Duo
Wilson is one of our favorite companies in the golf manufacturing industry, but the Duo was a terrible invention. Though the Duo rolls pretty well on the green and the cost is somewhat low, it has a ton of flaws that simply cannot be ignored.
Why You Should Avoid:
- The low compression is nice but it’s way too low for even average golfers
- Too easily influenced by the wind
- The dimple design makes it nearly impossible to hit shaped shots like draws or cuts
- Doesn’t supply plenty of distance like other golf balls that Wilson makes
- Some reviewers have said that the Duo is 10-20 yards shorter than the TaylorMade TP5X
6. Precept Laddie Extreme
These are made by Bridgestone so it’s a little surprising that these are on our list. Nevertheless, we recommend avoiding these golf balls if at all possible. If you are dead set on buying Bridgestone, you are much better off with the e6 or e12 models.
Why You Should Avoid:
- Claims to have a dimple pattern that takes aerodynamics into play but the poor ball flight suggests otherwise
- Much less spin on wedge shots than all other golf balls that Bridgestone makes
- Travels about 20 yards shorter than the Titleist Pro V1 off the tee
- Too hard for golfers with a slower swing speed and allows too much side spin on each shot
7. Kirkland Signature Golf Balls
Kirkland golf balls were quite popular for a while because you could get a ton of them at Costco for a cheap price. While many folks assume that Costco makes the Kirkland brand, they are made by a company in China called Qingdao SM Parker. These golf balls perform okay on the course but the problem is that they don’t hold up well at all.
Why You Should Avoid:
- The outer cover gets cuts, nicks, and scuffs in it way too easily
- Doesn’t spin as much as a three-piece urethane ball should
- A lot of the Kirkland balls you see on the market have been recycled, which causes a huge decrease in distance and overall performance
8. Slazenger Raw Distance Golf Balls
We have to admit that the Slazenger Raw Distance ball does indeed carry pretty well. However, the titanium-enhanced cover gives off almost a gunshot sound at impact. Stay away from these bad boys, unless you’re just wanting to scare your buddies off the tee box.
Why You Should Avoid:
- Hard as a rock, which makes putting even more challenging
- Gives off a loud sound and even causes some vibration for some golfers
- Decent for distance but won’t perform well for chips and pitches
9. Nike Mojo Golf Balls
Sure, Nike makes some cool-looking golf gear and the Mojo name has a nice swagger to it. However, the overall quality of this golf ball leaves much to be desired. While we are big fans of Nike golf hats, we recommend staying away from the Mojo golf balls.
Why You Should Avoid:
- The hard feel makes most wedge shots difficult
- A low spin ball that is okay for tee shots but awful for approach shots
- Hard to keep any type of accuracy with this ball
10. Strata Eagle Golf Balls
Strata is a popular brand for women golfers and they do offer a pretty good set of ladies’ golf clubs. However, proceed with caution when buying any type of Strata golf balls. While the high ball flight of these balls is impressive, the distance and feel are both below average.
Why You Should Avoid:
- Good launch but not much roll out
- Doesn’t roll very well on the greens
- Nowhere near as good as the Strata Boom
- Not soft enough for most golfers
Here’s a List of Better Golf Balls to Check Out
Now that you know which golf balls to avoid, you may be wondering which golf balls are worth buying. In the following articles, we discuss the ins and outs of some of the best golf balls in the industry. Feel free to check these out before making your next golf ball purchase.
Matt Stevens
Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.