- Titleist Velocity<\/strong><\/a> (best firm golf ball)<\/li>
- Srixon Soft Feel<\/strong><\/a> (best soft golf ball)<\/li>
- Bridgestone e6<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- Wilson Duo Professional<\/strong><\/a><\/li>
- No products found.<\/span><\/li>
- Callaway Supersoft<\/strong><\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
Each of these balls is slightly different and a lot of it will depend on your swing speed, what you like your golf ball to feel like, and what you want it to do. You can\u2019t go wrong with any of them, but continue reading, because we\u2019ll dive into each and talk about which is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Exactly Is A Mid Handicap Golfer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A mid-handicap golfer is anyone who shoots between 80 and 89 on a par 72 course. Mid handicaps are better than the average player and tend to get a lot of bogeys, a number of pars, and the odd birdie.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you prefer to think about your handicap, a mid handicap is somewhere above 10 but below 18. I know this might not be the technical definition of a mid handicapper, but it\u2019s the way I look at it. Here\u2019s how I view things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- If you shoot in the 70s = low handicap.<\/strong><\/li>
- If you shoot in the 80s = mid handicap.<\/strong><\/li>
- If you shoot above 90 = high handicap.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
All three of these groups should be playing a different golf ball but it actually doesn\u2019t happen often. I\u2019ve seen so many beginners or high handicaps playing the ball they see on TV. Sorry, but that\u2019s not going to work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, hopefully, you know where you stand in terms of where your skill level is at. If you aren\u2019t able to shoot in the 80s yet then you should check out our guide for high handicaps and beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Best Golf Balls For Average Players<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Think you\u2019re in the right place? Then let\u2019s continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Does The Perfect Mid Handicap Ball Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a mid handicap golfer myself and there are a few key things I look for in a golf ball. Everyone will be slightly different, but if you want to take your game to the next level, you\u2019ll need a bit of help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These are the main things I look for in a golf ball:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Good distance<\/strong><\/li>
- Respectable forgiveness<\/strong><\/li>
- A touch of greenside spin<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
If I can find a ball that\u2019ll check all those boxes, it\u2019s a winner. You\u2019ll also have the choice between a softer or firmer ball but that\u2019s not something that impacts performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price also comes into play but the good thing about the balls on my list is that they\u2019re pretty affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s talk about distance.<\/strong> It\u2019s obviously an important factor and is the main thing people look for. Everyone wants to bomb it 300 yards down the fairway and nobody wants to be 20 yards short of Uncle Jimmy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, what we want to look for is a ball that is as long as possible but still offers the other two features. There are a lot of balls that explode off the club but they don\u2019t have an ounce of spin on the green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s really not going to help us much because we\u2019ll have no control over our short game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, we need some forgiveness.<\/strong> Even though we\u2019re getting better, forgiveness is still a big factor for us and is going to be key in getting us to that next level. What good is hitting the ball 300 yards if it\u2019s 3 fairways over?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best 9 holes I ever played was when I benched my driver and hit 7 wood off the tee. The ball would only go 200 yards but I was in the fairway 90% of the time. After 9 holes, I was only 4 over par.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That clearly shows how important forgiveness is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The final factor is a little touch of greenside spin.<\/strong> Don\u2019t get this confused with driver spin though. That\u2019s probably not something we want a whole lot of. What we want is a ball that has a lower driver spin but a higher wedge spin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The lower driver spin will help us hit more fairways and the higher wedge spin will help us stick the ball on the green. I don\u2019t know about you, but I still can\u2019t spin the ball back 10 yards as you see on TV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s fine, but we do want something that\u2019ll have some bite and not jump off the green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should A Mid Handicap Use A 2, 3, or 4 Layer Ball?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a mid handicap golfer, you should be using a 2 or 3 piece golf ball<\/strong>. It\u2019ll really depend on whether you prefer distance or control over the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both have their pros and cons but the main benefit to a 2 piece ball is distance and straightness.<\/strong> The main benefit to a 3 piece ball is increased control.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a mid handicap player myself and most of the time I\u2019m using a 2 piece ball. They perform just fine and are also cheaper. Balls also come in 1, 4, and 5 pieces but I don\u2019t think those types of balls will perform as well for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll most likely hit more hooks and slices<\/strong> with 4\/5 piece balls and your distance will probably be less. All things I\u2019m assuming you don\u2019t want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want pure distance and straightness then you\u2019ll probably benefit the most from a 2 piece ball<\/strong>. Those two things are the main benefits but they also are cheaper to buy and should last longer as well (if you don\u2019t lose them first).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The downside to these balls is that they don\u2019t offer as much control<\/strong> as 3-5 piece balls. It won\u2019t be as easy to control the height and shape of the ball. Most people shouldn\u2019t bother with that anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want a bit more control over the ball and want something that will bite the greens then you\u2019ll probably want a 3 piece ball<\/strong>. These balls are normally more expensive and you probably won\u2019t get as much distance out of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2 piece balls can still have some greenside bite but they\u2019ll never be able to spin back (for most golfers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Better players are willing to sacrifice distance for versatility, but I don\u2019t think it\u2019s worth it for average golfers. If you hook or slice the ball often then you should stick with a 2 piece ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How about the other types of golf balls?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1<\/strong> piece<\/strong> golf balls are used at driving ranges and shouldn\u2019t be brought to the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They\u2019re extremely cheap balls and aren\u2019t going to perform nearly as well as the rest. They might work well for hitting into a net at home but other than that, I don\u2019t see a use for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4 piece<\/strong> golf balls are for professional or scratch golfers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They offer a lot of control and will spin a lot. Two really useful things if you can actually take advantage of them. Most mid handicaps can\u2019t though and that\u2019s why I wouldn\u2019t recommend them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A 5 piece<\/strong> takes those benefits and adds a bit to them. If you try to use these balls you\u2019ll get less distance and way more curve in your shots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- See How Many Layers Each Ball Has<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Do Mid Handicap Golfers Need Spin?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a mid handicap golfer, you\u2019d benefit the most from a ball with low driver spin and medium wedge spin.<\/strong> The reason is that you\u2019ll get more distance out of your shots, you\u2019ll hit the fairway and green more often, and you\u2019ll lower scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve tried all types of balls and I\u2019ve got the best results with these types.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you tend to have a good amount of curve in your shots you\u2019ll definitely want a ball with low driver spin.<\/strong> It\u2019s not going to fix your game overnight but it should straighten things out a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re probably losing quite a bit of distance with the curve in your shot and this is something simple that could help. Focus on hitting greens and fairways first and then focus on more advanced things like spin and shaping the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a mid handicap golfer and you want to get to that next level, you\u2019ll need to learn how to spin the ball<\/strong> with your wedges. This is a key step in really lowering your scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why we want to play a ball that has some spin with the wedge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, we aren\u2019t going to spin the ball back 10 yards but we do want something that\u2019ll bounce a couple of times and stick on the green.<\/strong> You don\u2019t need a ball that has Pro V1 spin but everything we\u2019ll talk about here is pretty decent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- See How Much Spin Each Ball Has<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s The Ideal Compression For A Mid Handicap?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re a mid handicap golfer you\u2019ll want to use a low to a mid compression golf ball<\/strong>. This is what\u2019ll give you the best overall performance and will help you hit the ball farther, straighter, and higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A low compression<\/strong> golf ball takes less force to compress the ball. The opposite on a high compression ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you use a high compression ball and you don\u2019t have a fast swing speed or you don\u2019t make solid contact, your game will not be so good. You\u2019ll hit the ball 30 yards shorter and you\u2019ll hit the fairway (but it\u2019ll be 3 holes over).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
High compression<\/strong> balls should only be used by scratch and pro golfers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you just want to hit the ball long and straight then you\u2019ll want to use a low compression ball.<\/strong> Anything under about 60 should do the job. It\u2019s not going to be as easy to control the ball but you\u2019ll spend more time hitting from the fairway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you want a bit more control over the ball then you should try a mid compression ball.<\/strong> Anything between 60 and about 85 is considered mid compression in my mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These balls will spin a bit more and will help you draw\/fade the ball or keep things low in the wind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- See The Compression Of Each Ball<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
When Should You Upgrade Your Ball?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve been practicing, working on your control around the green, and shooting some lower scores. You\u2019re about to finally break 80,<\/strong> but you might be wondering, should I be playing the same ball as before?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I said before, high handicap players should be playing a different ball than mid-handicap players. The exact same goes for low handicap golfers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The short answer is that yes, you should probably change your golf ball.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The one key difference is that you\u2019ll want a ball that has a lot of wedge spin.<\/strong> This is so you can land the ball on the green and have it stop quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being able to do this consistently from within 100 yards is essential to lowering scores. The balls we\u2019re talking about here do have some wedge spin but the higher end tour balls will have more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll probably want to start shaping the ball<\/strong> around as well. Maybe you need to draw the ball around a tree or pull off a low cut. Balls with more spin should help you do that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why not use one of these balls from the start?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The biggest reason is that more spin will cause the ball to curve more.<\/strong> You really want to make sure you consistently hit the ball straight before you upgrade to a ball like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second reason is because of the price.<\/strong> These balls normally cost quite a bit more and there\u2019s really no need to spend that much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Best Golf Balls For Mid Handicappers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Below, I\u2019m going to list my favorite golf balls for mid-handicap golfers. My two favorites are Velocity and Soft Feel but I\u2019ve also included my favorite options from the more popular companies on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Titleist Velocity (My #1 Pick)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NWxYKf8nGmo<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Layers: 2 piece<\/li>
- Long Game Spin: Low<\/li>
- Short Game Spin: Mid<\/li>
- Compression: Medium<\/li>
- Feel: Firm<\/li>
- Swing Speed: Slow\/Mid<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re someone who likes a bit of a firmer<\/strong> golf ball, the Velocity will be perfect for you. It\u2019s been the ball I\u2019ve played the most over the past year and absolutely love it. The main reasons I like it is because of distance and straightness.<\/strong> You\u2019ll find that this ball really explodes off the face and it\u2019s definitely a fairway and green finder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The distance comes from the 2 layer<\/strong> design and medium compression.<\/strong> This will generally generate the most distance for someone with a low to mid swing speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The straightness comes from the low driver spin.<\/strong> I\u2019ve done a number of tests off the tee and the Velocity has hit more fairways than any other ball for me (the distance is there too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also a ball that has a high ball flight.<\/strong> Some people might want something that flies lower but the height and straightness are what generates the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the ball does have good height, it\u2019s able to get a bit of spin<\/strong> going into the green. It\u2019s not anything crazy but it\u2019s not going to bounce and run off the green.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Check The Velocity Price On Amazon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Srixon Soft Feel (My #2 Pick)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/outofboundsgolf.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/1_Blog-Post-Pic.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n- Layers: 2 piece<\/li>
- Long Game Spin: Mid<\/li>
- Short Game Spin: Mid<\/li>
- Compression: Low<\/li>
- Feel: Soft<\/li>
- Swing Speed: Slower<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re someone who likes a softer<\/strong> golf ball, the Soft Feel will be perfect for you. It\u2019s probably the ball I recommend the most since the majority of people like a ball on the softer side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s also suited well for golfers with swing speeds under 90 MPH<\/strong> but it\u2019s still fine if you\u2019re a bit above that. I did get a bit more sidespin than the Velocity but the distance was still really impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a 2 piece ball with a compression of around 60.<\/strong> That\u2019s where the distance comes from for golfers with slower swing speeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since it is a 2 piece ball, it\u2019s not going to spin as much as a Pro V1 but it actually wasn\u2019t that bad. Compared to all other 2 piece balls, the Soft Feel was near the top of the list in terms of wedge spin.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Check The Soft Feel Price On Amazon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Bridgestone e6
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/outofboundsgolf.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2_Blog-Post-Pic-4.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n- Layers: 2 piece<\/li>
- Long Game Spin: Low<\/li>
- Short Game Spin: Low<\/li>
- Compression: Low<\/li>
- Feel: Soft<\/li>
- Swing Speed: Mid<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re someone who doesn\u2019t care a whole lot about spin and prefers hitting the most fairways in regulation,<\/strong> the e6 could be right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s another 2 piece ball that has low driver spin.<\/strong> I wouldn\u2019t say it\u2019s as long as the Velocity but it was a fairway finder for sure. It\u2019s also not quite as soft as the Soft Feel but it\u2019s much softer than the Velocity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The compression is on the lower side (somewhere around 45)<\/strong> and that\u2019ll suit someone with a slow to mid swing speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The one downside to this ball is that it doesn\u2019t have a whole lot of greenside spin.<\/strong> It\u2019s better than some of the other 2 piece balls but it\u2019s not going to bounce twice and stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I actually shot my lowest round ever with a ball that had essentially zero wedge spin. This clearly shows that the most important factor (for average players) is hitting the ball long and straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Check The Soft Feel Price On Amazon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Check The Velocity Price On Amazon<\/a>.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- See The Compression Of Each Ball<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- See How Much Spin Each Ball Has<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
- Respectable forgiveness<\/strong><\/li>
- Good distance<\/strong><\/li>
- If you shoot in the 80s = mid handicap.<\/strong><\/li>
- Srixon Soft Feel<\/strong><\/a> (best soft golf ball)<\/li>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/outofboundsgolf.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/Blog-Post-Pic-5-1.jpg\")
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