Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Matt Greene
*Read our review guidelines.
At 100 mph and beyond, you need one of the best balls for high swing speed to get the most from your game.
High swing speeds produce a lot of ball speed but can produce a lot of spin which we need to control first and foremost.
High spin rates can reduce distance on your drives and make the ball rip too much on the greens.
My swing is 115 mph and I played and tested every ball on this list to present my favorites. I'll share the benefits of each ball and give my recommendations for high swing speed balls over 100mph depending on your priority on the course.
*Please note if you have a fast swing but play off a handicap higher than 14, you need to control your swing first, and use balls for mid handicappers or ball for high handicap golfers if your handicap is over 18.
Best Golf Balls for High Swing Speeds 2024
Best golf ball for 110 mph+ swing
Vice Pro Plus
Compression
95
Price Range:
$$
Ideal Swing Speed
Above 110 mph
The Vice Pro Plus is our #1 recommendation for high swing speed golfers. Vice Pro Plus balls are a four-piece, urethane covered golf ball.
My experience with the Pro Plus
I played the Vice Pro plus on a recent Scottish trip through the links course. I played in very windy conditions and the Vice Pro Plus impressed me so much that I have moved them to the top of the rankings. Here is the playlist for my Scottish trip on my Youtube channel.
- The Vice Pro Plus feels firm on the face of my clubs and soft on my steel putter face.
- I got exceptional distance with a low penetrating flight right through the wind when I needed it
- When I needed to send my irons high into the air, the ball performed, stopping where it landed on the green even down wind
- Shot shaping was a breeze (excuse the pun) and I was able to hold the ball against the wind or let it ride the wind easily
The Vice Pro Plus is an exceptional golf ball and I recommend it to you if your swing speed is in excess of 105 mph and you are looking for a mid-low flight golf ball that listens when you tell it what to do.
Pros
Cons
Best high swing ball if you lose balls
Kirkland Signature
Compression
94
Price Range:
$
Ideal Swing Speed
Between 90 and 110
Kirkland Signatures are well-known or being well-priced but don't let the 'good for a cheap ball' concept fool you. The Signatures are just very good golf balls for high swing speed golfers regardless of price.
My experience with Kirkland Signature
I played the Kirkland Signatures in the USA. The first place I went to was Costco, and a friend bought me 24 of these on their Costco card. Why they impressed me:
- The Kirklands relieve you of all the stress of losing golf balls because they are not expensive $5 balls
- I swung freer and more relaxed without fear and ironically I hit better and better shots
- The Kirklands fly LONG and stop relatively quickly when they hit the green
- My chipping is bump and run style in general which the Kirklands suit, but I would allow more roll out on lob shots
- I played this ball at Pebble Beach and Spanish Bay to shoot 74 and 71 respectively. It's brilliant.
I can safely recommend this ball to anyone who hits it hard, but a little wild. If you want to play a premium ball, and forget the dread of losing balls, the Kirklands are the best.
Pros
Cons
Best ball for mid handicap fast swings
Maxfli Tour X
Compression
101
Price Range:
$$$
Ideal Swing Speed
Above 110 mph
The Maxfli Tour X ball is a refreshing comeback for a brand that has been lost for a while. I used to play Maxfli Revolution when I was younger and even these days, Maxfli delivers great golf balls.
My experience with the Maxfli Tour X
Overall, one of the best golf balls for high speed swings. I did notice the balls scuffed easily on harder driving wedge shots. Along with that came up to 6 feet of zip backwards when hitting the greens.
In my on-course testing, I noticed that the ball spun more for me with the Maxfli Tour X than the Maxfli Tour and considerably more than any other ball on the list.
Recommendation: The Maxfli Tour X will suit mid handicap golfers with fast swings. The ball will stay in play while travelling moderate to long distance off the tee, but stopping quick on the greens. Touch and feel around the green is very soft and spin is easy to achieve to stop near the hole.
Pros
Cons
Best ball for low spin swings
Srixon Z-Star Diamond
Compression
91
Price Range:
$$$
Ideal Swing Speed
Above 105 mph
If you need more spin off the tee and on your approach shots, the Z-Star Diamond is the best Tour ball for increasing spin. If you're a low spinning golfer and want to shape your shots more, the Z Star Diamond is for you.
My experience with the Srixon Z Star Diamond
I've played the Z Star and the Z Star XV and in my testing on the Trackman, I noticed an increase in spin of a few hundred rpm on my driver but the flight was straighter.
On iron shots and wedge shots, the spin was more noticeable. On course, I found the ball stuck very close to the pitch mark with the 6, 7 and 8 iron and actually spun back with the 9 iron and lower.
Within partial wedge range, the Diamond reacts exactly as every other top premium Tour ball. There is very little difference at that range. My shots were grouped very closely together.
Pros
Cons
Best balls for shot alignment
Callaway Chrome Soft X Triple Track
Compression
99
Price Range:
$$
Ideal Swing Speed
Above 105 mph
The Callaway Chrome Soft X is the best ball for 100 mph swing speed or above especially if you want to align your putts better.
Callaway introduced the Triple Track marking on the side of the ball which lines up perfectly with their Odyssey Triple track putters. If you play a Triple Track putter, it's a no-brainer to use this golf ball with a fast swing.
They've used a four-piece construction with a larger Dual SoftFast core to get the ball to go as straight and long as any other top premium golf ball when swung at high swing speeds.
A compression of 95 makes the Chrome Soft X a high compression golf ball, perfect for higher swing speeds. With a 100 mph swing speed, the ball will spin enough and instead of creating the ripping effect of 5 yards of spin, you can control the ball enough to get it to stop closer to the pitch mark which is the goal.
My experience with the Callaway Chrome Soft X
Bottom line is the ball works well for 100+ swing speed but what puts this ball in the top golf balls for high swing speeds is the alignment aid on the side of the ball. Unbeatable.
My friend Steve plays the Triple Track religiously and drains so many putts inside 10 feet. I use the Callaway Triple Track Chrome Soft X as my backup ball to the Vice Pro Plus.
Pros
Cons
Titleist Pro V1
The best ball in golf reserved for high confidence and skill
Best balls for shot alignment
Titleist Pro V1
Compression
87
Price Range:
$$$
Ideal Swing Speed
Above 90 mph
The Pro V 1 golf ball is the best ball in the world and trusted by most of the PGA Tour pros.
My experience with Titleist Pro V1
I only ever use Pro V1 golf balls for special occasions like a tournament but it's rare nowadays because I prefer so many other models. I tested the Pro V1 vs other models with Pro Mo and we found with his 118 mph swing speed:
- The Pro V1 goes 5-10 yards further than most brands off the tee
- We found the carry distance off irons was slightly longer and the ball stops much quicker on the bermuda grass we play
- Chipping and pitching is where the Pro V1 is very consistent so you can trust what happens with the same type of shot
- The Pro V1 goes lower than the Pro V1 X and that is why we prefer it for high swing speed as the X spins too much
Who should play Pro V1 golf balls? High swing speed golfers who do not lose many golf balls in a round. Truth be told, highly skilled golfers who are adept at distance control, spin control and shot shaping should use the Pro V1.
But if you like them, you should play them too!
Pros
Cons
High swing speed golf balls
What compression golf ball should I use?
High compression golf balls are important to complement your high swing speed. Generally 100mph swing speed or more should match up with a golf ball compression of more than 90 and probably more than 100 compression.
- High compression golf balls are firmer with harder cores.
- High compression golf balls compress slower so a faster swing is needed to fully compress the ball.
- High compression golf balls maximize your distance potential at higher swing speeds.
- Firmer cores and ball compressions over 90 are often mostly in Tour golf balls.
Are Pro V1 and Pro V1x the best golf balls for high swing speed?
The number one ball in golf is Titleist and the Pro V range in particular. Of course, the fastest swing speeds in the world play these balls on the PGA Tour with the average swing speed around 110 mph. Is it the best for you? It depends on your budget and propensity to lose golf balls as well as your skill level.
So yes it's the best golf ball...if you're good enough. Only you can decide, but if the fear of losing an expensive $4-$5 golf ball makes you hit bad shots, then I would recommend starting with a model you are comfortable to lose in a round.
Premium expensive balls do not benefit anyone who is shooting high scores and losing a lot of golf balls. Fearing the loss of an expensive golf ball while standing on the tee is a sure way to sabotage yourself mentally before the shot.
Best golf ball for mid handicap with high swing speed
I recommend that you play off a solid 15 handicap or less to benefit from using the balls on this list. That means you might only lose 1 ball per round.
Anything above a 15 handicap is an average score of 90+ and you'll need to sharpen up to benefit greatly from the softer covers and price of the golf balls.
I would suggest harnessing the power of your swing first. Learn to swing smoother and control the speed. If you're swinging fast and not scoring in the low 80s regularly, then the swing speed is irrelevant. Control the ball first, then add speed and once your scores come down, use more premium balls
If you are swinging it well over 100 mph swing speeds and losing golf balls left and right, I would suggest you're hitting the ball too hard. Start with softer shots and play cheaper balls until you're not losing them.
How does a fast swing speed affect the golf ball?
Golf balls spin because of the revolutions put on the ball by the speed of the swing and the angle of attack from the club face. Often, fast swingers of the club impart a lot more spin than average swings. Hitting a golf ball above a 100 mph swing speed can create excess spin on golf balls that cause the balls to rip back too far on approaches or fly way too high into the air. The extra spin might make the ball balloon and land short.
The key is to have your swing under control and learn to harness your power and hold back sometimes to produce the result you want. This is a much more valuable skill than merely the ball you use.
On drives, with the correct angle of attack and loft on your driver, you will have a lot less spin on the ball. Urethane balls will spin more, while surlyn covered balls spin less. If your angle of attack is too steep or you flip the ball with your hands, every ball will spin more and shoot up into the air.
Why do the long drive competitors hit 2-piece balls?
The long-drive competitions are sponsored by manufacturers so their balls will be used in the competitions. Of course, they want to maximize the distance the long drivers are hitting so they use the hardest, longest golf ball focusing purely on distance. If your focus is solely distance, and nothing else on the golf course, this will suit you.
Golf is a game played on the course though so we factored in the need for spin and touch and approach shots. If you do choose a distance golf ball, you'll need to adjust your chipping and pitching to allow more roll out as the distance balls are not designed to bite or stop on the greens very easily.
Conclusion
Most of the top end balls will suit your game it just depends on your skill level. If you are consistent and don't lose many balls, the premium balls are for you. If you're a bit erratic, it's going to be best to test a few balls. The urethane covered premium balls will give you more feel and spin around the greens which the harder balls won't do with your fast swing.
