What Are The Most Expensive Golf Balls In The World?
Let’s not kid ourselves; golf is not a cheap hobby – there’s the price of your clubs to consider, which on average can set you back anywhere between £50 and £700 per club, depending on the type of club and the brand. Additionally, you must factor in the cost of your golfing attire, the club membership and of course, your golf balls!
Whilst there is the option to pick up some extremely budget-friendly golf balls, there are those that will set you back a pretty penny.
In this article, we want to explore whether it is worth parting with your hard-earned cash and investing in some of the most expensive golf balls in the world, or whether your game will be just as good using a much cheaper golf ball.
We will also be looking at some of the more expensive models and showing you just how much you can expect to pay.
Are The Most Expensive Golf Balls Worth It?
There is no denying that if you pay more, you’re going to get good quality, and this is indeed the case where golf balls are concerned.
There are, of course, products that are inferior and yet will still cost you an arm and a leg, but for the most part, an expensive golf ball will be a good investment.
An expensive golf ball is known to perform far better than one of their cheaper counterparts, and this means that you will play better.
If you’re competitive and want the edge over the other players – and let’s face it, who doesn’t, then you will need to be willing to spend a little more to get a good performing golf ball.
Take a look at how an expensive golf ball will change your game:
● For wedge shots, a more expensive ball will spin more. This is thanks to the manufacture and design on the ball with anything from two to six-piece construction and the new technology soft outer covers which are usually made from urethane.
● When teeing off, these balls have the technology to help them travel much greater distances, but you won’t lack the precision you need to stay on course.
● You get a much greater level of control when using a more expensive ball, and this is essential for most golfers who demand control around the greens, it must be noted that some golfers would be best to forgo this feature for the added distance that other golf balls can offer.
Why Are Expensive Golf Balls So Good?
We have seen how a more pricey golf ball can help make you hot more consistent golf shots and hopefully make you a more rounded and better golfer, but what is it that makes these balls so good? Surely, a ball is a ball?
Not necessarily.
Some of the most expensive golf balls in the world are made from entirely different materials than those that are kinder on your wallet.
Cheaper golf balls tend to be made with a two-piece Surlyn cover, and it’s commonly known that this is good for covering greater distances, but not so great on the green.
In contrast, the more expensive balls are fashioned with a multi-layer urethane cover which gives them greater diversity both off the tee and on the green.
In days gone by, the average hobby golfer may not have realised the vast difference between the two types of ball and may have frequently gone for the cheaper option – and who could blame them?
For instance, my dad loves to play Callaway golf balls when I have asked him which one he plays, he just states “Callaway”, I had to explain that the differences in the brand are huge and he needs to find one of the models he prefers and stick to it.
As we said, golf is an expensive hobby, so if you can save money, why wouldn’t you?
However, in more recent times, these weekend golf enthusiasts have discovered the benefits of the expensive golf and the performance the golf ball can bring, and as such, there has been a dramatic rise in the cost per dozen. So much so that, in the USA, since 2010, the price of a dozen balls has risen significantly, by $4. And that is just the average.
This doesn’t factor in the rising cost of the most expensive golf balls in the world.
You could always just use second chance golf balls, see the difference in this ARTICLE.
The Most Expensive Golf Balls In The World
Compared to some of the other things that you need to pay for as a golfer, balls are on the cheaper end of the scale.
That being said, when you can pick up a dozen for £10, some of the pricier options do seem a little out there.
Titleist Pro V1
Titleist is by far the best-known golf ball on the market, the marketing team at Titleist have done an amazing job branding this product to be the most used golf ball not just on the professional golf tours but within the amateur ranks.
The Titleist ProV1 is the golf ball that when you watch comparison videos from other brands or YouTube bloggers, it is always normally against this ball.
I have used the Pro V1 for many years and it is an amazing golf ball, that performs very well, it looks great, very premium and is a pleasure to play with.
Honma Future X
Honma burst onto the scene only a couple of years ago when they signed at the time world number 1 Justin Rose.
This partnership didn’t last very long and you can read the article HERE.
The Future X has a massive six-piece construction, and when the Titleist Pro V1 only has four and Taylormade TP5 has five, is a very bold statement.
I recently purchased some of these and they are very good performing ball and has the makings of a real premium golf ball with 326 dimples on the outer. The six pieces of this ball are
Cover: Soft polyurethane
Cover: Soft polyurethane
Layer 2: Highly resilience ionic polymer layer
Layer 3: High rebound layer
Layer 4: Intermediate soft layer
Layer 5: Soft layer
Core: Soft rubber core
Taylormade TP5
Taylormade has produced a fantastic golf ball, and have a very good pedigree of producing great performing golf balls, I was a huge fan of the TaylorMade Tour Preferred golf ball which was the last model before the TP5 was introduced.
This golf ball is gamed by the likes of Dustin Johnson, Rory Mcilroy and Rickie Fowler to name a few.
The golf ball has a five-layer construction, which incorporates the Taylormade Tri-Fast core which is designed to deliver more carry on your drives, and a very soft urethane cover for great control around the greens.
Special Golf Balls
Now, of course, buying the best golf balls for your game is essential if you want to be ahead of the competition, but sometimes, the occasion calls for something a little more special.
Aside from playable golf balls, some of the most expensive in the world come in the form of collectables, and some of the most enthusiastic golfers may find these irresistible, regardless of the price.
There are websites out there that are dedicated to bringing golf lovers some of the most remarkable antique golf balls on the market.
You’ll find single balls costing hundreds of pounds, but you are getting a little piece of golfing history, and that is truly priceless.
Furthermore, those with a passion for all things ancient may find that searching some of the auction sites such as eBay will yield amazing results.
Take, for example, this incredible feather golf ball that is more than 200 years old and comes with a price tag of more than £1600! Is it worth it?
If you like golf and have a good disposable income, perhaps it is.
If collectable relics aren’t your thing, there are many modern display golf balls such as the ones that have been clad in 24-carat gold – an excellent gift for the golf lover. These start at around £30 per ball, but this can double or even triple depending on where you buy them.
Conclusion
With golf being such an expensive hobby, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that golf balls aren’t the cheapest accessory.
That being said, they are often a lot less costly than some of the other things that golfers are required to purchase.
But does an expensive ball mean a good ball?
For the most part, yes, dearer golf balls do come with the advantage of giving you more control, better distance and an overall improved game.
So, it can be worth the investment.
Aside from playable golf balls, some of which can set you back a pretty penny, there are collectable golf balls that genuinely are some of the most expensive in the world.
But whether you are looking for a set of golf balls that will bring out the best in your swing or something to proudly display in your living room, the truth is, quality comes at a price.
If however you are looking at a cheaper alternative check out this article Best Golf Ball for Under 30
