14 Best Golf Balls for Intermediate Players (2021)

Most golfers know precisely how expensive golf balls can get. Therefore, getting the best value for money with every purchase is crucial—especially for intermediate players looking for golf balls that are the perfect fit for their skill level. What are the best golf balls for intermediate players?

The best golf balls for intermediate players are those where the feel and ball speed are prioritized. Options like the Titleist Tour Soft excel at balancing speed and spin, while others like the Bridgestone E12 Soft also add a high launch and straight trajectory into the equation.

The rest of the article will cover the best golf balls you can get today as an intermediate player. You’ll also find additional information that can help you make the best decisions on golf balls in the future.

Who Is an Intermediate Golf Player?

An intermediate golfer is exactly what it sounds like: someone who is between the expert and beginner levels in terms of golfing skills. If you can lose three balls on a par five in a session and then putt for eagle in another session, you’re intermediate.

You’ll also probably average between 80 and 92 when you are out on a par 72 course. If you do much better than this, you have left the intermediate class.

On the other hand, if you’re still well below, you should focus on upping your skills and shelve any handicap calculations for now.

An intermediate golfer won’t have a very high or very low handicap. Their standard range is around 7 to 27. Most intermediate golfers in the US have an average handicap of 16.1 for men.

For women, the numbers will vary slightly as their swing speeds are generally different from the numbers posted by men. So, they tend to have a lower average handicap.

In no particular order, here are 14 of the best golf balls you can find in the market today as an intermediate golfer:

Srixon Q-Star Tour 2

Pros

• It’s the ball to go with if you don’t mind giving up distance for a better feel.
• It’s one of the softest balls around the green.
• It’s designed to land and stick elegantly on the green.
• It’s one of the most affordable balls in its category.

Cons

• It’s not a good option to choose if some extra distance is important to you.
• Mishits may be worse with this ball as it holds spin extremely well.

Titleist Tour Soft

The playability of the ball is one of the best you will find in this price range.

Pros

• It comes with an updated dimple design, which has made the ball-flight a lot better.
• It delivers the softest feel you will find in its price range.
• It features an expanded core, which ensures better distance and spin while on the green.
• It is one of the softest landing balls you can get today.

Cons

• It is a bit more expensive.
• There are balls in its price range that are more explosive.

Bridgestone E12 Soft

It comes with an “Active Acceleration Mantle” layer designed to influence initial velocity and thrust, ultimately increasing your distance.

On the other hand, the low compression core ensures you can maintain control. The ball’s dimple design also reduces spin on long shots while ensuring that it still spins well around the green after landing softly.

Pros

• It is very soft around the green.
• It strikes a balance between maintaining good spin rates in your short game and reducing spin off the drive.
• The low compression core and acceleration mantle layer is a perfect tech combo for distance, launch, and excellent softness and feel.
• It ensures a straight trajectory as well as a very high launch.

Cons

• The balls are good for intermediate golfers but may not be the best for faster swing players.
• The ball flies high enough, but the compression rating of 50 means some balls will fly higher.

Callaway ERC Soft

It’s the perfect combination of distance and feel, a good example of Callaway’s commitment to remaining one of the industry’s most trusted brands.

Pros

• This is the longest golf ball from the brand within this price range.
• The added length doesn’t make the ball any less soft as it remains the softest in the company’s range.
• It comes with an advanced core that has been technologically enhanced to allow low compression while also delivering higher launch, higher ball speed, and less spin.

Cons

• The regular price may look exorbitant when compared to other options covered here.
• Some golfers argue that the features are not enough justification for the price, with other more expensive pro balls offering better value.

Wilson Staff Fifty Elite

With the design of the ball, you’re always in control of your shots. The product is a popular option because it delivers on everything it promises, for only a fraction of the price of other premium golf balls in the market today.

The Wilson Staff Fifty Elite balls can fly through the air easily thanks to the aerodynamic material they are made from. Therefore, your shots will cover the most distance possible in relation to your swing. You’ll have the opportunity to hit more birdies and eagles.

You’ll also have a better influence over your shots due to the rubber core, which has been improved to be 22% softer compared to other balls. This will give you a better influence over your shots. The ball’s two-piece construction makes it very durable.

Unlike many other brands covered in this list, the Wilson Staff Fifty Elite golf balls come in multiple colors. You can choose the options that appeal to you the most. These balls won’t compete with the most premium brands in the market today, but for an intermediate golfer, this is one of the best options you can go with if you’re looking for a reliable and affordable golf ball.

Pros

• It’s durable and affordable.
• It’s designed to give you ultimate control and maximum distance.
• It has a soft feel.

Cons

• It’s not the best option to go with if you’re looking for premium balls.

TaylorMade Tour Response

With the Taylormade Tour Response, you’ll get an affordable ball with technology geared towards providing excellent distance and softness.

Pros

• It has a low-compression, high spring core, which ensures a perfect balance between ball speed and softness.
• It is one of the most affordable within this group.
• The core is further enhanced by an extra casing layer to ensure low compression with high ball speed.
• The ball has a cast urethane cover designed for an increased spin around the green and enhanced durability.

Cons

• The ball has adequate feel and distance, but it won’t come out tops in any of those aspects.
• The affordability of the ball means it’s not equipped to be the best performer.

Bridgestone E6 Soft

Unlike other balls with a focus on distance, the E6 feels very soft to your strike. You don’t have to feel like you’ve hit little rocks on impact.

The ball’s ionomer cover means it won’t move like urethane-covered options while you’re out on the greens, but it still delivers a softer feel when compared to standard golf balls featuring 2-piece constructions.

The ball has built a reputation as one of the top options for intermediate golfers looking for more distance without the need for longer clubs.

Pros

• It’s designed for direction and distance.
• The ball allows you to hit shots that are also straighter.
• It’s one of the most popular golf balls in the market for intermediate golfers.

Cons

• It scuffs easily.
• Some golfers may find the alignment aids annoying.

Callaway SuperSoft

Away from the tee, you can count on the ball to cover a long distance. It also ensures a longer roll-out for most swing speeds.

Pros

• The Trionomer cover ensures a soft feel.
• It can deliver chips with more spin and longer drives, thanks to the low compression.
• It is competitively priced.

Cons

• It may feel too soft if you have an older putter that comes with inserts.

Snell MTB Black

Most intermediate golfers agree that it is a very good product that always delivers.

Pros

• It has a durable urethane cover.
• It delivers a great spin on approaches as well on chip shots.
• It’s often compared to premium golf balls like the Pro V.

Cons

• The price can be a bit cheaper.

Taylormade Project (a)

The ball’s exterior features a urethane cover, which makes all the difference when the ball is spinning. This is balanced by the low compression core, which ensures more distance. Hitting 80 or 90 will not be too difficult with this.

The urethane cover on the Taylormade Project (a) gives it the quick-stopping and grippy properties you’d expect from a Tour ball. You don’t have to worry about your pitches and chips failing to stop or bounding too far off the pin.

With a low 70 compression, the ball reduces spin just enough without affecting your ability to shape some shots effectively.

Pros

• The overall constructions of the balls make them very durable.
• You can count on them to deliver straighter flights when compared to other balls.
• They are moderately priced.

Cons

• They aren’t the highest launching balls around.
• You won’t get that pop sound when you hit the ball with a club.

Srixon Soft Feel

It’s another ball that comes in different colors, so you can choose brighter colors if you’re always having problems with finding balls after you hit them. With the Srixon Soft Feel, intermediate golfers will be able to increase their shot distances in general.

Pros

• It offers excellent movement and spin control.
• It’s a great option if you want a better distance.
• It’s not too hard or too soft.
• The ball is a good option for playing chip shots.
• It’s an excellent ball for intermediate players. 

Cons

• As your game improves, you’ll want a better ball.

Callaway Warbird

The aerodynamics of this golf ball also means that it performs well even in windy conditions.

The ball’s larger soft core means that it can deliver a higher level of exit velocity when hit than other golf balls in its price range. This is how it achieves more distance. It’s best for intermediate players that are not too worried about ball spin.

Pros

• It’s moderately priced.
• It delivers a good distance off the tee.
• It performs excellently in high wind conditions.

 Cons

• The feel isn’t close to the best in its category.

Titleist Pro V1

In terms of design, this golf ball features a tetrahedral dimple and is tiled spherically. The outer layer has a cover made of soft urethane elastomer. The design means you’re sure of getting great resistance and durability with this ball. 

Pros

• It improves the distance you can cover with shots.
• The product is from a respected brand.
• It’s excellent for playing on green courses.
• It’s highly durable. 

Cons

• You can only get the Pro V1 in white.
• It’s expensive in comparison to the other options we have covered here.

Ultimate Distance Nitro

It comes with a titanium core rated as super active, which means you can hit long-distance shots quite easily. This is because the ball is designed to optimize the energy movement between your golf ball and the club head.

The ball also offers excellent stability while in flight, so tracing it is easy. With the aerodynamics of the ball’s dimple construction, you’ll enjoy more ascendance on shots while reducing the overall drag required for promoting distant shots.

The ball is made more robust outside, using a material known as “Dupont Surlyn.” The manufacturers say that it is responsible for enhancing the durability and overall resilience of the ball.

A pack of this ball contains 15 pieces, and there are three colors you can choose from: yellow, orange, and white. Many people go with yellow because it offers the best overall visibility.

Pros

• It’s one of the most affordable golf balls for intermediates.
• Its design makes it ideal for driving.
• There are different colors to choose from. 

Cons

• Some users have claimed that it’s not quite as durable as others in this category.

Important Characteristics to Watch Out for When Choosing a Golf Ball

We’ve listed some of the best golf balls for intermediate golfers above, but what if you’d like to make your findings outside our list? What characteristics should you look out for? We’ll cover them below.

• Distance covered: This characteristic was a regular feature on our list because it’s important. What kind of distance should you expect from the ball? The balls are tested with a machine to get a distance rating. So, you should choose an option that delivers the level of distance you’re looking for.
• Construction pieces: Golf balls fall between 1-piece and 5-piece construction. The higher the number of materials used in the construction, the better the balance between the spin, feel, and distance. As you slide up the quality scale, however, the cost of the ball will also increase.
• Ball spin: Machine guided clubs are also used to test golf balls for spin. You can purchase a ball with either a low, mid, or high spin, but your typical swing should guide your choice. If you have a strong swing but can’t control where it will land, go with a lower spin ball. The lower the spin, the greater the level of control you’ll have. If you have no control issues but want to improve your draw or carry, get a mid to high spin ball.
• Ball feel: Explaining a golf ball’s feel might be difficult, but it’s something everyone that’s been on a golf course has experienced. It’s a mix of things, including how the golf ball bounces off the club, the sound it makes on contact, how it lands and sits on the green, and how it responds to your fade or draw attempts.
• Durability: A durable golf ball will react and travel the same way on the 60th strike like it did on the 6th strike. However, you may ignore this characteristic if you don’t care about losing your balls or buying a new dozen for every game week. If you want to save money and know how to avoid losing golf balls, you should focus on finding durable options.

Important Questions You Should Answer When Buying Golf Balls

Before you spend money on a box of golf balls, there are a few questions you should answer that can help you save money or just make a better decision overall.

What Is Your Budget?

While talking about the golf balls’ pros and cons above, we mentioned that some of them are affordable, while others are a bit pricier—however, this is purely based on current dollar terms. 

You may be willing to spend a bit more on your golf balls compared to the next person. Are you just about okay with spending $20 on a set of golf balls, or are you open to going as high as $60? Make up your mind on a budget first, and you can whittle down a list quickly.

How Many Balls Do You Lose for Each Round?

If you lose several balls with each round of golf, you probably shouldn’t buy a Pro V1 box just yet.

Stick to the cheaper options first as you learn so that you won’t spend a lot of money on balls while you’re still learning, or spend too much time trawling through the course in search of balls you’ve hit well off course.

If you don’t mind leaving the ball behind, you’ll be under considerably less pressure.

What Course Type Do You Practice on Mostly?

As a rule of thumb, you should use cheaper balls when practicing on more difficult courses. Losing your balls in difficult tracks is very easy. However, if you’re taking part in a competition, feel free to use the best ball possible for the occasion.

How Is Your Consistency Currently?

If you’re not yet consistent, buying the best golf ball in the market today won’t change your consistency and make you a better player. You should focus on other important aspects of your game first and only start looking towards the ball when it’s clear that you need it to help you reduce your scores.

Are You Competing or Playing for Fun?

If you’re always playing for fun, you can be a bit laxer with your golf ball choices. Any kind of balls should work. For a competition, it makes sense to choose a ball that is as close to what you’ll use on the day as possible, if not the same.

Final Words

As an intermediate golfer, there are a few good golf balls made for people within your skill level. Ultimate Distance Nitro and Taylormade Tour Response are two popular examples that are highly rated, but we’ve also looked at a few cheaper options. If you feel you’re in the intermediate level’s higher rungs, or you want to jump straight to the high end, you should go with the Titleist Pro V1.

Don’t forget to go over your chosen ball’s features to ensure it matches your unique needs. Even aesthetics like the color of the ball can also be a deal-breaker.