Our best golf balls for the money 2021-2022 article is the last of our core golf ball rankings lists. We have gone through a ton of testing and number crunching to get to this point and hope that you have found something that suited your game. We did decide to have a little fun with this one when trying to give you the options that will get you the most bang for your buck.
Like all of the other ball reviews, the 2021-22 format, limits our gear comparisons to a two-year cycle. Since most manufacturers are not releasing a yearly version, we have found this helps align a little better with manufacturers product life cycles. And while doing so it keeps us comparing the latest gear on the market.
Our best golf balls for the money rankings, like all of our 2021-2022 golf ball reviews, uses ball performance standard deviations as the baseline for comparison. We calculate these deviations for several key metrics so to best measure the balls relative performance. We believe this helps filter out any tendencies to incorporate any personal biases into the rankings. Now more than ever the numbers do the talking. We have done a similar exercise with this year’s golf bag reviews and found it extremely useful.
The best golf balls for the money 2021-2022 ranking intends to give you the best options for overall ball performance for dollar spent. To do so we did have to make a certain set of assumptions to come up our formula.
- All swing speed data is given an equal weight
- Low driver spin is preferred
- High mid iron to wedge spin is preferred
- High angle of decent for mid iron to wedge is preferred
- High total carry distance for all clubs is preferred
- High total distance for all clubs is preferred
- Only driver ball speed is included as a metric
- High driver ball speed is preferred
- All metrics included are given an equal weight
- The overall score is then evaluated against the RRSP of each ball to come up with a ball ranking.
Now we did make a minor tweak with our results list. Normally we do limit our rankings to a top 3 but here we will propose the top option for each of our price categories (budget, standard, premium) as well as the absolute winner. The reason is simple. If we did not there would only be budget balls on the list. The fact that there is an exponential difference in price in comparison to the relative difference in performance makes it impossible for the premium ball to compete.
You might want to start estimating just how many strokes you think that premium ball is saving you. Based on how many balls you lose per round your cost per stroke saved might make you think is better served on a lesson than donating another ProV1 to the deep woods
So here are our best golf balls for the money options for 2021-2022….
Best overall golf ball for the money 2021-2022
Kirkland Performance+ v2.0
Score: 4.98
Many may doubt our judgement when they see the Kirkland Performance+ v2.0 atop of our best balls for the money ranking. But to be honest it wasn’t even close. It’s score of 4.98 was almost 3 times greater than the best option in the premium balls segment. Here money does matter and what the Kirkland Performance+ v2.0 may give up in some performance categories it more than compensates for bang for buck.
For an average golfer who may lose 3-4 balls on a given day to add an extra 20 dollars in balls to the green fee makes little sense. While some review sites may try to be critical of the consistency of production, I would say that for the average golfer this is immaterial. None the less this latest iteration of Kirkland’s Performance+ ball is more reliable as far as quality goes.
The only critical point I would put out there is that this is a high spinning golf ball. If you do struggle with too much spin this might not be the best option for you to put on the tee. It is however a mid to low flight ball that can help mitigate some of the spin issues when having the ball higher up in the sky.
When you only roughly spend $1.50 for a golf ball that actually is very competitive across many of the most important golf ball metrics for there really is not much criticism that is warranted. Instead, Kirkland should be applauded for putting to market a ball that is very well suited as a viable option for many golfers.
Our results and remarks:
- 70th percentile ball speeds for mid to top range of swing speeds
- Top range of spin in both driver and irons
- 50th percentile in peak height
- Effectively may be giving up 10% optimal ball performance against while gaining up to 300% in price
Manufacturers remarks:
The Kirkland Signature Performance Plus is encased in a soft urethane cover that provides a responsive putting feel, excellent greenside control and longer-lasting durability. The low compression highly elastic rubber core provides a soft feel with high speed, while the 338-dimple pattern provides a penetrating ball trajectory. In addition the speed boosting mantle is optimized with three-piece construction to control spin with long irons while generating high spin on short irons for control around the green.
- Core – Soft and highly elastic core to maximize distance
- Mantle – Interacts with soft cover to generate optimized spin for iron and wedge shots
- Cover – Durable urethane cover for spin and greenside control
- 3-piece Urethane Cover Golf Ball
- 24 count
- Conforms with USGA and R&A Rules
- Maximum distance
- High spin for short game
Best premium priced golf ball for the money 2021-2022
Srixon Z-Star
Score 1.97
This year’s Srixon ball line-up has really performed well in testing. As such, we were not surprised when the Srixon Z-Star came out on top for our choice as best premium priced golf ball for the money 2021-2022.
Its solid testing metric results coupled with a price that comes in at the bottom of our premium price range gave it just enough to surpass its nearest in category competitor, Titleist’s AVX, which scored a 1.92 on our scale.
Playable at a wider range of swing speeds, as compared to the Z-Star XV, it’s test results scored better across the spectrum. Since many golfer’s really are either not aware of their swing speeds or are not consistent enough to be dialed in to a specific range the Z-Star offers a very adaptable playability for a full array of golfers.
Our results and remarks:
- 80th+ percentile average driver carry yards across all swing speeds.
- 75th percentile average driver total yards across all swing speeds.
- High percentile driver launch results across all swing speeds
- Low percentile driver spin results across all swing speeds
- High peak height and descent angle for optimal approach
Manufacturers remarks:
MAX GREENSIDE SPIN
Refuse compromise; demand the best. From its molecules to its dimples, we’ve pushed every feature of the Z-STAR to its limit. We stopped at nothing to achieve ultimate performance because we know you’ll do the same on every tee shot, chip, and putt.
FASTLAYER CORE
Soft at its center yet firm around its edge, FastLayer Core gives you speed and great feel so you can play with confidence and big distance. A special heat treatment bakes speed into the outer portions of the core yet leaves the center satisfyingly soft. And the transition from soft to firm happens gradually, giving you consistent performance shot-to-shot, club-to-club.
URETHANE COVER & SPIN SKIN WITH SERM
Every Z-STAR Series golf ball features an extra thin, thermoplastic urethane cover. For even more spin and control, we add our Spin Skin coating. This additional layer of urethane is only a few microns thick, but it uses Slide-Ring Material (SeRM) to increase friction and maximize spin on chips and pitches.
338 SPEED DIMPLE PATTERN
With their new, deeper dimensions, the redesigned 338 Speed Dimples on each Z-STAR Series golf ball punch through air for a penetrating launch. After launch, the dimples generate lift, driving the ball upward and maximizing glide distance during descent.
- NEW FastLayer Core Starts soft in the center and gradually becomes firm around its edge, giving high-speed players exceptional feel and plenty of ball speed for maximum distance.
- NEW Spin Skin with SeRM A new, thicker thermoplastic urethane cover features Spin Skin with SeRM, a durable coating with flexible molecular bonds. It digs deep into wedge and iron grooves, maximizing spin for more control and more stopping power.
- NEW 338 Speed Dimple Pattern Less drag and more lift boosts overall distance and flies straight, even in the toughest wind conditions.
- 3 pc Premium Golf Ball
Best standard priced golf ball for the money 2021-2022
Titleist Velocity
Score: 2.93
We had Titleist’s velocity pegged on one of our previous rankings list as a perfect fit for those beginners or high handicappers looking for a decent golf ball that will perform and not break the bank. When we broke the numbers down across the full set of metrics and swing speeds its performance was more than solid and found its way to the top of another ranking narrowly edging out another Titleist ball, the True Feel with a score of 2.83.
It is a no nonsense, no frill ball that will get you to where you need go. And for those of you will bigger swings, no worries it handles a solid punch. Not sure? Well, it finding its way to 5th spot on our 2021 Off Pist List would tend to suggest that there are many other golfers who are making it their ball of choice.
Our results and remarks:
- Statistics based on average of all swing speeds
- 90th percentile average driver ball speed
- 83rd percentile peak height
- 81st percentile total yards
- Average launch
- 2-piece ball construction very playable for high handicappers
- Durable Ionomer cover for max resistance
Manufacturers remarks:
Bring full throttle distance to your game with New Titleist® Velocity™ golf balls. Engineered for high speed, high launch and low long game spin for explosive distance.
Benefits
- Longer Distance
- Extremely Low Long Game Spin
- High Flight on All Shots
- Playable Greenside Feel
Features
- New Higher Speed LSX Core
- Faster NaZ+ Cover
- Spherically-Tiled 350 Octahedral Dimple Design
- Longer Distance
- Extremely Low Long Game Spin
- Greater Iron Stoppability
- High Flight On All Shots
- Playable Greenside Feel
Best budget priced golf ball for the money 2021-2022
Callaway Warbird
Score: 4.2
With Kirkland Performance+ v2.0 taking the overall top spot it left Callaway’s Warbird enough space to slide in as a lucky loser and grab top spot for the best budget priced golf balls for the money.
Our results and remarks:
- Statistics based on average of all swing speeds
- 85th percentile average driver ball speed
- 90th percentile peak height
- 77th percentile total yards
- High launch
- 2-piece ball construction very playable for high handicappers
- Durable Ionomer cover for max resistance
Manufacturers remarks:
The Warbird Golf Ball is engineered for long distance and maximum speed from a high energy core, and a 2-piece construction. It also promotes high launch with feel and control to go along with all that distance. If you’re looking to hit the ball farther, try the new Callaway Warbird.
Long Distance
Engineered for maximum ball speed through the bag. The extra-large, high-energy core is highly compressible to unlock more potential distance at any swing speed.
High Launch & Long Carry
HEX Aerodynamics reduces drag and promotes increased launch for more speed, hang time and distance.
Supreme Feel & Control
The optimized ionomer cover and large core combine to create great feel and greenside control in a 2-piece design.
- The Warbird Golf Ball is engineered for maximum ball speed through the bag. The extra-large, high-energy core is highly compressible to unlock more potential distance at any swing speed.
- HEX Aerodynamics reduces drag and promotes increased launch for more speed, hang time and distance.
- The optimized ionomer cover and large core combine to create great feel and greenside control in a 2-piece design.
- Sport type: Golf
