New golf balls of 2021 for every budget and handicap

Plenty of golfers think a golf ball is just a golf ball. “They’re all white, round and sit on the ground,” they chime. But smart golfers know that’s not true.

Trying to find the best golf ball for your game and budget can be a challenge, whether you’re a scratch player or just starting out. And while it’s true that the right golf ball won’t transform you into a pro, it can make a big difference in what you see off the tee and around the green.

Most well-made golf balls are built in layers featuring a soft rubber core with a thin and durable cover made from either Surlyn, which is great for durability, or urethane for extra spin on chips, pitches and shots hit into the green.

With so many options to choose from and a variety of pricing tiers, it sometimes can feel just as difficult to purchase the correct golf ball as it is to consistently turn in a solid scorecard. Depending on your budget and what you are looking for from your ball, we’ve identified our favorite golf balls for 2021 to help any player improve their score:

Bridgestone e6 - $21.99-$23.99 per dozen

Bridgestone e6 golf balls (Bridgestone)

Gear: Bridgestone e6 golf balls (2021) Price: $21.99 per dozen at Golf Galaxy and $23.99 at Dick's Specs: Two-piece, Surlyn-covered ball. White and optic yellow What we said: In his review, Golfweek's David Dusek wrote: "The e6 does not produce much spin off the tee. That should not only help moderate-swinging players get more distance, it should also help reduce sidespin that results in hooks and slices, so the ball flies straighter." An everyman's ball: Dating back to the first e6 ball released 15 years ago, Bridgestone has designed the ball with recreational golfers in mind, crafting it for moderate- and slower-swinging golfers who want more distance. Buy them: $21.99 per dozen at Golf Galaxy and $23.99 at Dick's

Bridgestone e12 - $29.99 per dozen

Bridgestone e12 Contact golf balls (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Bridgestone e12 Contact golf balls Price: $29.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy Specs: Three-piece Surlyn-covered balls available in white, matte red, matte yellow and matte green What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "In the e12 Contact ball, contact refers to something new. The core and the casing layer have not changed meaningfully, and if you hold an e12 Contact in your hand and look at it quickly, you might not notice anything different either. But if you look closely, something jumps out: The dimples are different. They are partially filled, with a raised, circular section in the center of each dimple. What are Contact Force dimples? The filled-in dimples increase surface contact with the clubface by up to 38 percent, creating a more efficient transfer of energy for higher speed on tee shots and reduced spin to cut down curvature of shots. Buy them: $29.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy

Callaway Chrome Soft X LS - $48 per dozen

Callaway Chrome Soft X LS golf balls (Callaway)

Callaway Chrome Soft X LS golf ball Price: $47.99 per dozen at Callaway or Dick's Specs: Four-piece, urethane-covered ball. Available in white or yellow and with Triple Track alignment lines What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "The Chrome Soft X, a four-piece ball with a urethane cover, is the most-played Callaway ball on the PGA Tour, and it was the inspiration for the Chrome Soft X LS. The new low-spin version also features a large core, a dual mantle system and a proprietary urethane cover to enhance spin around the greens." What does "LS" mean? "LS" stands for "low spin." Buy them: $47.99 per dozen at Callaway or Dick's

Callaway ERC Soft - $34.99 per dozen

The Callaway ERC Soft (Callaway Golf)

Gear: Callaway ERC Soft golf balls Price: $34.99 per dozen at Callaway or Golf Galaxy Specs: Three-piece ball with a single core and mantle layer under a hybrid ionomer cover. Available in white and yellow. What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "The new ERC Soft has a large, high-energy core that provides more distance off the tee while generating less spin. That makes it ideal for golfers who want to hit the ball far and straight, and who rarely look to shape shots." What is the Paraloid cover? Traditional ionomer and Surlyn covers make balls faster and more durable. Paraloid is added to this cover material as an impact modifier, making it less prone to deforming or breaking. Buy them: $34.99 per dozen at Callaway or Golf Galaxy

Srixon Q-Star Tour Divide - $32.99 per dozen

The Q-Star Tour Divide's coloration creates a 360-degree alignment line on the greens. (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Srixon Q-Star Tour Divide golf balls Price: $32.99 from Golf Galaxy or Carl's GolfLand Specs: Three-piece, urethane-covered ball with matte yellow and orange coloration What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "The Q-Star Tour Divide is a three-piece ball with a core that is very soft in the center that becomes gradually firmer in its outer areas. Srixon calls it a FastLayer core, and it helps provide a soft feel and more ball speed." Why is it two colors? The high-visibility colors not only make it easier to track in flight and on the ground, but the two-tone coloration also makes it easier to see the spin on chip and pitch shots. On the green, the split colors can act as an alignment aid and reveal the quality of your roll. Buy them: $32.99 from Golf Galaxy or Carl's GolfLand

Srixon Z-Star, Z-Star XV - $42.99 per dozen

Srixon Z-Star XV (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Srixon Z-Star, Z-Star XV golf balls Price: $42.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy Specs: Three-piece, urethane-covered ball (Z-Star); Four-piece, urethane-covered ball (Z-Star XV). Available in white and yellow. What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "The core (of the Z-Star) is encased in a mid-layer, which has been made firmer, then covered by an updated urethane cover. Srixon gave the ball a new 338-dimple pattern that the company said will make it more aerodynamic and better able to bore through the wind. The cover itself also is slightly thicker, so the grooves in short irons and wedges should be able to grab it more effectively to generate spin on approach shots, chips and pitch shots." What is different about the XV? Srixon put a greater emphasis on increasing distance with the Z-Star XV. Both balls will fly slightly lower than the previous generation, but the Z-Star XV will still fly higher than the Z-Star. Buy them: $42.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy

TaylorMade TP5, TP5x - $48 per dozen

The 2021 TaylorMade TP5x ball (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: TaylorMade TP5, TP5x, TP5 Pix (2021) Price: $48 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy Specs: Five-layer, urethane-covered balls What we said: In our review for Golfweek, David Dusek wrote "To improve aerodynamics, TaylorMade developed what it calls a Tour Flight Dimple Pattern. To the naked eye the dimples look the same, but in reality, they are shallower and the walls of the dimples are steeper. Those may not seem like meaningful details, but TaylorMade said that as the ball rises off the tee, the shallower dimples reduce drag for increased speed." Which ball to get? Dusek wrote that: "The TP5 will still feel slightly softer than the TP5x because it has a lower overall compression, and it will still produce more greenside spin and fly lower off the tee than the TP5x." Buy them: $48 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy

Titleist Pro V1, Pro V1x - $49.99 per dozen

The three-piece Titleist Pro V1 (Titleist)

Gear: Titleist Pro V1, Pro V1x (2021) Price: $49.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy Specs: Three-piece, urethane-covered ball (Pro V1); four-piece, urethane-covered ball (Pro V1x) What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "Off the tee and from the fairway with longer clubs, golfers can expect the new Pro V1 to boost ball speed and fly slightly higher (than the previous Pro V1). Around the greens, the softer cover can be grabbed by the grooves in wedges and short irons more easily, resulting in more spin and control. And with the firmer casing layer and softer core canceling each other out, the softer cover also should create a softer feel for golfers on every shot." Did you know? The latest version of the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x are the most-played golf balls on the PGA Tour, LPGA and every other professional circuit. Buy them: $49.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy

Wilson Staff Model R - $44.99 per dozen

Wilson Staff Model R golf ball (David Dusek/Golfweek)

Gear: Wilson Staff Model R golf balls Price: $44.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy Specs: Four-piece construction with a cast urethane cover What we said: In his review, David Dusek wrote: "It’s a four-piece ball that features a synthetic rubber core that is encased in a dual-mantle system. The inner mantle is designed using the same soft, DuPont-created HPF material found in the Wilson Staff Duo Urethane ball, while the firmer outer mantle is made from an ionomer material. Working together, the core and dual-mantle system help to create more ball speed, especially with woods and long irons, for increased distance." No paint? Instead of applying paint to the finished ball, Wilson has retained the raw urethane on the top, so the Staff Model R does not have a shiny, glossy appearance. According to the company, paint can pool in the dimples and make them less aerodynamically efficient. Buy them: $44.99 per dozen at Dick's or Golf Galaxy We occasionally recommend interesting products, services, and gaming opportunities. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Golfweek operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

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