Are Soft Golf Balls Good for Distance?
A soft golf ball is not automatically a shorter one, and where the distance goes depends on how fast you swing. If your driver speed sits under about 90 mph, a low compression ball such as the Callaway Supersoft is often longer than a tour ball, because you can actually squash the core and let it spring back. If you swing past 100 mph, that same ball can cost you a few yards off the tee while still giving you a softer feel around the greens. Compression decides who gets the extra yards, not how soft the ball feels in your hand.
- Soft means a low compression core, which is a separate thing from a soft cover.
- Slow swings gain distance from a soft ball, fast swings lose a few yards with one.
- As a rough guide, anyone under 90 mph with the driver should start in the 35 to 60 compression band.
- Soft balls fly higher and spin more, which is where the lost yards turn up on a windy day.
🔑 Low compression golf balls for high handicappers 📚 What golf balls should a beginner use
What soft actually means on a golf ball
Compression is a number that describes how much the core squashes at impact before it springs back. A low number means a softer core, and the widest-selling soft balls sit somewhere between 35 and 60. Tour balls run from around 90 into the low 100s, and they are built that way because a fast swing has enough speed to deform a firmer core properly.
Feel and compression are not the same measurement. A ball can feel soft off the putter because of a soft cover while still carrying a firm, high compression core that needs speed to work. That is why a premium tour ball can feel lovely on the green and still fly short for a slow swing.
The rules are written around fast swings too. The R&A and USGA measure conformance under the Overall Distance Standard with a machine swinging at 120 mph, a figure that rises to 125 mph from January 2028. That is roughly a tour player's speed, which means a ball can be at its limit in a test and still be the wrong choice for a weekend swing.
Where a soft ball gives you extra yards
At slower swing speeds the ball is the problem, not your technique. A firmer core barely deforms when a 80 mph swing hits it, so the ball leaves the face with less ball speed than the clubhead could deliver. A low compression ball deforms more easily and returns more of that energy, which is why soft balls tend to launch higher and carry further for slower swings.
Soft two-piece balls also keep spin down off the driver, because the firm ionomer cover grips the face less than a urethane one. Lower spin means less of the shot is lost to a ballooning flight, and more of it turns into roll when the fairways are firm. For a golfer who normally hits a low, running drive, that combination is worth several yards a hole.
There is a feel benefit that shows up in the score rather than the carry. A soft ball does not sting on a thin strike, and golfers who are not worried about their hands tend to swing more freely. If you want the full picture on which balls suit a slower swing, our roundup of low compression balls for higher handicappers covers nine of them.
Where a soft ball costs you distance
Above roughly 100 mph with the driver, the soft core over-deforms and stops returning energy efficiently. Ball speed drops, the flight climbs, and into a wind the extra height and spin turn a decent drive into a short one. If you already hit the ball a long way, a soft ball is the single easiest way to give yards back without noticing.
Soft does not mean straight either. A low compression ball still spins sideways off a glancing strike, so it will not fix a slice, and it will not add forgiveness that the clubface was not going to give you anyway. Ball choice is a fine-tuning tool rather than a fix for a swing fault.
On short shots the trade runs the other way. A urethane cover ball is the one that grips the grooves and stops on a firm green, while a low compression two-piece ball releases and runs out. That is the honest cost of the cheap soft ball, and it matters more once you are hitting greens in regulation.
The swing speed guide
The bands below are a starting point rather than a fitting session, and they assume a driver rather than an iron. If you do not know your speed, work backwards from carry: a common rule of thumb puts carry at roughly 2.4 yards for every 1 mph of clubhead speed, so a 200 yard carry points to a swing in the low 80s.
| Driver swing speed | Compression to look for | What it does for you |
|---|---|---|
| Under 80 mph | 35 to 50 | Highest launch and the most carry from a slow swing |
| 80 to 90 mph | 45 to 60 | The sweet spot, with distance and feel both working |
| 90 to 100 mph | 60 to 80 | Soft still plays, though a firmer ball holds its line better |
| Over 100 mph | 80 and up | A soft ball starts costing yards and adding spin |
Winter shifts the whole table down one row. Cold, dense air shortens every shot, and a soft ball is easier to compress on a frosty morning, so plenty of UK golfers switch to a low compression ball from November and accept the loss that comes from the temperature itself. Cleaning the mud off the ball as you go matters for the same reason, and our guide to cleaning used golf balls covers the two-minute routine.
Soft golf balls worth playing in the UK
Prices come from Amazon UK listings checked on 29 September 2026 and they move with pack size and colour, so check the listing before you order. The first five are the soft end of the market, and the second five are for golfers who want distance first.
- Srixon Soft Feel - cheapest genuine low compression dozen on this list, about £17.99.
- Callaway Supersoft 2025 - the ball that made soft cores mainstream for amateur drivers, about £24.95.
- Wilson Duo Soft - among the softest cores you can buy, which suits the slowest swings, about £22.95.
- TaylorMade SpeedSoft - soft cover over a firmer speed layer, so it holds up past 90 mph, about £28.95.
- Titleist TruFeel - the softest ball Titleist sells, and the cheapest route into the brand, about £24.95.
- Callaway Hex Soft - an older two-piece model that still undercuts everything else here, about £17.35.
- Srixon AD333 - distance written into the brief, so it flies lower than the soft picks, about £22.95.
- TaylorMade Distance+ - the firmest and most direct ball on the list, about £19.50.
- Titleist Velocity - low flight and firm feel, built around total yardage, about £26.95.
- Titleist Pro V1 - the tour benchmark, and the clearest example of compression you pay for, about £49.95.
The Srixon Soft Feel is the sensible first soft ball for most weekend golfers, because it is the cheapest way to feel what a low compression core does without spending tour-ball money. The Titleist Pro V1 sits at the other end of the shelf entirely, and it is worth playing only if you already swing fast enough to compress it.
Frequently asked questions
Do soft golf balls go further?
For most golfers swinging a driver under about 90 mph, yes, because a low compression core deforms more at impact and returns more of the energy. Past about 100 mph the same ball starts to lose ball speed, so the answer flips with the swing.
What compression counts as soft?
Anything under about 60 sits in the soft bracket, and the best-selling soft models sit between 35 and 50. Tour balls run from about 90 into the low 100s and need more speed to work properly.
Are soft golf balls better in winter?
They are easier to compress on a cold morning, so a low compression ball is a sensible winter choice. You will still lose yards to the low temperature, because the loss comes from the air rather than the ball.
Do soft golf balls spin more?
A soft cover spins more on short shots, which is why tour players want one around the greens, while a low compression two-piece ball usually spins less off the driver. Cover material controls spin far more than compression does.
Should a beginner use a soft golf ball?
Yes in nearly every case, because most beginners swing slower than 90 mph and a softer core helps get the ball airborne. Our guide to what golf balls a beginner should use goes through the options by price.
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Last reviewed: September 29, 2026 · Evidence-based content · Contains affiliate links