Best Personalized Golf Balls

Best Personalized Golf Balls

Some people want to go about their business relatively anonymously on the golf course; others want to make a bit more of a splash, whether it’s loud clothing, fancy clubs or one of those electric trolleys that follows you around like a super-obedient dog. It's also become more and more possible over the last few years to play a golf ball that stands out a little from the crowd. An ever wider palette of colors has become available and more golfers have embraced the idea that golf balls that are a bit different can actually be a good thing.

It’s no longer the case that ‘real’ golfers play only white golf balls, with even some of the very best golf balls on the market – like Titleist’s Pro V1 and Srixon’s Z-Star – now available in yellow. If you want to dip your toe into 'personalization' via color alone, you’ll find plenty more yellow balls of varying shades in our guide to the best yellow golf balls. Several of those balls, along with those in our other ball guides, also have other color options available.

That said, in most golfing circles, you’ll probably still find that ten times as many people stick to classic white models… which means any time you opt for a touch of color you’re effectively adding a bit of personality to your ammo. Of course, you can personalize your golf ball to the ‘nth degree yourself if you’re a dab-hand with a Sharpie or want to go down the DIY route with some of the transfers or stamps available on the market. We cover a number of such options in this story about how to personalize your golf balls.

Here, however, we’re focusing on golf balls you can buy off the shelf that boast varying degrees of readymade personalization via distinctive markings or unusual color options, along with info about the golf ball customization programs on offer from Titleist, TaylorMade and Vice Golf…

Golf balls with distinctive markings

Certain golf balls with distinctive markings are now available from Callaway, TaylorMade and others helping you stand out from the crowd when it comes to golf ball choice...

First up on this list is the Truvis design from Callaway, which has been part of the Callaway range for a while now. These ball feature the iconic Truvis markings that make them look like mini-footballs and are designed to heighten your focus on the ball and provide added visibility in flight and when searching for your golf ball. They can also help you see how much the ball is spinning on shorter shots around the green. That being said you can also get Callaway golf balls with other markings on the ball as well, such as the Shamrock design pictured above.

These Truvis markings come on the new Chrome Soft golf balls and with that, you get Tour-level performance. During testing, off the tee it produced a good mixture of high launch with relatively low spin which therefore offered impressive distance. Around the green, we noticed the soft feel and we loved the muted sound through impact. In conclusion, the Callaway Chrome Soft for 2022 is a good all-around golf ball and the Truvis markings are well worth a try. If you're a fan of the Callaway brand, why not also take a look at some of the other best Callaway golf balls on the market. 

• Read our full Callaway Chrome Soft Golf Ball Review 

Next up is the Pix from TaylorMade. The design here revolves around the ClearPath alignment markings which come into their own on the greens. The way they have been laid out and positioned will give you immediate feedback as to the quality of your putting stroke both in play and in practice. If you line up using the TaylorMade logo, the dark orange markings should form two straight lines on perfectly struck putts. The two contrasting colors in the graphics are said to make them more visible in different light conditions.

Like the Chrome Soft, the TP5x is a well-used ball on Tour because when compared with the regular TP5 it remains the firmer of the two models, and it is faster, longer and higher launching in the right hands. But a new, slightly softer, cast urethane cover helps it grip wedge grooves better for increased spin and a lower launch around the greens.

For those after something other than a traditional white golf ball, the Volvik Vivid Marvel golf ball stands out from the crowd, especially in the purple ‘Black Panther’ version. The ball comes in six color options and each represent one of the main characters from Marvel's Avengers films. They bring an element of novelty value to the golf ball. It also shouldn’t be forgotten that Volvik’s Vivid is a very decent-performing three-piece ball. 

Although, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the Marvel connection adds a very significant premium to the price, but as something that might just get someone young really into the game… or, indeed, make a suitable gift for a more mature Marvel fan, then why not? The ball itself delivers solid long-game performance with a strong ball flight and impressive overall distance, as well as reasonable performance around the greens.

• Read our full Volvik Vivid Marvel Golf Ball Review

TaylorMade love to start new trends and the Tour Response Stripe epitomizes their commitment to developing new golf technology. Similar to the TP5 Pix released in 2021, the standout feature of this golf ball is its striking design that looks to assist golfers with their alignment on the greens. The inclusion of the big yellow stripe around the ball might not be to everyone's taste, but it does have a purpose of assisting golfers in calibrating the angle of their putts while also helping players assess the quality of that stroke. 

For example, when we hit a putt sweetly and at the right speed, we noticed the strip cleanly rolled end-over-end. When we hit the ball crooked, the yellow line turned to a blur around the golf ball. This level of instantaneous feedback is a unique feature of this golf ball and can really help you save shots around the greens. 

Being made of the same composition, the Stripe performs in a similar manner to the Tour Response ball, enabling golfers to reach long distances off the tee thanks to its three-piece casing. Overall, it is an excellent all-around golf ball that is great for players looking to work on their short game and maximize distance from the tee. 

• Read our full TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe Review

The latest version of Callaway’s ERC Soft is packed with new technology and features designed to make it Callaway’s longest soft-feeling ball. It features Callaway's largest ever Graphene-infused Dual SoftFast Core, with the larger inner core maximizing compression energy at impact. This keeps driver spin down and helps generate a high launch for more yards. A new multi-material cover produces an extremely soft feel around the greens.

In our testing all of this was valid. The ball launched high off the driver's face, held flight well and compressed nicely. Around the green, the Callaway ERC Soft isn’t as zippy as the best premium golf balls but it feels nice, lands softly and checks up pretty quickly.

Obviously, it also has Triple Track Technology which won't be for everyone but our tester thoroughly enjoyed its alignment benefits, especially with the driver and on the green. We think these are such good golf balls that we also included them in our guides on the best golf balls for high handicappers and the best mid-price golf balls.

• Read our full Callaway 2021 ERC Soft Triple Track golf ball review

Why not add a little color?

The beauty of the Srixon Q-Star Tour Divide with its two-tone matte finish is that it promises tour-caliber performance with a very soft feel at a much friendlier price. That soft feel stems from a low 72-compression transitional FastLayer Core (softer in the middle and firmer towards the edges). This combo delivers both distance and feel. It also features Srixon's Slide-Ring Material (SeRM) coating, which promotes added performance on wedge and iron shots by boosting friction and therefore spin.

But the main talking point is its bright, eye-catching two-tone color split. Not only will this help you stand out from the crowd, but it will also help you line up putts and show how well you’re rolling it. And when you align the divider the other way, it can even give you an indication of the spin you're imparting on the ball in your short-game practice. For more excellent offerings from Srixon, check out our guide on the best Srixon golf balls here.

A fantastic addition to the extensive Vice golf ball range, the Pro Soft uses a three-piece construction to deliver good all-round performance for golfers with swing speeds of up to 95mph. It may not be the longest ball out there, but we still got it out there a good distance and really liked the distinctive alignment mark on the side. For those who like a lovely soft feel off the putter face or around the greens, the Pro Soft really delivers

Most distinctive of all though are the color options, whether you want the vibrancy of Neon Lime or Neon Red or the more subtle shades of Living Coral, Peach Parfait or Blue Light from the Pro Soft Hue collection.

Back in 2021, Bridgestone replaced its e12 Soft and e12 Speed balls with one new model – the Bridgestone e12 Contact. The key to performance is a new and distinctive Contact Force dimple, which features a visible raised area in the center.

This raised area allows for 38% more contact between clubface and ball at impact than traditional dimples, improving core activation for more efficient energy transfer. The end result is improved ball speed, distance and accuracy with every club, plus a little more grip and spin around the green thanks to the increased levels of contact. 

Importantly it comes in four different colors including the classic white, yellow, red and green. 

• Read our full Bridgestone E12 Contact Golf Ball Review

TaylorMade also updated the Soft Response golf ball in 2022. TaylorMade says it is the softest ball it has ever produced and that was something we really noticed on the greens. It has a lovely feel of the face of the putter and this extends to the wedges.

Overall the TaylorMade Soft Response 2022 is a product that promises plenty of performance. Whilst faster swingers may see a drop off in distance at the top end of the bag, slower swingers will still be able to benefit from the superb short game performance without seeing the same drop off. 

It is available in white, yellow and the red really stands out as well.

• Read our full TaylorMade Soft Response 2022 Golf Ball Review

Full personalization or customization

If you really want to go the whole hog, why not take advantage of the full personalization options offered by a number of brands, whether you want selected text, images, icons or perhaps football club logos on your ammo...

Titleist Customization

Titleist offers three ways to personalize your golf balls across its range, which will add up to $11 a dozen to the purchase price (so less than $1 a ball) depending on what you've done. You can choose a custom number ranging from 00, 1 to 9, or 10 to 99. You can also add up to three lines of 17-character text, or a selected logo, emoji, symbol or picture. You can customize pretty much all of their golf balls, including the simply excellent Pro V1 ball. But if you're not too keen on spending all that money on a box of Pro V1 balls, why not take a look at our guide on the best Titleist golf balls.

TaylorMade Customization

TaylorMade’s personalization program is available on its TP5, TP5x and Kalea models. It costs around an extra $4 a dozen to add either three lines of 12-character text or one of a selection of novelty icons and symbols, including flags, animals and retro TaylorMade logos. Alternatively, 10 different football clubs logos are available for the same price on the same range of ball models, including Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Vice Customization

Vice Golf offers a comprehensive personalization service that gives you the chance to print text, logos or even photos on your golf balls for 65 cents extra per ball for a dozen, with the price dropping significantly for larger quantities (e.g., 50 cents extra per ball for five dozen, or just roughly 25 cents extra per ball for 48 dozen for corporate purchases, perhaps).

Srixon Customization

Srixon also offer an excellent golf ball personalization service on all of their best golf balls but what's great about Srixon is that their balls aren't as pricey as some of the offerings mentioned above. That means you could think about grabbing a batch of personalized Srixon golf balls as a welcome gift for your next big golf day at a fantastic price. 

How we test golf balls

Here at Golf Monthly, our highly experienced team of testers play a lot of golf in different conditions throughout the year. While our Digital Editor Neil Tappin heads up golf ball reviews on our site, most of the Golf Monthly team have been working in the golf industry for more years than they care to remember, so have a wealth of experience to offer. Through our rigorous testing procedures, our collective goal is to test every golf ball model on the market as soon as it becomes available to us, putting in the hours in all weathers out on the golf course, the practice ground, the short-game area, the practice bunker and the putting green. 

We want to get an idea of how each ball performs in all areas of the game so we can tell you what its strengths and weaknesses are, allowing you to make an informed choice about your next golf ball purchase. Whenever possible, we will also seek to acquire launch monitor data for a more detailed analysis of each ball model's performance.

Factors to consider when buying golf balls

Perhaps the most technical piece of equipment in golf is the golf ball. Brands are innovating all the time to see how they can make their golf balls carry further, spin more and help the modern-day golfer shoot lower cards. For that reason, there is an awful lot of technology crammed into your average ball, whether that's in terms of the ball's dimpled casing or its construction. That means there are a lot of things to consider when purchasing your next box of golf balls and that can sometimes be quite overwhelming for players who are relatively new to the game. To help you purchase the best golf ball for your game, we've set out a few points below that you should bear in mind when you head down to your local golf shop.

1. Soft or firm?

The best premium golf balls come in alternative versions that spin slightly less for players who prefer a firmer feel or more control off the tee. We recommend you try both kinds of feel from various distances to find your preferred feel.

2. Cover material

Urethane-covered balls offer the best spin control and feel but do cost more. Experiment with each to see if you notice enough of a difference to justify the extra cost, or whether the best mid-price golf balls might be an option.

3. Long game or short game? 

Which aspect of the game is most important to you? Are you looking for maximum distance or something that allows your short game to shine around the greens?

If you value the former then check out our guide to the best distance golf balls; if you put a real premium on feel, perhaps our best soft feel golf balls guide might be a good next step.

4. Color/visuals

Are you very much a classic white ball player, or someone open to playing something a little different as the golf ball world evolves? There's more choice than ever in this regard and if you are reading this guide, chances are you want a slightly different color or look to your golf ball.

5. Price

No buying guide would be complete without at least mentioning price. Thankfully most brands make models at different price points and you can rest assured there is decent performance on offer across the price spectrum. It is also worth considering that personalized balls cost a little more money. 

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